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The Defender
April 19, 2024
A Message From Mrs. Tate
Dear St. Michael the Archangel Families,
What an awesome week! Congratulations to our 8th grade students for receiving the sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday! It was a beautiful Mass celebrating our faith and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Archbishop Naumann reminded our students that the best way to draw closer to Jesus is to continually build a friendship with him. He shared that when we have a friendship with Jesus, no matter what happens in our lives, we’ll never be without the capacity for peace, hope, and joy. Thank you to everyone who made the Confirmation Mass such a beautiful sacrament for our students and their families.
This weekend our second-grade students will receive the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at Masses on Sunday! We are so excited to share this beautiful gift with them. They have been preparing all year and are filled with joy. Congratulations to the students and their families!
A couple of weeks ago I shared that we received a grant from EMBRACE (Enriching Many By Reaching All in Catholic Education), and this week I would like to invite you to support this wonderful organization by participating in a fun evening at the Drive-In Movie! EMBRACE the Movies is a fun way to support the organization and spend quality family time together. The event takes place at the Boulevard Drive-In on Wednesday, May 22. Arrive at 7:00 for inflatables, a magic show, food, and balloon artists, then stay for the movie, The Goonies. The event is $40 a carload, so pack up those SUVs and minivans and head out! (See the graphics below for more details.)
Not only did EMBRACE fund a $30,000 grant for our school to partner with Ascension Catholic School for a behaviorist, but they also awarded our own Becky Greer, 5-8 Resource Teacher, with a full ride scholarship to Benedictine College for her Master’s Degree in Special Education! Congratulations, Becky! Thank you for furthering your education and modeling life-long learning for our students. Learn more about the awesome EMBRACE organization in their spring newsletter.
I also want to give everyone a heads- up that on May 9, the day of our 8th grade graduation Mass, we will dismiss school at 3:00 instead of 3:30. This allows us to empty the parking lot in time to refill it with all the guests who want to attend graduation to celebrate our students. Thank you for helping us make that day run smoothly!
There are many activities planned for the next few weeks, so please continue to monitor your email and our newsletters for important information. Thank you for your support of our awesome school and community!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Diana Tate, Principal
Important DISMISSAL TIME CHANGE – Thursday, May 9
SMA will have a 3:00 dismissal for all students on Thursday, May 9 to accommodate parking for our 8th grade graduation Mass.
The gates of the parking lots will close at 2:55 to prepare for a 3:00 dismissal. Thank you!
7th Grade visited the Capital this week.
School Supplies for 2024-2025
It's time to order school supplies for the 2024-2025 school year! Please click here to place your orders!
Camp Fire After School Care Registration 2024-2025
We are happy to welcome back Camp Fire for the second year of their After School Care Program. Please click on the link below to register. Contact Britney Lewis with any questions [660] 232-0878
CYO Track & Field Registration Open
Registration for the CYO Track & Field Season is now open for grades 3-8. Speed on over to
cyojwa.org/current-programs to sign up.
No tryouts are required and all parish kids are welcome. Joining the track team is a terrific way to get some exercise, have fun with friends and develop a love for running. All you need is a pair of shoes and a little bit of determination. PLEASE NOTE: St. Michael is partnering with Nativity for our team. When registering, please select “SMA/NAT 5-8” or “SMA/NAT 3-4.”
Volunteer parent coaches are needed. Email Robert Bishop at rbrtbshp@gmail.com with questions or if you’d like to help coach.
St. James Academy Youth Summer Camps
Registration is open for our high school and youth summer camps.
Visit https://sjathunder.org/summer-camps/ for more information.
VSL Updates
2nd Annual Christ Light Award: Staff Edition
VSL is accepting nominations for the 2nd annual Christ Light Award: Staff Edition. Families can use the link below to upload a video explaining why you think this staff member should receive the award. We are again acknowledging 1 veteran and 1 new (at SMA less than 5 years) staff. Submissions are due Friday April 26th and the winners will be announced at the last all school mass.
Link to submit: https://share.vidday.com/e/o-rux82p
Dennis Uniform
SMA School Activities
Parish News
Camp Tekakwitha Registration
Camp Kateri Tekakwitha online Camp Registration is now open. Camps available for incoming 5th grade through high school. For more information and camp dates, click here.