St. Mary Phoenix News

Monday, August 3rd The School Office Opens for the Year 8AM-3PM

Tuesday, August 4th SSO Meeting 7PM In the Activity Center

Wednesday, August 12th All Staff Meeting Noon-3PM The School Office Will Be Closed

Thursday, August 13th Orientation Day Stop by the School From 8:00AM-8:00PM to tour the school and turn in your paperwork to the office.

Saturday, August 15th All School Rosary Following the 5PM Mass in the Parking Lot

Wednesday, August 19th First Day of School

Mrs. Marvin's Corner

The St. Mary School Office officially opens on Monday, August 3rd. Ms. Barnes or Mrs. Marvin will be available to answer any questions from 8AM - 3PM, Monday- Friday. The First Day of School is Wednesday, August 19th.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our St. Mary teachers who spent this summer tutoring students remotely or in person that needed continued support to help them make a smooth transition this fall. Our teachers have a strong commitment to students and families and that is what makes us "Proud to be a Phoenix".

We are excited about the school year and returning to the classroom. The staff has been busy readying their classrooms and preparing for the upcoming year. The building is in the final stages of cleaning and putting on the finishing touches for the year. Classrooms have been adjusted to allow for 6 foot distancing between desks. We want to make the building a bright, happy place even with the mandated changes that we must follow. Thank you to the Tarutani Family for the new lobby ceiling tiles. It brightens our day when we enter the building along with our newly painted walls.

This summer, teachers and staff have been participating in many professional development opportunities made available by the Diocese of Cleveland or private companies. This spring, online learning was a shock to everyone's system and now we have had time to learn from our spring experience and fine tune the process. We have also ordered updated equipment to make it easier for teachers to present information to students. We now have enough devices to be able to assign devices to all of the students in the school. Teachers have also been assigned updated laptops with microphones and cameras. We will continue to use Google Classroom as our platform if we are asked to stay home or if your family is asked to quarantine at home. We have a very clear direction in regards to working online. From the start of school, students will learn the tools of the IPad and Chromebook and how to use Google Classroom. Let us all pray that we continue to work hard to do what we need to stay healthy. Changes occur daily and we will adjust our plans accordingly.

Our goal is provide a safe, healthy atmosphere for our staff and students. We want to be in the classroom everyday.

Since extended day will be different this year, we are in need of puzzles, markers, crayons, coloring books, individual toys or games(matching games, color games, shapes, brain games), legos, action figures, that students can use individually. If you have been cleaning out your closets please bring them into the school office. We will have individual bins of items, students can take to the table and return when finished. Items will be sanitized before the next person is able to use the items in the bin. Thank you for your help.

We have had many questions about masks and face coverings. The governor has announced that all individuals age 10 and up are required to wear masks when they cannot maintain 6 foot social distancing. Wearing masks in public places has been an adjustment for everyone

and a strong topic of discussion throughout this pandemic.

We want to provide for a safe environment for everyone while at school. As we begin the school year, we are requiring all individuals entering the building to wear a face covering(mask or face shield) while you are in the building. All staff are required to wear a mask or face shield while in the building and working with children and other staff members. We are requiring all students to wear a mask or face shield while they are in the building especially in common areas(hallways, restrooms, activity center) and when a 6 foot distance cannot be maintained in the classroom. We understand that mask wearing can be difficult for some children, even adults, and we will be understanding of the developmental needs of our students and help them adjust. Mask Breaks will be given throughout the day to allow everyone to take a break. Our goal is to remain open to serve children and to keep a healthy environment. The staff has been working all summer to make changes in the building to keep everyone safe. We appreciate everyone who has helped in this process and shared thoughts, research and time to make this difficult time more positive.

Many families have reached out to us about the types of face covering they have purchased for their students. Face shields are allowed and may be an alternate option for students. Decorative but school appropriate masks are acceptable. It seems not all face coverings are the same and everyone has one that works for them. Thank you in advance for helping to keep everyone safe in the building. I have seen some very cute masks so far on staff, parents and students. X-pert Tees has printed us masks with the St. Mary logo masks if you are in need of a mask.

Since 1865, people have known St. Mary School students by their actions. This is because throughout our history, we have focused on building student’s character, based on the values instilled by the Catholic Faith, and a foundation of academic excellence.

St. Mary School provides a welcoming environment where families have the freedom to celebrate the faith. In a world of need, responsibility matters and strength is needed to serve our communities. It is our mission to develop students who have the ability to be mentors and leaders in the world. We recognize that each student is a unique gift from God and we individualize instruction to help them reach their full potential. We strive to promote an atmosphere that encourages a love of learning and provides children with a foundation of faith to balance and guide them for the rest of their lives.

Email: stm_lmarvin@tccsa.net
Website: www.stmwoo.org
Location: 515 Beall Avenue, Wooster, OH, USA
Phone: (330)262-8671
Facebook: facebook.com/stmwooster1