As a nation on September 11, 2001, we faced a horrible tragedy. Today, we remember all who perished from our world and reflect on the effects and opportunities it provided for us. God can always take something evil and make good of it. Think of how many people God sent to do his ministry that day. He encourages us to be the hope for others by serving others and giving what we have to make a life better for someone else. Today we pray for all who lost their lives that day and trust in God that his love and mercy prevail. God continues to be our safety, and we owe Him all the glory!

Prayerfully,

Mrs. Pierce

Do you have your Kountry Karnival shirt and raffle tickets?

The event starts on Saturday, September 30th at 10:00am until 6:00pm and on Sunday from 10:00am until 7:00pm. Be sure to mark your calendars for some fantastic food and games. It is not too late to volunteer. Our Spirit Coordinator, Mary Rowell has created a great on going list for sign ups for all families to get those KK spirit hours in! There are a ton of ways to help before the event, during and after!

Go to our school website to get your volunteer spot reserved today:

IOWA TESTING Sept. 11th - 15th.

Please ensure your child gets plenty of rest and eats breakfast before coming to school. We will be testing daily from 9:00am - 11:00am. Please send your child with a bottle of water and a healthy snack. Healthy snacks include fruit, veggies, popcorn, goldfish, cheese sticks,etc. Cookies, chips, and pop tarts are NOT a healthy snack. This should be mess free and “finger ready,” thus requiring no utensils to eat it. Please do not send any peanut products due to allergies.

Called to Protect

Each year the Diocese of Fort Worth requires the school to educate the students in child safe environment education. Saint Maria Goretti will be teaching this starting on Tuesday, Sept. 12th through Friday, Sept. 15th. An email went home last Thursday requesting your permission. Please fill out the form and return it to your child’s homeroom teacher. This program is necessary for Middle School Students to volunteer at the parish level. Youth who are 13 yrs. old will be taking the Safe and Sacred Program for Teens. There will be additional paperwork they will fill out regarding references that will come home next week. All youth age 13 must have this training to volunteer at the church or school events like Kountry Karnival. Please fill out the form and return it to your child's homeroom teacher if you do NOT want your to participate in the lessons. If it is ok for your child to participate, you do not need to return the form.

North Texas Giving Day

On Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, is North Texas Giving Day. This is a wonderful opportunity where you can give to help our school. Every year, the school has many needs that sometimes go unmet due to funding. You can help.

Mark your calendars:

Monday, Sept. 11th -

Afternoon Pick Up Outdoor Car Line Starts

Advisory Council Meeting 6:30pm in Rm 116

Tuesday 9/12 – Friday 9/15

Kindergarten – 7th grade Called to Protect education program

8th grade – Safe and Sacred for Teens Training

Tuesday 9/12

Robotics 6:30pm-8:00pm

Wednesday 9/13

School Mass, all students must wear Mass Uniform.

Please bring canned goods to donate to our Parish Peace and Justice Ministry.

Progress Reports will be sent home via Renweb

Thursday 9/14

North Texas Giving Day

Friday 9/15

Spirit Day, wear a Kountry Karnival or SMG Assigned color Spirit Shirt.

Cheer Practice 6:30am

Soccer Shots age 3- 5 from 3:00pm-3:40pm

Soccer Shots ages 6-8 from 3;45pm-4:30pm

Upcoming events:

9/18 Home and School Meeting 7:00pm

9/19 Robotics 6:30pm-8:00pm

9/20 NJHS Meeting at lunch time in library

9/23 Robotics 10:00am-1:00pm

Volleyball Schedule for the week of 9/11-9/17

COME OUT AND CHEER US ON!

Grade 6

Thurs. 9/14/2017 @5:00pm SMG Red vs St. Peters@ St. Maria Goretti

Thurs. 9/14/2017 @ 5:00pm SMG White vs St. Joseph @ St. Joseph

Sat. 9/16/2017 @10:00am SMG Red vs St. Joseph @St. Maria Goretti

Sat. 9/16/2017 @ 9:00am SMG White vs Holy Trinity Blue @St. Maria Goretti

Grade 7

Thurs. 9/14/2017 @7:00pm SMG Black vs St. Joseph gold @St. Maria Goretti

Thu. 9/14/2017 @6:00pm SMG Red vs SEAS Blue @ Our Lady of Victory

Sat. 9/16/2017 @1:00pm SMG Black vs St. Rita @ St. Maria Goretti

Sat. 9/16/2017 @ 9:00am SMG Red vs St. Andrew White @ St. Andrews

Grade 8

Thurs. 9/14/2017 @5:00pm SMG Red vs St. Andrew Black @St. Andrews

Thurs. 9/14/2017 @7:00pm SMG White vs St. Joseph @ St. Joseph

Sat. 9/16/2017 @12:00pm SMG Red vs SEAS Blue @ Nolan Catholic Arena

Sat. 9/16/2017 @11:00am SMG White vs SEAS Gold @ Nolan Catholic Arena

SPIRIT UPDATE

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Welcome to another great year at SMG. Just a reminder, you must have current Safe & Sacred training in order to earn SPIRIT hours as a volunteer. Please be sure your training is up to date before you volunteer (training is good for three years, then must be renewed).

Contact Stephanie Malloy, Safe Environment Coordinator with any questions at secretary@smgschool.org

SMG School Directory

Each school family will receive a free copy of the SMG School Directory. Additional copies may be purchased at the school office for $5. Directories will be available for pick up at the Sept. H&S meeting; those not picked up will go home via kidmail. If you find an error in the Directory, email the correction to Mary Rowell at spirit@smgschool.org

SPIRIT Hours

We all need 40 SPIRIT hours per family, ten of which MUST be related to Kountry Karnival (including KK, KK Raffle, or Dinner Dance). Do you want to get started earning SPIRIT hours, but don’t know where to begin? Check out all our volunteer opportunities at: http://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=c.SignUpSearch&eid=0BCACCDEF5C4F866&cs=09B1BAAE8FBE8B107B0A64035BCE9BC8

Kountry Karnival SPIRIT Opportunities:

 Karnival workers – We need all hands on deck to make our Kountry Karnival a success. Check out the SignUp Genius at smgschool.org > Voluneer SignUp or the link above.

 Booth Chairs are still needed for some of our game booths.

 Confetti Eggs – earn one hour for each 2 dozen completed Confetti Eggs (e.g., empty & clean eggshells, fill with confetti and paint/decorate). Empty eggshell are available. Reminder: Each school family is asked to donate two dozen empty eggshells (no SPIRIT hours for empty, undecorated eggshells).

 Food Truck Trainee needed: Our long-time KK Food Truck chairperson is retiring. We need someone to “shadow” him this year to prepare to take over for next year. Contact Ana Nieves or Brigida Schumacher at smgkountrykarnival@gmail.com for more info.

 Do you have a baseball radar gun? Our KK chairs need to borrow a radar pitch gun for our Radar Pitch booth at KK. If you have one you would loan us for the weekend, please contact Ana Nieves or Brigida Schumacher at smgkountrykarnival@gmail.com

How do I submit my KK SPIRIT Hours?

There will be sign-in sheets on clipboards available for each KK booth to record SPIRIT hours during KK weekend. Please remember to sign your time IN and OUT when working on KK weekend – THIS IS HOW YOU GET YOUR SPIRIT HOURS. Signing up on SignUp Genius does not submit your volunteer hours – it is simply a scheduling tool to help us know where we have/need workers. Booth Chairs, please bring your own pens for the sign in sheets. Booth chairpersons are responsible for approving & turning in sign in sheets & clipboards on Sunday evening at the close of KK.

KK SPIRIT hour guidelines for donations:

Only homemade baked goods are eligible for SPIRIT hours and are not subject to the ten hour limit. No SPIRIT hours will be credited for store-bought goods. Donated items earn SPIRIT credit as follows:

 Each homemade cake / pie / loaf = 1 SPIRIT hour

 Two dozen homemade cupcakes, brownies, etc. = 1 SPIRIT hour

 Two dozen completed (decorated & filled) confetti eggs = 1 SPIRIT hour

 Gift cards or other items = 1 SPIRIT hour per $20 value up to a maximum of 10 SPIRIT hours. New

items donated to Kountry Karnival / Dinner Dance Auctions will receive one SPIRIT hour per $20 value

up to a maximum of 10 SPIRIT hours. Donated items cannot exceed 10 hours regardless of the time

invested to make the item, or the monetary value of the item e.g., handmade quilts, airline or sports

tickets, etc.

More SPIRIT Opportunities:

The following non-KK opportunities will count towards your 40 hour

commitment:

Concessions Chairperson – make sure our concession stand is stocked and ready to serve our guests

 Sept. 9th – Oct. 14th: Volleyball Concessions

 Oct 23rd: H & S Meeting - 1 SPIRIT hour per parent present; must sign in to get credit.

 Scholastic Book Fair – Oct. 13th-20th

 Lunchroom and Playground Volunteers are needed daily.

 Sort and process Box Tops - contact Kathy Knowles at jameskathyknowles@tx.rr.com

Clarification about earning SPIRIT hours:

SPIRIT hours are earned through volunteer activities that directly support or benefit St. Maria Goretti School and may be performed by high school age students and adults who are current on Safe Environment training including a background check. Volunteer service for SMG Parish or the greater community are always encouraged and appreciated, but those hours do not count towards your 40 SPIRIT hours. Current SMG students may earn service hours, but not SPIRIT hours.

Attention all Scout parents – please be advised that SPIRIT guidelines have changed regarding Scouting. Volunteer hours for scouting will no longer

earn SPIRIT hours unless the volunteer activity directly benefits SMG School.

Email: kpierce@smgschool.org
Website: www.smgschool.org
Location: 1200 South Davis Drive, Arlington, TX, United States
Phone: 817-275-8052
Facebook: facebook.com/saintmariagorettiarlington