​Mrs. Johnson’s kindergarteners have been enjoying the fresh air and sunshine on these beautiful fall days this past week! BE grateful.
DID YOU KNOW?
St. Mary's School PK-8 grade students have at lease 2 outdoor breaks each day.

They are very excited to write these personal message with encouraging words that will go into gratitude boxes for those who have been affected by Covid. We're thinking of you. We're praying for you.

St. Mary's Mission Statement: Inspired by Saint Mary and rooted in our Catholic faith, St. Mary’s School fosters spiritual development, ​academic excellence, responsibility to self, and service to others in order that the Gospel of Christ may be known in the world.
St. Mary's Catholic School, Spring Lake, Michigan

At St. Mary's School, we want students to grow, learn and play in the most joyful way possible: in the light of Christ!
St. Mary's Catholic School, Spring Lake, Michigan
#WeAreSaintMarysCatholicSchool #BeAWitness
#LoveMyCatholicSchool #Preschool

Grounded in prayer, St. Mary's School ensures that what’s most important is front and center in our students’ everyday experiences.
BE a witness.
https://www.facebook.com/MercyHealthGiving/posts/2542233969408181
St. Mary's Catholic School, Spring Lake, Michigan
#WeAreSaintMarysCatholicSchool #BeAWitness
#LoveMyCatholicSchool

To help you as parents understand these teachings, our staff Catechetical Coach, Mrs. Amy Giroux, has prepared short formational videos for you. Please enjoy the first of these videos and use your learning as well as your child's to have meaningful conversations about the value of all human persons with your family.

Greg Cooper from the Ventura County Humane Society in California joined our classrooms through ZOOM this afternoon to say - THANK YOU - for our donation from our Francis' Fall Feast Fest coin drive! We had a tour and a Q&A session that helped us see God's love in action at this facility.  
We were introduced to a few of their favoirites like Oliver their mascot - a beautiful white bird that is 37 years old. They have been serving Ventura County since 1932, giving compassionate care to cats, dogs, horses, chickens, ducks, and more. They are known for their adoptions and highly recognized for sheltering animals evacuated from fires.
We're glad to make this donation to their facility and the good work they do. There is joy here amidst all the uncertainty.
#WeAreSaintMarysCatholicSchool #BeAWitness #LoveMyCatholicSchool #stfrancisofassisi

SALE EXTENDED through 11/18!!!
Only 48 more Wesco Popcorn Buckets are available to sell!
Buckets are $12.00 each and can be used immediately after purchase until 12/31/2021.  Payments may be in the form of cash or check made out to “St. Mary’s School”. All collected money must be turned in to the school office no later then Wednesday, November 18.
(Please note, due to Covid-19, Wesco will hand a medium sized bag of popcorn to fill your own bucket.)
Contact the schooloffice if you have questions.​

Congratulations to our 5th grade student, Jessie Whitmore!
Jessie created artwork that will be used for the Diocese Office of Catholic Schools 2020 Christmas Card. 

Each year, our Diocese invite 5th grade students to create art for the front of the card. We were excited when they reached out to St. Mary's this year! 
We submitted designs from our 5th grade students who chose to participate by the November 4 deadline and Jessie's design was selected by the Diocese.

They were looking for artwork based on the prompt, "What is the true gift of Christmas?".   You can view all the beautiful submitted designs HERE

This school year, we are implementing the Diocese of Grand Rapids Theology Curriculum Framework for Catholic Schools. This framework, according to former Assistant Superintendent Jill Annable, has "...three parts: encounter, grow, and witness. Throughout students’ experiences in our Catholic schools, they are provided intentional moments to encounter Jesus Christ through activities such as participating in Mass, receiving the sacraments, and acts of service. Students grow in their understanding of Church teaching in all subject areas, including a renewed rigor in their understanding of Catholic theology. They are also empowered to witness God’s love to the world."

One of the focuses of this new curriculum framework is Theology of the Body, teachings based on 129 Wednesday audiences from Saint John Paul II that address the Church’s integrated vision of the human person. We are kicking off our PreK-8 study of Theology of the Body next week with a school wide introduction to the tenants of TOB during Doyle's Daily. To help you as parents understand these teachings, Mrs. Amy Giroux has graciously created two minute formation videos for you; these will be shared each day next week along with other resources that will help you understand this "inspiring vision for human flourishing through the knowledge of God’s great love for us, inviting us to reject sin and embrace virtue." Watch your email and/or our social media outlets for each day's teaching Monday-Thursday next week.
#WeAreSaintMarysCatholicSchool #BeAWitness #LoveMyCatholicSchool #theologyofthebody

The Humance Society of Ventura County sends a message of gratitude for our help in supporing their efforts housing some of the thousands of animals displaced by the wildfires out west.
https://www.hsvc.org/thank_you_st_marys
#StFrancisofAssisi
#WeAreSaintMarysCatholicSchool #BeAWitness #LoveMyCatholicSchool

Please send your donation to school with your child before November 13. Thank you for your continued support of our St. Mary's Food Pantry.
#WeAreSaintMarysCatholicSchool #BeAWitness #LoveMyCatholicSchool

​BY "POP"ULAR DEMAND, we secured 70+ more Wesco Popcorn Buckets to sell!
Buckets are $12.00 each and can be used immediately after purchase until 12/31/2021. Payments may be in the form of cash or check made out to “St. Mary’s School”. All collected money must be turned in to the school office no later then Friday, November 6.
(Please note, due to Covid-19, Wesco will hand a medium sized bag of popcorn to fill your own bucket.)
Contact the schooloffice if you have questions.

​Returnables fundraiser!   SAVE THESE DATES!
During morning drop-off 11/9 AND 12/7 between 8:15-8:45am
(Directly into volunteer cars)
AND
After Masses the weekend of 11/6-11/8 and 12/4-12/6
(Drop off to the area near the dumpsters)
Great VOLUNTEER opportunity!
Contact us at volunteers@slstm.org

HAPPENING NOW and throughout our school day!
Saint on the hour student PA announcements highlighting a less common saint, their connection to BE a witness, and ending with a prayer asking for his/her intercession.

See what is happening in the classroom so you can understand, monitor, and participate in the educational process.
 Visit https://micloud1.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/grcss.jsp
Infinite Campus links are also available on our school website.
A MOBILE APP IS AVAILABLE.
To download Campus Parent mobile app, visit the App Store or Google Play and search Campus Parent.
If you are new to St. Mary's or need instructions for resetting your password, contact Mary Peel in the school office. mpeel@slstm.org

An email was sent out on Monday, October 12 with Sign Up Geniuses for each teacher's conference schedule.
We will be conducting all conferences VIRTUALLY this fall. After a scheduled noon dismissal on Thursday, Oct. 22, conferences will be held from 1:00-3:00 and 4:30-6:30 that day and from 8:00-10:00am on Friday, October 23rd. Participation on one of these days is required for attendance purposes, so students are encouraged and invited to participate.

Thursday, Oct. 22nd noon dismissal
Thursday, November 5th 1:15 dismissal
**Remember there are no PM busses on these days, and K Prep classes are cancelled. Extension is open on early dismissal days but there is no childcare on Friday, Oct. 23rd.

Ms. Doyle reminds us each morning in her Doyle's Daily from a SHORTER distance that we are called to BE a witness today and everyday, BE taken over by the light of Christ, and to spread that light wherever you are. We do this by following the virtues.
#WeAreSaintMarysCatholicSchool #BEawitness #LoveMyCatholicSchool #EducationInVirtue

​The first St. Mary's School Board of Directors meeting since school started will be held this Thursday, October 15th. St. Mary's School Board is an advisory group to the pastor and principal that is responsible for setting policy and guiding the educational programs of St. Mary's School. The board consists of selected members who serve a term of three years with the limit of two consecutive terms.
More information, including the board member contact information and minutes from previous meetings, can be found on our school at www.stmarysl.org/school-board-of-directors.html
Meetings are open to the public and start at 6:30 PM and held in person for board members in the St. Mary’s School 2nd floor art room. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, guests are asked to join the meeting remotely this year. Please email schooloffice@slstm.org for the link if you would like to join us.

​ATTENTION St Mary's School 7th & 8th Grade:
The Hand in Hand ministry is a student-led effort to support other students in times of need, primarily through hygiene product donations. Through generous donations, we are able to pack hundreds of bags to be distributed to area youth and families experiencing hardship. This has been a partnership with Spring Lake schools and has included donations to Muskegon area schools as well.
Father Dave has given us permission to host a small service event so that we can restock our hygiene bags. We will have limited attendance, require students and team to wear a mask, and will have gloves and sanitizer available for everyone.
The event will be outside!
**In the event of inclement weather, participants will be notified via text/email and social media.
Here are the details:
Sunday, October 18th
3-4pm
7th-12th grade students
several Virtus trained adult leaders will be present.
Students must wear a mask.
We ask that everyone RSVP to handinhandspringlake@gmail.com or to me at 937.776.3798.
I look forward to more opportunities to work together with our St Mary's Parish community!
Kindly,
Michelle Boerger
Hand in Hand adult leader and youth program admin volunteer