Dear School of St. Mary Parents,
We are delighted to welcome Mr. Bill Schnide to our faculty. Mr. Schnide is a certified and experienced science teacher who also has earned a graduate degree in education from National Louis University. Mr. Schnide has gracefully moved into his new role after the unexpected departure of the previous instructor. He will teach all three sections of sixth-grade science and serve in many essential capacities in the school. Mr. Schneide shared with me today that he really likes the environment and students at the School of St. Mary. If you would like to connect with Mr. Schnide, please reach out to him at bschnide@schoolofstmary.org.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Kathy Thompson
Principal, School of St. Mary
kthompson@schoolofstmary.org
October 2022
Dear Parents,
Hello! I pray that you and your children will come and “be counted” this weekend at Mass.
Yes, the invitation is to “come and be counted!” Please read the following explanation.
Every October, the Archdiocese of Chicago has parishes take an “October count” of people worshipping at the weekend Masses. The “October count” is used by the Archdiocese and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for monitoring and reviewing the average number of faithful that participate in Sunday worship across the nation. I hope that you will “come and be counted” at St. Mary’s this October.
At a Mass with the students of the Primary Grade Center, one of the petitions read by our students was, “For the needs of the Church, that we continue to put God first.” As a registered Catholic, I pray that we have the opportunity to pray with you and your families weekly at St. Mary. As a registered Catholic, I pray that you would share the rich faith of the Catholic Church with your children at Sunday Mass. As a registered Catholic, I pray that you would share with your children the joy you have in returning to God a portion of what God has blessed you with in the regular weekly offertory at the Church of St. Mary.
Fr. Radley and I look forward to seeing you at Mass this October, as you come and are part of the many parishioners that are “counted” as we share in the gift of the Eucharist with our fellow parishioners. May we always gather with gratitude in our hearts for the opportunity to come together and give thanks to God.
I invite you to reach out if there is something that Fr. Radley or I or other members of the Parish Staff can do to grow in faith with you. By modeling faith and sharing your life with Christ with your children, a faith foundation will be strengthened for generations to come.
You are always in my prayers. Please keep me in yours. Please, come and “be counted “ at St. Mary’s every Sunday this October.
Prayerfully,
Fr. Mike Nacius
PGC Back to School Night Survey
PGC Parents, thank you for joining us for our Virtual Back to School Night. We would love your feedback on this 2 question survey to better prepare for next year's event. Thank you.
PGC Back to School Night Presentation
You can find the slides from the PGC Back to School Night Presentation on the Crusader Drive.
That we have a new News Bulletin Board at the UGC! Located in the lobby by the elevators, you can find The Buzz about SOSM! where everyone can share news about our students and alumni. We want to know about your student's accomplishments! Are they in an upcoming show? Did they win a contest? Perhaps you have an alumni child who is the captain of their high school team or college team. Please share their news or a link to an article with Mrs. Haak at mhaak@schoolofstmary.org.
Do you have an alumni child, or are you an alumnus? Share your news and updates with us on this form.
Northside Catholic High School Fair
The School of St. Mary will be hosting a Catholic High School Fair on Wednesday, October 19th, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. All interested families with students in 6th - 8th grade are invited to attend.
Crusader 5K - October 1st at 8:00 a.m.
Join us THIS SATURDAY for the Crusader 5K Registration; register in person Saturday morning. We also need volunteers if you or your student are interested in volunteering, sign-up here.
Grade Level Parents Night Out
Grade Level Parents Night Out
The Parents Association Welcome Committee is hosting a series of grade-level Parents Night Out events. These casual evenings will give parents a chance to get to know one another and make connections. The evenings will be at Prairie Bar in Lake Bluff on Thursdays from 7-10 p.m. SOSM parents will have the alley patio reserved or the bar in case of inclement weather; there will be a cash bar available.
Blessing of the Animals
You are invited to bring your pet for a special blessing at St. Mary's Green on Tuesday, October 4th at 4:00 p.m. Deacon Bob Thomas will lead this prayer service giving glory to God for all his creatures that are entrusted to our care. All attendees will receive a St. Francis of Assissi medal with a holy card.
Baby Bottle Fundraiser - Distribution Weekend
Aid for Women Baby Bottle Fundraiser starts this weekend. Please take a bottle home after Mass this weekend (October 1st - 2nd, Respect Life Sunday) and fill it with spare change, cash, or a check to support the Aid for Women. The bottles will be collected on October 29th - 30th.
COR Retreat
The 2022 COR Fall Retreat is open to all high school freshmen through seniors. Fall Retreat is a great opportunity to meet other high schoolers, create bonds, and grow in faith! This retreat is also a great first step for juniors and seniors hoping to go on a Kairos retreat before graduation! The retreat will be held October 14-16 at Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus. Click here for information and registration.
Washington D.C. Informational Meeting
A representative from Grand Classroom will be hosting a meeting on Thursday, October 6th at 6:00 p.m. for all 8th grade parents and any interested 7th grade parents. It is important that all 8th grade parents attend as final decisions on the trip will be due on Monday, October 10th.
HSPT (High School Placement Test) Course
This HSPT course covers all 5 sections of the test: Verbal Skills, Reading, Mathematics, Quantitative Skills, and Language. The course begins with a comprehensive assessment exam, and the rest of the course focuses on learning content. By the program’s end, students know how to tackle every type of problem on the HSPT – and effectively manage their time and the test. The course will be taught on Saturdays from November 5th to November 26th at St. Barnabas School from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Please see the attached a one-page program overview. Parents can sign-up at www.RedwoodPrep.com by clicking on the 'Sign Up' button on the website.
All information in this section is archived in the Class of 2023 Drive Folder and available on the 8th-grade page of our website.
Congratulations to Greg Kosmerl, Class of 2019, on receiving a Letter of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise. Commended students place among the top 50,000 who entered the National Merit Scholarship Program. Greg is a senior at Loyola Academy. Read more about the award on the Loyola website. Congratulations Greg!
Lake Forest & Lake Bluff Community Safety Series
Join the Lake Forest and Lake Bluff Police Departments and the District 65, 67, and 115 Parent Organizations for a new event series to educate parents and adult community members about important safety topics. The first event will be on October 18th on The Role of the School Resource Officer. Find all the details of the series on the attached flyer.
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Silver & Gold Concert
The community is invited to a free concert at Grace United Methodist Church in Lake Bluff. The concert will feature the International Chamber Artists brass quintet, playing favorites from the silver screen and golden lights of Broadway.
