Back-to-School Information

First Day of School 2024-2025: Welcome Back Students

1st through 8th Grade

• Wednesday, August 21, 2024 - Early Dismissal for 1st through 8th Grade
  • PGC: 8:30 a.m. - 2:05 p.m.; PGC drop-off window begins at 8:30 a.m.
  • UGC: 8:40 a.m. - 2:21 p.m.; UGC drop-off window begins at 8:25 a.m.

Little Angels

• Tuesday/Thursday & 5-morning Little Angels: Thursday, August 22, 2024 - Early Dismissal
  • Drop-off at 8:30 a.m. in the Early Childhood playground
  • Pick-up at 10:30 a.m. at the curb, near the Early Childhood doors
• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Little Angels: Friday, August 23, 2024 - Early Dismissal
  • Drop-off at 8:30 a.m. in the Early Childhood playground
  • Pick-up at 10:30 a.m. at the curb, near the Early Childhood doors

3-year-old Preschool

• 5-morning and full-day 3-year-old preschool: Thursday, August 22, 2024 - Early Dismissal*
  • Drop-off at 8:30 a.m. in the Early Childhood playground
  • Pick-up at 11:30 a.m. at the curb, near the Early Childhood doors
  • *All full-day early childhood students observe half-day hours during the first week of school
• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning 3-year-old preschool: Friday, August 23, 2024 - Early Dismissal*
  • Drop-off at 8:30 a.m. in the Early Childhood playground
  • Pick-up at 11:30 a.m. at the curb, at the Early Childhood doors
  • *All full-day early childhood students observe half-day hours during the first week of school

Junior Kindergarten (4-year-old preschool)

• 5-morning and full-day Junior Kindergarten: Thursday, August 22, 2024 - Early Dismissal*
  • Drop-off at 8:30 a.m. at the curb, enter at the Early Childhood doors
  • Pick-up at 11:30 a.m. at the curb, exit at the Early Childhood doors
  • *All full-day early childhood students observe half-day hours during the first week of school

Kindergarten

• Thursday, August 22, 2024 - Early Dismissal*
  • Drop-off at 8:30 a.m. at the curb
  • Pick-up at 11:30 a.m. at the curb
  • *All full-day early childhood students observe half-day hours during the first week of school

All SOSM students

Regular hours begin on Monday, August 26, 2024

• PGC: 8:30 a.m. drop-off at the curb (PreK 4-3rd grade) and walk-in through the Early Childhood Playground (PreK 2 and PreK 3)
  • Half-day preschool students pick up at 11:30 a.m. at the curb near the Early Childhood doors.
  • Full-day preschool students and Kindergarten - third grade students pick up at 3:10 p.m. at the curb.
  • All PGC drivers must stay in their vehicles at pickup
• UGC: 8:25 - 8:40 a.m. drop-off; 3:40 p.m. pick-up 
• Extended Day begins (tentatively)

Questions?  Please contact Jane Schlosser at the PGC (jschlosser@schoolofstmary.org) and Jasmine Sosa at the UGC (jsosa@schoolofstmary.org) for more information.
 

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures

Primary Grade Center (PGC): Preschool through 3rd grade drop-off and pick-up procedures 
Drop-off and pick-up takes place in the carpool line on campus near West Lake Forest train station, just east of St. Patrick Church
PGC Address: 
900 West Everett Road; Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 283-9800

Upper Grade Center (UGC): 4th through 8th grade drop-off and pick-up procedures
Drop-off and pick-up takes place in the Oakwood Lot on campus near downtown Lake Forest.
UGC Address:
185 E. Illinois Road; Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 234-0371

Required Forms

Many families submit the paperwork outlined below with the student’s online application. If circumstances did not allow the forms to be submitted with the application, please ensure that the following forms are completed and submitted to the respective school offices by Wednesday, August 21, 2024:

• Birth Certificate
• Baptismal Certificate (2nd grade through 8th grade)
• Medical Forms: 
  • Certificate of Child Health Examination (Medical): required for all new SOSM students, as well as rising kindergarten, 6th grade, and registered UGC school athletes. 
  • Illinois Certificate of Religious Exemption (if applicable)
  • Emergency medications/needs (if applicable) including:
    • Illinois Food Allergy Action Plan and Treatment Authorization
    • Authorization for Self-Administration of Asthma Medication 
    • Health concerns/medication
    • Medication authorization form
    • Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine authorization form
  • Medical and emergency notification information and authorization
  • Dental Exam - Required for ALL rising kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 6th grade students
  • Eye Exam - Required for ALL rising kindergarten students, and any new students who are transferring from out of state 

Questions?  Email Mandy Castle (mcastle@schoolofstmary.org) or SOSM nurse, Cindy Pacewicz (cpacewicz@schoolofstmary.org) for more information.

Inter-Campus & Lake Bluff Bus Shuttle Service

For the convenience of our families, SOSM offers a bus service between Lake Bluff and both the PGC and UGC campuses. The price is estimated at nearly $1,000 per student for the 2024-2025 school year, though the cost may vary slightly depending on utilization and fuel surcharges. Rates for the 2024-2025 school year will be announced in late September 2024 and are based on ridership at that time.

• 8:15 a.m. Pick-up riders at Grace United Methodist Church’s parking lot located on East Scranton Avenue in Lake Bluff (244 E. Center Ave., Lake Bluff, 60044)
  Look for the Olson bus transportation in the parking lot.
• 8:25 a.m. Drop off UGC students and load PGC students at the east end of the Oakwood lot at the UGC. 
• 8:50 a.m. Drop-off students at the PGC

• 3:15 p.m. Pick-up students at PGC
• 3:30 p.m. Drop-off Lake Forest riders at curb on Illinois Road; parents/caregivers MUST receive students upon arrival and supervise students on UGC and parish grounds.
• 3:40 p.m. Load Lake Bluff riders from UGC at Illinois Road Stop. 
• 3:50 p.m. Drop off Lake Bluff riders Grace United Methodist Church’s parking lot located on East Scranton Avenue in Lake Bluff (244 E. Center Ave., Lake Bluff, 60044)

2024-2025 Registration for Bus Service*

*you must complete one form per student riding the bus

Each student must have a form completed to be eligible to ride the bus.  Questions? Email Amy Giannelli at agiannelli@schoolofstmary.org.

School Supply Lists

Order PGC Supply Kits

Order UGC Supply Kits

For families not taking advantage of the sale, please see the links below for requested grade-level school supplies. Please purchase the exact items that are listed.  

Questions?  Email Amy Giannelli (agiannelli@schoolofstmary.org).

Student Uniforms

Students in kindergarten through 8th grade are required to wear uniforms.  It is an essential element of Catholic education.  The uniform guidelines are posted for each campus using the links below.  

• PGC 
• UGC

Find complete uniform requirements and detailed instructions for ordering uniforms on our Uniform Information Page under Student Life. There, you will find more information on ordering new uniforms from Lands End and purchasing gym uniforms for 4th through 8th graders (UGC students only).

Parents Association will hold a used uniform sale on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the UGC cafeteria.  Questions about the uniform?  Email Ms. Clare Lyons (clyons@schoolofstmary.org).