SMA Newsletter

SMA Newsletter • January 5, 2023

Mission Statement

St. Martin of Tours Academy fosters confidence, curiosity, and independence through a climate of cooperation and trust by preserving dignity throughout the learning process, accentuating all children’s God-given gifts in a Catholic environment.

Dear St. Martin Community,

Happy New Year! I pray that many memories were created with family and friends this Christmas season and that you are blessed with health and happiness in the year ahead. The season of Christmas ends this Sunday with the Baptism of the Lord and we move into Ordinary Time. This is the time Jesus transitioned from hidden life to public ministry. As we reflect on our new year's resolutions, it is fruitful to remember Jesus' unending love and servant leadership as inspiration to love and serve others the best we can.

I'm excited to announce our upcoming PTG (Parent Teacher Group) meeting topic and free childcare that will be provided to allow all parents to attend with ease. Our January 23rd PTG meeting is mandatory for ALL K-8 parents/guardians and our 5th-8th grade SMA students. The topic is "Words & Actions Matter" presented by well-known national speaker Jodee Blanco. The topic chosen is a result of conversations with parents, staff, and students throughout this school year. This meeting will benefit everyone, especially our students who are navigating the world of in-person learning, social media, texting, and video phone calls.

Our St. Martin Youth Group is organizing activities for Preschool through 4th grade SMA students and needs an accurate head count to prepare supplies. An RSVP for childcare is required by calling 619-466-3241 (see flyer below).

This presentation and its positive results will only be as great as the number of parents, staff members, and older students that attend. This important life-skills information is an extension of what our SMA students practice during the school day. We are building a stronger bridge from home to school for our students' success and need parent support. Please attend. Snacks will be provided and each attendee will be entered into a special drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card or 1 Free Week of Summer Camp at SMA.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Blessings,

Jennifer Miller, Principal

Uniform Shoes - Reminder

Solid colors: black, white, Navy blue, brown

Reminder Regarding Shoes (from August 18, 2022 SMA Newsletter):

"Due to the increase in shoe prices and limited supply chain, we are relaxing the shoe dress code until we return after the holidays on January 4. Rest assured that students will not be receiving Non-Compliance of Uniform slips if their shoes are not totally solid colors from now until Christmas. The remainder of the shoe dress code stands (no hightops, socks must cover the ankle, etc.). Special thanks to parents who shared their possible solutions with the office so we could work together on reaching a fair solution."

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR OLD SNEAKERS?

GotSneakers Fundraiser!

Did You Know?

Most people throw away their used sneakers every 125-200 days without ever thinking about recycling. Since sneakers are manufactured with materials that are not biodegradable, they remain in landfills or are incinerated, which leads to toxic chemicals in our air and soil.

Start in your closet and your family’s closet and gather as many pair of sneakers that you no longer want. You can ask your neighbors, friends, co-workers, and anyone in your social networks to help out. Every pair counts!

The sneakers that we all collect will help raise money to support SMA AND will help our environment by keeping sneakers out of landfills. Start bringing in your old sneakers tomorrow! (drop off outside office)

ALL K-8 Parents & 5th-8th Grade Students

Monday 1/23/23 * 6-7:30 pm

This PTG (Parent Teacher Group)

meeting is mandatory

for all K-8 parents plus all 5th-8th graders.

Childcare for preschool through 4th graders enrolled in SMA's academy or preschool

is provided at no charge.

Teachers will also be in attendance.

An RSVP is required! Please use the button on the right to reserve your child's place.

Will your Preschool-4th grader attend childcare (free of charge)?

Yes

Select

Free Opportunity for Speech/Occupational Therapy

Wednesday 1/11/23, RL Therapy Group will be on campus to assess students with completed permission slips. If you feel your child needs additional support with speech pronunciation, expressive communication, grammar, receptive comprehension, handwriting, self-help skills, or fine motor skills, this is an additional opportunity to be evaluated by professionals in their field. Information from the evaluation will assist parents and teachers in next steps. Click here for permission slip.

Free Vision Screening - California-Hawaii Elks Major Project

The California-Hawaii Elks Major Project is a non-profit organization that offers free vision screening to children throughout California. The purpose of this screening is to identify children who may be at risk for undetected vision abnormalities. The screening is not a substitute for a doctor’s eye examination. Students in grades K, 2, 5, 8 will be screened.

The Vision Screening Program is performed by a Certified Pediatric Vision Screener and consists of the following for each child:

* assessment of visual acuity and external eye health

* evaluation of the ability of the two eyes to work together

* observation of the muscular ability of the eyes to follow, fixate and maintain

What parents need to know about their child's eyes? (information flyer)

If you DO NOT desire that your child participate in this screening,

please notify the school office prior to the scheduled screening on: January 17-19, 2023

Volunteers are needed each day. Please call the school office if you can volunteer on Tues. 1/17, Wed. 1/18 Thurs. 1/19 from 9-11:30 AM

FunApp Helps to Develop Faith-Filled Families - Catholic Households on Mission

CatholicHÔM is a unique online community that helps your family build a more loving, connected household that witnesses to Christ’s love. Created by experts, CatholicHÔM brings you the tools and support you need to celebrate Catholic family life!

REMINDERS

Ki's Lunch Program Mon-Thur. Order Lunch HERE

SchoolSpeak- record hours & update

January Calendar

Family Handbook

Visit our website

Pizza Fridays -order here by Thurs. noon.

CMG Requirement for Volunteering

Uniform Requirements

Parish News

Sacramental Prep session #3 will be held Saturday 1/14/23. The Session will be a tour of our church and will be offered at 10 AM and 3:00 PM. Please contact Lisa Zickert at lisaz@saintmartinoftours.cc to confirm which time you will attend on Saturday. Please meet Lisa in the Gathering Plaza outside the church at your confirmed time.Keep up with parish events HERE.

St. Martin of Tours Academy

stmartinacademy.org