Happy Sunday! We have now been in school for a month. Masses, lunch, recess time, enrichment, and social emotional support activities, and prayer are intertwined into our daily school environment. It has been an honor to witness the direction of these activities and the engagement of our new staff. I wanted to take a moment to remind you of aspects that may be helpful as a parent while you navigate the rest of the year.
You will find almost everything you need on our website. Here is a list of the most common needs:
- Our main web page provides links to the newsletters, digital calendars, COVID checklist, and major digital programs used at St. Monica. You can add out Family Calendar to your phone to be up to date at all times ;)
- Our resource page provides links to handbooks, parent pledge, bully form, dress code, drop off and pick up directions, wellness policy, and nurse forms.
- CLICK HERE to go directly to our calendar of events that you can print and put somewhere visible as a reminder of the early dismissals, days off, and special events.
- You are always welcome to email office@smsindy.org with any questions you have and we can direct them to the proper person. We are all here to help you.
- You can email helpdesk@smsindy.org with any tech related questions you may have pertaining to school.
- Finally, please read our newsletter each week which provides updates, directions, volunteer needs, and information vital to the success of our school.
COVID Numbers still rising
We need your help to keep our school healthy. Please make sure everyone is reviewing the COVID checklist every morning. If anyone has any symptoms, stay home and email nurse@smsindy.org for further directions. Finally, please fill out and return the BinaxNow permission release. We will contact you by phone prior to any testing and we will also contact you with the results but the release will allow us to do everything quicker after we call. Without the form signed and returned, we may require that you leave work to pick up your child in the middle of the day, follow quarantine procedures, and find a testing site on your own. Our nursing staff are continuing to be overworked daily due to lack of parental response to phone calls, email requests, paperwork, and students coming to school symptomatic. Please help them so that we can continue to have nursing staff available at St. Monica.
Accreditation Review
On Thursday this week we will have our 3 year review visit. This will include interviews of staff, parents, students, and school commission members. No one will be entering the school or classrooms this year due to our established safety protocols. You will receive an email today if you or your child is invited to attend. Please be open to participating if you are invited.
SchoolMessenger
Our newsletters and important information are sent through a program called SchoolMessenger that is integrated into our student information system, Powerschool. In order for us to communicate with you we need you to keep your emails up to date at all times in Powerschool. If you ever need technical support, please email helpdesk@smsindy.org and someone will provide you with guidance and support. If you think you should be receiving emails, please check your Spam, Junk, or Promotions folders prior to reaching out to us. You may find that you are receiving emails but they are being directed to another folder.
1:00 Dismissals
Do you know why we have 1:00PM dismissals throughout the year? Early dismissals are integrated into our calendar to provide staff professional development and specified times for data management and review. The increase in need for data driven instruction in turn creates a need for additional time for teachers to analyze the data used for this purpose.
Social Media and Your Child
Did you know there is a trend on TikTok that includes destroying bathrooms? Kids are finding humor in the destruction of property. Most of our children at St. Monica know their role in keeping our school in proper working order by not breaking anything. This week, someone removed the soap dispenser from the girl's bathroom in the middle school hall. This causes problems with students being able to wash their hands properly, maintenance staff needing to take time out to order and install a new dispenser since they break when removed, and school staff taking time away for student education to investigate and provide consequences for those involved. It also encourages deviant peer behaviors as some students want to replicate this type of attention. Please monitor your child's interactions online and through phone apps. Have weekly conversations about being kind to others and finding supportive appropriate attention with you. If you need additional support in how to help your family navigate positive behaviors, contact j.diaz@smsindy.org and Ms. Diaz can help.
Book Fair
Our first Book Fair is open this week until Wednesday. Students will have a chance to purchase books on September 20th and 21st. Funding will support classroom and school libraries at St. Monica.
CYO Sports Registration
- Sports Registrations (already have account)
- Sport Registrations - New Account
(Use School Code: 200SMON-IN) - Physical Exam Form
- Financial Aid Application
Chess During Lunch/Recess
This program is great for ALL levels, and is taught in a fun way ! Classes (during lunch and recess, one day a week are being offered at St. Monica beginning this week through November 2nd. “Learning Through Games" has taught Multiple State Champion Scholastic Teams. Teaching is always done in a child friendly way. Cost is $65 for all sessions payable to Learning Through Games, 11504, Senie Lane. Carmel, IN. For more information please contact: adean@learningthroughgames.com
Spanish/English Dual Language Immersion Research
Are you interested in creating a dual-language immersion option for our St. Monica’s students? Email DL@smsindy.org to join us in working to bring the opportunity of Spanish and English learning to St. Monica’s school. We hope to hold our first virtual meeting in September 2021.
Standards Based Grades
Grades PK-4th grade are all using standards based grading this year following the requirement of the Archdiocese. Currently some grade levels are experiencing difficulty with Powerschool recognizing teacher input and reporting odd responses including "F" grades for students. Parents with students through 4th grade, teachers will reach out to you through email if your child is not academically growing properly. Once Powerschool have fixed the programming issues, teachers will let you know that the grades are correct. Thank you for your patience as we work together to serve your child.
October 4th & 5th
Our school is closed on October 4th and 5th so that everyone can attend the Indiana Non-Public Educators Conference downtown. Please keep everyone in your prayers that they may receive the guidance, support, growth, education, and rejuvenation they need to become better educators.