PMA NEWS ARCHIVE

Below you will find previous news items

GENERAL NEWS

• PMA STUDENTS SPEAK AT LOCAL PARISHES

  A special thanks to all of the students who spoke on behalf of Presentation of Mary Academy at various parishes during Catholic Schools Week. They did a great job and we've heard nothing but positive feedback. We are very proud of our students!

  The following students spoke at the various parishes:

  Sherri B. (Gr. 8), Krystara B. (Gr. 8) , Bethany F. (Gr. 8), Lauren G. (Gr. 7), Mary Anne H. (Gr. 8), Kathryn M. (Gr. 7), Deborah P. (Gr. 7), and Kevin R. (Gr. 4)

• 3/9 DEADLINE TO ORDER YOUR PMA YEARBOOK

  This year's yearbook has a custom designed cover and features every student, various school activities, special events, groups and clubs. Several candid pictures capture the fun and special moments that make our school such a special place. The cost of this year's yearbook is $30.

  To order your copy, please fill out the bottom envelope of the form that was sent home and return with payment no later than Friday, March 9th 2007.

  Only paid orders will be processed and there will be no sales after this date.

• 3/9 SCHOLASTIC SCHOOL READINESS TESTING FOR INCOMING FIRST GRADERS

  PMA will be administering the Scholastic School Readiness Test to students who are scheduled to enter first grade at PMA in the fall of 2007. The test provides valuable information to the teachers about your child's academic and social growth and readiness.

  The assessment will take place on Friday, March 9th from 8:45 am until 12:00 pm. Children should dress comfortably and wear sneakers. They should also bring a snack and a drink.

  All children taking the test will be dismissed at 12:00pm. The after-school program will not be available to the kindergarten students on March 9th. Only those registered to enter First Grade at PMA will be assessed. There will be no kindergarten program for students who will not be assessed/or returning to PMA for first grade. Parents, please make the necessary child-care arrangements for your child. .

  FINAL DETERMINATION OF YOUR CHILD'S PLACEMENT IS BASED ON THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE READINESS ASSESSMENT RESULTS. Results will be sent to parents by March 30th.

  PMA parents are asked to use the car-line system to drop-off children at the regular Kindergarten drop-off time (8:20-8:30am). Parents joining the PMA community for the first time are asked to park vehicles in the school parking lot at this time (8:20-8:30am) and to escort the children to the drop-off area where the teachers will be meeting the students in the circle outside the building. All the students will be escorted into the classrooms by the teachers and aides. PMA Kindergarten teachers Mrs. Guarino, Mrs. Skosgholm, and Mrs. Winters will be administering the test to the students.

  The test fee for each child is $25.00. Please return the form that you received with fee to the school by February 23, 2007. Please make checks payable to Presentation of Mary Academy. If you have any questions, please call June Nolet in the school office at 889-6054 Ext. 203.

• 1/31 REPORT CARDS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED

  Report cards were distributed in the White Folders on January 31st.

• 1/28 THRU 2/3 CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

  This year's theme is "PMA:The Good News in Education". Check out all the special spirit building events we have planned for Catholic Schools Week by clicking here.

• CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK BUTTONS ON SALE

  Catholic Schools Week is January 28th through February 3rd. Get "caught" wearing your Catholic Schools Week button during Catholic Schools week and get a Non-Uniform Day on February 23rd. Purchase your button before January 29th by filling out the form that was sent home and returning to school with the appropriate payment.

• CHRISTMAS LOTTERY CALENDAR DRAWINGS

  Find out who the latest winners are. Click here.

• 1/28 THRU 2/3 CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

  This year's theme is: PMA: The Good News in Education. We have loads of spirit building activities scheduled for Catholic School's Week. For details see page 2 of Sr. Maria's January Newsletter.

• 1/15 THRU 1/19 NATURES CLASSROOM

  Students in Grades 5 and 6 will be attending Natures Classroom during the week of January 15th. The students will be spending a week in Charlton, MA with Mrs. DeCosta, Mrs. Zavelick, Ms. Babcock, and Mrs. Fabianski.

• 1/12 OPEN HOUSE FOR NEW STUDENTS

  Open House and Information Session for new incoming students and parents entering grades K-8 from 11:30 - 1:00.

• AFTER SCHOOL PICK UP & CAR LINE REMINDERS

1. Any student left at PMA after the 2:45 designated end of car line time will be sent to the afterschool program. Parents will need to sign their child out with the after school program and will be charged the appropriate fee
2. When picking up students from programs that are conducted after-school (i.e. Drama, Art, Marital Arts, etc) we ask that parents do not park in the circle to wait for their dismissal. The circle is reserved for the after school program only after 2:45pm. Parents can either wait in the parking lot and walk over to get their child or park in a line going down the driveway and proceed into the circle when the children come out for pickup.
3. We ask that parents do not leave their vehicle unattended at any time when they are located in the line of flow for carline. If for any reason you need to leave your vehicle to come into the school, please park your car in a parking space. We have noticed a number of vehicles being left in car line unattended and it disturbs the flow of carline. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
4. Parents should not wait outside the locker room entrance to pick up their child. All students are sent to the carline pickup area and parents should drive into the circle to pick up their child.
5. Please remember when driving up the school driveway and into the circle or parking lot that it is a school zone and speeds should not exceed 20mph.

• 1/3 OPEN MEETING WITH SISTER MARIA 7:00PM

  Sister Maria will be holding an important meeting for all parents to discuss the registration process, tuition increases, enrollment and other important issues and concerns. All parents are urged to attend. The meeting will take place on Wednesday January 3rd at 7:00pm in the auditorium. Please complete the form that was sent home and return it to the office by December 15th.

  Copies of the registration from and registration cover letter can be found on the Finance Page.

• 12/18 - 1/2 IN-HOUSE REGISTRATION

  In-house registration for the 07-08 school year will take place from December 8, 2006 through January 2nd, 2007. This includes students currently enrolled at PMA and younger siblings not yet enrolled. The registration form and fee of $200 per child will be due on or before January 2, 2007. If we do not receive your registration form accompanied by the appropriate fee by the due date, we will assume that your child will not be returning to PMA.

  Copies of the registration from and registration cover letter can be found on the Finance Page.

• ENDOWMENT FUND REQUEST

  Presentation of Mary Academy would like to appeal to parents, alumni and friends to consider a tax-deductible donation to help create a legacy endowment fund. Click here for more information.

• 11/28 AUDITORIUM CHAIR FUND

  To date we have raised $5025.00 towards our chair fund. We still have many chairs available for sale.

• 11-21 CHRISTMAS LOTTERY CALENDAR FUNDRAISER

  The Christmas Lottery Calendars were sent home on 11/21. This year's card features a picture of our beautiful chapel, taken by Louise Supple - Sister Henri's niece. The cost per calendar is $5.00 and we are asking each family to sell 10 calendars. We hope to raise $10,000 to help purchase laptops for the teachers' classrooms.

  The bottom of the card has a stub for the purchaser's (or recipients) name, address and phone number and the seller's name and phone number. This stub must be completed an returned to PMA with the money by December 15th. Drawings will be held December 24th through January 31st for a total of $3000 in cash prizes. Complete instructions are printed inside the cover of the card.

  NEW THIS YEAR
  ****TOP SELLER PRIZES*****
  Highest Seller $100
  2nd Highest Seller $50
  3rd Highest Seller $25
  **All Sellers have 10 chances to win $25 on Bonus Days**

  If you are unable to sell or purchase your 10 calendars, please return the calendars to PMA as soon as possible. Hopefully many people will request more than the minimum. Additional calendars are available at the Business Office. This fundraiser is not mandatory, but your participation would be deeply appreciated!

  We thank you in advance for anything you can do to help us meet our $10,000 goal! Don't hesitate to call us at 603.889.6054 with any questions.

• SHAWS CERTIFICATES FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

  Don’t forget to purchase your Shaw’s Certificates for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

• 12/1 CHRISTMAS LOTTERY CARDS IMPORTANT NOTICE

  The demand for this years Christmas Lottery cards has been higher than anticipated. We are currently out of cards and are still receiving requests for additional cards. If you have any that you are unable to sell, or are not interested in purchasing, please return them to the school office as soon as possible. Your assistance with returning the unwanted cards and envelopes will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

• 11/28 RESULTS OF COMPUTERS FOR TEACHERS DRESS DOWN DAY

  September: $652.00, October: $625.00, November: $626.00

• 11/28 NEWS FROM THE PMA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

  We recently received a dontation from the PMA Alumni Association for $2000 for our chair fund and $2000 for the financial assistance fund.

• 11/18 LEGO TEAMS SCORE AT REGIONAL LEGO COMPETITIONS

  The hard work and dedication of our two PMA Lego teams have really paid off as both teams recently competed and did very well in their respective competitions.

  Mrs. Skaluba's Lego Team, the Scavenger Sea Creatures, competed at the Regional Lego League Competition held at Nashua South High School on November 18th. The team won the Judges Award at the competition. The panel of judges was impressed with their level of performance for such a young team. The following statement was read before giving the team this award:

  "10 students (a Full Team), 70% age 10 and under, showed confidence beyond their years in their knowledge of their project on both team and individual basis. Each student had something productive to add about a Mission, the Design concept of their Robot, or about their Project Presentation. They were openly enthusiastic in every presentation or demonstration shown to the judges. So we present the Judge’s Award to Team #768, The ‘Scavenger Sea Creatures’"

  Congratulations to the team for this impressive accomplishment!

  
  

  Last Week Mr. D's Lego Team, the Magigerz, won the First Place Team Work Award at the Regional Competition held on November 11th at Hollis-Brookline High School.

  The team now moves on to the State Competition which will be held on December 2nd at Nashua North High School. Congratulations to the team and Good Luck at the State Competition!

  For more information on the Majigerz and Lego League (and to see a picture of the trophy!) be sure to visit Mr. D's Web Site

• 11-19 SIMON EVENING OF GIVING !

  Don't forget to purchase your Simon Evening of Giving ticket for the after hours shopping event at participating Simon Malls. Retailers will be offering special sales and promotions. Tickets are $10.00 and PMA will receive $7.00 for every ticket purchased. For tickets contact Kim Coumas. For more info click here.

• PREREGISTRATION FORMS HAVE BEEN SENT HOME!

  A notice about pre-registration was sent home on November 8th. If you plan on reenrolling your children for next year, you need to fill out the pre-registration form and send it back to school by November 20th. Froms may be downloaded by clicking on the links below:

  Preregistration form (PDF document)

• SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR COMING SOON!

  The Scholastic Book Fair will be held at the school during the week of November 27th with the Family Event on Wednesday, November 29th.

  This year we have a new opportunity to bring more books to our students and classrooms. We call it One for Books.

  Donate just $1 and sign a book slip with your name or your child's name so we can display it at the Book Fair. All of the money collected goes directly to purchasing more books for our school.

  SCholastic Book Fairs will match the One for Books dollars you raise with a donation of up to one million books to three non-profit organizations devoted to improving reading skills among children:

  • Kid in Distressed Situations Inc.
  • National Center for Family Literacy
  • Toys for Tots

  Please send your dollar and signed Book Slip back to school with your child. Thank you!

• CAFETERIA HELP NEEDED!

  We are in need of a few volunteers to assist us in serving lunches to the students on Mondays and Thursdays. The lunches run from 11:00 to 12:30. If you can commit to either day and can be placed on the schedule for every other week, please send in your name as soon as possible to Mrs. Phaneuf in the office. Thank you!

• NEW GUIDANCE COUNCILOR

  PMA has a new part-time guidance councilor. Ms. Amy Kirschner is a State Certified LIcensed Practitioner in Guidance Counseling and will be available three days a week to meet the needs of our students.

• A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS

  A special word of thanks from the entire school community to Mrs. Lisa Garand and the members of the Parent Group for making the PMA FAMILY FUN FEST, a truly awesome experience for students, family and friends. The weather was perfect, and the attendance great! Thank you for all the hard work; solicitations, planning, and getting so many parents involved. A special thanks to all the parents who donated items, money, time and talent to make the event a successful one. The committee raised $11,105.81

• 11/20 PICTURE RETAKE DAY

  Within the next couple of weeks, your child will receive an envelope with his/her school pictures. Students must return the unwanted photos to the photographer on Picture Retake Day! If you are not satisfied with your child’s picture, the PICTURE RETAKE DAY is scheduled for November 20 th at 9:30 A.M. here at school. If you child missed the PICTURE DAY in September, he/she can have their picture taken on November 20th. Students being photographed do not have to wear uniforms for picture retakes. Please request a PICTURE ENVELOPE PACKET from the school office!

• 11/11 and 11/18 LEGO LEAGUE COMPETITION

  Parents and students, please support our Lego League team with your prayers and presence! They will be competing in the Regional Lego League competition on Saturday, November 11, 2006, at Hollis Brookline High School (Mr. D’s Team) and on Saturday, November 18 th at Nashua High School South (Mrs. Susan Skaluba’s Team).

  Members of the 2006-07 PMA Lego League include the following students:

  Mr. D’s Team:

  Patrick, Joshua, Savannah, Justin, Alex, Drew, Jack, Caroline and Elya.

  Mrs. Skaluba’s Team:

  Nicole, Shauna, Kevin, Loren, Neil, Amanda, Emily, Bailey, Deanna, and Rachel.

   

• SHAWS CERTIFICATES FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

  Don’t forget to purchase your Shaw’s Certificates for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

• CHAIRS FOR SALE - We need to replace the antique chairs in the auditorium with chairs that are durable, comfortable and stackable. The present chairs are the original chairs purchased 80 years ago when the Academy first opened it's doors.

  It will cost approciamtely $18,750.00 ($75 times 250 chairs) to purchase the new chairs. After discussion with the Sisters, the school has decided to sell the antique chairs to purchase new ones. Please let family and friends know about this great way to help our school.

  The chairs are made of solid wood, are in pristine condition and have been well maintained by the Sisters. The chairs are available for viewing in the auditorium located on the second floor. The cost to purchase the chairs are as follows:
  

  • One Chair - $75.00
  • Two Chairs - $125.00
  • Three Chairs - $150.00
  • Four Chairs - $175.00

  If you do not wish to purchase a chair, donations toward our goal are greatly appreciated. Make a donation of $25 or more and have your name engraved on our donor plaque.

  If you would like to help out, please fill out the form that was sent home and return it to the office. The deadline for Chair Donations is November 3, 2006. Thenk you for your help!

• 10/27 - Pumpkin Stroll. Please join other PMA families for The Great Pumpkin Stroll on October 27th from 6:30-8:00pm.

  The Parent Group asks that each family bring in a jack-o-lantern to disolay. Olease put your family name (with marker) on your pumpkin so everyone knows which pumpkin belongs to which family. Also be sure to only carve one side of the pumpkin as the wind tends to blow out the candles when multiple sides are cut out. The Parent Group will supply the candles. Please bring a flashlight if you can. Between 6:30 and 8:00pm families are invited to stroll through the jack-o-lanterns. Refreshments will be served following the stroll in the cafeteria.

  Please join in the fun and drop off your jack-o-lantern on Friday, October 27th. A representative from the Parent Group will be at carline to collect the jack-o-lanterns on Friday morning. If you would like to bake or bring a snack food (cupcakes, popcorn, apples, cheese/crackers, veggies) or a festive treat to share, please feel free to drop that off also.

  In order to plan refreshments the Parent Group requests you send in the form that was sent home and return it to the office via your child's teacher by Wed. October 25th if you plan to attend. Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated!

  Last year everyone had a great time. Hope to see you there this year!!

• 10/27 - $2 Dress Down Day "Down on the Farm" . Let's celebrate Fall Harvest Days by dressing in your favorite "Down on the Farm" outfit. For safety reasons, pleas no Lee Pipes, Kinkos, baggy, dragging pants or tank tops, miniskirts, mini shorts or shirts with offensive cartoons or slogans.
• 10/20 - "Time to Clay" at PMA - This event is sponsored by the Parent Group. Come join your friends from 10am - 12pm on Friday October 20th in the PMA School Cafeteria for a "Time to Clay" party. Paint your own pottery piece, we will return it to Time to Clay for firing and you can pick up your finished masterpiece at the studio (228 DW Highway, Nashua 888-0482) in 7 days.

  Pre-payment and registration is required. Please fill out the form that was sent home with your payment by Tuesday October 10th.

  All children must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited so send your forms in early!

• 10/19 - Superintendent of Catholic Schools Visit. The Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Ms. Mary Moran will be visiting the PMA students. Students are required to wear "formal uniforms" to greet Ms. Moran, unless they are having gym classes. No dress down passes will be redeemed on this day.
• 10/18 - State of the School Meeting. Parents, please join us in the school auditorium at 6:30pm for an important information meeting about PMA and its financial status. The purpose of this meeting is to inform parents of our present financial status and to begin a "conversation" for charting the future of PMA.
• 10/16 thru 10/20 - Make a Difference Food Drive. Each classroom will be collecting non-perishable food items to be donated to the Corpus Christi Food Pantry in Nashua. Please support our efforts to make this year's food drive the most successful one ever. Food items may be sent to school with your child or dropped off in your child's classroom.

  The following is a list of suggested items:

  • Personal hygiene products (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shaving products, etc)
  • Household Cleaning Products (dish soap, laundry detergent, window/counter cleaners, etc)
  • Paper Goods (toilet paper, tissues, paper towels)
  • Food Items (canned goods, peanut butter, jams, pancake mixes, rice and rice mixes, codiments)
• 10/17 - PMA Night at Roller Kingdom 6:00-8:00 Tickets are $3.00 per person if purchased in advance. ($4.00 at the door) Rentals are $3.00. (Rentals are done at Roller Kingdom, not through the school). All Students must be accompanied by an adult.

  Roller Kingdom is located at 355 Middlesex Road in Tyngsboro.

• 10/13 End of Summer Uniform - Friday October 13th is the last day that students are allowed to wear the "Summer Uniform". Please refer to the Parent/Student handbook for the uniform policy. All students are expected to be in the proper seasonal uniform on Monday the 16th.
  
• 10/13 Junior High Dance - The Junior High Dance will take place at St. Kathryn's Parish Hall from 7:00pm - 9:30pm. Sponsored by the Student Council.
  
• 10/11 & 10/12 Internet Safety Programs - On Wednesday, October 11th from 7:00pm - 9:00pm, the Hudson Police Department is sponsoring an Internet Safety information session for parents. Parents can gain helpful tips and insight about Internet Safety for students of all ages. The session will take place int he auditorium.

  On Thursday October 12th, the Police Deparment will present a "child-safety" version of the Internet Safety Session to students in Grades 5-8.

• 10/6 Liturgy Grade 4-8 - Parents are invited to join in the chapel to celebrate the first school Liturgy with students in grades 4-8 at 10:00am
• 10/4 Liturgy Grade 1-3 - Parents are invited to join in the chapel to celebrate the first school Liturgy with students in grades 1-3 at 1:00pm
• 10/4 - First Parent Group Meeting of the Year - The first meeting of the parent group will take place on Wednesday October 4th at 7:00pm in the Cafeteria. The Parent Group welcomes new members and new ideas. Please come to the first meeting to find out how you can get involved in the PMA Parent Group.
• 10/4 Progress Reports - Students in Grades K-8 will receive Progress Reports in the White Envelopes. Please return your child's progress report to the teacher by Tuesday October 10th. The Progress report is a mid-quarter report which reflects your child's academic and social progress at PMA. Please don not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have any questions concerning your child's progress report.
• Stop & Shop Bonus Bucks - Stop & Shop is agin offering the A+ Bonus Bucks Program. The program begins on October 6th and runs through April 5, 2007. Designating PMA as your school allows our school to earn cash back on everyday purchases that are made at Stop & Shop. To enroll you can fillout the form that was sent home and returning it to the office. You can also register online or by phone. For information on how to register online or by phone, visit our fundraising page.
• Parent/Student Handbook - An updated version of the PMA Student handbook has been sent home. Parents are asked to read the handbook and sign and return the acknowledgement form that was sent home with the handbook. Forms should be returned by Monday October 2nd.
• 9/29 EEE Spraying - The town of Hudson will spray all athletic field perimeters and school ground perimeters on Thursday, September 28th after 8pm. The application is good for two to three weeks.

  As a result of the spraying, the following measures will be taken at PMA on Friday September 29th:

  • All outside activities will be suspended including recess.
  • All after school activities held outdoors will be suspended.
  • Students will enter the school directly through the locker room Friday morning at drop off and will be sent to the gym to wait for their teachers.

  Although these measures are overly cautious, we need to ensure the safety and well being of all our students. Parents are urged to do their part in helping their families and the community:

  • Eliminate standing water around your home and yard.
  • Be aware of where mosquitos live and breed.
  • Check your window screens and door closures.
  • Limit outdoor activity in the early morning and dusk.
  • Spray exposed areas of skin when working and playing outdoors.
  • Wear long pants, long sleeves and socks during outdoor activities.
  • Use a spray containing 30% or less DEET for children and adults.
  • Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus may be used instead of repellents containing DEET.
  • For more information, call the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services WNV & EEE information line at 1-866-273-6453 or visit www.dhhs.nh.gov.

• Readers and Eucharistic Ministers Needed - Readers and Eucharistic Ministers are needed to help celebrate mass on the following days: October 4th(1pm), February 1st(1pm), March 16th(1pm), April 19th(1 pm). If you are able to help with any of these masses, please fill out the form that was sent home and return to school.
• Rainbows for God's Children - The Rainbows for All God's Children program will be offered again this year. Weekly support groups for children experience painful life transitions will meet on Wednesdays from 2:30 - 3:00 pm. If you have any questions regarding this program, contact the Rainbow Corrdinators, Kim Polombo or Julie Lamontagne. For more information on the progam click here.
• Fun Fest FYI - The Penny Sale will be held in the gymnasium this year. Since this area can not be set up until Friday, there will be no preview for the students this year. Make sure to come to the Fun Fest on September 30th to take part in this great event!
• Open House Schedule - The open houses are scheduled for September 20 and 21 from 6-8pm. Below is a schedule indicating at exactly what time/s a teacher will present a talk about his/her class, the subjects taught, the classroom expectations and, time allowing, answer general questions you may have. Sr. Maria will also address parents at the start of each open house at 6:00pm.
  

  SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
  Grades K-5

  TIME	GRADE
  6:00 - 6:20	Sister Maria Rosa in the school cafeteria.
  6:25 - 6:45		1		3		5JD w/French Teacher 5CP w/o French Teacher
  6:50 - 7:10	K		2		4
  7:15 - 7:35		1	2	3		5CP w/French Teacher 5JD w/o French Teacher
  7:40 - 8:00	K				4

• Shaws Certificates! - PMA is introducing a new way for parents to fundraise entitled Shaw Certificates. Parents can purchase the certificates through the school and then use them to make purchases at any Shaws and the school will receive 5% of the total spent. For more information, see the Fundraising Page.
• School Tardiness - While it is understood that occasionally a student may be tardy, students's punctual arrival for the beginning of the school day is essential. Teachers rightly voice many concerns associated with the disruption of classes by children entering late. It is our hope that we will not have to address any family on an individual basis concerning this matter.
• 9/20 and 9/21 Open House for Parents Only 6-8pm - We are planning a very important Open House for all parents to be held on Wednesday (Gr. k-5) and Thursday (Gr. 6-8) September 20th and 21st. We will gather inthe auditorium for a short presentation by. Sr. maria Rosa. Following the address, the teachers will invite parents to the classroom for a 20-minute presentation on the curriculum, classroom expectations, and other pertinent information regarding your child's education at PMA. Parent swith multiple children will rotate on a 20 minute interval from one class to the next. We strongly encourage parents to attend this open house since important school information will be given to the parents at the meeting.
• Help Wanted - We need a few extra hands in our after school program. If you or someone you know is interested in the position, please contact Ms. Mary McManus or Sister Maria Rosa by Friday. Hours and Days are flexible. Payment for after-school service may be applied towards tuition fees.
• Dress Down Days - On the last friday of each month, students will be encouraged to purchase a dress down ticket for $2. The money collected will be used to purchase a computer for each teacher in the building. Our goal is to assure that by the end of the year, each teacher will have a computer in his/her classroom to be used for instructional purposes.

  NOTE: Due to School Picture day falling on the last Friday in September, the Dress Down Day in September will be on September 22nd.

• Library News - We welcome Ms. Mary McManus and Ms. Denise Babcock as our new Librarians.

  Ms. McManus has her degree in education and prior to her involvement as the Extended Care Director at PMA, she spent over 25 years in the classroom. She has a special place in her heart for Children's Literature and is eager to share that love with the students.

  Ms. Babcock, who currently works in our kindergarten program, will work on a part-time basis as school librarian with Ms. mcManus. Ms. Babcock comes to us with a wealth of experience in the world of books/literature. Ms. Babcock has edited numerous children's books as well as science and social studies textbooks.

• Guidance Counselor News - Mrs. Kate Falzarano has accepted a guidance/social worker position in a private agency. Our prayers and support accompany her as she ventures forth on a new journey.

  We are in the process of hiring a new Guidance Counselor.

• Meadow Farms Fundraiser - Our first fundraising endeavor has begun. The "Celebrate the Season" fundraising effort is in conjunction with Meadow Farms with the help of our longtime friend Michael O'Brien. Meadow Farms has provided us with Spring Splendor and Grandma's Gourmet Coffee Cake fundraisers in the past.

  We know that as school begins families are busy adjusting to new routines and schedules but we ask that you please set aside some time and energy to help us in our efforts to acquire the resources needed to support the many special programs and activities available at our school.

  In previous years it has been explained that our per student costs far exceed student tuition and fees. This fact makes our fundraising efforts vital to the success of our school. Please help us as we continue in our efforts to keepPMA a very special school, where faith and education are experienced every hour of each school day.

  A packet of information and three catalogs which contain various holiday gifts, beautiful wrapping paper,Household essentials and Gourmet Cookie mixes to help with your holiday baking. This first fundraiser will be voluntary on the part of our families but keep in mind that families are expected to participate in fundraising during the school year. We simply ask that shoudl you choose to support our efforts, please complete your order forms and follow the instructions to complete your order. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call extension 203.

  PARTICIPANT ON-LINE ORDERING

  To order items online and benefit our fundraising efforts:

  1. Go to www.meadowfarms.com and click on the participant Registration Tab located on the left side of the home page.
  2. Type in 1900051 for the User Name and 4JH857Y for the Password .
  3. Fill in the required fields and click on the submit button.
  4. Once you have submitted your information, we will send a personal password tot he email address that you provided. The email should arrive within a few minutes.
  5. Log in with your username (email address)and personal password.
  6. Invite family and friends to help out with your sales. Send email invitations.
  7. Log in each day to see your online sales.
  8. IMPORTANT: Please do not combine your online and paper orders
  9. Remember the more emails you send the more orders you get.

  INSTRUCTIONS, PRIZES AND SUPER DRAWING

  All participants receive a prize from the Prize Dimension catalog. Please make sure to choose your prize on the bottom of the order sheet before turning them in to the school office. If a prize selection is not made, the computer will automatically assign a prize from the proper level. Payment must be submitted with your order. Please make checks payable to PMA. Keep the bottom copy (pink) of the 3 part order form as you will need it for distribution of your items. It is of the utmost importance that you fill out the top right hand section of the order form withthe corret information: 1. Sellers Name, 2. Teacher's Name, 3. School Name.

  Orders should arrive at PMA for distribution to the students in approximately three weeks from the fundraiser end date (9/18/06). We will notify you of the delivery date prior to distribution.

  Super Drawing - Sell 15 items or more to qualify fo the Super Drawing for iPODS. For every 15 items sold, your name will be entered into the drawing. Sell 45 items your name is entered 3 times. That's 3 chances to win!

  Drawing to be held on November 18, 2006 or sooner.

• 9/30 - Family Fun Fest! - The PMA Family Fun Fest is scheduled for September 30th from 10:00am - 3:00pm. This even will take the place of Octoberfest and will offer some of the same great events (Penny Sale, Theme Basket Raffle, etc) as well as some great new activities and games. Check the Family Fun Fest Page for info. Also check out the Family Fun Fest Information for Parents and Students.
• 9/13 and 9/15 - Volunteer Training Class - Volunteer Training is mandatory for all volunteers and field trip chaperones. The class runs for about 45 mintues to 1 hour. Training Sessions will be held on September 13th at 9:30am and 6:30pm and September 15th at 9:30 am. If you have previously completed the volunteer training session, you do not need to attend another one but are welcome to do so. Refresher classes will no longer be conducted. In place of the refresher class, when new information becomes available it will be sent to you.

  In addition to volunteer training, all volunteers must complete a Diocesan Protecting God's Children class and have a criminal background check completed. At the end of the volunteer training sessions, Mrs. Nolet will be on hand to notarize your criminal background form and will need to collect a modest fee of $7.50 for processing. Information will be provided at the training sessions for dates, times and locations where the Diocesan "Protecting God's Children" classes are being held.

• 8/31 - Hot Lunch Order forms due - Hot Lunches must now be ordered on a monthly basis. New hot lunch items, prices and procedures can be found on the Cafeteria Page.
• Lunch Volunteers Needed! - Volunteers are needed to supervise the lunchroom and alsohelp to serve lunches Monday through Friday. If you are available to commit one day a week or if you would like to be placed on a rotation schedule, please fill out the volunteer sheet and return to the office as soon as possible.
• MIcrowaves are no longer available - Due to Health and Safety concerns the use of microwaves in the cafeteria is no longer allowed. You will find Monthly Hot Lunch Forms in your child's white envelope. Please follow the instructions listed onthe cover letter for completing the forms. New hot lunch items, prices and procedures can be found on the Cafeteria Page.

  If you donated a microwave to the school last year, you are invited to retrieve it if you wish. Unclaimed microwaves will be placed in storage for use in the teacher's lounge when the present microwave no longer functions.

• 9/1 - Milk Order Forms due - The school will offer your child the opportunity to purchase milk for lunchtime. In order to economize on the number of hours spent on bookkeeping services and cafeteria personnel counting and placing milk orders, and for the sake of accuracy, we ask that ALL MILK ORDERS BE PREPAID FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

  The school year consists of 175 "milk/lunch" days. The cost for the year will be 40 cents per day X 175 days = $70. Because the milk orders are ordered on a weekly basis, there will be no credits for absenteeism. We will credit your milk account only if your child chooses to stop drinking milk at school.

  The milk choices are 2% white or chocolate availabe in half pint sizes.

  Please note that we will no longer be selling milk at lunch or on a cash basis. In order for your child to receive a milk ticket, you must prepay for the year.

  Please return the form below to the Business Office before Sepetember 1st.

  Click here to download the milk form

• 8/28 - Open House for Grades 1- 8 11:00am - 1:00 pm - The first day of school will be an Open House. This Open House will give you and your child an opportunity to visit the school, meet the teachers, and become acquainted with the school environment in a very informal setting. We encourage all parents and students to attend the Open House. Visiting hours are 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. The teachers will be available to answer questions or concerns you may have. The WHITE ENVELOPES will be distributed at the Open House. Students do not need to wear school uniforms for the Open House.
• 8/29 - Half Day for Grades 1- 4 - Students in grades 1-4 and their parents are invited to gather in the chapel on Tuesday, August 29, at 8:00 A. M. for the opening of the school year prayer service. The teachers will meet the students in the school yard at 7:40 A.M.

  Dismissal will be at 11:00 A. M. on Tuesday and Wednesday. BUS TRANSPORTATION will not be available on August 29th and August 30th.

• 8/30 - Half Day for Grades 5 - 8 - Students in grades 5-8 and their parents are invited to gather in the chapel on Wednsday, August 30, at 8:00 A. M. for the opening of the school year prayer service. The teachers will meet the students in the school yard at 7:40 A.M.

  Dismissal will be at 11:00 A. M. on Tuesday and Wednesday. BUS TRANSPORTATION will not be available on August 29th and August 30th.

• 8/31 - First Day of School for Grades 1-8 - The Before and After School Program will begin on Thursday, August 31. Bus Transportation will be available on August 31st.
• 9/5 - Kindergarten Open House - There will be an Open House for Kindergarten Students and their parents on September 5th from 9:30 - 11:00am.
• Summer Reading List is online - The summer reading lists are now available. Click here .
• Hood Sox Tops - Earn Money for our School - Help our school earn 5 cents for every Hood milk cap collected.

  Bring in milk caps with the Red Sox logo on them, found on any light blocked bottles of Hood Milk. The school that collects the most caps will win a visit from the Boston Red Sox in 2007. So start now and save those caps. The program runs from now through October 15,2006

  The class that collects the most caps from now through June 9th will receive a Hood ice cream treat.

  Collect those caps all summer and the class that collects the most caps over the summer will receive a no uniform day in the fall.