Monday Morning Memo

Email: school@stmaryum.org
Website: stmaryum.org
Location: 4610 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, MD, USA
Phone: 3016274170

I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing weekend with your family. As we wind down the first quarter, I want to provide a few reminders.

1) At SMA, we believe strongly in the partnership between parents and teachers. For grades 4-8, please check PlusPortals for updated grades at least weekly. You can also set email notifications so you receive your child's grades directly to your email on a schedule of your choosing. If you have any questions regarding your child's grades, please let the teacher know. Please reach out to Mrs. Campbell for assistance with PlusPortals.

2) During arrival, the downstairs gate close exactly at 8:10 a.m. to ensure staff can be ready for announcements and first period. Students arriving at 8:10 a.m. or later need to be escorted by a parent/guardian to the main doors of the school and will be marked tardy.

Finally, I will be out of office on a retreat with the other Archdiocese of Washington principals this week from Wednesday to Friday. If you have any urgent needs, please reach out to Mrs. Ruckstuhl for assistance. I will be praying for you and your families, and ask that you keep me in your prayers as well.

Have a great week!

Mrs. Lewis

Parade: St. Mary of the Assumption will be hosting an outdoor Halloween parade around the school for grades PK-3rd from 2:00-2:15 p.m. Virtus-certified family members and friends are invited to attend the parade and should arrive between 1:15 and 1:45 p.m. Parents arriving after 1:45 p.m. will not be able to enter the campus. Teachers will have individual sign-out sheets in the classroom for parents that wish to take their child home after the parade. Parents will meet the teachers at the classroom back doors to collect their children. All parked cars in the side and back lots must be moved by 2:30 p.m. In the event of rain, there will be a student-only parade in the gym with no parents in attendance. We will make the call that morning if necessary.

Family members must pre-register to attend the parade so their Virtus status can be confirmed. Please look for an email later this week to register.

Costumes: ALL GRADES may come to school wearing a costume that day. There will be no changing into costumes this year.

• School rules regarding dress code must be followed.
• Hats & hoods may be worn as part of costume, as long as they do not obstruct the face. No masks are permitted.
• ALL costume preparations to be completed at home. Facepaint/makeup, temporary hair color, etc. is allowed as long as it is applied prior to coming to school and can be fully removed prior to the next school day.
• No props of any kind.
• Costumes should not inhibit normal movement (sitting at a desk, walking at a normal pace, etc.)
• Costumes should not be excessively gory or scary. Keep in mind that these costumes will be viewed by Pre-K children and plan appropriately.
• Students or parents who have questions about the acceptability of their costume should check with their homeroom teacher prior to wearing the costume to school.
• Students wearing inappropriate costumes will need to call home to have a change of clothes brought up to them.

Parties: Each class will have a party. Only Room Parents are invited to the parties this year due to COVID.

Service Hours: Would you like to receive parent service hours? We need Candy!!! For every $10 worth of candy you bring to this meeting, you will receive 1 parent service hour. You will receive a maximum of 3 hours.

Trunk or Treat: On October 30th from 6-8 p.m., students can come with their families to trick or treat in the school parking lot. Temp screening required along with masks and social distancing. There will be cars with spooky decorations and colorful light displays.

October 28: Halloween Parade 2 p.m.

November 1: Half Day 10:30 Arrival; All Saint's Day Mass at 1 p.m.

November 5: No School Mass

November 10: HSA Meeting 7 p.m.