Monday Morning Memo

Mrs. Lewis will be away on the annual Elementary School Principal's Association Retreat with all the principals of the Archdiocese of Washington from Wednesday to Friday of this week. Please share all urgent concerns and questions with Mrs. Ruckstuhl during that time. Your prayers for her while on this spiritual retreat are greatly appreciated.

The Archdiocese of Washington is committed to the safety of our students. Each year, children and young people will attend scheduled training sessions that include but are not limited to the following subjects:

a. Basic safety skills;

b. Recognition of dangerous and abusive situations;

c. Appropriate and inappropriate physical contact and other interpersonal boundary violations;

d. Ability to say “no” to unwanted situations;

e. Ability to identify trusting adults with whom to speak;

f. Importance of disclosure if inappropriate or unwanted actions are directed to self or others;

g. Recognition that abusive situations are never the fault of the child;

h. Ability to safely interact with technology, including the Internet and mobile devices.

This material shall be provided annually through age- and developmentally- appropriate programs for children in all grades of every parochial elementary school in the Archdiocese, and for children participating in parish religious education and youth ministry programs.

St. Mary of the Assumption School will be teaching these lessons over the next six weeks. More information on the program is provided below. If you have any specific concerns or questions, please contact Mrs. Lewis or Mrs. Ruckstuhl.

The HSA will be collecting candy during carline on Wednesday for Trunk or Treat. Alternatively, you can send the candy into the main office. Your support in making this event a success is greatly appreciated!

Ms. Kayla Cohen has resigned from her position as extended care director. We wish her the best and thank her for her service to our program over the past year.

While we work to hire a new director, please contact Mrs. Lewis (alewis@stmaryum.org) for billing and contract questions. For other questions, Ms. Pat Yearwood (pyearwood@stmaryum.org) is the acting director for morning care and Dr. Davis (rdavis@stmaryum.org) is the acting director for after care.

Applications close on February 16, 2024. The application cost is $42.

• Application link: http://secure.tads.com/
• Application FAQ : https://adwcatholicschools.org/tuition-assistance/faqs/
• Family Application Guide: https://adwcatholicschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/TADsFamilyGuide24-25.pdf
• Family Application Worksheet: https://adwcatholicschools.org/tuition-assistance/archdiocesan-tuition-assistance-program/

If families have questions about their application, they should contact TADS first: tads-support@communitybrands.com. If TADS cannot resolve the issue, please contact tuitionassistanceprogram@adw.org

Registration is now open for viewing the Halloween Parade. Please sign up using the link below. If you are unsure if you are attending, please still sign up. We will not be "taking attendance", but we will only be letting people on campus that have pre-registered so we can confirm their Virtus status.

On October 31st, all students are welcome to dress out of uniform in costume for Halloween. Students are encouraged to wear costumes that allow free movement and play. No masks may be worn over the face. Props/weapons are not permitted.

Students in grade PK through 3rd grade will participate in a Halloween Parade at 2 p.m. All Virtus certified family and friends are welcome to attend.

Because we utilize all exterior parking lots for the parade, the campus will be closed to any incoming or outgoing traffic from 1:45 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. that day. Any early pick-ups or other business where access to the school is required should be scheduled before 1:45 p.m. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

With field trips and the Halloween party coming up, please make sure you have started the process for Virtus certification. NO PARENT/GUARDIAN may attend the Halloween celebration unless they are Virtus certified. Please contact ncoates@stmaryum.org with any questions.

Traffic Light Help: The traffic light outside of the school is manually changed during arrival and dismissal. We are looking for parents to assist with manning the light from 7:40-8:15 a.m. and 2:55-3:20 p.m. Please contact Mr. O'Brien at robrien@stmaryum.org with your availability.

October 18th: Career Day

October 20th: Trunk or Treat

October 26th: End of the First Quarter, Half Day

October 27th: No School

October 31st: Halloween Parade

November 1st: All Saint's Day Mass 10 a.m.

November 9th: Half Day

November 10th: Virtual Parent/Teacher Conferences

Email: office@stmaryum.org
Website: stmaryum.org
Location: 4610 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, MD, USA
Phone: 301 627 4170