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October 7, 2021 OCTOBER IS NATIONAL BULLY PREVENTION MONTH A Guide for Parents & Students At St. Thomas More School It Is Our Responsibility to Stop Bullying: Respect is a basic right The dignity of human life is at the cornerstone of Catholic social teaching. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops confirms “that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.” As Catholics, we are called to respect life and the dignity of the person. In the words of Saint John Paul II, “Life, especially human life, belongs to God; whoever attacks human life attacks God’s very self” (Evangelium vitae). Bullying is an attack on an individual and disrespects life. It damages the person and can lead to devastating consequences. What is bullying? What is harassment? StopBullying.gov defines bullying as unwanted, aggressive behavior that also involves a power imbalance between individuals, and happens more than once. Types of bullying may include physical bullying, verbal bullying, social bullying, and cyber-bullying. Harassment includes the elements of bullying with the additional component of relating to race, color, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or other identifying characteristics. Harassment needs only to occur once. Both bullying and harassment cause a disruption to the victim’s life and can cause fear of harm. Additionally, bullying or harassment can cause children to avoid school, damages self-esteem, causes social and emotional problems, including greater incidences of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Research also indicates there are lasting effects on the mental health of students who bully which may include substance abuse and domestic violence. What can be done? The St. Thomas More School handbook, as well as individual teachers, set certain expectations with regard to student behavior. Teachers are vigilant and monitor student interactions throughout the day. However, statistics show that bullying behavior most often occurs during class transitions, in the hallway, cafeteria, and at recess where supervision is less direct. Nonetheless, school personnel will never tolerate any bullying on Diocesan school grounds or at any school-sponsored activity, whether it be on or off school grounds. Strategies for Students
Strategies for Parents Parents play a key role in the prevention and reduction in the incidence of bullying. Recognize the warning signs, behavioral and emotional changes, that may indicate that your child might be being bullied, is bullying, or is witnessing bullying. Learn what bullying is and what it is not. Horseplay among peers and conflict among friends is not bullying. Closely monitor your child’s use of technology, especially social media. If your child has been bullied: ● Let your child know that he/she is not at fault and did nothing to deserve this behavior. ● Teach your child self-advocacy skills & to be firm in response to bullying. ● Help your child to develop and/or strengthen friendships and interests which are positive and healthy and they enjoy and find success in. ● Encourage peaceful resolutions. ● Work closely with the school to address the problem. Understand the school’s policy on bullying and how they address bullying issues. At St. Thomas More School . . . Students have the right to attend school and learn, unbothered by others. STM takes all reports of harassment and/or bullying seriously. Please report all cases of bullying. Problems cannot be addressed if they are not identified. Your privacy will be fully respected in this process. TOMORROW, Friday, Oct. 8 Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet with STM parents at 2:55 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13 1st Grade Field Trip to the Kansas City Zoo Friday, Oct. 15 NO SCHOOL--Teacher Professional Development Day Saturday, Oct. 16 Fall Fling--An Outdoor Market from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18 Picture Re-take Day; Students who need to take or re-take photos have a Dress-Up Day Wednesday, Oct. 20 School Advisory Board Meeting Thursday, Oct. 21 DATE CHANGE FOR 7TH GRADE 7th & 8th Grade Field Trip to Auschwitz Exhibit at Union Station; 7th Grade at 9 a.m. & 8th Grade at 11 a.m. Monday-Friday, Oct. 18-22 FIRE WEEK; see attachment & details below Wednesday, Oct. 27 Trunk or Treat Thursday & Friday, Oct. 28 & 29 Parent-Teacher Conferences (see info below) ½ day for students on Oct. 28 NO SCHOOL for students on Oct. 29 Monday, Nov. 1 NO SCHOOL--Teacher PD Day Saturday, Nov. 13 BMA Mouse Races Thursday, Nov. 18 2nd Grade--First Reconciliation Saturday, Nov. 20 NOTE: DATE CHANGE Booster Club Pickleball Tournament at Blue Hills Country Club PLEASE HELP YOUR CHILD BE ON TIME FOR SCHOOL: School starts at 7:50 a.m. with students in their seats and ready to learn. From the STM 2021-22 Student Handbook: “In the case of an appointment or unexpected emergency, parents are asked to call or send a written excuse with the student stating the reason for the tardiness. o Parents will receive notification of excessive morning or in-school tardiness. o Excessive morning tardiness will result in disciplinary action. After six tardies in a quarter, the parents will be called by the principal to discuss the situation. Nine or more morning tardies will result in additional measures as determined by the administration. o All occasions of morning tardiness will be reflected on the report card as part of the student’s permanent record. o Grades 6th-8th: Students who are late to any class during the school day will be considered tardy. Students who must leave the classroom for forgotten materials will also be considered tardy.” If your child will not be at school, please email the Absent@stmcyclones.org or Health@stmcyclones.org to report an absence before 8 a.m. It is important for the office and teachers to know from the very beginning of the school day if a student will not be in attendance. iMPORTANT INFO ABOUT PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES: Mark your calendars now for our Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences on the afternoon & evening of Thursday, Oct. 28 and the morning of Friday, Oct. 29. You will be able to get on your child’s homeroom teacher’s Sycamore page to make an appointment from Thursday, Oct. 14- Tuesday, Oct. 26 Times: - Thurs., Oct. 28th: 1:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - Fri., Oct. 29th: 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Details: - Sign up through Sycamore from Thurs., Oct. 14th - Tues., Oct. 26th - 15-minute conference time slots - You will ONLY be given the option to sign up with the homeroom teacher - You can request conferences with other teachers by emailing those teachers directly; the teacher can add the parent into their schedule on Sycamore; teachers can always request conferences with students outside of their homeroom - You will be directed to email the teacher if you would like the conference to be on Zoom; the teacher will reply with the Zoom link information Changes to Your Conference Time?: - You will only have access to sign up for conferences through Sycamore once; if you need to change the time, you will need to email Colleen or the teacher to have it switched. FRIDAY PRAYER OPPORTUNITY: Parents, Each Friday at 2:55 pm you are invited to join other parents (and little people) to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. There are no required supplies (though a rosary is helpful) and if you have never prayed it, or aren’t sure how to pray it, handouts and guidance will be provided. What a great way to unite our sufferings and remind us of God’s love and mercy as we enter the weekend! Remember that meeting your child(ren) in the church or in front of the church is not allowed to keep traffic flowing smoothly and so that others in prayer are not disturbed. We hope you can join us by praying together on Fridays @ 2:55! DRESS CODE--BELTS REQUIRED BY NEXT MONDAY: If your child is wearing slacks or shorts with belt loops at STM, he or she should wear a belt. I have advised the students that they should ask you to get a belt by Monday, Oct. 11 when we will begin checking for appropriate belting practices and notifying parents of any issues. Students are not allowed to wear clothing that is not part of the STM uniform. This includes sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets. Winter coats are the exception. Non-STM uniform sweaters, sweatshirts, or jackets should be removed at the beginning of the school day and kept on coat hooks or in lockers. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR 8TH GRADE PARENTS: The following immunizations are received between ages 11 and 13 years and are required for all 8th grade students. Please check with your health provider for an updated immunization record. Tdap Meningococcal/MCV If your child has had any updates please send a copy or fax to school no later than October 13th, 2021. (Fax: 816-941-2450) DON’T MISS OUT! GATHERING PARTY INFO: Gathering parties are a way for our school to raise money or receive auction items for the annual STM Auction on Feb. 5. This year's parties that are already booked are listed below. Invites will be sent home in backpacks closer to your child’s grade level event. 10/9 - Preschool & Kindergarten 10/30 - 5th, 6th & 7th STM GREEN TEAM TRASH PICK-UP:Saturday, October 23, 9am-Noon The STM Green Team is planning another service project to pick up trash along Blue River Road. We will meet in the parking lot of Children International, located at the northwest corner of Red Bridge and Blue River Roads. The team has made arrangements with the city to pick up the trash collected. Young and old, singles and families are all encouraged to participate in this project. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. This is a great opportunity for students to get service hours! It is recommended that all participants wear long sleeves, jeans, gloves, and protective footwear. Plastic bags will be provided. Please pray for good weather! For more information or to register for this event, contact David Butel at dbutel@stmkc.com or 816-942- 2492 x210 by Wednesday, October 20. COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: Week ending 9/23/21 Week ending 9/30/21 Week ending 10/7/21 Students in quarantine 0 0 0 Staff members in quarantine 0 0 0 Students in isolation 0 0 0 Staff members in isolation 1 0 0 Percentage of attendance 97% 97% 96% Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 15 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 1 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate you partnering with us on school days to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing:
FIRE RAFFLE TICKETS DUE ON OCT. 20: We are excited to participate in the Annual FIREBall Cup raffle contest, a fundraising effort and friendly competition among schools in our diocese to benefit the FIRE Foundation, students with special needs, and support inclusive education. Each school family will receive 5 tickets to sell. The winning school will be announced on October 21st and will receive a special surprise! Contest Rules:
Monday 10/18 - Multi color Monday! Wear you favorite color shirt to school to celebrate everyone’s differences (Mis-matched socks, silly shirt) $5 donation is suggested Tuesday 10/19 - Please use the QR code or link to buy a raffle ticket. They are $10 for a chance to win $2500. http://weblink.donorperfect.com/fireballraffle2021 Wednesday 10/20 -Recess Snack Day. If you would like to donate store bought goods/ snacks please be sure they are individually wrapped and do not include nuts. (Drop off between 10/13 through the morning of 10/20 ) Due to COVID we will not be able to accept homemade goods this year. Students may purchase the snacks during recess for $1 each. Here is the link to a Sign Up Genius for donated snacks: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4FA8AB2EA7F58-fire1 Thursday 10/21- All classes will watch grade appropriate videos educating about special needs and being kind to everyone. Friday 10/22 -90’s decade day! This year we celebrate 25 years of FIRE - wear your 90’s outfit to celebrate the decade FIRE began. Make it fun! But please be sure its school-appropriate. $5 donation is suggested EARN CASH FOR STM! Coca-Cola Gives: We’re excited to share that our school is part of the Coca-Cola Give program. This opens up St. Thomas More to new funding opportunities to help improve learning environments for students. The best part? Donations don’t come out of your own pocket. When you make Coca-Cola purchases, you simply enter the product codes here: coke.com/give/schools (make sure to search for St Thomas More using Zip Code 64131) and our school receives a donation. Help STM make the most of this program and learn more at Coke.com/give. You may also drop off Bottle Caps or Codes from the inside of Coke product cases at the school office for entry. WOO-HOO! BONUS FOOTBALL RAFFLE DRAWING AT END OF SEASON! Today we reached the milestone of 3,800 tickets sold! This means we will pay one person who sold a ticket $250 at the end of the year. A second milestone IS NOT POSSIBLE until all unsold tickets are returned. PLEASE send those unsold tickets back to the school office. Following is a prayer that can be prayed for those who, for whatever reason, do not choose kind words or actions towards others. Let us pray for them together so we can ask God to impact their hearts to reflect His love: (Based on 1 John 2:9) God of Love, Your word declares that anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. I pray for those who are in the darkness right now, for those who choose to hate over love and choose intimidation over respect. I pray for bullies right now, please touch their hearts. Lord, please let Your light shine upon them and eradicate the darkness that surrounds them. Amen. Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal
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Dear STM Families, Each October we celebrate ‘Respect Life Month’, and the first Sunday of October (this Sunday) is observed as ‘Respect Life Sunday.’ As Catholics, we are called to cherish, defend, and protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning to the end of their lives, and at every point in between. During the month of October, the Church asks us to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life. During this Year of St. Joseph, each of us can find in him “an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble.” St. Joseph shows us how to say “yes” to life, despite our own fears, frailties, and weaknesses. For it is Joseph who was “chosen by God to guide the beginnings of the history of redemption. He was the true ‘miracle’ by which God saves the child and his mother.” As we begin the month of October, we can start to become more like St. Joseph by asking ourselves a few questions and reflecting on them: Do we realize how precious every person is? As we go about our day, do we treat people accordingly? How can we help those in our society who are struggling to welcome new life, like moms who are pregnant or parenting in difficult circumstances? How can we reach out to those having a hard time seeing the worth of their own lives? May we take up the mantle of St. Joseph as we begin the month of October tomorrow. Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: TONIGHT, Sept. 30 FIRE FRIEND-RAISER; 6:30-8:30 p.m. at STM (see details below) TOMORROW, Friday, Oct. 1 Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet with STM parents at 2:55 p.m. TOMORROW, Friday Oct. 1 STM First Friday Spirit Day! See details below. Sept. 27-Oct. 5 Scholastic Book Fair Wednesday, Oct. 13 1st Grade Field Trip to the Kansas City Zoo Friday, Oct. 15 NO SCHOOL--Teacher Professional Development Day Saturday, Oct. 16 Fall Fling--An Outdoor Market Monday, Oct. 18 Picture Re-take Day; Students who need to take or re-take photos have a Dress-Up Day Thursday, Oct. 21 DATE CHANGE FOR 7TH GRADE 7th & 8th Grade Field Trip to Auschwitz Exhibit at Union Station; 7th Grade at 9 a.m. & 8th Grade at 11 a.m. Monday-Friday, Oct. 18-22 FIRE WEEK; see details below Wednesday, Oct. 27 Trunk or Treat Thursday & Friday, Oct. 28 & 29 Parent-Teacher Conferences (see info below) ½ day for students on Oct. 28 NO SCHOOL for students on Oct. 29 Monday, Nov. 1 NO SCHOOL--Teacher PD Day Saturday, Nov. 13 Booster Club Pickleball Tournament at Blue Hills Country Club Thursday, Nov. 18 2nd Grade--First Reconciliation SPIRIT DAY TOMORROW! Tomorrow is First Friday STM Spirit Day! Students may wear an STM Spirit Wear shirt with jeans, khaki pants, jean or khaki shorts or bottoms of a uniform-appropriate length, Spirit Wear shorts, or uniform bottoms. Of course the STM uniform is always appropriate, too! SYCAMORE ACCESS FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES! Please check to make sure you have access to Sycamore before next Thursday, Oct. 7th. Parents will be using Sycamore to sign up for conferences this year. Sign ups for the Oct. 28th & 29th conferences will go live at the end of next week. If you do not have access to Sycamore, please contact Colleen Sullivan in the Front Office @ 816.941.5581 FRIDAY PRAYER OPPORTUNITY: Parents, Each Friday at 2:55 pm you are invited to join other parents (and little people) to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. There are no required supplies (though a rosary is helpful) and if you have never prayed it, or aren’t sure how to pray it, handouts and guidance will be provided. What a great way to unite our sufferings and remind us of God’s love and mercy as we enter the weekend! Remember that meeting your child(ren) in the church or in front of the church is not allowed to keep traffic flowing smoothly and so that others in prayer are not disturbed. We hope you can join us by praying together on Fridays @ 2:55! DRESS CODE ISSUES: We are having some issues with STM Dress Code adherence. Please review the uniform requirements in the attached STM Student Handbook on p. 37. Here are a few of the most common infractions:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR 8TH GRADE PARENTS: The following immunizations are received between ages 11 and 13 years and are required for all 8th grade students. Please check with your health provider for an updated immunization record. Tdap Meningococcal/MCV If your child has had any updates please send a copy or fax to school no later than October 13th, 2021. (Fax: 816-941-2450) STM CHILDREN’S CHOIR AT 11 A.M. MASS THIS SUNDAY: This Sunday the STM Children's Choir will sing at the 11:00 Mass. Students should arrive at Church by 10:30am dressed in nice Church clothes and go directly to the choir loft to warm-up and get ready. We thank you for your support. DON’T MISS OUT! GATHERING PARTY INFO: Gathering parties are a way for our school to raise money or receive auction items for the annual STM Auction on Feb. 5. This year's parties that are already booked are listed below. Invites will be sent home in backpacks closer to your child’s grade level event. 10/2 - 2nd & 4th 10/9 - Preschool & Kindergarten 10/30 - 5th, 6th & 7th COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: Week ending 9/16/21 Week ending 9/23 /21 Week ending 9/30/21 Students in quarantine 0 0 0 Staff members in quarantine 0 0 0 Students in isolation 0 0 0 Staff members in isolation 1 1 0 Percentage of attendance 95% 97% 97% Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 15 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 1 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate you partnering with us on school days to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing:
COVID Task Force Meeting Notes: The COVID Task Force met this afternoon at STM.
FIRE RAFFLE TICKETS SENT HOME IN BACKPACKS: We are excited to participate in the Annual FIREBall Cup raffle contest, a fundraising effort and friendly competition among schools in our diocese to benefit the FIRE Foundation, students with special needs, and support inclusive education. Each school family will receive 5 tickets to sell. The winning school will be announced on October 21st and will receive a special surprise! Contest Rules:
EARN CASH FOR STM! Coca-Cola Gives: We’re excited to share that our school is part of the Coca-Cola Give program. This opens up St. Thomas More to new funding opportunities to help improve learning environments for students. The best part? Donations don’t come out of your own pocket. When you make Coca-Cola purchases, you simply enter the product codes here: coke.com/give/schools (make sure to search for St Thomas More using Zip Code 64131) and our school receives a donation. Help STM make the most of this program and learn more at Coke.com/give. You may also drop off Bottle Caps or Codes from the inside of Coke product cases at the school office for entry. As we begin Respect Life month tomorrow, here is a prayer you might consider sharing with your family: A Prayer of Thanks Dear God, Our Father, We thank you for our lives. We thank you for making each one of us a unique person. We thank you for each other. We thank you for the many gifts you have given us. Help us to see the gifts of other people. Help us to share our gifts with each other. Help us to care for each other the way you care for us. Amen. September 16, 2021 Dear STM Families, We are blessed at STM with such involved and dedicated families! Our Home and School Association, Booster Club, Auction Committee, COVID Task Force, and School Advisory Board are key to helping our school thrive. These groups appreciate your input and are often looking for your volunteerism to prepare for an activity, a fundraiser, a project, or assistance to make improvements around our school. Please let us know in the school office if you want to jump in (again) with the community of giving parents and family members. Our Booster Club is sponsoring the STM Football Raffle, and we need your help right now. Currently, there are 1,500 tickets representing $30,000 of revenue for our school that HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED. If you plan to sell your unused tickets, that is AWESOME. If they are just sitting on your dining room table or in a pile in the kitchen, we need you to bring those to the school office. We have a waiting list of people who want more tickets to sell--but we have NO TICKETS TO HAND OUT. Please get those back to us ASAP! The Our School Advisory Board met last night and there are several highlights to share with you:
Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: Sept. 27-Oct. 5 Scholastic Book Fair Thursday, Sept. 30 COVID Task Force Meeting Saturday, Oct. 16 Fall Fling--An Outdoor Market Saturday, Nov. 13 Booster Club Pickleball Tournament at Blue Hills Country Club KINDERGARTEN & NEW FAMILIES: The STM community is SO GLAD that you have joined our school family! We hope you’ve enjoyed your welcome sign! Please don’t forget to return them to school so we can carry on the tradition. They can be dropped in the front of school or near the playground area at pick-up. CALLING ALL ROOM PARENTS FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR! What are Room Parents responsible for?
DRESS CODE ISSUES: We are having some issues with STM Dress Code adherence. Please review the uniform requirements in the attached STM Student Handbook on p. 37. Here are a few of the most common infractions:
WE ARE ALREADY RUNNING OUT OF MASKS AND PLASTICWARE! Please make sure your child arrives at school with a mask or gaiter AND an extra for just-in-case incidents throughout the day. We have TOO MANY students showing up without appropriate face coverings and are expecting one from the nurse or office on a daily basis. Also, please send the appropriate fork or spoon with your child to eat his/her lunch. Applesauce, pudding, noodles in a thermos, and jello are really difficult for them to eat without appropriate plasticware. A napkin in the lunch box every day is a great idea, too. BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Our school will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair Monday, 9/27 - Friday, 10/1 in the STM school library. The return of the Book Fair will be a familiar and welcome celebration. Volunteers are crucial to the success of this event. If you’re available to help us with our upcoming Book Fair, please visit https://volunteer.scholastic.com/#/signup/A27kL1FCy to sign up today. The link includes available time slots for daytime and after school opportunities. Service hours are available for middle school students to help assist with fair set up on 9/24 immediately after school and tear down on 10/1 at 4:15pm. See sign up link for more details. Thank you for considering becoming a volunteer! Any questions? Contact Courtney Fahey at crfahey@me.com or 816-729-3056. It's not too late to shadow the Book Fair Chair position for Home & School. Please reach out today if interested in leading the next fair. 8TH GRADE GATHERING PARTY INFORMATION: Dear 8th Grade Parents- Please join us on Saturday, September 18th starting at 6:30 at the home of Bill, Colleen & Joe Teasdale for the 8th grade Gathering Party. Students are invited to attend for a Hawaiian themed night of fun and community. See flyer for more details. Please RSVP by returning the attached form to school or by reaching out to one of the hosts. See you then, Colleen & Bill Teasdale Jami & Mike Pizzichino Tricia & Todd McCullough Angela & Chris Sweeny Courtney & Andrew Fahey DON’T MISS OUT! GATHERING PARTY INFO: Gathering parties are a way for our school to raise money or receive auction items for the annual STM Auction on Feb. 5. This year's parties that are already booked are listed below. Invites will be sent home in backpacks closer to your child’s grade level event. 9/18- 8th 9/24- 3rd 10/2 - 2nd & 4th 10/9 - Preschool & Kindergarten 10/30 - 5th & 7th STUDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STM GUATEMALAN PROJECT: This Week at St. Thomas More we will be celebrating Guatemala Sunday. We hope you will join us. Our school is partnering with the Guatemala Action Group of STM this week and I am excited to share with you more information about this mission. During the height of the pandemic our friends in Guatemala started hanging white flags out of the homes in hope that someone would share food with them as they were desperate! This year our school children will be creating white flags to symbolize the need. These flags created by the children can be found in the narthex and at the foot of the altar next weekend. Covid-19 has seriously impacted our brothers and sisters in Guatemala due to the lack of vaccines, a poor public health care system, and expensive private health care. Additionally, many people cannot find work and the price of essential supplies has increased. Families hang white flags outside their mud huts to let others know they are completely out of food. Additionally, the trips, lead by the Guatemala Action Group have been canceled for two years now which has severely impacted the income for the Sisters in the Convent, interpreters, masons, local bus drivers, and the orphanage for physically and mentally handicapped children. But St. Thomas More has brought hope to our Guatemalan sister community. In the last year, we have financially supported them through:
Please consider a donation to support our efforts to meet some of their basic needs. Your check, Guatemala written in the memo line, may be brought to Mass this weekend or to the parish office. You can also donate online at https://stmkc.com/growing-in-faith/faith-in-action/guatemala-2/ COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: Week ending 9/2/21 Week ending 9/9/21 Week ending 9/9/21 Students in quarantine 16 8 2 Staff members in quarantine 0 0 0 Students in isolation 8 7 0 Staff members in isolation 0 0 1 Percentage of attendance 97% 92% 95% Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 15 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 1 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate you partnering with us on school days to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing:
EARN CASH FOR STM! Please take a look at the attached flyer about all of the ways you can earn cash for STM with Box Tops for Education! You can take a photo of your receipt to submit, scan your online grocery order info, or manually cut out the little Box Tops for Education coupons on your purchases. Every little bit helps! Please see the attached flyer for all of the details! JOB OPENING AT STM: Position: Substitute Teacher St. Thomas More Catholic School, an early childhood and K-8 Christ-centered learning community in the South Kansas City area, is accepting applications for substitute teachers. Responsibilities: The substitute teacher will fulfill the mission of the Catholic Church by employing lesson plans provided by the classroom teacher to guide and evaluate the learning process of students within the framework of St. Thomas More’s School’s philosophy, organization and curriculum. Qualifications: Ideal candidates will possess a Bachelor's degree or at least 60 credit hours (preferred), or high school diploma with completion of DESE state approved 20-hour online training course. All candidates will complete a background screening and register for and complete the Protecting God’s Children training program for adults. Please go to the ‘Job Openings’ link on the diocesan website to apply: https://kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings/ The month of September is dedicated to Mother Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows. Please consider sharing this prayer with you family in her honor: O Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy dear Mother Mary, whose soul the sword pierced in the hour of Thy Passion, may intercede for us, now, and in the hour of our death, through Thine own merits, O Saviour of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, God, world without end. Amen. Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal Attachments: 
September 9, 2021
Dear STM Families, There is a calm and a comfort level that has settled over our school this week. Even with a 3-day weekend for Labor Day, students and staff are becoming more comfortable and familiar with each other and the routine of our school year. I am amazed at the relationships that have developed between our teachers and your children. So many smiles, high-fives, fist bumps, and giggles are exchanged in greetings at the beginning of each day! Regular classroom procedures are in place and classroom conversations and learning are evident as I walk through the school during the day. By 3:20, students are excited to leave, but also anxious to return for more of the same learning adventures the next day. Please know how blessed our STM staff feels to be able to work with your most precious children each day. Everyday truly is a GRRREAT day to be a Cyclone! Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: TOMORROW, Friday, Sept. 10 STM RED FRIDAY for KC Chiefs Opening Day! Students may wear jeans, Spirit Wear bottoms, or uniform bottoms with a red shirt or a Chiefs shirt!! Go Chiefs!! Tuesday, Sept. 7-Tuesday, Sept. 14 KCSJ Diocesan Fall Benchmark Assessments for grades 3-8 in Math, Reading & Science Tuesday, Sept. 14 Student Photo Day with Scholastic Photography (individual pictures) & Dress-Up Day Wednesday, Sept. 15 School Advisory Board Meeting Sept. 27-Oct. 5 Scholastic Book Fair Thursday, Sept. 30 COVID Task Force Meeting Saturday, Oct. 16 Fall Fling RED FRIDAY CHIEFS SPIRIT WEAR DAY TOMORROW! Let’s cheer on our Kansas City Chiefs tomorrow with a RED FRIDAY at STM!! Jeans or khaki clothing, adhering to the uniform standard of length, may be worn with the STM uniform or a red or Chiefs shirt. Shorts, including STM shorts, may be worn if the length is no shorter than as described above. No shredded or torn jeans, please. Of course, the STM uniform is always appropriate. STUDENT PHOTO DAY NEXT TUESDAY: All STM students and staff members will take individual photos next Tuesday, Sept. 14. Scholastic Photography will email you the proof of your child’s photo along with package purchase information for your order. It will all be taken care of online, so there are NO FLYERS to return on Picture Day this Tuesday. Picture Day is a Dress-Up Day. Students may wear a school-appropriate outfit of their choosing for this Dress-Up Day. 8TH GRADE GATHERING PARTY INFORMATION: Dear 8th Grade Parents- Please join us on Saturday, September 18th starting at 6:30 at the home of Bill, Colleen & Joe Teasdale for the 8th grade Gathering Party. Students are invited to attend for a Hawaiian themed night of fun and community. See flyer for more details. Please RSVP by returning the attached form to school or by reaching out to one of the hosts. See you then, Colleen & Bill Teasdale Jami & Mike Pizzichino Tricia & Todd McCullough Angela & Chris Sweeny Courtney & Andrew Fahey FIRST GRADE GATHERING PARTY INFO: Hey1st Grade Parents-- Boogie your way out to our Saturday Night Fever gathering party on Saturday, September 11th. Dress in your 70’s best or just come out to enjoy a good time with other parents on the Rogge’s dance floor. Invites will come home in backpacks this week. Please RSVP to the office so our hosts will be prepared to have enough to provide you a groovy time. Hosted by Rogge’s, Barr’s, Haskins, Schloegel’s and Severino’s. DON’T MISS OUT! GATHERING PARTY INFO: Gathering parties are a way for our school to raise money or receive auction items for the annual STM Auction on Feb. 5. This year's parties that are already booked are listed below. Invites will be sent home in backpacks closer to your child’s grade level event. 9/18 - 8th grade 10/2 - 2nd & 4th grade 10/9 - pre-K & kindergarten 10/30 - 7th grade 11/6 - 5th & 6th grade 3rd grade TBD LAST CALL - SERVER TRAINING OR RETRAINING FOR 4TH-8TH GRADERS: From Fr. Justin: Last call for training (and re-training) STM School Students who would like to participate as an Altar Server in our Daily, School and Weekend Masses. We have completed two rounds of training, and are almost ready to put our server schedule together. This ministry is open to boys and girls, Catholics and non-Catholics, in 4th grade and older. As in the past, time in this ministry can count toward service hours. STM Parishioner Pat Gillespie, who has organized the scheduling of altar servers in the past, will continue to do so. Our training will be led during the school day by a mix of our priests and parish staff. If your child/children is interested in being trained for this ministry, please fill out and submit the attached form by this Tuesday, September 14th to Fr. Justin Hoye: frjhoye@stmkc.com or print and turn in to Ms. Colleen Sullivan at the front desk of the School. STUDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STM GUATEMALAN PROJECT: Thirty one years ago, Fr. Pat Rush led a group of St. Thomas More parishioners to the small mountain village of San Andres Itzapa , Guatemala. This mission continues today and we look forward to working with the Guatemala Action Group to strengthen that relationship and to share the many ways together we can make a difference! COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: Week ending 8/26/21 Students in quarantine 6 Staff members in quarantine 0 Students in isolation 2 Staff members in isolation 0 Percentage of attendance 95% Week ending 9/2/21 Students in quarantine 16 Staff members in quarantine 0 Students in isolation 8 Staff members in isolation 0 Percentage of attendance 97% Week ending 9/9/2 Students in quarantine 8 Staff members in quarantine 0 Students in isolation 7 Staff members in isolation 0 Percentage of attendance 92% Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 15 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 0 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate you partnering with us on school days to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing:
COVID Task Force Meeting Notes from today: An update was given on the number of positive COVID infections among students. (Please refer to the STM COVID Dashboard above. Eight of our students were in quarantine when the school year began. Seven students started but then became positive. Regarding quarantine protocols:
Members reviewed the notes from a School Advisory Board meeting last October when a decision was made by the SAB to stick with masks instead of gaiters except in cases where students with sensory needs were involved. This was to be handled on a case-by-case basis by the principal. A team member shared some newer and relevant information on the topic. This information will be shared with the SAB in a meeting next week in regards to a review of the current mask v. gaiter policy. A discussion of current quarantine guidelines based on KCMO Health Department regulations were discussed. If a student in a classroom setting tests positive, in most cases neither the teacher nor the other students would need to quarantine as long as masking procedures are followed. The lunchroom setting (as described above) has different standards since the students are not masked while they are eating. Under current KCMO standards, if students are unmasked in a classroom setting for 15 minutes or more, the entire classroom would have to quarantine if one tests positive for COVID. The STM Athletic Director shared information about plans for indoor sports in the Parochial League this year. At this time, STM (and all teams in the Parochial League) will require masks for coaches, players during warm-ups and bench time, spectators, and referees. STM athletes will not be required to wear masks during court play. Teams will need to adhere to the standards set out by each individual school setting where games are played. A question regarding masking at adult activities such as Sunday night basketball, Glory Days, Gathering parties, and the STM Auction was brought out. Because those activities are participated in and attended by adults, there will be no guidance from the school about masking policies. The masking policy at school will be in force for the periods of time when students are in the building. Two other items were discussed very briefly and were tabled until the next COVID Task Force meeting on Thursday, Sept. 30. ANNUAL ASBESTOS NOTICE: U.S. Government regulations require that schools notify parents that the school’s asbestos management plan is available for review. St. Thomas More’s plan is available during office hours in the school office at 11800 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO. JOB OPENINGS AT STM: Position: Lunchroom Supervisor Job Goal: To supervise students in the lunchroom to ensure a safe, positive, and cooperative environment. Responsibilities: - Reports each full day when school is in session; Hours: 10:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. - Supervises and interacts with students in a friendly, positive manner - Reinforces the expected behavior of students with verbal praise - Protects the physical safety of students at all times - Keeps the administration informed of pertinent info. regarding students Qualifications: - High school diploma or equivalent - Experience working with elementary children - Needs to be Virtus certified - CPR certified is preferred Employed hourly. Please go to the ‘Job Openings’ link on the diocesan website to apply: https://kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings/ Position: Substitute Teacher St. Thomas More Catholic School, an early childhood and K-8 Christ-centered learning community in the South Kansas City area, is accepting applications for substitute teachers. Responsibilities: The substitute teacher will fulfill the mission of the Catholic Church by employing lesson plans provided by the classroom teacher to guide and evaluate the learning process of students within the framework of St. Thomas More’s School’s philosophy, organization and curriculum. Qualifications: Ideal candidates will possess a Bachelor's degree or at least 60 credit hours (preferred), or high school diploma with completion of DESE state approved 20-hour online training course. All candidates will complete a background screening and register for and complete the Protecting God’s Children training program for adults. Please go to the ‘Job Openings’ link on the diocesan website to apply: https://kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings/ This prayer is for YOU. Being a parent is not an easy road. I always say that being a parent--especially of an adolescent--makes you holy because prayer is the best answer to most issues. So, here is a short prayer that might bring you some calm. A Parent's PrayerAll praise to You, Lord Jesus, Lover of children: Bless our family, And help us to lead our children to You. Give us light and strength, And courage when our task is difficult. Let Your Spirit fill us with love and peace, So that we may help our children to love You. All glory and praise are Yours, Lord Jesus, For ever and ever. Amen. Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal altar_server_training_2021_8-21.docx September 2, 2021
Dear STM Families, A very special ceremony and celebration will take place this weekend for one of our teachers. Sr. Colette Marie, our 7th & 8th Grade Religion teacher, will make her Profession of Final Vows with the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Eucharist on Saturday, Sept. 4. During this ceremony, Sr. Colette will publicly make lifelong vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience at Mass. She will become a Spouse of Christ forever. Sr. Colette will receive a gold ring with the images of wheat, grapes, a chalice, and host representing her marital commitment to Jesus Christ, truly present in the Holy Eucharist, and a reminder to her of His special care for her as His Bride. We thank God for bringing Sr. Colette to our STM students, staff, and community. In thanksgiving and joy, please join our STM family in prayer for all His generous blessings—and especially for Sr. Colette. Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: Tomorrow, Sept. 3 STM Spirit Wear Day (see details below) Tomorrow, Sept. 3 Spirit Wear Order Deadline! Monday, Sept. 6 NO SCHOOL—Labor Day Tuesday, Sept. 7-Tuesday, Sept. 14 KCSJ Diocesan Fall Benchmark Assessments for grades 3-8 Thursday, Sept. 9 COVID Task Force Meeting Tuesday, Sept. 14 Student Photo Day with Scholastic Photography (individual pictures) & Dress-Up Day Wednesday, Sept. 15 School Advisory Board Meeting Sept. 27-Oct. 5 Scholastic Book Fair Thursday, Sept. 30 COVID Task Force Meeting FIRST FRIDAY STM SPIRIT WEAR DAY TOMORROW! The first Friday of each month (including TOMORROW!) is designated as a STM Spirit Wear Day. Jeans or Khaki clothing, adhering to the uniform standard of length, may be worn with the STM uniform or Spirit Wear top. Shorts, including STM shorts, may be worn if the length is no shorter than as described above. Of course, the STM uniform is always appropriate. SPIRIT WEAR ORDERS DEADLINE: Please send in your spirit wear forms by Friday, September 3rd. We will not be able to take any late forms after September 3rd. Please include the student name along with payment with your form. If you are sending via Venmo, please provide the name on the order. We hope to have by the first spirit wear day in October. Looking forward to seeing the kiddos in their new spirit wear in October! NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, SEPT. 6: It’s the unofficial end of summer! There will be no school on Monday, Sept. 6 in observance of Labor Day. Enjoy your 3-day weekend! 8TH GRADE GATHERING PARTY INFORMATION: Dear 8th Grade Parents- Please join us on Saturday, September 18th starting at 6:30 at the home of Bill, Colleen & Joe Teasdale for the 8th grade Gathering Party. Students are invited to attend for a Hawaiian themed night of fun and community. See flyer for more details. Please RSVP by returning the attached form to school or by reaching out to one of the hosts. See you then, Colleen & Bill Teasdale Jami & Mike Pizzichino Tricia & Todd McCullough Angela & Chris Sweeny Courtney & Andrew Fahey SERVER TRAINING OR RETRAINING FOR 4TH-8TH GRADERS: From Fr. Justin: We will train (and re-train) STM School Students who would like to participate as an Altar Server in our Daily, School and Weekend Masses. This ministry is open to boys and girls, Catholics and non-Catholics, in 4th grade and older. As in the past, time in this ministry can count toward service hours. STM Parishioner Pat Gillespie, who has organized the scheduling of altar servers in the past, will continue to do so. Our training will be led during the school day by a mix of our priests and parish staff. If your child/children is interested in being trained for this ministry, please fill out and submit the attached form to Fr. Justin Hoye by the end of the day, Tuesday, Sept. 7: frjhoye@stmkc.com or print and turn in to Ms. Colleen Sullivan at the front desk of the School. CUB SCOUT SIGN-UP NIGHT: Wednesday, Sept. 8, 7p.m., More Hall Boys in grades 1-4 are welcome to come with their parents to learn more about Cub Scouts. Scouting has been a big part of life at Saint Thomas More since 1966. The program includes three religious awards to help scouts reinforce their Catholic formation. Through Scouting, the boys also gain a sense of belonging, self-confidence as they learn life skills, and responsible citizenship. 195 boys have earned the Eagle badge at STM. Eagles are eligible to receive college scholarship funds. If you are unable to attend the meeting or have questions about Cub Scouts, contact Mike Smith at 816-695-4872 or jms6279@gmail.com BRICKS FOR KIDZ AFTERSCHOOL STEM ACTIVITY: Please see the attached flyer for more information about an after-school STEM activity called Bricks For Kids that will take place at STM beginning in September. COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: 8/19/2021 Week ending 8/26/21 Week ending 9/2/21 Students in quarantine 7 6 16 Staff members in quarantine 0 0 0 Students in isolation 0 2 4 Staff members in isolation 0 0 0 Percentage of attendance 97% 95% 97% Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 4 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 0 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate you partnering with us on school days to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing:
ANNUAL ASBESTOS NOTICE: U.S. Government regulations require that schools notify parents that the school’s asbestos management plan is available for review. St. Thomas More’s plan is available during office hours in the school office at 11800 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO. ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS WITH A BANNER IN THE STM GYM! The STM Booster Club is pleased to announce a new advertising program for the 2021- 2022 school season. We would like to offer you a chance to put a banner on the wall in our gymnasium. The success of our school fundraising relies on the support and generosity of businesses, school parents, faculty, parishioners, and the community. Founded in 1966, Saint Thomas More School has a long history of inspiring spiritual and academic growth of students from preschool through eighth grade. We educate over 490 students whose families are active in South Kansas City and surrounding Communities. Please read the attached information for all of the details. NEW PAYOUT FOR THIS NFL TICKET SEASON!! This year we are setting a goal for how many NFL tickets we can sell, and now the seller can get in on the winning as well. Sell more tickets and get entered into the drawing. Below are the goal levels and payouts:
JOB OPENING AT STM: Position: Lunchroom Supervisor Job Goal: To supervise students in the lunchroom to ensure a safe, positive, and cooperative environment. Responsibilities: - Reports each full day when school is in session; Hours: 10:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. - Supervises and interacts with students in a friendly, positive manner - Reinforces the expected behavior of students with verbal praise - Protects the physical safety of students at all times - Keeps the administration informed of pertinent info. regarding students Qualifications: - High school diploma or equivalent - Experience working with elementary children - Needs to be Virtus certified - CPR certified is preferred Employed hourly. Please go to the ‘Job Openings’ link on the diocesan website to apply: https://kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings/ Please consider sharing this prayer with your family as our Sr. Colette completes her Profession of Final Vows this weekend: A PRAYER FOR RELIGIOUS BROTHERS & SISTERS: Heavenly Father, in your wisdom you have called certain women and men to a life of special consecration so that in prayerful observance of a lifestyle of poverty, chastity and obedience, they might be witnesses to us that as St. Paul says, "our true citizenship is in heaven." Give them, Lord, the grace of joy and perseverance in their holy vocation. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. St. Thomas More, Pray for Us. Have a wonderful long weekend with your family! Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal August 26, 2021
Dear STM Families, What a thrill it was to see so many of you at our Back to School Night event for Preschool through 4th Grade parents last night! There was so much positive energy in the room from all of you as we recounted some upgrades and academic improvements planned for this school year. Many of you also signed up to volunteer with our amazing parent organizations and then visited with your child’s teachers to pave the way to a successful partnership this school year. I’m anxious for our 5th-8th grade parents to join us tonight, as well. Our preview of Spirit Wear and opportunities for meeting & greeting begin at 5:30 p.m. in Flanagan Hall. Our general meeting will begin at 6 p.m. At 6:30, you’ll be released to go to your child’s homeroom class to pick up his/her class schedule. We will then begin a rotation of our core classes in 10-minute increments so you get to hear about curriculum and standards from each of your child’s teachers. We should be done by 7:45 p.m. Thank you for allowing us to partner with you to teach and guide your child at STM! Your amazing participation and support are greatly appreciated! Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: Friday, Sept. 3 First Friday (NEXT FRIDAY) Spirit Wear Day! Monday, Sept. 6 Labor Day—NO SCHOOL FAREWELL AND THANK YOU TO NURSE AMY HOKANSON! We bid a fond farewell tomorrow to our nurse, Amy Hokanson. A whole new group of people will benefit from Amy’s expertise and caring heart in her new position. Amy has been the STM School Nurse for the last 11 years, and has been an integral member of our STM team of teachers and staff. Please offer prayers of thanksgiving and well-wishes for this dedicated caregiver. We are blessed to have Mandy Hodes, STM mother and registered nurse, join us as our new STM School Nurse. She left her most recent position at Advent Health to become our resident health room specialist. Please be sure to share pertinent health information about your child with Mandy from now on. To reach her, you can call our school number, 816-942.5581 OR email health@stmcyclones.org OR Hodes_Mandy@stmcyclones.org SERVER TRAINING OR RETRAINING FOR 4TH-8TH GRADERS: From Fr. Justin: We will train (and re-train) STM School Students who would like to participate as an Altar Server in our Daily, School and Weekend Masses. This ministry is open to boys and girls, Catholics and non-Catholics, in 4th grade and older. As in the past, time in this ministry can count toward service hours. STM Parishioner Pat Gillespie, who has organized the scheduling of altar servers in the past, will continue to do so. Our training will be led during the school day by a mix of our priests and parish staff. If your child/children is interested in being trained for this ministry, please fill out and submit the attached form to Fr. Justin Hoye by the end of the day, Tuesday, August 24: frjhoye@stmkc.com or print and turn in to Ms. Colleen Sullivan at the front desk of the school. SAFETY PATROL SIGN-UP FOR GRADES 6-8: The St. Thomas More Safety Patrol Program will help create a safe environment for our school community. Students involved in this program will be responsible and respectful, while setting a good example for all students in this school. The student volunteers will be assigned to before (7:30-7:50) and after (3:20-3:30) school traffic duty. This program will consist of student volunteers in grades 6, 7, and 8. These students will be able to earn 30 minutes of service each day for their dedication to the school. Please contact Mrs. O’Leary (oleary_maggie@stmcyclones.org) by Thursday August 26. to sign up. The first 60 students will be on the schedule. A meeting will be scheduled after signups are finished. ORDER YOUR STM SPIRIT WEAR NOW! Please see the attached flyer for all of the details of our new STM spirit wear for the 2021-22 school year! CUB SCOUT SIGN-UP NIGHT: Wednesday, Sept. 8, 7p.m., More Hall Boys in grades 1-4 are welcome to come with their parents to learn more about Cub Scouts. Scouting has been a big part of life at Saint Thomas More since 1966. The program includes three religious awards to help scouts reinforce their Catholic formation. Through Scouting, the boys also gain a sense of belonging, self-confidence as they learn life skills, and responsible citizenship. 195 boys have earned the Eagle badge at STM. Eagles are eligible to receive college scholarship funds. If you are unable to attend the meeting or have questions about Cub Scouts, contact Mike Smith at 816-695-4872 or jms6279@gmail.com FIRE FOUNDATION CANDY GRAMS: Parents who were unable to attend the parent back to school night or parents who didn’t make it over to the FIRE table, we are doing a candy gram fundraiser for FIRE. They are $1 and will be handed out next Friday the 3rd. Please contact McCall Creswell at mrs.mcreswell@gmail.com to order by Wednesday September 1st. BRICKS FOR KIDZ AFTERSCHOOL STEM ACTIVITY: Please see the attached flyer for more information about an after-school STEM activity called Bricks For Kids that will take place at STM beginning in September. SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD AND COVID TASK FORCE CONTACTS: Thanks so much to our School Advisory Board Members and our COVID Task Force parent members. They serve as consultative teams as an avenue of communication among parents, students, and administration. Here are our members for the 2021-22 school year: SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD:
COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: 8/19/2021 Week ending 8/26/21 Students in quarantine 7 6 Staff members in quarantine 0 0 Students in isolation 0 2 Staff members in isolation 0 0 Percentage of attendance 97% 95% Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 2 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 0 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate you partnering with us on school days to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing:
ANNUAL ASBESTOS NOTICE: U.S. Government regulations require that schools notify parents that the school’s asbestos management plan is available for review. St. Thomas More’s plan is available during office hours in the school office at 11800 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO. ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS WITH A BANNER IN THE STM GYM! The STM Booster Club is pleased to announce a new advertising program for the 2021- 2022 school season. We would like to offer you a chance to put a banner on the wall in our gymnasium. The success of our school fundraising relies on the support and generosity of businesses, school parents, faculty, parishioners, and the community. Founded in 1966, Saint Thomas More School has a long history of inspiring spiritual and academic growth of students from preschool through eighth grade. We educate over 490 students whose families are active in South Kansas City and surrounding Communities. Please read the attached information for all of the details. NEW PAYOUT FOR THIS NFL TICKET SEASON!! This year we are setting a goal for how many NFL tickets we can sell, and now the seller can get in on the winning as well. Sell more tickets and get entered into the drawing. Below are the goal levels and payouts:
JOB OPENING AT STM: Position: Lunchroom Supervisor Job Goal: To supervise students in the lunchroom to ensure a safe, positive, and cooperative environment. Responsibilities: - Reports each full day when school is in session; Hours: 10:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. - Supervises and interacts with students in a friendly, positive manner - Reinforces the expected behavior of students with verbal praise - Protects the physical safety of students at all times - Keeps administration informed of pertinent info. regarding students Qualifications: - High school diploma or equivalent - Experience working with elementary children - Need to be Virtus certified - CPR certification is preferred Employed hourly. Please go to the ‘Job Openings’ link on the diocesan website to apply: https://kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings/ August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As we conclude this month during the next week, please consider sharing this prayer with your family: O Immaculate Heart of Mary, full of goodness, show your love towards us. Let the flame of your heart, O Mary, descend on all people. We love you immensely. Impress true love in our hearts so that we have a continuous desire for you. O Mary, gentle and humble of heart, remember us when we are in sin. You know that all men sin. Give us, by means of your Immaculate Heart, spiritual health. Let us always see the goodness of your motherly heart and may we be converted by means of the flame of your heart. Amen. St. Thomas More, pray for us. Dear STM Families,
We began our new school year today in the same way we begin EACH day at St. Thomas More--by giving honor and glory to God! There were joyful noises as students rejoined their classmates, families reconnecting as First Day of School photos were snapped, and even a serenade from our bagpiping grandpa! The community of St. Thomas More School shone through before the students even settled in their classrooms for our first morning prayers of the 2021-22 school year! From all the reports I’ve received, it was an amazing start to our school year! Often, the responses you get about school are one-word and non-descriptive. Here are some specific questions that might give you better insights to their day:
If today is any indication, I know that this will be another GREAT year to be a Cyclone! Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: DATES EVENT Friday, Aug. 20 FIRST FULL DAY OF SCHOOL; DROP-OFF begins at 7:30 (corrected from last week); school day begins at 7:50; students dismissed at 3:20; MyHotLunchBox NOT available—all students should bring a lunch Friday, Aug. 20 After Care begins in Flanagan Hall from 3:20-6:00 p.m. (Call the school office for more information at 816-942-5581) Monday, Aug. 23 MyHotLunchbox and milk available; DROP-OFF begins at 7:30 (corrected from last week); school day begins at 7:50; students dismissed at 3:20 Wednesday, Aug. 25 Back to School Night for PK-4th Grades (details below) Thursday, Aug. 26 Back to School Night for 5th-8th Grades (details below) Monday, Sept. 6 Labor Day—NO SCHOOL LUNCH INFORMATION FOR TOMORROW & MONDAY: FRIDAY, Aug. 20: BRING A SACK LUNCH; NO MILK AVAILABLE MONDAY, Aug. 23: MYHOTLUNCHBOX and chocolate or white milk AVAILABLE; send $2 for a 16-punch milk card; go to myhotlunchbox.com to sign up to order a hot lunch for your child. SERVER TRAINING OR RETRAINING FOR 4TH-8TH GRADERS: Beginning Wednesday, August 25, we will train (andre-train) STM School Students who would like to participate as an Altar Server in our Daily, School and Weekend Masses. This ministry is open to boys and girls, Catholics and non-Catholics, in 4th grade and older. As in the past, time in this ministry can count toward service hours. STM Parishioner Pat Gillespie, who has organized the scheduling of altar servers in the past, will continue to do so. Our training will be led during the school day by a mix of our priests and parish staff. If your child/children is interested in being trained for this ministry, please fill out and submit the attached form to Fr. Justin Hoye by the end of the day, Tuesday, August 24: frjhoye@stmkc.com or print and turn in to Ms. Colleen Sullivan at the front desk of the school. SAFETY PATROL SIGN-UP FOR GRADES 6-8: The St. Thomas More Safety Patrol Program will help create a safe environment for our school community. Students involved in this program will be responsible and respectful, while setting a good example for all students in this school. The student volunteers will be assigned to before (7:30-7:50) and after (3:20-3:30) school traffic duty. This program will consist of student volunteers in grades 6, 7, and 8. These students will be able to earn 30 minutes of service each day for their dedication to the school. Please contact Mrs. O’Leary (oleary_maggie@stmcyclones.org) by Thursday August 26. to sign up. The first 60 students will be on the schedule. A meeting will be scheduled after signups are finished. BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS—PARENTS ONLY:
ORDER YOUR STM SPIRIT WEAR NOW! Please see the attached flyer for all of the details of our new STM spirit wear for the 2021-22 school year! BRICKS FOR KIDZ AFTER-SCHOOL STEM ACTIVITY: Please see the attached flyer for more information about an after-school STEM activity called Bricks For Kids that will take place at STM beginning in September. SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD AND COVID TASK FORCE CONTACTS: Thanks so much to our School Advisory Board Members and our COVID Task Force parent members. They serve as consultative teams as an avenue of communication among parents, students, and administration. Here are our members for the 2021-22 school year: SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD:
COVID TASK FORCE (a subcommittee of the School Advisory Board):
COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: Today’s Attendance: 97% Students in Isolation: 0 Students in Quarantine: 7 Staff in Isolation: 0 Staff in Quarantine: 0 Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 0 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 0 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate you partnering with us on school days to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing:
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS WITH A BANNER IN THE STM GYM! The STM Booster Club is pleased to announce a new advertising program for the 2021- 2022 school season. We would like to offer you a chance to put a banner on the wall in our gymnasium. The success of our school fundraising relies on the support and generosity of businesses, school parents, faculty, parishioners, and the community. Founded in 1966, Saint Thomas More School has a long history of inspiring spiritual and academic growth of students from preschool through eighth grade. We educate over 490 students whose families are active in South Kansas City and surrounding Communities. Please read the attached flyer for all of the details. NEW PAYOUT FOR THIS NFL TICKET SEASON!! This year we are setting a goal for how many NFL tickets we can sell, and now the seller can get in on the winning as well. Sell more tickets and get entered into the drawing. Below are the goal levels and payouts:
Thank you for all of your kind wishes and prayers for us to have a successful start to our school year! Here is a prayer you can share with your family as we work to fulfill God’s mission at STM: Lord Jesus, we ask for Your help as we begin this new school year. Allow us to experience Your presence in the many blessings You put before us. Open our eyes to the new challenges and exciting opportunities that this new school year brings. Open our hearts and minds to new friends and new teachers. Give us a generous spirit to be enthusiastic with our studies and courage to accept new opportunities. Help us to be attentive to one another and let us experience Your presence in our new friends. Jesus, inspire us to do our best this year! THOMAS MORE, PRAY FOR US! Amen. Dear STM Families, I have a couple of great announcements to share with you today: First, it is with great pleasure to share that the FIRE Foundation has approved a grant to STM for the 2021-22 school year to support inclusion education in the amount of $31,000. Our grant award total was the largest percentage increase of any of the schools considered by the FIRE Foundation. In our grant, we pinpointed several specific components of our programming that will benefit from these funds, including:
Thank you so much for bringing these devices to our students and allowing our teachers to facilitate their advancements in learning in the digital age! You will be hearing much more about our planning and utilization of our student devices. STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: Friday, April 16 Iowa Assessments completed for Grades 3-8 Sunday, April 18 2nd Grade First Holy Communion Masses (details below) Monday 4/19- Sunday 5/2 Save the Date for the Spring Book Fair Tuesday, April 20 Dos de Oros tonight for dinner! STM Dine-Out Night! Tuesday, April 20th 8th Grade Fundraiser—Kona Ice Truck for all students; more details will follow Week of April 26-30 Spirit Week to support STM for All and BMA Foundation April 26, 28, 29 8th Grade/Confirmation homeroom retreats Week of May 3-7 Diocesan Benchmark Assessments for Grades 3-8 in Math, English, and Written Expression Wednesday, May 5 Southside tonight for dinner! STM Dine-Out Night! Wednesday, May 12 8th Grade Graduation at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 20 Last Day of School for Students; 12:30 p.m. dismissal SUMMER CYCLONES INFORMATION: The Summer Cyclones Camp is an amazing experience that will offer kids preschool aged to 7th grade the opportunity to forge a community unlike any other centered around an engaging experience of fun and enrichment. The enthusiastic staff at Summer Cyclones cannot wait to make this the best summer ever for the kids they as they stay sharp on their academic skills and participate in a healthy dose of fun-filled activities on site. Please see the attached flyer for all the details or check it out at this link: https://stmkc.com/summercyclones 2ND GRADE FIRST COMMUNION: Our 2nd grade students will make their First Holy Communion on Sunday, April 18. There will be three individual Masses for each of the classrooms: 2:00 p.m.--Mrs. Anwander’s class 3:30 p.m.--Mrs. Corkins’ class 5:00 p.m.--Mrs. Spiller’s class SPRING BOOK FAIR: Our Spring Book Fair will take place online beginning on Monday, April 19th thru Tuesday, May 2nd. The Book Fair helps our students discover new books, favorite characters and more! Every purchase earns our school rewards for needed resources. Plus, shipping is free on book-only purchases over $25. Please look for the flyers highlighting popular choices and new releases in your students backpacks on Friday. Check out https://www.scholastic.com/bf/stthomasmoreschool6 starting on Monday! STM SPIRIT WEEK TO SUPPORT STM FOR ALL AND BMA FOUNDATION: Dancing with Dan Spirit Week: Monday, April 26: Decades of Dance—Dress in your favorite decade (school-appropriate attire) Tuesday, April 27: Popsicles with Pals (donate to participate in a class popsicle party) Wednesday, April 28: Dancing your Socks Off Day—Wear your craziest socks Thursday, April 29: Hat’s On for STM for All—Wear your favorite hat Friday, April 30: STM Spirit Day
Dan Tanner (our kindergarten teacher’s husband) is dancing on behalf of STM for All! He is also learning to dance to carry on Brian Anselmo’s legacy, with the BMA Foundation's ‘Dine and Dance with the Stars’ event on June 12th. Brian would have been 41 years old on February 19. In honor of Brian's birthday, the BMA Foundation created a t-shirt. For a $50 donation - the shirt is yours PLUS he will receive VOTES - it's a Win/Win **When ordering shirt please put Dan's name in the comments so he gets credit! T-Shirt ORDER: https://bmafoundation.org/product/bma-kansas-city-t-shirt/ VOTE for Dan! https://bmafoundation.org/events-tickets/dine-dance/ Thank you for your continued support of STM for All! #TogetherWeMakeADifference #itsforthekids #TransformingLives #BeKind21 #stmforall #bmafoundationkc TIME TO ORDER SCHOOL KITS FOR 2021-22! It's that time of the year to pre-order your student's school supplies. Go to www.ckasskit.com Enter the city and state and St. Thomas More should pop up. If you have any questions, please contact me at tiffanydwoods@att.net Please make sure you receive an email confirmation once you place your order. Late fee of $7.50 added to orders June 15 through June 30th. No orders accepted after June 30th.
Questions? Please contact the parish office. IF YOU NEED TO DROP OFF A LUNCH: If you need to drop off a lunch for your child, please do not bring a soda drink. From our STM Students and Parent Handbook: “Gum and Soda Pop may not be served in the classrooms. Some parents have suggested that we serve 7-UP as a substitute, it is the ingredients in the soda, namely the sugar, which cause stains on the carpet. Gum causes obvious difficulties when not disposed of properly. Therefore, we DO NOT ALLOW soda pop or gum in the classrooms.” COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: See image below... Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 24 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 14 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate your partnering with us to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing: New cough Difficult breathing Loss of taste/smell Fever (equal to or greater than 100 degrees) or chills Sore throat Congestion/runny nose Headache Muscle or body aches Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea If your child has any of these symptoms, they should not attend school. Notify Amy Hokanson, RN of any symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 by calling 816-942-5581 or email health@stmcyclones.org COVID Task Force Meeting Notes: The COVID Task Force met this afternoon. The next meeting is set for Thursday, April 22. Any additional agenda items for the next meeting can be shared with Mrs. Crosthwait or any COVID Task Force member. Following are the parents who serve on this team: Ben Lizak, Stephanie Rogge, Layne Griffith, Natalie Rellihan, Matt Pomianek, McCall Creswell, and Courtney Fitzgerald. The following discussions took place during today’s meeting:
EARTH DAY PROJECT—TRASH PICK-UP ALONG BLUE RIVER ROAD Saturday, April 24, 10am-Noon The St. Thomas More Green Team is planning a service project to celebrate Earth Day (which is April 22). On the following Saturday, we will meet at 10am in the parking lot of Children International, which is located at the northwest corner of Red Bridge and Blue River Roads. We will pick up trash for two hours along Blue River Road. We have made arrangements with the city to come and pick up the trash that we have collected. We encourage young and old, singles and families to come and be a part of this project. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. This is a great opportunity for students to get service hours. We recommend wearing long sleeves, jeans, gloves, and protective footwear. We will provide plastic bags. Please pray for good weather! For more information or to register for this event, contact David Butel at the parish office by April 21, dbutel@stmkc.com or 816-942-2492, x. 210. ROOM/TEACHER REQUESTS: The STM office will review requests for room assignments based upon a written request submitted to Mrs. Crosthwait. All requests must be submitted before May 1. Only requests having a firm educational basis will be accepted for review. STM SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD OPENINGS FOR 2021-2024: We want to share our deep appreciation with three STM School Advisory Board members who have completed their three-year terms on the board. Many thanks to: Amy Cooper, Kathy Schimmel, and Tiffany Woods Because of their departure from the board, we need three new board members to serve through the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years. Please prayerfully consider if you might bring your gifts and talents to serve in this advisory role. Please see the attachment below or follow this link to access the application. http://www.stmkcschool.org/volunteering.html Scroll down to the School Advisory Board section of the page and click on the 'SAB Application' button. ALL APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO THE STM SCHOOL OFFICE BY MAY 7, 2021. Please consider praying this prayer with your family through the unpredictable weather as we welcome our Kansas City Spring! Springtime Prayer For the cycle of life which brings death and rebirth… For the lengthening days and sunlight’s warmth upon the soil… For a snowdrop’s beauty reflecting its Creator’s artistry… For newborn animals - their joy and exuberance… For all creation and the majesty of its Creator… We rejoice in the promise of Spring.. Amen. Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal  Dear STM Families, Happy Easter to all of you and your families! Your children brought the joy of the Risen Christ back with them as they returned from Easter Break! I only wish you could walk the hallways of our school and peek into the learning that is taking place in each and every classroom. Kindergarteners are READING! Second graders are ravenously learning more and more about our Catholic faith as they prepare for their First Holy Communion next weekend! The 8th graders (who look more like high schoolers!) are counting down the days to their Graduation and preparing for Confirmation! Our staff praises God for the gift of your wonderful children who bring the hope and joy of the Easter season to us each day! STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: Week of April 12-16 Iowa Assessments for Grades 3-8 Sunday, April 18 2nd Grade First Holy Communion Monday 4/19- Sunday 5/2 Save the Date for the Spring Book Fair Tuesday, April 20 Dos de Oros tonight for dinner! STM Dine-Out Night! Tuesday, April 20th 8th Grade Fundraiser—Kona Ice Truck for all students; more details will follow April 26, 28, 29 8th Grade/Confirmation homeroom retreats Week of May 3-7 Diocesan Benchmark Assessments for Grades 3-8 in Math, English, and Written Expression Wednesday, May 5 Southside tonight for dinner! STM Dine-Out Night! Wednesday, May 12 8th Grade Graduation at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 20 Last Day of School for Students; 12:30 p.m. dismissal TIME TO ORDER SCHOOL KITS FOR 2021-22! It's that time of the year to pre-order your student's school supplies. Go to www.ckasskit.com Enter the city and state and St. Thomas More should pop up. If you have any questions, please contact me at tiffanydwoods@att.net Please make sure you receive an email confirmation once you place your order. Late fee of $7.50 added to orders June 15 through June 30th. No orders accepted after June 30th. ST. THOMAS MORE IN NOW ON VENMO@SaintThomasMore-KansasCity This method can be used for both the parish and our school. When you transfer money using this option you need to make sure you specify where you want the money to go in the comments section. If you have not used Venmo before, it transfers directly from your bank account without fees. Questions? Please contact the parish office. IF YOU NEED TO DROP OFF A LUNCH: If you need to drop off a lunch for your child, please do not bring a soda drink. From our STM Students and Parent Handbook: “Gum and Soda Pop may not be served in the classrooms. Some parents have suggested that we serve 7-UP as a substitute, it is the ingredients in the soda, namely the sugar, which cause stains on the carpet. Gum causes obvious difficulties when not disposed of properly. Therefore, we DO NOT ALLOW soda pop or gum in the classrooms.” IOWA ASSESSMENTS NEXT WEEK IN GRADES 3-8: St. Thomas More teachers will administer the Iowa Assessments for grades 3-8 the week of April 12-16. This is an important academic tool which measures a student's knowledge in reading, language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The data collected will enable us to better differentiate your child’s learning as he/she moves forward this year and into next school year. Your child will need two sharpened #2 pencils for each day of testing next week. Please make sure your child is not tardy on testing days and avoid any appointments or absences. If your child is sick, though, please keep him/her home. We can arrange a make-up in that case. Students who struggle the most on testing days are the ones who didn't have enough sleep or a good breakfast the day of the test. Also, your words about testing are so important to their mindset about taking them. You can say, “This will be a great chance for you to show how much you’ve learned this year” instead of “I know how much you hate to take tests.” We appreciate your support to help them do their best. Connected Learner families should have been contacted already about options for testing. Please call the school office if you have not heard, or if you have any questions. 2ND GRADE FIRST COMMUNION: Our 2nd grade students will make their First Holy Communion on Sunday, April 18. There will be three individual Masses for each of the classrooms: 2:00 p.m.--Mrs. Anwander’s class 3:30 p.m.--Mrs. Corkins’ class 5:00 p.m.--Mrs. Spiller’s class SUMMER CYCLONES INFORMATION: The Summer Cyclones Camp is an amazing experience that will offer kids preschool aged to 7th grade the opportunity to forge a community unlike any other centered around an engaging experience of fun and enrichment. The enthusiastic staff at Summer Cyclones cannot wait to make this the best summer ever for the kids they as they stay sharp on their academic skills and participate in a healthy dose of fun-filled activities on site. Please see the attached flyer for all the details or check it out at this link: https://stmkc.com/summercyclones COVID-RELATED INFORMATION: STM COVID DASHBOARD: See image below Total # of Student COVID cases this school year: 22 Total # of Staff cases this school year: 14 If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test. We appreciate your partnering with us to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing: New cough Difficult breathing Loss of taste/smell Fever (equal to or greater than 100 degrees) or chills Sore throat Congestion/runny nose Headache Muscle or body aches Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea If your child has any of these symptoms, they should not attend school. Notify Amy Hokanson, RN of any symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 by calling 816-942-5581 or email health@stmcyclones.org The STM COVID Task Force agreed to reconvene on Thursday, April 15. EARTH DAY PROJECT—TRASH PICK-UP ALONG BLUE RIVER ROAD Saturday, April 24, 10am-Noon The St. Thomas More Green Team is planning a service project to celebrate Earth Day (which is April 22). On the following Saturday, we will meet at 10am in the parking lot of Children International, which is located at the northwest corner of Red Bridge and Blue River Roads. We will pick up trash for two hours along Blue River Road. We have made arrangements with the city to come and pick up the trash that we have collected. We encourage young and old, singles and families to come and be a part of this project. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. This is a great opportunity for students to get service hours. We recommend wearing long sleeves, jeans, gloves, and protective footwear. We will provide plastic bags. Please pray for good weather! For more information or to register for this event, contact David Butel at the parish office by April 21, dbutel@stmkc.com or 816-942-2492, x. 210. ROOM/TEACHER REQUESTS: The STM office will review requests for room assignments based upon a written request submitted to Mrs. Crosthwait. All requests must be submitted before May 1. Only requests having a firm educational basis will be accepted for review. STM SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD OPENINGS FOR 2021-2024: We want to share our deep appreciation with three STM School Advisory Board members who have completed their three-year terms on the board. Many thanks to: Amy Cooper, Kathy Schimmel, and Tiffany Woods Because of their departure from the board, we need three new board members to serve through the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years. Please prayerfully consider if you might bring your gifts and talents to serve in this advisory role. Please see the attachment below or follow this link to access the application. http://www.stmkcschool.org/volunteering.html Scroll down to the School Advisory Board section of the page and click on the 'SAB Application' button. ALL APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO THE STM SCHOOL OFFICE BY MAY 7, 2021. Please consider praying this prayer with your family through the Easter season: Lord God, You loved this world so much that you gave your one and only Son, that we might be called your children too. Lord, help us to live in the gladness and grace of Easter Sunday, everyday. Let us have hearts of thankfulness for your sacrifice. Let us have eyes that look upon your grace and rejoice in our salvation. Help us to walk in that mighty grace and tell your good news to the world. All for your glory do we pray, Lord, Amen. Happy Easter to you and your family! Peace and Blessings, Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal  |
Cyclone ChatterThis is a weekly letter that Linda Crosthwait, Principal of STM puts out for school families. Archives
October 2021
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