August 21st, 2021

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:

1. What was the best thing about your day?
2. Who did you make friends with today?
3. What was the funniest thing that happened today?
4. Tell me one thing you did really well today.
5. Tell me your least favorite thing that happened today.
6. What is one thing you learned today?
7. How can you make tomorrow even better?

I hope these questions will help your child to share about some of the really awesome things I was able to witness in our classrooms. 
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:

• PK-4TH GRADES: Wednesday, Aug. 25

• 5th-8th GRADES: Thursday, Aug. 26

• (Both nights) Preview time from 5;30-6:00 p.m. in Flanagan Hall Representatives from our wonderful Home & School Committees, Booster Club, Auction Committee, STM 4 All, and FIRE organizations will share information and sign-ups for volunteers in Flanagan Hall. STM Spirit Wear orders will also be shared.

• (Both nights) Address from Principal Linda Crosthwait at 6 p.m. in Flanagan Hall

• PK-4TH Grade parents will then go to their children’s classrooms for teacher presentations about expectations and curriculum details from homeroom teachers

• 5th-8th Grade parents will follow their children’s class schedules to progress through each teacher’s class for expectations and curriculum details

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:

• Amy Roudebush, President

• Chris Gaughan, Vice President

• Brian Hochstein, Secretary

• Layne Griffith

• Steve Titus

• Pat Miller

• Jill Schweiss

• Carol Caron

• Michael Day, STM parishioner

COVID TASK FORCE (a subcommittee of the School Advisory Board):

• Teresa Doty

• Courtney Fitzgerald

• Meaghan Miller

• Matt Pomianek

• Shannon Schloegel

• Nick Schweiss

• Gretchen Sullivan

 
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:   

• 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 the STM Health Room of any symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 by calling 816-942-5581 or email health@stmcyclones.org   


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:

• School Sells 3800 tickets 1 seller will be selected and paid $250
• School Sells 4200 tickets 1 seller will be selected and paid $250
• School Sells 4600 tickets 1 seller will be selected and paid $500
• School Sells 4900 tickets 1 seller will be selected and paid $1000

That is a possible $2000 in additional cash paid to the seller of the tickets if we reach our goals. This is a great fundraiser for the school in addition to helping with our activity fees. Remember for $20 a person gets a chance to win up to $500 weekly base on the results of the teams on their card. We appreciate everything you all do for our school now let’s sell some tickets! 

• Winners will be drawn at the end of the season
• Update on total tickets sold will be on the winner's sheet weekly
• If you will not sell your allotment please turn in tickets to the school 
• The name of the seller must be on the tIcket. If the seller's name is the same as the ticket name it must be noted 

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.