Cyclone Chatter January 14, 2021

Dear STM Families,
​
Today marks the final day of our first semester of this unusual school year.  We are so excited about the second half and count our blessings every day that we get to work with your children.
As the year progresses, STM staff members are committed to stay strong with our COVID-preventive protocols and procedures. Though many are weary of the constant sanitizing, distancing, and cohort existence, we will not loosen up.   We have learned a lot along the way and continue to search out best practices for keeping your child(ren) safe.  
At STM, a key component to limit the spread is your willingness to monitor your child’s temperature and check for symptoms each day.  Also, your accurate reporting to our nurse, Amy Hokanson, and/or to health@stymcyclones.org is imperative in maintaining a healthy school environment.  Your cautious responses are imperative in keeping our community safe from COVID infection.  We are so thankful for the cooperation of our school families in following these standards. STM is a Catholic community whose members stand together to keep each other safe and healthy.
The STM COVID Task Force met again this afternoon.  Both parent and STM staff members are sharing ideas, considering proactive policies, and reviewing our current practices.  Below is the COVID-19 Dashboard that will become a fixture in each Cyclone Chatter, as it was suggested by this Task Force.  The data will be collected weekly from Thursday-Wednesday to be shared in this newsletter in a month-long format.


STM COVID-19 DASHBOARD
Week of 1/7-1/13
HEALTH CHECK
AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE
96.9%
Students in Quarantine
32
Students in Isolation
1
Staff Members in Quarantine
5
Staff Members in Isolation
2

STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS:
Thursday, Jan. 14              Last day of 2nd Quarter (1st Semester)
Friday, Jan. 15                   All STM Activity Fees are DUE
Friday, Jan. 15                   Diocesan Prof. Dev. Day for all teachers—NO SCHOOL
Monday, Jan. 18               Martin Luther King, Jr. Day—NO SCHOOL
Monday, Jan. 18               STM Dine-Out at Caleb’s
Tuesday, Jan. 19               First day of 3rd Quarter (second semester)
Jan. 30-Feb. 6                   Catholic Schools’ Week
Friday, Feb. 5                     Teacher-Requested Parent Conferences—NO SCHOOL
Saturday, Feb. 6                STM Auction


STM AFTER-CARE ACCEPTING PK-5 STUDENTS NOW: 
Please call our school office if you are interested in after-school care for your preschool through grade 5 student.  We are now accepting registrations for the second semester and are including preschool students, as well.  Call 816-942-5581 for more information or to register.

NO SCHOOL TOMORROW OR MONDAY:
A diocesan Professional Development day was scheduled for us next Friday, Jan. 15.  (This date was not on our original calendar, as the date was scheduled for us by the diocese in late November.)   Teachers will be working through Virtue Based Restorative Discipline training with a national trainer on Zoom meetings at STM. 
There will be no school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  We will come together on Tuesday, Jan. 19 to begin the second semester.

GO TO CALEB’S ON MONDAY! 
Please consider a meal from Caleb’s on Monday as they will give a portion of your purchases to STM Home and School.  Don’t forget to mention STM when you place your order!

BIRTHDAY TREATS:
Students can still wear spirit wear on or near their birthdays, When it is your child’s birthday, please feel free to send individually pre-packaged items for classroom treats. So sorry that we can’t accept a box of donuts or baked items that have been bagged by you. Also, please follow the nut-safer guidelines in choosing your treats. I’ve witnessed classroom birthday celebrations with individual Rice Krispie treats, Little Debbie cakes, etc. that were appropriate and so appreciated by the children! I know it seems strange, but so it goes in COVID times. Thanks for your compliance with these guidelines.

WE NEED STM SPORTS UNIFORMS!
If your child’s STM sports uniform from volleyball (or any other sport) is at your home, please turn it in to the STM School office.  The volleyball coordinator has not received all of the uniforms from this past season and is missing uniforms from other seasons, as well.  Your cooperation is so appreciated!

Please consider this prayer to share with your family:
Remember us, O God;
from age to age be our comforter.
You have given us the wonder of time,
blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.
Bless your children at the turning of the year
and fill the months ahead with the bright hope
that is ours in the coming of Christ.
You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever.
R/. Amen.
St. Thomas More, pray for us.

Have a great 4-day weekend with your family!  GO CHIEFS!!!

Peace & Blessings,
Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal