Hello everyone and welcome to the year 2020. We are hoping that it is a happy, healthy and prosperous one for you.

This week’s newsletter is chock full of information.

Our students in K - 8 are currently sitting for the second round of MAP Testing. The results of these exams are important for instructional planning, so please remind your children to do their very best.

In addition, starting the week of the 20th, Grades 6 - 8 will sit for their Midterms exams. And Grades 3 - 8 will take their Religion Midterms. Which will bring us to the end of the 2nd quarter. 

Our PA is put the finishing touches on our Read-A-Thon. We will hold our kickoff assembly on Friday afternoon, January 17th. The informational materials needed by students and families will be coming home this week. 

Students are asked (with parent help) to set up their personal portal. This is where students record their reading, contact sponsors, etc. Students setting up their pages before January 15th will receive a NUT Card.

We have established two separate goals for this year, just like we did last year. If we reach $5,000, we will once again attempt to duct tape Mr. Keenan to the wall. We were not very successful last year, so we hope that we learned from our mistakes.

If we reach our end goal of $12,500, we have a surprise event that will be announced on the 17th.

The money raised this year will be used to pay down our new sound system and install permanent signage on the exterior of the school building.

The final week of January is our annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week. We will begin with Open House on Sunday January 26th from 9:30AM to 11:30AM.

We are asking for parent volunteers to attend and act as information providers to any visitors. Also, our middle school students are requested to attend and provide school tours. Community Service Hours will be offered.

CSW is also the official start of Re-Registration. Current families will be able to re-register for the 2020 - 2021 school year. Details will be sent home in hard copy and posted on our website.

I can share that our tuition only sees a small increase. PK & K costs will stay the same at $9000 and $7500 respectively. Grades 1 - 8 will be increased by $150 per student. Again, hard copy with more details will be sent home and posted on our website.

We are accepting registrations for new students. So we are urging current families to renew as soon as the opportunity arises. And if you or someone you know is interested in our school, have them contact the school and schedule a visit.

We have added a new page to our school website. Head on over to www.smcsriverdale.org, click the School Updates link and you will now see School Documents. All our informational flyers, letters and notices are now being posted on the School Documents and Links page on our website. 

The first linked document you will see is a DRAFT of the new Tuition for the 2020-2021 school year.

The Annual Beefsteak Dinner is coming up fast, as is the LadySteak - an event started last year for the women in our community. The informational flyer is the second one posted on our website. 

North Riverdale LL registration will be open soon, and we share the details on our site as well.

Our KING Summer Camp will be available again this summer. We have a link to registration on our web page. 

Last, I want to thank two people this week. First is Mrs. Stephanie Flete who helped during the christmas break creating two new displays in our hallways. One is outside the nurse’s office and the other in the third floor corridor. 

Also, I thank Mrs. Jackie Hartey for her service to our school this fall. Mrs. Hartey has taken a full time position at St. Anthony’s catholic school in Yonkers. We are very grateful for all she did for our school, faculty, staff and students. You will be missed.

As I stated, the newsletter is a dense one this week. The text can be found in the email sent and on the NEWS page.

Have a great weekend. Stay safe. And see everyone on Monday. God bless.