We are being constantly notified by the news of the latest on COVID-19 and its' impact on our communities.
 
In addition, the school is being kept updated by the NYCDOE, DOHMH and the Archdiocese of New York.
 
On our Documents and Links Page is the latest information from Superintendent, Mr. Michael Deegan and the DOH. I ask that you review it and keep the information handy. A portion may seem redundant, but these letters and FAQ's include good, simple and important recommendations for keeping you and your family healthy now and throughout the year.
 
Also, I met with our Nurse, Ms. Weeks, to discuss the implementation of additional protocols here at the school. I shared these with the Staff this afternoon. We feel that these steps will help us to keep the students healthier and give parents more peace of mind.
 
Also, I want to reiterate that we will not be tracking attendance in March as a criteria for Honors. This is to avoid indirectly encouraging attendance when a student is ill.

Re-Registration and Enrollment
 
We are up to 50% Enrollment for September. This is progress but still rather slow. We ask that everyone submits their enrollment as soon as possible. We have opened all spaces in all classrooms to those who have submitted applications.
 
Guarantee your space now by completing your Re-Registration. Thank you.

Also, I want to highlight the Referral Program of the Archdiocese. If you refer our school to a family and it results in an additional family registering at the school, you will receive a $100 credit on your Enrollment Fee. The form is posted on our Documents and Links Page.

Parent Portal - Educate
 
Our Student Information System, known as Educate, has a Parent Portal feature. This allows parents to login and view their child's academic progress.
 
We will be opening this portal to parents this weekend.
 
Parents should expect an email that contains an Access ID and Password. This is student specific.
 
Also, you will find the Policy and Procedures we will follow for the next 4 weeks on our Documents & Links Page. At our March Meeting, the Faculty and I will review and make any necessary adjustments.
 
This is an exciting step and one we hope will impact in a positive way the academic success of our students and the communication between the home and the school.

Hot Lunch Issues
 
It has been brought to my attention that some students are taking inappropriate advantage of the hot lunch program. They are taking more than one lunch or more than one dessert. This prevents other students from having lunch or getting a complete lunch.
 
I spoke to all the students in grades K - 8 and informed them that this will not be tolerated and is to stop immediately. Should we have any further issues, those students will be punished.

Uniform Code
 
Over the last two school years, in an attempt to make things easier for busy parents, we have made alterations to our Uniform Code. One of the benefits of making the Code more manageable we had hoped that it would lessen the Uniform infractions we would see at school. This does not seem to be the case.
 
Our Handbook spells out the Uniform Code very clearly and each parent signs it. In addition, students in Grades 2 through 8 also sign the Handbook. Therefore, I am comfortable in stating that no one should be unaware of their obligations regarding the Uniform Code.
 
An additional benefit of having a clear Uniform Code is that teachers do not need to invest time reviewing each student, each day and administering Referrals or Detentions because someone has come to school dressed incorrectly.
 
Unfortunately, the teachers have brought to my attention that this is exactly what they are experiencing more and more regularly.
 
I am reminding everyone that the Uniform and Uniform Code MUST be adhered to. This includes, shirts, shoes, hair, nail polish, earrings, etc.
 
Students not following the Uniform Code will receive Uniform Infraction Forms, Discipline Referrals, and even Detentions, should that be needed.
 
We appreciate your cooperation and support.

St. Margaret of Cortona Volleyball
 
We are happy to announce that both of our volleyball teams, JV & V, won their first games of the season, defeating Annunciation Gold.
 
The schedule of Home Games can also be found on our Documents & Links Page. Hope to see you there cheering on our teams!

SMSPA - March Calendar Raffle
 
The first Winners of our March calendar Raffle are:
 
1st - Mrs. Wendy Encalada ($250)
2nd - Ms. Grace Ledwidge ($100)
3rd - D. Yuelys ($50)
4th - Mr. & Mrs. Dunleavey ($50)
 
Congratulations to all our winners. We will continue to post the names of our Winners each week here and on our website.
 
 
Students in the Spotlight
 
It gives me great pleasure to announce that Tess Chernauskas, Class of 2018, has earned recognition by her high school, Dominican Academy. Tess was named to the President's List as a student who has earned an average of 93% or higher in every subject.
 
Congratulations, Tess!

God's Blessings to You All.
 
Mr. Keenan, Principal

SCHOOL EVENTS
 
Sunday, March 8th
Daylight Saving Starts
Clocks Move Ahead One Hour
 
Tuesday, March 10th
Teacher Conference Day
No School for All Students
Communion Meeting at 7:30PM in Rectory
Click here for the full online calendar.