In this issue (click to jump to a section):
In the Catholic tradition of stewardship, we invite you to prayerfully consider supporting the 2022-2023 STM Annual Fund. This year our goal is $75,000 to continue to improve the safety of our campus by modernizing our camera security system, and we need your support. While our goal is ambitious, based on your previous generosity, we know that we can meet and even exceed this goal.
Our faculty and staff understand the importance of this effort, and we have 100% participation from all of our teachers, office staff and administration.
Please consider a financial gift to help us improve safety for all students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus. To give online, you may go to stmbr.org/annualfund or Venmo @STMBRschool. To pay by check, please drop by the school office or mail to: St. Thomas More Catholic School Annual Fund, 11400 Sherbrook Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70815. Please call the school office at 225-275-2820 if you need assistance.
Your annual contribution is more than a gift; it is an investment in our students that will have a lasting impact. Thank you for your support!
St. Thomas More Catholic School is in the WINNERS CIRCLE for Baton Rouge Parents Magazine Family Favorites 2022!
Click here to watch our morning assembly celebration on Facebook.
Thank you, STM Family, for voting for us! We know we are the best, and now all of Baton Rouge knows, too! Look for us in the November issue of Baton Rouge Parents Magazine, and see if you can spot our digital billboard announcing us as a Family Favorite Winner!
We have special days to celebrate our STM grandparents and invite them to spend time with their grandchildren on campus. Activities include reception, photo booth, musical presentations, Book Fair, and games. Please mark these dates and share them with your child's grandparents:
Parents, we need volunteers and refreshments on these days!
Thank you for helping make Grandparents Day a success. We look forward to seeing them on campus!
The Scholastic Book Fair is here (YAY!). Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them to become Bolder, Prouder, and Stronger Readers. AND — as always — every book they buy earns rewards for our school.
Join us from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, November 13 for STM Night at Newk's Eatery, 7211 Corporate Blvd. Mention St. Thomas More, and Newk's will give STM 15% of sales! Special appearance by LSU Football's West Weeks!
There is no school from November 21 - 25. We hope you and your children enjoy a safe and blessed holiday.
Parents or guardians of children who will be absent should make the office aware before 7:30 a.m. by calling 225-275-2820. Parents may email the nurse or child’s teachers, but the office must be notified by phone. You may leave a message for the following day any time from 3:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. We will listen to messages beginning at 7 a.m. Please provide the following information: the child’s name, grade, teacher, date, and reason for absenteeism or tardiness. If a child is sick, please call the school the day of the absence. If a student is not accounted for, STM will call the parent/guardian to determine the reason for the absence.
All homework requests for students in grades 2-8 must be made before 7:30 a.m. on the second day of absence. PK, Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers do not give daily assignments for absentees. For these grades, parents may request homework after the child has been absent for several days. Assignments may be picked up at the office at the time of dismissal.
These policies are set forth on page 5 in the STM 2022-2023 Parent-Student Handbook.
If you have made arrangements to eat lunch with your child, please be reminded that due to federal guidelines, outside restaurant food must be removed from its original packaging and kept in unbranded containers before being brought into the cafeteria.
Last year, STM earned more than $2,000 through the Community Coffee Cash for Schools program! Please collect and save Proofs of Purchase from Community Coffee products and submit them to the school office or to your child's homeroom teacher. Through this program, STM earns money to support the education of our children. We will count the labels and track the amount collected by each homeroom over the Christmas break, so start (or keep on!) bringing them in!
For complete STM dress code policies, see page 24-28 in the STM 2022-2023 Parent-Student Handbook.
Please label your child's water bottle with his or her name. We have many left-behind water bottles in the school office. In order to return lost items, we need students' names on them. Thank you!
Disease of the week: We are still seeing cases of influenza (flu), but the outbreak is slowing down. Other illnesses are also circulating, like strep throat, stomach virus, and RSV. Please remember our policy for students not to return to school until 24 hours after fever has stayed below 100.0 without medication, and 24 hours after vomiting/diarrhea have resolved.
Tracking illnesses: Nurse Rochelle keeps track of the number of cases of flu, strep, Covid, and other contagious illnesses. Please email rochelle@stmbr.org if your child is diagnosed with a contagious illness.
To report an absent student: Call the school office (225-275-2820) to give the reason for absence, name of student, and homeroom. Parents can also email the nurse or child’s teachers, but the office must be notified by phone. Doctor’s excuses should also be sent to the office or emailed to Gretchen Thibodeaux at thibodeauxg@stmbr.org.
IT IS NOT TOO LATE to get your annual flu vaccinations! Flu vaccines have been shown to decrease the frequency of flu and the severity of flu cases in those vaccinated. In children aged 6 months-17 years, the flu vaccine was shown to decrease flu-related hospitalization by 41% and emergency room visits by 50%. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33020249/
Uniforms needed: Gently used uniforms are kept in First Aid for emergencies. The following items are needed if you have donations: boys' uniform shirts (size youth medium), men's shirts (size XL), sweatshirts (all sizes), sweatpants (all sizes), new girls' underwear (sizes 6-12), and new or gently used adult size ankle socks. These can be sent to the office or First Aid labeled “First Aid donation.”
For the STM Athletics full calendar of events, go to stmbr.org/school/athletics.
FALL SPORTS AWARD CONVOCATION - November 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the STM gym. Teams will be recognized and awards given for girls basketball, football, cross country, swimming and tennis.
CROSS COUNTRY - The cross country season concluded with the city championship on November 5. Despite the wet and muddy conditions, 10 runners posted lifetime personal records. In the top 20 finishers, Emily Toler placed 11th with a lifetime PR. We would like to thank Coach Jason Hugenroth for his 10 years of coaching service to the team, and to Danny Fields for his 5 years of coaching service to the team (pictured above). We appreciate all of your time and sacrifice with our runners, and for helping these student-athletes discover and excel in their God-given talents.
FOOTBALL - The 7th/8th football team will be playing against St. George for the CSAA championship Sunday, November 13, at 3 p.m. at Catholic High School. Please park in the Westmoreland Shopping Center parking lot and walk through the gates behind the baseball field. Admission is $5 for high schoolers to adults, and those in 8th grade or younger get in free. Come out and support your Eagles!
GIRLS BASKETBALL - Our girls basketball season concluded with a flurry of wins for the Eagles! Congratulations to all of our girls and their coaches for a competitive season and some dominating wins on the developmental and varsity sides. Registration for next year's girls basketball season will begin during the summer of 2023.
INTRAMURAL BASKETBALL
SWIMMING - The swim team concluded its season with the city championship meet on November 4. Congratulations to Coach Gabby May and all of the swimmers on an incredible finish to the season both individually and as a team. The girls team placed 14th overall, and the boys team placed 15th overall.
In the top 20:
TENNIS
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St. Thomas More Catholic School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic, and other school administered programs.
