In this issue (click to jump to a section):
A reminder that all students must be in the gym (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) or in their classroom (Tuesday, Thursday) no later than 7:40 a.m. Morning assembly follows carpool every morning. Students not present at morning assembly are considered tardy.
You're invited to the 2023 STM Parish Auction on Saturday, August 19, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. in the STM Gym. Tickets are $75 per person - cocktail attire. This must-not-miss event will feature a live and silent auction (bidding online), delicious food by Drakes Catering, beautiful decor by August Events, live music, picture booth, bourbon bar, wine pull, first-pick raffle, and heads or tails game. Visit stmbrauction.com for more information and to purchase tickets. If you cannot attend, you can still bid and get raffle tickets online!
This night is intended for parents/guardians only. The evening will begin with a presentation in the STM Gym, and then you will proceed to your child’s homeroom classroom.
We are so pleased to share a list of all of the professional development our faculty and staff took part in over the summer. We are proud of their constant commitment to your children and their calling to be educators.
Brandy Arnold - Diocese of BR Teacher Summer Institute, Crisis Management
Christina Babin - Diocese of BR Teacher Summer Institute, Crisis Management, Suicide Prevention
Nurse Rochelle Bowman - Diocese of BR Theology of the Body Class
Karen Dartez - Diocese of BR Teacher Summer Institute
Bridget Day - Diocese of BR Teacher Summer Institute
Ryan Empson - FACTS Elevate Conference, Diocese of BR Teacher Summer Institute, Suicide Prevention
Kristen Flores - Institute for School & Parish Development Summer Development School
Brandi Juneau - Suicide Prevention
Susan Kottemann - Crisis Management, Suicide Prevention
Ruth Linder - Elevate! Virtual Conference, (P)layful (L)earning (A)ll (Y)ear Workshop
Patti Lyons - Suicide Prevention
Eunice McCarney - The Science of Reading Short Course, A Framework for Structured Literacy Instruction Course
Ashley McDaniel - Suicide Prevention, Summer Summit for Administrators
Yvette Nicholson - Somos Spanish Curriculum, La Familia Loca Summer Conference and Retreat
Jo Samaha - Suicide Prevention
Ashley Schade - FACTS Elevate Conference
Mallory Sollie - Sing! Say! Dance! Play! Elementary Music Conference
Germaine Stanley - Diocese of BR Catholic Identity in Catholic Schools Ministry & Theology Class
Mary Sturdivant - Diocese of BR Teacher Summer Institute
Sheri Vutera - Crisis Management, Suicide Prevention
Sara Wisdom - Suicide Prevention
Is your child interested in singing and being part of a fun and talented group? Join our 4th-8th grade choir! Our choir is open to all 4th-8th grade students who love to sing and want to improve their skills and join in leading our student body in prayer through song! We are looking forward to several performances this year as well as singing at all of the All School Masses. No prior experience is necessary! We welcome singers of all levels and backgrounds. Come join us and discover the joy of singing with others! If you have any questions or would like more information about joining, please contact Mrs. Sollie at solliem@stmbr.org.
The St. Thomas More Beginning Band will be making its first notes of the year soon! Has your student ever wanted to learn a band instrument? Make music with others? Enjoy a fun school activity? Consider joining band!
Beginning Band is open to all 5th and 6th grade students. No prior experience is necessary! Beginning Band meets twice a week at 7 a.m. until the start of school. Students will learn how to play a band instrument, read music, and play music with others! Classes will begin after Labor Day.
Students may come test-play instruments at Instrument Demo Night on Tuesday, August 29 at 5:30 p.m. in the Middle School Commons.
Interested in beginning your band journey? Email Mrs. McGregor at mcgregorc@stmbr.org to register. Please include your student’s name and what grade they are in.
We can’t wait for you to join our band family!
There is no school on Monday, September 4.
Click here to view and download the 2023-2024 academic calendar. It includes full days of school, holidays and parent/teacher conference days.
Please click here to read the 2023-2024 STM Parent-Student Handbook. This handbook is designed to serve several important objectives: It serves as an official source of school policies and procedures. It provides parents of current students with information to assist and support the efforts and activities of their children. It provides parents of prospective students with information to guide them in the process of selecting a school for their children.
Text alerts are one of our administration's main forms of communication with families. To ensure you receive our alerts, text “START” to 22383 from your mobile device. The text alerts from STM will begin with “STTM-LA.”
Please click here to read complete dress code, uniform and grooming guidelines beginning on page 24 of the Parent-Student Handbook.
Our three uniform vendors are Inka's, School Time, and Young Fashions.
HAIR - GIRLS
● Bangs may not be in front of the eyes; if they are this length, they must be clipped back.
● Girls may wear hair accessories such as bows, headbands, scrunchies, or barrettes. Hair accessories should be in the same color scheme as the uniform only: navy, gold, white, gray, or uniform plaid. Accessory Days designated by the STM administration are the exception.
● Hair extensions may be worn if natural in color and no longer than middle of back.
HAIR - BOYS
● Boys’ hair may be of only moderate length, height and thickness in the front, back, top and sides. A common guideline for length is not more than 3 inches on the top and not more than 1-2 inches on the sides.
● Boys are expected to comb, brush, style or otherwise groom their hair before they arrive on campus. Students who come to school without having done so should expect consequences.
● Boys with straighter hair should keep their hair at a length so that it is naturally off of their ears, collar and eyebrows. ● Sideburns may not extend below mid-ear.
● Boys with wavy or curly hair should keep their hair to a moderate length so that it does not get too high or extend out too far on the sides.
● Any transition from shorter to longer hair should be gradual (i.e. no weight line).
● Boys are to be clean shaven at all times.
HAIR - BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS
● Hair should not be slicked or moussed excessively.
● Hair may not be dyed, bleached, tinted, or colored in any way.
● No hairpieces, enhancements, or embellishments are allowed.
● St. Thomas More Catholic School does not recognize shaved heads, extreme crew cuts (where the scalp shows), asymmetrically or partially shaved heads, mohawks, wedges, or tails as conventional.
MASS DAY UNIFORM
Out of respect for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, on Mass days girls must wear the jumper (K-4th grade), skirt/skorts (5th-8th grade), or long pants. Boys must wear long pants with the uniform shirt tucked in. In August and September, boys may wear shorts. See Save the Dates section for upcoming Mass days.
SHOES
Tennis Shoes: Must be traditional low quarter (low cut) style with shoe laces. The shoe color must be navy blue, black, grey, white or any combination of those colors. The laces must be in the same color scheme (navy blue, black, grey, or white), solid, and traditionally tied. Characters, plaid, checkerboard patterns, lights, Velcro, zipper, skateboard style, slip-ons, and wheels are not allowed. PK students may wear Velcro shoes.
Leather Shoes: Solid navy blue, solid brown or solid black; no boots. (on P.E. days, tennis shoes should be worn.)
Socks: Socks must be visible, above the shoe and solid white with no logos. They cannot be below the shoe line.
Parents or guardians of children who will be absent should make the office aware by 7:30 a.m. by calling 225-275-2820. Students in grades PK3-8 arriving at school after 7:40 a.m. must report to the office for a tardy slip. For safety reasons, Preschool and Kindergarten students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when arriving late. After receiving a tardy slip, the student then reports to the homeroom teacher. If a child is tardy on a Mass day, he or she will wait in the office until Mass is over.
CARPOOL SIGNS
Please display your child's green STM carpool sign in your windshield. If you need extra signs, please call the school office at 225-275-2820.
CARPOOL TIMES
Morning carpool: Begins at 7:20 a.m.
All students must be on campus promptly by 7:40 a.m. Morning assembly follows carpool every morning. Students not present at morning assembly are considered tardy.
Dismissal and afternoon carpool: 2:48 to 3:15 p.m.
Students who are not picked up in afternoon carpool by 3:15 p.m. will be sent to Extended Care as a drop-in. If a student is not previously registered for Extended Care and is sent by the office (due to the office closing), the parent must register the child at that time and pay a fee. Please contact Mrs. Gretchen Thibodeaux with any questions about Extended Care.
PRESCHOOL
For both morning and afternoon carpool, vehicles will line up on Sylvan Drive heading north (toward Sherbrook) and will turn into the carpool line through the gate between the Preschool building and Kindergarten building. To exit carpool, vehicles leave the drive by turning right onto Sherbrook.
Click here for the Preschool Carpool Map.
GRADES K-3: GYM CARPOOL
For both morning and afternoon carpool, vehicles will line up on Parkwood Drive heading west (toward Sherwood Forest Blvd.) and will curve south onto Dartmoor Drive. At the intersection of Dartmoor and Sherbrook, vehicles will proceed straight across Sherbrook and will immediately turn left into the school parking lot. Vehicles will form a line in front of the library and school office. Students will be called by a member of our team and will be assisted into the vehicles. To exit carpool, vehicles leave the parking lot in front of the gym, turning right onto Sherbrook.
Click here for the K-3 Carpool Map.
GRADES 4-8: CHURCH CARPOOL
Vehicles will approach the school on Goodwood Blvd. heading toward Sherwood Forest. Vehicles should form a line down Goodwood in the bike lane to allow non-carpool traffic to pass. Vehicles will proceed past the athletic field/playground and will turn right into the church parking lot. With the field to your right, drive toward the 5th and 6th grade building to drop off or pick up. To exit carpool, drive through the parking lot toward Goodwood Blvd. with the church on your right. While still in the parking lot, turn right and drive past the church before turning left to exit the parking lot onto Goodwood Blvd. going west.
Click here for the 4-8 Carpool Map.
The Diocese of Baton Rouge Child Nutrition Program is committed to providing an environment in which students can make healthy food choices that support success and lifelong health. Click here for information on how to set up your child's My School Bucks account and how to apply for free meals. After September 8, 2023, if you have not completed a meal application, your child's lunch status reverts to his or her lunch status from the 2022-2023 school year.
St. Thomas More must provide a safe environment for children and youth. We hold ALL adults who work with minors to a code of conduct that is Christ-centered and professional. The Child Protection Certification Program implemented by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge requires us to evaluate the background of all paid personnel and volunteers whose duties include ongoing, unsupervised contact with minors. Anyone who wants to volunteer at St. Thomas More must be Child Protection Certified. Please consider taking care of this now, so we can include you as a volunteer during your child’s field trips, retreats, Book Fair, enhanced learning days, Mission Day or other special events. ALL requirements must be met in order to volunteer. Any parent/adult (18 and older) who would like to volunteer with children on the St. Thomas More campus must fill out the requirements as mandated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Click here to view the Volunteer Requirements.
Parents/guardians who would like to be substitute teachers and/or sub for Nurse Rochelle, please click here for the application.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
A mandatory girls basketball parent meeting for grades 3-8 is Tuesday, August 22, at 6:30 p.m. in the STM Gym.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to the following volunteers for making our 3rd annual athletic physical day a huge success. More than 80 student athletes were able to get their physicals free of charge because of these volunteers.
Physicals performed by:
Murli Rao, MD
Kayla Pollet, PA
Stephanie Falcon, MD
Nursing support:
Summer Naquin
Shelley Fontenot
Dawn Mauk
Marina Stafford
Home & School celebrated the STM faculty and staff with a catered lunch the day before school started, right when they needed it most! It was a treat watching the final preparations being made before our students filled the campus to start the new school year. We rounded out the week with a Teacher’s TGIF last Friday, providing a few sweets and refreshments at the end of a successful first week. Thank you to our teachers for taking such good care of our kids during this first week back!
Thank you to Sylvia Landry for coordinating school supply sales and deliveries through School Tool Box!
Home & School is a home-school partnership involving collaborative working relationships between families and schools and we look forward to working with you!
Go to stmbr.org/hsa23 for information about STM Home and School events and committees, and to sign up as a volunteer. Please note that to take advantage of these volunteer opportunities you must be Child Protection Certified. Go to https://www.stmbr.org/volunteer23 for more information.
BEAT THE HEAT! This has been one of the warmest summers on record, so here are some tips to prevent heat related illness:
• Drink PLENTY of fluids! If you are sweating, you are losing fluid that needs to be replaced.
• Send a water bottle to school every day and refill as necessary.
• Limit outdoor activities in the middle of the day when the temperatures are highest.
• Dress lightly and in breathable fabrics.
• Get into the shade; it feels up to 15 degrees cooler in the shade than the sun!
• Stay inside with A/C as much as possible until temperatures become tolerable.
IMMUNIZATION RECORDS NEEDED: If Nurse Rochelle has contacted you by email or phone and asked to turn in an updated immunization record for your student(s), please send it as soon as possible. These records must be on file for every student at the beginning of August. If you have not been contacted then you can assume that the record we have on file for your student is up to date.
PRESCHOOL PARENTS: Immunization records for PK may expire throughout the school year. You will be notified when your child’s record is nearing expiration so that you can make an appointment with your doctor. If you go to an appointment and receive vaccinations, please obtain an updated immunization record and send a copy to school. Immunization records can be copied and sent to school in an envelope to Nurse Rochelle’s attention, scanned and emailed to rochelle@stmbr.org (photos do not print well), faxed to 225-275-0376, or dropped off at the front office.
ALTAR SERVER TRAINING: Does your child want to participate more in Mass? Altar server training is happening next week. STM Church is looking to train new altar servers as well as refresh training for currently serving altar servers. Current 4th grade baptized Catholic students and older are eligible to be trained. Those who are already trained are asked to come and refresh their training and help demonstrate the actions for new servers. The expectation is that servers will serve at school Masses as well as Sunday Masses.
The training will be held on Saturday, August 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Church. Parents, you are encouraged to contact Sarah Neau (neaus@stmbr.org) at the parish office to sign up your child. Depending on the need, more training dates may be offered in September.
RCIA: Parents, are you interested in learning more about the Catholic faith or becoming a full member of the Catholic Church? The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a process for adults to learn the basics of the Catholic faith and be formally welcomed into the Catholic Church through baptism (if needed) or by a profession of faith. The RCIA process will begin holding sessions on Tuesday, September 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mother Teresa Room at the parish. Please contact Sarah Neau (neaus@stmbr.org) for more information. The process can be adapted for children who are 3rd grade and older to bring them into the Catholic faith as well. The children’s group will meet separately from the adult group on Sundays beginning September 10.
AUGUST 19: STM Parish Auction - Adults only
AUGUST 21: Back to School Night for grades PK-3 - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the STM Gym - Adults only
AUGUST 24: School Mass - Grades 5-8 wear Mass uniform.
AUGUST 31:
• School Mass - Grades 1-8 wear Mass uniform.
• 8th grade retreat
SEPTEMBER 4: Labor Day - No school
SEPTEMBER 6: Wonderful Wednesday - Students may wear STM spirit shirt with uniform bottoms.
SEPTEMBER 7: School Mass - Grades K-4 wear Mass uniform.
SEPTEMBER 11: Red, White, and Blue Accessory Day
SEPTEMBER 14: School Mass - Grades K-8 wear Mass uniform.
SEPTEMBER 21:
• Third Thursday Praise and Worship - 7:20 a.m. in the STM Gym for Grades K-4
• School Mass - Grades 5-8 wear Mass uniform.
SEPTEMBER 22: Parent/Teacher Conferences - Grades 1-4
SEPTEMBER 25: Monday Night Football
SEPTEMBER 28:
• School Mass - Grades K-8 wear Mass uniform.
• 7th grade retreat
SEPTEMBER 30: Mother & Son Tailgate - Grades K-8 only
NOVEMBER 3: STM Prom - Adults only
MARCH 9: Dad & Daughter Dance - Grades K-8
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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.
