NEW! Thank you! - Corpus Christi Food Pantry would like to extend a thank you to all families for their donations during Catholic Schools Week! Together we donated 257.2 pounds of food with a value of $496.40.
❤️ NEW! Valentine's Day Free Dress ❤️ - Tomorrow, February 15th is our rescheduled Valentine's Day Free Dress! Students should dress in red, white, or pink and are reminded to follow all free dress code guidelines.
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NEW! PreKindergarten 3’s Survey - Over the years, we have received a number of requests for the addition of a Prekindergarten 3 program at Saint Chris. As part of our ongoing strategic planning for the Academy, we are continuing to evaluate the need for that program…and we need our parents’ help! ALL current parents are invited to complete a brief survey HERE regarding a PreKindergarten 3 program. Thank you!
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NEW! Recognizing Excellence Award Nominations - Nominations for the 2024 Diocese of Manchester’s Teacher of the Year, Clergy of the Year, and St. Joseph the Worker awards are now open!
- Teacher of the Year Award - The New Hampshire Catholic School Teacher of the Year views Catholic education not only as a profession, but as a vocation of service to students and to the greater Church. A practicing Catholic active in his or her faith, the award recipient brings a joyful witness to his or her ministry that inspires students to not only achieve academically, but to put their skills and knowledge to good use creating the Kingdom of God on Earth. Submit a nomination HERE.
- Clergy of the Year Award – The recipient of the Spirit of St. John Vianney Award is a member of the clergy who similarly provides inspirational support for Catholic education in the diocese. The faithful witness that the recipient of the Spirit of St. John Vianney award provides is inspirational to students as they go on to eventually discern their vocation in life. Submit a nomination HERE.
- St. Joseph the Worker Award – The New Hampshire Catholic Education Community Saint Joseph the Worker of the Year Award is presented to a Catholic school community member whose gift of time, talent, or treasure of transformative influence, enabling Catholic education to thrive in their community. Nominees may include school leaders, directors, volunteers, donors, or any member of the local community who demonstrates the Christian values of faith, humility, and outreach to the marginalized in their personal lives as well as integrity, respect, and service in the workplace. Submit a nomination HERE.
NEW! Campus Ministry Visit - Saint Chris Campus Ministry will be visiting the elderly at Aynsley Place (80 Lake Street) next week from 3:00 - 4:00 PM on Thursday, February 22nd. All UC students are welcome to attend!
NEW! CYO Basketball Tournament - The state CYO basketball tournament gets underway this week! Get out and support our Wildcats!
- The 3rd and 4th grade coed teams are playing each other in the first round on Saturday, February 17th at 12:00 PM at PMA. Winner will advance to the next round and potentially the championship game for their silver bracket!
- The 5th/6th grade boys team faces PMA in the PMA gym TONIGHT at 6:30 PM. This is a rescheduled game from last night. The winner will take on Mount Royal Academy in the semi-finals on Friday, February 6th at 5:30 PM in our gym!
NEXT WEEK! Financial Aid Applications - If your family is interested in Saint Chris financial aid for the 2024-2025 school year, all applications are due by Thursday, February 22. You can apply through your Family Portal. Click on Financial in the left hand column, then Apply for Grant and Aid in the pop-up window.
Note: Financial Aid applicants will also be required to apply for financial aid from the Children’s Scholarship Fund at a later date. Financial aid may also be available from the NH Education Freedom Account program. Parents will be informed when the application windows open for each program. Any aid received from those funds will be deducted from the financial aid awarded through the Saint Christopher Academy financial aid program.
For questions, please contact Business Manager Shauna Hein at [email protected] or 603-882-7442, ext. 212.
February Vacation - Don’t forget….February 26 to March 1st is our February/Winter vacation!
Lower Campus Back Parking Lot Drop-off Reminder - Please remember that school at the lower campus begins at 8:50 AM. If you arrive for drop-off after 8:50, your child must enter through the front door and receive a tardy slip. This applies to ALL students, including those who are normally dropped off in the rear parking lot. Please do not send your child to knock on the back door once it has been closed.
☘️ Lower Campus St. Patrick’s Day Program ☘️ - Parents of PreK through 2nd Grade students are invited to our Saint Patrick’s Day concert on March 14 at 1:30 PM in the church hall. There will be performances by the PreK through 2nd grade classes, as well as some special guests!
Upper Campus Snowflake Dance - Due to a conflict with Ski Club, the upper campus Snowflake Dance has been postponed to Friday March 8. Tickets will be on sale in the cafeteria closer to the event.
Dress for the event is “semi-formal”:
Girls: Dress, skirt and blouse, dress pants and top, or full jumpsuit (no strapless dresses or tops.) may be worn. If the straps on the dress or top are less than 2 inches wide, please wear a sweater or shrug over it. Skirts and dresses should be no more than 3 inches above the kneecap and should not be tight-fitting. Shoes or sandals must be worn. No flip flops.
Boys: Dress shirt, tie, and dress pants. No jeans. Clean, casual or dress shoes are allowed. No flip flops or sandals.
DEADLINE NEXT FRIDAY! Yearbook Ordering – Parents were sent an email from O’Connor Studios about ordering the Saint Christopher Academy 2023-2024 yearbook several weeks ago. Please take the time to open the email, read the information, and place your order...the ordering window closes at midnight on February 23! Don't forget, in addition to the yearbook itself, families in all grades may purchase a Personal Message and/or a Family Sponsorship! 8th grade families only may also purchase a 1/4 page graduate ad. For more information, please see the Yearbook Ordering email HERE that was sent to parents. Please contact Carol Fiore at [email protected] for more information.
Faithful Fridays - Upper campus students and their parents are invited to join Ms. Thompson and Mrs. Lester for prayer and adoration in the chapel every Friday from 7:00 - 7:30 AM. Donuts and fellowship follow each week!
TOMORROW NIGHT! Auction Committee Meeting - Our next Auction Committee meeting will be tomorrow night, Thursday, February 15th at 7:00 PM at the upper campus. There will also be an Auction Committee meeting next week on Wednesday, February 21 at 7:00 pm at the upper campus!
STEM Day Speakers - Are you in a STEM field? Would you like to share your love of or experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math? We have begun planning for this year’s STEM Day, to be held on May 16. We are looking for speakers to present to students about their interest and/or careers in any STEM-related field, whether as a professional or hobbyist. Presentations will be approximately 20-30 minutes in length. If you are interested in speaking, please email Carol Fiore at [email protected].
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TICKETS:
ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT TO PURCHASE TICKETS!
Seating is limited to 250 guests and all tickets must be purchased by March 1st.
Click HERE to purchase today!
RESERVED TABLES:
Tables of 10 guests can be also reserved ahead of time by sending a list of attendees to Marta at [email protected]. Please be sure that all guests have purchased tickets before sending the list. Thanks!
TICKET FOR A TEACHER SPONSORS:
Aren’t our teachers GREAT? Thank them for a job well done by being a Ticket for a Teacher sponsor! Our teachers work hard all day, every day in the classroom…they deserve a night out! To be a Ticket for a Teacher sponsor, simply complete the RSVP form HERE and select Ticket for a Teacher.
DONATIONS:
We’re still looking for some swell items for our silent and live auctions!
Take a look at a list of ideas HERE. Donations may be dropped off at either campus!
CLASS BASKETS:
Themed baskets are VERY popular at our event! In addition to the wonderful baskets donated by individuals and businesses, each grade (Pre-k to 8) is putting together a very special themed basket thanks to the donations of their families! To make a cash donation towards your child's class basket, please click HERE!!
SPONSORS:
Our sponsors are the bee’s knees! You, your family, or your company can still support the Auction as a sponsor. Click HERE for more information!
Presenting Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Wanderlust Therapeutic Services
Silver Sponsor
Nashua Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry
Bronze Sponsor
Kevin Brown '99 - the Knights of Columbus Insurance
Family Chiropractic of Merrimack and Wellness Center
NEW! Camps Bernadette and Fatima
Decorations Sponsor
Linen Sponsor
Heads or Tails Sponsor
Dessert Sponsor
Paige Aquino & Ainsley Teas
Cooler Raffle Sponsor
Faith in Action Video Sponsor
Copper Sponsor
The Valade Family
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Hot Lunch Volunteers - Thank you to our fabulous Hot Lunch volunteers! The schedule for the next week is:
Thursday, February 15
LC: Stephen Barton, Stacy Cardinale
UC: Teresa Carlton, Emily Uong
Friday, February 16
LC: Amanda Coan, Erica Lilley, Lisa Blanchard, Katie Osborn
UC: Sarah Neary, Nadra Bell
Monday, February 19
LC: Sarah Currid, Sandra Currid
UC: Lorraine Barry, Lisa Censabella
Tuesday, February 20
LC: Amy Barry, Allyson Donovan
UC: Teresa Carlton, NEED A VOLUNTEER
Wednesday, February 21
LC: Olga Usyk, Parissa Khayami
UC: Heather McCorry, Nadra Bell
Popcorn Poppers: Our popcorn poppers for this Friday are:
LC: Alex Sullivan, Parissa Khayami, Monque Rivera
UC: Tara Canaway, Melissa Szymansky, Daliana Spencer
TOMMORROW! Hot Lunch Ordering - Ordering for March Hot Lunch is open and runs through midnight on THIS Thursday, February 15 on Boonli.com.. We cannot accept late orders, so please be sure to order early! Also….be sure that you complete your checkout and receive an emailed confirmation of your order! If you do not receive an email, your order has not been placed.
Upcoming School Masses - All parents are invited to attend our weekly school masses! Parents must enter through the front door of each campus facility, sign in, and receive a nametag to attend. All masses are at 9:45 AM on both campuses unless otherwise noted. The schedule for the next month is:
February 20 - Lower campus (grades 3-5) Mass
March 6 - Upper campus Mass
March 13 - Lower campus (all grades) Mass
March 21 - Upper campus Mass
March 25 - Lower campus (grades 3-5) Mass
Lower Campus Stations of the Cross - With Lent starting this week, we have scheduled Stations of the Cross for our lower campus presented by the 5th grade. Parents are welcome to attend this short (approximately 20 minutes) observation of the stations and should come through the school and sign in prior to going to the church. The schedule is:
- Friday, February 16 - 1:50 PM
- Friday, February 23 - 2:15 PM
- Friday, March 8 - 2:15 PM
- Friday, March 22 - 2:15 PM
NEW! FORMED Subscription - St. Christopher Parish has subscribed to FORMED (https://formed.org), an online platform for Catholic movies, shows, bible studies, catechetical programs, and books. The subscription can be used for free by academy families… there is a lot of good Catholic content for families to enjoy!
The platform can be used on phones, tablets, computers, and smart TV's. To register, visit Formed.org and click 'Sign-Up' and then on the "Create A New Account" page enter either "Saint Christopher Parish" or our zip code "03064". Enter your name and email and the process is complete. There are no passwords needed.
COMMUNITY NEWS!
NEW! Camps Fatima and Bernadette Registration - Our Diocesan Catholic summer camps, Camp Fatima for boys and Camp Bernadette for girls, have a few openings left for this summer! These camps offer it all: incredible outdoor activities such as canoeing, fishing, archery and rock climbing; arts and crafts to spark imagination and creativity; camp life designed to help children grow in faith and create a sense of belonging and foster friendships among campers from all across the country; positive, energetic, experienced counselors; and a gorgeous lakefront New Hampshire location! For more information or to register, please click HERE!
NEW! Summer Employment - Camps Fatima and Bernadette are hiring! The camps hire teachers or mature high school and college students. Every staff member undergoes a thorough interview, including criminal background check, and extensive training to prepare them to help your children get the most out of their camp experience. A staff member should be trustworthy, responsible, enjoy working with kids and act as a good role model. Staff members must be 17 or older. To view current opportunities, click HERE.
NEW! Nashua North/South Information Nights - All 8th grade students who will be attending either North or South next year are invited to attend an upcoming Information Night to hear from department heads and to make course selections. Please register for the events HERE.
Black History Month - First officially recognized in 1976 by President Gerald Ford, February is Black History Month across the US. This month celebrates the achievements of African Americans and their important role in US history. Locally, the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire provides excellent resources on black history and culture in NH. Please visit their website HERE!