NEW! Education Freedom Account -- We are excited to announce that the New Hampshire legislature recently passed the needs-based Education Freedom Account (EFA) program which will offer grants of a minimum of $3,400 for families at 300% of the poverty line or below to spend on their children’s education, including:
- Tuition at a school of their choice, including Saint Christopher Academy
- Tutoring
- Internet connectivity
- Special education services and therapies
- Online learning courses and programs
- Fees for specialized or advanced courses, assessments, certifications and college entrance exams (SAT/ACT)
- Other learning experiences
You can find more information about the program from the state HERE.
The program is being administered through The Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire and applications should be available on August 17. Sign up NOW so you will be notified when applications open! Please visit the Children’s Scholarship Fund website HERE.
Yes, Every Student Scholarship Program - Applications are still open for the Yes, Every Student Scholarship Program from the NH Department of Education. This is a first-come, first-serve needs-based grant program administered by FACTS for the NH DOE that can provide grants of either $2,500 or $5,000 to families, dependent upon income. Several Saint Christopher Academy families have already been awarded aid monies! Please click HERE for instructions on how to apply.
NEXT WEEK! Prekindergarten/Kindergarten Playground Play Dates! - Starting next Monday, the playground will be open for PreK and Kdg students and their parents for three Mondays in August (2, 9, 16) from 9:00-10:00 AM. Come on down! This is a great time for the kids...and parents (!)....to make important connections with friends before the school year begins!
Back to School Date - The first day of school for ALL grades on both campuses will be Monday, August 30! Students should be in full uniform on that day.
NEW! Labor Day Weekend - We will have Friday, September 3 and Monday, September 6 off for Labor Day weekend!
NEW! New Student Release of Records - New students in grade 1-8 at the Academy must have school records forwarded to the school office from the prior school by August 15. If you have not yet done this, please download the form HERE, complete the information, and send it to your prior school. Do NOT send it to the Academy. If you have already had your child’s records sent….thank you!
NEW! Uniform Requirements - There are no changes to the uniform requirements for this year. All uniforms must be purchased from Red Brick Clothing in Hudson (or online). Please see the visual guide to uniforms HERE.
NEW! Nashua Bus Survey - The Nashua School District provides free busing for Nashua residents in grades Kindergarten through 8 who live more than one mile from Saint Christopher Academy. If you qualify for busing and anticipate that you may need it at any point during the upcoming year, please complete the survey HERE by August 4.
Academic Calendar - You can print an Academic calendar for the upcoming school year HERE. Please be aware that while we strive to keep the calendar as is, dates may change during the year if necessary. All changes will be announced in the Wednesday News as soon as possible.
Lower Campus Back to School Supply and Required Reading List - For those of you who like to be prepared, it’s time to stock up on supplies for the upcoming school year! The lower campus Back to School Supply and Required Reading List can be found HERE.
Upper Campus Summer Required Reading List - Please find the upper campus general English/Literature and History summer reading/project assignments HERE. Additional English/Lit assignments by class level will be sent separately along with summer Math work.
NEW! Lower Campus Band and Fiddle Squad -- The Baileys are back and we are so excited to have Band and Fiddle Squad return this year! Lower campus students in grades 3-5 may participate in either Beginner Band or Fiddle Squad. Both are before school enrichment programs that meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 7:45 AM. For more information and to register, please see the sign-up sheet HERE for Band and HERE for Fiddle Squad.
NEW! Lower Campus Altar Servers -- We are happy to announce that we will once again have altar servers at our school masses! Fr. David would like to invite any Catholic child in grades 4 and 5 who has completed his or her First Communion to sign up as a school altar server for the lower campus. Members of any Catholic parish are welcome to participate. Students must be able to sit still on the altar, remember and carry out instructions while standing in front of the whole school, and, most importantly, understand the sacred responsibility of serving at God's altar. There will be a training on September 15 during the school day.
Questions? Contact Marta Nissen at [email protected]. Spaces are limited. Please use the Sign-Up Genius HERE.
NEW! Extended Care -- Students who need to be dropped off early and/or picked up late can take advantage of our Extended Day program on both campuses! Please see HERE for information/hours on the upper campus program and HERE for information/hours on the lower campus program.
An additional fee does apply to the Extended Care program. The rate is $3 per half hour increment. Through our multi-child discount, families are charged full price for the first child and at a 50% rate ($1.50) for each subsequent child at the same campus. Parents are invoiced through their Family Portal on a monthly basis.
Please note: All Extended Care balances are due when billed on a monthly basis. If a family is past due on Extended Care payments above $100, they will not be able to utilize the program until that balance is paid.
NEW! Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed! This is an early call for Hot Lunch volunteers! As our largest volunteer program, we need lots of people to make the Hot Lunch program a success at both campuses …over 100 people! Everyone is welcome to volunteer…we’ve had parents, alumni parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Hot Lunch is a great way to get to know other parents, to see what’s going on at the Academy, and to see your children and their friends. Volunteers serve lunch one day a month on the day of the week of your choice (although those who want to help out several days a month are always welcome!). Volunteer hours at the lower campus are approximately from 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM and 10:10 AM to 12:30 PM at the upper campus. To volunteer, use the Sign-Up Genius HERE.
Faculty Openings - Spread the word! Thanks to the exciting expansion of academic programming at the upper campus, as well as faculty retirements at the lower campus, we are in need of additional teachers to join our incredible faculty this fall! Preferred applicants should be practicing Catholics, hold an appropriate New Hampshire teaching certification (or be eligible for certification), and be ready to embrace our school mission of developing students who are confident, independent, lifelong learners, who lead by example, and who live their lives with integrity and concern for others. Candidates may read more about our open positions and apply by clicking HERE!