THANK YOU! We absolutely must extend our thanks to everyone who supported our collection for Ukraine refugee support! This Lenten service project collected $1,148.50 for the Franciscan University Ukrainian Relief Fund! All donations will go to purchase supplies for refugees on the Ukrainian/Hungarian border. Thank you!
NEW! Teacher Fair - Spread the word! Saint Chris will hold a drop-in Spring Teacher Fair on Wednesday, May 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the upper campus. Teachers with certification from grades prekindergarten through grade 8 looking for full-time teaching positions are encouraged to attend. Saint Chris is also looking for an Assistant Principal, as well as daily substitutes. For Fall 2022, all new Saint Chris full-time teachers will receive a $1,000 bonus as part of the Diocese of Manchester's START Incentive program. During the Teacher Fair, candidates will be able to do an informal mini-interview with the principal. Candidates are encouraged to download and complete the Diocesan Teacher Application at https://tinyurl.com/DOMTeacherApp prior to the Teacher Fair and also bring along supporting credentials such as teaching accreditation, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.
End of the Year Dates - June may seem like a long way away, but it will come quickly! We have scheduled the following important dates and events for our last two weeks in June:
Thursday, June 9 UPDATED! - Please note the updated information for upper campus students:
- 11:30 AM - All upper campus students will be released at 11:30 AM. Bus service will be available, but there will be no After Care. This will allow faculty and staff to set up for the evening’s 8th grade dinner. Lower campus students will have a full day.
- 5:00 PM – 8th grade Baccalaureate Mass at St. Christopher Parish (graduate and two parents only)
- 6:30 PM - 8th grade dinner at the upper campus (graduate and two parents only)
Friday, June 10
- Last day of school for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.
Tuesday, June 14
- Last day of school for 5th and 8th grade students. This will be a half day for 5th and 8th grade students. 8th grade will be released at 11:30 and 5th grade will be released at 12:30. Please note: Bus transportation home for these students will NOT be available, so parents will need to arrange transportation.
- 5:30 PM - 5th grade Convocation
Friday, June 17
- 11:30 AM - Early release and last day of school for grades 6 & 7
- 12:30 PM - Early release and last day of school for grades 1-4
- 7:00 PM - 8th grade Graduation at the upper campus
Change in Dismissal Reminder – We understand that life happens and sometimes you need a change to how/when your child will be picked up after school on a particular day! When these sudden changes occur, please CALL the school office at 603-882-7442 as soon as possible. Do not email your child’s teacher as he or she is busy teaching and may not see your email until after the school day has ended.
In addition, if another parent or grandparent is picking up your child, please let us know prior to pick up time. We want to be sure that students go home with the right people!
NEW! Upper Campus Drop-off Reminder - Upper campus parents are reminded to keep the drop off line in front of the school moving! If you need to take a moment to check your phone after you have dropped your child off, please pull far forward down the street so you do not block the drop-off line. Thank you!
UNIFORM NOTE: Spirit wear, including Wildcat Pride and cross country shirts, is not considered a part of the school uniform. Students should not be wearing any spirit wear during the week, including gym days. Students are welcome to wear these items on school or personal free dress days or on official Spirit Days.
April Vacation - Not that your kids will EVER let you forget, but here’s a reminder that we will be closed from April 25 to April 29 for our annual April vacation!
Camps Fatima and Bernadette - Andrew Thibault visited both campuses last week to give a special presentation on the Diocese of Manchester’s summer camp programs at Camp Bernadette (girls, ages 6-15) and Camp Fatima (boys, ages 6-15). Students were also given flyers about the camps to take home and share with parents. 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 create a sense of belonging and foster friendships among campers from all across the country; positive, energetic, experienced counselors; and gorgeous lakefront New Hampshire locations. For more information about the camps, please visit HERE or contact Andrew at [email protected]. Tuition discounts are available for Catholic school students and scholarships are also available!
Auction Pick-a-Pony Slots Still Available – Do you want to win $1,000? This year’s Kentucky Derby themed Auction featured a unique, one-time-only raffle called “Pick-a-Pony” and there are just a few slots still open…with a grand prize of $1,000!
Here’s the details: The real Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday, May 7. For a $100 donation to Saint Chris, you will randomly receive an envelope with an assigned Derby post. If your horse wins the real Derby, you will receive $1,000! (Note: if your derby horse should scratch for any reason before the Derby, you will be refunded your $100 and the winning payout will be reduced accordingly.) More information is available from Auction volunteer George Torosian at [email protected].
NEXT WEEK! Earth Day Free Dress - On Friday, April 22, we will mark Earth Day with a Free Dress Day! Several classes will be involved in a campus clean-up and several others will be planting flowers, so it makes sense to wear something a little more casual than our regular uniforms! Students must follow our Free Dress guidelines.
LIBRARY NEWS - If you would like to purchase a birthday book for your student this year, please send Mrs. Noon an email or a note by April 15th to allow plenty of time for the book to be delivered and processed. If you have more than one student, feel free to get their birthday books at the same time! For more information on the birthday book program find it HERE. We have added over 65 new books to the library this year, thanks to our families donating to the Birthday Book Program. Thank you for your generosity!
THIS WEEK! FINAL Hot Lunch Ordering – Hot Lunch ordering for May is open on Boonli.com through midnight THIS Friday, April 15. Hot Lunch will end on Friday, May 27 on both campuses. This is the last Hot Lunch ordering period for the school year! As of Tuesday, May 31, all students on both campuses must bring a bag lunch through the end of the year!
Lower Campus Parking Lot Dismissals - Spring has sprung, but we can’t let Spring fever stop us from keeping our students safe! Please remember the following important rules:
- Parents should meet their student/s at the top of the stairs in the back parking lot or by the church door in the upper lot. Do not ask your child to run across the parking lot or meet you at your car. Our parking lots are very busy places and we do not want any accidents!
- Please do not allow students to climb on trees, roll down any hill, or stand on the stone wall by the rectory. Students are not allowed to do this during the school day and the same rules apply after school.
- In the back parking lot, parents must back into the spaces. This allows for safe and timely emptying of the parking lot when students are dismissed.
- If you have another person pick up your child, please be sure that they understand our pick-up procedures. Thanks!
THIS WEEK! Easter Break – Our Easter Break starts with an Early Dismissal TOMORROW! Please note:
- TOMORROW, Thursday, April 14 - Early Release on both campuses. Upper campus dismisses at 11:30 AM and lower campus dismisses at 12:00 PM. Note: Nashua buses will be available for the Early Release Day, however there will be NO After Care on both campuses.
- Friday, April 15 and Monday, April 18 - No School.
8th Grade Helen J. Horan Scholarship Applications – Applications for the Helen J. Horan Scholarship for graduating 8th grade students are now being accepted. This scholarship provides support to a deserving Saint Christopher Academy 8th grade student who plans to continue his or her education at a Catholic high school next year. Established by the late Father Denis Horan in loving memory of his sister Helen, the Helen J. Horan Scholarship is the top award for our graduating students and will be awarded at the Baccalaureate Dinner on June 9. The deadline for applications is May 6. Please see the description HERE for qualifications and other important information.
8th GRADE GRADUATION DANCE –The National Junior Honor Society is hosting a Graduation Dance for 8th grade Saint Christopher Academy students on Saturday, May 21st from 7-9 PM in the Upper Campus Cafeteria. Ticket forms and more information (including dress requirements) is available HERE.
BBQ RSVP - The BBQ is back! All Saint Chris Academy families are invited to this fun and FREE gathering on Friday, June 3rd from 5:30 - 7:00 PM! The event will be held in the back parking lot of the lower campus and will include food and a DJ. To help us plan and purchase enough food, we'd like to get a preliminary count on attendees. If you think that you and your family will be attending, please complete the anonymous form HERE by April 22. THANKS!
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 24. We are looking for speakers to virtually 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].
Hot Lunch Volunteers - Thank you to all of our Hot Lunch volunteers! The schedule below is for the next week of Hot Lunch volunteers on both campuses. Volunteers are asked to check the list carefully so you do not miss your shift. If you can not make your shift, please email those on the sub list as well as Marta at [email protected] as soon as possible.
Thursday, April 14
LC: Early Release – No Hot Lunch
UC: Early Release – No Hot Lunch
Friday, April 15
LC: Easter Break
UC: Easter Break
Monday, April 18
LC: Easter Break
UC: Easter Break
Tuesday, April 19
LC: Jess Hickey, Tina Bruno, Amanda DeWitt, Stacy Driessen
UC: Eileen Kelly
Wednesday, April 20
LC: Tina Bruno, Julie Vincent
UC: Becky Kosterman, Calire Bryson
THIS WEEK! Holy Week Schedule - Holy Week is the most holy week in the Catholic calendar and St. Christopher Parish invites families to attend any of this week’s Holy Week observances:
Holy Thursday - April 14
- Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:00 PM
Good Friday - April 15
- Church will open at 8:00 AM for personal prayer
- Commemoration of the Lord's Passion at 3:00 PM
- Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM
Holy Saturday - April 16
- Easter Vigil at 7:30 PM
Easter - April 17
- Mass at 8:00 and 10:00 AM