NEW! TONIGHT! Nashua Community College Art Installation Reminder - Please join Mrs. Fessenden at the NCC Open House TONIGHT, Wednesday, March 6th from 5-7 PM to view our upper campus student artwork that is on display! To see the artwork during the NCC Open House, the main entrance at Streeter Hall (facing 101A) is the easiest way in the building. And the best way to describe the work is just “next to the atrium”.
NEW! Upcoming Bill to Amend Education Freedom Accounts - Parents are encouraged to learn more about an upcoming bill to amend NH Education Freedom Accounts. House Bill 1592 would disallow the use of funds for religious based schools, which means that EFA funds would no longer be available to Saint Christopher Academy families. Please read more about this bill, along with another bill which will affect homeschooling families who use EFA funds, HERE.
NEW! Parent Orientation for Parents of Current 5th Grade - Parents of students who are currently in the 5th grade and who will be attending 6th grade at the upper campus are reminded of the Parent Orientation at the upper campus on Monday, March 11 at 6:00 PM. The evening will include a brief overview of the upper campus programming, placements, and a tour of the building.
NEW! Catholic Schools Office Parent Survey - As part of the Diocese of Manchester’s Catholic Schools Office (CSO) ongoing partnership with parents, the CSO often seeks your input as it relates to your child’s Catholic school experience. The Catholic Schools Office is asking all parents in our diocesan Catholic school system to please complete a parent survey. If you have multiple children enrolled (and in multiple schools), please select one diocesan/parish school for the purpose of this survey. The CSO is grateful for your time; hearing directly from parents helps them in their role as Catholic school system administrators. Deadline to complete the survey is March 22nd. Please click the link HERE to begin. Thank you for your participation!
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.
Tuition Deposit Date - As noted in the 2024-2025 re-enrollment/registration packet, a $250 tuition deposit per student will be automatically withdrawn from a family’s FACTS Tuition Management account on April 1st using the payment method selected during registration. This tuition deposit will be applied toward the family's tuition balance. Questions about the tuition deposit should be directed to Shauna Hein at [email protected].
NEXT WEEK! March NO School Day - There will be NO school next Friday, March 15 so teachers may attend professional development through the Diocese of Manchester. Please mark your calendars!
NEW! More NO School Days in March - Please also mark your calendar for our Easter break from March 28 (Holy Thursday) through Monday, April 1 (Easter Monday).
NEXT WEEK! ☘️ Lower Campus St. Patrick’s Day Program ☘️ - Parents of PreK through 2nd Grade students are invited to our Saint Patrick’s Day concert next Thursday, 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!
NEW! Reconciliation - As part of our traditional observance of Lent, students will have the opportunity to participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation on both campuses. This Thursday, several priests will be available for confession for lower campus students who have completed their First Reconciliation. Upper campus students will have the opportunity for confession during their Theology classes on March 21. Reconciliation is always voluntary, although we certainly encourage students to partake of this healing sacrament.
NEW! Campus Ministry Updates - Our upper campus Campus Ministry program is busy! Here’s a few updates on their current activities:
- Saint Chris Campus Ministry will be visiting the elderly at Aynsley Place (80 Lake Street) next week from 3-4pm on Tuesday, March 12th. All UC students are welcome to attend!
- Next Saint Chris's Kitchen will be on Thursday, March 21st from 3-4:30pm. In honor of their feast days, we'll be making St. Patrick's pretzel shamrocks and St. Joseph's flatbread personal pizzas.
- Just as our environment goes through seasons, there are seasons in the spiritual life, too. While many start off the Spring season with “Spring cleaning,” we as Catholics go through our own “Spring cleaning” during the season of Lent: Taking time to pray, fast from the non-essentials, give to others in need (almsgiving), refocus our hearts on Jesus, journey with Him through His suffering and death to His Resurrection at Easter. For this reason, we have a new almsgiving opportunity: Upper and Lower Campus will be hosting a diaper drive to benefit Birthright from now until March 22nd. They are especially looking for sizes 2-6. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
NEW! Silver Knights Education Day - We are excited to announce that our grade 1 through 6 students will be attending the Silver Knights Education Game on Tuesday, June 4! Parents will also be given the opportunity to purchase tickets and attend with us. More details on ticket prices and other arrangements will be forthcoming soon!
UPDATED! Spring Portraits- O’Connor Studios is returning to the lower campus on Wednesday, March 27 for Spring Portraits for lower campus students only. This is a one-time event, so there are no retakes for absent students.
Only students who have paid for photos will go to the photographer to have a picture taken. As with fall portraits, each student is given a unique access code for ordering. O'Connor Studios will send parents an email message with a link for online ordering. Paper order envelopes will also go home before the 27th. Both will include your student's unique access code. If you are interested in having your student's spring portrait taken, you may place an order online or use the paper envelope. Students purchasing pictures should bring their online receipt or their completed envelope to school for picture day.*
This is a Dress UP Day! All lower campus students may dress up instead of wearing the uniform, regardless of whether they're getting a spring portrait!
NEW! Yearbook Group Photos - We are taking group activity/club photos for the yearbook this month on the following mornings:
Upper campus - Wednesday, March 20
Lower campus - Thursday, March 21
All students at the upper campus should wear the regular school uniform on March 20, and all students at the lower campus should do so on March 21st.
THIS WEEK! ❄️ Upper Campus Snowflake Dance ❄️ - The upper campus Snowflake Dance is THIS Friday, March 8. 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.
NEW! Annual Fund - Many thanks to all those who have already donated to our Annual Fund! Our total currently stands at just over $46,000. If you have not yet donated, please consider doing so today! All donations by March 31st will be listed in our Honor Roll of Donors to be distributed in our summer News and Notes. All donations, no matter the size, are MOST appreciated and will be used to directly benefit our students. To donate quickly and safely online, please click HERE. Thank you!
NEW! End of the Year Dates - The end of the school year may seem like a long way away, but it will come quickly! We have scheduled the following important dates and events:
Friday, May 24
-
- Family BBQ at the upper campus (all current families invited!)
Wednesday, June 5
-
- 8th Grade last day of school - 8th grade released at 11:30 AM
- 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 7
-
- 7:00 PM - 8th grade Graduation at the upper campus
Tuesday, June 11
-
- Grade 5 last day of school - 5th grade released at noon
- 5:30 PM - 5th grade Convocation at upper campus (students gather at lower campus at 4:40 PM)
Friday, June 14
-
- Early Release and final day of school for grades PreK to 4, 6 & 7
NEW! P3: Prayer, Penance, and…Pasta! School families are invited to join members of St. Christopher Parish on the evening of Friday, March 22nd for a Lenten celebration before the start of Holy Week! The evening will begin at 5:00 PM with Stations of the Cross, followed by Mass, and then a FREE spaghetti dinner! Our very own Campus Minister Abbey Thompson is coordinating the evening! Please see the flyer below for more information and to register.
NEW! Food Drive - 5th grade student Jack Rugg, a member of the NH Kid Governor’s Executive Council, invites all students and their families to participate in a Food Drive to support the Nashua Soup Kitchen through March 29. Please see the flyer HERE for important details!
NEW! Upper Campus Track & Field Help Wanted – We are looking for some additional assistance with our upper campus track & field team. We are looking for some additional help with throwing and jumping events. Specifically, long jump, high jump, shotput, and discus. Anybody interested in helping out, and with experience in these events, is strongly encouraged to email Mr. Farris at [email protected].
NEW! Upper Campus Golf Coach – Spring is coming and before we know it, our Wildcat golfers will be hitting the local courses for some competitive golf. The upper campus is in need of a golf coach for this spring season. This is a paid stipend position. Previous golf coaching experience is preferred, but not required. Interested applicants should please reach out to Mr. Farris at [email protected] for more information.
Spring Sports Signups! Winter is almost fully behind us (knock on wood), and we are getting a bit more daylight! With more daylight comes excitement about warmer weather, and of course, spring sports here at Saint Chris! We are now conducting signups for all of our upper campus spring sports including baseball, softball, golf, and track and field. For any upper campus student interested in any of the above sports, please click on the link HERE to sign up. There is some additional information on the signup form with what to expect, and we will also be offering informational meetings soon.
Baseball/Softball Open Gyms - In preparation for the upcoming spring season, we are happy to announce that we will once again offer baseball and softball open gyms starting after February break. These open gyms are totally optional, and open to any upper campus student. Open gyms are just an opportunity to get a baseball or softball in the kids hand, and get them mentally ready for the upcoming season.
Baseball - Tues & Thurs - 2:45-4:30 PM - 3/7, 3/12, 3/14, 3/19 and 3/21.
Softball - Mon 3:30-5 PM & Fri - 2:45-4:30 PM - 3/8, 3/11, 3/18, and 3/22.
This is not associated with tryouts, and attendance to open gyms will not impact a student's ability to make a team.
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!
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].
__________________________________________
Exciting News….the Auction is completely sold out!
We can't wait to welcome our 250 guests to
the Roaring 20th Annual Saint Chris Auction on March 16!
DONATIONS:
There are just a few items left on our Amazon wish list for decor and candy table items...please see it HERE!
SPONSORS:
Many, many thanks to our incredible sponsors for their support of the Auction!
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! Kalil and Kress Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
Decorations Sponsor
Linen Sponsor
Heads or Tails Sponsor
Dessert Sponsor
Paige Aquino & Ainsley Teas
Cooler Raffle Sponsor
Faith in Action Video Sponsor
Wine Pull Sponsor
Copper Sponsor
The Valade Family
NEW! Staples
__________________________________________
Hot Lunch Volunteers - Thank you to our fabulous Hot Lunch volunteers! The schedule for the next week is:
Thursday, March 7
LC: Athena Chisholm, Melissa Richardson
UC: Luci Foppa, NEED A VOLUNTEER
Friday, March 8
LC: Erin Sarette, Jen Liba, Cassy Vachon, Stephen Carroll
UC: Nadra Bell, Karla Hall
Monday, March 11
LC: Robin DeGrandis, Erik Smith
UC: Emily Uong, NEED A VOLUNTEER
Tuesday, March 12
LC: Tina Bruno, Andrea Rugg
UC: Teresa Carlton, NEED A VOLUNTEER
Wednesday, March 13
LC: Kristie Healey, Krista Prymak
UC: Sasha Shaplyko, Nadra Bell
Popcorn Poppers: Our popcorn poppers for this Friday are:
LC: Louis Cardinale, Stacy Cardinale, Caroline Belt
UC: Nadra Bell, Mike Slocumb, Priyanka Bachwal
Hot Lunch Ordering - Hot Lunch ordering for April is open! Ordering runs through midnight on March 15. Do not wait until the last minute to order. 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.
Employment Applications and Teacher Fair - With the current teacher shortage, Saint Christopher Academy is currently building an applicant pool for any openings that may be available for the 2024-2025 school year. Interested applicants are invited to submit materials as soon as possible so we may begin conducting interviews. Current teachers, new education graduates, and recently retired teachers are welcome to apply! Click HERE for more information on how to apply!
The Academy will hold a drop-in Spring Teacher Fair on Wednesday, March 20 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the upper campus! During the Teacher Fair, candidates will participate in an informal mini-interview with the principal and meet faculty and staff. Candidates are encouraged to download and complete the Diocesan Teacher Application at https://www.catholicnh.org/.../Sch.../TeacherApplication.pdf prior to the Teacher Fair and also bring along supporting credentials such as teaching accreditation, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.
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:
March 13 - Lower campus (all grades) Mass
March 18 - Upper campus Mass (change in date!)
March 25 - Lower campus (grades 3-5) Mass Mass Canceled
April 3 - Upper campus Mass
April 9 - Lower campus (grades 3-5) Mass
April 16 - Vocation Day -
8:15 AM Upper Campus Mass
9:00 AM Lower Campus Mass
April 29 - Upper Campus Mass
Lower Campus Stations of the Cross - As Lent continues, two additional 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, March 8 - 2:15 PM
- Friday, March 22 - 2:15 PM
CHRISTOPHER PARISH NEWS!
St. Christopher Parish Lenten Schedule –Saint Christopher Parish has created a rich schedule of programs, masses, rosaries, and confessions to help us deepen our faith during the holy season of Lent. All school families are welcome and encouraged to attend any and all of these Lenten activities!
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!
NEXT WEEK!! Diocesan Camp Virtual Night - All families interested in Camp Bernadette or Fatima for this upcoming summer are invited to attend a virtual Saint Chris Family Night on March 14 at 7:30 PM via Zoom! Please see the flyer below with all of the details and the Zoom link!
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!
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! Sonia Kovalesvsky Day at WPI - Girls in grades 6 to 8 are invited to attend WPI’s Sonia Kovalevsky Day (SK Day) on Saturday, April 6 at WPI. The day will include interactive math activities, as well as presentations by women involved in a variety of STEM fields. See the flyer below for more information.
