NEW! Congratulations! Congratulations to our upper campus scholars who achieved Honor Roll status for the 2nd quarter! Please find the list HERE!
NEW! Thank you! - Thank you to those who donated to our Corpus Christi Food Drive last week! The Food Pantry is always very grateful for our assistance! Note: Several parents have emailed to say that they were unable to bring in food for the drive because they or their child was ill last week or because of the unexpected snow day. If you would still like to donate food, please feel free to bring it into school. We will get the donation to the Food Pantry for you! Their shelves are quite empty at the moment, so they would appreciate the help!
NEW! Google Classroom for Snow Days - Winter has arrived! Students on both campuses should be prepared for upcoming snow days to be Google Classroom days. Parents should be sure that they (or their student if at the upper campus) can access their school email and have accepted all Google Classroom invitations from their teachers. Work to be completed for the day will be posted on each class’s Google Classroom and teachers will be available through email. If you do not know your child’s email or password, please email his or her teacher.
IMPORTANT NOTE: It is imperative that all work be completed so that we can count the day as a school day in our academic calendar. This ensures that our school year ends on time with no additional make-up days added to the end of the year. Thank you!
NEW! Expanded Kindergarten and 1st Grade Programs - We are growing! Thanks to outstanding enrollment for next year, we have made the commitment to add a third class to both the kindergarten and first grade for the 2025-2026 school year! More information to come!
March 20 & 21 Date Switch – The Catholic Schools Office has informed us that they are changing the date of their Spring professional development for teachers from Friday, March 21 to Thursday, March 20. This was an unavoidable change due to scheduling challenges for the Diocese. Therefore, we will now have NO School on March 20, but will HAVE school on March 21st. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Financial Aid Applications - Applications for the Saint Christopher Academy Financial Aid program are now open. If you are interested in applying for financial aid for the 2025-2026 school year, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. IMPORTANT: We can not make ANY Saint Chris financial aid award unless a student has been re-enrolled for the 2025-2026 school year. In addition, financial aid applications can not be reviewed by the school for aid until a 2024 tax return has been uploaded. You may fill out the application prior to completing your taxes, but we are unable to award aid until after the tax return is submitted.
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.
NEW! Annual Fund Update!- Our Annual Fund total is currently at $50,135…many thanks to all who have already donated! If you have not yet made a donation, we ask you to support our mission to provide an excellent Catholic education to all students at Saint Christopher Academy by donating at the level your family is most comfortable. ALL donations, no matter the size, are MOST appreciated and will be used to directly benefit our students. The Annual Appeal will run through March 31st and all donations will be listed in our Honor Roll of Donors. To donate quickly and safely online, please click HERE. Thank you!
Yearbook Ordering – Parents recently received an email from O’Connor Studios about ordering the Saint Christopher Academy 2024-2025 yearbook. Please take the time to open the email, read the information, and place your order...the ordering window closes at midnight on February 21! 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 our Yearbook Ordering email HERE that was sent to parents last month.
FEBRUARY VACATION - Our February vacation will run from Saturday, February 22nd through Sunday, March 2.
Hot Lunch Ordering - Ordering for March Hot Lunch is open and runs through midnight on February 15 on Boonli.com.. We cannot accept late orders, so please 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.
NEXT WEEK! Valentines Day Free Dress - Life is sweet when you have a Free Dress Day! Students and staff are invited to dress in Red, Pink, or White on Friday, February 14 for Valentine’s Day! Students are reminded to follow all free dress code guidelines.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
NEXT WEEK! Upper Campus Drop-In Tour Day - Do you know families who are considering Saint Chris for their grade 6 to 8 student in the fall? We believe that experiencing our school during the school day is the best way to get a real sense of the energy and enthusiasm of our Saint Chris community so the upper campus will be holding a drop-in tour day on February 11 for anyone who would like to see our staff and students “in action”! Potential families are welcome to stop by the school any time between 8:30 am and 1:30 pm for an impromptu personal tour.
New Family Enrollment - Tours and applications for students interested in joining our school community for next year have increased over the past few weeks as many parents respond to changes in local schools. If you know of any family who is interested in Saint Chris, please encourage them to contact Lorrice Bedard at [email protected] for a tour or to apply as soon as possible! Applications are considered on a first come, first served basis and open spots in several grades are very limited. Thank you!
Upcoming School Masses - All parents are invited to attend our school masses! Parents must enter through the front door of each campus facility, sign in, and receive a nametag to attend. All upper campus masses are at 9:45 AM and lower campus masses will be at 1:45 PM unless otherwise noted. The schedule for the next month is:
- February 6 - Upper campus @ 9:45 AM
- February 12 - Lower campus @ 1:45 AM (grades 3-5)
- February 18 - Vocation Day! Upper Campus @ 8:15 AM and Lower Campus @ 9:00 AM
- March 5 - Ash Wednesday - 9:45 AM at both campuses
- March 19 - Upper campus @ 9:45 AM
- March 25 - Lower campus (grades 3-5) @ 12:15
NEW! Recognizing Excellence Award Nominations Now Open - Each year, the Diocese of Manchester honors exemplary members of the NH Catholic Schools community with notable awards at a statewide dinner in June. Parents and faculty/staff members are welcome and encouraged to nominate deserving individuals. These awards include:
Saint Joseph the Worker Award – The Saint Joseph the Worker Award is presented to a non-teaching member of the school community (staff, administrative assistant, or, volunteer, etc.) who demonstrates the Christian values of faith, humility, and outreach to the marginalized in their lives. Our very own Mrs. Sue Coker was the well-deserved winner of this award last year! Click HERE to nominate individuals for this year.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Award for Achievement & Excellence in Catholic Leadership - Named for the great pioneer and leader in American Catholic education, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, this award recognizes a non-teaching staff member (school leader, Director, Pastor or Chaplain, Assistant Director, etc.) that shares in the same pioneering spirit. The recipient of this award will be an exemplary model of leadership through vision, action, or both. Click HERE to nominate.
Saint Jean Baptiste de la Salle- Catholic School Teacher of the Year - St. John Baptist de la Salle, patron saint of teachers, dedicated his virtuous life to the cause of making Catholic education available and accessible to all students who desired it. The New Hampshire Catholic School Teacher of the Year similarly views Catholic education not only as a profession, but as a vocation of service to students and to the greater Church. Click HERE to nominate.
______________________________________________________________________
VISIT THE AUCTION WEBSITE HERE!
INVITATIONS AND TICKETS
Invitations are in the mail! Invitations to the Auction have been mailed! Please let Marta ([email protected]) know if you did not receive one or if you’d like one sent to a family member or friend!
Time to buy your ticket! We are limited to just 250 guests and we are halfway to sold out…so be sure to get your ticket now! Purchasing a ticket is easy…simply click HERE to purchase tickets online or return the RSVP card in the invitation envelope. Note - you will only receive electronic confirmation of your ticket purchase (see below). You will not receive an actual paper ticket. The deadline for purchasing tickets is February 21!
Auction Software: Once you have purchased a ticket online (or your physical RSVP card has been processed at the school), you will receive an email and text messages from OneCause on behalf of Saint Chris. OneCause is our NEW online Auction software. Text messages will come from 1-833-271-1842.
- Please click the link in either the text message or the email to complete any additional information necessary for your reservation and to claim your ticket. If you purchased a ticket for another individual, you will be prompted to assign the ticket to your guest/partner.
- Once you assign a ticket, your guest will receive an email and text to claim their ticket. Please ask them to follow the link and follow the instructions.
For a video walkthrough of the ticket buying process, please click HERE!
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?!
Sport your school spirit for your favorite college team…or put on the glitz of the NBA Draft Night…almost anything goes for the “NCAA Big Dance”! From bright suits to college colors, the Auction is a great opportunity to get your style game on and have some fun. Don’t feel like dressing to the theme? Business casual will be just fine!
CLASS BASKET DONATION
Themed baskets are some of the most popular items at the Auction! We especially appreciate the special class baskets that are created through the generosity of our families. When you donate to a class basket, the money goes directly towards the purchase of items for your child’s class basket! This year, our super fun class themes are:
PreK - It’s My Birthday!
Kdg - Disney Dreams
1st Grade - Sweet Scoops Ice Cream Fun
2nd Grade - Creative Kids Craft Supplies
3rd Grade - Lego Lovers
4th Grade - Nerf Nation
5th Grade - Outdoor Games
6th Grade - New England Sports
7th Grade - A Few of My Favorite Things (one basket for boys and one for girls!)
8th Grade - Off to High School
To make a cash donation in support of your child’s class basket, please click HERE!
AMAZON WISHLIST
The Auction Committee has been working hard since September to plan this fabulous evening and they could use a little help with decor and candy table supplies. Check out the Amazon Wishlist HERE for a quick and easy way to support the Auction! Items may be added over the next few weeks as the need arises…be sure to check the list a few times before the big night!
NEW! TICKET FOR A TEACHER
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 click “Ticket for a Teacher” in the left column of the Auction website HERE. Thank you for supporting our outstanding faculty!
SPONSORS
Many thanks to those who purchased sponsorships! Every business listed below is linked to their webpage…please check them out!
PLATINUM Sponsor
Wanderlust Therapeutic Services
NEW! Ducharme Tree Service + Coldwell Banker/Jena Ducharme
GOLD Sponsor
SILVER Sponsor
BRONZE Sponsor
Family Chiropractic of Merrimack & Wellness Center
COPPER Sponsor
Granite Commerical Real Estate
CENTERPIECE Sponsor
Additional Sponsorships Available - Would you, your family or business like to join this fabulous list of Auction sponsors?! We have many levels of sponsorships available, from $250 to $10,000! We also have a great variety of “custom” sponsorships including support of many important parts of the Auction like the Wine Pull, desserts, centerpieces, candy table, and more! All sponsorships provide donors opportunities to reach hundreds of parents, alumni, and friends of Saint Chris through pre-event publicity on the Auction website, on social media, and in the Wednesday News, as well as ample recognition at the Auction itself. To learn more about Auction sponsorship opportunities, please click HERE!
TONIGHT! Auction Committee Meeting - The next meeting of the Auction Committee will be tonight, Wednesday, February 5 at 7:15 PM at the upper campus. Please join us!
______________________________________________________________________
Student Programs and Activities
Chess, Checkers & Cribbage Club! New members are ALWAYS welcome to the Chess, Checkers, and Cribbage Club. To view the schedule for upcoming meetings, please click HERE!
Parent Volunteers
NEW! Vocation Day Brunch SignUp Genius - Our Vocation Day on February 18 is fast approaching! For the 33rd consecutive year, we will welcome priests, nuns, brothers, deacons, and lay people to both campuses to discuss their religious vocations. The morning will start with masses on both campuses followed by a brunch for our honored guests. Students will participate in mini-sessions with our guest speakers. Later, the lower campus will complete a special craft. We are in special need of help with the morning brunch for our guests…please see the SignUp Genius HERE to see how you can help!
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 20. 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].
NEW! Hot Lunch Volunteer Schedule - Thank you to our fabulous Hot Lunch volunteers! The schedule for the rest of this week and the first few days of next week is:
Thursday, February 6
LC: Athena Chisholm, Stephanie Ellison
UC: Nadra Bell
Friday, February 7
LC: Liz McClure, Julie Vincent, Sarah Daugherty
UC: Aaron Missner, Jennifer Squillace
Monday, February 10
LC: Melanie Marcu, Beth Kreick
UC: Diane London, Paul Schibbelhute
Tuesday, February 11
LC: Dorene Krauss, Leslie Bellows
UC: Nadra Bell, Jen Liba
Wednesday, February 12
LC: Colleen Rice, James Rappaport
UC: Sandra Delosa, Robert Delosa
NEW! Popcorn - Thank you to this week’s popcorn poppers:
Lower Campus: Parissa Khayami, Taylor Barry, Elizabeth Vaquerano
Upper Campus: Nadra Bell, Jennifer Squillace
ST. CHRISTOPHER PARISH NEWS
NEW! FORMED Subscription - St. Christopher Parish subscribes to FORMED (https://formed.org), an online platform for Catholic movies, shows, bible studies, catechetical programs, and books. This 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.
St. Christopher’s Moms & Minis – Meet with other moms for hot coffee, light treats and conversation in the church hall. Our minis get to play while we chat and grow in faith and fellowship! We meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 9 - 10:30 AM during the school year, with play dates throughout the summer. For additional information call or text Alex Sullivan at 603-479-4554.
COMMUNITY NEWS
NEW! Nashua North/South Parent Information Nights for Current 8th Grade Students - 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.
