NEW! Free Dress on Thursday AND Friday - Many thanks to our Principals of the Day yesterday, Violet and Autumn, who gave TWO Free Dress days to our students! Both Thursday and Friday of this week will be Free Dress for all students on both campuses. Yahoo!
P.S. Your child could be Principal of the Day, too….it’s one of our Live Auction items on for our 21st Annual Saint Christopher Academy Auction on March 22nd! Come Get In the Game for Saint Chris! 🏀
NEW! Title 1 - We are happy to welcome Erin McLaughlin back as our Title 1 teacher! Erin began the school year at Saint Chris. After a brief stint in the state Education Department, Erin has returned to her classroom for the rest of the school year. Erin will begin working with students again this week! Welcome back, Mrs. McLaughlin!
NEW! OneCause Auction Email/Text - If you have purchased tickets to the Auction (or had them purchased for you by a sponsor or spouse), you should have received an email and/or text from OneCause on behalf of the school at the time of the purchase. Some people may have also received a second one on Monday and/or today. Please check your spam if you do not think you received an email or text. It is VERY important that you click the link in the email and complete the requested information (especially meal choice!). This will create your digital ticket. ALL individuals who are attending the Auction will have a separate ticket and should click the link they receive. We need this completed by Monday, March 10 so that we can place our meal orders with the hotel. Thank you VERY much!
Spring Spirit Wear Store - Spring will be here before we know it….we promise! In preparation, we have opened our online Academy Spirit Wear store and have added some really fun SPRING items! New additions include bucket hats, lightweight heathered quarter-zips, short-sleeved denim shirts, sling bags, and….tie-dye Spirit Shirts! Wowza! The store is HERE and will remain open for orders until March 15. Orders will be delivered here to school approximately two weeks after ordering has closed.
NEW! 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.
NEW! Tuition Deposit Date - As noted in the 2025-2026 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].
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 23
- Family BBQ at the upper campus (all current families and incoming 2025-2026 new families invited!)
Wednesday, June 4
- 8th Grade last day of school - 8th grade released at 11:30 AM (no bus for early release students)
- NO After Care
- 5:00 PM – 8th grade Baccalaureate Mass at St. Christopher Parish (graduate and two parents only)
- 6:30 PM - 8th grade Baccalaureate Dinner at the upper campus (graduate and two parents only)
Friday, June 6
- 7:00 PM - 8th grade Graduation at the upper campus
Monday, June 9
- Grade 5 last day of school - 5th grade released at noon (no bus service for Early Release students)
- NO After Care
- 5:30 PM - 5th grade Convocation at upper campus (students gather at lower campus at 4:40 PM)
Wednesday, June 11
- Early Release and final day of school for grades PreK to 4, 6 & 7
☘️ 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 13 at 9:30 AM in the church hall!
Parking Reminder - Our snowy winter has made parking around both campuses a bit of a challenge! Please do not park in front of…or very close to the edge of…any driveway. We have had several complaints from our neighbors on both campuses who have been unable to pull safely out of their driveway. In the interest of safety and good relations, please park carefully!
No School Reminder - There will be NO SCHOOL on Thursday, March 20 so teachers can attend the required Diocesan professional development.
NEXT WEEK! Yearbook Group Photos - We are taking group activity/club photos for the yearbook next week on the mornings listed below. Please note that there are no retakes. Students should wear regular uniforms and may not use dress down passes that day.
Lower campus - Monday, March 10 (students wear regular school uniform)
Upper campus - Tuesday, March 11 (students wear regular school uniform…no gym uniforms)
THIS WEEK! STEM Committee - We are excited to announce the reboot of our STEM Committee, a group of parents who work with faculty and administration to augment our STEM curriculum with a variety of programs, clubs, and activities. These might include: STEM Day speakers and STEM Night activities, Math and Science clubs, FIRST Lego League, Chess, Checkers, and Cribbage Club, and Coding and 3D printing clubs among other programs. The STEM Committee will meet THIS Thursday, March 6 at 6:30 PM at the upper campus. We look forward to working with you!
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! Lenten Diaper Drive!
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
UPDATED! Baseball/Softball Open Gyms - Due to some scheduling conflicts in the gym, we have had to rearrange and reschedule our baseball and softball open gyms. 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. Open gyms are not associated with tryouts, and attendance to open gyms will not impact a student's ability to make a team.
- Baseball - Tuesdays 4:30-6:30 PM & Thursdays 4:30-6:15 PM
- 3/6, 3/11, 3/13, 3/18, 3/25, 3/27 - *No School 3/20
- Softball - Mondays 2:45-4:30 PM & Fridays 2:45-4:15 PM
- 3/7, 3/10, 3/14, 3/17, 3/21 and 3/24 - *No Open Gym 3/28
Spring Sports at Lower Campus – Calling all lower campus students for some after school sports fun! At this point, we are in the planning phases to gauge interest. Activities would be one day per week starting mid-April for 4-5 weeks and there will be a participation fee. Volunteers would be necessary for the programs to run.
Pre-K, K and 1st - Soccer
2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th - Flag Football
Please use the following form link HERE to let us know your child would be interested in one of the above activities.
NEW! STEM Programs - Our After School Winter STEM program is underway supporting 12 students across 2 levels that spans 3rd through 8th grades. Learn about Safe Tech, FIRST Lego League and more at this link. https://thelocalbeacon.org/steamprograms
UPDATED! Silver Knights Education Day - We are excited that our grade 1 through 6 students will be once again attending the Silver Knights Education Game on Wednesday, May 28! Permission slips and ticket order forms were sent home on Monday. Parents may also purchase tickets and attend with us using the link HERE! The password is STCHRIS.
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:
- March 19 - Upper campus @ 9:45 AM
- March 25 - Lower campus (grades 3-5) @ 1:45 PM
- April 3 - Upper campus 9:45 AM
- April 9 - Lower campus @ 1:45 PM
STARTS THIS FRIDAY! Lower Campus Stations of the Cross - With Lent starting on March 5, 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, March 7 - 9:00 AM
- Friday, March 14 - 2:15 PM
- Friday, March 21 - 2:15 PM
- Friday, March 28 - 2:15 PM
- Friday, April 4 - 9:00 AM
- Friday, April 11 - 2:15 PM
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. Note: the deadline for all submissions is March 14. 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.
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VISIT THE AUCTION WEBSITE HERE!
INVITATIONS AND TICKETS
LAST WEEK TO PURCHASE TICKETS! Tickets MUST be purchased by Monday, March 10!
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.
- 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!
TABLES OF 10
Attending the Auction with your group of school besties?! Tables of 10 guests can be reserved ahead of time by sending a list of attendees to Marta at [email protected]!
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!
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
Ducharme Tree Service + Coldwell Banker/Jena Ducharme
GOLD Sponsor
SILVER Sponsor
The Currid Family
BRONZE Sponsor
Family Chiropractic of Merrimack & Wellness Center
COPPER Sponsor
Granite Commerical Real Estate
NEW! Knights of Columbus Council 13904
NEW! Knights of Columbus Council 11907
NEW! Gentle Care Ride
CENTERPIECE Sponsor
LAST WEEK TO PURCHASE SPONSORSHIPS! All sponsorships must be purchased by Friday, March 7! 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!
NEW! Final Committee Meetings - We’re on the last stretch…and all help is appreciated! Upcoming weekly meetings will be held on March 11 and March 18 at 7:00 PM at the upper campus.
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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
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. 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, March 6
LC: Crystal Romero, Melissa Richardson
UC: Nadra Bell
Friday, March 7
LC: Natalie Boldeia, Jenna Richardson, Amanda DeWitt
UC: Sarah Neary
Monday, March 10
LC: Rugi Mercier, Renee Gabree
UC: Rocio Spencer, Ann Marie Pellechia
Tuesday, March 11
LC: Dorene Krauss, Melanie Marcu
UC: Luci Foppa, Nadra Bell
Wednesday, March 12
LC: Melanie Marcu, Parissa Khayami
UC: Cindi Rice Conley, Ami Algeo
NEW! Lower Campus Hot Lunch Sub Needed - We are in need of a Hot Lunch sub at the lower campus for this coming Monday, March 10. If you are able to help, please email Marta at [email protected]. Thank you!
NEW! Popcorn - Thank you to this week’s popcorn poppers:
Lower Campus: Megan Hussey, Leslie Bellows, Caroline Belt
Upper Campus: Stephanie Barton, Nadra Bell
ST. CHRISTOPHER PARISH NEWS
TODAY! St. Christopher Parish Ash Wednesday Masses - Were you unable to attend our school Ash Wednesday masses at 9:45 AM on March 5? St. Christopher Parish will also hold an additional Mass at 7:00 PM. All are invited to attend!
NEXT WEEK! Lenten Workshop - Fr. David will hold a two evening workshop on the Catholic Mass during Lent and all parents are invited to attend! Source and Summit will cover the elements of the Catholic Mass and how they help us grow closer to the Lord. Appropriate for both lifelong Catholics and those who are looking to learn more about the faith, the workshop will be held at 7:00 PM on March 11 and March 18 in the church hall.
NEW! P3: Prayer, Penance, and Pasta at St. Christopher Parish - School families are invited to join members of St. Christopher Parish on the evening of Friday, March 28th 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 Prud’homme is coordinating the evening! Please see the flyer below for more information and to register.
NEW! 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!
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.