December 2023
Principal's Newsletter
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CELEBRATION OF MASS: In celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, an all-school Mass will be held on Friday, December 8 at 8:50 AM in the St. Sebastian Multipurpose Building. Parents are invited and must check in at the school office prior to the Mass start time. Students must wear their dress uniforms on Mass days.
HIGH SCHOOL MP3: O Come Let Us Adore Him! High School students are invited to join us for an awesome MP3 night on Saturday, December 16 from 6:30 - 10:00 PM at St. John the Evangelist Church in Prairieville. Come celebrate Advent and wear your ugly Christmas sweater for a great night of Music, Prayer, Praise and Play. Register at https://forms.gle/iFqaSHRSTqLBLri78 and pay $5 at the door.
SERVICE HOURS DEADLINE: Monday, December 4 is the first deadline for Service Hours. Half of the total required hours is due for each student. If a student misses the December 4 deadline, they will not be allowed to take their midterm exams in any of their classes. See the SMHS Student/Parent Handbook for details.
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SMHS HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS: The school office will be open from 7:30 AM—12 noon Monday, December 18—Friday, December 22 and Wednesday, December 27—Friday, December 29.
STUDENTS RETURN: Students return to school on Wednesday, January 3.
HOLIDAY HELP DESK: The St. Michael Technology Help Desk will be on call during the Christmas Holidays. Email helpdesk@smhsbr.org to ask for assistance.
MID-TERM EXAMS: Readiness for exams begins with daily preparation for class. A reminder that midterm exams count as 20% of the semester grade. During exam time, it is essential that students get enough sleep and have healthy eating habits so that they can do their very best on exams.
MID-TERM EXAM SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, December 12 1st period exam 7:14-9:10 AM
2nd period exam 9:25-11:25 AM
Wednesday, December 13 8th period exam 7:14-9:10 AM
4th period exam 9:25-11:25 AM
Thursday, December 14 7thperiod exam 7:14-9:10 AM
5th period exam 9:25-11:25 AM
Friday, December 15 3rd period exam 7:14-9:10 AM
6th period exam 9:25-11:25 AM
Students are dismissed after their first exam if the second exam of the day is their lunch period. Seniors who have Study Hall do not report for an exam during their Study Hall period.
The dismissal bell will ring each testing day at 11:25 AM. Teachers will be available in their classrooms from 11:30 AM—12:30 PM each day to help any student prepare for the next day’s exam. Students will be dismissed for the Christmas holidays at 11:25 AM on Friday, December 15.
The EBR buses and the SMHS shuttle bus will run all mornings and all dismissals during exams.
Students return to school Wednesday, January 3.
On Wednesday and Thursday, January 3 and 4 there will be no EBR Buses. The EBR Buses will resume on Friday, January 5. The SMHS Shuttle Bus will run its regular route on all days.
It is the policy of SMHS that all tuition and fees must be current prior to mid-term exams. Parent(s) will be notified if a student is to remain home on exam days if accounts are not current. Delinquent payments made prior to exams must be paid by cash, cashier’s check or money order to be deemed received by SMHS so the student will be allowed to take exams. If you have any questions, contact bookkeeper Mrs. Susan Thibodeaux at 225-753-9782 Ext. 25 or sthibodeaux@smhsbr.org
GRADES: First semester grades will be posted on PlusPortals by December 28.
COURSE CHANGES: Course change requests at the semester will only be considered for extenuating circumstances. Otherwise, students are expected to honor their commitments to their current classes. Students requesting a course change must first meet with their school counselor to discuss their options. If the counselor believes the request has merit and is possible, students will be instructed to have their parents submit a letter requesting the change with rationale to Mrs. Julie Lechich, Assistant Principal of Academics. All course change requests must be submitted by Wednesday, January 3.
COFFEE WITH JUNIOR COUNSELOR: Junior parents/guardians are invited to attend Coffee with the Counselor on Wednesday, December 6 at 7:30 AM on campus in Room 1 OR at 12:00 PM via Zoom. The Junior Counselor will present on important topics such as SMHS graduation requirements, TOPS scholarships, the college admissions process, financial aid and standardized testing.
PLACEMENT EXAM: The school will administer the Placement Exam for admission to St. Michael High School for current eighth grade applicants from 8:00—11:00 AM on Saturday, December 2. The Warrior Club will be selling promotional items from 10:00 AM to 12 noon in the Commons. All are welcome.
REQUEST FOR COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LETTERS: In order to assist in college preparation and planning, it is critical that seniors and their parents provide Mrs. Rachel Cart with copies of all letters of acceptance from colleges and universities whether or not the senior will eventually attend that particular school. It is extremely important that seniors provide Mrs. Cart with copies of their scholarship letters as well, even if they choose not to accept the scholarship or attend the school offering the award. Students have traditionally been honored for scholarships received at the Senior Honors Convocation held in May. The only way we can publish this information is if parents or students inform us. Please provide copies of acceptance and scholarship letters (or forward acceptance emails) to Mrs. Cart as they are received. rcart@smhsbr.org
FILING THE FAFSA: The FAFSA portal opens December 1. This is the free application for federal student aid that can qualify your student for loans, grants and work study, and it is the application for the TOPS scholarship, if your student qualifies. Your previous year’s income tax return is needed to fill out the form, which must be filed by July 1, 2024:
If you wish to only fill out the application for the TOPS scholarship in the spring, you may do so on the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance website:
https://mylosfa.la.gov/applications/award-system/
LIBRARY NEWS: Study hard for exams because students who earn a 2.5+ GPA for the first semester receive free membership to the New Orleans Aquarium, Audubon Zoo, and Museum of Art. These Taylor Scholar Foundation certificates allow unlimited access for the student PLUS two guests until August of 2025. They will be handed out in April. See Mrs. Donaldson in the library for more information. adonaldson@smhsbr.org
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NO EBR BUS SERVICE: On Wednesday and Thursday, January 3 and 4 there will be no EBR Buses. The EBR Buses will resume on Friday, January 5. The SMHS Shuttle Bus will run its regular route on all days.
CHRISTMAS BAND CONCERT: The annual St. Michael Band Christmas Concert will be held in the SMHS Multipurpose Building on Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 PM.
COOKIES WITH SANTA: The Alumni Office invites you and your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews to join us for Christmas fun on Sunday, December 3 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM in the Cafeteria. Cookies and juice will be served, and Santa will be available for pictures. Please RSVP to kpage@smhsbr.org
CHRISTMAS SWEATER DAY: We will celebrate the Christmas season on Monday, December 4 with students wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and Christmas accessories with uniform pants or skirts. Seniors may wear appropriate jeans.
HOLLY VOLLEYBALL: The fun begins on Friday, December 8. Friends and family are invited to take part in all the festivities, which begin after school. The entrance fee for students and parents is $2 and for alumni is $1. Each person who enters will receive a raffle ticket for gift card prizes. We will draw for the raffle around 6:00 PM, and you do need to be present to win.
MOONLIGHT AND JAZZ: Moonlight and Jazz tickets will be available for online purchase Sunday, December 3 beginning at noon. Moonlight and Jazz is a two-hour, dinner/concert at Chef John Folse's White Oak Gardens and Estate on March 17. The fabulous St. Michael Warrior Jazz Ensemble provides the music while you dine on a steak dinner with wine.
SELF-CARE WITH THE COUNSELORS: The Counseling Department and the Warrior Wellness Club will be hosting Self-Care Week, the week of December 4-8. We will have wellness activities throughout the week to prepare students for midterm exams, including a self-pay Hot Chocolate/Coffee Truck on Tuesday, December 5, Self-Care Bingo, Cocoa and Coloring, and more. Students will receive an email from the Counseling Department with more information.
SENIOR GRADUATION ORDER: Balfour will be at school during all lunch periods on Thursday, December 7 for Senior Graduation Orders. All orders must be placed before Christmas. Those ordering after that date will be assessed a late fee of $25.
TOY DRIVE: St. Michael Student Council will be sponsoring our annual school-wide toy drive starting December 4 - 8. We will donate our toys to the St. George Fire Station. Any toys sent must be new and unwrapped.
USED UNIFORM SALE: The SMHS Home & School Association will have a used uniform sale on Saturday, December 2 from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM in the Commons. Unlike the summer sale, this event will feature only the current stock of used uniforms already on hand. Please come by and outfit your growing student. Check, cash and credit cards are accepted for payment.
WINTER DANCE: Mark your calendar for Saturday, January 27 for the Winter Dance from 8:00-11:00 PM. More information to follow.
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Save the date of January 7 for Grandparents’ Day. The afternoon will consist of guided tours by your grandchild, tunes from our Jazz Band, light finger food by our Home & School, pictures by Barberito’s, and more. If you have not updated your grandparent address, please do so by December 5, as invitations will be mailed the next week. To update grandparent information, please email Registrar Mrs. Lori Steib at lsteib@smhsbr.org. In your email please include your student's name and grade level.
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NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
During this season of Advent, we await the coming of our Savior. With all the distractions of the season, it is sometimes difficult to remember that this is a holy time – a time of waiting and preparing. We are so busy and put so much pressure on ourselves. Amid this busy season, we need our Heavenly Father’s help to remind us of what is important. Getting ready for Christmas begins in our hearts and minds as we wait with great anticipation to receive the greatest gift, the Christ Child. We ask for humility and the strength to have the same trust in God that Mary had, as she awaited the birth of Jesus.
The faculty and staff of St. Michael High School wish you and your family all the blessings of this holy season. We pray for the new year to be filled with joy and peace and hope. We pray that the Light of Christ fills the hearts of all of us throughout Advent, Christmas, and all the days of the coming year.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Ellen B. Lee, Principal
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Advancement News &
Important Events
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GIVE BACK NIGHT
Take a break and let Walk Ons do the cooking. Swing by the Gonzales Airline Hwy location on Tuesday, December 19. Mention St. Michael High School and a percentage of the night’s proceeds will be donated back to our school.
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GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY
On Friday, November 10, the St. Michael community celebrated the ground breaking of the NEW Warrior Stadium at 1:45 PM. We are excited for the future of
St. Michael High School.
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34th ANNUAL WARRIOR GOLF CLASSIC
Thank you for all who participated in our 34th Annual Warrior Golf Classic. This tournament serves as the largest fundraising event for all St. Michael Athletic Programs and Clubs. We are excited to say this year’s event raised over $35,000. Save the date for next year’s tournament: November 4, 2024.
Thanks to our Title Sponsor, EBS.
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A huge thank you to the Warrior Nation for donating to our #iGiveCatholic fundraiser and helping us blow past our $10,000 goal. The funds will be used to modernize the Commons, with a school spirited accent wall and a fresh coat of paint for the area. The remaining funds will be put towards other campus improvements.
Over 100 donors helped make this possible.
Stay tuned for the progress of our updates to the Commons.
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2024 DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE
Congratulations to Mr. Brad BonGiovanni for being named as the 2024 Distinguished Graduate. As a member of the Class of 1995, Brad continues to give back to his alma mater by dedicating his time and marketing talents. Brad resides in Baton Rouge with his wife and three children and serves as the president/chief creative officer at the highly-respected national advertising agency, Rockit Science. When asked about his Catholic upbringing, Brad believes, “In ways large and small, we are called towards a path we cannot fully understand. Answering this call, without hesitation, is possible through a Catholic education.” In January, Brad will be honored at the 2024 Diocese of Baton Rouge Distinguished Graduate Dinner.
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Do you know someone interested in becoming a teacher in a Catholic school?
The Diocese of Baton Rouge and St. Michael High School are hosting an exciting opportunity to explore career opportunities in Catholic education and learn about various pathways into the teaching profession. The evening will include a panel discussion with current elementary and secondary educators, the opportunity to meet school leaders, visits with credentialing agencies, and information about individual schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
Date: December 14, 2023
Location: St. Michael the Archangel High School
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
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ST. MICHAEL HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Parents can follow St. Michael Home and School Association on Facebook.
Our Facebook group is where you can find the latest opportunities to volunteer and information needed to keep up to date.
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WARRIOR CLUB NEWS:
Attention Warrior Fans! It is not too late to join. There are plenty of athletic events coming up and the players want to see us cheering them on. All members are eligible to purchase Warrior Club Athletic Event Passes. Contact us at warriorclub@smhsbr.org with any questions.
Want to surprise your Warrior Fan for Christmas? Merchandise will be sold at the following events:
- December 2 - St. Michael - 10 AM – 12 PM
- December 9 - St. Jean Vianney - 9 AM – 6 PM - All shoppers at the SJV event will receive a 10% discount and a free reusable tote.
You can always shop online for your Warrior gear at smhswarriorclub.com. We are continuously restocking merchandise and receiving new merchandise including mini soccer balls and basketballs, red polos, and grey ¼ zip pullovers.
Know any future Warriors? The Warrior Club is again offering Welcome Baskets. Select any item/s from our store, select the “gift wrap” option for $6.00, and complete the purchase. We will have it wrapped and ready to pick up in the front office before acceptance letters are mailed. The deadline for the gift-wrap option is January 19, 2024.
Please consider volunteering to assist with these shopping events. Use the following link to sign up to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4CAFA72BA4FE3-45722900-warrior
Congratulations to the St. Michael students participating in Fall Sports. We are Warrior Proud! Winter sports are in full gear, and we will continue to cheer you on throughout the season. GO WARRIORS!
St. Michael the Archangel, Defend Us in Battle
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