March 2023
Principal's Newsletter
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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Students and their families are invited to an Adoration and Praise & Worship night at St. John the Evangelist Church in Prairieville on Friday, March 3 from 6:00-7:00 PM in the Church.
SAVE THE DATE: Friday, April 21 for Friday Night Lights with the
Mercedarian Sisters at Cypress Springs Retreat Center Chapel.
CELEBRATION OF MASS: An all-school mass will be held Wednesday, March 8 at 8:50 AM in the St. Sebastian Multipurpose Building. Parents are invited and may check in at the school office prior to the Mass start time. Students must wear their dress uniforms all day on Mass days.
JUNIOR HIGH MP3: On Friday, March 10 at 6:30 PM in the St. Michael Gym, 6 th- 8 th grade students are invited for an evening of fun, faith and fellowship. Sign up at Living Water Junior HIGH MP3 (google.com) and pay $10 at the door.
FATHER/DAUGHTER EVENING: Our 2 nd Annual Father/Daughter Evening will take place on Friday, March 24 from 6:00-9:00 PM in the SMHS Multipurpose Building. Join us for dinner, talk, prayer, and dancing. The cost is $15 per person, and registration is required. This event is open to current St. Michael students and their fathers/father figures. Dress for the evening is dressy/dressy casual.
Register at diamondmindinc.com
SAVE THE DATE FOR FUTURE FAMILY EVENTS:
Mother/Daughter Brunch – Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 AM
Would you like to help serve at a parent event? Help is needed. Please sign up here.
Father Daughter (mom help) https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094FAAA72DA6FBC07-father
Mother Daughter (dad help)
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094FAAA72DA6FBC07-mother
PRESENTATION OF THE PASSION: This yearly reflection will take place on Thursday, April 6. More details will be shared in the April newsletter.
JUNIOR RETREAT: The Junior Retreat is scheduled for Wednesday, March 15. Students will arrive at school at the normal time, reporting to the school gymnasium. Girls and guys will be bused to Sacred Heart and service sites during the day. Students will return to school by 3:00 PM. More information will be given to students and emailed to parents. Forms for retreat should be turned in to the student's theology teacher.
Parent help and supplies needed for cemetery clean up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094FAAA72DA6FBC07-junior
Sign up to PRAY for students during the day:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F45AAAF22AB9-junior
Forms and retreat information:
Junior Retreat form 2023.pdf - Google Drive
SENIOR PROJECTS: Parents of seniors, your students have been working throughout this school year on their Senior Social Justice Project, which culminates in a formal research presentation that will be done in front of classmates, parents, and other adult mentors. This presentation is the capstone to their educational formation at St. Michael and is intended to help them bring together and demonstrate all of the skills they have gained during their time here. At this point, we are excited to be planning to allow parents to attend. Parents will receive a formal invitation to attend in late March. You may contact your student’s theology teacher with any questions. Please plan ahead to ensure that you will be able to attend this most important milestone of their senior year. Presentations will begin after Easter Break.
CHRISTIAN SERVICE HOUR DEADLINE: A reminder that the remainder of Christian Service Hours are due on April 17.
The final deadline for students to turn in all Christian Service Hours is Monday, April 17. The Christian Service Award Mass is on Thursday, April 20. Students will not be allowed to take any semester exams until service hours are completed and turned in. Please encourage your students to complete their hours now to avoid the frustration of last minute obstacles. Nursing homes and other nearby service sites are often put in a position of having to say no to the influx of last minute requests for service opportunities. We must all remember that serving in these organizations is a privilege and not a right, and these organizations exist to meet the needs of their clients, not to help our students meet their service requirements. Challenges almost always center on those students who attempt to complete a large number of hours in a short amount of time. On the other hand, St. Michael students regularly do amazing work in organizations across the city, and we hear many comments about the good work they do. A special thanks to parents for all you do to support our mission to form our young people as committed disciples of Christ.
STEUBENVILLE SOUTH YOUTH CONFERENCE: St. Michael will be teaming up with Holy Rosary and St. John youth groups to attend this amazing weekend youth conference on June 23 - 25 in Alexandria, LA. An awesome weekend with music, fun, adoration, confession, and keynotes from Jason Evert, Jackie Angel, Chris Padgett and more. This is a life changing experience for so many teens. The cost is $300 (financial assistance is available). Incoming Freshmen are welcome to attend. Space is limited and $100 deposit is due by March 27. Contact Mrs. Emily Froeba with any questions at efroeba@smhsbr.org. The form and more information may be found at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1POcpbakxN88HqdC5wwhDCxoidN_Oh_5L/view?usp=share_link
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CAREER DAY: On Wednesday, March 22 the St. Michael School Counseling Department and the Alumni Department will host Career Day starting at 8:00 AM. This event provides our students with an opportunity to hear from a wide range of professionals in different fields. During four panel sessions, students are able to question the guest speakers about their experiences, likes and dislikes about their daily duties, and career advancement opportunities in their field. Over 60 careers will be represented. St. Michael looks forward to this annual event to collaborate with our alumni, parents, and other community stakeholders.
SENIOR SERVICE DAY: Seniors DO NOT report to school on Tuesday, March 28. Seniors are encouraged to work on their Senior Social Justice Projects and their service hours on this day.
ACT AT SMHS: On Tuesday, March 28 all Juniors will take the ACT.
- Students must bring sharpened No. 2 pencils, a calculator, and a snack/water bottle for the break.
- Students should leave their school laptop at home.
- No lunch vendors will be on campus this day.
- Juniors will be dismissed at 11:15 AM. EBR Parish school buses and the St. Michael shuttle bus will run at 11:15 AM.
- There will be no aftercare program this day. Juniors who do not ride a bus must be picked up at 11:15 AM.
PRE-ACT AT SMHS: On Tuesday, March 28 all Freshmen and Sophomores will take the Pre-ACT.
- Students must bring sharpened No. 2 pencils, a calculator, and a snack/water bottle for the break.
- Students should leave their school laptop at home.
- No lunch vendors will be on campus this day.
- Freshmen and sophomores will be dismissed at 11:15 AM. EBR Parish school buses and the St. Michael shuttle bus will run at 11:15 AM.
- There will be no aftercare program this day. Freshmen and sophomores who do not ride a bus must be picked up at 11:15 AM.
GRADES: The third nine weeks grading period ends Friday, March 10. Please stay in touch with your child’s teachers. Every assignment, project, quiz, and test counts toward the GPA. Report card grades will be posted on PlusPortals by Tuesday, March 14. If you have any questions or concerns about a particular class, please contact the teacher immediately.
INFORMATIONAL PACKET FOR PARENTS OF SENIORS: On February 15 an informational packet was emailed to seniors and parents of seniors by Mrs. Jackie Moseley. The packet contains important information regarding the Baccalaureate Mass & Senior Honors Convocation, Commencement Exercises, and other upcoming special events honoring seniors and their families. There are many deadlines, especially the college data information. The due date for the Senior Information Page is Thursday, March 23 and the due date for the Required Data form is Thursday, April 6. The names of the colleges and universities to which the senior has been accepted will be published in the Graduation Program, while a list of the scholarships which were offered to the student will appear in the Baccalaureate Mass & Senior Honors Convocation Program. The only way we may publish this information is if parents or students share this information with us. This is the information that the required data collects. If it is not turned in on time, that information will not be available for those programs.
REGISTRATION: Registration for returning students for the 2023-2024 school year has begun and will be due by Friday, March 31. Registration through FACTS includes paying registration and tech fee, confirming and/or correcting your demographic information, and selecting your 2023-2024 payment plan. If you have not received an email from noreply@factsmgt.com, please contact Mrs. Susan Thibodeaux at sthibodeaux@smhsbr.org.
TUITION ASSISTANCE: To apply for tuition assistance with St. Michael High School, please complete the Tuition Assistance Application on FACTS by Friday, March 31.
STUDENT SUPPLIES FOR 2023-24:
- School and P.E. Uniforms may be purchased from the following vendors-
Inka’s Uniforms: 11626 Sherwood Forest Ct., 800-780-8751
School Time Uniforms: 7745 Jefferson Hwy., 225-926-5371
Young Fashions: 11111 Coursey Blvd., 225-766-1010
- Uniform Sweatshirts are the only outer garment that may be worn over the student’s uniform in school buildings. During the month of April, a portal will be available to order these sweatshirts through BSN Sports. Details will be forwarded to parents towards the end of March and the purchase portal will be open throughout the month of April. Please contact Mrs. Donna Amick at damick@smhsbr.org with questions.
- Class Spirit Shirts are an optional shirt that is allowed on spirit days and dress down days. Information on purchasing these shirts will be given the first week of school. Please contact Mrs. Jackie Moseley at jmoseley@smhsbr.org with questions.
- Parking Passes: Coach Craig Saylor will provide instructions on how to purchase a parking pass for your student. Please contact him at csaylor@smhsbr.org with questions.
TECHNOLOGY: The Help Desk will be working with seniors to assess damage or missing parts on their computers during the month of April. All senior computers will be turned in following senior exams, and all damaged or missing parts will need to be replaced. See the list below for costs.
Replacement Costs:
(Damaged or missing items not covered by ADP Insurance.)
Pen/Stylus: $ 70.00
Power Cord: 45.00
Flak Jacket: 35.00
Missing Bar Code 10.00
ACT & SAT DATES: The next ACT dates are Saturday, April 15; Saturday, June 10; and Saturday, July 15. Please visit www.act.org to register. The next SAT dates are Saturday, March 11; Saturday, May 6; and Saturday, June 3. Please visit www.collegeboard.org/sat to register.
LAST ACT DATE FOR SENIORS TO QUALIFY FOR FULL TOPS: The last ACT date to qualify for all 8 semesters of TOPS for current seniors is April 15. Beginning with graduates of 2021, you may qualify on a test taken after the ACT national test date in April, but prior to August 1, by using May, June, and/or July test scores, including scores from a special ACT or SAT, but your period of eligibility for the award will be reduced by one semester or two quarters. You may qualify for a higher award using a score achieved after the national ACT test date in April and before July 1. Please refer to www.osfa.la.gov for a full understanding of TOPS eligibility requirements.
COMPLETING REGISTRATION AT LSU: In order to complete registration at LSU, students must log into their myLSU account and accept all desired financial aid awards or scholarships. According to LSU’s website, students must accept all scholarships on their myLSU account by May 1. Any scholarship offer not accepted on or before May 1 will be declined. Reinstatements are based on available funding and are not guaranteed. On myLSU, select Financial Services from the left menu, then Financial Aid, then Financial Aid & Scholarships. For more information regarding LSU Financial Aid and Scholarships, please go to www.lsu.edu/financialaid. Students must pay their fee bill by the beginning of August on their myLSU account to complete registration.
REMINDER TO FILE THE FAFSA: Seniors and senior parents, please remember to complete the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, in order to receive any financial assistance and/or to apply for TOPS and other scholarships per the instructions of colleges and universities. Your FAFSA must be filed by June 30 in order to receive TOPS.
Visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa to get started or to finish your application. If you need assistance completing the FAFSA, please call the FAFSA Helpline at 1-800-433-3243.
If you wish to fill out the application for the TOPS scholarship only, you may do so on the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, LOSFA, website at https://mylosfa.la.gov/applications/award-system/. By filling out the LOSFA application only, and not the FAFSA, your student will not qualify for loans, grants, or work study. In addition, LOSFA requires an official ACT score be sent to them by June to qualify for the TOPS Scholarship.
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CHEERLEADING TRYOUTS: Tryouts will be held Wednesday, March 29 through Friday, March 31 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM each day in the St. Michael gym. Wednesday and Thursday will be clinic days for those trying out. All clinic days are mandatory. On Friday, March 31 all participants will tryout before a panel of UCA judges. Results will be posted on the cheer page of the school website.
DANCE: There will be a mandatory informational meeting on Monday, March 13 for anyone interested in trying out for the St. Michael Dance Line. The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM in the Library. Important information will be given out concerning tryouts. The meeting is for current and incoming St. Michael students. It is important that at least one parent be in attendance with his or her dancer. Please email Robert Smith at rsmith@smhsbr.org or Abby Tate at atate@smhsbr.org for more information.
DANCE LINE TRYOUTS: Tryout applications are due Friday, March 17 and are available at https://forms.office.com/r/nagJcr2teX. Tryouts will be held Monday, March 20 through Thursday, March 23 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM each day in the St. Michael gym. Monday through Wednesday will be clinic days for those trying out. All clinic days are mandatory. On Thursday, March 23 all participants will audition before a panel of UDA judges. Results will be posted on the dance line page of the school website.
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 AM. Remember to spring forward one hour.
JUNIOR-SENIOR PROM: The Junior Class will sponsor the Junior-Senior Prom on Saturday, April 22 from 8:00-11:00 PM at Stage 1. Information regarding proper dress can be found in the Student Handbook. Information concerning dates/guests can be found in the Student Handbook. Tickets are not sold for prom; therefore, every junior and senior will register for prom. Any student bringing a guest from another school must complete a guest contract. Tickets and guest contracts will be distributed to the students. The due date for registering your guest will be March 30. The last day to turn in your guest contract will be April 4.
STUDENT COUNCIL: Student Council executive packets will be available on Moodle beginning Monday, March 13. Class officer elections will be held on Monday, April 3.
SPRING BREAK: Easter break begins on Good Friday, April 7 through Sunday, April 16. Classes resume on Monday, April 17.
WARRIOR OLYMPICS: Our 2 nd Annual Warrior Olympics will take place on Friday, April 21. More information to follow.
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Tickets are ON SALE NOW for Moonlight and Jazz 2023, presented by the St. Michael High School Warrior Band. Do not miss this opportunity to enjoy a night of music, dancing, and wonderful food prepared by Chef John Folse. Click the link below to secure your tickets
or send an email to smhswarriorband@gmail.com for more information.
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A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
As we enter into the season of Lent, we are called to prepare ourselves spiritually for the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday. There would be no celebration of the risen Christ without the events of Good Friday, when Jesus gave himself up to suffering and death. One important aspect of our Lenten preparations is to slow down and take time as a family and as a school to pray together. At home families might want to join together in a rosary, scripture readings, and nightly prayer. Families can come together to attend Sunday Mass or participate in a service project for adults and children. We challenge our families to be intentional during their Lenten journey as we prepare for the celebration of Easter. Please pray for all of our students as they are called to grow in their faith and become spiritually stronger through their relationship with Christ.
The third nine weeks is coming to an end on Friday, March 10th. Please be sure to encourage your students to be responsible for their work and to give their best efforts in all that they do. PlusPortals is one of the ways in which teachers communicate to the students and to the parents about how the students are doing in class. Please check PlusPortals often. Make your student responsible for asking the teacher how to make up any work he/she is missing. Feel free to email the teachers or grade level counselors with any concerns or questions.
Although we still have a quarter of the school year to go, we have already begun planning for the 2023-2024 school year. The first day of school for freshmen is scheduled for Friday, August 4. The first day for sophomores, juniors, and seniors is planned for Monday, August 7. Please see the attached list of tentative dates for next school year. You are asked to plan your family vacations around our school calendar to limit the disruptions for the students. As soon as the calendar is approved by the Catholic Schools Office, we will send out more details.
The administration and the faculty and staff are grateful for the support and the prayers of our St. Michael parents. We continue to work together to form each student as a committed disciple of Christ.
Ellen B. Lee, Principal
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Advancement News &
Important Events
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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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Thank you to everyone who attended our Winter Membership Meeting on February 5. We were pleased to see such enthusiasm and excited to hear the great ideas shared by all. A shout out to Kristin Morgan for your attendance and as a result, Congratulations to the Cross Country Program for receiving the $100 donation from the Warrior Club!
ATTENTION WARRIOR PARENTS! Have you thought about getting involved in the Warrior Club? Now is your chance. We have several great opportunities available such as Dance Co-Chair, Merchandise Chair, Football Program Co-Chair, Membership Chair, Member at Large, as well as 2023-24 Vice President and Secretary. Please contact us by email at warriorclub@smhsbr.org for more information.
Congratulations to our new Warriors! We hope they were excited to open the Welcome Baskets ordered by many parents and prepared by the Warrior Club. We can’t wait to see all freshmen and new students on our campus next school year.
Don’t forget that you can shop online at the Warrior Club Store at www.smhswarriorclub.com and select “shop all” to view available items. We have baseball style shirts, dry fit shirts, tanks, ponchos, folding chairs, fans, and hats to get you ready for spring and summer months.
Our winter sports are nearing the end of their season and our spring athletes are beginning their competition season. Let’s remember to encourage them, applaud them, and show up to support them!
St. Michael the Archangel,
Defend Us in Battle
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