March 2024
Principal's Newsletter
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CELEBRATION OF MASS: An all-school mass will be held Monday, March 11 at 8:50 AM in the St. Sebastian Multipurpose Building. Our Celebrant will be Bishop Michael Duca. Parents are invited and must check in at the school office prior to the Mass start time. Students must wear their dress uniforms.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: All are welcome for Friday morning Stations of the Cross during lent at 6:50 AM in the St. Michael Chapel.
JUNIOR RETREAT: The Junior Retreat is scheduled for Tuesday, March 19. Girls will report directly to The Mercedarian/Cypress Springs Center and will conclude by 2:30 PM. Boys will report to the school gymnasium at the normal time. They will then be bused to the St. Joseph Abbey in Covington and will return to school by 3:45 PM (please make arrangements for this late arrival). More information will be given to students and emailed to parents. Forms for the retreat should be turned in to the student's theology teacher.
FATHER/DAUGHTER EVENING: Our 4th Annual Father/Daughter Evening will take place on Saturday, March 23 from 6:00-9:00 PM in the SMHS Multipurpose Building. Join us for dinner, talk, prayer, and dancing. The cost is $20 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 https://forms.diamondmindinc.com/smhsbr/campusministry24
PRESENTATION OF THE PASSION: Members of the Senior Class will present the Passion on Holy Thursday, March 28 in the SMHS Gymnasium.
EASTER BREAK "NUN RUN" TRIP TO FLORIDA | April 2-4: We will be traveling by Hotard Bus to Gainesville, Florida with a stop in St. Augustine - all to the celebrate the final vows of one of our Mercedarian Sisters, Sr. Heart of Jesus, HSSM. The cost is $125 and space is limited to 50 people. Students must sign up by the March 5 deadline. Check out the flier here . Scroll to the second page for itinerary and permission form.
STEUBENVILLE YOUTH CONFERENCE MID AMERICA | July 5-7: We have a limited number of spots available for SMHS students. This is a life changing conference for teens from across the country. In order to claim one of these spots, please turn the REGISTRATION FORM and $50 deposit (check payable to SMHS) to Campus Ministry. Scroll to second page for form to print. Form and money is the only way to reserve one of these spots. The total cost is $375 and includes transportation, housing, and all meals.
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. 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 April 15.
CHRISTIAN SERVICE HOUR DEADLINE: A reminder that the remainder of Christian Service Hours are due on April 15.
The final deadline for students to turn in all Christian Service Hours is April 15. The Christian Service Award Mass is on Friday, April 19. 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.
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CAREER DAY: On Wednesday, April 10 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.
GRADES: The third nine weeks grading period ends Friday, March 8. 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 12. If you have any questions or concerns about a particular class, please contact the teacher immediately.
SENIOR SERVICE DAY: Seniors DO NOT report to school on Tuesday, March 12. Seniors are encouraged to work on their Senior Social Justice Projects and their service hours on this day.
ACT AT SMHS: On Tuesday, March 12 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 12 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.
REGISTRATION: Registration for returning students for the 2024-2025 school year begins Friday, March 1 and will be due by Friday, March 15. Registration through FACTS includes paying registration and tech fee, confirming and/or correcting your demographic information, and selecting your 2024-2025 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 or the Diocese of Baton Rouge, please complete the Tuition Assistance Application on FACTS by Friday, March 15.
STUDENT SUPPLIES FOR 2024-25:
- 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: During the month of May 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: $ 40.00
- Power Cord: 45.00
- Flak Jacket: 35.00
- Missing/Damaged Bar Code 10.00
INFORMATIONAL PACKET FOR PARENTS OF SENIORS: On February 20 an informational packet was emailed to seniors and parents of seniors from 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 Wednesday, March 20. Senior Counselor Mrs. Rachel Cart will visit classes on March 18 & 19 to complete the Required Data Form with each student. 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.
ACT & SAT DATES: The next ACT dates are Saturday, April 13; Saturday, June 8; and Saturday, July 7. Please visit www.act.org to register. The next SAT dates are Saturday, March 9; Saturday, May 4; and Saturday, June 1. 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 13. Students 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. May 1 is also the deadline for the enrollment deposit. This deposit is collected to know which students will actually attend. 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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DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 10 at 2:00 AM. Remember to spring forward one hour.
SPRING BREAK: Easter Break begins on Good Friday, March 29 through Sunday, April 7. Classes will resume on Monday, April 8. The school office will be open Tuesday through Friday April 2—5 from 7:30 AM—Noon.
HOLIDAY HELP DESK: The St. Michael Technology Help Desk will be on call during Spring Break. Email helpdesk@smhsbr.org to ask for assistance.
STUDENT COUNCIL: Student Council executive packets will be available on Moodle beginning Monday, March 25. Class officer elections will be held on Friday, April 19.
TUXEDOS TO GEAUX: Tuxedos to Geaux will be on campus during all lunch periods on Tuesday, March 26 to measure any students who would like to purchase a tux/suit for prom. A letter was emailed at the end of February to all junior and senior parents with all the price information.
WARRIOR OLYMPICS: Our 3rd Annual Warrior Olympics will take place on Friday, April 12. More information to follow.
JUNIOR-SENIOR PROM: The Junior Class will sponsor the Junior-Senior Prom on Saturday, April 27 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 you and your guest will be March 27. The last day to turn in your guest contract will be April 5.
PRESENTATION OF THE SENIOR CLASS OF 2025: An email was sent to parents on February 26 with all the information about this event. The Presentation of the SMHS Class of 2025 will be held Friday, May 10 in the St. Sebastian Multipurpose Building at 6:30 PM. In addition, all juniors must attend a mandatory practice on Thursday, May 9 from 2:35-3:45 PM. Students must be excused by Mr. Kegan Keller if they are unable to attend either event. The link must be completed by Friday, April 12.
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DANCE LINE TRYOUTS
Tryouts will be held Wednesday, March 13 & Thursday, March 14 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM and Friday, March 15 from 4:00 - 7:30 PM in the St. Michael Main Gym. Wednesday and Thursday will be clinic days to learn all of the tryout material. All clinic days are mandatory. On Friday, March 15 all participants will audition before a panel of judges. Results will be posted on the Dance Line website and social media pages following tryouts.
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DRAMA CLUB NEWS: The St. Michael Theatre Department presents Godspell. Come watch the story of Jesus unfold in this lively, colorful retelling of the Gospel of Matthew. Journey through Jesus’ parables and experience the power as He opens the eyes of his followers to God’s love. With music and lyrics from Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz, this musical is sure to leave audiences with heads full of song and hearts full of joy.
Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the door or in advance at
Drama Production Spring 2024 (diamondmindinc.com)
Performances are Friday, March 8 at 7:00 PM and
Saturday, March 9 at 2:00 PM and 6:30 PM
in the Multipurpose Building.
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ST MICHAEL HIGH SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD
The St. Michael High School Advisory Board is looking for new members and committee members. If you are interested in volunteering for this Board, please complete and submit the Nomination form at:
https://www.smhsbr.org/quick-links/advisory-board-nomination-form.cfm
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A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
As we continue our Lenten journey, we are called to prepare for the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord. This preparation should be intentional with a focus on the days leading up to the Easter celebration. So often we do not take time as a family to prepare ourselves through prayer, fasting, and works of service. With all of the secular trappings of Easter, it can be easy to lose our focus on Christ and his resurrection. As a school community, we invite students to Adoration every Wednesday at all lunch periods. Before school each Friday during Lent, we will pray the Stations of the Cross. St. Michael juniors will attend their class retreats during this Lenten season. Please pray for these students as they are called to grow in their faith and become spiritually stronger through their relationship with Christ.
In this newsletter is some valuable information from our school counselors on Depression & Suicide Awareness. Mental health is an issue that many young men and young women struggle with. They have questions of their identity and their value. As adults, if we don’t help them with their issues, social media will. We want our students to be connected to what really matters – their faith, their family, their friends, their learning progress. We want our students to be learning their values from their parents and their teachers, not the internet. I encourage you to carve out some time to have meaningful conversations with your students about what is going on in their lives. The world is fast paced, and time seems to fly by. We want to use that time in the most productive way for our young people to help them grow into the adults that God calls them to be.
The school year is more than halfway over. The third nine weeks ends soon on Friday, March 8. Please be sure to encourage your students to be responsible for their work and to give their best efforts in all that they do. This third nine weeks counts for 40% of the student’s second semester average. Parents and students are encouraged to check PlusPortals often as this is one of the ways in which teachers communicate how the students are doing in class. Please email your child’s teacher with any concerns or questions.
Planning has already begun for the 2024-2025 school year. In this newsletter, you will find a tentative calendar of important dates. Daily attendance at school is essential for the academic success of our students. Parents 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.
St. Michael High School is looking for some dedicated parents to serve on our Advisory Board. The Board meets five times a year with committee work during the between months. The purpose of our Advisory Board is to support and advise the administration of the school. Please see the Advisory Board information in this newsletter if you would be interested in putting your name on the ballot this spring for a seat on the school Advisory Board.
Our celebration of Easter at the end of this month will include prayers of gratitude for our parents and guardians, our students, and our faculty and staff. Thank you for entrusting your child to St. Michael High School.
Blessings,
Ellen B. Lee, Principal
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Advancement News &
Important Events
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Come one, come all to the 2nd Annual Taste of Warrior Tailgate sponsored by HMC Generators. Spend the evening on March 2 in our multi-purpose gym sampling an array of delicious foods from local restaurants while enjoying live music by Press 1 for English. There will also be a silent auction and other fun activities. Click the links below for more information on how you can get involved.
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Warrior Stadium Updates:
Warrior Stadium construction is underway. In recent weeks, the parking lot behind the baseball field has been completed and the new driveway around campus has taken shape. Please visit our website at www.smhsbr.org to keep up with construction updates.
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Nominations are open for the 2024 Alumni of the Year, Warrior Sword, and Wall of Honor awards. Please click the links below for submissions.
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We invite you join us in advancing our mission by considering a personal and meaningful gift to the Fund for St. Michael. Your tax-deductible donation will allow us to invest in teacher pay, provide qualified families with tuition assistance, strengthen faith formation, and support our extracurricular activities and programs. In essence, your gift to this fund improves the overall student experience. Click here to learn more about our fund and how you can make a gift donation today.
The Fund for St. Michael - St. Michael the Archangel High School (smhsbr.org)
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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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MOTHER SETON AWARD: Congratulations to our dedicated Warrior volunteers who have been nominated for this year’s Mother Seton Award. We are blessed to have so many deserving volunteers. Those nominated were Dena Balart, Ryan McLellan, Courtney Moore and Alicia Quebedeaux.
The Home & School Association is happy to announce that Alicia Quebedeaux is the recipient of the 2024 Mother Seton Award for St. Michael High School. Over the past seven years, Alicia has graciously given of her time to St. Michael. Alicia and her husband Donovan Quebedeaux have two children, Amelia (Class of 2021) and Stephen (Class of 2025). Alicia has played many diverse roles during her time at St. Michael. Her involvement includes procurement for Pro Vita and Procurement Chairperson for the Advancement’s Silent Auction. She has participated as a football volunteer parent, a Parent Ambassador, and has been a Board member with the Home & School Association for the last four years.
Beyond her contributions to St. Michael, Alicia and her husband are active in their church parish, St. Thomas More. They work with newly engaged couples, and Alicia serves as a Mass Captain, Eucharistic Minster, and a member of the Women’s Ministry. Additionally, Alicia is a devoted volunteer for the Missionaries of Charity, Charity Women, and Children’s shelter through St. Agnes. She also serves at the St. Vincent de Paul lunchroom periodically & organizes and schedules live daily rosaries through her Facebook Live Rosary Group.
We take immense pride in having Alicia Quebedeaux as a valued member of our Warrior family, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations on receiving the well-deserved Mother Seton Award.
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The Warrior Club is excited to present the first annual Skeet Shoot Tournament on April 20. All proceeds will go toward replacing the gym bleachers. This benefits all St. Michael athletes, spirit team members, students, coaches, staff, and guests. We need YOU to help make this a success! You can get involved by registering as a participant, becoming a station, lunch, swag bag, or t-shirt sponsor, and/or by volunteering to help with the event. All details are available on our website at smhswarriorclub.com. Please contact our Chair, Adam Rabalais at 225-241-0501 or email warriorclub@smhsbr.org with any questions.
Are you being called to serve more at St. Michael? Opportunities for you to demonstrate your support for our students and get more involved will be available for the 2024-25 school year. The following board member positions will be open: President, Treasurer, and Secretary. We will also need a Chair for the Football Program Fundraiser. Contact us at warriorclub@smhs.org for more information.
The Warrior Club Store will be open for LUNCH SALES on Friday, March 15. We are stocked with new merchandise – hoodies, hats, sweatshirts, miniature footballs, soccer balls, basketballs, tumblers, and more! Would you be able to volunteer from 9:30-11 AM or 11AM-1PM? If so, please email us at warriorclub@smhsbr.org and we’ll send you a confirmation email.
Congratulations to our dance line members and cheerleaders who recently competed at Nationals! We had numerous winter athletic programs to advance in the playoffs, and we congratulate you on your team and individual player accomplishments. Good luck to those teams still competing! Spring sports are underway as well. We wish the best of luck to all athletes! GO WARRIORS!
St. Michael the Archangel,
Defend Us in Battle
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