Principal's Corner
Our first annual STA Green Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd, 2-4pm. It is starting to take shape thanks to many who have responded and are willing to help that day and provide plant foster care for the next year. Several Student groups are committed and we have identified 14 separate areas in which work will need to be done. Please call or e-mail me of your willingness to help us. This will be a wonderful community effort. I hope you will set aside May 3rd to help us!
We continue to plan for our Accreditation visit next fall. The visit by the NEASC visiting team is scheduled for October 19-22 of 2008. In preparation for the visit our steering committee has engaged the community in an exercise of reexamining our school mission in order to affirm it or make any changes necessary. Last Friday we took another step by engaging parents who attended the Principal's Coffee to identify how they wish their children to be transformed by the St. Thomas experience. The faculty has just completed a similar exercise and I found great satisfaction that our wants and desires for our students mirror exactly the goals our parents have for their sons and daughters.
The end of the year is fast approaching but as we move into the last vacation period of the year I want to extend my best wishes for a delightful warm and relaxing vacation week. I will be on a retreat for the week and will keep all of you close in my prayers.
God bless you,
Jeffrey A. Quinn
April Parent eNotes
Upcoming Events and News
Important Dates
- Wednesday, April 16- Late Start
- Thursday, April 17- Spring Musical, 7:30pm
- Friday, April 18- Spring Musical, 7:30pm
- Saturday, April 19- Spring Musical, 7:30pm
- Monday, April 21- Friday, April 25- Spring Recess
- Tuesday, April 29- Senior Parent Graduation Meeting 7:00pm
- Thursday, May 1- 2008-2009 Enrollment Contract Due
- Saturday, May 3- SAT I & II at STA
- Saturday, May 3- STA Campus Green Day 2-4pm
- Monday, May 5- AP US Government Exam
- Tuesday, May 6- AP Statistics Exam
- Wednesday, May 7- AP Calculus Exam
- Wednesday, May 7- Late Start
- Thursday, May 8- AP English Lit Exam
- Thursday, May 8- 9th-10th Grade Parent Early College Planning 7:00pm
- Friday, May 9- AP US History Exam
- Saturday, May 10- Prom Grand March 6:30pm
- Saturday, May 10- 11th-12th Grade Prom 7-11pm
- Sunday, May 11- Mother's Day
- Monday, May 12- AP Biology, AP Music Theory, AP Physics Exams
- Monday, May 12- Early Dismissal
- Tuesday, May 13- AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science Exam
- Wednesday, May 14- AP English Language Exam
Senior Parents Meeting A reminder to parents of Seniors that there is a meeting for you on Tuesday, April 29 at 7:00pm to go over graduation information, including an opportunity for you to sign up to help with Last Blast, our post graduation Senior party.
Cinderella Project Mrs. Burridge would like to send a special thanks to those who sent in dresses for The Cinderella Project. 55 dresses and assorted shoes and accessories were collected and donated to the project's traveling boutique.
Spring Musical Mark your calendars for a joyous musical extravaganza, set to appear on the STA stage this week. Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" is set on board a luxury ocean liner traveling from New York to England during the glamorous era of the 1930's. The cast includes a wide array of passengers -- night club singers, British noblemen, gangsters-disguised-as-ministers, and, of course, the inevitable love triangle; musical numbers include "I Get a Kick out of You," "You're the Top" and many more. Students have been dancing and singing their way through rehearsals since December, and will be all fired up and ready to show on April 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30pm. Tickets will be $5.00, free for children under 7; family tickets (parents and children) are $20.00. Don't miss it!
St. Thomas Reunion Day Save June 21st on your calendars! The St. Thomas Reunion Day promises to be a lot of fun and have something for everyone. Festivities begin at 10:30 with a mass that all St. Thomas families are welcome to attend. At 11:30, STA student ambassadors will lead school tours. At 12:30 the Alumni Softball Tournament kicks off- open to all St. Thomas alumni and their families. There will be a picnic lunch and games for the kids! Softball will be slow pitch, "one pitch" per at-bat, teams will be coed, and games will be three innings - a round robin format to keep games moving along and in good fun! All ages welcome! Sign up as a team or individually. For more information email Sarah Scheffer.
Advancement
Aquinas Fund The Aquinas Fund team is meeting this week. We're in the home stretch counting down the days (less than 90) and we're counting on you to help us meet the Aquinas Fund goal. We're almost halfway there. The Aquinas Fund team members will be making phone calls in the next few weeks to ask for your contribution to the 2008 Aquinas Fund campaign. Please make your gift to this annual fund.
CAST
All That Jazz, Annual Gala Auction & Dinner The All That Jazz auction was a great success. The generosity of those who donated and those who attended is so greatly appreciated. Thank you also to the many, many hands on the Auction Committee. The hard work and spirit of giving to our students is a blessing we are truly grateful for.
A Big Thank You! Thank you to all those who attended the Principal's Coffee on Friday, April 11.
STA Green Day Remember, Saturday, May 3 is Green Day at St. Thomas. Work crews, with the help of CAST volunteer Jeannie Garcia, will be organizing clean up and planting efforts on campus from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Come with your work gloves and be ready to enjoy the fun of campus clean up as we prepare the campus for graduation and for the parking construction that will begin as soon as the students leave for summer break.
New to the Calendar On Thursday, May 29th, inspired by our daytime Spring Concert and Annual Art Show, we are inviting all St. Thomas Grandparents, and all those who may fill this role in the lives of our students, to our campus for a special morning reception, concert and art show viewing. Details on how to get this invitation out to this special group of people will be coming soon. For now, please note this date and alert your families to stay-tuned for more details.
Volunteer Opportunities CAST will soon begin putting lists together of volunteer opportunities for the next school year. First on the list will be creating a team of current families who would be willing to help welcome our newest families, the class of 2012, to our community beginning this summer. Please contact Kim Grondin or Annie Pickett if you are interested in this Freshman Ambassador role, or any other volunteer opportunity at St. Thomas.
Course Selections Course selections for current ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders will be all electronic again this year. Some time this week there will be announcements over the PA and on the St. Thomas website indicating when students and parents can go online, view teacher recommendations, and make final course selections. SAT/ACT Info Tuesday, May 6 is the registration deadline for the June 7 SAT I or Subject Tests. You may register online at www.collegeboard.com. St. Thomas is not a test center for the June testing. This is the last opportunity to test before the fall.
Friday, May 9 is the registration deadline for the June 14 ACT. You may register online at www.act.org. SAT Questions? Because the New SAT I incorporates a writing component, there is no longer an SAT II writing test. Therefore, colleges that traditionally required three SAT II Subject Tests (one of which was in writing), will now accept the new SAT I plus two other SAT II Subject Tests. Students in Grade 11 should see Mrs. Kane or Mr. Lloyd with further questions on SAT II requirements. Parents of Juniors There is still plenty of time for parents of present juniors to schedule an appointment with Mrs. Kane or Mr. Lloyd to discuss college options and the admissions process. AP Exams Testing begins on Monday, May 5. Check your St. Thomas calendars for specific test dates. Please note that the majority of AP Exams will be administered at the McConnell Center in Dover. Some will also take place at St. Thomas. AP students will receive AP exam schedules with date, time and location noted. Attention Class of 2009 Phillips Exeter Academy is hosting a College Fair in the Love Gymnasium on Tuesday, April 29 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Rotary Youth Leadership Sophomores are invited to apply for the Dover Rotary Club's Youth Leadership Award (RYLA). The conference will be held June 22-25, 2008. Interviews will take place in late April. Interested sophomores should see Mrs. Granger for more information. Dartmouth Health Careers Summer Camp If you are interested in a health career check out this website. Deadline April 30. Guidance