St. Mary's High School Signal weekly newsletter

smpirates.org / Feb. 17, 2023

2023 Yearbooks & Parent Ads - DEADLINE Moved to March 18

The 2023 yearbook is now on sale at the following site:

https://www.jostens.com/apps/s...

Parents who wish to personalize their child's yearbook can go to the above Jostens' site and choose the link for Yearbook Recognition Ads. After creating an account, they then can create the ad using the tools in that menu. Parent ads must be submitted by Feb. 10. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Kavanaugh, mkavanaugh@smhscs.org.

Annual Raffle Has Started

Our annual raffle for $10K first prize (and $4K second prize and $1K third prize) is underway.  We ask each student to sell a minimum of 25 tickets with all proceeds of the raffle going to support our financial aid program for families. Parents are asked to please sign the yellow parental acknowledgement statement and return it to the business office at school (your student has the yellow paper).  This is the one fundraiser each year that we do as an entire community and your support is appreciated.  Winning tickets will be pulled at our Gala on April 15th and your odds of winning are FAR better than playing the lottery.

St. Peter Catholic Church (Monument):  A Radical Ride on the Wings of Prayer
June 19-23
8:45 am-12:00 pm daily
Parish Ministry Center
Registration deadline is April 30.
Spots will fill quickly - sign up today!

Would you like to volunteer? Register below.
For more information, contact Jilinda Dygert (jilinda.dygert@petertherock.org).

FREE SAT Prep Course 

Free SAT prep course offered at SMHS for all current junior students on Saturday, March 11 from 9:00 am to noon in the Cove. Please mark your calendars! Registration for the event will be available soon.

Junior Parent College Information Night 

There will be a junior parents college information night on Monday, March 20th from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the Cove. Parents, this will be a very informative presentation by Mr. Baxter and a college admission representative to answer all your questions about the admissions process.

RMACAC Spring College Fair, Saturday, March 4

All students are invited to attend the city-wide college fair on March 4 from 9:00-11:30 am.

Pine Creek High School 
10750 Thunder Mountain Ave
Colorado Springs, 80908

For more information and to register, please click here

Senior Scholarship Opportunities

The Kinnikinnik Chapter of the National Society DAR will be awarding a $1,500 scholarship to a Pikes Peak area high school senior. The application deadline is March 24. Students may pick up an application from Mr. Baxter in the Counseling Center.

The Colorado Council Volunteerism/Community Service Scholarship is now available.  This $1,500 scholarship will be awarded to students who have shown extraordinary service to their community. Follow the link to apply: https://www.coloradocouncil.or.... Deadline is March 1.

Current 10, 11, and 12 Grade Students Interested in Healthcare

Memorial Hospital is excited to announce that our Junior Medical School (JMS) program is back! JMS is a 4-day, immersive program designed to give your students a full view of the many different aspects of a healthcare career. From physicians to nurses, from rehab to palliative care, students will be exposed to professionals from their field to hear about what the job entails, the educational requirements, and the “typical day.” The program offers roundtable discussions, hands-on activities, department tours, and other engaging sessions to expand students’ understanding of the hospital environment. Please see or email Eric Baxter, SMHS Counselor, for more information and how to apply - ebaxter@smhscs.org

Attention Seniors: “Best & Brightest”

The Gazette recognizes the "Best & Brightest" seniors in the Colorado Springs region each year.  Applications will be reviewed for academic achievements and intellectual curiosity, outstanding character, evidence of leadership and community involvement. Go to https://gazettecharities.org/b... for more information and to download the application. The deadline is March 17.

Junior Students: College Visit Opportunity

Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania is offering a free fly-in program to visit their campus in the fall.  For more information please follow the link: https://www.swarthmore.edu/adm...

Please notify Mr. Baxter by the end of February if you would like to be nominated for the program.

Mass at OLP, Sunday, Feb. 19

Join Fr. Joe as he celebrates the 8:30 am and 10:30 am masses at OLP on Sunday, February 19.  Wear your St. Mary's gear in support. If you are interested in volunteer hours that day, please contact Mrs. Krasovec at rkrasovec@smhscs.org.

UCCS GenCyber Day, Thursday, March 16

UCCS is assisting Tennessee Tech University in getting the word out on a full-day GenCyber Cybersecurity Camp for high school students. This is an amazing and engaging way to show high school students just how cool cybersecurity is, especially in light of the endless education and career opportunities.

 Here’s a quick rundown for GenCyber Day at WiCyS 2023:

  1. When: Thursday, March 16, 2023: 8:15am to 2:30pm

  2. Location: Gaylord of the Rockies

  3. Cost: Free

  4. For more information, CLICK HERE

  5. To register, CLICK HERE.  NOTE: Registration is limited to the first 120 students!  

Parent Volunteer Hours, SMHS Gala 2023

Do you need volunteer hours? Are you interested in helping with the Gala on April 15 at The Antlers? Please come share your ideas and help us plan! We will meet at 7:30 am (zero hour) on Tuesday, February 21 in the "Old Business Office'' next to the Counseling Center. No need to sign up; just show up! Please contact Ramon Falt with any questions (rfalt@smhscs.org).

Volunteer Opportunity, Catholic Charities Shamrock Shindig, Friday, March 17

8 to 10 SMHS volunteers have been requested for one shift from 5:30 - 9:00 pm. Dinner will be provided. Duties include greeting, check-in assistance, live auction assistance (scribes/runners).

No silent auction this year. Dress code: white shirt and black pants.

Cheyenne Mountain Resort
3225 Broadmoor Valley Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80906

To Register to Volunteer:
Below is the link each individual must submit before volunteering. Once Catholic Charities receives or confirms applications, they will send more detailed instructions to the volunteer for the evening.

Catholic Charities/Marian House Group Member Application

Two of the questions included in the application are listed below:

“Please select your church/community group/company/military affiliation. If not included in the pick list please select “Other or Not Applicable”

  • Please select:  St. Mary’s High School 

“If you are registering for a prearranged group activity, please select it. If not listed, please email us at Volunteer@CCharitiesCC.org to let us know.” 

  • Please select: 2023-03-17 SMHS Shamrock Shindig Volunteer 5:30pm to 9pm

Student Volunteer Opportunity, St. Paul Catholic Church ‘Parents Night Out’ 

St. Paul Catholic Church is hosting a Parents Night Out event on March 4 from 4:00 - 8:00 pm, and they are looking for volunteers! If you are interested or available to help out with this event, please sign up here - https://www.signupgenius.com/g...

 All teen volunteers must have a parental consent form signed along with a quick training session before the event. 

 If you have any questions - please contact Allison Reida in the Parish Office: areida@stpaulcos.org or 719-219-2710.

Board Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 21

A special thanks to the parents and faculty who joined us for the January board meeting this week. Mark your calendars, the February board meeting date has CHANGED. The fourth Wednesday of February is also Ash Wednesday this year. In order to ensure all our community members have the opportunity to attend Ash Wednesday Mass, the February board meeting will now be held on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 6:00 pm, in the Resource Center. The school calendar is updated and reflects the change. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

NHS Coat Drive

The National Honor Society is sponsoring a Coats/Hat/Gloves Drive now through Friday, February 17. Please bring in your new or gently-used items to Mrs. Ramzy at the front desk or Mrs. Cichon in the registrar/counseling office. Thank you! 

College Athletic Signing Day

Senior parents - If your student is interested in pursuing college athletics and is close to signing with a specific college, please notify Mr. Tommy Darneal, athletic director, at tdarneal@smhscs.org.  We are setting up a date for College Signings soon.

FAFSA Update

The free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is now available. All families who plan to have a student attend college in the fall of 2023 will need to complete the form. Sooner is better! Click the link to get started. 

https://studentaid.gov/h/apply...

Re-Enrollment is Currently Open

To receive your $1,000 tuition discount and/or apply for tuition assistance please complete your re-enrollment application and FACTS application by FEBRUARY 15.  As an extra incentive, families who complete the re-enrollment application will receive a BOGO code to purchase your Gala tickets!  

Important Dates:

February 15 - re-enrollment application and FACTS application due (first round of tuition assistance/tuition discount & receive BOGO Gala tickets)
March 15 - tuition assistance offers
April 15 - last day to pay for registration fee $500
April 16 - registration fee increases to $600
June 1 - registration fee increases to $750

Upcoming Dates

Monday, Feb. 20th: President's Day, NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, Feb. 21st: Board Meeting 6pm
Friday, Feb. 24th: Spanish Trivia Bowl (Morning Assembly Schedule)
Wednesday, March 1st: End of 3rd Quarter

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @smhscscolorado for the latest information!