OUR MISSION:
St. Rita School inspires students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade eight to achieve academic excellence in a safe, nurturing and faith-filled Catholic environment.
We prepare students to be morally responsible, innovative thinkers who, in today’s technology-guided global community, live and share the Love of Christ.
FROM THE DESK OF MRS. TIEZZI

Dear SRS Parents/Guardians,

Congratulations to our Girls JV Basketball team for winning the 5/6 grade school division Archdiocesan Basketball Tournament over this past weekend. They defeated St. Thomas the Apostle School of West Hartford on Saturday and St. Mary School from Milford and will move on to the New England CYO Tournament which will take place in Manchester, NH the weekend of March 29-31. We are very proud of all the girls and are grateful to their coaches and parents for their support throughout the season. Good Luck Crusaders! 
 
During this Lenten season, our students in grades 2-8 will be receiving the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, also called confession. In confession we meet the Lord, who wants to grant forgiveness and the grace to live a renewed life in Him. All churches in the Archdiocese of Hartford during the season of Lent are making it easier for Catholics to experience God’s love and mercy in this sacrament. All Catholic churches will be open for confessions every Monday during Lent from 6 to 7 P.M.  

Please be reminded that the re-registration packets for the 2019-2020 school year were sent home a few weeks ago. We ask that you return the completed agreement and $150 per student non-refundable deposit to the school office by Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Once you re-register you will receive an email from the Smart Tuition Program regarding your account. If you are applying for financial aid the on-line Smart Aid (tuition assistance) application will be available beginning in May. Please call or email Mrs. Paula Nugent, school business manager with any questions regarding your tuition account. 

Summer Camp interest forms were also sent home a few weeks back. Mrs. Delvecchio and Ms. Sharkey have many exciting things planned for your children during the six weeks of summer camp. If you have not yet sent your summer camp intent forms back to school please do so this week as spaces are filling up.

Thank you for entrusting your child/ren to our care. Have a great rest of the week. Happy Spring!!

God Bless,
Mrs. Tiezzi

School News 
Please DO NOT park in our Auction Winner's parking spot.
That spot is reserved and was paid for by the auction winner.
Thank you.

SRS Summer Camp!
Attention Divine Mercy Parish Parishioners
Please submit this form to St. Rita School.

Sacred Heart Academy News:

Experience  Excelsior— Saturdays @ SHA  offers girls in grades 5 to 8 an opportunity to experience the serious fun of learning without the extraneous pressure of formal grades, putting them in contact with ways of thinking, seeing, and doing that challenge them to reflect deeply and think critically. The program is filled with workshops and activities that promise to inform, engage, and entertain participating students while they make new friends.

Two sessions have been planned—Saturday, March 23, and Saturday, March 30, from 9:00 am to 11:30 am on the Sacred Heart campus, 265 Benham Street, Hamden. The program will be led by experienced faculty with the assistance of current students. Middle school girls are welcome to attend either one or both sessions.

  • NEW DATE** March 23– Creative Arts Saturday: Reflecting the wide range of Sacred Heart’s humanities-based curriculum and inspired by trailblazers in theatre, ancient history, and art, students will have fun experiencing the satisfying challenges of World Language, Social Studies, and Visual and Performing Arts, culminating in a short performance. 


  • March 30 – STEM Saturday: Participants will use Math, Science, and programming skills to find clues that lead them to learn about trailblazing women who forged new paths, not only in STEM fields, but in business, entertainment, and everyday life. Structured as an Escape Room, students will solve math puzzles, perform science experiments and write programs, using their knowledge and logic to break free.
 
Snacks will be provided and each participant will receive a t-shirt.
Reserve your place today for this  FREE  program Click To Register
MERCY HIGH SCHOOL
“Discover Mercy” is a morning program offered for fifth, sixth and seventh grade girls and their parents to get their first look at Mercy by enjoying activities, student performances and informal conversations with Mercy students, parents, alumnae, administrators and faculty. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 
During "Discover Mercy," girls have the opportunity to spend time in the classrooms with faculty and students while attending “classes” such as Beginners Yoga, Creative Writing, Cheerleading Clinic, Mad about Math, and Theater Arts Workshop to name a few options. All of the choices are listed on the registration page. Here is the link:  Discover Mercy . Meanwhile, parents may attend an informal question and answer session and participate in programs designed especially for them.
Following the morning program, everyone is invited to lunch in the cafeteria and experience a performance by the Mercy Dance Team and the Mercy/Xavier "Vocal Dimension" Show Choir! Mercy Student Ambassadors are available to lead tours of the school at any time during the morning, including a stop at the school store.

Super Charge Your SUMMER
Mercy High School Summer Camp Program
Open to all 6th-9th Graders
More information here

Join us for our 2nd Annual
Multi- Cultural Night!
NEW DATE:
Thursday March 28, 2019
EXTENDED TIME!
5:30-7:30pm

All school families welcome!



Schedule of Events:
5:30pm -Philippine-American Association of CT
5:45pm- Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Yale
6:15pm- Yale Jashan Bhangra
6:45pm- Aiping Tai Chi demonstration
7:10pm- Brennan-Lucey Irish Dance Academy


WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
Celebrate Our Cultures
Please note the changes to our cultural board.

March: Europe
Please label items with name and
attention to:
Carissa Civitello
Interested in learning more about our Kindergarten program? Come paint with us!
Monday
March 25, 2019
Register here
Open to all prospective Kindergarten families
LIVING STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” are the words to a well-known hymn.This year the youth of Divine Mercy Parish and St. Rita School ( Preschool through High School) are being given a wonderful opportunity to participate in a live reenactment of the Stations of the Cross. This will be a very spiritual event for the entire family. If your child would like to participate, please follow the link below to sign up at Sign Up Genius by April 6, 2019. Parts consist of the roles of Jesus, Mary, the soldiers, Pontius Pilate, and the people in the crowd along the route that Jesus traveled.

There is also an opportunity for high school studentsto serve as readers.If your high school aged child is interested in reading, please sign up using Sign Up Genius link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0849AAAA2DA6FC1-good by April 6, 2019.

When :               Good Friday, April 19, 2019
Start Time :       12:00 noon (those with assigned parts meet in church basement at 11:30)
Where :              Divine Mercy Parish, St. Rita’s Church
Practice :          Sunday, April 14, 2019 (immediately following 11:30 mass in St. Rita Church basement--one hour)

**Parents are asked to stay for the practice and to attend the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.

Sign-Ups
If your child(ren) would like to participate in the Good Friday Living Stations of the Cross, please sign up using Sign Up Genius link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0849AAAA2DA6FC1-good
Please sign up by  Saturday, April 6 and remember to provide your child(ren)'s name and age and best way to contact you. 
If you have any questions please contact Suzanne Hamling ( [email protected] ) by email or phone (203-234-1597).
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Our Scrip Gift Card Fundraising is still available all year long!

Remember to visit the Scrip Store for all of your gift card needs.
Every gift card purchase supports our school.
Crusaders Corner Store
Spirit Wear is available for purchase!
Stop by our Advancement Office to shop.
Crusaders Corner will be open every Thursday during all lunch periods. Please send your child with cash or check to purchase items!

We are still seeking volunteers to help run the store. If you are interested please contact Mrs. Civitello.
Home and School Association
Friday, April 5th 2019
6:00-8:00pm
Dessert & Dancing


If you are interested in volunteering for this event please email
MARCH 18th- April 1st
SAVE THE DATE
ST. RITA SCHOOL
C O L O R R U N

SATURDAY, MAY 18TH
HAMDEN TOWN GREEN
got Sole?
Our first 10 bags of sneakers are on their way! 
Thank you SRS families. Keep those sneakers coming. 
Our sneaker drive continues until May 19th ...

Please help us
spread the word!

$10,000 TUITION RAFFLE!

Prize $$ can be used for any accredited
K-12 school, college or university in the U.S.

The winner has up to 4 years to choose a school and student and apply
the $10,000 prize, and it does not have to all be spent in one year.
Prize can be used towards tuition, room and board or books –
even pay back existing student loans!

Drawing will be held April 27th 2019

Please make every effort to sell as many tickets as possible; this raffle is open to
the public and not restricted to St. Rita School families, so sell to family, Friends,
coworkers....

A great way to sell more tickets is to
post about our raffle on your social media accounts
Only 800 tickets will be sold at $50 per ticket –
great odds to be a WINNER!

A minimum of 450 tickets must be sold or all tickets will be refunded.

All 800 tickets sold = $30,000 for SRS!
(Just think, less fundraisers next year!)
All proceeds will benefit the SRS general fund.

There is a difference between the cost of tuition and the actual cost to educate our
children, without fundraisers like this, the price of tuition would go up.

We truly need your support!

Need more tickets? Contact Trisha Kozloski at


SAVE THE DATE FOR THE
SRS GOLF TOURNAMENT!
The SRS 22nd Annual golf tournament will be held Monday June 3rd and we need your help to make it a success! Are you a golfer or do you know one?! We would love to have you and your friends, family or business partners attend this fun event! If you don't golf how about sponsoring the tournament, there are many levels available to support the tournament. Haven't complete your assessment yet?? Any sponsorship you secure counts toward your family assessment at a rate of 60%! Secure a tee sign for $150 from a local business and $90 counts toward your assessment. The form for the tournament is attached. Please also feel free to share the information with anyone you think might be interested for a day of golf, food, raffles and prizes, and of course fun!   
Your time and talents are needed for the continued success of our school. Even just one hour of volunteer time makes a great difference to the school community.

Want to help but don’t see a good fit, email us at [email protected] and we can find something for you to help with!

 
Athlete's Corner
Check back here for all Athletic News
Winter Sports Information

BASKETBALL UNIFORMS :
If your season has ended, please return cleaned basketball uniforms and green
practice shorts to the main office in a bag clearly marked with your child’s name
**JJV teams – Please return green practice shorts only

PICTURES WANTED! If you love taking pictures at our SRS sporting events, please share them with us! Please send to [email protected]
Student Spotlight
Did your child/ren do something amazing? Share with us!
Please send submissions to
Please be patient as we receive many wonderful stories of our SRS students and Alumni!
Prayer Corner
Please keep the following SRS community
members in your thoughts and prayers


 Edith Casey
Sister Rita Amarante

If you have a special intention that you would like to share in our prayer corner, please email Carissa Civitello
Support SRS
Thank you to everyone who has clipped and collected Box Tops so far! Even though the last "official" submission is complete,
PLEASE continue to collect as we can send them in YEAR ROUND! We are currently at $502.70, lets try to double that by the start of the next school year!!

Visit  amazonsmile.com , and anytime you purchase an eligible item, Amazon will donate a portion of the profit to our school! Select “Divine Mercy Parish
Corporation” as your charity, and St. Rita School will benefit every time you shop.

We're excited to announce another bonus donation opportunity for Divine Mercy Parish Corporation. Through January 31, 2019, AmazonSmile will donate 15% the purchase price of new print magazine subscriptions. Click  here for details

Use the message and image below in email, social media, and on your website to spread the word to your donors, staff, and volunteers.

Through January 31, 2019, AmazonSmile will donate 15% the purchase price of new print magazine subscriptions. Visit  https://smile.amazon.com/b?node=18541223011  for details.

Link your Stop & Shop Card to St. Rita School, and we’ll earn CASH when you buy groceries! Click  here  and use School ID: 06434.
Link your ShopRite Price Plus card to St. Rita School, and help us earn school supplies! Click  here  and use School ID: 50073, or send your PricePlus card number to Alice Kuether,  [email protected] .
Rewards Program

Click HERE for a flyer with all of our rewards programs.

Does Your Company Offer Volunteer Grants? 
Volunteer grant programs, also known as “Dollars for Doers” programs, are corporate giving programs created to encourage volunteerism in communities where employees live and work.
Through these programs, companies provide monetary grants to organizations where employees volunteer regularly. 

Please take a moment and ask if your employer participates in a Volunteer Grants Program. Your time and talent at St. Rita School could turn into dollars for our school! Questions? Feel free to contact Joanne Bruno at  [email protected] .
Caritas Christi Center
UPCOMING DATES - 
March 25- Kindergarten Informational Night
March 28- Multi-Cultural Night
April 5- 1st Friday Mass, Father/Daughter Dance 6pm
April 14- Palm Sunday
April 15-19 Spring Break
April 21- Easter
April 25-27 Peter Pan Musical

St. Rita School
1601 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, CT 06517
Phone: (203) 248.3114
Fax: (203) 248.1016
www.stritaschool.org