Dear St. Mark Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells the parable of the proud Pharisee who prayed from his self-importance and the tax collector who prayed humbly, thereby addressing attitude in prayer. 

In contrasting the prayer of the Pharisee with the prayer of the tax collector, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray in humility before God. Jesus again surprises his listeners by showing the tax collector as an example of faith and as a model for prayer. Tax collectors were collaborators with the Roman authorities in a system that allowed the tax collectors to line their own pockets by charging in excess of the defined taxes. Yet, in this parable, Jesus offers the humility of the tax collector as a model for the prayer of a disciple. The parable reminds us that when we pray, we must remember our need for God in our lives. If we are too full of ourselves, there is too little room for God's grace to work in us. © Loyola Press Sunday Connection

I encourage our entire school community to pray together as a family in thanksgiving for the blessings that God has bestowed upon your family and pray in thanksgiving that God's love for us is unconditional.  

I wish you all God's blessings and grace.

Yours in Christ,

Mrs. Warner 

Progress Reports

Grades 4 through 8

As we are nearing the end of the first quarter Marking Period, parents in Grades 4 through 8 are encouraged to check ParentsPlus Portals for the most up to date information on your child’s growth and progress thus far.

PlusPortals is the Diocesan Student Information Web Portal System available to all parents grades K-8. PlusPortals provides parents access to student grades, attendance, announcements, and teacher emails.

For our new families and Kindergarten families, you should have received an email from PlusPortals with an activation link to the primary email address provided on your child's emergency contact form in September. If you did not receive an activation link email from PlusPortals, please email Mrs. Mannino at cmannino@stmarkschool.org.

Any returning family that needs PlusPortals activation resent, please email Mrs. Mannino at the email address above.

Grades K through 3

Progress updates of student work habits were sent home on Friday, October 14th for students in Grades K through 3 via backpack mail. Included with the progress updates was the current template for the Diocesan Standards Based Report Card for the applicable grade level and a Parent’s Guide to Standards Based Report Cards. 

Parents are encouraged to review the template and marking codes. Please note that the marking code of X indicates that while instruction of the content standard is being delivered, the student is not yet ready to be assessed. Additionally, as this shift in reporting emphasizes what a student has learned, the expectation is that a student will reach mastery (marking code of M for K-2 or marking code of 3 for Gr. 3) at the end of the school year.

Academic Extra Help

I encourage all parents to contact your child's teacher if you feel your child is in need of extra academic help. Each classroom teacher (K through 8) has designated 1 day in the week for "academic extra help" office hours for 1 hour after school.

Lost and Found

Parents are reminded to please label your child's name on ALL of his or her belongings-especially sweatshirts, sweaters, fleeces, and coats/jackets. Our school Lost and Found has accumulated many items thus far. If your child is missing an item, please contact his or her teacher to arrange a time to check the Lost and Found.

Updates 

Out of Uniform “Dress Down Days”

Please be advised that the 2022-2023 Student/Parent Handbook states that jeans without holes or tears are permitted on Dress Down Days. 

The handbook has been amended to clarify that pajama pants or “lounge pants” are not permitted on Dress Down Days. However, sweatpants in a similar style and structure to our PE uniform pants are acceptable. Thank you for your support and understanding of this policy.

Demographics

Has your family moved? Have you changed your email address or phone number? Please contact the Main Office with any changes. It is very important that we have your most current contact information. 

Save the Date and Tune In!

Mrs. Patricia Nettleton will be on the air sharing the good news of all that St. Mark School has to offer!

7:30am on Tuesday, Oct 25th, 2022

1350AM or 103.9FM or on the Veritas app

Tune in – and call in! – to show your support for Mrs. Nettleton, St Mark School, and for Catholic radio. The number is (833) 88-TRUTH, or (833) 888-7884.

Veritas Catholic Network is having their fall pledge drive all week – Oct 24th-28th. This is the only 24-hour Catholic station in this area. Listen on the radio or by using the mobile app on your phone.

High School Open House and Entrance Exams

Notre Dame - Fairfield

On Saturday, October 29th or November 12th at 8:00 a.m. Notre Dame’s entrance exam will be given. All eighth-grade applicants must take an entrance exam and must complete an online application prior to the exam. Registration information can be found on the school’s website, www.notredame.org.

Fairfield Prep

Fairfield Prep is a Catholic, Jesuit high school for boys located on the campus of Fairfield University. To learn more about what makes Fairfield Prep unique, families of boys in 7th and 8th Grade are cordially invited to an in-person Open House on Saturday November 19th, 2022 (9:00 or 10:00 am session). To register visit https://www.fairfieldprep.org/admissions/visit-prep and click here for more information.

St. Mark Campus Entrance

As a reminder, the exterior door under the blue awning marked "St. Mark Campus" is locked Monday-Friday while school is in session as well as during our Afterschool Program hours. This decision has been made by our pastor for the safety and security of our students and our faculty. Visitors will need to call the school phone number to be let into the building until a permanent buzzer system can be installed.

A faculty member will be stationed at that door from 7:30A-7:45A to let children into the building. Students who arrive after 7:45A will need a parent to bring them into the office.

If you arrive at school after 7:45A, please park your car, walk your child into the building, and sign your child in as Tardy. For everyone’s safety, please do not leave your child unattended at the blue awning door and drive away.

Themed Dress-Down Day 

We will be sponsoring a Pink and/or Blue Dress Down Day on Thursday, November 3, 2022.  This Pink and/or Blue dress down donation is $5.00.  The fee for this Dress Down is not covered by the Pre-Paid Dress Down payment collected at the beginning of the year.  All proceeds will benefit The Bryson & Baker Blatt Foundation which is supported by the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Around Our School

Tuesday was a very exciting day for our Kindergarten and Grade 8 students! They officially met their buddies! Students had the opportunity to get to know one another by working on a “Getting to Know You” worksheet and are looking forward to their next meeting.

This afternoon, St. Mark students and faculty participated in our 13th annual Cut-A-Thon event. Thanks to generous pledge donations, dress down participation, and pink hair extensions, our students raised $2,500 to support the Elizabeth Pfriem Swim Cancer Center at St. Vincent's Hospital. To date, St. Mark School has donated over $27,000 to support the Swim Cancer Center.

I am proud to announce our St. Mark Heroes who volunteered to cut their hair and shave their heads in support of this worthy cause:

Ashlyn, Grade 8

Fallon, Grade 4

PJ, Grade 2 

Aaron, Grade 5

Anderson, Grade 5

Andres, Grade 5

Connor, Grade 5 

Mr. Bonito

I would like to extend a sincere thank you to CKC Salon of Fairfield for volunteering their time for a 5th year in a row to cut hair, shave heads, and apply 60 pink hair extensions!



I would also like to thank Mrs. Christine Flaig, Cut-A-Thon Chair, for organizing and chairing this event for the last 6 years. We will miss her next year! Thank you to all our parent volunteers who donated their time to make our event such a great success!

Parish News

Gift Cards Needed

Deacon Paul has asked us to reach out to the parish for the purchase of food gifts cards, either Stop & Shop or ShopRite, in denominations of $25 (but we accept anything!). The need for the poor in our area has increased greatly and we go through the gift cards quicker than you think! God bless St. Mark parish for its continued generosity to help the needy in our community.  You can drop the gift cards in the collection basket at any Mass or bring to the rectory office during business hours.  

Knights of Columbus and the St. Joseph Icon

The Knights of Columbus are proud to announce that this Saturday, October 22, on the feast day of their patron, Saint John Paul II, that Council #8 will be hosting a prayer service that accompanies the traveling Saint Joseph Icon after the 5:00 p.m. mass (at approximately 6:00 p.m.). All are welcome.  

Coat Collection

This is the last weekend to bring in your gently used coats and jackets to give to the needy of our community. Please place them on the tables in the Upper Room.  

Pray the Rosary

Just a reminder that the Knights are praying the rosary for the entire month of October. Schedule and details are in the bulletin. All are welcome.  

There are many fun and exciting traditions and fundraisers scheduled for October. Be sure to stay up to date on events like the Cut-A-Thon, Monster Mash, Trunk-or-Treat, Snack Shop, and Lyman Orchard pie fundraiser by frequently checking our social media pages, Home School Association email updates, and school website. If you do not use social media, our school Facebook page feed can be viewed from our school website www.stmarkschool.org

• Monday, October 24th, HSA Meeting, 7P, Church Hal

• Wednesday, October 26th: HSA Snack Shop, $1

• Friday, October 28th: HSA Monster Mash

• Saturday, October 29th: HSA Monster Mash Rain Date

• Sunday, October 30th: HSA Trunk or Treat

• Monday, October 31st: Happy Halloween!

• Tuesday, November 1st: All Saints Day Mass, 8A. All are welcome to attend!

• Tuesday, November 1st: K-8 Winter Uniform Begins

• Thursday, November 3rd: Pink and Blue Dress Down Day, $5

• Friday, November 4th: First Friday Mass, 8A. All are welcome to attend!

• Saturday, November 5th: HSA Bottle and Can Drive, 10A-2P

• Saturday, November 5th: Vicki Soto 5K

• Monday, November 8th: No School, Professional Development Day

God gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know His holy will, and to do it fully

St. Ignatius of Loyola