Please remember when you drop off or pick up your daughter in front of the school that you must pull over to the curb to let her out. If there is no room at the curb, please continue to drive, turning right onto Mill and have her leave the car on Mill. Students should only leave the car on the curb side (not the traffic side). Please do not use our neighbors’ driveways to drop off your daughter. Please ask your daughter to be ready with her backpack in hand as you pull up; waiting for her to find all her things or finish up a conversation with you when cars are waiting behind is stressful.

One last request: Please be kind to one another as you wait and be mindful of others. We have at least three modes of public transportation adjacent to our building as well as many bike racks. If possible, encourage your daughter to be kind to the environment and find an earth-friendly way to and from school. Thank you.

Calendar Change

December

Christmas Concert, December 13, 2PM and December 16, 7PM.(This was originally scheduled on December 15.)

Food, food, food

Pizzicato Pizza, just next door, will donate a percentage of their profit to the St. Mary’s Academy Science Olympiad Team, Wednesday, October 21. It just happens to be a conference night, so celebrate all the good news you will hear from your daughter’s teachers by having pizza for dinner right across the street from the academy.

Junior Encounter

The sign-up for junior encounter has started. The encounters are November 19-21 or February 18-20. Camp Collins near Oxbow Park is the site for both encounters. “Juniors are highly encouraged to participate in one of the encounters. Seniors are also welcome if they missed the opportunity their junior year. Through prayer, reflection and large and small group sharing, students focus on their relationship with self, family, friends, their classmates and God” (from the 2009-10 Student Parent Handbook.) It is a wonderful experience, not to be missed. If you have questions, please contact Randy Kollars, Campus Minister at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Sister Linda at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

150th Liturgy of Thanksgiving and Praise

Please join in celebrating 150 years of the Sisters of the Holy Names in the Pacific Northwest, Sunday, October 18, 10:30 AM at the University of Portland, Chiles Center. We pray in thanksgiving for all those we have taught, ministered to, and served with and ask for God’s blessing for the next 150. A reception follows the liturgy. An RSVP is requested for planning purposes. Just go to our website and register.

Attendance reminders

If you know your daughter is going to be gone from school for college visits, family occasions, special events, or other reasons, please have her bring a note to Sister Linda a week or two in advance if possible. The note includes: her name, first and last, brief reason she will be gone, dates she will be gone and a parent signature. This note is then attached to a “Prearranged Absence Form” that will be signed by her teachers and given to Linda Brumder after it is completed.

Doctor/medical appointments

From the 2009-10 Student Parent Handbook: “For medical and/or dental appointments, verification from the physician, dentist or orthodontist’s office must be submitted to the Attendance Office upon the student’s return to school.”  This verification or note can be on a business card or notepad from the doctor’s office, or an appointment notification slip. The signature can be from the receptionist, nurse, assistant or doctor.

Thank you for your help with this. Keeping track of your daughters is very important to us. Please refer to the 2009-10 Student-Parent Handbook pgs. 17-19 for additional attendance policies and procedures.