May 1, 2024

 
 

NEW! Thank You - We have several thank you’s to extend this week!

Hot Lunch Containers - Thank you to the anonymous Hot Lunch volunteer who donated a boatload of new tupperware containers for our Hot Lunch leftovers! They are so handy and much appreciated!

Fun Friday Thank You! Thank you to our outstanding upper campus teachers for the fabulous Fun Friday program on the day before vacation! Teachers prepared mini-workshops on a variety of unique topics and activities. We so appreciate that our teachers go above and beyond to provide such fun and enriching experiences for our students!

 

Poetry Slam Thank You! Thanks also go to retired teacher Claire Ternan for coordinating our 19th annual (but not consecutive) Poetry Slam at the lower campus! It was a great morning celebrating the beauty of poetry and our student poets!

RSVP THIS WEEK! Annual Year-End Family BBQ - It’s time to start planning our annual All Saint Chris Academy BBQ! All families are invited to this fun and FREE gathering on Friday, May 24 from 5:30 - 7:00 PM! The event will be held in the field behind the upper campus building (or inside the upper campus if it should rain) Plans include a ton of FREE food and a DJ. To help us plan and purchase enough food, we'd like to get a preliminary count on attendees. If you think that you and your family will be attending, please complete the anonymous form HERE by THIS Friday, May 3. THANKS!

THIS WEEK! Trivia Night - After a very successful first event, our next Trivia Night for grades 5 to 8 will take place THIS FRIDAY, May 3rd from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the church hall! Students from grade 5 to 8 are welcome to attend. Bring your own snacks and drinks! 

Education Tax Credit (ETC) and Education Freedom Account (EFA) Applications Now Open! The 2024-2025 ETC and EFA application window is now open!  Childrens Scholarship NH (CSFNH)  offers a dual application for the 2024-2025 Education Tax Credit (ETC) scholarship and an Education Freedom Account (EFA) grant. Through this dual application, you may apply for either or both programs. If you choose to apply for both an ETC scholarship and an EFA grant, you must meet and agree to the requirements of each program to qualify.

THIS WEEK! The Education Tax Credit (ETC) scholarship application deadline is THIS Friday, May 3rd. Returning ETC families are given priority in receiving an ETC award provided there is still a financial need and the application along with all required documents are complete and submitted by the Friday, May 3rd deadline.

The Education Freedom Account (EFA) grant has strict funding guidelines. To receive a 100% EFA grant for the 2024-2025 school year, the application and supporting documents must be verified by Monday, July 15, 2024. EFA grants are awarded and prorated based on the EFA application's completed and verified status. Please refer to the EFA Parent Handbook on the CSFNH website for more details. 

Please Note:

  • You will only be considered for a 2024-25 award when your application and supporting documents have been verified by CSFNH.
  • Applications and supporting documents are reviewed in the order in which they are received, please allow up to 6-8 weeks for processing. Your patience during this high volume period is truly appreciated.
  • For an application status update, you may log into your CSFNH portal, and click on the ‘STUDENTS’ tab. 

Important Saint Christopher Financial Aid Note: Applicants for Saint Chris financial aid are also required to apply for aid from the Children’s Scholarship Fund. Any aid received from those funds will be deducted from the financial aid awarded through the Saint Christopher Academy financial aid program.

For questions, please contact Business Manager Shauna Hein at [email protected] or 603-882-7442, ext. 212.

NEW! Special Upper Campus Speaker - Students in grades 7 and 8 will attend a very special presentation by Holocaust survivor Kati Preston on Thursday, May 2nd at 1:00 PM in the upper campus gym. At 84 years young, Kati travels throughout New England recounting her experiences in Nazi-occupied Hungary and urging students to act with compassion and conquering hate with love and kindness. Parents are welcome to attend! For more information about Kati, please click HERE.

NEW! 4th Quarter Progress Reports - 4th quarter progress reports for students on both campuses will be emailed to parents THIS Friday, May 3rd!

Silver Knights Baseball Game - All student tickets have been ordered for the June 4 Silver Knights baseball game. Please remember that if your grade 1 to 6 student is not attending the game, he or she MUST stay home for the day. 

Parents tickets are still available for the game! Parent tickets must be purchased through the Silver Knights by using the link HERE and the group password SCA. Parent tickets are on a first come, first served basis through the Silver Knights website. No parent tickets will be available from the school.

NEW! Lower Campus Field DayLower campus will have their Field Day on Friday May 17th. Pre-K and K will be at the school in the morning for their activities while 1st through 5th will walk to the North Common Field in the afternoon for their fun. Parent volunteers and donations are needed and listed in the Sign Up Genius link HERE. Thank you for your help!

Field Day Lunch - Please note that there will be NO Hot Lunch for the lower campus that day. All lower campus students must bring a bagged lunch. Upper campus Hot Lunch will be served as usual. Thank you!

NEXT WEEK! Teacher Appreciation Lunch - Teacher Appreciation Week is NEXT WEEK,  May 6 through May 10! Let's celebrate our fabulous teachers and staff with a Teacher Appreciation Lunch on Wednesday, May 8 at both campuses! We are in need of food, paper goods/utensils, and volunteers to make this a great event. Please see the SignUp Genius for the lower campus HERE and the upper campus HERE. We appreciate your help in thanking our teachers for ALL that they do for our kids!

NEW! STEM Day Program –  Our STEM Day is coming up on Thursday, May 16! All students on both campuses will participate in presentations by STEM professionals in a variety of fields. We are excited to hear from our special guests! 

 

NEW! STEM Fair - On the evening of Thursday, May 16, families are invited to return to both campuses from 5:30 - 7:00 PM for the annual STEM Fair portion of the day to view student science projects on both campuses!

 

NEW! 8th Grade Dance - Eighth grade students!  Please join us as we celebrate you with a graduation dance on May 10! The theme is glow in the dark beach party!  Think bright colors and fun to celebrate.  Please follow dress code as outlined in the handbook.  See you there!

8th Grade Dance

NEW! Employment Opportunities - We are currently interviewing for new faculty members to fill potential open positions for the 2024-2025 school year! Please spread the word!  Preferred applicants should be practicing Catholics, hold an appropriate New Hampshire teaching certification (or be eligible for certification), and be ready to embrace our school mission of developing students who lead by example and live their lives with integrity and in service to God and others. Candidates may read more by clicking HERE!

Upper Campus Drop-In Tour Day - Do you know families who are considering Saint Chris for their grade 6 to 8 student in the fall? We believe that experiencing our school during the school day is the best way to get a real sense of the energy and enthusiasm of our Saint Chris community so the upper campus will be holding a drop-in tour day on May 15 for anyone who would like to see our staff and students “in action”!  Potential families are welcome to stop by the school any time between 8:30 am and 1:30 pm for an impromptu personal tour. 

Drop-In Tours 

NEW! Campus Ministry Outreach - Saint Chris Campus Ministry will be visiting the elderly at Aynsley Place (80 Lake Street) next week from 3:00 - 4:00 PM on Monday, May 6th. All UC students are welcome to attend!

NEW! Fine Arts Festival - Please join our extra curricular music groups for the Spring Fine Arts Festival concert on Wednesday, May 22 at 7:00 PM in the gym at the upper campus. The evening will also include instrument demonstrations from grade 3 to 5 students and artword from every student in grades Kindergarten through 8! Doors open at 5:30 PM.

 

NEW! Hot Lunch Ends - Don’t forget….Hot Lunch service ends on both campuses on Friday, May 31. All students must bring a lunch from home from June 3 through the end of school! There will be no “Forgotten Lunches” available at the lower campus. If a student does not bring a lunch, a parent will be called. 

 

NEW! Helen J Horan Scholarship Applications for 8th Grade Students Applications for the Helen J. Horan Scholarship for graduating 8th grade students are now being accepted. This scholarship provides support to a deserving Saint Christopher Academy 8th grade student who plans to continue his or her education at a Catholic high school next year. Established by the late Father Denis Horan in loving memory of his sister Helen, the Helen J. Horan Scholarship is the top award for our graduating students and will be awarded at the Baccalaureate Dinner on June 1st. The deadline for applications is May 15. Please see the description HERE for qualifications and other important information.

 

Lower Campus Library News - Birthday Books - If you would like to purchase a birthday book for your student this year, please send Mrs. Noon an email or a note by April 19th to allow plenty of time for the book to be delivered and processed. If you have more than one student, feel free to get their birthday books at the same time! For more information on the birthday book program find it HERE. We have added over 50 new books to the library this year, thanks to our families donating to the Birthday Book Program. Thank you for your generosity! 

End of the Year Dates - The end of the school year may seem like a long way away, but it will come quickly!  We have scheduled the following important dates and events:

Friday, May 17

  • Lower campus Field Day 

Friday, May 24

  • Family BBQ at the upper campus (all current families invited!)

Wednesday, June 5

  • 8th Grade last day of school - 8th grade released at 11:30 AM
  • 5:00 PM –  8th grade Baccalaureate Mass at St. Christopher Parish (graduate and two parents only)
  • 6:30 PM - 8th grade dinner at the upper campus (graduate and two parents only)

Friday, June 7

  • 7:00 PM - 8th grade Graduation at the upper campus

Tuesday, June 11

  • Grade 5 last day of school - 5th grade released at noon
  • 5:30 PM - 5th grade Convocation at upper campus (students gather at lower campus at 4:40 PM)

Wednesday , June 12

  • Early Release and final day of school for grades PreK to 4, 6 & 7

 

NEW! Back to School Dates - Speaking of important dates, we have some important notes about back-to-school for Fall 2025! If you are booking summer vacations or other plans, please keep these important dates in mind: 

PreK and Kindergarten Playground Days - The lower campus playground will be open for all PreK and Kdg students and their parents for three Mondays in August (5, 12,and 19) from 9:00-10:00 AM. Come on down! This is a great time for the kids...and parents....to make important connections with friends before the school year begins!

 

Monday, August 26 – 

  • First day of school for 6th grade students ONLY. This will be a half day for 6th grade students. More details will be sent to 6th grade parents later in the summer.
  • Lower campus Meet the Teacher from 9:00 - 11:00 AM. Class lists will be posted in the school lobby that day.

 

Tuesday, August 27 - First day of school for all students on both campuses. (2nd day of school for grade 6.) Students should be in full school uniform.

 

Friday, August 30 and Monday, September 2 - No School…Labor Day Weekend


 Hot Lunch Volunteers - Thank you to our fabulous Hot Lunch volunteers! The schedule for the next week is:

Thursday, May 2

LC:  Trisha Muldoon, Weilin Li

UC: Nadra Bell, NEED A VOLUNTEER

Friday, May 3

LC:  Julie Vincent, Brenda Milinazzo, Katrina Adell, Amy Milinazzo

UC: Nadra Bell, Kate Aquino

Monday, May 6

LC: Renee Gabree, Stephanie Ellison

UC: Liz Cyran, Nadra Bell

Tuesday, May 7

LC: John Lynch, Tina Bruno

UC: Emily Uong, Diana Morel

Wednesday, May 8

LC: Jennifer Villada, Liza Guilmette

UC: Rocio Spencer, Becky Kosterman

Popcorn Poppers: Our popcorn poppers are:

Friday, May 3:

LC:  Louis Cardinale, Stacy Cardinale, Caroline Belt

UC: Tara Canaway, Melissa Szymansky, Daliana Spencer

 

Upcoming School Masses - All parents are invited to attend our weekly school masses! Parents must enter through the front door of each campus facility, sign in, and receive a nametag to attend. All masses are at 9:45 AM on both campuses unless otherwise noted. The schedule for the next month is:

May 9 - Ascension Thursday - Mass on both campuses. Upper Campus May Crowning to immediately follow.

May 20 - Upper Campus Mass

May 30 - Lower Campus Mass

June 10 - Final Lower Campus Mass (UPDATED!)

June 11 - Final Upper Campus Mass (NEW!)


 

 COMMUNITY NEWS 

 NEW! Passport to El Salvador at Nashua Library - Saturday, May 4 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Nashua Public Library. Experience the culture of El Salvador through a dance performance by Grupo Trogoz, craft activities, and free Salvadorian foods.

Schedule of Events: 

2-2:30 - Free pupusas from Mateo's Market on Arlington St. while supplies last.

2:30-3:00 - Folk dance performance by Grupo Torogoz.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Nashua Public Library.

Passport to El Salvador

NEW! Notable Nashuans: Voices from the Past - The Nashua Historical Society will present “Notable Nashuans: Voices from the Past” cemetery tours this Saturday, May 4 at the Unitarian Universalist Church Cemetery…and our very own Mrs. Fessenden, Mrs. Bouchard, and students Isabelle and Evelyn Bouchard will be portraying several of the notable Nashuans in tour A! Timed tour tickets are still available! For more information, please click HERE

NEW! Nashua Community College Summer Courses for grades 6 and up - Nashua Community College will be offering several summer courses for students who will be in grades 6 and up this coming fall, including courses on high school success, aviation technology, and Adruino programming among other topics. Please see the flyer HERE for more information!