News and Events
Friday Flash
Friday Flash
February 28, 2020
Parents, our Lost and Found cabinet is full again! Please come into the building if your child is missing a fleece, water bottle, lunch box, jacket, etc.
IT EXPERIENCE? – do you have some free time and some IT experience? St. Matthew’s is looking for someone as a long term substitute in our IT department for April and May. Basic duties include hardware troubleshooting, installing software and basic network management. You wouldn’t be the only IT person but would be the first line of support for helping teachers and staff. If interested, please email Mr. Goldberg at lgoldberg@smsvb.net.
The March Lunch Menu is attached.
There will be no Mass on Tuesday, March 3rd.
Wednesday, March 4th is Class Picture Day. Uniforms Only are to be worn. No Dress Downs that day.
Friday, March 6th is a Donation Dress Down Day. Proceeds will go towards Carnival.
The next VIRTUS class at St. Matthew’s School is scheduled for Saturday, March 21st from 9am-12pm in the cafeteria. Please sign up at www.virtus.org. There you will create an account, register for the class, and fill out an online background check. The Diocese of Richmond has mandated that all volunteers who work with children are required to take this class. Sessions fill quickly, so please don’t delay signing up. If you have any questions about the VIRTUS program or the website, please contact the front office. Thank you.
CRS Rice Bowl – FIRST WEEK OF LENT – Hunger in Our World – When Jesus fed the 5,000, he said, “Give them some food yourselves.” Reflect on the challenge of global hunger. How can you contribute to support the hungry in your community? Visit crsricebowl.org for more. A flyer is also attached.
Coronavirus – This new virus has now reached the United States, though you should know the current risk for becoming infected is low. While officials are still learning about this new strain of the virus, check out the attached flyer for basic information and tips to help protect you and your family.
Please see attached flyer for CHS Baseball Clinic.
From the PTG:
2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt- 
Some “bunny” needs your help for the 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt! The PTG is looking for parent volunteers on April 3rd from 1PM until 3PM to assist with this joyful event for our kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders. Be on the lookout for a Signup Genius with our needs to have a successful egg hunt!
Papa John’s- Let’s get the BIG WIN this year! Please continue to share our Papa John’s code SMSEAGLES with your friends and family. Remember, If you purchase a $10 Papa John’s gift card through Matthew’s Money you will also receive one Dress Down Pass! When you think about ordering pizza, think Papa John’s.
SMS Book Club – $25 adds a book to the Library’s permanent collection and is a perfect gift idea any time of the year! Select from the Wish List or pick a special book for your student(s) or a staff member. It’s a great way to give a unique and memorable gift that keeps on giving! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the PTG. See SMS Book Club order form for details.
PTG Facebook Page-Please join our St. Matthew’s PTG Facebook page. Stay connected about all of the upcoming events and get involved!
Library News for Parents – Once again, SMS is participating in Virginia 529’s Reading Makes Cents program. This earns us 3 free library books, and allows our K-5 students to enter their contest: 14 Virginia participants will win $529 in a starter College Savings Account! The librarian
reads aloud 4 of the 5 required books during K-5 Library classes. If you, the parent(s), complete and return the form (coming home in March), your child could win! Find out more at readingmakescents.com online. In the news, I just read that there are even more uses that your VA529 savings can cover,
hooray! Please, let’s Begin with the End in Mind. Thanks, Mrs. Ziegenfuss.
Mad Science – Learn what it takes to be a super spy, daring detective, or forensic scientist! From analyzing shoe prints to trying out some cool spy gear, the Secret Agent Lab will give students an up-close and hands-on experience with forensic science. Please see the attached flyer.
Box Tops – Since we began collecting those little $.10 Box Tops many, many years ago, the program has brought us in $43,929! That is all from families clipping and sending in those little tiny pieces of cardboard. Now that Box Tops is going digital, we could potentially grow our program even more. Friends, family and of course YOU are a huge part of this in getting the word out, remembering to ask people to download the app on their phone, scan receipts and still collect those little clipped boxes on products to send in. They are even accepting pick up grocery order receipts if you email them your receipt after pickup. This year will be a transition year as we all get in the habit of this change. Please keep clipping and scanning!
Are you interested in earning money towards tuition or getting volunteer hours? Do you just want to get out of the house and enjoy some adult company while volunteering? Well, I have the gig for you! Below is the list of events at the Scope for which our school has volunteered to work the concession stand. Please email Amy Chesney if you have any questions and would like to sign up for some events.
https://www.signupgenius.com/
We are also taking names of people who would be interested in doing the same thing at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater this summer. At this venue, you will have to be TEAM certified to work and there is a signup currently for families interested, but the dates of classes have not been set yet. At this venue, we have 4 locations: a burger grill, gourmet chicken stand, wine, and beer stands. If you have any questions, please email Amy Chesney at achesney@smsvb.net.
https://www.signupgenius.com/
SMS Spirit Day at TASTE at the Greenbrier location on Sunday, March 8th from 3-5pm. Present the flyer that will be sent home with your oldest and only student on Thursday, March 5th when you place your order and SMS receives 20%! This is the first time we have partnered with TASTE. Here is a link to their menu to entice you: https://greenbrier.taste.
2019-20 Annual Appeal Pledges – if you did not pledge to contribute to the 2019-20 Annual Appeal when you registered for this school year, please consider making a Lenten/Easter Pledge. This fund helps us cover expenses over the summer months. If you already pledged, but would also like to make a Lenten Pledge, it will be greatly appreciated. All Annual Appeal contributors are listed in the SMS Annual Report that is sent to St. Matthew parishioners, school families, and donors. To pay by credit card, please contact Liz Allen at 757-420-2455 x522 or via email development@smsvb.net with a time that she can call you.
We are very grateful to Cooper & Hurley Injury Lawyers for being our Carnival Social Media Sponsor again this year! Everyone had fun taking pictures with our Mermaid and sharing pictures with friends and family from Carnival 2019. Capture memories with your family and friends by stopping by the Social Media booth on May 8th and 9th!
Mechanical Bull Sponsor – $1,500
This sponsorship covers the cost of the mechanical bull ride for all those who need to satisfy their inner cowboy or cowgirl! This should be a very popular adult ride and make for some great pictures!
Marketing recognition includes:
· Company logo/name printed on a sign or banner displayed alongside the bull
· Weekly acknowledgment in Carnival newsletter
· Hyperlinked company logo or name recognition on the Carnival web page
·2 Reserved Parking Spots for Friday and Saturday
·2 Unlimited weekend ride wristbands
· Access to the VIP tent for 4 on Friday & Saturday
Fish Fry…Fry’ Day! Offered every Friday during Lent, beginning tomorrow, February 28th. It will be held in the St. Matthew’s Cafeteria from 3:30pm -6:00pm. See the attached flyer for more information.
HELP NEEDED – Another adult to help with childcare during Thursday, Bible Study from 8:15-9:45 during Lent. Please contact Lei Ann Galvez at lgalvez@smsvb.net.
Field Hockey Registration is due today! Forms went out in previous Friday Flashes.
Track and Field Registration is ongoing. Forms went out in previous Friday Flashes.
Friday Flash
February 21, 2020
IT EXPERIENCE? – do you have some free time and some IT experience? St. Matthew’s is looking for someone as a long term substitute in our IT department for April and May. Basic duties include hardware troubleshooting, installing software and basic network management. You wouldn’t be the only IT person but would be the first line of support for helping teachers and staff. If interested, please email Mr. Goldberg at lgoldberg@smsvb.net.
The National Junior Honor Society is hosting an Eyeglass Drive through the end of March. We are collecting used eyeglasses that will be donated to the Lions Club. Their Recycle for Sight Program processes old eyeglasses for distribution to optical missions around the world. Collection boxes are in the small cafeteria, by the front office, and near the library. Thank you for your support!
From the Music Corner:
Our SMS Middle School Choir will be singing the National Anthem for the last ODU Men’s basketball game on Wed Mar 4th at 7pm. Tickets are $10 per person and there are available concession voucher packages as well. We invite everyone to enjoy this wonderful event!
Forms are due no later than Feb 26th to Mrs. Alberto!
Any Questions? Please contact Mrs. Alberto or Mr. Fencil.
From the PTG:
Papa John’s- Let’s get the BIG WIN this year! Please continue to share our Papa John’s code SMSEAGLES with your friends and family. Remember, if you purchase a $10 Papa John’s gift card through Matthew’s Money you will also receive one Dress Down Pass! When you think about ordering pizza, think Papa John’s.
2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt- 
Be on the lookout for more information about our 2nd annual Easter Egg Hunt for our Kindergarteners, first and second graders! We are only a few weeks away to this fun-filled event. More information to follow.
SMS Book Club – $25 adds a book to the Library’s permanent collection and is a perfect gift idea any time of the year! Select from the Wish List or pick a special book for your student(s) or a staff member. It’s a great way to give a unique and memorable gift that keeps on giving! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the PTG. See SMS Book Club order form for details.
PTG Facebook Page- Please join our St. Matthew’s PTG Facebook page. Stay connected about all of the upcoming events and get involved!
We hope you marked your calendar for Thursday, May 7th to join us for the SMS Alumni Shrimp Fest from 6-10pm! Current and past SMS families, along with the general public, are invited to join us for all you can eat Shrimp, BBQ, Coleslaw, hush puppies, baked beans, and never-ending beverages. Entertainment by the Paul Urban Band. Tickets go on sale April 1st for $35 at the school or $36.50 online at http://smsvb.net/news-and-
Interested in being our 2020 Shrimp Fest sponsor?! Here’s what you get:
2020 Shrimp Fest Sponsor – $3,000
This sponsorship covers the cost of the ALL YOU CAN EAT Shrimp Fest. Marketing recognition includes:
- Company logo/name printed on a banner displayed at the Shrimp Fest as well as all weekend
- 10 Tickets to the “Shrimp Fest” on Thursday, May 7, 2020
- Company logo or name on plastic 16oz beer cups for Shrimp Fest
- 2 Reserved Parking Spots Friday and Saturday
- Access to the VIP tent for 4 on Friday & Saturday
- 5 Unlimited weekend ride wristbands
- Weekly acknowledgment in Carnival newsletter
- Hyperlinked company logo or name recognition on the Carnival web page
Contact LaDonna Sinsabaugh at Lsinsabaugh@smsvb.net or 757-420-2455 x518. Click here for more sponsorship opportunities and to check out our Carnival newsletter!
Please join us every Friday during Lent for our weekly fish fry. Please see the attachment.
Matthew’s Money March Madness begins March 1st. Please see the attached flyer.
Field Hockey News: CRU field hockey league registration information is attached. REGISTRATION DUE 2/28. Uniform Order form is also attached. Practices are held at SMS on the school fields. For your planning purposes, here are some important dates:
Play Days: Saturdays, March 28th, April 4th, April 25th: all games played at Catholic High School in Virginia Beach from 12-5 PM (2-3 games/play day). End of Season Tournament: Saturday, May 2nd: all day event (4 game guarantee). Rain Make Up Days: May 9th and May 16th.
We are in DESPERATE need of one more coach. No experience required, game rules and some drills are provided in the coach’s packet. All of our coaches at SMS must be VIRTUS trained and attend our on-site Safety training. If you are not VIRTUS trained, here is the website with a schedule of the upcoming classes: www.VIRTUS.org. Please contact Kelly Liebold if you have any questions about coaching or otherwise, kliebold@smsvb.net.
Track and Field Registration – Robert Avis and Jimmy Overton will once again be coaching the Track and Field team this spring with Rick Mateo helping out. Attached is the Track and Field registration form.
Friday Flash
February 14, 2020
Happy Valentine’s Day!
There is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 17th. It is, however, California Pizza Kitchen Spirit Day with 20% back to our school. Don’t forget to purchase your gift cards ahead of time as well! Flyer attached.
For those who are interested in working events through places like the Norfolk Scope and Virginia Beach Amphitheatre to offset the cost of tuition, earn volunteer hours or earn money to use for Matthew’s Money gift cards, please sign up below to take the training class. This is a sign up to see who is interested in working events. When the class schedule is released, you will be contacted with the dates and times. Please contact Amy Chesney with any questions at achesney@smsvb.net.
https://www.signupgenius.com/
We are still registering for Spring Soccer! Our school plays through the Beach FC Recreation program, please use the link below to sign your student up to play. All practices will be held at SMS Monday- Friday with the dates and times to be determined. All games are played on Saturday mornings any time between 8 am- 2 pm at Williams Farm Park in Virginia Beach. The game season will run from March 7th – May 2nd with a scheduled rain date of May 9th.
http://www.beachfc.com/
We will continue to offer our preschoolers at SMS an opportunity to play soccer through Soccer Shots of Hampton Roads. Please see the link below for the spring season for sign up information!
If you have any soccer-related questions about Soccer Shots or Beach FC Recreation, please contact the Soccer Coordinator, Amy Chesney, at achesney@smsvb.net.
Golf News – If you or your child signed up for golf on Orientation night, please contact Fred Myers at fred.myers@cox.net or 757-449-0359. Practice is going to start the week of March 9th.
Young Brain Exercise Class – Grades 2-5 after school one day a week. Please see attachment to sign up. Your child will learn strategies to improve processing skills and memory through fun techniques and games. This will be a group session: maximum of 5 students, on Wednesdays after school for an hour. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Ms. Hope at dhope@smsvb.net.
Box Top Submission Date is quickly approaching! Please send in your Box Tops! Unfortunately, with the changes of the program going mainly digital we are unable to hand out Dress Down passes for sending in Box Tops. Please just send in any you may have at any time. Thank you to those who have been scanning your receipts! It will probably take a little while to catch on and as we go through this season of digital change, we will look to see what dress down incentives or prizes we may wish to offer next school year. Attached is a Valentine submission sheet that you may turn in at any time through the month of February! Thank you for your patience!
Carnival Beverage Sponsorship is available for $5,000
This sponsorship covers the cost of all the beverages served at Carnival.
Marketing recognition includes:
? 6 Tickets to the “Shrimp Fest” on Thursday, May 7, 2020
? 6 Unlimited weekend ride wristbands
? Access to the VIP tent for 4 on Friday & Saturday
? 2’x6’ banner on the stage – “Carnival Beverages Sponsored by”
? Company logo or name on plastic 16oz beer cups
? Weekly acknowledgment in Carnival newsletter
? Hyperlinked company logo or name recognition on the Carnival web page
? 4 Reserved Parking Spots Friday and Saturday
A big thank you to this year’s SMS Country Carnival Specialty Cup and Wine Sponsor Louis with Stephen Merritt, CPA, P.C. The Merritts are an SMS alumni family.
Our Marketing Tower at the entrance to the Carnival is being sponsored again by The Liebold Family!
Field Hockey News: CRU field hockey league registration information is attached. REGISTRATION DUE 2/28. Uniform Order form is also attached. Practices are held at SMS on the school fields. For your planning purposes, here are some important dates:
Play Days: Saturdays, March 28th, April 4th, April 25th: all games played at Catholic High School in Virginia Beach from 12-5 PM (2-3 games/play day). End of Season Tournament: Saturday, May 2nd: all day event (4 game guarantee). Rain Make Up Days: May 9th and May 16th.
We are in DESPERATE need of one more coach. No experience required, game rules and some drills are provided in the coach’s packet. All of our coaches at SMS must be VIRTUS trained and attend our on-site Safety training. If you are not VIRTUS trained, here is the website with a schedule of the upcoming classes: www.VIRTUS.org. Please contact Kelly Liebold if you have any questions about coaching or otherwise, kliebold@smsvb.net.
American Heart News: Last call for donations! If your child forgot to bring in his or her donation, please turn it in on Monday or register online to make it easier. We are $1,100 short of our goal. Keep those donations coming! It’s a “Win-Win” for the school since the PE department earns equipment and the American Heart Association receives a donation. Don’t forget it is a tax write off too. Our school is listed as St. Matthew’s Catholic School on the American Heart Association/Kids Heart Challenge website. A BIG thanks to those who donated to this wonderful cause. We can make a difference in many people’s lives.
From the Music Corner – The Middle School Choir Bake Sale will be held during all lunches Tuesday, February 18th through Thursday, February 20th to help raise money for our Choir Trip this spring. Enjoy some lumpia, red velvet cupcakes, cookies, brownies, donuts and other assorted items starting at $.50 each! If you would like to donate to our bake sale, please fill out the attached form and bring it to Mrs. Alberto. Thank you for supporting the Arts in our school!
From the PTG:
Papa John’s- Let’s get the BIG WIN this year! Please continue to share our Papa John’s code SMSEAGLES with your friends and family. Remember, If you purchase a $10 Papa John’s gift card through Matthew’s Money you will also receive one Dress Down Pass! When you think about ordering pizza, think Papa John’s.
2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt- 
Be on the lookout for more information about our 2nd annual Easter Egg Hunt for our Kindergarteners, first and second graders! We are only 9 weeks away to this fun-filled event. More information to follow.
SMS Book Club – $25 adds a book to the Library’s permanent collection and is a perfect Valentine’s Day gift idea! Select from the Wish List or pick a special book for your student(s) or a staff member. It’s a great way to give a unique and memorable gift that keeps on giving! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the PTG. See SMS Book Club order form for details.
PTG Facebook Page- Please join our St. Matthew’s PTG Facebook page. Stay connected about all of the upcoming events and get involved!
Track and Field Registration – Robert Avis and Jimmy Overton will once again be coaching the Track and Field team this spring with Rick Mateo helping out. Attached is the Track and Field registration form.
Friday Flash
February 7, 2020
There is NO SCHOOL on Friday, February 14th Teacher Work Day) and NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 17th (President’s Day).
DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! Make sure you are logging your parent volunteer hours throughout the year. Instructions for doing so can be found under Announcements in Family Portal, and below.
To Add Service Hours:
Hours are not cleared after each school year. Please enter the correct date of service so that you will receive credit for the correct school year.
In Family Portal, go to Family, Family Home, Select the Correct Parent at the top and click Add in the Service Hours section in the middle. Enter the appropriate information, selecting from the drop down items, where available. You do not need to enter anything in the Verified By section. If you have a repeating job, it is not necessary to enter each instance. For example, if you work in the cafeteria once a week, just use the category of Other, enter “25” in the Hours section, and in the Notes section, simply type “weekly cafeteria worker.” While we greatly appreciate your assistance, it is not necessary to continue to record your hours once you have reached 25.
If you are a single parent, a deploying parent, or are married to a deployed parent, simply go to the Description tab and drop down to Other. Go to “Note” section and type in 12.5 hours and add “single parent” or “deploying parent.” Then record your hours as above. This will help prevent the system from tagging you as delinquent in your hours.
Thank you for your continued support of St. Matthew’s!
School Mass at 9am on February 11th (4C).
QU Wedding (Kindergarten) on Thursday, February 13th.
There is no Chess Club on Wednesday, February 12th.
Young Brain Exercise Class – Grades 2-5 after-school one day a week. Please see attachment to sign up. Your child will learn strategies to improve processing skills and memory through fun techniques and games. This will be a group session: maximum of 5 students, Wednesdays after school for an hour. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Ms. Hope at dhope@smsvb.net.
St. Matthew’s Church is looking for altar servers for their Saturday 5:30pm and Sunday 6:00pm masses. No experience is required and training will be provided. Please contact Deacon Dan by email at dsorady@aol.com if you are interested or have any questions. They are also looking for singers for the Youth Choir at the 12pm Sunday mass. Again, email Deacon Dan to apply.
From the PTG:
Papa John’s Super Bowl Contest- To the families who ordered Papa John’s pizza during the NFL Playoffs through Super Bowl Sunday, you are asked to please submit the receipt(s) for a chance to win one of the prizes offered by the SMS PTG. Please put it/them in an envelope and submit to the PTG mailbox by Monday, Feb. 10th. Please mark the envelope as ATTN: SONDRA SMITH. Thank you to ALL of the families for your participation!
Let’s get the BIG WIN this year! Please continue to share our Papa John’s code SMSEAGLES with your friends and family. Remember, If you purchase a $10 Papa John’s gift card through Matthew’s Money you will also receive one Dress Down Pass! When you think about ordering pizza, think Papa John’s.
2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt- 
Be on the lookout for more information about our 2nd annual Easter Egg Hunt for our Kindergarteners, first and second graders! We are only 9 weeks away to this fun-filled event. More information to follow.
SMS Book Club – $25 adds a book to the Library’s permanent collection and is a perfect Valentine’s Day gift idea! Select from the Wish List or pick a special book for your student(s) or a staff member. It’s a great way to give a unique and memorable gift that keeps on giving! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the PTG. See SMS Book Club order form for details.
PTG Facebook Page- Please join our St. Matthew’s PTG Facebook page. Stay connected about all of the upcoming events and get involved!
January Coke Reward Collectors – Thank you to our January Coke Reward Collectors – Alexander Faber (7A), Peyton Morrison(2B), Ian Gadshian (3A), Jordan Hardesty (3B), and Charlotte Charbonneau (1A). Keep up the good work!
SAVE THE DATES – the 4th annual SMS All You Can Eat Shrimp Fest will be held on Thursday, May 7th from 6-10 pm at the school. Feast on Shrimp, BBQ, coleslaw, hush puppies, baked beans, corn on the cob, and wash it down with soft drinks and adult beverages. While you are eating, you will be listening to great music provided by the Paul Urban Band. Tickets will go on sale April 1st online.
The 35th annual SMS Carnival 2020 “Country Carnival” will be held on Friday, May 8th from 5-10pm and Saturday, May 9th from 11am-10pm. Live entertainment both days, great food, games including the very popular Cake Walk & BINGO, rides, vendors, and family fun! Unlimited ride wristbands will be available again this year starting April 1st.
Coming to St. Matthew’s this Lent – LIVING IN THE FATHER’S LOVE. This brief but powerful six-week Bible study is the ideal way to revive and refresh yourself. Discover just how much God loves us and how the Gospels are deeply relevant to our relationship with God and those we love. We will meet Thursday mornings, 8:15-9:45 beginning February 20th – April 2th ( We will not meet February 27th). Register for this heart transforming Catholic Bible Study by emailing Dr. Galvez at lgalvez@smsvb.net. Order your “Living in the Father’s Purpose Study Guide” at walkingwithpupose.com or https://shop.
From the Music Corner – The Middle School Choir Bake Sale will be held during all lunches Tuesday, February 17th through Thursday, February 20th to help raise money for our Choir Trip this spring. Enjoy some lumpia, red velvet cupcakes, cookies, brownies, donuts and other assorted items starting at $.50 each! If you would like to donate to our bake sale, please fill out the attached form and bring it to Mrs. Alberto. Thank you for supporting the Arts in our school!
Field Hockey News: CRU field hockey league registration information is attached. Uniform Order form is also attached. Practices are held at SMS on the school fields. For your planning purposes, here are some important dates:
Play Days: Saturdays, March 28th, April 4th, April 25th: all games played at Catholic High School in Virginia Beach from 12-5 PM (2-3 games/play day). End of Season Tournament: Saturday, May 2nd: all day event (4 game guarantee). Rain Make Up Days: May 9th and May 16th.
We are in DESPERATE need of coaches for all of the teams. No experience required, game rules and some drills are provided in a coach’s packet. All of our coaches at SMS must be VIRTUS trained and attend our on-site Safety training. If you are not VIRTUS trained, here is the website with a schedule of the upcoming classes: www.VIRTUS.org. Please contact Kelly Liebold if you have any questions about coaching or otherwise, kliebold@smsvb.net.
American Heart News: Yesterday was the Kids Heart Challenge! If your child forgot to bring in his or her donation, please turn it in on Monday or register online to make it easier. Keep those donations coming! It’s a “Win-Win” for the school since the PE department earns equipment and the American Heart Association receives a donation. Our school is listed as St. Matthew’s Catholic School on the American Heart Association/Kids Heart Challenge website. A BIG thanks to those who donated to this wonderful cause. We can make a difference in many people’s lives.
For those who are interested in working events through places like the Norfolk Scope and Virginia Beach Amphitheatre to offset the cost of tuition, earn volunteer hours or earn money to use for Matthew’s Money gift cards, please sign up below to take the training class. This is a sign up to let me know who is interested in working events. When the class schedule is released, you will be contacted with the dates and times.
https://www.signupgenius.com/g
We are still registering for Spring Soccer! Our school plays through Beach FC Recreation program, please use the link below to sign your student up to play. All practices will be held at SMS Monday- Friday with the dates and times after coaches are determined. All games are played on Saturday mornings any time between 8 am- 2 pm at Williams Farm Park in Virginia Beach. The game season will run from March 7th – May 2nd with a scheduled rain date of May 9th.
http://www.beachfc.com/recreat
We will continue to offer our preschoolers at SMS an opportunity to play soccer through Soccer Shots of Hampton Roads. Please see the link for the spring season and sign up information!
If you have any soccer-related questions about Soccer Shots or Beach FC Recreation, please contact the Soccer Coordinator, Amy Chesney, at achesney@smsvb.net
Also, the Bake Sale flyer for the Middle School Choir Bake sale (Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 17-20) is attached.
Friday Flash
January 31, 2020
SMS Spirit Night is Wednesday, February 5th from 4pm-10pm at Texas Roadhouse Sam’s Circle! Present the flyer that will be sent home with your oldest student on Monday, Feb. 3rd when you eat-in or take out and SMS receives 10% of all orders! Great time to use those bookmarks and close out this year’s Reading Rodeo.
In the Saturday finals of Battle of the Books, I believe St Matthew’s team “Dios World” came in 3rd, but just 1pt behind the 2nd place team from ODS. I heard the ODS school itself put up 14 teams in the beginning. I know it was an immense amount of preparation and achievement, and is something to be proud of. This is really a great reflection on your school. There were a total of 50 teams in all. Sincerely, Rick (Commonwealth Office).
Young Brain Exercise Class – Grades 2-5 after-school one day a week. Please see attachment to sign up. Your child will learn strategies to improve processing skills and memory through fun techniques and games. This will be a group session: maximum of 5 students, Wednesdays after school for an hour. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Ms. Hope at dhope@smsvb.net.
Field Hockey News: CRU field hockey league registration information will be coming out very soon. Practices are held on the SMS school fields. For your planning purposes, here are some important dates:
Play Days: Saturdays, March 28th, April 4th, April 25th: all games played at Catholic High School in Virginia Beach from 12-5 PM (2-3 games/play day). End of Season Tournament: Saturday, May 2nd: all day event (4 game guarantee). Rain Make Up Days: May 9th and May 16th.
We will be in need of coaches for all of the teams. No experience required, game rules and some drills are provided in a coach’s packet. All of our coaches at SMS must be VIRTUS trained and attend our on-site Safety training. If you are not VIRTUS trained, here is the website with a schedule of upcoming classes: www.VIRTUS.org. Please contact Kelly Liebold if you have any questions about coaching or otherwise, kliebold@smsvb.net.
American Heart News: ONLY 6 more days until the BIG day! Our Kids Heart Challenge (previously known as Jump-in-Jeans) date will be Thursday, February 6, 2020. See attached schedule. Donation envelopes went home with your child/children several weeks ago; please check folders and book bags. As of Wednesday morning this week, we have raised $2,529.65 out of our $7,000 goal. Remember, if your child wants an athletic dress down, he/she must donate $5.00 or more. Keep those donations coming! It’s a “Win-Win” for the school since the PE department earns equipment and the American Heart Association receives a donation. Our school is listed as St. Matthew’s Catholic School on the American Heart Association/Kids Heart Challenge website.
Shoe La-La News: Congratulations to all those who entered the Shoe La-La contest. Lots of imaginative shoes in this competition! 1st place winner: Chloe Lane (4B), 2nd place winner: Annabelle Bailey (4C), and 3rd place winner: Sienna Falcon (1C). We raised $29.00 for the American Heart Association.
TCBL Night – February 4th – CHS Girls Varsity vs HRA 5:00 PM and CHS Boys Varsity vs HRA 7:00 PM. From Catholic High School:
We would love for your teams to join us for some fun activities for these two games. Any TCBL player that wears their team jersey will get in free and receive a prize. We would love for SMS cheerleaders to cheer alongside ours for the game! We will reserve a section of seating for your basketball players and announce the teams at half time. We will also include them in our half time with a fun contest or scrimmage. Come have a great time!
TCIS Quarter Finals – February 18th- Rising Freshman Night
Tentative Game Times: 5:30 and 7 PM From Catholic High School:
It is likely that both of our boys and girls varsity teams will end up hosting the first round of the TCIS Quarterfinals and we’d love to have 8th grade students join us in our student section. We will have a lot of fun planned for them as well as to begin bonding as the class of 2024. This will be open to all lower school 8th graders, not just basketball players!
No Chess Club on February 12th.
Coming to St. Matthew’s this Lent. LIVING IN THE FATHER’S LOVE. This brief but powerful six-week Bible study is the ideal way to revive and refresh yourself. Discover just how much God loves us and how the Gospels are deeply relevant to our relationship with God and those we love. We will meet Thursday mornings, 8:15-9:45am beginning February 27th – April 2nd. Register for this heart transforming Catholic Bible Study by emailing Dr. Galvez at lgalvez@smsvb.net. Order your “Living in the Father’s Purpose Study Guide” at walkingwithpupose.com or https://shop.
The February Lunch Menu is attached.
The Honor Roll from January 2020 is attached.
From the PTG:
Papa John’s- It’s as easy as pie, pizza pie that is, to get a slice of the NFL playoff action at SMS. Order your game day pizzas from Papa John’s now through February 2nd, Super Bowl Sunday, for your chance to win! Click on the link for more information. SMS PTG Papa John’s NFL Playoff Contest
Let’s get the BIG WIN this year! Please continue to share our Papa John’s code SMSEAGLES with your friends and family. Remember, f you purchase a $10 Papa John’s gift card through Matthew’s Money you will also receive one Dress Down Pass! When you think about ordering pizza, think Papa John’s.
2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt- Be on t
he lookout for more information about our 2nd annual Easter Egg Hunt for our Kindergarteners, first and second graders! We are only 9 weeks away to this fun-filled event. More information to follow.
SMS Book Club – $25 adds a book to the Library’s permanent collection and is a perfect Valentine’s Day gift idea! Select from the Wish List or pick a special book for your student(s) or a staff member. It’s a great way to give a unique and memorable gift that keeps on giving! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the PTG. See SMS Book Club order form for details.
PTG Facebook Page- Please join our St. Matthew’s PTG Facebook page. Stay connected about all of the upcoming events and get involved!
Friday Flash
January 24, 2020
Grandparent Brunch – Tuesday, January 28th. Welcome Grandparents! See attachment.
TCBL Night – February 4th – CHS Girls Varsity vs HRA at 5:00 PM and CHS Boys Varsity vs HRA 7:00 PM. From Catholic High School:
We would love for your teams to join us for some fun activities for these two games. Any TCBL player that wears their team jersey will get in free and receive a prize. We would love for SMS cheerleaders to cheer alongside ours for the game! We will reserve a section of seating for your basketball players and announce the teams at half time. We will also include them in our half time with a fun contest or scrimmage. Come have a great time!
TCIS Quarter Finals – February 18th- Rising Freshman Night
Tentative Game Times: 5:30 and 7 PM From Catholic High School:
It is likely that both of our boys and girls varsity teams will end up hosting the first round of the TCIS Quarterfinals and we’d love to have 8th grade students join us in our student section. We will have a lot of fun planned for them as well to begin bonding as the class of 2024. This will be open to all lower school 8th graders, not just basketball players!
Chess Club is canceled January 29th and February 12th.
Support the SMS Athletics! Sign up for Glow in the Dark Zumba on Monday, February 3, 2020. Click on the attachment for the permission slip! Email Ms. Thomas at athomas@smsvb.net if you have any questions.
Young Brain Exercise Class – Grades 2-5 after-school one day a week. Please see attachment to sign up.
Are you interested in helping your child develop clear, efficient thinking and building learning processes? Then this is the perfect extracurricular activity for your child. Your child will learn strategies to improve basic skills and memory strategies. We will explore “how to learn in a what to learn world.”
This will be a group session: Grades 2-5, maximum of 5 students, once a week after school for an hour. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Ms. Hope at dhope@smsvb.net.
From the PTG:
Papa John’s- It’s as easy as pie, pizza pie that is, to get a slice of the NFL playoff action at SMS. Order your game day pizzas from Papa John’s now through Super Bowl Sunday for your chance to win! Click on the link for more information. SMS PTG Papa John’s NFL Playoff Contest
Let’s get the BIG WIN this year! Please continue to share our Papa John’s code SMSEAGLES with your friends and family. Remember, If you purchase a $10 Papa John’s gift card through Matthew’s Money you will also receive one Dress Down Pass! When you think about ordering pizza, think Papa John’s.
2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt- Be on the lookout for more information about our 2nd annual Easter Egg Hunt for our Kindergarteners, first and second graders! We are only 10 weeks away to this fun-filled event. More information to follow.
SMS Book Club – $25 adds a book to the Library’s permanent collection and is a perfect gift idea any time of the year! Select from the Wish List or pick a special book just for your student or a staff member. It’s a great way to give a unique and memorable gift that keeps on giving! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the PTG. See SMS Book Club order form for details.
PTG Facebook Page- Please join our St. Matthew’s PTG Facebook page. Stay connected with all of the upcoming events and get involved!
8th grade is Serving up Ice Cream Sundaes!!!
Please support the 8th grade!! During lunchtime on Tuesday, Feb 4th & Wednesday, February 5th, the 8th grade will be serving up delicious Ice Cream Sundaes! All proceeds will go towards their end of the year gift back to the school. Thank you for the support!
Soccer registration for the spring season is open for Beach FC. Please follow the link to register below. Games start on March 7th and are played every Saturday at Williams Farm Park through May 2nd. The rain make-up day will be on May 9th. Practices are held on the SMS school fields.
We will be in need of coaches for the Recreation teams. No experience required, game rules and some drills are gone over with the Beach FC staff. All of our coaches at SMS must be Virtus trained and attend our on-site Safety training. If you are not Virtus trained, here is the website with a schedule of upcoming classes: www.VIRTUS.org. Please contact Amy Chesney if you have any questions about coaching or have questions about signing up at achesney@smsvb.net
http://www.beachfc.com/
The SCA is hosting Spirit Week during Catholic School’s week from January 27th-31st.
Monday, the 27th is Career Day (Who do you want to be when you grow up?)
Tuesday, the 28th – Grandparents Brunch Uniform only, no dress downs
Wednesday, the 29th- Sports Day (It is game day! Dress like your favorite sports team’s biggest fan!)
Thursday, the 30th- Character Day (Dress up as your favorite character from a book or movie)
Friday, the 31st- Pajama Day!!! (Wear your PJ’s to school, decked out in your robe and slippers!)
Friday the 31st is also the Staff vs 8th-grade Volleyball game!
“Soup”er Bowl Soup collection in support of the St. Matthew Food Pantry. Every year during Catholic School’s Week we run a little contest leading up to Super Bowl Sunday with a food collection of Soup! From January 27th – 31st, please bring in 1 can of soup to benefit this worthy cause. The SCA keeps track of cans of soup collected daily!
Don’t forget every Tuesday to bring a non-perishable food donation to your class for the food pantry each week. The students take their donation to the pantry box in the church.
Battle of the Books. This is St. Matthew’s first year competing at the middle school level. In the preliminary round, the 6 teams placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 8th with the top 3 teams moving on. In the semifinal round, the 3 teams placed 2nd, 4th, and 6th. Congratulations to Mason Marino, Melissa Pedroza, Frankie Santos, Xander Vaquera, and Rylan Williams, whose team is competing this Saturday in the final round. Good luck!
Friday Flash
January 10, 2020
Friday, January 10th is a NOON DISMISSAL day There is no Afterschool care available.
Grandparent Brunch – Information on Ordering is attached. Also, we are asking for pictures of students with their grandparents. Please do not send precious originals, copies are just fine. We will try to return those so please put your child’s name and class on the back. Thank you!
American Heart Association News: Our Kids Heart Challenge (previously known as Jump in Jeans) date will be February 7th, 2020. Donation envelopes went home with your child/children this week, please check folders and bottom of book bags. Our school is listed as St. Matthew’s Catholic School on American Heart Association/Kids Heart Challenge website.
Shoe La-La News: Back by popular demand in its 7th year, please start thinking about or designing your high heel shoe! Shoes are due in by January 15th at the latest. Students will vote on shoes before school and at lunch. Please see the attachment for rules and ideas. Contact Mrs. Liebold for any questions at kliebold@smsvb.net or feel free to contact Mrs. Mercado for any design help at tmercado@smsvb.net.
PEP Rally for Pink out! The pep rally for basketball and cheer will be held in the gym on Friday, January 17th at 2:15 pm. All coaches are invited to attend and participate!
Support the SMS Athletics! Sign up for Glow in the Dark Zumba on Monday, February 3rd, 2020. Click on the attachment for the permission slip! Email Ms. Thomas at athomas@smsvb.net if you have any questions.
The SCA is hosting Spirit Week during Catholic School’s week from January 27th-31st:
Monday 27th is Career Day (Who do you want to be when you grow up?)
Tuesday 28th- Grandparents Brunch – Uniform only, no dress downs
Wednesday 29th- Sports Day (It is game day! Dress like your favorite sports team’s biggest fan!)
Thursday 30th- Character Day (Dress up as your favorite character from a book or movie.)
Friday 31st- Pajama Day!!! (Wear your PJ’s to school, decked out in your robe and slippers!)
Friday the 31st is also the Staff vs 8th-grade Volleyball game!
“Soup”er Bowl Soup collection in support of the St. Matthew Church Food Pantry. Every year during Catholic School’s week we run a little contest for fun leading up to Super Bowl Sunday with a food collection of soup! From January 27th- 31st, please bring in 1 can of soup to benefit this worthy cause. The SCA keeps track of cans of soup collected daily!
Don’t forget every Tuesday to bring a non-perishable food donation to your class for the food pantry. The students may take their donations to the pantry box in the church before Mass.
From the PTG:
WELCOME BACK AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are excited for all of the upcoming events in 2020 to help our students and our school be the best they can be!
Papa John’s- It’s as easy as pie, pizza pie that is, to get a slice of the NFL playoff action at SMS. Order your game day pizzas from Papa John’s now through Super Bowl Sunday, turn in your receipts to the PTG mailbox in the main office, and be entered for a chance to win a variety of prizes! The more receipts you turn in, the more chances you have to win. See attachment.
Here’s how it works:
One receipt = 1 entry
Papa John’s gift cards ordered through Matthew’s Money= 2 entries
Receipts dated for Super Bowl Weekend= 5 entries
Prizes are as follows:
1st place- Papa John’s Pizza Party for your child’s class
2nd place- $30 Papa John’s Gift Card
3rd place- $20 Papa John’s Gift Card
Let’s get the BIG WIN this year! Please continue to share our Papa John’s code SMSEAGLES with your friends and family. Remember, if you order a $25 Papa John’s gift card through Matthew’s Money you will also receive one Dress Down Pass! When you think about ordering pizza, think Papa John’s.
SMS Book Club – $25 adds a book to the Library’s permanent collection and is a perfect gift idea any time of the year! Select from the Wish List or pick a special book just for your student or a staff member. It’s a great way to give a unique and memorable gift that keeps on giving! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the PTG. See SMS Book Club order form for details.
PTG Facebook Page- Please join our St. Matthew’s PTG Facebook page. Stay connected about all of the upcoming events and get involved!