MSM Family Connection Newsletter

Dear MSM Families:

Welcome to the new school year! I’ve been witnessing JOY this past week: It has been a delight to have Mounties fill our hallways with laughter and enthusiasm. Joy is one of the key values of our Founding order, the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, who “in simplicity and joy, have offered all to God.” When we seek joy, even in the small things, and try to be joyful for others, we help God’s love and presence be made known. I'm on retreat with our Senior Class today at Camp Kenan: this kickoff to their special year is one that is sure to be filled with joy.

One other note of bringing joy: I am really excited about the Walkathon next Friday, September 18, 2026. Our Mounties are the best champions of our school and as they walk down Delaware Avenue next Friday afternoon in their Mountie Blue t-shirts, they will be spreading joy to our WNY community. Thank you for sharing the Walkathon link far and wide as we raise funds to support our amazing current students and future Mounties.

Looking forward to a wonderful year ahead!

Katie Spillman, Principal

The MSM Walk-a-thon is back!

This is a friendly reminder that the MSM Walk-a-thon is happening on September 18! We’re so excited to bring this beloved Mount tradition back and see our students out walking through the Kenmore and Tonawanda neighborhoods, bringing our community together and showing their MSM pride!

If you’d like to support the Walk-a-thon, there’s still time to make a donation:

Support MSM: https://www.givecampus.com/s/nzbp4v

Thank you for helping us make this special tradition such a wonderful celebration of our Mount community!

We are thrilled to welcome our new faculty and staff, as well as the Class of 2030, to the Mount!

You are beginning an exciting new chapter and becoming part of a community filled with potential, passion, and endless possibilities. Whether you are joining us as a new member of our faculty and staff or beginning your high school journey as a member of the Class of 2030, we look forward to all that you will bring to our community. Together, we’ll embrace new challenges, build meaningful connections, create lasting memories, and make the years ahead truly unforgettable.

We’re so glad you’re here and look forward to a wonderful year together!

Dear MSM Parents & Guardians,

We are excited to see you at Meet the Teacher Night on Thursday, September 24, at 6:00 PM! During your daughter’s lunch period, please stop in at our Back to School Bash in the Student Dining Hall. This is a great way to get to know the Mount family and kick off the school year.

Bring a gift for our annual Chrysalis Auction and enjoy dinner catered by My Tomato Pie! The Chrysalis Auction is our largest fundraiser and helps us expand programs and scholarships for our students. Suggested gift value is $50 or more and can include gift cards or cash donations. Looking for a gift idea? We have a Chrysalis Wishlist: https://a.co/01o6qHeQ

This is also your chance to stock up on MSM apparel, including spirit wear essentials like PJ pants! We’ll have a Spirit Wear Pop-Up Sale in the Student Dining Hall. Cash and card are accepted.

Please RSVP for the Back to School Bash by Monday, September 21: https://forms.gle/XrUkZ5xcDWLqhrbW9

If you have any questions, please reach out to Alex Fussell or Elizabeth Suchan-Reitz. Here’s to a fabulous fall!

Sincerely,
Parent Association

The MSM Serve Club is giving back to our local community with a peanut butter and jelly drive benefiting the St. Francis Food Pantry in North Tonawanda!

From September 21–25, the Serve Club will be collecting peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) and jelly (any flavor) to help support families in need throughout our community.

Collection boxes will be available in homerooms and outside Mrs. Spillman’s office throughout the week. We invite our families to join our students in making a difference by donating if they are able. Every jar helps!

Freshman Orientation was filled with opportunities for students to connect, collaborate, and get to know their new classmates. In Ms. Novits’ homeroom, students took part in a fun team-building challenge that encouraged them to discover something they had in common with a fellow student. After finding their shared connection, students wrote it on an index card and worked together to use their cards to build the tallest tower possible. It was a creative way for our newest students to break the ice, build relationships, and start the school year on a strong note!

This year, Gemtones is celebrating a very special milestone: their 20th Anniversary! It’s hard to believe that this talented ensemble has been making music and sharing their gifts with our community for two decades.

To help celebrate this incredible milestone, we’ve given our choral room some exciting updates, creating a refreshed space for our students to learn, rehearse, and make music together.

We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate 20 years of Gemtones and experience the joy of music at our upcoming events, including the Christmas Kaleidoscope Concert, Voice Recital, and Coffee House. We look forward to seeing you there!

We’re excited to introduce you to the wonderful people who make MSM such a special place! Throughout the year, we’ll be highlighting members of our faculty and staff and sharing a few fun facts to help our families get to know the people who teach, support, and inspire our students each day. We hope you enjoy getting to know our MSM family a little better!

• What classes are you teaching, or what is your position at MSM this year? Student Life Associate - Main Office

• Where did you go to college, and what did you study? SUNY Fredonia - Childhood Inclusive Education
• A fun or interesting fact about me: I worked with preschoolers for 15 years before starting at the Mount.
• One of my heroes/heroines is: My mom - she taught at a Catholic school for over 30 years and was also a great mom! She's what I hope to be for my kids.
• My favorite thing to do in Buffalo is: Watching Buffalo Bills games with family and friends!
• My favorite hobby or way to spend my free time is: Seeing local live music with my family. We love taking our kids to the Borderland music festival in East Aurora every year!
• A piece of advice I would give to our students is: Life can get better as you get older! Don't worry if you're not where you want to be right after high school or college, you can always change your life and chase your dreams at any age.
• My favorite part about the MSM community is: Everyone is so welcoming and friendly.

It was a busy and exciting start to August for MSM Tennis! The team kicked off their adventures with a trip to the Canadian Open before heading to Erie to compete in the Cathedral Prep Rambler Classic. We are proud to celebrate some fantastic accomplishments! Simi Kaur was the runner-up in the Ladies B Singles Division, while Harjot Kaur and Jane Voelkl teamed up to win the Ladies B Doubles Division!

After an exciting week of tennis, the group headed to Presque Isle to cool off and enjoy some well-deserved fun. Way to go, Thunder!

On August 12, 2026, a group of current students, incoming freshmen, and MSM teachers gathered on the front lawn of MSM to read their summer reading books in community with each other. The weather was perfect, and everyone enjoyed catching up with each other, making progress in their books, and having popsicles. The Languages Division is looking forward to an even bigger turnout next year!

Have you recently moved, changed your phone number, or gotten a new email address?

Help us keep our records up to date and make sure you don’t miss important school information! Please take a moment to complete the Update Contact Information Form with any changes to your family’s contact information.

It’s time to show your MSM pride on your front lawn! If you’d like a lawn sign to promote our upcoming MSM Open House, have your Mountie stop by the Admissions/Enrollment Office to pick one up. Already have a navy blue sign from previous years? They’re reusable!

Want to add a little extra fun? Take a photo of your MSM lawn sign with your Mountie proudly posing alongside it and send it our way. Your photo will be entered into a raffle for a $25 Starbucks gift card!

Thank you for helping us spread the good news about MSM!

• Sept. 11 - Senior Retreat
• Sept. 14 - Picture Day
• Sept. 18 - Opening School Mass
• Sept. 18 - Welcome Walkathon & Carnival
• Sept. 24 - Meet the Teacher/College Information Night
• Sept. 24 - Back to School Bash
• Oct. 3 - Open House (Day 1)
• Oct. 5 - Open House (Day 2)
• Oct. 5 - No School (Open House Day)
• Oct. 6 - Freshman Retreat
• Oct. 6 - PSAT Testing Day
• Oct. 12 - No School (Indigenous Peoples Day)

Click here to view the full MSM Academic Calendar of Events

Counselor Connections is a monthly resource from our Wellness Department designed to keep the Mount St. Mary community informed and connected. The newsletter will be published and sent directly to your inbox on the second Tuesday of each month. You’ll also find a link to each issue here in the Family Connection Newsletter.

Please click the link below to read this month’s Counselor Connections.

Visit the official Mount St. Mary Academy Thunder athletics website to stay up to date on upcoming games, events, and more! You can also explore the team store and show your support for our Mounties as they compete and showcase their talents throughout the season.

Official Thunder Athletics Website:
Mount St. Mary Academy Thunder Athletics

Check out the athletics calendar, team schedules, and merchandise all in one place. Go Mounties!

Mount St. Mary Academy, founded by the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, is a Catholic, private, college preparatory school for young women. Within a nurturing and academically challenging and inclusive environment, the Academy strives to develop the whole person’s gifts and potential. Guided by our Catholic tradition, and rooted in Gospel values, we empower scholars to be leaders dedicated to lifelong learning, moral integrity, social justice, and service to and inclusion of others.

We Believe in You!

Email: information@msmacademy.org
Website: https://www.msmacademy.org
Location: 3756 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY, USA
Phone: 716-877-1358
Facebook: https://facebook.com/msmacademy

Instagram: @msmacademy