Defender News

School Day Office Hours:

7:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Office Phone Number: 419-423-2738

Fax Number: 419-423-2720

The school must be notified by 8:00 AM of a student absence. Please advise school of symptoms and expected length of absence.

PC forms are required to be submitted to the school office PRIOR to leaving for a planned absences, excluding illness and funerals. The form can be found here.

Phone: 419-423-2738

Email: attendance@findlaystmichael.org

Mar 2-6- Right to Read Week

Mar 4- Stations of the Cross (6th grade hosts), 8:15 AM

Mar 5- Mass (6A Hosts), 8:35 AM

Mar 7- Bakery Bingo, doors open at 5:30 PM, bingo begins at 6:00 PM

Mar 11- Stations of the Cross (5th grade hosts), 8:15 AM

• Cribbage Club (grades 7-8), 2:45 - 3:45 PM
• End of 3rd Quarter

Mar 12- Mass (5B Hosts), 8:35 AM

Mar 12 & 13- Academy of Angels Parent Teacher Conferences (no school for P2, P3 and P5 classes on these dates)

Mar 18- Stations of the Cross (4th grade hosts), 8:15 AM

Mar 19- Mass (Kindergarten Hosts), 8:35 AM

• PTC Mom's at Mass - see information box below to sign up.

Mar 20- Wax Museum (4th Grade), 12:30 - 2:00 PM, Auditorium (Enter through gym doors)

Mar 23- Living Stations of the Cross, 12:30 - 2:00 PM

Mar 24- Kindergarten Screening - see information box below

Mar 25- Mass (Annunciation - 5A Hosts), 8:35 AM

Mar 25-27 - 6th Grade Faith and Science Retreat, Damascus

Mar 30-Apr 6 - Easter Break, No School

Re-enrollment forms are coming home tonight (2/27) with your student, please see the guidelines below to ensure your child's spot for next year:

• Current families will receive enrollment packets through backpack mail prior to registration opening.
• Current families will have priority registration from March 2 - March 13. You must return your forms by March 13 to ensure your child's spot for next year. Current families can register new siblings during this time period too.
• Grade levels will be capped at 50 student spots. Grade levels with more than 50 students currently enrolled will be accomodated given families register in the priority dates, otherwise those class sizes will drop to 50 also.
• Parish families will be able to register from March 16 - March 27 and then it will open to the community on March 30.

Student Council is once again hosting a friendly competition to increase weekend Mass participation. This year, the school will be divided into two teams: Homerooms A and Homerooms B/C. Each Monday we will announce the winning team for the week. The prize will be waiting for us at the altar each time we go to Mass!

It is time to renew your EdChoice scholarship for the 2026-2027 school year. The renewal forms can be found here and need to be submitted to the school office along with an acceptable proof of address. If you have questions regarding renewals, please email Mrs. Nusbaum at hnusbaum@findlaystmichael.org.

Right To Read Week is March 2-6. We will once again host the Scholastic Book Fair during the week. If you wish to shop in person with your child to ensure they get books you approve, please arrange to shop during their recess time listed below. Students will not be dismissed from their class to shop with a parent. Parents wishing to shop without a child may shop from 8:30 am - 2:00 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.

• Grades 6-8: 11:00-11:20 AM
• Grades 3-5: 11:20-11:40 AM
• Grades K-2: 12:10-12:30 PM

Volunteer to Work the Book Fair: To make the Book Fair the most successful, we are asking for parent volunteers; this includes setting up, tearing down, helping children find books, or running a cash register. All volunteers must be VIRTUS trained.

School Book Fair Home Page: You can check out Book Fair details on our Scholastic homepage, see the flyers and books, and even load money to your child's E-Wallet.

Our 7th grade students and families are excited to invite you to Bakery Bingo on March 7, 2026. Even if you can't attend the event, you can support the class in their Washington DC fundraising efforts by purchasing Raffle Tickets. Raffle Ticket Forms are coming home with the youngest child enrolled at school. Please send back the blue forms and money to ensure you get entered in the main raffle!

All students participating in Kindergarten Screening must be 5 years old by August 1, 2026 to participate. Click here to sign up for a screening time.

Our PTC organization is looking for a few good volunteers! If you'd like to participate, please check out the list of opportunities here. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsey Hosler, PTC President at liznmaher@gmail.com

PTC President - Lindsey Hosler

PTC Treasurer - Brigette Sadowski

PTC Secretary - Anne Kremer

PTC is hosting Moms at Mass on March 19th. Click here to sign up for this event - must be VIRTUS certified.

All students who plan to play a sport at St. Michael School will need a sports physical. Please take all paper work to be signed by a physician and then upload to Final Forms. Physicals must be completed before the athlete will be able to begin practices or play in games with the team.

Registration for track is now open. Please complete the google form and update your final forms account for track.

The link to register can be found here.

Is your 7th, 8th, or 9th grader curious about what a day at St. Michael the Archangel Chesterton Academy is really like?

Join us on Thursday, March 19, 2026, for our Chesterton Academy Shadow Day! Prospective students will experience authentic classroom life, prayer, and community as they spend the day alongside our faculty and students. We will be coordinating with incoming staff members to create a full, enriching day of learning and connection.

Interested? Please RSVP so we can prepare for your student’s visit!

New this year, 4th grade students interested in becoming Altar Servers next autumn can begin experiencing the ministry by serving in a limited role at weekend Masses this Spring/Summer.

Apprentice Altar Servers will shadow our regular altar servers before, during and after Mass. They will wear a robe, process and sit with the other altar servers, so that they can begin serving with confidence when they start 5th grade.

Click here to register before March 6, 2026.

An Information / Training Session will be held in the Day Chapel after the following Masses:
March 7 - 4:30 p.m. Mass
March 8 - 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Masses
March 15 - 8:00 a.m. Mass

In order to participate in the Apprentice program, parents & 4th Grade Students are REQUIRED to attend one of the sessions.

K-8 School Mass: Thursdays at 8:35 am (during school year only)

Parish Mass Times:

Weekday mornings: 6:45 am (main church)

Saturday: 8:00 am & 4:30 pm (main church)

Sunday: 8:00 am, 10:00 am, and 12:00 pm (main church)

9:00 am (downtown chapel)

All families are enrolled in the Family Portal of FACTS using the email and cell phone provided on student enrollment forms. This allows families to:

• check student grades
• access your child's ID number to make a hot lunch account
• track student attendance
• receive behavior notifications
• check the school calendar

To access your account visit https://sms-oh.client.renweb.com/pw.

Our district code is SMS-OH.

Any new family will need to "Create New Family Portal Account" using the email address provided to the school. For more information about the Family Portal, please go to our FACTS page.

Did you know you can help earn money for St. Michael School while you shop at Kroger? Join their Community Rewards program with code BD113 to help benefit our school. Check out our Kroger Rewards page for more information.

Shopping for Dollars orders can be placed online, through the RaiseRight app, or through school. School orders are placed on the second and fourth MONDAYS of the month August - May. Order are usually here for distribution on Thursdays.

For more information please contact, Lynnsey Jordan at ljordan@findlaystmichael.org. New to SFD? Check out our SFD page to get started!

Principal: meckel@findlaystmichael.org

Dean of Students: hnusbaum@findlaystmichael.org

Attendance: attendance@findlaystmichael.org

Website: http://www.findlaystmichaelschool.org

Phone: 419-423-2738

Fax: 419-423-2720

723 Sutton Place, Findlay, OH