Principal's Weekly Newsletter
March 27, 2026
A Message from the Principal, Dr. Nadjarian
Dear Families,
It has been such a joy-filled week as we celebrated our student-athletes at our annual Basketball Banquet, gathered as a community at the Brookline Booksmith, and connected with our Student Government Association and Board of Specified Jurisdiction.
On Tuesday, members of our middle school Student Government Association had the opportunity to meet with our school Board. The students began the evening by getting to know Board members, asking thoughtful questions such as, “What do you do for a living?” and “What is your role on the Board?”
Each SGA member then presented a report highlighting what they love about St. Mary’s, the opportunities the school provides, and changes they would like to see in the future. They were also invited to take a seat at the table and attend a portion of the Board meeting, where they observed the presentation of the enrollment and development reports.
It was an incredible leadership experience, and I am so proud of how beautifully our students represented the school. Our Board members were equally appreciative of the opportunity to engage with our students and were truly impressed.
We wish you a blessed Holy Week!
Evening at the Brookline Booksmith
Families gathered for a wonderful Evening at Brookline Booksmith, where a love of reading and community came together. Thanks to the Booksmith’s generosity, 20% of the evening’s proceeds will be donated back to St. Mary’s. Students had a great time engaging in a bookstore scavenger hunt, exploring the shelves and earning fun prizes along the way. Congratulations to Lesly, the winner of our raffle basket! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special event, and to those who purchased books for our classrooms!
If you didn’t get a chance, you can still purchase books from our teacher’s wish lists through the link below.
Quiz Bowl
Congratulations to our Quiz Bowl team, who competed in a middle school competition last Saturday at Malden Catholic Academy and represented our school with pride. The team demonstrated strong knowledge, quick thinking, and excellent teamwork throughout the event, winning two rounds and showing great perseverance against tough competition. Their preparation and dedication were evident in every match, and they supported one another with encouragement and enthusiasm. We are so proud of their impressive performance and sportsmanship. Well done, Diego, Pebbles, Jayden, Dagmawi, and Alex!
Basketball Banquet
This week, we came together to celebrate a fantastic basketball season at the Basketball Banquet, honoring our Grade 3-4 co-ed, Grades 5-6 boys, and Grades 5–8 girls teams. The evening highlighted not only the teams’ accomplishments on the court, but also their commitment to sportsmanship, teamwork, and growth throughout the season. Players demonstrated dedication, perseverance, and a strong sense of responsibility as student-athletes, supporting one another and representing the school with pride. We also extend a heartfelt thank you to our coaches, athletic director, and parents for their unwavering commitment and support, helping our student-athletes thrive both on and off the court. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a great season. Congratulations, athletes!
Toddler
This week, our toddler students learned about Palm Sunday! They explored the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, discussing how the people welcomed Him by waving palm branches as a sign of joy and celebration. To bring their learning to life, the children created their own palm leaves through a fun painting activity. They wrapped up by joyfully practicing waving their palms, just as the people did to honor Jesus. It is wonderful to see our youngest students connecting creativity with faith while deepening their understanding of this special day.
PreK
In Ms. Houlder’s PreK class, students have been exploring the concept of shadows through hands-on learning. This week, they combined science with a fun show-and-tell activity! Each student brought in a special item from home and took turns using a flashlight to project its shadow onto a white sheet. Classmates guessed the mystery object based on its shadow, and presenters then shared more about their item, including who gave it to them, why it is meaningful, and what made them choose it.
K2
Students in Ms. Tiney’s K2 class honored St. Joseph, their classroom saint, with a meaningful celebration. Students prayed together, enjoyed traditional zeppole pastries, crafted crowns, and painted personalized prayer boxes while reflecting on St. Joseph’s life of faith and service.
Grade 1
During reading centers this week, students in Ms. Johnson’s first grade class, engaged in a variety of literacy activities. They worked collaboratively on partner games on the rug, met with Ms. Johnson at the U-table for targeted instruction, and completed a read-and-draw worksheet to strengthen comprehension skills. Students also read and responded to a Scholastic News article about frogs! They did a fantastic job staying focused and demonstrating their learning throughout each center!
Grade 3
In grade 3 this week, students continued their exciting exploration of geometry! Students spent time building, drawing, and sorting a variety of polygons, including triangles and quadrilaterals, while paying close attention to their attributes.
To showcase their learning, students created posters featuring different polygons, carefully labeling their attributes. This creative activity gave students the opportunity to explain their thinking in a visual way while reinforcing key concepts. It was wonderful to see their pride and attention to detail as they shared their work and celebrated their growing understanding of geometry!
Grade 4
This week in science, 4th grade students reviewed and built on their knowledge of clouds as they continue in their meteorology unit. They learned the Latin roots of their science vocabulary words and then created a cloud scanner. Students then went outside and made some observations about the weather, and they used their scanners to determine what types of clouds they saw.
Grade 7 students recently showcased their knowledge in social studies through presentations on the history and timelines of different countries. Each student researched key events, cultural milestones, and significant figures, then shared their findings with the class.
