Principal's Weekly Newsletter
September 19th, 2025
A Message from Dr. Maria Enrique, Assistant Principal
Dear St. Mary’s Families and Friends,
The air has started to take a chillier turn toward Autumn as students are becoming more familiar with their routines, getting back to school these past few weeks. We look forward to hosting all families on the evening of Tuesday, September 23rd, for our Back to School / Curriculum Night, beginning at 5 p.m. Parents and guardians will get the opportunity to meet other families, hear from our Principal, Dr. Christine Nadjarian, visit classrooms and hear presentations from homeroom teachers, and meet special subject teachers and support staff in the Auditorium as their presentations are projected. It is very important that each family is represented for our students, strengthening the home and school learning partnership. Next Tuesday is also a very special day as we celebrate the one year anniversary of our 2024 recognition of being named a National Blue Ribbon School. We will celebrate with students at Parking Lot Prayers on Monday morning at 8:05 a.m. All families are welcome to attend outside!
Students at St. Mary’s in Grades K2-8 will take NWEA MAP Growth tests the week of September 29th. Grades K2 and 1 will participate in the Math and Reading tests. Students in Grades 2 through 8 will participate in Math, Reading, and Language Usage tests. For the first time at St. Mary’s, students in K2 through Grade 3 will also take the Reading Fluency MAP test. This new test will be given three times a year and will also adapt to the students’ strengths and areas of growth in real-time. It will also provide information such as reading level and screen for possible signs of dyslexia. As always expected, your student must arrive at school on time each day. If he or she needs breakfast, please arrive a bit earlier by 7:45 to ensure they have enough time to eat in the Cafeteria before starting the day at 8 a.m. Please make sure your student is present each day as well. Teachers schedule time for students to take these tests, and although make-up test sessions will be provided in the case of absence, they are not ideal, as they can disrupt the main daily classroom schedule. Findings from these tests will be shared during Report Card Parent-Teacher Conferences. Thank you for continuing to support our students and school this September and always!
I hope to see you all at Parking Lot Prayers on Monday morning where we will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary of being named a National Blue Ribbon School!
5K Tomorrow!
We are less than one day from our first major event of the school year -- the Third Annual St. Mary's 5K! This event is a great way to bring the whole community together at the start of the year. Not only does it raise funds for our school, it also is so much fun for everyone! We are excited to have some of our sponsors with tables at the race, a live DJ, and awards for the top finishers in each group! All are welcome to come walk or run the race, and strollers are welcome.
There is still time to register and guarantee your race t-shirt! Sign up TODAY!
Looking Ahead
September 21
Protecting God’s Children (VIRTUS) Training in the Lower Hall 1:15 - 4:25
Required to volunteer at school
September 23
Bring lunch from home - Brookline Public Closed (Rosh Hashanah)
Curriculum / Back to School Night from 5 - 7 p.m. (Infant - Grade 8)
September 26
Band Forms due (Grades K2 - 8)
September 29 - October 3
Fall NWEA MAPs testing week
September 30
Coffee with the Principal 8 a.m.
October 2
Picture Day (Infant - Grade 8) - wear uniform
Bring lunch from home - no Brookline Food Services
October 6
Picture Make-Up Day
Blessing of the Pets at Parking Lot Prayers at 8 a.m.
October 10
First Day of Band Lessons (Grades K2 - 8)
October 13
No School - Christopher Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Infant - Grade 8)
October 14
No School - Staff Meeting Day (Infant - Grade 8)
Picture Day
St. Mary’s Picture Day is Thursday, October 2nd. All students from Infant through Grade 8 will be photographed individually and in their respective classes. Students in Grades PreK-8 should wear their regular school uniform, not their PE uniform, even if they have Physical Education on Thursdays. Please arrive at school on time, as the photography schedule begins as early as 8:05 a.m. If your child is late, they may miss their class photo and/or individual photo. Orders are completely digital again this year. Please complete the online ordering process as outlined via email from Dr. Enrique using the password-protected online portal from Photo Charm.
Fall Clubs
Fall Clubs begin on Monday, September 29th, and run until the week of December 1st, 2025. Teachers and community partners will host clubs such as Creatio Club, Volleyball Club, Dance Club, Little Doctors Club, Eco Club, Debate Club, Arts and Crafts Club, Chess Wizards, and Voices Boston. Thank you to our Director of EDP, Miss Nicole Tiney, for organizing student registration and overseeing clubs and EDP with Assistant Director, Miss Mary McAuliffe. Have fun this Fall, students!
Fall Sports
Our Director of Athletics, Mr. James Pritchett, has already launched the Fall Sports Season here at St. Mary’s! Cross Country practice began this past week for boys and girls in Grades 4-8. The Cross Country Team will have practices and several meets, including: The Brian Honan 5K, the Youth Cross Country Development Meet, and the Boston Mayor’s Cup. Thank you to all the students have signed up for the season! We can’t wait to cheer you on!
School Spirit Gear Store is Open!
EXCITING NEWS! Our school store is back by popular demand! It is only open for a limited time, so be sure to get your orders in by September 26th before the store closes! This is the perfect chance to restock your merch for the new school year. We love seeing our students and other members of our community wearing their gear. Thank you @airosports for designing these amazing products for us! Scan the QR code or visit the following link to order: www.airosports.com/stmary
Follow us on Social Media
Please find the links below to our social media pages. We are constantly uploading posts and stories so if you are interested in seeing more of our day-to-day happenings, please follow us!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/st-mary-of-the-assumption-school
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmaryschoolbrooklinema