SMCA Presented with Special American Flag at Annual Thanksgiving Feast!

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It was a special day today at Saint Mark Catholic Academy as we were able to host our Thanksgiving Feast for the first time since 2019!
Our school families and our “home” families sat down and shared a meal together as one unified Saint Mark family! What more could we ask for?
Today was “extra special” because Mr. Hon Chan, the father of third grader Victoria Chan, presented the school with a flag that flew over Guantanamo Bay. Mr. Chan is a chief petty officer in the US Coast Guard. During his deployment, Mr. Chan asked that the base fly the flag in honor of Saint Mark Catholic Academy.
The certificate that accompanies the flag reads:
“This is to certify the accompanying flag of the United States of America was flown over the Northeast Gate, which separates communist Cuba from the United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay Cuba. Here each day, United States Marines stand ready to protect the freedom for which so many have fought and died.”
“On Behalf of Saint Mark Catholic Academy, Brooklyn, N.Y.”
“Honor Bound to Defend Freedom”
“From Chief Petty Officer Hon Pun Chan, U.S. Coast Guard”
Saint Mark Catholic Academy is a special place, and today’s Thanksgiving feast is the perfect representation of that. Everyone brings something to the table…Our families bring their support and commitment. Our teachers bring their dedication and love, and our students bring the greatest thing of all—themselves! Each one of them brings something unique and different to “the table” that is our school. Indeed, what more could we ask for?
Happy Thanksgiving!
 

3K, Pre-K, and Kindergarten Host Family Engagement Activities!

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Students in our 3K for All program were joined by their parents for a special family engagement activity on Tuesday, November 15th.
With some help from their moms, dads, and grandparents, our youngest learners were able to decorate their own chef hats for Thanksgiving! Now they’re all ready to help in the kitchen!
 
On Wednesday, November 16, our Pre-K and Kindergarten students were joined by members of their families for a special family engagement activity!
They got to decorate their own chef’s hats! Now they’re all ready to help in the kitchen on Thanksgiving!
 
Believe it or not, as we near the end of the calendar year, it’s already time to begin thinking about September! Please contact us with any questions about our Early Childhood Programs.
There are special financial aid opportunities available for students who advance from our pre-k program to kindergarten. Give us a call to find out more: (718) 332-9304!
 

The Saints Marched In!

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It was great to see the saints marching back into Saint Mark Church today for All Saints Day Mass! Continuing a long-standing tradition, each class adopted a saint, and at Mass one student dressed up as the saint, while the other read some brief facts. Our students and teachers did a wonderful job, and we’re thankful for Father Bob for joining us at Mass.
As Father Bob said, we are all called to sainthood!
This year, our classes chose the following saints:
Kindergarten A adopted St. Rose of Lima
Kindergarten B adopted St. Anthony of Padua
Grade 1A adopted St. Cecilia
Grade 1B adopted St. Catherine of Sienna
Grade 2A adopted St. Nicholas
Grade 2B adopted St. Teresa of Calcutta
Grade 3A adopted St. Therese of Lisieux
Grade 3B adopted St. Lucy
Grade 4 adopted St. Mark
Grade 5 adopted St. Joseph of Cupertino
Grade 6 adopted St. Francis of Assisi
Grade 7 adopted St. Joseph
Grade 8 adopted St. Raphael

SMCA Hosts First FAMILY OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT!

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On Friday, June 3rd Saint Mark Catholic Academy held its first annual Outdoor Family Movie Night!
SMCA hosted this FREE event for all members of school community in gratitude and appreciation for a successful school year!
The night’s feature was The Bad Guys. There were plenty of drinks and snacks available for purchase—the popcorn machine was going all night!
Thank you to Michael Davis, Earlene James, our school staff, our parent and alumni volunteers, and everyone who helped make the night a great success!
Thank you to Perfect DJ Entertainment for putting on a great show!
We look forward to hosting more events like this in future!
 

WE’RE BACK! Walk-a-Thon 2022 Raises $33,542!

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Like our shirts said…WE’RE BACK!

Today was our first walk-a-thon in three years, and it was worth the wait!

Our school community—with the help of their family and friends—raised $31,722, more than double the amount from the last walk-a-thon in 2019…and the donations are still coming in!
Father Bob kicked of the festivities with a prayer and blessing. Then students in grades 1 through 8 walked to Saint Margaret Mary Church in Manhattan Beach and back—a walk of over 2 miles round trip!

At St. Margaret Mary, Father Michael was there to welcome us, and he brought out the Blessed Sacrament for our students! Congratulations to Father Mike, who is celebrating the five year anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood!

Back at school, our 3K, PreK, and kindergarten students walked the perimeter of the schoolyard with their teachers and families!
At the end of the walk, all students received a water, a snack, and a pizza lunch!

We concluded the day with our Walk-a-Thon assembly. Congratulations to…

First Prize winner Victoria Chan, who raised $2,750, she won a PS5!
Second Prize winner Gabriella Page, who raised $2,500, she won $250 Visa Gift Card.
Third Prize winner Emre Ates, who raised $1,160, he won a $100 Visa Gift Card.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make the day a success!

SMCA Featured on NBC 4 NY!

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SMCA and St. Joseph’s University , New York’s ACES Program were recently featured on NBC New York!

Erica David and Rania El-Badry developed a professional development that focused on helping Saint Mark’s teachers work with students who are English language learners.

Part of the PD included the teachers learning Klingon!

Check it out…

SMCA on NBC 4 NY!

Class of 2022 Receives School Rings!

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On Friday, April 8, the Eighth Grade Class of 2022 received their school rings, the first step on their journey toward graduation!
Congratulations!
(Photos taken by Mr. William Bunch)
 

St. Joseph’s University Provides ELL PD for SMCA Faculty

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We are so grateful to Erica David and Rania El-Badry from St. Joseph’s University’s  ACES Program who took time out of their busy schedules to conduct a professional development for our teachers.
 
Through some very unique and interactive methods—including speaking Klingon—Ms. David and Ms. El-Badry provided our teachers with some helpful strategies and methodologies for assisting our students who are English language learners.
 
It was a fun, practical, and engaging experience. 
 

SMCA Students Support St. Joseph’s College Scholarship for Future Educators

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During their St. Joseph’s Day dress down fundraiser on March 18th, the Saint Mark Catholic Academy community raised nearly $1,000 for St. Joseph’s College’s Joseph M. Lewinger ’00 Endowed Scholarship for Future Educators.

Did you know…? Ms. Eliscar, Mrs. Rizzo, Ms. Maldonado, Mr. Wilson, and Ms. Guglielmo are all St. Joseph’s College NY Alumni!

Celebrating National Pi π Day!

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Happy #piday!
 
Today is called Pi Day because the digits of today’s date are also the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi (π) 3.14!
 
To celebrate all students had MoonPie treat!
 
Math never tasted so good!