Formed in Catholic tradition, the mission of St. Michael High School is to foster the spiritual,

intellectual, and personal development of young people as committed disciples of Christ.

ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

AUGUST 2019 NEWSLETTER

17521 Monitor Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70817 Phone: (225) 753-9782

P.O. Box 86110 Baton Rouge, LA 70879-6110 Fax: (225) 753-0605

SPIRITUAL LIFE

CELEBRATION OF MASS: Parents are welcome to join us for Mass at SMHS. Our first all school Mass is Thursday, August 15, at 8:50 AM in the school gym and is open to all in the SMHS community. We will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. Students must wear their dress uniforms.

MARCH FOR LIFE: Once again, SMHS juniors and seniors will be traveling to Washington, D.C. to join hundreds of area teens for the Loui-siana Youth Pilgrimage to the March for Life. These students will depart on the evening of Monday, January 20, and return on Saturday, January 25. Contact Mrs. Froeba, Campus Minister, with questions. The cost is $500 per student and registration will begin in September.

FRESHMAN RETREAT: - Freshmen will be gathering for retreat on

Friday, August 30. The theme Becoming a Warrior for Christ will allow

students to dive deeply into their faith and become a greater part of our

Warrior family. The retreat will take place during the school day at St.

George church. Parents will drop off and pick up students at St. George.

More information and permission slips will be sent home through fresh-

man theology classes and via email to parents. Please pray as we prepare a

fun and meaningful day for students!

MP3 YOUTH RALLY: SMHS Peer Ministry is sponsoring an MP3 (Music, Prayer, Praise, and Play) event on Saturday, August 24 , from 6:00 —10:00 PM. Join several hundred teens from Baton Rouge at St. John the Evangelist in Prairieville for a fun back-to-school party. Fr. Bead will lead trivia. You will have the chance to dunk him and some of your other favorite youth ministers and priests. We will have pizza, live music, capture the flag, a powerful talk, and moving experience of Eucha-ristic adoration and confession. The cost is $10 and the first 75 students who register will get a free MP3 T-shirt. What better way to kick off the year than with a great night of food, fellowship, faith, and fun! Students may register at www.youthmarchforlife.org.

INTELLECTUAL

ACT and SAT: It is recommended that students register for the ACT or SAT after completing the first semester of Algebra II, typically in the spring of their junior year. Seniors who have not already taken either the ACT or SAT should register soon! These test scores are essential when seeking admission to colleges and universities and qualifying for TOPS. Please be aware that some colleges and universities, including LSU’s Honors College, require that applicants take the written assessment com-ponent of either the ACT or SAT at least once. To sign up for the ACT or SAT, please visit the following websites:

ACT: www.actstudent.org SAT: www.collegeboard.org/sat

The following codes may be useful when taking the ACT. St. Michael High School Code/CEEB: 190186; LSU: 1590; TOPS: 1595; NCAA Eligibility Center: 9999.

BATON ROUGE NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR: Mark your calendars for the Baton Rouge National College Fair to be held at the Raising Cane’s River Center on Wednesday, October 2. Students and their parents are encouraged to attend between the hours of 6:00—8:00 PM. Admission is free and open to all grade levels. Pre-registration is highly encouraged to get the most out of the College Fair. Please visit the fol-lowing website to pre-register: www.nacacfairs.org

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL 2018-2019: Orientation days will be held for

all students in all grades. Report days and times for each grade are listed be-

low. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will pick up their computers, learn

technology updates and get their supplies. Students MUST have their Parent

Signature Technology Form and their flak jackets to pick up their computers.

Freshmen will pick up their supplies, follow an abbreviated class schedule,

and attend orientation sessions before joining their parents in the gym for our

traditional Bible ceremony. Parents are invited to the gym at 6:00 pm for a

short meeting followed by the Bible ceremony.

All students should be in proper uniform and no lunch will be served. There

will be no bus service on August 6 or August 8. Teachers will be at a Diocesan

gathering on Tuesday, August 7.

9th grade Monday, August 6 12:00 p.m.— 6:45 p.m.

10th grade Wednesday, August 8 7:30 a.m.—10:30 a.m.

11th grade Wednesday, August 8 9:15 a.m.—12:00 p.m.

12th grade Monday, August 6 11:15 a.m.— 2:15 p.m

THE FIRST FULL DAY OF CLASSES: The first full day of classes for all students is Thursday, August 9, 2018. The first bell rings at 7:10 a.m. with dismissal at 2:30 p.m. St. Michael shuttle buses and EBR Parish buses will begin running on Thursday, August 9.

SMHS SHUTTLE

St. Alphonsus School, pick up at 6:10 a.m., drop off at 2:50 p.m

Our Lady of Mercy School, pick up at 6:25 a.m., drop off at 3:15 p.m.

SMHS SHUTTLE

St. John (Prairieville), pick up at 5:55 a.m., drop off at 3:30 p.m.

St. Jude School, pick up at 6:15 a.m., drop off at 3:15 p.m.

St. George School, pick up at 6:30 a.m., drop off at 2:50 p.m.

Buses will depart from SMHS each day at 2:30 p.m., with approximate arrival time depending upon traffic conditions. Bus routes will be adjusted as needed.

Contact the school office at 753-9782, ext. 12, if you are interested in using the SMHS shuttle bus service.

BELLS

First bell at 7:10 a.m.

Senior dismissal bell at 2:26 p.m.

SMHS shuttle bus riders and EBR Parish bus riders at 2:26 p.m.

Carpool and other students at 2:30 p.m.

Carpool: Parents may not pull into the parking lot to pick up their chil-

dren. This is a safety hazard because our students are exiting all of our

parking lots.

FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL 2019-2020: Orientation days will be held for

all students in all grades. Report days and times for each grade are listed be-

low. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will pick up their computers, learn

technology updates and get their supplies. Students MUST have their Parent

Signature Technology Form and their flak jackets to pick up their com-

puters. Freshmen will pick up their supplies, follow an abbreviated class

schedule, enjoy a light dinner, and attend orientation sessions before joining

their parents in the gym for our traditional Bible ceremony. Parents are invited

to the gym at 6:00 PM for a short meeting followed by the Bible ceremo-

ny.

Students must be in proper uniform and no lunch will be served. There

will be no bus service on August 6 or 7. (Teachers will be at a Diocesan gath-

ering on Monday, August 5.)

Tuesday, August 6 9th Grade 1:00 PM—7:00 PM

12th Grade 12:00 PM—3:00 PM

Wednesday, August 7 10th Grade 7:30 AM—10:30 AM

11th Grade 9:15 AM—12:15 PM

FIRST FULL DAY OF CLASSES: The first full day of classes for all students is Thursday, August 8. The first bell rings at 7:10 AM with dismissal at 2:30 PM. The SMHS shuttle bus and the EBR Parish buses will begin run-ning on Thursday, August 8.

SMHS SHUTTLE BUS:

St. John (Prairieville), pick up at 5:55 AM, drop off at 3:30 PM

St. Jude School, pick up at 6:15 AM, drop off at 3:15 PM

St. George School, pick up at 6:30 AM, drop off at 2:50 PM

Buses will depart from SMHS each day at 2:30 PM, with approximate arrival time depending upon traffic conditions. Bus routes will be adjusted as needed.

Contact Aimee McLeod at 753-9782, ext. 12, if you are interested in using the SMHS shuttle bus service.

BELLS:

First bell at 7:10 AM

Senior dismissal bell at 2:26 PM

SMHS shuttle bus riders and EBR Parish bus riders at 2:26 PM

Carpool and other students at 2:30 PM

CARPOOL: Parents may not pull into the parking lot to pick up their

children. This is a safety hazard because our student drivers are exiting

all of our parking lots. Please wait in the school carpool line that begins

by the baseball field.

OUTLINE OF THE DAY FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 8:

Students should report to the Commons area in the Administration Building between 6:50 and 7:10 AM. Supervision begins at 6:50 AM for every day of school.

Upon the 7:10 AM bell, all students will go to the gym where seating will be directed by instructors and Student Council members.

Students must bring a copy of their schedule and their laptop charged and

ready to go.

Students will follow their daily schedule, meeting ALL classes UNTIL

2:30 PM dismissal.

Lunch vendors will be serving in the cafeteria. Budget for approximately $4-$5 per day or plan to bring a lunch. Soft drinks and bottled water will be available for $1. Filtered, cold fountain water will be available free of charge.

The last two pages of the Student/Parent Handbook have been emailed to each parent and each student, and must be completed and returned to school by Thursday, August 8.

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT: Mark your calendar for Back to School Night at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, August 21, in the SMHS gym. This event is sponsored by the Home & School Association to give parents the opportunity to meet the faculty, staff, Home & School Association rep-resentatives, Warrior Club representatives, and members of the St. Michael Advisory Board. Parents will also have the opportunity to walk through their child’s school schedule and purchase Warrior Club merchandise.

COLLEGES VISITING SMHS: Throughout the fall, admissions representatives from a number of colleges and universities will be visiting our school in order to share information with prospective students. Emails or announcements will be sent to seniors by Ms. Montgomery, Senior Counselor & College Advisor, alerting students of these opportunities. Please continue to monitor emails, Moodle, and the SMHS Online Calen-dar for dates/times of upcoming events held at St. Michael.

FALL AWARDS: Fall Awards will be held Tuesday, August 27. This is a special event in which we recognize those that had special honors for the 2018-2019 school year, along with inducting National Honor Society mem-bers.

ISN PROGRAM: Any student with a diagnosed disability may be eligi-ble to receive classroom accommodations. Parents and teachers may refer a student to be considered for the ISN program. Disabilities under the Indi-vidual Student Needs program (ISN) are defined as mental, physical, or psychological disorders interfering with learning that have been diagnosed by undergoing the process of a full psychoeducational evaluation. Docu-mentation of a disability is NOT forwarded by a student’s previous school. In order to remain current in the St. Michael ISN program, the student’s disability must have been diagnosed or reconfirmed with-in three academic years prior to the date of the request to receive ac-commodations. Requests for infor mation or placement must be made to Mrs. Dutreix, ISN coordinator, at 753-9782, ext. 13.

LSU APPLICATION REMINDER: APPLY EARLY! LSU Ad-missions applications will open August 1 for the next fall semester at LSU. Seniors who are on target for meeting LSU admissions requirements should apply between August 1 and December 15, 2019. The pr ior ity date for full consideration for all LSU scholarship opportunities and Hon-ors College admission for entering freshmen is December 15. Beginning October 15, the LSU Office of Enrollment M anagement will begin re-leasing admission decisions for freshmen entering LSU beginning Summer or Fall 2020. The LSU Application for Undergraduate Admission also serves as the automatic application for all entering freshmen scholarships. To apply, go to the LSU Undergraduate Admissions website: www.lsu.edu/admissions. Students’ official high school transcripts, official ACT or SAT scores, and any other required information must be received by LSU prior to the December 15 priority deadline.

MEETING FOR SENIORS & THEIR PARENTS: All seniors and their parents are encouraged to attend An Evening with LSU & LOSFA. This event will be held on Wednesday, September 4, beginning promptly at 6:00 PM in the SMHS cafeteria. An LSU admissions counselor will be addressing LSU Undergraduate Admissions and Steps to the Application Process. Following the LSU presentation, a representative of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) will be presenting critical information on TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) and the importance of successfully completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Fed-eral Student Aid), which serves as the pr imary application for TOPS. Senior parents, please attend this event to learn very valuable information regarding admissions to LSU and receiving the TOPS scholarship.

PERMISSION FOR COLLEGE VISITS: When a student is planning a college visit or tour day, his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) must forward a writ-ten request to Mr. Sanchez, Dean of Students, prior to the actual date of the visit. The student should return to school the day following his/her absence with a letter of verification of attendance which will be provided by the col-lege or university upon request. Mr. Sanchez will review the requested infor-mation prior to and following the event when considering the validity of granting an educational excused absence for the time missed away from school. Please refer to the SMHS Student/Parent Handbook for further details regarding educational absences.

PROCEDURES TO ADDRESS CONCERNS: As we begin this school year, it is appropriate to inform parents of the procedure for addressing concerns. If an academic or procedural concern arises, the parent should first consult the teacher. If the issue is not resolved, the parent may take the matter to either the Dean of Students or the Assistant Principal. If the matter remains unresolved, it should be referred to the Principal.

SCHOOL PICTURES: Tuesday, August 20, students will be taking their school picture. Please be advised that all students must wear their dress uni-form. Appropriate grooming is also required. If your student is not able to take his/her picture on this day, retake day will be Wednesday, October 9, during all lunch periods.

STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS: Freshman elections will take place on Wednesday, August 28. If your freshman is interested in running for an officer position, packets will be available in the office starting on Tuesday, August 13. Officer positions are president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. No previous experience required. These officers have a direct impact on the activities, events, and spirit that is on campus. Another way to be involved is to be a homeroom representative. These students relay infor-mation from meetings to their homeroom classes. These elections will take place in the student’s homeroom on Thursday, August 29. All elected must attend the Student Council Workshop, which will be held Thursday, Septem-ber 5, from 6:00—8:00 PM at the school.

STUDENT/PARENT DIRECTORY: The Student/Parent Directory is available online through your PlusPortal account. To be listed in the directo-ry, you must opt-in. Simply log into your PlusPortal account, click on School Announcements. There you will see instructions on opting into the directory. You will also find information on the Parent and Student PlusPortal apps for your mobile devices.

STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK: The revised Student/Parent Hand-book is on the school website at www.smhsbr.org under Resources; click on Student Resources and then Student Documents. The deadline for returning the last two signature pages is Thursday, August 8. Students whose papers have not been submitted by then cannot return to school until the papers are in the front office.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

ADDRESS/TELEPHONE CHANGE: If you have address and/or telephone changes during the school year, please call our registrar, Mrs. McLeod, at 753-9782, ext. 12, or email her at amcleod@smhsbr.org with the information.

ADULT BACK-TO-SCHOOL DANCE: The 11th Annual Adult Back-to-School-Dance will be held Saturday, August 24, from 8:30 PM—midnight in the SMHS gym, featuring music by Bag of Donuts. This annu-al fundraiser is sponsored by the Warrior Club. Tickets are $50 each/$40 for alumni. There will be a cash bar, and an all-you-care-to-drink cup or koozie to be sold for $10 each in advance/$20 each at the door. The event is open to anyone 21 years of age or older. Tickets available online at www.smhswarriorclub.com. For more information, contact Matthew Buvens at 225-235-0808 or Melissa Hebert at 225-323-0007.

AFTER SCHOOL CARE: After School Care is available Monday thru Friday from 3:00—5:30 PM on regular school days. After School Care will begin Thursday, August 8. If you are interested, please contact our registrar, Mrs. McLeod, at 753-9782, ext. 12.

ASBESTOS FREE & IPM PLANS: St. Michael High School is an asbestos free school. In compliance with the asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986, Operational Technologies of Baton Rouge re-inspected the schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan for schools (indoors and outdoors) is done on a yearly basis. Copies of both plans are in the school office and available to the public for inspection.

CHECK OUT POLICY: Parents are reminded to send a note with their student who needs to check out during the school day. The student should bring the note to the office before school. We will not call into classrooms to ask a student to come to the office for dismissal. This interrupts the learning process for everyone in the class. If a parent shows up to check out a student without sending a note, there will be a delay in getting the student from the classroom.

CLUB DAY: Friday, August 16, during all lunch periods, students will have the opportunity to visit and learn about and/or sign up to participate in clubs. All clubs will be represented on this day, and students are encour-aged to get involved in something. All clubs are listed on our website, www.smhsbr.org, under Campus Life, Extracurriculars. If you have a question, you may email the moderator or our activities director, Ms. Berthelot, at jberthelot@smhsbr.org.

DISCRIMINATION POLICY: St. Michael High School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, or ethnic origin in administra-tion of educational policies, admission processes, extra-curricular activities, or other school related programs.

HOME & SCHOOL “FREE TUITION” RAFFLE: It’s that time of year again to kick off the Home & School Association’s annual Free Tuition Raffle Campaign. This is Home & School’s only fundraiser for the year so please participate! The proceeds will be used for the many ac-tivities that support our students, parents and faculty. Without a successful campaign, we cannot continue to provide these activities successfully. For only $30 you may be the winner of one year’s tuition valued at $8,825! Tickets returned by Wednesday, August 14, will be eligible for an Early Bird Drawing, where one ticket will be drawn to win $100. That ticket will still be eligible for the big 2019-2020 Free Tuition Drawing on Wednesday, August 21, which is Back To School Night. New this year , there will be three additional consolation prize drawings for a Homecoming Package, a Dinner & Movie Package, and a Tailgate Package. Raffle information will be mailed to all St. Michael families during the first week of August. If you do not receive your tickets, please contact our activities director, Ms. Berthelot at 753-9782, ext. 29.

SPIRITWEAR: The St. Michael Warrior Club will be selling Warrior Wear at all home football games and online at smhswarriorclub.com for all your Warrior Wear and Warrior Gear needs. We are continuing to feature BSN online stores throughout the year for general warrior merchandise and sports specific wear. Check the Warrior Club page on the school website, www.smhsbr.org, Warrior Club Facebook page, or Instagram, and school emails for information on store openings, or contact Rachel Boudreaux at rachelosity@yahoo.com. Thank you for your support. SPORTS—FOOTBALL JAMBOREE: The football jamboree will be held at Parkview Baptist High School on Friday, August 30. Junior Varsity begins at 6:00 PM followed by Varsity at 7:00 PM. STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE: All students enrolled at St. Michael High School are automatically registered for school accident insur-ance. The cost of insurance is included in the tuition fee. Information will be available in August.

STUDENT BACK-TO-SCHOOL DANCE: The SMHS Student Back-to-School Dance will be held Friday, August 23, in the gym from 7:00—10:00 PM. The theme is Tiki-Tastic Luau Party. The dance will feature games, the annual senior class picture, a photo booth, and so much more. Students dress appropriately in theme for this dance. Tickets are $10 per student when purchased online at www.smhsbr.org. Tickets will go on sale the first day of school. Students may also purchase tickets at the door for $15.

TUITION REFUND POLICY: A large percentage of the tuition is an

upfront cost in hiring faculty and staff based upon the parent’s/guardian’s

commitment that his/her child will attend St. Michael.

In the event a student is withdrawn or expelled from school for any reason,

the following applies:

Registration and the Technology Fee are non-refundable. Prior to the first day of school — a refund of 90% of the annual tui-

tion. After the first day of school, but before the end of the 1st nine weeks

— a refund of 75% of the annual tuition. After the 1st nine weeks ends, but before the end of the 2nd nine

weeks — a refund of 50% of the annual tuition. After the end of the 2nd nine weeks—there will be no refund.

If the tuition is financed, there may be a balance owed the school, and pay-

ment will be required in accordance with the above schedule.

VOTER VOICE REGISTRATION: To register to receive periodic email alerts regarding legislative bills that LA Citizens for Educational Choice is tracking, go to General Information, Links, Voter Voice Registra-tion on the Catholic Schools Office website at www.csobr.org .

SMHS ALUMNI SOFT-

BALL TOURNMENT/

RESCHEDULED DUE TO

INCLEMENT WEATHER: Registration for the 3rd annual St.

Michael Alumni Softball Tourna-

ment is OPEN. Get your teams

registered today. The tournament

will be held Saturday, August 10,

starting at 8:00 AM. Click the link

below to register:

https://

forms.diamondmindinc.com/

smhsbr/alumsoftball2019

#GOWarriors #SMHSAlumniSoftballTournament

RESCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 10

Omission of Personal Highlight from Summer Newsletter:

-Congratulations to Girls Cross Country for being the 2018-2019 State Champion Runner Up

Warrior Proud!!

Welcome to the 2019-2020 School Year!

Welcome to a New Warrior School Year!

The St. Michael faculty, staff and administration renew our commitment to partner with parents to form our young men and young women as committed

disciples of Christ. Here at St. Michael High School, we act as in conjunction with the Catholic Church to challenge our students to grow into the person

that God calls them to be. We look forward to a year of hard work, growth, and achievement.

Our new multi-purpose building is just about complete. The new façade along with the upgraded landscaping give the front of school a new and modern

look. This building will serve our students for many years through band classes, Masses, assemblies, physical education classes, drama presentations, and

athletic competitions. What a great gift to our school community! We are grateful to all who helped make this addition a reality.

The revised Student Parent Handbook was emailed to each parent and student and is posted on the SMHS website under the Resources tab. Please take a

few minutes to go over the handbook and take note of any changes that appear in red. The students are responsible for upholding the policies and proce-

dures listed in the handbook. Students should return the signed handbook forms by Thursday, August 8.

Joy is Strength is the theme of this school year. This theme reminds that happiness is a result of external influences, but the inner joy based on hav-

ing Jesus in our hearts gives us real strength. We will focus on the value of finding the joy that is within each one of us. We welcome freshmen and sen-

iors to orientation on Tuesday, August 6, and sophomores and juniors on Wednesday, August 7. This is an important and required day. Students will be

addressed by counselors and administration in an assembly, and they will receive their school supplies ordered through SMHS. Freshmen will run through

an abbreviated class schedule. Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors will pick up their laptops and receive essential technology training. Students are reminded

to bring the Parent & Student Technology Signature Form and their flak jackets on their orientation day in order to receive their computers. Freshmen

should not bring their computers to orientation. Please see the time schedules for each class in this newsletter. The first full day of class will be Thursday,

August 9.

Welcome to new and returning families as we celebrate the beginning of a year of growing and learning together as SMHS Warriors.

Blessings,

Ellen B. Lee, Principal

Welcome new Teachers/Counselors/Registrar/PR Coordinator to SMHS

Front row (L) Linda Dutreix, Delaney Walsh, Ashleigh Turner, Jennifer Gonzalez, Michelle Poole & Michelle Smith

Back row (L) Aimee McLeod, Calob Leindecker, Kegan Keller & David Gomez (not pictured—Kay Self)

Welcome Back Counseling Department Intern

The SMHS Counseling Department is welcoming back Intern Michelle Do for the Fall 2019 semester. She is a graduate student at Southeastern Louisiana University, pursuing a career in counseling. Michelle is in her last year of her graduate program and worked at SMHS Spring 2019. Under the supervision of the SMHS counselors, she will be working with students throughout this semester.

32nd Annual Warrior Golf Classic

Monday, November 11, 2019

at Greystone Country Club

Sign up today by visiting www.smhsbr.org/giving

Warrior Broadcast Network

This season, St. Michael High School will be launching the Warrior Broadcast Network streaming Live on Talk 107.3 during the 2019 Warrior Football Season. There are still a few sponsorship packages available starting at $1,250 for the entire season or you can pur-chase by the game.

Proceeds from this sponsorship go to enhance the growth and development of SMHS.

For information on how you can support St. Michael High School through a sponsorship, please contact Advancement Director Josh Galasso JGalasso@smhsbr.org or 225.755.3618

ADVANCEMENT NEWS: