St. Mary's Episcopal Day School Tampa Florida

News & Events 2009 - 2010
(Recent news here, scroll down for prior events)

St. Mary’s Named #1 Top Small Work Place in Tampa Bay

DATELINE — St. Mary’s Episcopal Day School was recently named the #1 place to work in Tampa Bay’s Top Work Places 2010 by the St. Petersburg Times. The 60 leading employers in the Tampa Bay region were nominated by their employees, who were then surveyed about a variety of topics, including practices and policies that make these companies the top places to work.
The companies were ranked based on leadership, compensation and training, workplace flexibility, and diversity. The rankings were published on TampaBay.com, in the March 21 edition of the St. Petersburg Times and on March 22 in Tampa Bay Times.

Graduation 2010

On May 28th, the Class of 2010 graduated from St. Mary's Episcopal Day School. A thoughtful and humorous commencement address was delivered by Abby Scott, chosen by her peers to represent the class. Headmaster Laird's remarks brought smiles to the graduates and faculty, as he quoted the students' fond and funny memories of their school careers, and highlighted events from the class trip to Washington. Congratulations Class of 2010!

Baccalaureate Sunday

The Baccalaureate Service for the Class of 2010 was held on Sunday, May 16th. Father Kezar spoke about the decisions we face in life and ended his sermon with Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken." After presenting each 8th grader with a bible, a reception was held in St. Mary's Hall, where everyone enjoyed reminiscing with the graduates.

Steve Edwards Tapped for Distinguished Faculty Society

In chapel on Monday, May 10th, academic awards were given by subject area to top students in each Middle School class. Mr. Laird emphasized that there were a number of students with very competitive averages. Also recognized were St. Mary's Distinguished Faculty. These teachers are honored for their outstanding service to the school. Mr. Laird presented the award this year to our beloved Middle School Head, Steve Edwards.

Mulan!

Disney's Mulan, Jr. was presented by an auditioned group of talented actors from third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades on Friday, May 7th in St. Mary's Hall. Directed by Lori Jungers with the assistance of Meg Carte, Katie Rief, Duane Rector, and Don Luikart, the story was delightful, and the music excellent. Thanks to all our young troupers for a fabulous show!

Senior Send Off

The 8th grade class of 2006 and their families gathered again on Sunday May 2nd. At the annual "Senior Send Off", St. Mary's alums have a chance to say goodbye as they graduate from high school and head off to college. News was exchanged and stories were shared over a buffet supper in St. Mary's Hall. There were more than a few laughs as Headmaster Laird reminisced with each student. Congratulations Saints!

8th Grade Visits Washington

Tuesday April 27th, the eighth grade left for their annual trip to Washington. Our students always represent us well in the nation's capital. Their extremely busy schedule includes major national monuments and museums, and the popular comedy, Shear Madness, a "whodonit" where the audience gets to participate. A visit to the National Gallery of Art was also included in this year's trip.

Field Day 2010Annual Dinner

All week preceding Field Day on April 1st, St. Mary's students dressed up according to theme! Monday was Your Favorite Team Day, Tuesday was Pajama Day, Wednesday was Hero Day, and Thursday was Field Day and a half day of school prior to Spring Break. After a morning of games, relays, and races, the Blue Team prevailed and took the cup. What a spirit filled week!

Annual Benefit, Boot Scoot and Boogie!

St. Mary's annual benefit was held Saturday, March 27th, in St. Mary’s Hall. Attendees were treated to a moveable feast, line dancing, bull riding, silent and live auctions. Thanks to the hard working Parents' Association, and co-chairs Sibyl Curtis and Christine Mastrillis for making the evening a tremendous success!

Headmaster for the Day

Friday, March 5th, St. Mary’s welcomed Jade Starkey as Headmaster for the Day! She began her morning early, welcoming our youngest students at carpool and hosting the Saints at Eight morning news show. There followed a whirlwind of duties in a variety of classrooms, with breaks for special snacks and lunch for second graders, and a photo shoot with Mrs. Lopez. Jade ended the day by presiding at afternoon assembly. Thank you Jade, for leading our school effectively!

Patriot Games

Let the games begin! On February 16th, the intermediate division participated in our annual Patriot Games. The weather was perfect, sunny, cool and breezy. Lighthearted games made fun afternoon activities. Snacks rounded out the day, and the red, white, and blue clad athletes all seemed to enjoy the fun.

Q and U Wedding

On February 10th, after a long courtship, Mr. Q and Ms. U were united in marriage. Dressed in their wedding finery, the couple swelled with pride as they enjoyed the company of their Pre-K well-wishers. The ceremony was lovely, and the children enjoyed a reception afterwards in St. Mary's Hall courtyard. "We fell in love quickly," said Ms. U. "I feel like a queen!" After the wedding, the happy couple left to honeymoon in Quebec.

Author Visits

Author Helen Ketteman visited St. Mary's to speak to Pre-K through third grades on Tuesday, March 23rd. Mrs. Ketteman is the author of nineteen picture books. Her books range in age from preschool through fourth or 5th graders who may be studying tall tales in school. Helen Ketteman earned her Associate of Arts degree from Young Harris College in Young Harris, GA, and her B.A. degree in English from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

SOS Pre-K and Kinder Show

Friday February 26th, Pre-K and Kindergarten delighted St. Mary's audiences twice with their presentations of SOS, Songs of the Sea in St. Mary's Hall. From "Baby Beluga" to "Down by Tampa Bay" the children sang and danced sea themed melodies, charming everyone with their sweet voices and enthusiasm. Mrs. Lori Jungers was presented with bouquets from both classes putting the show together and helping them shine.

Richard Spoto

With the passing of Richard Spoto the St. Mary's community will miss a good friend and former headmaster. "Dick" Spoto was inducted into the school's Distinguished Faculty Society on May 11th of last year. Headmaster of St. Mary's school from 1970-1980 following a successful career as a teacher and administrator in Hillsborough County Schools, Mr. Spoto helped develop St. Mary's into the outstanding academic program it is today. He encouraged students to try their hardest and always do their best.

Annual Dinner

St. Mary's faculty, vestry and board of trustees gathered for dinner in St. Mary's Hall on Thursday, February 18th. Eloquent speeches were delivered, and faculty and staff were awarded their service pins. Three faculty received special recognition and were surprised with a video presentation in their honor. Garhett Wagers, leaving for a headmaster position in Houston, Diana Roverts, soon to be married and move to Connecticut, and Brian Gonzalez, moving to Minnesota to attend divinity school were the honorees.

Haiti Relief

The disaster in Haiti has touched millions around the world, moving them to help with the relief effort after the catastrophic earthquake. St. Mary’s is no exception. In two weeks of fundraising for the people of Haiti we have raised $4063.00. Thank you for all of your support! If you have any more donations for the Red Cross please give them to Coach Gillissee or Janette Ransom in the front office.

Gasparilla

Thursday, January 28th, pirates invaded St. Mary's Campus! The buccaneers went from classroom to classroom hoping to find recruits to join them on the open sea. The good natured rogues shared their pirate booty and plan to invade the city on Saturday for a big parade.

The Annual 8th Grade Speech Extravaganza

Thursday, January 21st, St. Mary's families and faculty members attended the "8th Grade Speech Extravaganza". Guided by Headmaster Laird, students presented their final speeches at an evening gathering in St. Mary's Hall. Our students appeared poised and confident as they delivered their minute long speeches to the audience. Wide ranging topics included turkey hunting, male pattern baldness, producing the musical "Annie", NASCAR racing, and the perfect date. Many a chuckle rippled thorough the captivated audience as we were entertained by this talented group. Great job eighth grade!

Faculty vs. 8th Grade Boys Basketball Game

On Friday afternoon, January 8th, the faculty battled it out with the 8th grade boys on the basketball court in a nail biter. The play was vigorous and competitive as the clock ticked toward the buzzer. The last basket tied the game up at 24-24 reflecting the serious effort on both sides. Go Saints!

Christmas Fun

December 17th, the last day before Christmas Break, was relaxing and fun as students and teachers shared snacks, exchanged gifts and got ready for the long holiday. At 10:45 the whole school assembled in St. Mary's Hall to enjoy a performance by the Praise Band, followed by our gentlemen faculty surprising us with song, and then the classic Charlie Brown Christmas movie. 8th grade blue and gold teams were pitted against each other in a Christmas trivia contest, the winning team earning points for Field Day in advance. Olivia Frost, the last woman standing for the blue team, held on as long as she could, but gold prevailed. Happy Holidays!

Reindeer Games

The annual Christmas games for Pre-K through second grade were played this year the morning of December 17th. Our wonderful eighth graders supervised participants under the direction of Coaches Gillisse and Hall, who worked hard to put some new events together for our younger students.

Miracle Main Street

In a Christmas show featuring fourth graders, supported by first through third, all participants were shining stars as they presented "Miracle on Main Street". The children performed flawlessly the evening of December 15th for families and again the morning of December 16th for the student body. Congratulations and thanks to music director Lori Jungers and everyone who worked so hard to present the show for us.

Pre-K Cookies at the Laird's

Pre-K's annual jaunt to Mr. Laird's house for Christmas cookies and stories took place Tuesday afternoon, December 15th. This is always an exciting outing for our youngest students who enjoy special attention from the Headmaster and, of course, the sweets. Rookies just a few months ago, they are now seasoned St. Mary's students, ready for adventures!

Kinder Nativity

December 14th ~ In chapel this morning Kindergarten presented the story of Christmas in full costume and perfect voice. Parents, faculty and students were captivated by the beautiful message and traditional carols. Kindergarten didn't miss a cue and even repeated the performance a second time just for parents to enjoy.

8th Grade Headmaster Dinner

The evening of December 9th, 8th grade students gathered at Mr. Laird's home to celebrate their last Christmas together as St. Mary's students with a festive dinner and gift exchange. The "gift swap" tradition found guests competing this year for a variety of gifts. Naturally, most participants tried to avoid Middle School Head Steve Edwards' annual gift, an autographed picture of himself!

Madrigal Singers Perform in St. Mary's Hall

Plant High School's Madrigal singers performed in St. Mary's Hall on Friday, December 4th. The group shared their talents with our school community by singing forty-five minutes of the over two hour holiday program. Many of our former students performed with and their voices and presentation were outstanding. The music, ranging from sacred to silly, left the students and teachers wanting more. Thank you Plant High Singers!

Grandparents Day

Grandparents Day, a special tradition at St. Mary's, was held on Tuesday, November 24th. The faculty and children were excited to welcome grandparents and friends to our campus and to perform for the record crowd in St. Mary's Hall. The program this year included a reception in St. Mary's Hall, visits to classrooms, and a Thanksgiving program staged in the hall. Everyone enjoys this great day at St. Mary's!

Thanksgiving Food Drive

On Thursday, November 19th, Student Council representatives loaded a van full of food donated by the St. Mary's community to Metropolitan Ministries. With the greater need in recent years for food and donations, this outreach is particularly appreciated by the Metropolitan Ministries organization, and will provide Thanksgiving meals for many families. 8th Grade brought in the most donations, and the total for this year weighed in at 3,665 pounds!

Book Fair Fun!

November 16th, 17th, and 18th the Parents' Association held our annual book fair in St. Mary's Hall. This year’s fair, "Come Read Around the World" had something for everyone, with books ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to Middle School levels, and some choices for adults including cookbooks from popular authors and personalities. Special thanks to Robyn Fedorovich, Heather Criser, and the PA for all the time and effort it took to pull the sale together.

New School Buses Arrive!

The long-awaited Bluebell 2 & Goldie 2 finally arrived on campus. Featured on the Saints @ Eight morning news show November 17th, everyone got to see the shiny new vehicles provided courtesy of our wonderful Parents' Association. They've been put into action already...thank you parents!

Science Fair

During the week of August 31^st, 2009 the 6^th grade classes were given their assignment for their science projects. After a week of research the students each picked a project and set to work. They had eight weeks in which to perform their experiments, analysis their results, and draw conclusions. Each student developed a story board on their projects telling the story of their experiment. During the week of November 2^nd they discussed their projects with their classmates. On Tuesday, evening, November 10^th the Science expo was held. As parents, staff members, and others walked through the hall the students answered questions, and told about their work. The evening was a wonderful conclusion to a very successful eight week project, an excellent job by the 6^th grade class! ~ Judy Sutfin

Chess Competition

Davis Sutton, Jack Anderson, Scott Rothschild, and Andre Silva represented St. Mary's at chess matches held recently at Academy of Holy Names on three Sundays. The boys took third place over all as a team, and Jack and Andre received special awards for winning all three of their matches individually. All the boys are in Mr. Edwards' Tuesday Chess Club.

A Very Special Visitor

Mr. Emmanuel Ofumbi paid St. Mary's a visit on November 9th. Introduced and interviewed on Saints at Eight Monday morning, Mr. Ofumbi told us about the village of Papoli, where he is an elder, and thanked us for our efforts to support their ongoing mission for the children in this Ugandan village. Lily Frost presented him with another contribution raised by our students for the Pediatric Care Center,and explained a plan for our students to write books sharing games we play here with our Papoli friends.

Veteran's Day Chapel

St. Mary's 7th Graders prepared a special chapel for Monday, November 9th, in honor of Veteran's Day coming up on Wednesday. The service began with an honor guard Trooping the Color. Prayers were offered for all those who served our country in the military, and those veterans present were asked to stand and be recognized. Flags will fly at half staff in memory of the soldiers recently lost at Ft. Hood in Texas.

Halloween Fun!

Friday October 30th, the St. Mary's community enjoyed a spooktacular holiday treat as students performed during "Boo Review" in St. Mary's Hall. The audience was treated to songs, comedy and frightful musical accompaniment.

Annie!

Thursday October 22nd, the curtain went up on Annie, Jr., the latest of our many school musical productions directed by Lori Jungers and starring this year's 8th grade class. The show was a hit, entertaining the audience with song and dance while telling the familiar story. Congratulations to the talented cast and all the parents, faculty, and friends who worked so hard on this production.

Chess Club Begins

Tuesday Chess Club with Mr. Edwards is well underway. Six returning students and eight new ones meet each week for 1 ½ hours over the course of ten weeks. Students play each other in regular chess and “losers” chess (a shortened, quick game that requires simple strategy and move expertise). A league table is kept based on the number of games played and points scored (two points for a win and one point for a draw or stalemate). Mr. Edwards is able to teach the chess club utilizing the Smartboard and Smart slate while playing matches. Presently, four of the chess players are participating in an ongoing tournament for three Sundays at the Academy of Holy Names.

8th Grade Girls tie Faculty in Volleyball

Friday, October 16th, the Lady Saints took on faculty in a contest of wills on the volleyball court. Winning the first game, the girls had youth, strength, and speed on their side, but the tenacious faculty prevailed in the second game tying it up. Congratulations to all...well played.

Pennies for Papoli Update

St. Mary's Grad Went to Papoli
Tyler Wellman, St. Mary's class of 2001, spent two months of this past summer doing missionary work in Uganda, including Papoli.

Papoli Village Elder to be on Saints @ 8
On Monday, November 9th, Emmanuel Ofumbi will be interviewed on the SMEDS Morning Show. Emma is a village elder in Papoli and is the liaison for the Village Partners International which sponsors the Pediatric Care Center. Parents are welcome to watch in the office prior to chapel.

Pet Blessing!

Friday, October 2nd, the school day began with Blessing of the Pets, an annual event at St. Mary's. Animals of all varieties, furred and feathered, scaled and slimy, were blessed by the patient and loving hands of Father Kezar, Deacon Wolfe, and Father Murray. Everyone always enjoys this special occasion, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, known as the patron saint of animals and the environment.

Mr. M with the Munching Mouth

Pre-K treated the school community to a rousing rendition of Mr. M on Friday, September 4th at our first school assembly of the year. The small but fearless performers smiled and sang their way through the familiar tune, a tradition at our opening assembly. Also featured were second grade with a salute to Labor Day, third grade with a poetry presentation, and AR awards with three sixth graders, Mary Elizabeth Ward, Grace Smith, and Hannah Smith taking top honors.

Saint Mary's First Day of School 2009!

St. Mary's students returned to school Wednesday, August 19th with the traditional opening chapel service being the first order of the day. Headmaster Laird performed his favorite tradition, introducing our new Pre-K and 8th grade classes. There was excitement as friends greeted one another and met their new teachers. For our theme this year, the school community will focus on "Treasure" including, among many other activities, a campus wide study of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.