August 26, 2024

Dear Mater Dolorosa Catholic School Families,

 HAPPY EVENING BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

We take this opportunity to welcome our returning students and families, and we extend the warmest of welcomes to our new students and families.  There is excitement in the air - the sight of smiling students in their school uniforms, the sound of students' voices in our hallways and classrooms again, the joining once again as one community in prayer - all have been missed.  Thank you for being a part of our faith-filled community of parents, students, teachers, and staff as we embark on another amazing school year! 

  I hope everyone has spent the summer resting, reading a good book or two, swimming, playing, and praying.  The school facility is in spit-spot shape, and summer projects were shared in my Summer Welcome letter recently shared/mailed out.  Please refer to the letter for important information. 

A gentle reminder that the doors officially open at 7:30 a.m. and all students should be in the building by 7:45 a.m..  Upon entering, students will be offered, and are highly encouraged to take, the free bagged breakfast, and will head to their respective classrooms to prepare for their day.  Morning prayers begin promptly at 7:55 a.m., office announcements are shared, and teachers begin taking attendance and lunch counts for the day.  Tardiness affects the school and classroom routines, which includes lunch counts for the day.  Please make every effort to get your child to school on time.  Bus routes can be seen on Holyoke Public School Transportation website.  It looks like we will have one bus this year (H37) according to HPS.  As with every beginning of the school year, please be patient with busing to and from school; it sometimes takes a week or two for the busing issues to be ironed out between our school and the Holyoke Transportation Department.  Links to the HPS Sodexo 'Nutri-Slice' menus and bus routes have been uploaded to our school website.  Please refer to them.  

 Tomorrow is our Opening School Mass, being held in our gymnasium at 10 a.m..  The faculty and staff are responsible for this first Mass.  All are welcome to join us. 

The Before School and After School Programs are in session beginning tomorrow, from 7-7:30 a.m. and 2:30-5 p.m..  Please bring a snack if your child is attending the After School Program...the school does not provide snacks for attendees.  Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Please enjoy the rest of your evening.  Get some rest, and we will see you bright and early tomorrow morning.

Peace and Blessings,

Mrs. Mary Fedora, Principal