Thank You for Your Interest ~ It is a pleasure to share with you spiritual, academic, physical, and social advantages of an education at Mount St. Michael Catholic School (MSMCS). You are invited to set up a time to visit our school, meet the dedicated faculty, and observe classes. While many of the questions parents ask are answer throughout our website, others are anwered here.  We hope you find this information helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we have not answered your questions.

Placement Test ~ Students entering the 1st-8th grades take a placement test to help determine appropriate placement for the coming school year.  Tests are administered on Thursday mornings in March and April to students whose complete application has been submitted.

Extra Curricular Activities ~

• Holy Mass Music Ministry:  5th-8th students lead the MSM community in worship through music for each of our Masses. They sing as well as play the guitar and other instruments as determined by their proficiency.
•  
• Athletics:
  • K-4th Soccer and Basketball through the YMCA
  • 5th-8th Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, Swimming, & Cross Country through the Dallas Parochial League
• Chess Club:  K-8th students may participate in this after school program once each week.

Dance:  3K-8th students may participate in this after school program once each week.

School Honors ~ Annually, 3rd-7th grade students from Mount St. Michael Catholic School are recognized by the Duke University Talent Identification Program as well as the DeBusk Center for Academically Talented Students. In addition, most of our 8th grade graduates are successful in all of the Catholic high schools in Dallas, with many earning scholarships.  Other graduates have been admitted to Hockaday, The Cambridge School of Dallas, and honors and/or pre-AP programs in the public schools. In addition, fourteen of our faculty members have been recognized by the Catholic Foundation with the Work of Heart Award for their contributions to Catholic eduction.

Homework Guidelines ~ Studies show that homework reinforces learning. We at MSMCS also believe in the importance of family time.  Our homework is structured with these maximum times for homework: 1st ~ 30 minutes (M-Th); 2nd ~ 45 minutes (M-Th); 3rd ~ 60 minutes (M-Th); 4th ~ 75 minutes (M-Th); 5th ~ 90 minutes (M-Th); 6th ~ 105 minutes (M-Th, some weekends); 7th ~ 120 minutes (M-Th, some weekends); 8th ~ 135 minutes (M-Th, some weekends).

A Typical Day ~ Parents often ask about

• 7:30-8:00 am Arrival
• 8:10 am Mass in the Christ the King Chapel of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity followed by the beginning of classes
• 11:20-12:40 Lunch & Recess (Montessori 1 hour; 1st-8th 40 minutes)
• 3:15 pm Dismissal
• 3:45-6:00pm Extended Day Program (EDP): $3 per hour per child until 6:00 pm; $5 per 10 minutes per child after 6:00 pm. These fees are in addition to the regular tuition.
•  
Hot Lunch Option ~ Parents may send a lunch with their children or may choose a hot lunch for their child. Lunches are ordered and paid for on line through RenWeb.

Parent Communication ~ It is very important that parents are informed of student progress as well as the activities at MSM for the success of their children. To that end we use several forms of communication. 

• Friday Folder: This primary form of communication goes home each week on the last day of that week and is returned on the first day of the following week.
 
• Soaring Eagle News: This newsletter contains important day to day information that you need to know.
 
• Renaissance Web: This internet resource allows parents to view their children’s grades, homework, and attendance throughout the year. It also contains a detailed calendar, hot lunch menu, and a family and faculty directory. Go to www.renweb.com to learn more.
 
• www.msmcatholic.org: This website is the best source of information for families interested in learning about MSM.
 
• Other Forms of Communication: Email, notes, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings provide opportunities for on-going communication between home and school.
 
• If any concerns arise, parents are encouraged to contact the homeroom teacher immediately so concerns can be addressed right away. The more often parents and teachers communicate, the better the children will be served.
 

MSM School Advisory Council (MSMSAC) ~ Comprised of elected members from among the parents and appointed members from those inside and outside the school community, this council purposes to support the life of the school through advising the principal, setting policy, and ensuring the school’s financial needs are met.

School Funding Activities ~ Mount St. Michael Catholic School is a non-profit organization that seeks to keep tuition costs as low as possible while providing an excellent private school education for its students. In order for this to be possible, MSM parents work together to raise one-third of its budget through the

Annual Giving Campaign ~ Families are asked to contribute to this fund, which helps with the day-to-day operating expenses.

Spring Gala ~ This event is anticipated with joy by many in the Dallas area and is core to our fund raising efforts. The Gala takes place in a local hotel and includes dinner as well as silent and live auctions. Many service opportunities are available to families in the months leading up to the Gala.

Sponsor-a-Student Luncheon ~ Guests at this luncheon are invited to support the scholarship funds of MSMCS.

SCRIP ~ Through SCRIP the school provides cash cards to many restaurants, stores, and venues of entertainment. The school receives a portion of the purchase while there is no additional charge to families.

Special Projects ~ Families are encouraged to collect and bring to school ink/laser cartridge recycling, paper, Box Tops for Education, and old cell phones as well as make on line purchases through www.schoolpop.com.

Service & Safety ~ Extensive research shows that when parents are involved in their child’s school, their child will have a more positive outlook toward school and their education. To that end, each family is expected to serve a minimum of 50 hours during the course of the school year (June-May). Families not able to provide this service are given the opportunity to pay minimum wage per hour instead. It is a great asset to MSMCS to have most of our families serve well over 100 hours per year. Because families are expected to serve, each parent is to have a background check and complete Safe Environment Training each year. Not only does this ensure the safety of your children, but it also deters those who might harm them.

Uniforms K-8th ~ Uniforms are supplied by Parker Uniform. More information will be provided at the time of registration. There are no required uniforms for 3K and 4K; however, parents of “fashion conscious” little ones will put children in uniforms as early as 3K to avoid early morning “battles”.