NEW! Hannaford Helps Schools Thank You - Hannaford Helps Schools recently let us know that we will be receiving $441.00 as part of their Fall rewards program. Thank you to all those who participated!
NEW! Coffee Thank You - Many thanks to the Liberatore family for their super donation of Starbucks coffee! Their donation of an extra large bag of ground coffee and a huge box of k-cups for the teachers rooms on both campuses will help keep our teachers going during the upcoming busy holiday season!
THIS WEEK! Progress Reports - Progress Reports for the second quarter of the school year were emailed to all parents on Tuesday, November 25.
NEW! NEXT WEEK! No After Care - Just a friendly reminder that there will be NO After Care on either campus on Thursday, December 4 so that all families, faculty, and staff can attend the Christmas Tree Lighting at 6:00 PM.
NEW! Hot Lunch Ordering for January - Ordering for January’s Hot Lunch will open on Monday, December 1st and run through midnight on the 15th on Boonli.com. Please be sure to place your order early in case of technological difficulties. You will receive an email confirmation once your order has been placed….if you do not receive that email, your order has not yet been placed and your child will not receive Hot Lunch for the month. Thank you!
NEW! Art Room Request - ‘Tis the season for Amazon deliveries….and Mrs. Fessenden is looking for donations of “Amazon box” cardboard for use in her lower campus art projects. Amazon boxes are thinner cardboard than other boxes and therefore easier for the kids to cut. Please cut the boxes into flat pieces and leave on the covered front porch of the Fine Arts Center at any time. Thank you from Mrs. Fessenden!
NEW! Sacarament Congratulations! Eight of our students made their sacrament of First Penance last weekend at Immaculate Conception Church…we are so proud of them! Congratulations to Natalie Meredith, Tyler Osborn, Brayden Hein, Bradley and Jackson McCarthy, and Vincent, Anthony, and Dominic Franco!
Congratulations! Please join us in congratulating 7th grade student Carly Sarette as the winner of the Christmas Card Art Contest! Carly’s beautiful design will be featured on our school Christmas cards this year.
4th Grade Teacher - We have been blessed to have retired Saint Chris teacher Sally Mitchell with us as a longterm sub in 4th grade since the beginning of the school year. Mrs. Mitchell is unable to continue in the position after Christmas vacation and will return to her retired status. We thank her for her service and dedication to Saint Chris and its students!
We are pleased to be welcoming Catherine Collard to lead the 4th grade class in January. Mrs. Collard is the proud mom of three St. Chris students and also serves on the Board of Directors. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from The Catholic University of America and a Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame, where she served as a teaching fellow in its Alliance for Catholic Education program. Before she became a stay-at-home mom, Mrs. Collard taught high school biology, anatomy and physiology, and religion for two years at Saint John High School in Plaquemine, Louisiana, and physical science and biology for nine years at nearby Hollis Brookline High School. She is looking forward to joining the faculty in the new year as a long-term substitute. Welcome, Mrs. Collard!
Cell Phone Reminder - Parents are reminded that students do not have access to their cell phones during the school day. If a parent needs to get an important message to a child, please call the appropriate school office and the message will be relayed to the student as soon as possible. The school phone number is 602-882-7442.
Upper Campus Wildcat Spirit Day Basketball Games and Dance - Friday December 5th – Students are invited for an afternoon and evening of Wildcat Spirit! Included are attendance of both varsity basketball games, a pizza dinner, the school dance, snacks and more! Click HERE for more information and to sign your upper campus student up.
HELP NEEDED! Parish Appreciation Christmas Cookies -- Tis almost the season of giving! Please help us share our Christmas joy with the pastors and parish staffs of our Deanery as well as the Nashua police, Bishop Guertin High School, and the Diocese of Manchester offices! Bake your favorite Christmas goodies (or bring your favorite Christmas candy!) and deliver them to the front desk on either campus on Monday, December 8th by 9:00 AM. We will use everyone's delicious treats to create plates of cookies and candies for delivery to each of the parishes in our Deanery in appreciation of their support of Catholic schools. We are still in need of a few more cookie and candy donations! Please sign up using the SignUp Genius HERE and thank you for helping us spread Wildcat cheer!
HELP NEEDED HERE, TOO! Parish Christmas Cookies Delivery - We also need parent volunteers to deliver the cookie plates to the parishes on the morning of Tuesday, December 9! Several parishes are still open for delivery help! Please see the SignUp Genius HERE!
Upper Campus Honor Roll - Congratulations to our upper campus scholars who achieved Honor Roll for the 1st quarter! Please view the list of students HERE!
Pajama and Winter Boot Drive to benefit The Pass Along Project – We are happy to be participating in a Pajama and Winter Boot Drive for The Pass Along Project again this year! The Pass Along Project collects and distributes clothing bundles to children who enter the foster system. We will be collecting pajamas and winter boots for these children who often arrive at a foster home with nothing. Please click HERE for specific instructions! Families on both campuses are urged to participate until December 17!
NEXT WEEK! Auction Committee Meeting - Our Auction Committee will meet next, Wednesday, December 3 at 7:00 PM in the conference room at the upper campus. We are just getting started with our planning, so it’s not too late to join the group and have a big impact on this year’s event on April 11! For questions, contact either Auction Chair Jamie Gregoire at [email protected] or Marta Nissen at [email protected].
Lower Campus Library News - Mrs. Noon has lots of great information to share!
Did you know...
- that close to 700 library books are checked out each week
- there are 9,923 books in the library
- students in grades 2-5 have a password and username and can put books on hold
- Saint Christopher Academy students love to READ!
Birthday Books - It's Birthday Book time for lower campus! If your student's birthday falls between September - December they will be receiving a birthday book flyer very soon. Students whose birthdays are after January will receive their flyer in January. It is a great way to commemorate your child's birthday, and the book they choose will be shared with others for many years to come! Books typically cost between $14-$21 and are typically library bound. If you have more than one student, please consider ordering books for all of them at once even if they haven't received their flyer yet. Feel free to have your student order a book anytime. You can find more information HERE. If you have any questions please email Mrs. Noon at [email protected].
5th Grade Parent Meeting - 5th grade parents are invited to attend Making Middle School Meaningful: An Introduction to the Upper Campus on Tuesday, December 16 at 6:30 PM in the gym at the upper campus. This program is for 5th grade parents only and will introduce all that the upper campus has to offer 6th grade students next year. (Please note that this evening is intended for parents only. Students will have their own introduction to the upper campus on Step-Up Day on the morning of Wednesday, February 4.) To help with planning, parents are asked to RSVP using the Google Form HERE.
Re-enrollment Reminder - Don’t forget to re-enroll for the 2026-2027 school year! All students must be enrolled by January 10 in order to guarantee a seat for the next school year. Early re-enrollment helps the school with planning and budgeting for the upcoming year. The enrollment packet can be found in the Family Portal of the “primary” parent under Enrollment/Reenrollment. Thank you for your prompt attention to this! This is the final re-enrollment packet you will need to complete as we transition to our new Continuous Enrollment process.
December Activities - We have a busy month of Christmas events coming up in December, so be sure to mark your calendar now! More details to follow on every event, but here are the dates:
- NEXT WEEK! Thursday, December 4: Christmas Tree Lighting at 6:00 PM at the lower campus (No After Care that day.) See details below!
- NEXT WEEK! Friday, December 5: Snowflake Dance for upper campus students at 6:30 PM
- Monday, December 8: Immaculate Conception Mass on both campuses
- Tuesday, December 9: PrK to grade 1 Christmas Concert at 9:30 AM
- Wednesday, December 10: Christmas Concert for grades 2 to 8 at 6:30 PM in the gym.
- Tuesday, December 16: Upper campus Lessons and Carols at 10:15 AM in the gym.
- Thursday, December 18: Christmas Free Dress and lower campus Christmas Crafternoon
- Friday, December 19: PJ Day on both campuses
- December 20 - January 4: Christmas Vacation!
- Monday, January 5: Back to School!
NEXT WEEK! Christmas Tree Lighting and Blessing of the Bambellini: Gather the whole family for “new and improved” Christmas Tree Lighting on Thursday, December 4 at 6:00 PM in front of the lower campus building! This event is a beautiful tradition in the Saint Chris community and includes the blessing and lighting of our school Christmas tree, the story of the promise of the Messiah and the birth of Jesus, and the singing of traditional Christmas carols. This year’s event will feature many of our students as members of the nativity play and as readers and musicians. Families are also invited to bring their bambellini…the baby Jesus from their home nativity…for a special blessing….just like at the Vatican! All are invited!
NEW! Christmas Free Dress - Our classrooms will be fun and festive over the last two days of school with TWO Christmas free dress days! On Thursday, December 18, all students on both campuses are welcome to wear their favorite red, green, and white free dress. On Friday, December 19, all students should wear their favorite school-appropriate pajamas! For both days, all students should keep in mind our free dress guidelines outlined in the parent-student handbook…thank you!
NEW! January Calendar Notes -- Looking ahead January, we have a few schedule notes for your calendar:
- Our first day back to school after Christmas vacation will be Monday, January 5.
- There will be NO After Care on Thursday, January 8 so teachers can enjoy their Christmas party!
- We will have NO school on Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day.
UPDATED! SCRIP for Christmas! – Did you know that you can purchase gift cards to most popular retailers and restaurants quickly and easily online through the Shop with Scrip Program…AND benefit Saint Chris at the same time? Click HERE, select “Join a Program,” and create an account using our school code 751C7D6L13155. Gift cards are available from a long list of retailers and restaurants and all gift cards will be shipped directly to the school. You’ll usually receive your gift cards in under a week, and the school receives anywhere from 1.25% to 14% of your gift card purchase! Christmas is a perfect time to give the program a try, with gift card options like Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, Target, and Barnes and Noble! SCRIP also has an app for your phone that makes ordering and managing gift cards soooo easy! Check out RaiseRight by ShopWithScrip! Please note: All Scrip orders must be placed by December 10 to guarantee delivery before school vacation!
DEADLINE NEXT WEEK!! Ski Club –
- December 4th is the last day to purchase an Epic Pass, so if your child needs just lift access at Crotched, don't delay! Click HERE to purchase (select at least 6 days as that is the number of days ski club meets).
- Seasonal rentals have now been added to the options at Crotched. Click HERE to reserve your equipment (scroll all the way to the bottom of the page).
- If you need to make any changes with items purchased through Crotched, contact Tom Kirlin via email ([email protected]).
- Click HERE to join ski club and get a seat on the bus (3rd grade and up). Last day to sign up for the bus is December 7th.
NEW! Warm Clothing Drive: Outgrown your winter pants? Have some sweatshirts, coats, hats, and mittens in your closet that you no longer need? We are hosting a warm clothing drive at UC from now until Friday, December 19th. All gently used warm clothing donations are appreciated!
Chess, Checkers & Cribbage Club! Chess, Checkers & Cribbage Club is going strong at the lower campus….but more players are needed at the upper campus! This program offers a safe, low stress environment for students to learn and enjoy the games, while engaging in a social activity that is fun for all. Students play with classmates and learn at their own pace.
Lower Campus: "Chess and checkers" meets every other Monday morning at 7:45 AM. "Cribbage" also meets every other Monday morning at 7:45 AM, alternating weeks with chess and checkers.
Students should enter through the Before Care entrance and check in with the teacher on duty before proceeding to the 4th grade science classroom.
Upper Campus: "Chess and Checkers" meets every other Monday morning at 7:00 AM in the music room. Students should enter school through the cafeteria doors.
Please click HERE for the meeting schedule. All are welcome!
NEW! Hot Lunch Volunteer Schedule - Thank you to our fabulous Hot Lunch volunteers! The upcoming schedule is:
Thursday, November 27
LC: NO School - Thanksgiving Break
UC: NO School - Thanksgiving Break
Friday, November 28
LC: NO School - Thanksgiving Break
UC: NO School - Thanksgiving Break
Monday, December 1
LC: Dorene Krauss, NEED A VOLUNTEER
UC: Jen Liba, Diane London
Tuesday, December 2
LC: Leslie Bellows, Ashley Capone
UC: Lani Johnston, NEED A VOLUNTEER
Wednesday, December 3
LC: Amanda Vargas, Leslie Bellows
UC: Amy Algeo, Lani Johnston
Popcorn - Our poppers for this Friday are:
Lower Campus: No Popcorn - Thanksgiving Break
Upper Campus: No Popcorn -Thanksgiving Break
CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS
APPLICATIONS DUE NEXT WEEK! Bishop Guertin Scholars Program - Bishop Guertin High School invites 8th grade students to explore their new Hilton Scholars College program for the Fall of 2026. The program is BG's version of a collegiate honors program. Members of the College are part of a special cohort of students who participate in a series of courses reserved exclusively for them while also integrating into the greater school community through access to advanced honors- and AP-level coursework. Interested students are invited to learn more about the program and how to apply by clicking HERE. Applications are due by December 1st.
St. CHRIS PARISH NEWS
THIS WEEK! Thanksgiving Mass - St. Christopher Parish will hold a Thanksgiving mass on Thursday, November 27 at 8:30 AM. What a wonderful opportunity to give thanks to the Lord for all of his gifts this year!
NEW! A Visit from St. Nick!
NEW! Parish Advent and Christmas Schedule: School families are cordially invited to attend any of the upcoming Advent and Christmas season masses and activities:
Youth Group Advent Event -
St. Christopher’s Moms & Minis – Meet with other moms for hot coffee, light treats and conversation in the church hall. Our minis get to play while we chat and grow in faith and fellowship! We meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 9 - 10:30 AM and Saturday 9 - 10:30 AM during the school year, with play dates throughout the summer. For additional information call or text Alex Sullivan at 603-479-4554.
Daily Morning Mass - Parents and families are welcome to attend the daily morning Mass at St. Christopher Parish! This non-music Mass takes place Monday through Thursday at 7:30 AM and lasts approximately 30 minutes. On Wednesday mornings, Mass is immediately followed by Eucharistic Adoration and Rosary until 9:00 AM for those who wish to stay.
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY NEWS
NEW! Immaculate Conception Parish Confirmation/First Eucharist - For all those with children eligible to receive Confirmation and/or First Eucharist this year at Immaculate Conception Parish (check the website for eligibility or call the parish office), the registration deadline has been changed to Thursday, December 18! Please go to the website to register under the Sacraments link.
NEW! Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadelupe in Mexico over April Vacation:
NH Knights of Columbus Respect Life Essay Contest - The New Hampshire Knights of Columbus is once again sponsoring a Student Respect Life Essay Contest. The contest is open to any 6-12 grade students in NH. The NH Knights of Columbus will make up to six cash awards of $100. Applicants do not have to be a member of the Knights or a Catholic.
The theme for this year’s contest is: “St. Ignatius offers…"Pray as if everything depends on God, but work as if everything depends on us"…as a balance between personal responsibility and Divine Trust. What does this mean for needed actions for protecting life – e.g., by yourself, others, pro-life groups, etc.?
Essays should be no longer than 500 words, typed, and submitted as a PDF or Word document. It should be emailed to [email protected] by midnight on Sunday, Dec. 15. Include student name, age, grade, school, parent name and address, phone, parish, and email.