St. Mark’s School of Tex as
First Grade New Family Information
2024–2025
From the Head of Lower School
Dear First-Grade Families,
Welcome to St. Mark’s School of Texas! We are excited and eager to welcome you to our community. The Ice Cream Social is a special time for you to meet the teachers and other new families, and we look forward to seeing you there. It is the first of many community events we will share together in Lower School.
Enclosed you will find a letter from your son’s teachers and a list of topics that may be on your mind as you begin the transition from your current school to St. Mark’s School of Texas. We hope these items help answer some of your questions. If, however, there is a topic we have not covered, please do not hesitate to ask. Important contact information is included on the list for your convenience, as well.
We are eager to get to know you and your family better. St. Mark’s is truly a special place filled with people who value family, friendships, and community. Our relationships and our partnerships are at the forefront of all we do. The members of this community place a high value on character, leadership, courage, and honor.
Thank you for entrusting St. Mark’s with your son as we walk the Path to Manhood together. Enjoy the end of year celebrations at your current school, and we look forward to celebrating you and your family as we welcome you to St. Mark’s Lower School.
All the best,
Marion Glorioso-Kirby Head of Lower School
From Your Homeroom Teachers
Dear Parents,
Welcome to St. Mark’s! We look forward to getting to know you and your son personally. Parent-teacher conferences, yearbook photos, and a get-acquainted party will be scheduled the week before School begins. Please reserve this week on your calendar for these special events. More information will follow about these activities, and we look forward to seeing you then.
We know that you will be enjoying a variety of experiences with your son throughout the summer. You will receive an email in June that will provide you with information that will be helpful for your son as his first year at St. Mark’s gets underway.
We have an exciting year planned for the boys, and we look forward to getting to know your family as the year progresses! Enjoy your summer!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Beacom Teri Broom First-grade Teachers
From The President of the Parents’ Association
Dear First-Grade Parents,
On behalf of the Parents’ Association, I would like to welcome your entire family to the St. Mark’s community. We are so glad you chose St. Mark’s.
As a parent of a Marksman, you are an automatic member of the St. Mark’s Parents’ Association. We are an active group of volunteers partnering with the Faculty, Staff, and Administration to support the boys’ education and development and to build a strong community. Our parents participate on campus in a wide range of areas including the libraries, cafeteria, student store, Lions’ Closet, etc. There is a place for anyone willing to serve!
The St. Mark’s PA also organizes events throughout the year. A few to put on your calendar right now are:
Lion Pride Night – an All-School Spirit Night, complete with a cookout and a DJ before our home football game on Friday, August 30. This will also be Lower School Spirit Night where all new Lower School Marksmen will be invited to run onto the football field before the Varsity football game!
Fall Fun Day – a school carnival held with Hockaday for Daisies and Marksmen in grades one through six scheduled on Friday, September 27.
Celebrate – annual school community celebration scheduled for Saturday, April 5.
To get involved in these and many other events, you will volunteer through Sign-Up Genius. Please mark your calendar for July 15 after 12 pm to log on to the St. Mark’s website and click on the “Volunteer Here” button on the Resource Board. You will see many opportunities listed along with the activity description. When class lists are released in August, please return to the Resource Board for more class-specific volunteer opportunities.
Finally, if you have any questions during the summer months or the school year, please contact the following parent volunteers:
Class of 2036 - 1st Grade Representatives for questions throughout the year:
Karen Belgiovine belgiovine@yahoo.com
Anna Bottinelli bottinelli.anna@gmail.com
Parents’ Association Athletic Liaisons:
Grant Ruckel (1st & 3rd grade)
grant.ruckel@energytransfer.com
Sean Allen (2nd & 4th grade) sean.allen@fastsigns.com
917.916.4407
469.684.3392
512.483.1563
214.394.1161
Again, welcome to St. Mark’s, and I look forward to meeting you! Go LIONS!
Katherine Steinbrueck
St. Mark’s Parents’ Association President 2024-2025
ksteinbrueck@hotmail.com
214-906-6650
FAQs
• Contact Mrs. Glorioso-Kirby or Mrs. Mallick with any questions. Mrs. Glorioso-Kirby can be reached at 214.346.8216 or gloriosom@smtexas.org. Mrs. Mallick can be reached at 214.346.8210 or mallickk@smtexas.org.
• Uniforms can be purchased at Culwell & Son, 6319 Hillcrest Avenue, Dallas, 75205, 214.522.7000. Lion Tracks (in the Directory and online) lists all details about school uniform requirements for all grades. Please use a permanent marker to label your son’s uniform shorts, shirts, and sweatshirts.
• P.E. uniform must be purchased in the Student Store. Please use a permanent marker to label your son’s uniform shorts, shirts, and sweatshirts.
• Backpacks are necessary for all students and may be purchased anywhere. The Student Store carries backpacks, as well. No wheeled backpacks are allowed in Lower School. Be sure to display your son’s name on his backpack.
• Classroom supplies and books are provided to Lower School students.
• Back-to-School events begin the week before the first day of school. While these events are not required, your son will want to be in town to participate. There will be a back-to-school party for each grade in Lower School and yearbook photos will be taken that week, as well. In August, a “Back to School Basics” tab will be on the SM website Resource Board. First and second grade back-to-school parties are scheduled for Monday, August 19. Third and fourth grade parties are scheduled for Tuesday, August 20.
• Yearbook Photos are taken at School the week before classes begin. Boys should wear a dark sports jacket and any appropriate tie. These items are available from the photographer if you are unable to provide a jacket and tie for your son. Dates and times will be posted on the “Back to School Basics” tab on the SM website Resource Board.
• The Directory & Lion Tracks is distributed at Mini-School, scheduled on Thursday, August 22. You should familiarize yourself with Lion Tracks which is the guide to the School’s policies. Lion Tracks can also be accessed on the SM website Resource Board.
• Mini-School Parents’ Night is for parents only. This is an opportunity to meet your son’s teachers and receive an overview of curriculum for the school year. Mini-School is scheduled for Thursday, August 22, at 6 p.m.
FAQs (cont.)
• Class Lists will be posted on Class Pages in early August.
• Lion Pride Night is an all-school community picnic held the evening before a varsity home football game. This year, Lion Pride Night is scheduled for Friday, August 30, at 5 p.m. The Lower School grades will picnic together, and the new boys will be invited on to the football field before the game.
• Lower School Spirit Night occurs just before the home football game scheduled for Friday, September 8 (also, Lion Pride Night this year). The Lower School grades will picnic together, and the new boys will be invited on to the football field before the game.
• Fun Day is our annual Hockaday/St. Mark’s carnival. St. Mark’s boys in grade 1 – 6 and Hockaday girls in pre-K – 6 will meet on the St. Mark’s campus this year for an afternoon of fun and games. Fun Day is scheduled for September 27.
• Chess Club is open to all Lower School boys and meets throughout the year on Thursday mornings at 7 a.m. in Great Hall. A sign-up form will be in the summer email with more information about dates and club meetings.
• Cub Scouts is open for Lower School boys in second, third, and fourth grades. Detailed information about scouting and joining Pack 730 will be sent in the summer email.
• Carpool information, including information regarding SchoolPass, will be distributed at MiniSchool. Morning carpool drop-off is 7:35-7:50. Class begins promptly at 7:55 a.m. Boys are expected to be in class and ready to work at 7:55. Afternoon carpool pick-up is 2:45-3:10.
• Extended Day is our after-school program and is offered to all boys in grades 1-4. Boys are given a snack, complete their homework, and enjoy time on the playground with their friends. Pricing details and registration for the upcoming year will be sent in the summer email. Extended Day registration is by semester and does not include any drop-ins.
• Student Store will be open during the week of back-to-school parties and yearbook photos. P.E. uniforms and St. Mark’s swag will be available for sale throughout the year, as well. Regular Student Store hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., school days. Our online store is always open at smtexasstore.com.
• Lions’ Closet is a resale shop located on the 1st floor in the north wing of the Green Library. Gently used uniform shorts, shirts, sweatshirts, P.E. clothes, and sportswear are available for sale to all families. Lions’ Closet will be open to new families before the school year begins with times posting on your Class Page and Resource Board.
• Team Sports: Lower School Athletic Liaisons Sean Allen and Grant Ruckel will be emailing information about Lower School after-school athletic options as they become available through the Y and other sports associations. Watch for their emails throughout the summer months.
St. Mark’s School of Texas Summer Reading List for Incoming First Graders
Series:
• A-Z Mysteries
• Ballpark Mysteries
•Berenstain Bears Chapters
• Boxcar Children
• Calendar Mysteries
• Capital Mysteries
• Encyclopedia Brown
• Hardy Boys
• Magic Tree House
• Marc Brown Arthur Chapters
• My Weird School
• Time for Kids/Biographies
• True/New True Books
Authors:
• David Adler
• Jim Arnosky
• Jack Canfield
• Matt Christopher
• Beverly Cleary
• Patty Hansen
• Kevin Henkes
• Steven Kellogg
• Arnold Lobel
• Patricia Polacco
• Cynthia Rylant
• Dr.Seuss
• Louis Sachar
• Mark Victor
Learning to Read Series:
• Dial Easy-to -Read
• DK/Eyewitness Readers
• Hello Reader!
• I Can Read Books
• I Read to You, You Read to Me
• Puffin Easy-to-Read
• Step Into Reading Levels 1-4
This guide is to help boys choose books to read, and perhaps, to discover some books they might otherwise miss. These are suggestions, but there are many other good books at your local library. Your son should try to read every day. It is important to keep your son reading on a consistent, regular basis over the summer. It is equally important for you to continue to read aloud to him. The more he reads, and is read to, the better reader he will become!
