St. Thomas More Catholic School

The Lewis Award was endowed in January 1992 as a means of honoring those individuals within the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Raleigh who have served with notable dedication and ability.

Nominations for this year are open and any STM student or parent, past or present, can nominate an educator! Parents, please encourage your students to write a short letter explaining how and why a specific teacher at STM has fostered their learning and growth. Together with your student, you can then complete the Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching nomination form here: https://www.lewisaward.org/award-recipients/nomination-forms

For more information, please visit https://www.lewisaward.org/

Fall sports seasons starts today with the volleyball and soccer teams traveling to TFS, and the first cross country meet is tomorrow at Bond Park in Cary. Let's go, Knights!

Happy Friday! Please enjoy some thoughts on kindness from 4th grade STM students.

Attention 8th grade parents: please see the information on the flyer regarding admissions news and information from Cardinal Gibbons. If you are planning to apply for next year, the application will open on Wednesday, September 4th, and there will be two Zoom informational sessions held in early September. Go to cghsnc.org/visit to regsiter.

At our first Roundtable of the year, we heard speeches from our middle school student council nominees, played some games, and ended with school-wide dance party! Big thanks to Mr. Trumbower for organizing a joyful gathering for our students!

First graders are settling into their new classrooms and love discovering all the great books to read!

The girls on the volleyball team are excited to start their season! Volleyball, soccer, and cross country meets and matches all start next week. Be on the lookout for the master schedule next week and make a plan to support our Knights and Lady Knights this fall!

🌟 Celebrate Excellence in Teaching! 🌟

The Diocese of Raleigh is proud to announce the Lewis Award for Excellence in Teaching. This prestigious award, established in January 1992, honors outstanding educators in our Catholic schools who have shown remarkable dedication and ability.

🗓 Nominations are open from September 1 - 30! If you know a deserving teacher, don't miss this opportunity to recognize their hard work and commitment.

Learn more and submit your nomination at www.lewisaward.org

STM alum Molly Nussbaumer (currently a junior at Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh, NC) has committed to playing field hockey at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill! We're so proud of you, Molly!

The Booster Club invites all STM families and staff to come out and cheer on the Tar Heels vs NC Central on Saturday, 9/14! ! Tickets are $28 and are located together in section 111. Please see today's Knight Times for the link to purchase tickets.

It was a beautiful morning for our first school Mass of the year with our new pastor, Father Rafael!

Thank you to our 2024 graduates for their lovely class gift. You have left your mark on our campus in many ways. We wish you all the best as you begin high school and hope you will come back and visit often, now as STM alums!

Today, we welcomed our preschool and kindergarten students to campus for their first day of school. We are so happy to have them here and loved seeing all of their smiling faces! Our school family is complete and we are ready to share His love together this year!

Join us TOMORROW, August 20th at 6:30 PM for the Installation Mass of Fr. Rafael León as the Pastor of St. Thomas More!
You may watch the installation in person or online, with a reception to follow in the Friends and Family Hall.
We hope to see you there!

STM students in grades 1-8 started the 2024-25 school year today greeted by the smiling faces of our faculty and staff. Welcome back, Knights! We're so happy to see you.

Our teachers and staff are ready to welcome students in grades 1-8 for their first day of school tomorrow, and our preschool and kindergarten students on Tuesday. It's going to be a great year!

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Randy Trumbower, Dean of Student Engagement:

Mr. Trumbower was born and raised in South Florida and is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where he earned a degree in Special Education and lettered in both baseball and football while he was there. He became a certified Athletic Administrator through the NIAAA and NCADA and is a level 3 certified coach through the NFHS.

Mr. Trumbower has been in education for the past 23 years, and has had the privilege of working with some of the best teachers in the state, as well as serving as the Athletic Director at East Chapel Hill for the last eight years. He is a passionate person who values relationships with students and families, and looks forward to seeing what this next chapter will look like.

Welcome, Mr. Trumbower!

It was wonderful to see our students and families back on campus today for our open house and back to school reception! That you to our HSA for hosting the first get together of the year! We look forward to more fun and fellowship throughout the coming school year.

Our growing preschool has a new assistant, Ms. Jenna Wasielewski:

Ms. Wasielewski grew up in Hillsborough, NC, and moved back to the Triangle area after graduating from Virginia Tech in 2023 with a degree in Human Development and minors in Adaptive Brain and Behavior, Disabilities Studies, and Psychology. Most recently, Ms. Wasielewski has been both substitute teaching and nannying, but is tremendously excited to be in the classroom full-time! In her free time, she enjoys baking, traveling, and watching sports.

Welcome, Ms. Wasielewski!

Please welcome our new Aftercare Director, Ms. Reagan Eure:

Ms. Eure has worked in the aftercare program at STM for two years. She is starting her senior year at UNC Chapel Hill this month, majoring in Human Development and Family Studies. Ms. Eure loves spending time with her family, going on walks, and reading. She loves STM, especially the aftercare program, and is excited for the upcoming year!

Welcome, Ms. Eure!

Say hello to our new middle school Spanish teacher, Dr. Sandra Martinez Franco:

Dr. Martinez Franco is originally from Colombia, South America, but has lived in the United States for 20 years. She has worked as an English as a Second Language Specialist and as a Spanish instructor. In her spare time, Dr. Martinez Franco enjoys spending time with her family. She is very happy to be part of the St. Thomas More community!

Welcome, Dr. Martinez Franco!

Teachers and staff are back on campus today and we are so excited to start the new school year! This week, we would like to introduce you to the new teachers and staff joining us this year, starting with our new librarian, Ms. Joy Pasin:

Ms. Pasin grew up in Chicago and attended The University of Notre Dame for her undergraduate career. She has been living in Chapel Hill for two years and received her Master of Science in Library Science from UNC this May. Ms. Pasin loves the unique sense of community care and passion for learning found in Catholic education. She has been interning under Mrs. Williams over the last year and a half, where she has loved exploring all of the wonderful books in our library collection and getting to know STM students. She is so excited to officially be joining our community this fall.

Welcome, Ms. Pasin!

It may be rainy today but the STM art camp is full of sunshine!

Mr. Heumann and Mr. Fulford have been hosting an art camp at STM this week for students of all ages, and everyone has been having a great time. Today, as we experience some of Tropical Storm Debby's rain and wind, Mr. Fulford escorted each student into the building at drop off so they wouldn't get wet. We are all grateful for the big and small ways that Mr. Fulford supports our students and families!

📍NLJC Orange & Durham County Chapters
⭐️ social etiquette, 💃 ballroom dance, 🍽️ dining etiquette, ⚽ sportsmanship, 📱digital etiquette, 🥇 first impressions, 👔 dress codes, 🏁 children’s manners

Attention parents: Registration is open for 2024-2025 Junior Cotillion programs. We are honored to serve Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, Durham, and all students in our area by teaching them basic manners and etiquette that will benefit them throughout their lives.

Please visit https://nljc.com/ to learn more about the Pre-Cotillion and Junior Cotillion programs:

Pre-Cotillion: A Passport to Paris, Olympic Games
K-4th grade
August 14-16, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Top 10 manners you should know before age 10.
Blue Hill Events Center

Junior Cotillion Year I
5th-6th grade
5 classes and a Spring Ball
First impressions, dance, electronic/social media, dining, and social etiquette.
This generation is called “the screeners” for a reason, let’s work to improve their “soft skills” by teaching nonverbal cues and the art of conversation.
Blue Hill Events Center

Junior Cotillion Year II
6th-8th grade
4 classes and a Five-Course Formal Instructional Dinner
Branding yourself, electronic/social media, and proper sportsmanship.
2024-2025 featured guest speakers: Michael Volpe (Duke Swimming and Diving) on Sportsmanship and Alexa Wojnovich (UNC Women’s Soccer) on Social Media.
Chapel Hill Country Club

For questions, please contact: [email protected]

Thank you to the Diocese of Raleigh Office of Education for bringing us all together for the school employee Mass this morning!

The expanded St. Thomas More Preschool has limited seats still available for the 2024-25 school year! Our preschool program follows the Diocese of Raleigh Early Childhood Curriculum, and our classrooms offer an environment that encourages children to explore, question, and learn. Call 919-969-6700 for a tour today!

Please spread the word! The STM Aftercare program is hiring counselors for the 2024-25 school year. This is a great job for a college student or recent college graduate. Part time flexibility with competitive pay!