St. Ma rk’s School of Tex as
From the Head of Lower
School
Dear First-Grade Families,
Welcome to St. Mark’s School of Texas! We are delighted to welcome your family to our community. This week’s Ice Cream Social is a special opportunity for you to meet our teachers and connect with other new families. It is the first of many meaningful events we will share in the Lower School.
Enclosed, you will find a welcome letter from your son’s teachers along with a list of helpful topics to guide your transition to St. Mark’s. We hope this information answers some of your questions. If, however, there is a topic we have not covered, please do not hesitate to ask. For your convenience, we have included important contact information.
At St. Mark’s, relationships and partnerships are at the heart of everything we do. Our community is built on a foundation of family, friendship, and shared values – character, leadership, courage, and honor. We are eager to embark on this journey with you.
Thank you for entrusting St. Mark’s with your son’s education as we walk the Path to Manhood together. Enjoy the end-of-year celebrations at your current school, and we look forward to celebrating and welcoming your family into the St. Mark’s Lower School community.
Warmly,
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 in the gym will be scheduled the week before School begins. You will receive a Sign-up Genius invitation in early August to schedule an intake conference to give us insight into what is unique and special about your son. Please reserve the 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 you will enjoy a variety of experiences with your son throughout the summer. You will receive an email in June providing 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
Dear First-Grade Parents,
A warm welcome to your entire family on behalf of the St. Mark’s Parents’ Association (SMPA). We are so glad you chose St. Mark’s, a community unlike any other. I am the proud parent of two Marksmen, Classes of ’29 and ’31, and my fondness for this place is endless. As a parent of a Marksman, you are an automatic member of the SMPA. We are an enthusiastic group of volunteers who partner with the Faculty, Staff, and Administration to support the boys’ education and development, as well as to bolster a strong community. Parents have the privilege of participating on campus in a wide range of areas, including the libraries, cafeteria, Student Store, Lions’ Closet, and events. A unique position awaits every type of volunteer.
The SMPA organizes events throughout the year for parents and boys. A few to note on your calendar:
Lion Pride Night: an all-school spirit night, complete with a cookout, DJ, and surprises before our home football game on Friday, August 28. This is also Lower School spirit night when all new Lower School Marksmen are invited to run across the football field before kick-off. It’s always a lively, festive evening together.
Fun Day: a school carnival hosted for Hockaday Daisies (Lower School) and Marksmen in grades 1-4 scheduled on a Fall date TBD.
To get involved in these and many other events, you will volunteer through Sign-Up Genius (SUG).
Please note SUG goes live on Monday, July 13, at 12 p.m. Log onto the St. Mark’s website, click the “Volunteer Here” button on the Resource Board, and you will find volunteer opportunities accompanied by descriptions. When class lists are released in August, return to the Resource Board for more classspecific volunteer opportunities. Throughout the year, the Class Page – managed by your Grade Reps –will serve as a primary source of specific, timely, and helpful information for your entire class.
Finally, if you have any questions during the summer or school year, please contact the following parent volunteers:
Class of 2038 - 1st Grade Representatives: Rae Story rae.nicole@gmail.com
214.830.0505 Keyuri Soni keyurissoni@gmail.com 214.738.3562
SMPA Athletic Liaison (1st & 3rd grades): Chris Storey cstorey@cstorey@scmidstream.com 847.751.0428
Again, welcome to the St. Mark’s community. Allow me to be a resource on this one-of-a-kind adventure. I look forward to meeting you soon.
As ever, Go Lions!
Rita T. Han
St. Mark’s Parents’ Association President 2026-2027 rita@loreservices.com 214.236.4988
• 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 these as well.
• 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 for 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 17. Third and fourth grade parties are scheduled for Tuesday, August 18.
• Yearbook Photos are taken at School the week before classes begin. Boys should wear a dark sports jacket and any appropriate tie with their white uniform shirt. Jacket and tie are available from the photographer if you are unable to provide these items for your son. Photos are from the waist up. 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 Lower School Mini-School, scheduled on Thursday, August 20. You should familiarize yourself with Lion Tracks which is the guide to the School’s policies. Lion Tracks can be accessed on the SM website Resource Board, as well.
• 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 20, at 6 p.m.
• 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 28, at 5:30 p.m. The Lower School grades will picnic together, and the new boys will be invited onto the football field before the 7 p.m. game.
• Fun Day is our annual Hockaday/St. Mark’s carnival. St. Mark’s boys in grade 1 – 4 and Hockaday girls in pre-K – 4 will meet on the St Mark’s campus this year for an afternoon of fun and games. Fun Day is on a Fall date TBD.
• Chess Club is open to all Lower School boys and meets throughout the year on Thursday mornings at 7:00 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.
• Carpool information, including information regarding SchoolPass, will be distributed at MiniSchool. Morning carpool drop-off is 7:35-7:50 a.m. Class begins promptly at 7:55 a.m. Boys are expected to be in class and ready to work at 7:55 a.m. Afternoon carpool pick-up is 2:50-3:10 p.m.
• SchoolPass is the carpool and attendance app used by Lower School. In August, you will be asked to download the most current version of the SchoolPass app.
• 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 only 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. – 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 posted on your Class Page and Resource Board.
• Team Sports: Lower School Athletic Liaisons Jory Caulkins and Chris Storey 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.
Uniform Requirements for Lower School
(Found in Lion Tracks, St. Mark’s Student Handbook)
Uniforms may be purchased at Culwell & Son, 6319 Hillcrest Avenue, 75205.
Shirt – White shirt, oxford cloth, button-down collar, short or long sleeves
Pants – Gray shorts or gray long pants
Socks – Plain white socks with shorts. White socks should be worn well above the ankles. Solid dark socks may be worn with long pants.
Belt – Conservative black or brown belt or St. Mark’s branded belt
Undershirts or t-shirts – Plain white t-shirts are acceptable under the school uniform shirt. No logo or writing permitted.
Outerwear – Sweatshirts sold in the SM Student Store, or Lions’ Closet, solid-color sweatshirts with no decorations (blue or gray preferred) conservative sweaters, and coats are acceptable. College-branded or team-branded sweatshirts are not permitted in Lower School.
Shoes – Tie shoes only if adept at tying them; otherwise, Velcro closure is acceptable. Shoes should be predominantly or entirely black with no other color except white. No high-top athletic shoes.
Extra Clothing – When the temperature is 32 degrees or below, Lower School boys may wear solid-colored sweatpants (blue or gray preferred) over their shorts.
P.E. Uniform – must be purchased in the Student Store. First graders need a P.E. shirt but do not need to purchase shorts. All other Lower School boys are required to have a P.E. shirt and shorts. Please use a permanent marker to label your son’s uniform shorts, shirts, and sweatshirts.
St. Mark’s School of Texas Summer Reading List for Incoming First Graders
This guide is meant to help your son discover some new books over the summer. One of the best ways to help prepare your son for first grade is to encourage him to read every day. This can be accomplished by his reading silently alone, as well as reading aloud together. Your local library is another great resource for recommendations and appropriate reading-level suggestions. We look forward to seeing you in the library!
Beginning Readers Chapter Series:
A-Z Mysteries
Ballpark Mysteries
Buddy Files
Calendar Mysteries by Ron Roy
Cam Jensen by David Adler
Clementine Series by Sarah Pennypacker
Dragon Masters by Tracey West
Haunted Libraries by Dori Butler
Henry Hecklebeck by Wanda Coven
Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline
Jake Maddox Sports Books
Magic Tree House by Mary P. Osbourne
Mercy Watson, Tales from Deckawoo Drive by Kate DiCamillo
My Weird School by Dan Gutman
Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliott
Pug Diaries by Kyla May
Rabbit & Bear by J. Gough & J. Fields
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot by Dav Pilkey
Roscoe Riley Rules by Katherine Applegate
Learning to Read Series:
Dial Easy-to-Read (Penguin Young Readers)
DK/Eyewitness Readers (Non-fiction)
Hello Reader! (Scholastic)
I Can Read Books (Harper Collins)
You Read to Me, I Read to You (Little, Brown)
Step Into Reading Levels 1-4 (Random House)
Mythology:
D’Aulaires Books of Greek Myths by Ingri d’Aulaires
Usborne Illustrated Stories from the Greek Myths
Additional Authors:
David Adler-Mo Jackson Sports Series
John Robert Allman – Theater, Broadway
Jim Arnosky – Wildlife
Matt Christopher – Sport
Beverly Cleary – Fiction
Edward Eager – Magic & Knights
Steven Kellog – Fiction, folk tales
Arnold Lobel – Classics
Jerry Pallotta – Who Would Win Series
Dav Pilkey – DogMan Graphic Novels
Patricia Polacco – Picture books, folk tales
Cynthia Rylant – Picture & chapter books
Elizabeth Shreve – Non-fiction & marine life and mammals
Poetry:
Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky
The Smell of a Wet Dog by Bernie Saltzberg
Folk Tales and Legends:
Aesop’s Fables
King Arthur
Robin Hood
Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales
Anansi the Spider
Pecos Bill
