Message from the HSA President

Dear Basilica School of Saint Mary Families,  

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! My name is Kristen Zottola, and I have the pleasure of serving as your Home and  School Association (HSA) President this school year. Our family has been part of the St. Mary’s community since 2013. Our daughter has now graduated and is a freshman at Bishop Ireton High School, and our sons are in the 7th and 4th grades. Over the years, we have met so many wonderful families and have such great memories, many of which were made possible through HSA-sponsored school events. 

We all know the past few years have been anything but ordinary, but our wonderful community has proven we are unflappable. And, just as we seem to get back to a somewhat normal rhythm, our school is under construction and has a new principal! As we’ve proven time and time again, our school community is steadfast in our ideals and traditions, so I have no doubt we will quickly take these wonderful new changes in stride!  

Our 2021-2022 school year was wildly successful. Thank you to our parents, volunteers, and past board members for your tremendous support. As we were sad to see many of our older families move on, we are thrilled to meet and welcome our new families to our very special community. 

The HSA supports our school through fundraising, community development, community ministry outreach, and parent education. Each year, the HSA provides parents with volunteer opportunities and raises funds critical to the success of our school’s operation. I welcome our new families and encourage everyone to participate in our St. Mary’s community by volunteering and participating in our fun events. 

We have updated our Families-in-Service (FIS) Catalog and have added a few new FIS positions. Families can sign up for hourly-based positions or select a position with a designated number of hours. Additional details regarding FIS requirements are on the Parent Resource page of the school’s website.     

I am open to all feedback and ideas. The HSA meets monthly in the school cafeteria, and ALL parents are welcome and  encouraged to attend. Our goal is to always be transparent  and communicate with our families. Please email me at hsa@smsva.org with questions, concerns, feedback, ideas, or just to introduce yourself. We can’t wait to see what this year brings! Go, Saints!  

Respectfully Yours,