13 November Letter from Mr. Kelly
Memorial of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini
Dear SJS Catholic School Community,
Thank you for all your support for our upcoming SOAR Dinner. Over 300 individuals are looking forward to a delicious takeout meal by Taxi’s. And if you have not checked out the silent auction online, please do so. There are fun items for the family, home, sporting goods, etc., and there are deals to be found!
https://one.bidpal.net/
But, I think most support SOAR because they understand the positive impact the event has on the school. The funds simply have a direct positive effect for the kids. And if you did not purchase a meal you can still bid online and purchase raffles. But, an event like SOAR is a tremendous amount of work; there are so many details to coordinate. I want to thank the SOAR volunteers and office staff for all their hard work. The fruits of your labor will be seen on the 21st. And a special thank you goes out to Mrs. Howard. Her efforts have simply been outstanding. This pandemic has made an event like SOAR even more difficult, and she has taken on these challenges with enthusiasm and boundless energy. Her determination to make the event a success is clear to see. And her attention to detail and ability to multi-task should be the envy of all of us. I’m confident the event will be both fun, and successful, and in large part this is due to Mrs. Howard. We are indeed blessed to have her leading the SOAR event.
I get the question often, “Will we go to remote learning?” And, to be honest, I don’t know. No one here wants that as we believe being with the teachers is the best way to educate. It will simply depend on the choices our SJS community makes in terms of the pandemic. If those choices follow CDC guidelines, we should be able to keep the kids in school. But, if many students have to quarantine due to exposure at home, it just doesn’t make sense for us to remain in person. If parents test positive, or are awaiting a test, the student must stay home too. So, the personal choices you make can have an impact on the larger community. That is a sobering thought I know. I encourage you to read the email sent yesterday to all families that outlines some of these ideas. And Thanksgiving will require some changes. This year the typical buffet style with all the extended family is simply a recipe for quarantine. Now, there are ways you can celebrate Thanksgiving with family, that is by making mask usage and social distancing a serious part of the day. But, let’s take care of each other. Let’s make the choices that can help our kids stay in school. Masks. Social Distance. Wash your hands.
The new directed health measure calls for 6 feet of distance between individuals at a church service. So, to be in compliance we need to tweak our Mass procedures. Starting yesterday, one grade will be in the church, one grade in the parish center, and the other grades normally in attendance will watch a liturgy from the classroom. This will keep our numbers down, and allow for greater distance in the church, and thus keep us in compliance with the directed health measure.
We will soon be into 2021 (so long, 2020, we won’t miss you) and will be looking to add new members to our SJS School family. Time does fly by. Perhaps you have a neighbor or friend that would be a good fit. The power of a parent’s testimony cannot be overestimated. If there is someone you think we should contact about SJS feel free to call or email the school office. This year in particular there are so many positive things that can be said about SJS. Thanks for all you do.
Peace,
William Kelly
Principal
