18 December Letter from Mr. Kelly

Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Dear SJS Catholic School Community,

We have made it through our first semester!  Way to go, SJS!  There were those who said we would not be able to stay in-person for even a month.  And now, we prepare for Christmas.  Schools have handled this pandemic in a variety of ways–some stayed remote, while others went to a hybrid approach.  At SJS our approach was to stay in-person as much as possible and do whatever we could at school to keep the kids safe.  We then asked our parents to help us stay with the kids.  So, we had to form a partnership in order to keep the school open and kids out of quarantine.  And, you have done a great job, SJS parents,  thank you.  In fact, this week is the lowest number of quarantining kids we have had in months.  So, I am confident that our next semester will also be quite successful.  SJS staff and parents working together make for a powerful team.  And, I cannot say enough about the efforts of our SJS staff.  We have tremendous teachers and staff, who are clearly driven to do what is best for the students.  Thank you, SJS staff, for all you do.

Some schools have decided to make snow days into “remote learning” days this winter.  There is no plan to do that at SJS.  Snow days do provide opportunities for learning—learning about family traditions, learning more about each other, learning how to make a snowman, learning how to sled faster, learning how to have a successful snowball fight, learning how to unwind and be with family.  So, should the occasion arise we will have a snow day, and take a break from the serious business of growing up, and enjoy a hot chocolate.

It started as a simple idea, perhaps parents would contribute to a Christmas gift for SJS teaching staff to show appreciation for this strange semester full of extra work.  And your response has been tremendous.  It was humbling to see such generosity, kindness, and gratitude.  The teaching staff is very grateful to all of those that contributed.  2020 has been very difficult, but the generosity of our SJS parents has been one of the highlights.  Thank you for your Catholic kindness.

On behalf of the entire SJS School staff, Christmas blessings to you all.  I hope the holiday season is a time of relaxation and enjoyment.  Enjoy the break and thank you for all that you do for SJS.

Peace,

William Kelly

Principal