28 January Letter from Mr. Kelly
Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas
Dear SJS Catholic School Community,
I don’t know about you, but to me it’s hard to believe it’s almost February. Thank you for all you have done to support our school. One thing the pandemic has done is it has brought out the true nature of folks. Flexible people have remained flexible and those inclined to worry have been worried, etc. The pandemic has illustrated the best of SJS too. It has shown we have outstanding teachers who will do whatever they can to keep kids safe and learning. We have seen our parents step up and do their part to support the school and keep kids in person. We have seen the parishes continue to do their part to support the school and give us the resources we need. So, the pandemic continues to create issues. But, I am grateful for the lessons we have learned and how our outstanding school has shined.
We enter Catholic Schools Week next week. Some of the highlights are: Spirit Day, Mass, Spelling Bee, and the all school games. Please make sure you read the attachment in this week’s Virtual Backpack about all the events. I read an article once that stated we live in a culture that values quick results. The article stated that when it comes to what should be most important to us, recognizing Jesus, we cannot expect quick results. Learning to recognize Jesus in the many ways he comes to us requires patient waiting that can open our eyes to new possibilities. Let’s pray as we enter Catholic Schools Week that our school community is full of those working to recognize Jesus.
I have always believed that people pay for what is important to them. To me it seems like folks are willing to pay for a product that is worth the money. I think that is true for Catholic education as well. Our future is bright because we are producing outstanding results at SJS. Our graduates are prepared for high school and beyond. Our test scores are largely above the national average. We are shaping the future of our community and church. And, we are creating disciples. Thank you for your continued support of SJS. Registration for next school year will begin next month for our current families, online via Sycamore. You will be emailed further instructions. The full day and kindergarten classes have limited enrollment numbers so prompt attention will be beneficial. We open registration to current families first as a courtesy to you, a chance to secure your spot at SJS. One week later we will open registration to all new families. We want to add as many new students as we can, that simply is how schools work best. (Roundup Feb 18th). Parents who can speak of the value of a Catholic education are our best recruiters. Please spread the word.
Coming home today or Monday will be a Parent/Teacher Conference Plan Sheet. It will state if the teachers would appreciate a visit on Feb 10th, and will also have instructions for you if you would like to reserve a conference time. If you would like to see any SJS teacher for a conference, feel free to follow the instructions on the sheet. No school February 10th and 11th.
We take technology safety seriously at SJS. And we need your help. Parents who closely monitor their student’s online and phone activity help many problems to be avoided. There are tools you can download to help, but a close interest and supervision is a very powerful tool. It’s also good to know that no SJS teacher will use social media to contact your student. Our staff will use the established emails, in person conversations, and phone calls to be in communication with you or the student.
Thanks for all you do.
William Kelly
Principal
