29 January Letter from Mr. Kelly
January 29th, 2020
Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Dear SJS Catholic School Community,
As I look at the calendar it is hard to believe that it’s almost February. Thank you for all you have done to support our school. The pandemic has brought out the true nature of people, I think. 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 just plain stinks. But, I am grateful for the lessons we have learned and how our outstanding school has shined. Over 100 days of in person learning at SJS!
We enter into Catholic Schools Week next week. It will be different, but fun. Some of the highlights are: Spirit day, basketball skills contest, 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 recently 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 thought 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 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. This will include registration for our full-day PreK program which is for students who are at least 4 years old. 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 19th). But parents who can speak of the value of a Catholic education are our best recruiters. Please spread the word.
Midterms for the quarter will be the first week in February. Thanks for staying current with grades and behaviors with our teachers. If you would like a conference on the 11th please follow the instructions that were sent home on the conference plan sheet.
Thanks for all you do.
William Kelly
Principal
