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“ There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for
every affair under the heavens.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Dear Parents,
When the evenings cool and fall decorations appear by our St. Joseph
Garden Club elves, these are signs that school is in full swing.
As I visit classrooms I see good things happening such as:
kindergartners offering intentions for consideration in their prayer
circle;
first graders actively participating in a lesson on giving and receiving
compliments; eighth graders giving of their time to help with the
Fall Festival, the 140th Parish Celebration, Evening Vespers,
and leading our morning and afternoon prayers; third graders preparing
for an unscheduled all school Mass; and over sixty 3rd, 4th
and 5th graders sharing their talent to perform in the new
Cantor Choir.
In conjunction with our most important mission, faith formation,
comes the academics. Students experiencing the election process, giving
performances, designing science experiments, building diorama book
reports, learning to divide and much more.
The teachers, too, are busy growing and learning. They are continuing
their faith formation and learning through the Benedictine School of
Faith.
Teachers will meet in community for 30 hours over the course of this
school year. It is a time for us to deepen our personal faith, which in
turn enriches the teaching of our faith. Teachers also continue
professional development through Student Improvement Team (SIT)
training;
North Central Association (NCA) preparation for our final
accreditation visit that is scheduled for November 21st;
classes through the
Shawnee Mission School District that focus on technology, core content,
instruction and pedagogy; Regional Archdiocesan In-Service;
and training in Topeka on preparing for and administering the Kansas
Assessments.
So when people say that we have settled into the routine of school,
it is anything but routine. Every day is different and filled with faith
and
learning. I empathize with the kindergartener that was worn out at the
end of the day. When his mother asked why he didn’t take a nap during
rest time, he told her there was just too much to do and that maybe next
year in 1st grade there would be time for a nap. I also hope
there
is time for a nap.…next year.
May God bless and keep you,
Sue Carter
Principal
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