Sr. Jean's Blog

Happy Catholic Schools Week! Although Hallmark has not capitalized on the concept, all at SJF are having a grand time celebrating the values and vision of our schools. Many, many thanks to all who were able to attend the family mass on Sunday. It was great to see so many new and veteran Falcons. I was so proud of our Kindergarten "choir" who led the blessing song so beautifully and of the others who extended the blessing from their places in Church. It was a memory making moment for all.

Monday, 700 of us danced to the music of the St. Rita High School Band. Their spirit was contagious. Tomorrow, the Jesse White Tumblers will be here and on Friday "Fingertips", a one woman music show starring Katie Quick will be here for two performances. Later that night, Moms and their sons are invited to Kane Hall for "Bingo" and other events. The Mother-Son Bingo Friday night will be a great hit ... tickets are now sold out!

Our second graders celebrated their First Reconciliation last week. It is always such a privilege and grace to be in the presence of these young penitents when they literally skip to the altar to share their hearts with one of our priests in confession. Another memory maker for sure.

I am still trying to keep a poinsettia plant alive at my house and realize that we begin Lent in just a few weeks! The February Calendar has many special events including the celebration of Confirmation for our eighth graders on Saturday, Feb. 25. Our eighth graders have prepared well for this important step in their life's faith development. Our parish can be very proud of their efforts.

All are invited to the gym on Saturday, Feb. 11, for Pack the House Night, celebrating the many athletic teams that bring such vitality to our school. There will be games most of the day, so look for details on the website. This is a good time to say thanks to all who help make the athletic program at SJF so accessible to the hundreds who participate. The Board, the coaches, the concession stand workers, the loyal fans and parents who chauffeur, cheer, and encourage after a missed shot or soft volleyball hit, all contribute to one of the strongest programs in the Archdiocese. I am grateful not only for their commitment to the program but also their strong support of school policies that help our kids understand how important it is that they be student athletes who balance their time well and represent their school and family values both on and off the playing field.

The IHSA Wrestling Regionals are being held at Marist Saturday at 10 a.m. Several of our alum will be participating, so you may want to cheer your favorite high school team at this event.

Registrations for our pre-school and kindergarten programs are coming in quickly. Please tell neighbors and friends who might be thinking about coming to our school that registration is now open to the general public and that because of the popularity and variety of programs offered, we anticipate full numbers. If they have questions, please encourage them to call me. Registration papers can be downloaded from the website (under the back pack section) and returned to school.

On Tuesday, February 22, Dr. Avis Clendenen from St. Xavier University will be the guest speaker for the beginning of our Lenten Program this year. Avis will speak on the meaning of forgiveness using a powerful story from her own life experience. I think this evening will be very thought provoking and well worth your time.

Like yours, our budget at this time of the year is especially tight. Tardy tuition, (probably because of the holidays) makes it difficult for us to keep up with bills that are regular, and never tardy. If you are a bit behind, please do your best to catch up as soon as possible. Please let me know if we can help in any way.

At the risk of redundancy, I am attaching an article from this week's bulletin about Catholic Schools. It is an attempt to summarize our goals for the school and our gratitude for the privilege of partnering with you to provide the best for our kids.

The Girl Scouts in our parish and school are collecting shoes for the "Share Your Sole" project. A flyer describing the program should be in your child's back pack. Gently used gym shoes, athletic shoes, "dress shoes" of any size are being collected to be cleaned and sent to children in need. We will have boxes available for the collection. Thanks in advance.

Last year at this time we were shoveling our way through the twenty one inches of snow...Enjoy this very mild winter and the graces and blessings of each day.

Dear Families,

There was great excitement in the air today as students returned to school filled with the enthusiasm of Christmas. I think Santa was awfully good to all who were so happy to report on the gifts they received. Santa and the elves were surely MOST generous to me. Thank you for the wonderful treats, the very generous gift the Family School Association gave each of us, and the delightful notes that appeared on Christmas cards. Once again, I am in awe of your thoughtfulness and generosity.

The January calendar should be in a newly emptied book bag and is on the school webpage. Among the highlights are some special events for our eighth graders. On Sunday, January 8, they will be presented to the parish at the 10:00 Mass as our Confirmation Candidates. The group is already very involved in preparing for the celebration of this sacrament on Saturday, February 25. We are proud to introduce them to the parish as those who will be the next generation of Catholics, ready to assume leadership in our church and world.

On Saturday, January 14, the group will take the high school placement test at the school of their choice. Please keep them in your prayers as they ponder which of the local schools best matches the limitless potential each has. They will celebrate the successful conclusion of the test and the next step on the journey toward graduation at a party in Kane Hall later that evening.

All are welcome to the 10:00 Mass on Sunday, January 18, when the Holy Name Society welcomes all Dads (or significant dad-figures) to mass and breakfast with their children. This is always a very nice event for our families. We hope you will come.

Catholic Schools Week begins on Sunday, January 29, with Mass and Open House immediately following. Your children have made great progress since our opening days of school in August. We welcome you to stroll the corridors and see their creativity and great effort at every grade level.

There will be other events for the students throughout Catholic Schools Week which we will post in Friday thoughts as we get closer to the date.

It seems hard to believe that we are already beginning to make plans for next year. After Open House, we will open new registration for next year's preschool and kindergarten. Because of the popularity of our multiple pre-school programs, please notify neighbors who might not have children in school about dates for registration. The bulletin and Beverly Review will also have information about class openings for the 2012-2013 school year. Thanks for being our ambassadors to new families who want their kids to be future falcons.

We recently received information from the Food Service Professionals, the Archdiocesan Company that provides our hot lunch program, reminding us that guidelines for reduced and free lunches are very generous. Please know that your application for reduced lunches is ABSOLUTELY confidential. Federal regulations mandate that the students are not identified in any way. Annual income to qualify for reduced meals (.40 each) are:
Household size Annual income at or below
Adults and Children

2 $20, 147
3 $34, 281
4 $41, 348
5 $48, 415
6 $55, 482
If you have questions about the program or would like an application, please call me. This is one federal program that is available for children in all of our schools.

A very caring parent also asked me to remind our families about the importance of checking fire detectors at this season of the year and being sure that every family has an evacuation plan should there ever be a fire in their home. We have been blessed with a mild winter (no broken rules about throwing snowballs on school property!), but we need to be sure that all are safe in our homes. I am grateful for the reminder and happy to pass it on to you.

Dear Families,

Last week I met the father of one of our graduates, Kevin Murphy. His buttons were bursting with pride as he read a text from his son: "I'm in Hawaii with the President." Kevin is with the Secret Service Police assigned to the President's detail. I love hearing about our graduates (and hope you do too!)

Your boundless generosity was so evident last week when the volunteers who package boxes for our troops in Afghanistan came to pick up all that you sent. We filled two cars to overflowing. One of the volunteers left with tears in her eyes, because she was so touched by what a group of children (and their parents) can do. THANK YOU!

Traditionally, December is one of the busiest months of the year. The excitement of our youngest scholars is contagious as they write their detailed letters to Santa, craft wonderful gifts for their parents, and practice for various school "theatrical events." If you need a bit of Christmas Spirit, this is the place to be.

The first evidence of Christmas Creativity will be evident on Thursday evening when all are invited for the FSA's annual Christmas Crafts Night. Future artisans are welcome to visit various "stations" where they can create wonderful craft projects that will make be the envy of any gift purchased at Nordstrom's.

Each year the diocese asks that our faculty participate in a retreat experience as part of the requirements for catechetical certification. Please remember that the students will have no classes on Friday because of that professional development day.

On Monday we launch our annual Sacks for Santa Program, collecting toys for families who count on us to be sure there are items under their trees on Christmas Eve. Working with Catholic Charities, we will collect toys during the week of December 5-9. The tough economy has increased the number of families who need assistance from Catholic Charities more than ever. As always, I know we can rely on your generosity.

Our band and chorus will do a joint concert on December 13 in the Church at 7:00 p.m. Again, this program is guaranteed to enhance the spirit of Christmas for all who attend. Not to be outdone, the pre-schoolers and kindergarten classes are also busy preparing wonderful Christmas shows. This year's casting call resulted in more future stars wanting to be cows than angels....Should I be worried?

Our Christmas Break begins on Wednesday, December 21, at 11:30. We will have an all school prayer service at 11:00 that morning. Masses for Christmas include the family masses at 4:00 and 6:00 on Christmas Eve, the "Midnight" Mass at 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning masses at 8:00, 10:00, and noon.

If you are looking for a fine spot to gather with friends for a Christmas dinner, please know that Cavatappi Restaurant has begun a program called "check in for charity" and SJF is the charity!
On any Thursday during December, guests simply "check in" on their facebook app.
When guests "like" the restaurant, 10% of the bill will be donated to our school. We are grateful to owners Bill Muchrone and Potito Conza for this new opportunity to raise funds for the school. If you have questions about how the program works, the staff at the restaurant will be happy to answer them.

Please also remember to use MANNA for both your Christmas shopping, your Christmas groceries and for those persons on your list to whom you want to give a gift card. In addition to all that is available every week, you can "special order" from hundreds of other stores. Please consult one of our MANNA directors if you have a question.

We continue to save Sunny D upc codes for books. If you or someone you knows drinks SunnyD, please save the labels which we can send to Scholastic Books for library books for the classrooms. The collection lasts all year and through the summer.

As children MANY years ago, it was the custom in our house to add "a surprise gift" to our Santa list each year. We never knew what it would be, but somehow Santa always found the perfect "extra" to make Christmas morning very memorable. I was thinking about surprise gifts last week at our Thanksgiving Liturgy. I had the privilege of distributing Communion to so many who are surprise gifts to me; college kids home for the holiday who winked as they received communion, older folks who somehow find the strength and will to come to mass even though they can hardly walk, a few third graders who when they extend their hands and still seem so excited to be coming to Communion after their big First Communion in May, school families who are struggling in this difficult economy but still make so many sacrifices to send their kids here, other families for who have had their faith challenged by difficult medical situations but are at Mass because that same faith is nurtured when they come.

On behalf of all of our faculty and staff, I hope your Christmas season will be filled with surprise gifts....Keep your eyes wide and your heart open. They are all around us, many writing Santa letters, wearing new mittens, shopping late into the night at Target, or sitting around your table at Christmas.

Merry Christmas

November Newsletter
Dear St. John Fisher Families,

Have you ever had an "AMEN" moment when you just know that there is great hope and real goodness in our world? Friday morning that happened for me. We had an early morning math teachers' meeting and I was late coming back to the office. Mrs. Caffrey led our mini prayer service for persons whose lives have been touched by cancer. There was absolute silence in the building as she read a beautiful litany and asked us to remember the names of all whom we know and love who have been touched by the disease, their care-takers, and those who have lost a loved one and whose names are listed on the wall outside of church. There were a few tears of remembrance and a prayer-filled atmosphere that I will not soon forget. At the beginning of the year we talked much about our overall goal that each SJF student would be competent, curious, and compassionate. I was privileged to experience that compassion this morning.

Halloween is in the air! Second only to Christmas on the enthusiasm scale, we are having a fun-filled day! Our pre-schoolers and kindergarten students have a wonderful repertoire of Halloween songs that they sing with great gusto. The corridors are filled with creative and very clever art work, our faculty and all students have donned some incredible costumers, and end-of-the-day parties are occurring now. It is a great time to be in school.

All are invited to the All Saints Day Mass at 10:00 tomorrow, November 1st. Our sixth graders will host that mass.

The November Calendar is packed with many special events. Most have already appeared on our Friday Thoughts page. Of special note is the reality that we are almost at the end of the first trimester which means that report cards and parent teacher conferences will soon be here. This is a good time for a conversation with your scholars about a final push for good grades, completed assignments, and achieving Accelerated Reading and Accelerated Math goals. Be sure to check the black hole of big book bags for your scheduled appointment for your P/T conference. If you are unable to make your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so the individual teacher can re-schedule.

The Women's Club and Family School Association have planned some terrific events this month. Come prepared with your shopping list to the FSA Boutique on Friday evening, November 4. Kane Hall will be transformed to welcome more than 30 interesting vendors. Wine, beer, pop, and snacks will be available. Gather friends and neighbors for a great "girls' night out."

The Women's Club is also hosting several lovely events this month. Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 1st at 7:30, all are welcome to Cavatappi for pizza and drinks (the first is "on the house"). On Sunday, November 6, many of you have made "reservations" for the Mother Daughter Tea, and on Saturday, November 12, all are invited to the annual Holiday Luncheon at Ridge Country Club. (ALWAYS a highlight of the season.) We hope you will consider coming for any or all of the above.

Also providing strong support for our parish and opportunities for social events is the Men's Club. They will host a Bears football night in Kane Hall on Monday, November 7. Come and watch the game on the big screen, enjoy wonderful "libations" and meet new friends and neighbors. The group will also be collecting "slightly used" coats on that night and on the weekend of November 12/13 to send to local shelters.

Plan now to attend our Thanksgiving Family Mass at 9:00. This is one of the most beautiful liturgies of the year because it gives us a moment before the rush of the holidays to ponder the many, many gifts that fill our days. Our combined choirs do a fabulous job. I hope you will make this event a family priority.

This newsletter should have a sports section to feature the multiple opportunities provided by our Athletic Association and participated in my so many of our students. Saturday morning soccer, a very, very busy girls' basketball season, and two football teams in playoff competition have combined to dull the ratings for the World Series. Thanks to coaches, chauffeurs, fans, and players for great team effort. (Building on our three C theme, I was proud to learn that the football coaches and players had a mini fund raiser for breast cancer awareness month at a recent game against Queen of Martyrs. The combined efforts of the teams raised $175.00 for the Little Company of Mary Cancer Center.)

Another source of pride this month was the article that appeared in last week's Southtown about our new I Pad lab. If you missed the article check this link.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. It lacks the hectic pace of other holidays and is, to quote a very old commercial message, "a pause the refreshes" the heart and soul. Our busy lives can dull our awareness of the wonders that are too easy to miss...the Halloween songs of the pre-schoolers who manage to memorize lyrics even though it seems only yesterday that they started to talk...our first graders whose phonics skills are growing exponentially as they uncover the wonders of reading, eighth graders pondering a life decision about which high school will best help them realize the immense potential each has, the final bucket at the buzzer or the charge across the goal line...teachers whose dedication and selflessness continue to amaze me every day, and parents who are making incredible sacrifices of time and treasure to provide a Catholic Education for their children. My list of "things for which I am grateful" is endless. I hope you will have a moment during this beautiful season to create your own list.

Happy Harvest and Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear St. John Fisher Families,

Much to the disappointment of all of our students, the Fisher Fest Rides are gone for the year.
Despite a few hours of nasty weather, the fest was a grand success, due in large part to your very generous support and the scores of volunteer hours generously given by so many in the school and parish community. Like the parish picnic, and most recently all of our homecoming events, Fisher Fest is a wonderful celebration of the great spirit of this parish. Thank you for helping to make that happen for our children.

At a recent School Board meeting, I was very happy to share some statistics. Our enrollment is slightly higher this year than last, and we have almost four hundred families represented in our school community. In these challenging economic times, those numbers represent the tremendous sacrifice you are making to provide a Catholic Education for your children. Our goal this year is to help every child in the school become a young person who is competent, curious and compassionate. Our "Three C network" will continue to be developed through many activities this year that will be focused on that school goal. When you visit school, be sure to see the fabulous posters our eighth grade students created and have displayed throughout the building to remind us to strengthen the network.

Be sure to check the black hole of book bags this week. If you are wondering why your child is bringing home a baby bottle, know that he or she (and your family) is being asked to help with a fund raising project in conjunction with the Women's Center. The mission of the group is to help young mothers who need medical or emotional support during pregnancy. The group also provides baby clothes and furniture for these women. Please try to fill the bottle with loose change. Once filled, please return the bottle to school. Thanks in advance for your support of this very worthy cause.

The book bag should also have information about the annual Magazine Drive/ Wrapping Paper/ Gift drive. Subscriptions ordered through school earn a full 40% tuition rebate that is applied to the fund raising fee you paid in August. (YES, you will actually see a DEDUCTION!!!) I think the information about how to order is clear, but if after reading it you have a question, please call or email. You can also invite friends and relatives here or out of town to order subscriptions through the school in order to increase your rebate. Please read the information carefully and again, if you have questions, let me know.

Hot lunch begins on Monday, October 3. Be sure to check the menu each month to check the various selections offered through the program. Please also remember that free and reduced lunches are available to all who qualify. The guidelines are very generous and absolutely confidential. Wednesday, Oct. 5 is the first SPECIAL lunch of the year with entrees from Pappy's on the menu. Thanks to all of the Moms who are helping organize this treat for the students.

Seventh and Eighth graders will have the opportunity to learn more about the programs at our local high schools when we host High School Options Days. The first, for co-ed schools, will be on Wednesday, October 19th.

Be sure to check the Athletics website. Information about games, schedules, and other items of interest for this VERY busy group are available. At our recent pep rally for homecoming we saluted all of our Fall sports participants. The number is amazing. Our kids are blessed to have so many opportunities and options.

I hope you had a chance to spend some time with the Yearbook that arrived earlier this month. The capsule summary of all of last year's events was beautifully done and helped create a wonderful memory holder. Many thanks to our yearbook moderators, Kathy Murphy and Sarah
Murnane. Theirs is truly a labor of love.

A few reminders;
 Students should be in full "regular" uniforms beginning October 1. We need to put away the khakis and shorts until May.
 Tuition statements will be in the mail this weekend. New banking regulations have increased the amount we must pay on checks that are returned. We, like so many of you, are living on a VERY TIGHT budget and rely on your prompt payment of the monthly bill. Thanks so much for your cooperation.
 The first Women's Club meeting of the year is scheduled for Tuesday, October 4th at 7:30 in Kane Hall for pizza and bingo. All women of the parish are welcome.
 On Sunday, October 23, the parish is hosting a blood drive in Kane Hall from 8-noon.
We are trying to make this drive a huge success and hope to have at least fifty donors. If you are able to give blood, please consider doing so at this time. Any of you who have had a loved one who needed blood for a medical procedure or emergency knows how vital it is to have a supply available. I know the spirit of our parish and school community will make this event very, very successful.

We have had a great start to the new school year. Our kids are amazing and fill the halls with great enthusiasm and school spirit every day. They are a terrific reflection of the values and dreams you hold in your hearts for them. Thank you for allowing us to complement your efforts to provide an environment each can reach his or her unlimited potential.

Dear Families,

We have had a terrific first week of school. We survived Tuesday's first day of lunch with our kindergarten diners who had a grand time discovering what was in their lunch boxes. Although we reminded them to eat sandwiches before Oreos and tried to convince them it was not necessary to return empty bags to you, in general, they did very well. (You might want to check what they are bringing home and scale back the amount of food you are sending. A few had lunches fit for an over the road trucker. Delicious, but perhaps too much for little appetites. )

Chatting with them over lunch was great fun. When asked his name, one who has obviously been practicing all summer responded: "I am Michael and here are my numbers"....proudly reciting his address and phone number without a pause. Another gave me his name and reminded me not to forget the "Big S" at the beginning.

The Junior High also seems pleased to return to school. Although they were inundated this week with lots of "rules and regs" designed to outline clear expectations and build strong communication, the Seventh and Eighth grade teachers, Mrs. Reed and I are looking forward to a terrific year with them. They are bright, enthusiastic, and anxious to pool their many talents to help create a junior high environment that is respectful and spirited. You will be hearing more about this goal in the weeks and months ahead.

We are delighted to welcome several new faces to SJF this year. Ms. Colleen Dunne is the new preschool teacher. A graduate of St. Xavier University, Colleen comes to us with great enthusiasm and wonderful credentials that include her dad being a proud graduate of SJF.
Helping Ms. Katie in the other preschool is Ms. Jillian Ameral, a graduate of Merrimac College in Philadelphia. Jill will also be our neighbor since she is with the Augustinian Volunteer Program and will live with three others in the Augustinian House on 104th Street. Ms. Kelly Malone is mastering the fine art of teaching as a student teacher in Mrs. Nitsche's room. We also have a number of new families in our school. Please join me in welcoming them to this strong community.

As the September calendar indicates, the month ahead is filled with many activities. The gym is already busy with girls' basketball practices. Football officially starts next weekend, Saturday morning soccer begins, and the band opens its season. Special events include a prayer service to commemorate Sept. 11 (which we will have on Monday, Sept. 12), an Open House to meet and greet your children's teachers, and FISHER FEST which this year will be a four day festival. You will hear much more about these and other back to school events through regular postings on our webpage and in the weekly Friday thoughts.

A few random thoughts: If you are not already a MANNA customer, I urge you to think about using this "money saving" offer. Some have been under the assumption that you must buy hundreds of dollars worth of certificates in order to make the program work for you. On the contrary, if you only purchased what you spend weekly at the Jewel or County Fair plus an occasional Kohls, Old Navy, or Kean gas card, you would begin to see significant rebates on your tuition bill. Our cash and carry sales are available from literally scores of stores and special orders from other stores can be ordered and returned in about one week. Some of our families saved hundreds of dollars on their August book fees this year because of their regular participation in the program. Some have started "Christmas Clubs", purchasing a few extra certificates each week that they plan to use for Christmas shopping. Please think about becoming a Manna regular. It is clearly a "win-win" for all since the school also benefits from each certificate purchased. If you are unclear about how the program works, please call me.

Open House is Tuesday, September 6. There will be a short information sharing meeting in the church at 6:30. Following that presentation, all are welcome to stroll the corridors and meet the teachers who will be in their classrooms. Although the teachers do not know their new students well enough yet for a mini-parent teacher conference, they will be happy to share the goals and expectations for their classes and learn more from your experience about how your child can be most successful. We hope you will make this evening a priority.

Please check the school webpage regularly. Teachers have posted their back to school letters, and will be updating a weekly blog to help you stay informed. "Friday Thoughts", my brief summary of the week, will be emailed every week. Each of our faculty members has an email address and will be happy to respond to your questions and concerns. (Please give them a 24 hour response time.)

In thinking about the year ahead, I tried to summarize the ideal goals our school should have for each student. My prayer is that each leaves St. John Fisher as a competent, curious, and compassionate person who is well prepared for high school and beyond, who can think critically and creatively, and who has the skills and character to want to make a difference in the world.

We are blessed with accessibility to a great deal of information. A related goal is to help each student use that information to make the connections that will challenge him or her to gain wisdom, and to one day make a difference in a world so much in need of compassion and change. The kindergartener who "gave me his numbers" the eighth grader who is determined to make the honor roll, the second grader who shared his lunch today, each represent our best hope for a better world. How fortunate we are as parents and teachers to be part of this master plan. Welcome to a new, hope-filled, and exciting school year at St. John Fisher.

Dear Families,

Despite a very soggy and cold week, I hope each of you had a wonderful Easter Break. It is difficult to realize but as we return from our break, we are already in the countdown stage for the end of the year. Please keep the May calendar handy and know that it is subject to change.

The kindergarten students will welcome their Moms or special guests for "tea" and a fashion show on Thursday, May 5th. Each is very pleased to "model" his or her favorite ensemble that day.

A major calendar change is on May 13. Our original calendar indicated that would be our planning day but we have moved that day to May 27th. The children will have a longer Memorial Day weekend and the faculty will use that day for planning for next year. Please also note that our last day of the school year is THURSDAY, JUNE 9th, not Wednesday, June 8th. We will add the extra day because of the snow day in February. (Remember the blizzard!)

May is an especially important month for our graduates and for the second graders. First Communion, one of the best parish celebrations of the year will be at 11:00 on Saturday,
May 7th. A visit to any of the second grade classrooms affirms that they are very ready for this milestone moment.

The graduates also have several special events during May including the Ribbon Ceremony, their last session of the Lawyers in the Classroom Program, the Great America Trip, and the first performance by our St. John Fisher Glee group.

Another major "rite of passage" for the graduates is the beautiful May Crowning Prayer Service on Friday, May 6th. All are welcome. Please remember that the day is a half day session for the entire school with dismissal at 11:45.

May 9th begins Spirit Week, complete with special events, student council elections, and the almost ready for prime time "Falcon Idol" show. Many details about each of these events will appear in Friday Thoughts and on various teacher blogs.

Did you use the days over break to clean the basement, garage, or closets? If so, you might want to participate in the Second Annual FSA Yard Sale, on Saturday, May 14th. Last year's inaugural event was great fun as the parking lot was transformed to rival the antique road show, complete with "treasures" for every shopper. You should have received information about renting a table for the event. Plan to browse the sale even if you are not "selling" that day. You are sure to find an item or two of interest.

Our SJF Choir is ready for its first concert on Wednesday, May 18th. You will be amazed at the talent Mrs. VanderWoude has discovered in the Junior High!

The Family School is hosting the annual Bake Sale on Friday, May 20. Delicious treats will be available. Look for details in the days ahead. Money that is raised at the bake sale is used by the Family School to help with the FSA Family Fund.

There are several field trips planned this month. Please check your teacher blogs for details.
One highlight of the month is the third grade field trip to Chicago and cruise on Lake Michigan. This is the culminating event for their study of our great city.

All of the seventh and eighth graders who have helped with various service areas in the school such as patrol, altar servers, market day workers etc. will take a trip to Great America on Tuesday, May 31. We are very grateful for their selfless generosity to these important activities that are important to our school.

Final tuition payments are due May 15th. If you are unable to make that deadline, PLEASE call as soon as possible. We are working on the budget for the new school year and depend on the timely payment of all of this year's bills. Thanks for your consideration.

Longer days and busy schedules make the month of May a challenging time. We have one foot in planning for next year and one striding toward the finish of this year. Calendars are crammed with end of the year events, multiple sports events, and family gatherings to celebrate graduations, first communions, and weddings. Please encourage the students to do their best for a strong finish to the year. It is more difficult to focus on homework, accelerated reading, and various long-term assignments when the long days and warmer temperatures lure us outside. Thanks for your help.

Happy Mother's Day to each of you! Thank you for continuing to model the unconditional love that helps our students become their best selves. Thanks for the patience to do flash card reviews, spelling lists, and the midnight runs to CVS because a poster board is needed the next day. Thanks for chaperoning and chauffeuring. Thanks for being great cheerleaders for your kids not only on the playing field, but also in the classroom. Thanks for opening your hearts and homes as good neighbors in this very strong and caring community.

I found a wonderful salute to mothers a few years ago. It still applies:

This is for the mothers who sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms saying, "It's alright, honey, Mommy's here."
This is for all the mothers who show up for work with spit up in their hair and diapers in their purse.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see.
And for the mothers who took these babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers who lost their baby in that precious nine months that they will never get to watch grow on earth but one day will be reunited with in Heaven.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on the refrigerator doors.
This is for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
This is for all the mothers who read "Goodnight Moon" twice a night for a year and then read it again "just one more time."
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school and for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home...or even away at college.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who cannot find the words to reach them.
This is for all step mothers who raised another woman's child or children, and gave their time, attention and love, sometimes totally unappreciated.
This is for all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cooks dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?
This is for working mothers and stay -at-home-mothers,
Single mothers and married mothers,
Mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for all.
Hang in there.
In the end, we can only do the best we can.
Tell them every day that we love them and pray
"Home is what catches you when you fail, and we all fail."
Author unknown

Dear St. John Fisher Families,

Happy Spring, Happy half-way through Lent, Happy April! If your calendar looks anything like the school calendar, the best greeting might just be "Hang in, Spring vacation will soon be here".

Auction 11 is just one week away. The auction and raffle prize baskets are looking VERY IMPRESSIVE. You will not want to miss this grand event. Great food, music, our "signature drink" and an opportunity to bid on or win extraordinary prize packages will combine to make this a very memorable evening. Gather family, friends, and neighbors to help fill the gym which will be transformed for the night. We hope you will make the event a priority since all proceeds will be used to balance the school budget and keep tuition rate increases as low as possible for next year. Please also try to order your tickets now since our caterer needs good numbers to provide the excellent service for which she is famous.

Please also remember that Sunday, April 10, is our annual Grandparents' Day Mass at 10:00. All of the grandparents or "significant persons" in our students' lives are welcome. All are also invited to the grand opening of this year's book fair. Hundreds of great titles will be available for every grade level. Students will also be able to attend the book fair during the following week. On Wednesday evening, April 13, we will have the "bus of fun" family event as part of the book fair. Details will follow.

I am ready to consult a patent lawyer as to the next best means of addressing the school budget deficit. If you had the chance to visit the Invention Convention presented by our talented seventh graders under the very capable direction of Mrs. O'Brien, you saw the creativity and engineering potential so many of their projects demonstrated. Duct tape flip-flops, nifty travelling pillows for overnights, and a creative new board game, were just a few of the ideas that are almost ready for an infomercial. There were many examples of organizational tools for students, time saving conveniences, and even inventions to accommodate senior citizens who need to exercise their dogs. The invention convention is a great experience of thinking creatively to solve a problem and possibly make a million dollars!

Thanks for your continued support of our Pennies for Peace Project. I am always so impressed with the generosity that you demonstrate to your children by your example.

We have had strong interest in our new pre-school programs and continue to investigate the many facets of this expansion. It is very exciting to know that we will welcome so many future falcons next year. Please tell interested neighbors and friends because the classes are filling very quickly.

Although Father Tom Purtell retired from active ministry seven years ago, he remains vitally interested in St. John Fisher parish and school. Father Purtell will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination to priesthood on May 1. ALL are welcome for the noon mass and reception in Kane Hall immediately after Mass. I know Father Purtell would be delighted to see as many of his old friends as are able to attend this very special celebration.

Easter Vacation begins on Holy Thursday, April 21 and concludes on Monday, May 2.

Our services for Holy Week are always beautiful. Check the calendar for times.

Happy Spring!

Dear St. John Fisher Families,

As we wait for March to arrive like a lion and leave like a lamb, there is much to make the month memorable at St. John Fisher. We are delighted to announce that each member of the class of 2003 has been accepted into the high school of his or her choice. Several have been selected for honors classes. We are also delighted to announce that our second graders were exceptional at their celebration of First Reconciliation and that our eighth graders are very ready to be presented to the adult faith community of the parish as excellent candidates for the celebration of their Confirmation on Saturday. Our sports teams fill the pages of the Beverly Review each week with stories of their amazing accomplishments and we have registered the classes of 2012, 2013, and 2014, for their careers at SJF. If you ever thought that February and March are "down times" in school, check the school calendar or track the hours you spend in the car as chauffeur for SJF activities!

The importance of consistent reading was strongly demonstrated in February. Mrs. Funk initiated our second annual winter reading competition and paired various grade levels to see if we could top last February's totals. The team of third and fourth grade readers was the overall champions. Because of the hard work of so many, (and their strong competitive spirit), collectively our students read almost 750,000 pages in just four weeks! Please continue to encourage your children to read every day, not only because of wonderful incentive prizes, but also because that is the best way to develop the habit of reading, a skill that will prepare them well for the challenges of high school and beyond. Research also verifies that persons who read regularly become better writers.

We begin the month of March with sharpened No. 2 pencils in grades 3, 5, and 7 as our scholars take the Terra Nova Standardized Tests. The best preparation for the test is a good night's sleep, a good breakfast and an "I CAN DO THIS" attitude. Results of the test come in May and indicate specific strengths and limitations of individual students and of our academic program. We use these results to plan curriculum for the following year. If your children are at these grade levels, please talk about the importance of trying one's best on the tests.

The Athletic Association welcomes our families and guests to attend Passports, their principal fundraiser of the year on Saturday, March 12. This is a great gathering of friends and neighbors. Ticket price includes a wide sample of foods from around the world complemented by specialty drinks and are available through the Athletic Association.

If you love Cajun cooking and wonderful music, don't miss our parish choir's annual Mardi Gras Concert and reception on Tuesday, March 8th at 7:30. There is no cost for the event, just a free will offering. The Jambalaya is delicious!

Our Family Mass for St. Patrick's Day is on Tuesday, March 15, at 7:00 p.m... Hosted by our third graders, the liturgy features lovely music and Irish Dancing followed by a soda bread reception. We hope you will be able to come.

Lent begins on Wednesday, March 9th. The students will have a special liturgy at 10:00 that morning to commemorate Ash Wednesday and to launch this year's special Lenten project, Pennies for Peace. Once again, we are hopeful that the project will be a family event as all make sacrifices to fill the containers that will go to help build schools for girls in Afghanistan. (If you read "Three Cups of Tea" or "Stones into Schools, you will know more about this project which has made such a difference in the lives of young girls in this troubled part of the world.) Our students are always so proud when they see what a difference their cumulative efforts can make. Perhaps a day without pop or dessert with funds being put in the pennies containers will make a lasting impression on the children and model the importance of sharing and caring for those who are less fortunate. We are grateful for anything you can do to ensure the success of this very important program in our parish.

Our parish mission takes on a new look this year. All are welcome to join or host a small group three times during the season to discuss a topic pertaining to our lives as Catholics. A detailed explanation is in the parish bulletin which is also accessible on line at www.stjohnfisher.org.

Registration for the upcoming school year is on-going. Our full day kindergarten is filling rapidly and the new five-day pre-school program also appears very popular. If a neighbor or relative is interested and missed registration, please ask them to call the office.

Some have inquired about a St. Baldrick's Day event at school. After some discussion, we have decided not to host that event this year because of the other fund-raisers with which you have been deluged in the last several months. Some are very close to home including out-of-uniform days to support cancer research liver transplant research. We will surely re-visit the very important St. Baldrick Day fund-raiser next year.

Please mark your calendar now for AUCTION 11. So many raved about the event last year that we are confident this year's event will be even more fun with even more great prizes and gifts. We will send regular updates as we get closer to the auction date. In the meantime, if you have an item you could donate (airline miles, a few days at a summer cottage, a particular talent that could be shared, a trade that you could offer, tickets to theater or sporting events . . . we welcome all ideas. Thank you in advance for your support of this event which will help provide tuition assistance and balance this year's budget.

May the beautiful season of Lent be a grace-filled time for you, your families, and our world.

If Sister Mary Paul had any doubts about the future of Catholic Education, her visit to SJF on Sunday morning for the opening of Catholic Schools Week affirmed that in our corner of the city, there is immense potential and strong vitality. As I walked Sister to her car after Mass, she was amazed at the number of Future Falcons and the obvious dedication of their families. THANK YOU to all who came for Mass and Open House. The day was a testament to your selfless commitment to our school and to the values we share in raising this next generation of citizens and scholars. THANKS ALSO to our faculty. The corridors were over-flowing with such creative and insightful papers and projects affirming the quality of the education they strive so hard to provide in their classrooms each day.

Thanks also to all of you who continue to volunteer hours of time for the valuable "extras" that complement our school program. When I "work late", I am always amazed (and very grateful) for the number of coaches who are here each week. The Playoffs Party and Candlelight Bowling Party were great fun for all who came because so many were willing to work to make them happen. Although we had to postpone special lunch this week, the generous crew of volunteers who come to help make this a highlight for the kids each month. The consistent and very generous dedication of the MANNA and Market Day volunteers ensures the success of those programs which benefit ALL of our families. The Athletic Association is already busy planning their major fundraiser, PASSPORTS. The night is great fun and a huge support to the total athletic program which allows all of our kids to play. Our school is blessed beyond measure by generosity of so many.

February will be a busy month, especially for our eighth graders. Friday, Feb. 5, is the annual ski trip, always a highlight of the year. The class will celebrate their Confirmation on Saturday, February 12, at the 4:00 Mass. The young women and men of the class of 2011 are a very talented and generous group of students who have, I believe, put much thought into their decision to be confirmed. They have performed their service hours well, been interviewed by Father Bob, and written very thoughtful essays about why they have selected their sponsors and Confirmation names. I am encouraged that our church will be in good hands in the future if they stay true to the commitment I am so proud to see them make on their confirmation day.

Mid February is also the time that the graduates hear about their acceptance at their high school of choice. I am confident they will do well. Four years ago, the current Senior Class at our local schools was also waiting anxiously and I am proud to say (BRAG ALERT!) they have done exceptionally well. I learned last week that five of the top ten seniors at Brother Rice are St John Fisher Graduates! The Honor Rolls we receive from all of the high schools are filled with the names of our graduates.

While we are preparing to send the Class of 2011 on to a bright future, we are also eagerly anticipating welcoming the classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021. Kindergarten and Pre-School registration is on-going. Our kindergarten classes are filling rapidly. If you have neighbors or friends who would like to know more about our school, please have them call. I would be delighted to answer any of their questions or arrange a tour.

Our second graders are preparing for their celebration of First Reconciliation. Their discussions of the power of forgiveness are very profound. I hope they will never lose their infinite trust in a God of tender mercy. This night is very special for both the "penitents" and their families.

Other important February events include a blanket making party sponsored by the FSA for students in grades seven and two. The fleece blankets they make together will be blessed and delivered to the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House near Hope Children's Hospital.

All of our scouts celebrate Scout Sunday at the 10:00 Mass on Sunday, February 6. All current and former scouts, cub scouts, brownies, and daisies are invited to be in uniform and walk in the procession for Mass.

The girl scouts are also planning a Father-Daughter Dance on Saturday, February 26. What a special date night this is for Dads (or someone special) and their daughters.

Please remember that our third, fifth and seventh graders will take the Terra Nova Standardized Tests during the first week of March. Although you cannot study for the tests, regular practice with math facts, asking questions from reading assignments, and checking homework for grammatical and spelling errors helps prepare the students for the kinds of questions that might be on the test and provide the extra confidence needed for successful test taking.

Looking ahead, please do all possible to be sure your tuition is up to date. As you know, we are operating on a very tight budget that relies heavily on prompt payment of all bills. If you are not up to date and need assistance, please let me know. We do have very limited tuition assistance available.

Another huge help for our budget is the increased use of our MANNA program. Well over $35,000 was returned in tuition rebates to participating families in August and January. If you are not a "regular" MANNA customer or if you would like more information about how the program benefits both you and the school, please call me for my short infomercial about the importance of the program.

Please mark your calendars now for AUCTION 11 on Friday, April 8. Last year's inaugural event was great fun. This year's will be bigger and better!

Stay Warm. May the horrendous predictions of snow accumulation I heard this morning not become a reality!