October, 2008
October, 2008
Dear St. John Fisher Families,
If your gym shoes are still squishy, you have proof positive that you were at Fisher Fest. Despite record breaking monsoon rains, the Fest was a great success. Children and their parents were undaunted by the weather and enjoyed the puddles as well as the rides. In addition to setting records for the most times on the Tilt-a-Whirl, others set records for the most times they returned home to change a wet shirt. Because of the tireless efforts of the committees, the endurance of the guests, and the generosity of so many who purchased raffle tickets, this year’s Fest was very successful. One kindergartener was so pleased with the rides and the rain she asked if next year we will have the water rides again!
Thanks also to all who came for Mass and Open House. It was great to see the church so full and to hear the comments of folks who walked through the building to appreciate the upgrades to the facility, the artwork and creative projects of the students, and the welcome of the faculty. We know your weekends are crammed with so many activities and are grateful you could come.
Our first school mass of the year was a wonderful experience. Pope Benedict has named this the year of St. Paul, so Ms. Chermak helped the eighth graders do a wonderful presentation of the work that St. Paul did in the early church. At the end of Mass, each of us selected the name of another student who would be our prayer partner for the year.
Please remind your students to continue to pray for the person and the family whom they selected. It is a great idea to think of this powerhouse of prayer that is growing in our school and church community.
We are deeply involved in the election process. A faculty committee is coordinating events to help our children realize this history making moment of which they are a part.
We have had two straw polls, students at several grade levels are researching the candidates and their platforms on vital issues, and we will have our own debate later this month. As part of our school wide project, Mr. Dan Hynes, State Comptroller and SJF graduate was the guest speaker at our Student Council Inauguration earlier this week. In addition to his reflection on Leadership, Mr. Hynes participated in a mini “press conference” at which students at every grade level were invited to ask him questions about his work, about important national issues, and about his experience as a delegate and Speaker at this year’s National Democratic Convention. (Mr. Hynes was very impressed with the insightful questions that were asked.) Our newly elected officers were challenged to make this a very successful year and were inspired by Mr. Hynes’ comments and recollection of his own experience as a former officer of the SJF Student Council.
If you want to complement the work our teachers are doing on the election, visit the school webpage to check the websites that are available to help become a better informed electorate.
SJF is going green! You may have noticed two recycling bins in our parking lot.
We also have bins in each of the classrooms and working on helping each other become more aware of how we can be more responsible recyclers. In addition to our school paper recycling, we encourage you to use the bins in the parking lot to recycle your newspaper, catalogues, business papers, and cardboard. If you need help emptying your papers, just call the school and we will send someone to help you. Look for more information about this very important new program in the weeks ahead.
Another important aspect of our recycling efforts is collecting ink cartridges of every size and variety, toner cartridges and game systems. Not only does this project help “save the earth”, it also helps defray the cost of our fifth graders’ trip to Springfield. We also continue to collect old cell phones for recycling. If you have contacts at work that could help with this effort, please enlist their support.
Please check the October calendar for an overview of the many events that make this a very busy month. Please also check the website for important information about the school lunch program. (www.sjfschool.net)
Our website has two new features this year. “The Backpack” contains copies of school correspondence, permission slips, and other items that may have been lost in the black hole of the book bag. We also have an “Athletics” section that contains team schedules and other important information for parents and volunteers.
We also have an email blitz that we use to remind families of upcoming special events, schedule changes etc. We encourage you to check your email daily for information from SJF.
The first Special Lunch is Wednesday…Swanson’s is “catering” with the help of our Special Lunch committee and any of you who might be able to help.
On Friday, we launch the annual Magazine Subscription/Gift Sales Fundraiser. Please know we are very aware that these are tough financial times, but if you can renew a subscription or find the perfect gift for someone on your list, our school does benefit greatly. The committee is working hard to make it as easy as possible, but if you have a question, please do not hesitate to call. Every family will receive several catalogues and order forms on Friday. Please check the packet that was sent to each family for important return date information. Thanks in advance for your help in making this drive successful.
Progress reports will be sent home next Wednesday, October 8 for students in grades 3-8...Be sure to check the back packs. By receiving progress reports at this time, students who might not yet be in the “school groove” will have a chance to focus and improve their study habits before the official report card early in November.
Our school will be participating in an all day in-service on assessment on Friday, October 10. Students will have no class that day.
The October 10 weekend is also Homecoming Weekend. We will have a pep rally in school on Thursday, October 9 and a parade to Beverly Park on Saturday, October 11.
The games follow. Homecoming is a great day to gather at the park, watch some terrific football action, and capture the spirit of the day. Hope to see you there.
Please plan to attend a very insightful evening about internet safety on October 15 in Kane Hall at 7:30. Every parent has to know how easily anyone can access information that is not always appropriate. They must also know how easily most of our kids can navigate to sites that can be very dangerous. You may have filters and blocks on your home computer, but you will be amazed at how easily they can be bypassed. Please make this evening a priority.
Even though we have just begun the school year, our eighth grade students are already pondering their choice of high schools for next year. To help with that decision, we are hosting two High School Options Days. Representatives from local coed high schools will be here on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Reps. From the single-sex schools will be here on Wednesday, November 5. We will send a schedule home to our eighth graders but know parents are most welcome to attend. If you have a question, please do not hesitate to call.
Eighth grade parents are also cordially invited to attend the “Eighth Grade Events” Planning Meeting on Tuesday, October 15 at 7:00 in Kane Hall.
The Student Council will host “SPOOKFEST” on Thursday, October 30. Look for details on the webpage and in the back pack.
Are you aware of the enrichment opportunities that are available at SJF? In addition to our band, we also have violin/string lessons and Irish music lessons. Our Irish Music Teachers instruct the children in fiddle, tin whistle and this year, harp. For more information about any of these enrichment programs, please call the school.
Our Parish is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year. I hope you have received your invitation to attend the first of several events that will be part of this year-long celebration. On November 2, we welcome you for a special Anniversary Mass at 4:00. Mass will be followed by dinner at Beverly Country Club. We hope you will give serious consideration to coming to this kick-off event. Gather friends, neighbors, or former Falcons to help launch this jubilee year. If you have questions about the gala, please call school.
Congratulations to our students who recently received letters of commendation from the Mt. Greenwood Library. Several volunteered many hours this summer to help with the reading program at the library. We are grateful that they represented SFJ so well.
Our Catholic Children’s Book Club meets once each month in the rectory basement.
This month, they had a guest author, Father Terry Deffenbaugh, who came to talk about his very popular book, “The Gospel According to Pup Pup.” The book recalls the entire public life of Jesus through the eyes of his pet dog. It is a delightful story which the children and their parents enjoyed immensely. You are most welcome to attend the next book discussion with your child on Tuesday, October 21. The book selection is: Bernadette, Our Lady’s Little Servant by Hertha Pauli.
The children will also have the chance to make reading history when our school joins with thousands of schools throughout the country to set a record for the most children reading the book Corduroy. It will be fun to be part of this national reading challenge.
Consider this your first “save the date” card for next year. We will be bringing back the Superbowl Party on February 1, 2009. This will be an inaugural event to launch what we hope will be the start of a new scholarship fund to help families at SJF with the escalating costs of Catholic Education. Many more details will follow. We welcome your suggestions.
We recently posted a letter about the lunchroom on the website. In an attempt to help make our students more responsible, we are also asking your help easing some of the unnecessary traffic that filters through the outside office. If a student forgets his or her lunch, we have made provision to be sure he or she will be fed. Please also check book bags and assignment notebooks to be sure that each child has assignments, supplies, and projects etc. that are needed for the day. Interrupting a class to find a child to pick up something that was left at the office is a distraction to other students. Please understand that our concerns are based on student responsibility, not a lack of welcome. Thanks for your help.
The school year is off to a great start…As the news and newspapers are filled with the worries of the economy and the challenges that will face a new administration, I am always so grateful for the opportunity that we share with you to shape the values and vision that students who are in our classrooms today will need for tomorrow. May we continue to support each other as we strive to provide the best for our kids and their limitless future.