“Catholic Schools in collaboration with parents and guardians as the primary educators, seek to educate the whole child by providing an excellent education rooted in Gospel values.” Thus begins the booklet entitled National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, published by the Center for Catholic School Effectiveness at Loyola University in Chicago in 2012.
I am referencing this to thank you for signing up for your conferences! The teachers are spending time to prepare for a meaningful visit with you; they are reviewing the year so far and gathering data so that they can help your children be successful at school. We invite you to do the same. Talk to your children about how they feel the year is going. Be prepared to tell the teachers more about your children’s strengths and challenges. Maybe discuss some goals with the children ahead of time and share them with the teachers at the conferences. Conferences are a valuable opportunity to cement the parent-teacher partnership!
IOWA testing is almost finished. Thank you for not scheduling doctor and dentist visits during the testing week. I wish to acknowledge Ms. Gudaitis, Mrs. Ocampo and Mrs. McCarthy who help us ensure that all the children have an opportunity to test, even those with unavoidable scheduling challenges!
I also want to give a shout-out to Michele Thornquist and her amazing team for the very enjoyable Purple and Gold Endowment event last week. Check out Michele’s post for more news about the successful evening!
This Friday evening, the Youth Group, sixth and eighth grade students will host the Halloween Carnival and Haunted House! Judging by the building, painting and game creating that has been going on, it is going to be a hair-raising, (not too) scary, fun evening! As you and your children plan your costumes, remember our St. John dress codes. Costumes must be respectful and modest and they should allow for safe movement and please, leave the weapons at home!
The red truck for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will be here collecting donations during the weekend of November 6th and 7th . This is a great opportunity to clean out your closets and donate gently used clothes and household items. We will have helpers on hand around the Mass times to help you carry your bags to the truck.
I am off to attend a reception for the President of Ireland this evening,
Beannacht,
Bernadette O’Leary
