At cross-country on Sunday, I had the best time as I cheered and watched the runners make that final dash to the finish! It was the first time for many runners. From the youngest to the eighth graders they kept on going, some sprinting, some walking, but they never stopped! They persisted, they persevered, and they crossed the finish line. I have no idea who came first, last, or anywhere in between, but I do know that they all made such a huge effort. The team and each runner deserve accolades for never giving up! That is a key theme also in our instructional approach this year. We are praising the effort. We encourage students to keep on trying, to accept new challenges, and accept that they may not succeed the first time, and to realize each attempt is a new learning opportunity. The more children practice running, the longer they will persist. The same is true for learning. The more they stretch their brains, practice new concepts, make mistakes and try again, the more neural connections they make and the more resilient they become. Praise the effort; that’s where the real learning takes place.
On October 4, 1917, St. John the Evangelist Parish was officially established! Next week, on October 4, at 9:00 am, we will celebrate this 100th Anniversary of the Parish at the all-school Mass. You are very welcome to attend. On October 14, we have Oktoberfest, the adults-only party to celebrate this anniversary. Parents, you are invited to attend and we also need volunteers for preparation, during the event and for clean-up.
You and the students stayed the course on the Jog-a-thon with very successful results. We are hoping for the same on the Capital Campaign. Teamwork and stretching! Thank you to the many families who have already committed to Securing the Future for our students. We are close to the finish line!
God bless,
Bernadette
