Principal’s Letter

It was nice seeing you all today during the school’s supply drop-off day. The school is always far too quiet over the summer! As you saw around the school, our theme for this year is, We all have something the world needs, 1 Peter 4:10. At times like this, it is easy to feel powerless, but we need to remember, in the words of Mother Teresa, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” Our world is in need of ripples of hope, love, empathy, and peace. And as we start this year, we do so, not only reminding our students of their inherent worth as children created in the Image and Likeness of God, but of the difference they can make in the world, using their gifts to create ripples of change.

On Tuesday, we invite you to join us on the blacktop as we celebrate together the first day of school. Grab a coffee, take those cherished first-day-of-school photos, hug your friends, and reconnect to this caring faith community. Starting on Wednesday, 9/3, we will implement our new start-of-school routine. For a number of reasons, the school will be inviting students in grades K-8 into the building upon arrival to campus, rather than lining up on the blacktop. Students should go directly to their classrooms. Doors to the school will be staffed and opened to students beginning at 8:05am. The tardy bell will remain at 8:20am. Students may enter the southwest, northwest, and northeast entrances to the school and go directly to their classrooms. Families are still welcome to park in the neighborhood, walk your student to the building (in the same way you did during those rainy mornings where we invited students into the building early). And you, of course, are invited to connect with other families on the blacktop after your child has entered the building.

I want to thank the teachers, assistants, and staff for all their work this week in preparing for the new academic year. I also want to give a shout-out to the maintenance team for the many extra hours they put in this summer, preparing the Quigley building for the kick-off of our full-day preschool program. The Parent Association is working behind the scenes to prepare for the first parent meeting of the year (Friday, 9/5, 8:30am – you are all invited) and also planning our Back-to-School BBQ; don’t forget to buy your tickets by 9/3. And, speaking of food, complete those hot lunch orders for the month of September. Once the deadline closes (9/2), we cannot accept late orders.

We continue to stand in solidarity with the Annunciation Catholic School community and hold them in our prayers, and in the words of their Principal, Matt DeBoer, when he addressed his school community after the tragic shooting incident yesterday, “When you pray, move your feet” (African Proverb) – we all have something the world needs.

Enjoy your long weekend; we will see you Tuesday,

Principal Mansfield