Principal’s Notes – August 29, 2014
I hope that you enjoy the LABOR DAY weekend.
Heat: Hopefully, the extreme heat is passing. I want to remind you that our athletic teams follow the heat guidelines established by the association. I have also ordered inside recess many days this past week. I want to do the best job possible keeping our students healthy. The school A/C system has been working, but this system is also attached to the church and is not designed for prolonged periods of extreme heat. The school hallways have been a bit uncomfortable. The rooms have been pleasant, but sometimes the temps reach 80 degrees.
Back to School BBQ: Thanks to all of you who braved the heat at the Back-to-School BBQ. It is always a great kick-off event.
Website: Keep visiting our new website. I encourage you to go to Fast Direct through the website. The more hits our website gets; the higher it gets ranked on Google search. Our Google standing looks to be on the rise. New things are continually being added. There will be times when it is down and we are adding things almost every day.
Auction: It is not too early to get ready for the annual auction. Donations can be dropped off at the school or parish office. In past years, the auction was bonus money. Any and all donations are desperately needed. If you can help in any way, at any amount of time, talent, or treasure, WE NEED YOU!
Kudos To
- The school board for another great BBQ.
- Our soccer coaches for doing a great job instilling the faith through athletics.
Uniforms
Due to the heat, we have allowed shirts to go untucked. As the weather cools, shirts will need to be tucked into the pants. That includes uniform shirts and dress down day outfits.
Ice Bucket Challenge
I know that a number of you have challenged me. I want you to know that I am going to try working out a joint effort with my brother-in-law at SJN. My family has a personal connection to ALS. My youngest sister, Michelle, has a husband, Mike, who was diagnosed about five years ago. Mike has passed the average life expectancy for this horrific disease. He is confined to a mobile chair and uses a voice box to communicate. My sister and two nephews have been forced to make many sacrifices to care for him. While many other diseases have made great strides toward a cure, ALS has had only one drug approved to help fight the symptoms.
The money raised and the awareness through the ice bucket challenge has been amazing. Although it is fun and trendy, I urge you to keep in mind the real purpose; to raise research funds to find a cause and cure. I will send information out as I finalize plans.
Fr. John’s Birthday
Fr. John will celebrate his birthday on Sept. 11th. I will be collecting student donations for a gift for him from the students. You can send the money in an envelope marked Fr. John to the office.
First Responders BBQ
The student council is hosting a BBQ on Sept. 11th for the area first responders. I have sent invitations to the Collinsville police and firemen, the County police, and the Collinsville State Police station. We are going to serve a picnic style lunch to all first responders as a thank you for their service and dedication. We will have a Dress Down Day next Friday to help the Student Council raise the funds to pay for this event. Students may dress down for a donation of $1 or more.
Common Core
One of the goals of Common Core is to teach our students how to persevere in problem solving. There is a great article and video on the Khan Academy website. There is a link and video on our website, which can be seen HERE
Ten Habits for School Success
I am going to share the ten habits over the next few weeks. They are taken from Today’s Catholic Teacher magazine.
- Be Proactive: Plan a weekday schedule with ample time for breakfast, commuting, and a preview of the afternoon schedule. Involve your children with lunch and clothing preparations. Have a set place for bookbags, etc.
- Appoint Time and Place for Homework: Eliminate distractions. Supervise for completeness. Assist with memory work. Plan long range projects.
- Partner with Teachers: Support the handbook. Speak positively of the school in front of your children; disagree in private. Avoid gossip. Consider that teachers go through several stages of correcting misbehavior. Ask your child for a “history” behind a teacher correction.
That’s it for this week.
-M. Palmer