ST. PIUS X CATHOLIC SCHOOL
NOVEMBER NEWS 2009
2009-2010 THEME: Our Catholic school wide theme for the year is: “Never Too Young.” We encourage students to never be too young to make a difference. The Never Too Young theme this month is: NEVER TOO YOUNG TO FEED THE HUNGRY. We will spend the month focusing on helping the financially and spiritually poor.
CANCELLATION OF SCHOOL: We follow the Carman Ainsworth system for snow days. If they close so do we and if they are delayed, we follow the same delay time. For more information on school closings follow the TV and radio, or visit our website. Our website will post school closings on the UPCOMING EVENTS section of our main page.
SCHOOL SAFETY: Our evacuation drill was a tremendous success. Thank you to all of the parents and volunteers who made this drill so successful. Thank you to the children for how well behaved they were!! Our next crisis management meeting will be held Monday November 9th at 4:45 in the library.
FIRESIDE CHAT: Each year I try to hold at least two fireside chats with parents. Our first one is scheduled for Tuesday November 3rd from 6:30-7:30 in the community room (gym). This is an excellent opportunity for parents to come and share concerns and successes they have. There is no agenda for this meeting. I simply stand before you, make a short 5-10 min speech and address issues. This has been a wonderful way for us to work together to better our school. I really hope to see you there!!
ATHLETICS: Volleyball practice begins November 2nd. All students who signed up at the beginning of the year should have been notified by now. Students who are interested have been talked to as of the last week of October. Let’s welcome our new coach Kelly Bruzewski!
Girls Basketball was a great season. Thank you Coaches Schaeffer, Reddy-Clements and Bauchan. You girls are winners not by your record but by your ability and perseverance to be Chargers!
POWERS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL MASS: Grandparents Mass is Nov. 24th at 10:30 a.m. at Powers Catholic High School. This is a beautiful mass, so please try to attend.
JEAN DAYS: Happy thanksgiving kids!! I love Thanksgiving and I love you! So here is how I will express my gratitude to my staff and students: How does a jean day any day sound this month? Here is the scoop: You have jean passes, and I will allow you to wear jeans when you bring in a pass any day this month EXCEPT WEDNESDAYS. The only catch is this… students must use their jean passes from the Student Mass on October 25th this month. These passes expire after this month. Other than that, use all the passes you want.
2010-2011 DETROIT TRIP: Unfortunately we have had to cancel the D.C.trip (which became the Detroit trip) for the 2009-2010 school year because of decreasing participants and rising costs. We will still have a trip for the 8th graders to Cedar Point and we will still fundraise for the 2010-2011 school year. This month we will be selling Gobble Grams to kids and parents (Gobble grams are like candy grams but you write to someone you are thankful for).
STUDENT SICKNESSES: Kids!!! Drink lots of fluid and get your rest. The best thing you as a parent can do is remind your children to sing the alphabet or count to 30 when they are washing their hands. Scrub-A-Dub! So far our absenteeism due to sickness is looking good. We have a long way to go this year. Keep saying your prayers!
BULLYING: Have you seen the signs in our school that read, ‘We Don’t Bully. We Believe”? These were made last year when we taught our school wide bullying program. We had little time to teach our program last month, so we will teach it the month of November. PARENTS ARE WELCOME AT ALL SESSIONS. The schedule is as follows:
Thursday November 5th I will be teaching grades:
PK 8:15-8:45
1 8:45-9:15
2 9:15-9:45
K 9:45-10:15
3 10:25-11:00
4 11:05-11:40
5 12:15-12:50
Friday November 6th I will be teaching grades:
6 8:15-9:00
7 9:00-9:45
8 9:45-10:30
POSITIVE REFERRALS: Each morning I read referrals that were written up on our students for outstanding faith and conduct. When your child does something super that is witnessed by an adult, they are written up for it and their name is shouted out over the PA in the morning. The staff does a great job of acknowledging your children!
DRESS CODE: Students continue to really do a wonderful job adhering to our dress code policy. Let’s keep it up all year long Chargers! Remember to wear a plain black, brown or blue belt. You kids are beautiful and you look beautiful every day.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL: I love Halloween. It’s a blast to decorate the house. I love Christmas (my wife teases me and calls me Clark Griswald from the movie Christmas Vacation). My house looks like something from a Bronners exhibit and I love celebrating the birth of Jesus! However, over the years Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. There’s something about waking up in the morning and sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee and watching the parade, while the smell of turkey begins to fill the house. Spending time with the family is what really makes this one of my favorite holidays. There are no gifts or expectations, just simply family, food and faith. Of course I expect the food to be great!
I am very thankful that God blessed me with an opportunity to work with a staff of teachers as great as the ones we have at Saint Pius X. These teachers are responsible for helping to educate your children every day and I know you are seeing your children being able to do more because of their hard work. Some people wait a lifetime to work with people as great as these teachers. I have had the opportunity to work with great people early in my career and I look forward to years of learning from one another as we continue to deliver academic excellence to your children. Thank you so much to you, my teachers, who help to build up the body of Christ every day. You continually role model behaviors that we want from our students and I am proud to work with you. Children, teachers and parents, I wish all of you a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.
God Bless You All.
R.J. Kaplan
Principal