No need to remind anyone that tomorrow is Halloween! It should be a fun-filled day. Please make sure your student abides by the guidelines for appropriate costumes. We want everyone to be able to participate in the costume contest. If you need to review the parameters, you can find them in last week’s Principal Post. Please feel free to join us for the Parade at 12:45pm followed by the Costume Awards Assembly at 1:15pm.
Last week I completed my annual 8th grade exit interviews. It is joyously fulfilling to sit down one-on-one with our soon to be graduates and talk to them about their experiences throughout their years here. Over half the class has been together since PreK and have spent 10 years of their lives in our school. When asked to name their favorite experiences, many talked about Field Day, Families, Buddies, Spirit Days, Religious traditions, CYO sports and the opportunity to spend each day with their friends. I ask them to identify anything that should be changed around the school. Answers ranged from grass on the playground to a later start to the day, to more electives (like art). I also ask them what should never be changed about the school and overwhelmingly, they said, “the community”. They like the smallness of the school and that everyone knows and cares for one another. Their biggest fears when thinking about high school are, “making new friends”, the “bigness of the new school” or “managing a new workload”. Before they leave, I always ask them if there is anything they “want to get off their chest and tell St. Anne School before they graduate” and virtually everyone said some form of “thank you”, “I’m going to miss this place” or “It’s been the best experience ever.”
How rewarding to see how much these young adults have matured over the years. It’s always hard to let a class go, but this 8th grade is ready for the challenges of the years ahead.
Thursday, November 1st is All Saints Day – a holy day for Catholics. We will be attending Mass as a school at 8:45am. The third-grade class is planning and will be participating in the liturgy. Please join us as we celebrate all of the Saints who have meant so much to us in our lives and now reside with God in Heaven.
Next Monday, November 5th at our Prayer Assembly, the results of the Move-a-thon will be announced. Individual, class and school awards will be presented…and I understand we will have a special guest here to help announce the totals. Everyone is welcome at 8:30am!
Finally, picture re-takes will be happening on Tuesday, November 13th. If you would like your child’s picture re-taken (or they were not present on picture day) please send them with the original pictures. The re-takes will happen first thing in the morning so your child can wear free dress for the picture but must change into his/her uniform once the picture is taken.
Have a great week and a Happy (and safe) Halloween!
