Friday News from Sister Lydia 10-28-22

Good Afternoon,

May God bless us, today and tomorrow . Wishing for the divine blessings of All Saints' Day to touch your life and make it wonderful! May God and the saints be with you always! May the saints bless us with their dedication, faith, and truthfulness.

How quickly time flies! It is hard to believe that October is coming to an end; on Monday, Halloween, the children may wear black and orange but no costumes, masks, or toy weapons, please. Kindly remember that no food, candy, etc. is permitted to be shared in the classrooms.

I'm very pleased to announce that we have hired a part-time adjustment counselor for Sacred Heart. Her name is Mrs. Elizabeth Feeney and we are thrilled to have her join us. She spent time today meeting some of the students and faculty but she will begin in earnest on Tuesday. Mrs. Feeney will be sending a letter of introduction to families.

We have a new resident at 329 Bishops Highway. We have rescued a pet bunny!  He is a black-and-white bundle of love and the children are enjoying him immensely. We will have a vote to name him.

The Middle School Dance tonight starts at 6 and will end at 8. Drop off and pick up will be at the back door. Costumes are permitted--no toy weapons, however.

Attached, please find copies of flyers from the Parents' Association. Those went home with children in their backpacks earlier this week.

The collection for the St. Joseph's Food Pantry is ongoing. We received an urgent request from St. Joseph's over and above our traditional food drive; there was a call for rice and beans to help feed an unexpected group of immigrants who have arrived in Kingston. Thank you to those who have already dropped donations off. With charity, we give love.

Senora Balaschi has her annual Dia de los Muertos display in the lobby. Each year, in her Spanish classes, Senora Balaschi provides insight into this beautiful tradition that dates back thousands of years. It coincides with All Saints Day. Our students are encouraged to contribute a photo of a deceased loved one to the display. Please label the photos and all will be returned in a few weeks.

We realize that slowly the uniform issue is beginning to be resolved and that uniforms are being received by some families. Please be mindful that other than on gym days, shoes, not sneakers are part of the dress code for both boys and girls. Navy blue knee socks and tights for the girls are also part of the uniform. Sweatshirts with sports teams, etc. are not permitted over the uniform.

Thank you so much for getting your children to school on time! Timely arrival allows teachers to maintain a peaceful morning routine and have a smooth transition to the day; having to stop a lesson is disruptive to the entire class and, by interrupting the teacher, a tardy child takes time away from his/her classmates. I expect students to be in their homerooms for the 7:42 am Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.

In your child's backpack, you will find a pamphlet about online safety. The guide from the Federal Trade Commission is helpful for parents to use to talk to their children about staying safe while online. The presentations to the students in grades 4-8 yesterday were extremely well-received by the students and their teachers. I am grateful to the professionals from the Department of Justice, Homeland Security, and Kingston Police Department for their expertise and thoughtful presentations. It is horrifying to hear about children playing video games online with people who they think are their 'friends' but are actually strangers, unknown to the child and his/her parents.

Please note: school photos were sent home today. Picture make-up day is November 30th.

Have a wonderful and restorative weekend,

Sister Lydia