May 29, 2009
Dear Parents,

I’d like to share an event that just occurred at Holy Family School. It involved Mrs. Law’s kindergarten class. The students gave me a jar full of change that totaled $92.11, which they wanted to donate to Africare. They earned this money by doing extra chores at home during Lent. Africare is an organization that works to improve life for Africans facing numerous obstacles. They teach African farmers about irrigation and farming techniques that will improve their crops. Africare also opens medical clinics, providing Africans with information, counseling, and child health care for malaria, AIDS, TB, and many other diseases. Another initiative of Africare is to provide clean water for Africans by drilling new wells in remote villages. The money our students donated will provide some African children with basic life necessities and perhaps even save a life. What a great lesson for our young students to learn! Congratulations kindergarteners!

The second event I’d like to share with you involves a visit I made approximately one week ago as I visited my grandson in a local public school. It happened to be the day residents were voting on school budgets. I arrived at lunch time for the high school students. I couldn’t believe what I saw! This school has an open lunch policy, meaning students don’t have to be in the cafeteria to eat. They may be in the gym or the hallways of the first floor. Walking into the gym I saw approximately 150 students with one supervisor. As I walked into the hallway, I witnessed students sitting on the hallway floors kissing, and using inappropriate language. I also saw approximately 30 students listening to ipods, even though this school prohibits them in their handbook. An apple had apparently been thrown down the hallway, as there were pieces of it throughout the hallway. Again, I only saw one supervisor for all the hallways. No administrators were anywhere in sight.

You may be wondering why I shared these two events. The reason I bring them up is to remind our parents that one of the reasons they bring their children to Holy Family School is because of the expectations regarding behavior, caring and respect. What our kindergarteners did for Africare is what we want from all our children. What a great example they have set for all of us.

Please don’t miss the Dessert Theatre on Wednesday, June 3rd beginning at 6:30 pm in the gym/auditorium. A free will offering will be taken to provide funds to purchase materials/supplies for our music program. Please come and bring a friend to support our students. Hope to see you there!

Congratulations to Sarah Mahan, our new art teacher and Eric Diefenbacher, our science teacher for being awarded a Chenango County Council of the Arts Grant for the 2009/10 school year. Their grant is entitled “Science, Art and the Digital Age.” It should be an exciting interdisciplinary project that will capture the imagination of our students.

We still have openings in our Early Childhood class (3 year olds) for September. Please spread the good word about Holy Family School.


Gene