March 25, 2010
Dear Parents,
This week I would like to devote my letter to the changes the state has made to our elementary State Assessment Exams. The social studies and science exams remain unchanged. However, in past years, the ELA exams were given in January and the math exams in March. Schools were given five full school days to administer each exam. This year, the ELA exams will be given in April. The State is requiring all schools to administer all the ELA exams in three days, rather than five. The testing dates are April 26-28. This is, unfortunately, the first week back after our spring vacation.
The math exams will be given beginning on May 5th and ending on May 7th. Administering the exams later in the school year will mean that a larger percentage of the material for each grade will be on the exams. This year the number of questions and format will remain the same as in past years, but the state is considering changes for next year.
Administering the exams later in the school year will mean that schools (and parents) will not receive the results back from the state until a much later date. This may cause some issues with preparing student schedules for the next school year. As always, I will keep you informed as changes and information come my way.
The March 31st date for handing in Tuition Agreement forms for the 2010-11 school year is fast approaching. Please send in your form if you haven’t done so already.
Good luck to both our Odyssey of the Mind Teams who compete in the State competition at Binghamton University this Saturday. We’re extremely proud of each member of the team and their advisors, Kate Conron and Melissa Lawrence. You can watch their performances and the award ceromony via a live video stream available via a link on the NYSOMA website: www.nysoma.org
Congratulations also go out to Michael Trevisani for finishing in 1st Place in the Knights of Columbus State competition for his poster on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Michael now moves on to the International competition, which is held in New Haven, Connecticut on March 30th. Congratulations go out to Michael and our other students who entered this contest, along with our art teacher, Sarah Mahan.
I will not be writing a letter next week since our last day of school is Wednesday, March 31st. Please remember that we have Thursday and Friday off for Holy Week. See everyone on the Monday after Easter. Have a great Easter.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
March 19, 2010
Dear Parents,
As you are probably aware, Maureen Wahlberg is battling cancer. She began her chemo treatments recently. Our staff is planning a fundraiser for Maureen to help her with the additional costs she is incurring. You will shortly be receiving specific information regarding this fundraiser, which will take place on Friday, April 30th. We ask that you consider helping us with this event in any way you can. All proceeds from the fundraiser will be given to Maureen. Don’t hesitate to contact Cassie Buckley or me if you have any questions. Please continue to keep Maureen and her entire family in your prayers.
Several incidents occurred at the end of last week that I would like to address at this time. I’m not trying to preach or make it sound as though I’m perfect - nothing could be farther from the truth. I’m sharing these events so that we can reflect on them and see if we need to make some changes in our lives. The first involves bullying, which occurs far too often in our society. Parents can try to make all kinds of excuses for their children to try to justify bullying, but the bottom line is that it is inexcusable and unacceptable. What also occurred last week was that several students witnessed bullying and did nothing to stop it, several actually were laughing as it occurred. Children, just like adults, are responsible for their actions. The worst thing that can happen is that parents try to rationalize or make excuses for their children when they bully or allow bullying to occur. This is not the type of parental role modeling we want or should accept. Fortunately, the parents I spoke with were disappointed in their child’s behavior - not standing up when they knew it was wrong and assured me they would deal with their child, regardless of the school consequences. If we want bullying to stop, this is what we need, parents being positive role models and students standing up for what they believe in. We also need to reinforce in our children that they are responsible for their behavior. There are consequences for our actions, and as parents, we can’t make excuses for our children’s inappropriate actions. My hope is that we’ve all learned a lesson from these incidents and if faced with a similar situation, our children will do the right thing.
The second issue I would like to discuss concerns how we, as adults, treat each other. Children are wiser and more observant then we give them credit for. I have previously addressed the concern I have that some adults can walk down our hallways and say hello to certain people, but not to others. It’s not difficult to say a friendly hello or good morning as we pass each other in the halls. If we do this, our children certainly will follow our example. The same holds true for families that no longer attend our school. During the past 1 ½ years, I’ve heard on several occasions that once their children leave Holy Family, some parents don’t say hello to them when they see each other in stores or other places. I hope this is due to not seeing them, rather than ignoring them. Remember, we all represent Holy Family School by our actions, but even more important, I would hope we’d want our children to treat all people with respect. Chances are this will only happen if we model this behavior for them.
Now that spring is only one day away, perhaps the remaining snow will melt and be replaced with green. One can only hope! Don’t forget that students will not have school on Friday, March 26th due to a teachers’ conference day. Kids Zone will be open for those parents needing it. Thursday, March 25th will be our non-uniform day for the month of March. Have a great week!
Dear Parents,
As you are probably aware, Maureen Wahlberg is battling cancer. She began her chemo treatments recently. Our staff is planning a fundraiser for Maureen to help her with the additional costs she is incurring. You will shortly be receiving specific information regarding this fundraiser, which will take place on Friday, April 30th. We ask that you consider helping us with this event in any way you can. All proceeds from the fundraiser will be given to Maureen. Don’t hesitate to contact Cassie Buckley or me if you have any questions. Please continue to keep Maureen and her entire family in your prayers.
Several incidents occurred at the end of last week that I would like to address at this time. I’m not trying to preach or make it sound as though I’m perfect - nothing could be farther from the truth. I’m sharing these events so that we can reflect on them and see if we need to make some changes in our lives. The first involves bullying, which occurs far too often in our society. Parents can try to make all kinds of excuses for their children to try to justify bullying, but the bottom line is that it is inexcusable and unacceptable. What also occurred last week was that several students witnessed bullying and did nothing to stop it, several actually were laughing as it occurred. Children, just like adults, are responsible for their actions. The worst thing that can happen is that parents try to rationalize or make excuses for their children when they bully or allow bullying to occur. This is not the type of parental role modeling we want or should accept. Fortunately, the parents I spoke with were disappointed in their child’s behavior - not standing up when they knew it was wrong and assured me they would deal with their child, regardless of the school consequences. If we want bullying to stop, this is what we need, parents being positive role models and students standing up for what they believe in. We also need to reinforce in our children that they are responsible for their behavior. There are consequences for our actions, and as parents, we can’t make excuses for our children’s inappropriate actions. My hope is that we’ve all learned a lesson from these incidents and if faced with a similar situation, our children will do the right thing.
The second issue I would like to discuss concerns how we, as adults, treat each other. Children are wiser and more observant then we give them credit for. I have previously addressed the concern I have that some adults can walk down our hallways and say hello to certain people, but not to others. It’s not difficult to say a friendly hello or good morning as we pass each other in the halls. If we do this, our children certainly will follow our example. The same holds true for families that no longer attend our school. During the past 1 ½ years, I’ve heard on several occasions that once their children leave Holy Family, some parents don’t say hello to them when they see each other in stores or other places. I hope this is due to not seeing them, rather than ignoring them. Remember, we all represent Holy Family School by our actions, but even more important, I would hope we’d want our children to treat all people with respect. Chances are this will only happen if we model this behavior for them.
Now that spring is only one day away, perhaps the remaining snow will melt and be replaced with green. One can only hope! Don’t forget that students will not have school on Friday, March 26th due to a teachers’ conference day. Kids Zone will be open for those parents needing it. Thursday, March 25th will be our non-uniform day for the month of March. Have a great week!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
March 12, 2010
Dear Parents,
The enrollment period for the 2010/11 school year began on February 1st. If you have not already returned your Tuition Agreement form, please hand it in as soon as possible. I am trying to prepare the budget for next year and of course, enrollment dictates a large portion of the budget. If you are applying for Diocesan Tuition Assistance, the deadline to mail your forms in is March 15th. If you have any questions, please stop in and see me.
This past week our Odyssey of the Mind students were fortunate to meet with Bud Kelleher, a SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry professor who spoke to them about the properties and efficient use of balsam wood for building strong structures. The students found the presentation enlightening and useful to assist them in preparing for the State OM competition on March 27th at Binghamton University.
If you haven’t had the good fortune to savor one of our delicious fish fry dinners, please join us. You only have three opportunities left, counting today. Sit down dinners are available from 5-7 pm. Take out dinners begin at 4:30 pm. You can call 337-2208 for take out ahead of time so that your dinner is waiting for you when you arrive.
We have two special days this week. Students will not be required to wear their school uniform if they wear traditional colors for these days. Don’t forget to wear your “green” on Wednesday, March 17th for St. Patrick’s Day. Weather permitting, our students in Pre-K through 4th grade will be walking down to Courthouse Park for a short St. Patrick’s Day tribute. Our middle school chorus will be singing the National Anthem to begin the ceremony. Please join us if you can. Friday is St. Joseph’s Day and as is our tradition at Holy Family School, we encourage everyone to wear red.
Lastly, Mrs. Hose’s count-down to spring is almost at “zero!” Unfortunately, that means it’s that time of year when we need to set our clocks ahead one hour and “spring forward.” So, on Sunday at 2:00 am, we will set our clocks ahead one hour (and lose one hour of sleep). Have a great weekend!
Dear Parents,
The enrollment period for the 2010/11 school year began on February 1st. If you have not already returned your Tuition Agreement form, please hand it in as soon as possible. I am trying to prepare the budget for next year and of course, enrollment dictates a large portion of the budget. If you are applying for Diocesan Tuition Assistance, the deadline to mail your forms in is March 15th. If you have any questions, please stop in and see me.
This past week our Odyssey of the Mind students were fortunate to meet with Bud Kelleher, a SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry professor who spoke to them about the properties and efficient use of balsam wood for building strong structures. The students found the presentation enlightening and useful to assist them in preparing for the State OM competition on March 27th at Binghamton University.
If you haven’t had the good fortune to savor one of our delicious fish fry dinners, please join us. You only have three opportunities left, counting today. Sit down dinners are available from 5-7 pm. Take out dinners begin at 4:30 pm. You can call 337-2208 for take out ahead of time so that your dinner is waiting for you when you arrive.
We have two special days this week. Students will not be required to wear their school uniform if they wear traditional colors for these days. Don’t forget to wear your “green” on Wednesday, March 17th for St. Patrick’s Day. Weather permitting, our students in Pre-K through 4th grade will be walking down to Courthouse Park for a short St. Patrick’s Day tribute. Our middle school chorus will be singing the National Anthem to begin the ceremony. Please join us if you can. Friday is St. Joseph’s Day and as is our tradition at Holy Family School, we encourage everyone to wear red.
Lastly, Mrs. Hose’s count-down to spring is almost at “zero!” Unfortunately, that means it’s that time of year when we need to set our clocks ahead one hour and “spring forward.” So, on Sunday at 2:00 am, we will set our clocks ahead one hour (and lose one hour of sleep). Have a great weekend!
Friday, March 5, 2010
March 5, 2010
Dear Parents,
If you haven’t worked at a Fish Fry, you’re missing out! It’s not just one night serving a dinner to 300 guests, it’s an event! It’s what Holy Family School is all about – parents, staff, students and former students working together for a common cause.
This type of event doesn’t happen overnight. The committee has been working for several months planning for this event. Several changes were made this year, including upgrading to haddock and adding potato wedges. But what didn’t change was the commitment of our extended family. Whether it is baking desserts, doing the prep work for the dinner, or working at the dinner, the cooperation and camaraderie is clearly evident. It is great to see how our parents work together and have lots of fun. Fish Fries are teachable moments as parents role model for their children what community service is and how important it is. It should be noted that parents took vacation days off, and took non-paid days off from their jobs to work on our team. This is truly amazing to me. The level of commitment to Holy Family School is extremely high. If you haven’t joined our team yet and would like to help us out, please contact Ann French at school.
We have begun the enrollment process for the 2010/11 school year. Please hand in your Tuition Agreement Form with your deposit as soon as possible. If you are applying for Diocesan Tuition Assistance, your forms must be mailed in the envelopes provided and received by the Diocese by March 15th. Likewise, if you are applying for local assistance, please fill out the Local Assistance Form and return it with your Tuition Agreement Form. Please see me if you have any questions regarding assistance.
Mrs. Hose has alerted me to an issue that arises at times when parents notify the school to inform us that their children are staying after school or someone else is picking up their child. It is fine to email Mrs. Hose, but please do this before noon, as sometimes emails do not get delivered immediately or Mrs. Hose doesn‘t have the time to check her emails in the afternoon. After noon, please call the office to notify us. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.
Below is a list of upcoming field trips/assemblies at Holy Family School. Please be on the lookout for the permission slips your child will be bringing home. We strongly encourage and invite you to join your child on these field trips when there is room. Please check the list below and let your child’s teacher know if you plan on attending.
Gene
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed, Mar. 10th “Lookingglass Alice: Gr. 5 – 7 10:30-5:30
Syracuse Stage Theatre
Friday, Mar. 12th Popp Butterfly Conser. 3rd Grade 9 -11:30 am
Oneonta
Thursday, Mar. 18th Popp Butterfly Conser. 4th Grade 11:30-2 pm
Oneonta
Friday, Mar. 19th “Little Red Riding Hood” EC – 7th 9 – 10 am
TriCities Opera – In gym
Parents & Guests Invited to Attend
Dear Parents,
If you haven’t worked at a Fish Fry, you’re missing out! It’s not just one night serving a dinner to 300 guests, it’s an event! It’s what Holy Family School is all about – parents, staff, students and former students working together for a common cause.
This type of event doesn’t happen overnight. The committee has been working for several months planning for this event. Several changes were made this year, including upgrading to haddock and adding potato wedges. But what didn’t change was the commitment of our extended family. Whether it is baking desserts, doing the prep work for the dinner, or working at the dinner, the cooperation and camaraderie is clearly evident. It is great to see how our parents work together and have lots of fun. Fish Fries are teachable moments as parents role model for their children what community service is and how important it is. It should be noted that parents took vacation days off, and took non-paid days off from their jobs to work on our team. This is truly amazing to me. The level of commitment to Holy Family School is extremely high. If you haven’t joined our team yet and would like to help us out, please contact Ann French at school.
We have begun the enrollment process for the 2010/11 school year. Please hand in your Tuition Agreement Form with your deposit as soon as possible. If you are applying for Diocesan Tuition Assistance, your forms must be mailed in the envelopes provided and received by the Diocese by March 15th. Likewise, if you are applying for local assistance, please fill out the Local Assistance Form and return it with your Tuition Agreement Form. Please see me if you have any questions regarding assistance.
Mrs. Hose has alerted me to an issue that arises at times when parents notify the school to inform us that their children are staying after school or someone else is picking up their child. It is fine to email Mrs. Hose, but please do this before noon, as sometimes emails do not get delivered immediately or Mrs. Hose doesn‘t have the time to check her emails in the afternoon. After noon, please call the office to notify us. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.
Below is a list of upcoming field trips/assemblies at Holy Family School. Please be on the lookout for the permission slips your child will be bringing home. We strongly encourage and invite you to join your child on these field trips when there is room. Please check the list below and let your child’s teacher know if you plan on attending.
Gene
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed, Mar. 10th “Lookingglass Alice: Gr. 5 – 7 10:30-5:30
Syracuse Stage Theatre
Friday, Mar. 12th Popp Butterfly Conser. 3rd Grade 9 -11:30 am
Oneonta
Thursday, Mar. 18th Popp Butterfly Conser. 4th Grade 11:30-2 pm
Oneonta
Friday, Mar. 19th “Little Red Riding Hood” EC – 7th 9 – 10 am
TriCities Opera – In gym
Parents & Guests Invited to Attend
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