November 29, 2022
Hello Falcon Nation!
Happy Advent!!
School will be closed this Friday, December 2nd for a Teacher Professional Development Day. That means our Out of Uniform Day moves to Friday, December 9th.
Advent Trees: SCS is lighting up this Advent season with kindness! As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, students and staff are asked to perform (extra) good deeds and to write those deeds on our handmade paper light bulbs. Hopefully, we will have enough good deeds to cover all of our trees! Mrs. Thompson has pledged to break her personal record of one good deed per day!
The School’s Christmas Program will be on December 12th at 6:30pm in the church. Grades K-4 will perform a musical followed by a school band performance (grades 5-8). All are welcome!
Strategic Growth Planning:
- We are about to turn up the heat on our Strategic Growth Planning process with ISPD.
- We have formed an Executive Team and are in the process of finalizing a Steering Committee.
- By the end of January, we should have detailed “Planning Areas” and actionable items. At that point, we will form Planning Area Teams and there will be an opportunity for more parents and parishioners to participate, if they so choose.
- We are currently reviewing ISPD’s Assessment Report and comparing our results to the The National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools (NSBECS).
- These standards are intended to describe how the most mission-driven, program effective, well managed, and responsibly governed Catholic schools operate.
- The thirteen Standards describe policies, programs, structures, and processes that should be present in Catholic schools in four Domains: Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence, and Operational Vitality.
- The seventy Benchmarks provide observable and measurable descriptors for each standard.
- I will provide more details in January when we have firm Planning Areas and actionable items.
Safety & Security
- The Ohio Facilities Construction Committee: OFCAA awarded us the maximum grant amount of $100,000 under the federal American Rescue Plan Act. These funds must be spent on security items from the state’s Authorized Equipment List (AEL).
- Ohio Security Grant: we also submitted a $100,000 grant request to the OSG program. No award notification yet.
- I will meet with our security consultant on Thursday to discuss his top recommendations and then we will start collecting bids.
- Several of us will be attending a Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Workshop next week.
REMINDERS:
Open House will be Sunday, January 29th to kick off Catholic Schools Week. Please join us for 11:00 Mass followed by Open House from 12:00-1:00pm. All are welcome!
- The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest will be held in the gym after Open House from 1:30-3:00pm.
Recess will continue to be held outside, as long as the temperature is above 32 and it is not raining. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for colder temps.
Grades K-5 Winter Uniform Policy (November 1 to March 1)
- No shorts
- Leggings or tights must be worn under jumpers, skorts, and skirts.
Blessed Advent!
Mr. O’
St. Christopher School Principal
toloughlin@scpschool.org
937.898.5104
