December Principal's Corner

Principal’s Corner December 2018

November and December are quite busy months at our school as we reflect on the many things to be thankful for and prepare for Christmas. 
Thank you for your generous support of St. Mary’s Toys for Appalachia drive! Our school has a long-standing tradition of providing toys to families in Grahn, KY, who would otherwise have no presents for Christmas. The Grahn Community Center operates with volunteers only and helps to serve over 100 families each season in this Appalachian region. It was great to see how many new and nearly new toys, as well as monetary donations have been made.
In each grade students received their first St. Mary’s Vikings Pride Award. This award is given on a monthly basis to students who show special acts of kindness, good citizenship skills, and display leadership. We are blessed to have so many students who, led by our Catholic faith, are empathetic and committed to be a vital part of our Catholic community.
I am proud to share that the results of our school survey given by parents, faculty, staff, and students were overall very positive. Furthermore, we would like to thank you for your constructive feedback, as this will help us to better determine our strengths and weaknesses and make St. Mary’s a better place to learn and grow. 
During the last few weeks, we spent some time on school safety. Lieutenant Troy Duncan met with our faculty and staff and reviewed important safety procedures. He also met with each grade level (PreK-8) and talked to the students about the importance of school safety and our various drills. We had an all-school lock down drill at the end of November. Thank you Lieutenant Duncan! Additionally, sixth graders will benefit from a new program: PLUS- Peers Learning Usable Skills. This program is offered by Officer Pat Willis and not only supports the DARE program that is offered for fifth graders, but also includes topics which help our students to be safe and make good decisions while growing up. More information will be sent to the parents of the participants and an informational parent night will be offered. We were able to offer this program due to a grant from the state of Ohio that is to be used to improve school safety.
In preparation for Christmas, our students participate in the annual Christmas concert during the last week of school. It is always a delight to see them and our parents enjoying this special event. Thanks to Mr. Gorski who took the lead.
I would also like to thank our parents and parish community for all your support and help to our school. We are blessed by your generosity and commitment to make St. Mary’s a special place for our students.
May Christ’s peace and hope be with your family. 
Merry Christmas!  Frohe Weihnachten!