May 18, 2010

“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.” Celia Thaxter

Dear Families of St. John Elementary Students,

It is with a truly grateful heart that I conclude this academic year. Our St. John Elementary students have progressed intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The Stanford 10 Achievement Test results indicated growth in the mean scaled score across all grade levels. I am truly proud of our students and ever grateful to our energetic and dedicated faculty and staff. 

Efforts to initiate meaningful professional development opportunities for our teachers have come to fruition and will continue to be an integral part of our educational focus. Faculty members and guests from Hanson attended a Promethean Activboard in-service on April 14 at St. John. Ms. Rachel, Ms. Debbie, Ms. Jan, and I had the opportunity to visit the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia on May 7. Clark opened his academy to create opportunities for impoverished youth in the Atlanta area and to train educators from around the world. I am fully confident that experiencing his innovative teaching and learning environment will have a tremendously positive effect on our school. Our teachers who have not had the opportunity to read Ron Clark’s books The Essential 55 and The Excellent 11 will enjoy them this summer. In addition, “The Write Source” writing curriculum published by Great Source (a division of Houghton Mifflin), has been acquired to supplement our Language Arts curriculum. Our faculty and staff will attend an in-service prior to the beginning of the school year in order to begin implementation this fall. Early dismissal days next academic year will be utilized for professional development as well.

Feel free to join our St. John Elementary faculty and staff in reading our selections this summer, The Power of Half and Waiting for Eli.

Please know that your assistance this spring and during the summer months with the building and grounds is deeply appreciated. Our St. John Elementary campus is absolutely beautiful because of your efforts and hard work. 

I wish each of you a restful and joyful summer!

Respectfully,


Sheri Higdon, Principal

January 25, 2010

"All of you are Christ's body, and each one is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27

Dear Families of St. John Students,

Please be reminded that St. John-Hanson registration is ongoing through February 22, 2010. Each and every stakeholder plays a special role in promoting the vision of Catholic education in our community. Perhaps some of your family members, friends, and neighbors have never been "invited" to experience all that our schools have to offer. Feel free to extend the invitation. Ask them to call the office with their questions or to schedule a tour of our beautiful campus.

This Sunday's second reading from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians reminded me that "each of us is given different kinds of gifts and different ways of serving." We are truly blessed at St. John Elementary in the uniqueness of our faculty and staff. While each of us has different personalities and teaching practices, our individuality creates distinct and very special learning opportunities for our students. Our unity in Christ and in promoting the mission of St. John is vital to our strength and development. Please know that I am appreciative for all you do to support St. John and Hanson in this community and beyond.

You are invited to attend our Catholic Schools' Week opening Mass at Church of the Assumption Sunday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. In addition, Bishop Jarrell will be our celebrant at our regular school Mass Friday, February 5 at 8:10 a.m.

While the St. Jude Math-a-Thon is officially over, you may still make contributions at the St. John office. Even if you completed the Math-a-Thon activities online, donations will be mailed to St. Jude. Children in our area have been ministered by St. Jude's, and St. John Elementary alone has contributed in excess of $70,000 through the years. Please be as generous as you can.

The freezing temperatures have "taken a toll" on our campus landscaping. We won't prune until the likelihood of frost is over, but I am hopeful that some of you will be willing to obtain some of your participation hours in assisting in our springtime pruning, weeding, replanting, and mulching.

I am truly pleased to announce the launch of "Parents' Web" for our St. John students and their families. Through RenWeb, our Gradebook, Report Card, and Discipline documentation software, we are now giving you access to your students' progress in their teachers' gradebooks. Please utilize the following steps to guide you.

Open the St. John Elementary webpage at http://stjohnelem.com. Click on RenWeb for Parents. Click on First-time Users. Type in your home email address. Click on New Parent Login.

RenWeb will provide you with a family password. If you have students at Hanson, you already have your family password. Once your password is entered, you may view your student's grades in the gradebook. If you have not provided St. John with your email address, please do so at your earliest convenience (in writing directly to Ms. Anita's attention.) Please do not telephone the office with this information.

If you experience difficulty in accessing Parents' Web, please email me at higdons@msis.net and I will attempt to remedy the problem.

Respectfully,

Sheri Higdon, Principal

January 13, 2010

Dear Families of St. John Students,

National Catholic Schools’ Week will be celebrated January 31-February 5, 2010. We invite all of you to join us for the many activities planned which focus on this year’s theme, “Catholic Schools: Dividends for Life.” Our Faculty Mass will be celebrated January 31 at 10:00 a.m. at Church of the Assumption. You and your students are encouraged to join us in this Eucharistic celebration as we begin our week. Social Studies Fair projects may be viewed following the judging late Monday morning, and our Spelling Bees will take place Thursday. A patriotic rosary will be recited February 3 at 8:00 a.m. in the cafeteria followed by our family lunch later in the day. We feel truly blessed that Bishop Jarrell will be our celebrant for Friday Mass February 5 to conclude Catholic Schools’ Week. 

Second quarter report cards have been issued, and our St. John youngsters are thriving in their academic pursuits. As I was reviewing report cards, I did notice excessive absences for quite a few students. Keep in mind that 3 tardies automatically convert to an unexcused absence. In addition, according to state law, students may miss no more than 19 days in order to be promoted to the next grade. Students simply cannot receive the full benefits of schooling without direct instruction in the classroom.

Our Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Ms. Anna Larriviere, has once again reminded her principals to encourage you, our families, to sign up at www.votervoice.net. As budget cuts at the State Department of Education are forthcoming, Citizens for Educational Choice (our lobbying group), works diligently to protect your rights. 

Our official registration period is ongoing until February 22. Please do not hesitate to contact the office if you have questions about the registration process or need to set up an appointment with me to voice your concerns. Each of you plays a critical role in the “development” of St. John Elementary, and I sincerely appreciate the positive public relations you promote in our community. 

Respectfully,



Sheri Higdon, Principal

Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. Andrew Carnegie

December 3, 2009

Dear Families of St. John Students,

The season of Advent provides numerous opportunities to uphold the mission of St. John Elementary. Third, fourth, and fifth graders had the occasion to participate in the sacrament of Confession at a Penance Service. Advent Prayer Services will be held each Wednesday morning, and all students are highly encouraged to participate in our annual Christmas program. School Masses will be held December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, and December 18, 2009. Please note that our Christmas Mass on December 18 has been rescheduled for 9:00 a.m. instead of 8:05 as was listed in the St. John calendar. 

Each Advent we choose a “Christmas Giving” project to share with those in need and to show appreciation and love for the many gifts our Lord has given us. All classes have adopted residents of the Patterson Nursing Home and will purchase gifts for them. Each classroom teacher will inform you of how they are collecting for and shopping for the gifts. In addition, we are collecting needed items for our troops serving overseas. Please send any of the following items to your student’s teacher: AT&T Global Pre-paid Cards, playing cards, Gatorade (powder), Community Coffee, and Gold Bond Powder. We will ensure that they are delivered to our brave heroes who won’t have the opportunity to spend Christmas with their families and who make great sacrifices for our freedom. 

The annual St. Jude Math-a-Thon will be held in January upon our return from the Christmas holidays, and we need the consent form for students to participate. Math-a-Thon “Fun Books” must be ordered prior to the break, so please send the consent form to you child’s teacher immediately.

Please know that preparing for Christmas with your beautiful children is a truly wonderful gift I shall never take for granted!

Merry Christmas,



Sheri Higdon, Principal

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Luke 1:46-47

November 9, 2009

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

Dear Families of St. John students,

Your presence at the Blessing of the Pets, the Living Rosary, our annual Family Picnic, and the All Saints’ Day presentation was deeply appreciated. Our Book Fair will be held next week in room 8 with Family Night being Tuesday, November 10 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Please note that you are welcome to join us each Friday for Holy Mass at Church of the Assumption as well. October and the opening months of school have blown by, and we are truly enjoying the lovely Fall weather. 

Ms. Debbie Pillaro has once again designed a precious spirit shirt for us to enjoy. Students may wear their spirit t-shirts each Wednesday with their uniform bottoms. Kindly be reminded to have students respect our dress code, especially in regard to socks (must cover the entire ankle), haircuts (boys hair must be above the eyebrows, ears, and collar), and skirt length (no shorter than 3 inches above the knee while kneeling.) 

While we were able to obtain some playground equipment with the collected Nestle water labels, the time to prepare them for redemption was astronomical for the return. Therefore, we are no longer collecting them. 

Hanson is hosting a Tail-Gator/Cook-Off on its campus Saturday, November 14. Flyers with additional information were sent home to you this week. Please keep in mind that service hours may be earned at any St. John or Hanson event. Contact your friends and family members at Hanson for ways in which you may be of assistance. 

The countless volunteer hours so many of you unselfishly give and the positive words of encouragement you bestow are true gifts that we at St. John never take for granted. Unfortunately a single negative comment made about St. John or Hanson is heard and remembered much longer than the endless positive statements expressed. Our beloved President Abraham Lincoln wisely stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Whether you simply follow requests and procedures outlined in the handbook or volunteer an overabundance of time to our schools, your efforts do not go unnoticed. Your support is dearly treasured by the faculty, staff, and administration of St. John Elementary.

The brief article on the back of this newsletter from Scientific American (click for link to the article)  is fascinating and gave me powerful insight, as I work with our St. John students and my own children.
Your generosity in providing Thanksgiving baskets to friends and neighbors in our community is deeply appreciated. We are already preparing for our annual Christmas program (Wednesday, December 16 at Church of the Assumption at 6:00 p.m.) and for our Christmas giving projects. I truly believe that learning through service is an integral part of our St. John Elementary mission. Once more, I quote the book of Psalms, “How good it is to give thanks to You, O Lord!” Thank you for the opportunity to lead this school community and especially for the gift of entrusting your children to me!

With thanksgiving and peace,


Sheri Higdon, Principal

September 14, 2009

"Persevere in faith, firmly grounded in the gospel which has been preached to every creature under heaven." Colossians 1:23

Dear Families of St. John Elementary Students,

The opening weeks of school have been hectic yet exhilarating. I am most appreciative for those parents who prepared our campus for the arrival of students at our first "clean-up" afternoon. So much work was accomplished in a few hours because of their efforts.

Our Open House was a great success with many of you complimenting the utilization of our Promethean Activboards. This new technology has the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning.

As the rigor of our St. John curriculum progresses, please do not hesitate to meet with your student's teachers as questions and concerns arise. Simply call the office, and Ms. Anita will schedule a conference for you. If a phone call will suffice, please send a note to the teacher, and she will call at her earliest convenience. Impromptu conferences are generally ineffective and inappropriate.

Your support of our annual Magazine Drive is deeply appreciated, as this major fund raiser of our Coop Club makes a contribution to the annual budget and helps the organization fund projects for our children. We welcome you to join us for Blessing of the Pets on October 5 at 8:00 a.m. and for our Living Rosary on October 7 at 8:30 a.m. Picture retakes and activity photographs will be taken October 13. If you did not purchase a picture package for our initial school photo day and want to do so, please see Ms. Anita in the office prior to October 13 to prepay for your student's photographs.

Your cooperation in following transportation procedures as outlined in our Student-Parent Handbook is valued. Utilizing the carline (avoiding foot traffic), unloading two vehicles at once in the morning, and minimizing hall traffic help us in providing a safe, peaceful environment for your students.

Emergency personnel with St. Mary Parish are requiring all schools to hold mandatory safety drills during the school year. The students have been briefed on security procedures and have practiced them. Please do not assume that there is a crisis at St. John if you see emergency vehicles on campus. You will be notified in the event of a true emergency. Note that absences due to bomb threats and other "false alarms" are unexcused.

While the Internet and other technologies have transformed education as we know it, we are aware of the many dangers the Internet may bring into our homes. To further protect our St. John children Internet safety, etiquette, and bullying will be addressed several times each school year in your student's computer class.

When I read any material that I feel is relevant for teachers and/or parents I enjoy sharing it with you. The following article from "Zone'in" is interesting and pertinent to us as educators and parents: 

http://www.zoneinworkshops.com/articles/unplug-your-kids-back-to-school-with-btm/.

Please know that I do my very best to visit every classroom at least once a day and to walk about the campus when the students are outside. Your children are a pleasure, and I feel truly blessed to spend each day with them.

Respectfully,

Sheri Higdon, Principal