December 22, 2016
Dear St. Katharine of Siena School Families,
As we approach the Christmas break, below is a Christmas message of mine from the past. My family and I are five years removed from my Dad's passing, and this Christmas would have been his 96th birthday. It is also the first Christmas for my sister, Rose, and her family after having lost my nephew , Kevin , this past April. For all our families who are celebrating your Christmas without a loved for the first time, my heartfelt prayers of comfort and peace to you and your families.
We have had a wonderful week before Christmas here in school. There was (some) academics but for this week the focus was on our faith, and sharing our togetherness as a school community at this most "wonderful time of the year."
As a collective group, the Faculty/Staff and I are grateful beyond words for your kindness and generosity for your contribution to the Teacher/Staff Fund, cards, and gifts. If I eat half of these treats my waistline is in big trouble. I know for a fact this does not happen elsewhere, and to such a generous extent. We, who work here, are not rich monetarily. However, we are rich in so many other ways. One of those ways is that our SKS Families continually support this school and the efforts of our teachers /staff. I'll say it again:We are grateful beyond words.
The following is a re-issue from Mr. T.'s News & Notes dated December 20, 2011.
Quote: “May the peace of the Lord be with you,
With your friends and family
too.
Let it be; let it flow ,
And wherever you go ,
May the peace of the Lord be
with you. “
Advent Song
Dear Parents,
No
educational thoughts or philosophy in this issue.
“Tis the season.” A season of joy, wonder, and awe. A season of holiness, togetherness, and celebration. This is as it should be, friends. It is, after all, His birthday. Christmas reminds us of our faith, and our
love for our faith, our family, and friends and the Christmas traditions that
have been passed in our families from generation to generation. I hope the Christmas Concert by our younger
grades, as well as The Christmas Tableau by our older grades helped you in
cherishing the true spirit and reason for the season.
Our students performed beautifully, and I commend our teachers for their
efforts in putting these SKS traditional events together each year. Events like these play a huge part in helping define who we are.
Over the last few years, I have always shared something
personal with you about my family and our past Christmas's. I have vivid memories of past holidays,
including the time the new train set arrived (lots of hammering and sawing
sounds in the garage the night before by Santa’s elves!) and the time I
received a Davy Crockett wagon and the coon-skin hat that Santa got especially
for me! Wonder and awe at its best.
This year will be our first Christmas together
without my Dad, and Christmas Day is his birthday.
He would have been 91 one years young.
It will be very bittersweet for us as we celebrate both the birthday of
Jesus and remember my Dad lovingly: who he was, how he lived, and what he and
my mom have given us. Dad loved
Christmas, and it was not just because it was his birthday. Mostly, he loved
Christmas because it was a time we would always find quality time to be
together. Exchanging presents was a part of it of course, but the real gift was
the presence of each other, not the presents. The real present was in
watching us grow from kids to adults, and then our own kids grow …and realize
that the true gift of Christmas is the gift of families being together and
expressing their love and appreciation for each other. There is no better gift to receive.
My Dad and Mom were givers. They always got
more out of giving than receiving. My
Mom has been a 1st team All American shopper for decades. She’s been known to find the perfect present
for every person to the point that each receiver of the gift would echo the
same thing:“How did you know this is
what I needed?”
As
this year is about to come to a close, as we approach Christmas Day, I will
remember my Dad lovingly, and although his physical presence will be missed, I
know my mom (who will be 90 on the feast of The Epiphany on January 6th) , my family and I will celebrate a wonderful Christmas together and
remember my Dad as a man who lived well and loved well, most especially at this
time of year.
Thank you for everything
you have done for this parish/school community. On behalf of our faculty and staff, my
family and I, may I wish you and your families love, peace, comfort, and joy for
a Holy Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year.
Take care,
Bud
P.S. - Enjoy seeing the many pictures below of our school in action the last two weeks!
The KG -4 Christmas Concert brought great joy in the Advent Season to a packed church. We were thrilled to see so many families and so many grandparents who were able to attend.
Fourth Grade Boys in their Christmas best dress.
Sean Maguire and Matt Evans and the entire 8th Grade delivered homemade Christmas cards made by our school and poinsettias to many of our SKS Homebound Parishioners. Several of our parishioners called or wrote back to express their gratitude.
A mentor of 8th grade parent Mark Mulvanerty, NBA Toronto Raptors color commentator, Jack Armstrong, talked to 7th and 8th grade about many life lessons, including little things such as the importance of a handwritten note. We hand wrote him a "thank you" for spending time with us.
Third Grade had a reading of The Polar Express in PJ's.
Winners in three different divisions in our Keep Christ in Christmas poster contest sponsored by the SKS Knights of Columbus.
CENTENNIAL CHRISTMAS DOOR DECORATING CONTEST
The Christmas Door Decorating Contest was amazing and the competition was fierce!
Making and eating pizzelles is a First Grade Christmas Tradition.
Fourth and Second Grade "Buddies" worked together on a Christmas glyph.
The 1st & 8th Grade Buddies Bowling /Pizza Party
was so much fun!
The SKS Band and Choir led the student body in song at today's Christmas Concert and Sing - Along
The Annual Christmas Tableau (grades 5 - 8) had a packed church filled with families and many alumni who attended.
The last of seven Boccella's to attend SKS: Matt Boccella (pictured bottom left with his sister Maria) poses with his siblings who all attended SKS. From the back l to r are: John, Mark, Patrick , Joe , and Nick.
