Mr. T's Blog @ SKS: October 2016

October 27, 2016

Dear St. Katharine of Siena Families,

Here are some important updates/reminders for you:

* A huge thanks for all those who turned in the SKS Raffle Tickets already. The due date was this past Tuesday. We appreciate your efforts! Remember the raffle is really something we need to do. It's our main fundraiser to get over $50,000 that covers half of what H&S is asked to raise to support the operating budget of the school. If you haven't turned it in as yet please do so by Friday. The Raffle Prize winners will be drawn on Monday at the Halloween-a-thon.

* Friday, 10/28, the Girls' Varsity Field Hockey Team plays at 4 pm at Ditmar Field in the first round of the playoffs. Good luck to the team and coaches.

* This Friday morning is the First Grade Saints Presentation. If you want to see some real live saints, come to church at 9 am. All are welcome as the first grade helps us celebrate the lives of the great saints. Monday afternoon around 1:15 will be the Halloween-a-thon. Track down my previous email from two weeks ago about the expectations for that day.

* SKS Wildcat Day is this Saturday, October 29th from 9 to 1:30 at Bo Connor Field. Come join the festivities: Flag football, Field Hockey , V &JV Football are all playing. Music games, face painting and BYO Food as there will be a grill there to fire up your hot dogs etc. !

On Line Registration and Re-registration for next year begins next Tuesday 11/1 for existing families and Wednesdsay, 11/2 for new families. Please insure you have a spot for your child for school next year by registering.

* Friday is the deadline for signing up for the Parent /Teacher conference on Thursday evening , 11/ 3 and Friday, 11/4. If you wish to meet with your child's teacher(s) please sign up by 12 noon this Friday. I encourage you to bring the older students (grades 3-8, or younger if you wish) to the conference with you. When that happens, nothing gets lost in communication. It also makes a statement that your child needs to be their own best advocate for themselves and that they are taking ownership and responsibility for their own education.

* Speak Up! for students in grades 7 & 8 and their parents is on Monday, 11/ 7 , @ 6 pm. We strongly encourage all students and parents to attend this night at St. Colman- John Neumann School at 372 Highland Lane in Bryn Mawr. We are partnering again with SCJN School and look forward to a great night of open communication between teens and their parents. For more information on Speak Up! and registration on line for the event go to www.speakup.org and find the event for SKS & SCJN. It takes about 2 minutes to register.

* The first Home and School Meeting is on Thursday, November 10 at 7 pm in the cafeteria. The topic is a serious one - Teen Suicide. The speaker presenting on November 11^th, battled depression throughout his adolescent and high school years. Drew Bergman is a speaker from the Minding Your Mind organization and has had an impact on students throughout the area.  Drew’s story involves his personal experience with attempted suicide. We realize this is a very difficult topic. However, because of recent teenage tragedies within our area the last few years, and input from our own students who serve on the Family Life/Education Team , we feel this is a topic we need to address.  Also, we have reached out to an expert in the field of adolescent suicide and prevention on the importance of having such conversations and how imperative keeping the lines of communication open are for such a heavy topic.

We encourage all parents to take the time to hear his story. Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 will view Drew's video next week and have a chance to put any ?'s down on index cards for the assembly.
Drew’s biography and video can be found here: http://mindingyourmind.org/who-we- are/leadership/speakers/andrew-bergman/.

* Mr. T's Parenting Tip #17 :

"Say what you mean;mean what you say."

Don't say things to your child that you do not intend to back up with action. For example, if you say to a child:"Stop that right now or you re going to your room." If the child doesn't cooperate with the expectation and you do not follow up on what you say, you need to change the way you are doing business. You are sending them the wrong message by not acting. If you say there will be a consequence, there needs to be one. Kids are smart. They will realize if you are making idle threats or mean business. Say what you mean; mean what you say and follow up on it. This lets the child know that there is an expected behavior, and if it is not followed, there is a consequence. This is done in a firm but calm way; not by raising your voice and screaming. Follow the law of natural consequences: If "A" happens then "B" occurs as a result. Example: "Mary, if you are bathed and ready for bed , then you can get your ice cream snack. Try this; it works.

Take care,

Bud

Scholastic Book Fair

Juvenile Diabetes Walk with the Principal

7th & 8th Grade Girls Field Hockey Team
League Champs

Philly Opera Comes to SKS in 7th Grade

Halloween Obstacle Course in Gym Class

Besides Respect Life and Breast Cancer Awareness, October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Grandparents/Special Friends Day

October 17, 2016

Dear St. Katharine of Siena Families,

A Prayer from St. Therese of Lisieux

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use the gifts you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

I hope you enjoyed a beautiful fall weekend. It was a busy social weekend for this community. The Parent Social was a fantastic night. Thanks to Rebecca Roe, Marie Starck, Kate Quinn, Erin Buckley and many others who contributed to a fantastic and fun night. Cindy McKernan had yet another great idea with the Teacher Wish Board. You are all tremendous advocates for this school. Fundraising wise we did very well and the night promotes a great spirit within the community. When I left (and it wasn't that early), it looked like the real party was just getting started. The Top Gun theme was hilarious with some great get-ups. I love my aviator sunglasses with the SKS Logo! I'll be wearing them at car line for sure. The SKS Teacher Wish Board will remain open for anyone who wishes to purchase an item. More details will come from Home & School about how you can do that. The WIsh Board had near to $8,000 in teacher wishes granted which is incredibly generous. You'll see some pictures below from the night.

On Saturday, Dan's Down Dog & Dash (pictures below) continued to promote that community spirit as we remembered Dan Schultz and honored Pete Henkel, Allyson's son, who is a very resilient and courageous young man. There was a great turnout on a crisp autumn morning and the mesh of Radnor Schools (Pete attends RMS) and our school was really nice to see. I know both Susan and Allyson were extremely grateful for the support.

From now through Halloween and till Thanksgiving, we have many things going on. Please pay attention to the school calendar and highlight events that are of importance for you. I am looking forward to seeing Grandparents/Special Friends for KG / 1st Grade at the Book Fair this Wednesday.

We are about half way through this 1st trimester of school. How are things going? Remember in every way your child's growth is a process. Rarely is it by leaps and bounds. Taking baby steps is usually the reality, and sometimes it's two steps forward , and maybe a step back. Remember too, it not just about academics. We want the "whole" child to develop: spiritually, socially, emotionally and physically. Contact your teachers with a concern. Sign ups for the Parent /Teachers Conferences are on the Sign Up Genius which I emailed to you today. You have this week and next (deadline Friday 10/28) to make appointments.

Later this week I will be sending out a letter to all parents regarding some concerns expressed to me about class size in the 5th grade At Level math classes. The letter is a product of the teachers input and my classroom observations. Be on the look out for it please.

It's a beautiful fall season with some gorgeous weather as the leaves turn. Here's a final thought for all of us. Take a break sometime soon and go for a walk and pray some along the way. Be thankful for our many blessings, forgive others and be forgiven, and ask Him for help in any special intentions you may have for you and your family.

Take care,

Bud

SKS Top Gun Parent Social