St. Viator Parish School
Viator Voice: March 26, 2023
SVS ROCKED MISMATCHED SOCKS FOR WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY!
SVS joined people all over the world on March 21st and wore mismatched socks to celebrate
WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY!
Wearing mismatched socks reminded us to celebrate the things that make us each unique!
We hope you enjoyed our art display of decorated paper socks!
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR!
Thank you St. Viator parents, students, and teachers for supporting the school book fair! This was an incredible turnout with our final profits still being tabulated. Throughout the week, we observed many of our students purchasing books of all different genres! Many students were eager to reading a new book and are excited to take their AR test for the new title! All profits from the book fair will go back to teacher classrooms!
USED UNIFORM SALE
DESSERTS NEEDED FOR PASTA FRIDAYS
We are asking students to bring in dessert for the bake sale on Friday mornings. Please drop off the desserts to the school office. The weeks are listed below.
Anything you can donate will be greatly appreciated!
3/31: 4th & 6th
The Knights of Columbus will be open at 3:00 PM on March 24th in the Parish Center for families who would like to eat after school in the parish center or take it to-go.
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
I’ve worked with students for the past twenty years. When anyone has worked in the same field for any length of time, we begin to notice patterns in our work. I remember sitting in my office one day when a student wandered in and sat down on a chair across from my desk. His shoulders were hunched over and the light in his eyes dimmed a little as we began to talk. He began the conversation with the common topics that seemed to be stressing him out: homework was overwhelming, money was scarce, he had a difficult time connecting with his peers – all of the usual student stressors. I began to think about how I could help him solve his own problems, because that’s what counselors do. We help others find the solutions to their own challenges. But as I began to go down the checklist of student success skills, I could potentially discuss with him, he paused and looked directly into my eyes. He said “Monica, I can’t explain how lonely I am.” He then asked, “Do you know what it feels like to KNOW that no one in the world knows or cares about where I am today? No one in the WHOLE world is aware of where or HOW I am today.”
Nothing in my career has every hit my heart harder than hearing that question come from a student – especially a student I had known for years at that point.
But the good thing about this question shaking me to my core was that it made me begin to pay careful attention to human beings – more specifically I paid closer attention to my students / clients. And what I began to find was that loneliness was at the core of their pain. Loneliness was the number one thing students came into my office to discuss. Over twenty years of teaching others and developing programs, the number ONE thing students struggled with was loneliness. I often wondered how a student could find themselves so lonely in a sea of their peers, but I already knew the answer to that question.
Kids desperately want to be seen and heard. Some of them just want to feel as if someone else on the planet is a witness to their day and to their lives. I NEVER forgot this conversation because we all feel this way at some point of our lives. We just want someone to SEE us and to bear witness to our human experience. This is the gift my work has given to me and it served as a lesson to show me how to help students – and sometimes adults as well. In my opinion, loneliness is the new epidemic.
So, here’s what you can do. Three easy things to help your students and children feel a little less lonely:
1. Take the time to listen to them. Give them your undivided attention and use all your active listening skills we’ve discussed this year. Say “hmmm, I understand, that must be tough, or simply – I’m here.” Easy right?
2. Never assume because your child is busy that they are not lonely. Being busy does not equate with being happy – especially if they are overusing screen time in your home. Encourage them to spend time with you. Go grab an ice cream, take a walk, read a book TOGETHER.
3. Normalize conversations around loneliness to avoid your children feeling they are the only ones who experience this feeling – and then remind them that YOU see them and that you love them.
4. Help them find a community of like-minded peers. Maybe they need to explore the arts? Maybe they want to dance? Maybe they need join a sport? Find their thing and make it a priority.
All of the above help children begin to connect with themselves and then others as well. And if you are ever feeling lonely, these tips apply to you as well. Connection is powerful, but taking the time to be witnesses to one another is our collective super power.
Best!
M
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Monday: March 27, 2023
- May Lunch Order Goes Home
Tuesday: March 28, 2023
- Diocesan Geography Bee in Parish Center
- Campus Ministry for 8th Grade
Wednesday: March 29, 2023
- 8:15 AM Liturgy Pre-K - 8th Grade (dress uniform)
- 5th Grade Field Trip to Court House
- Used Uniform Sale 8-9 AM & 2-3 PM in Gym
Thursday: March 30, 2023
Friday: March 31, 2023