Faculty Staff Memo
St. Gabriel School, September 13, 2015
WEEKLY LITURGICAL READING AND REFLECTION
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sacred Scripture: Mark 8:34b
“Whosoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”
Reflection
How can I infuse formation in empathy into my programs in response to the many, and varied, family situations present in the school and parish(es)? What are the issues local families are facing right now?
Praying with you and for you as we focus on family and mission in Catholic education.
Blessings dear teachers and staff!
I hope that everyone had a good weekend, that the rain and the chill in the air didn't dampen anyone's plans, and that it was a restful little break after our third week!
A friendly reminder to remember to read the parent newsletters and memos (Weekend Virtual Backpack, Weekday News and Notes, PTU, etc) besides this staff newsletter. Frequently there is information that goes to parents that is not in the Staff newsletter that is good for you to know that parents are getting. I have been trying on the one hand to get good information out to everyone in these new newsletters so everyone knows what is going on and communication is really enhanced, and on the other hand through these new newsletters, to cut down the length and number and repetition of things in order to be sensitive to everyone's time.
Prayerfully walking together to the Center, with joy and gratitude,
Peace in the Father, love in Jesus, and courage and wisdom in the Spirit,
Donna Lee
Looking Ahead
September 14-27
September 14
- Power of the Pen
- 7:00pm St. Gabriel Parish Communal Penance Service
September 15----All School Picture Day--re-scheduled!
- 8:15 Gr K-1 Liturgy of the Word
- 9:00--11:00am Mini Open House
- 2:45 Faculty Meeting
September 16
- 8:05 All School Liturgy
- DL out to Principal Conference, St. Thomas Moore
September 17
- 9:15--10:15am Riverside Bus Safety Practice
- 2:45 Accreditation Steering Committee
- 5:30 First PTU Meeting, MPR
September 18
- 8:00am--2:30pm Grade 7 & 8 Peer Leadership Team Leadership Summit
September 21 -- ALL SCHOOL RETREAT DAY
- Theme: Finding the gift in yourself and others, and giving it to the world
- 8:05 - Opening All School Liturgy
- Assemblies with Inspirational Speaker Mike Patin
- Prayer experiences with Deacon Bob Grgic
- Classroom Service Projects for the community
September 22
- 2:45 -- Jr Hi PLC, re-scheduled from 9-8
September 24
- 2:45-- Related Arts PLC, re-scheduled from 9-22
September 25
- St. Gabriel School Spirit day
- 1:15pm All School Spirit Asssembly
- Installation of Student Council Homeroom Representatives
- PM schedule
- Dress down day
September 26-27
- St. Gabriel Parish Jubilee Kickoff Weekend
Bright Spot - a shaft of light in darkness, something or someone that brightens the day!
St. Gabriel School~Crossroads Peer Leadership
Being Christ every day everywhere through teaching, learning, leading and serving
Working together in Christ's love and servant leadership for positive change
Helping communities be supportive of youth and their ability to affect change
St. Gabriel School/Crossroads Peer Leadership
Thank you Erica and Sherry for your time in working and being with the kids last Thursday and Friday. Going forward, the students will be meeting one day, twice a month at the their recess lunch times, that is, 2 days a month to work with the Crossroads team and Danielle Klein.
A special thank you to our Back Door Team!
notes
Faculty Meeting
Two extremely important purposes of this meeting concerning RTI are to
- learn how to gather and interpret data, and
- the critical importance of collaborating and partnering with colleagues in using this data to determine what individual students need and how to differentiate/modify classroom instruction to meet those needs.
All School Retreat
- Sherry has sent everyone a schedule and agenda for our retreat day next Monday.
- We will continue our very effective "formula", of assemblies with our speaker, prayer with Deacon Bob Grgic, and service projects for the community.
- Fitting very nicely with our "growth" mind set, the retreat theme focuses on the children especially finding the gifts in themselves and discovering the gifts in others.
- The faith component however adds the dimension that these gifts are from God, for God has a purpose for each of us, including the children, and in their purpose they share their gifts with the world.
Accreditation
Lunch Room notes
Ruth's lunchroom computer is back up and running :) for now.
We started using the hand sanitizer "squirts" again by the Noon Watch as students come in from recess and enter through the MPR doors for lunch. Please mention to your students to make sure they each get the sanitizer as they enter into the lunchroom, and they can wash their hands in the restrooms also if they wish.
We are still researching kinds of wipes to use, including just water. The Noon Watch can then offer them to anyone who would like an additional one at the table, especially the K-2 students.
Thanks for all your help and support.
Staff Club and Extracurriculars Notes, Reminders and Guidelines
A couple notes about things that are thus more critical for us to have in place:
Flyers
All groups need to have some kind of a flyer, which includes description, purpose, meeting dates, times, locations, and parent permission sign-offs. It doesn't have to be that fancy, if you need help or samples, let me know. You can ask other staff who have done for help also.
Rosters
As I mentioned in contacting many of you earlier, we need to have rosters of all members in the after school activities. Including names, grades, homerooms, contact #s, record of verification of parent permission, and record of payments if there are any. If you need help with that, let me know.
Staff Google Calendar Reminders and Guidelines
- Please keep watch on our Google calendar!
- Important: Don't forget to go through Maggie when you want to schedule anything after school, whether afternoon or evening, or in any space or room. She will contact Alice at the parish to check that your request does not conflict with anything else in the parish. If there are questions or problems Alice or Maggie will get back to me and then to you.
- Thank you for your patience and understanding with each other, your collaboration in working things out, and the great amount of time and effort and heart you give!!
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Our PPC
Please pray for Andi as she goes through treatment and healing of her knee injury. Please also pray for Joyce, as she goes through further treatment and examination of her back injury which is increasing in impact and pain. Please also pray for several on our staff whose children are needing treatments and surgeries and of course needing extra time and energy as they expend their love and care also for our students!
Let us continue to pray also for each other and all of our families, as colleagues and friends, and as companions on the discipleship journey of our mission in Christ. I know there are many unspoken needs, needing big and little prayers.
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Please continue praying for parents and families in our school community needing prayers. Please note their names in the Parent Newsletter coming out after this one, but in the meantime keep them and their children in your prayers. I'm sure there are others, but for now please pray for the Corrigan family, the Byrnes family, the Michalsky family, and the Degner family.
Have a beautiful week!
Peace in the Father, love in Jesus, and courage and wisdom in the Spirit,
Blessings,
Donna Lee
St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School
Email: donnalee.saladino@st-gabrielschool.org
Website: www.st-gabrielschool.org
Location: 9935 Johnnycake Ridge Road, Mentor, OH, United States
Phone: 440-352-6169