Dear Father Doyle Families,

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May this Christmas season be filled with joy and many blessings for you and your families.

Our 8th grade students are currently studying the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. While visiting the house of Scrooge's nephew with the Ghost of Christmas Present, Dickens remarks that "after awhile they played; for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself!"

I want to thank each of you for sharing the gift of your child with our school community. As we enter this Christmas season, may we all approach it with the unfettered joy and innocence of our children, and may it be said of us, as it was said of Scrooge in the end, that "he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge."

Lastly, over the break I encourage you to prayerfully reflect upon the words of the Gospel of Matthew included below, as well as join our school community in praying the Novena to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Patron of Catholic Schools, for continued blessings upon Father Doyle School. You can find the Novena attached below, which begins December 26th and concludes January 3rd.

May God bless you and your family, and may God continue to bless Father Doyle School. See you on January 3rd!

Matthew 1:18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.

Christmas Concert Rescheduled - January 6, 2023 - The Feast of the Epiphany

Due to Mrs. Gagnon's recent illness, as well as the impact of the cold and flu season to date, the decision has been made to postpone our annual Christmas Concert. The new date for the concert is Friday, January 6, 2023 - The Feast of the Epiphany. It is a fitting change, as the Epiphany is the feast that marks the conclusion of the Christmas season in the Church and celebrates the revelation that Jesus truly is the Messiah, the Son of God. What better way is there to celebrate this great feast than with this tremendous performance!

We know that some families who were previously planning to attend this Thursday may not be able to accommodate the new date. With this in mind, please take a brief moment to RSVP for the new date by clicking the link here.

Please note, the concert will begin at 6:30pm, and students are asked to arrive at the Church between 6:00pm and 6:15pm.

RIDOH Updates re: Christmas Break & COVID-19

In light of the upcoming break, which often includes larger family gatherings and travel, the Rhode Island Department of Health has shared the following tips and travel advice with schools to ensure families are aware of best health practices during the Christmas Season. Please know that we have a supply of rapid tests on hand at the school and, should you desire testing upon return, tests can be provided for your students.

LAST CALL: Parent Survey - Start of the 2022-2023 School Year

Each year in late November or early December Father Doyle School sends a survey to all current families to provide feedback, thoughts, and comments on the start of the school year. We highly encourage all families to complete the survey to help continue to shape the future of Father Doyle School! You can find the survey link here.

Update from the School Nurse - 3 Day Absences & Doctor's Note

This week the school was notified by RIDOH that, due to the increase in flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses, and, in order to ease the burden on the both the healthcare system and families during this winter season, it is not necessary to require a doctor's note for an absence of three or more days.

Please see the full publication from the Department of Health here for more information. A reminder to please call the school by 9am to notify them of your child's absence. Thank you!

Don't forget to keep scrolling below for photos and more information! Have a great weekend! God bless, and Go Saints!

Sincerely,

Mr. Peloquin

The Mission of Father John V. Doyle School is to provide students with a solid, well-rounded education based on Roman Catholic Tradition.

We live the Word of God in a caring, safe, and nurturing environment.