“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” ~ Aristotle
Dear SKS Parents,
I know that my Principal’s Blog seems to have taken a sabbatical in 2020! It’s back!
We Need Everyone to Take a Flying Leap (for SKS)!
This last month I worked closely with the Development Committee of our SKS Board of Limited Jurisdiction (BLJ), and their work in nine short months has been remarkable. Plans are finalized for the Take a Leap for SKS on February 29th. If you haven’t heard about it yet from previous emails or word of mouth, you are living under a rock! This night will be one big party for our school community as we kick off our SKS Annual Fund. Why an annual fund? The cost of tuition doesn’t cover the cost of operating our school, we need to bridge that gap. To date we have $90,000 in hand with more donations pledged. Our goal of sustainability is not just for the short term, but for many years to come. We are reaching out to past parents, alumni, and current families to participate in the first ever SKS Annual Fund and with support from our past and present SKS families and friends, our future is bright for the next 103 years. Click here for ticket information.
Enrollment alert – grab a seat soon!
We have 50 kindergarten students enrolled for next September. Last year at this time, we had 20! We only have a few spots left before we start a wait list for kindergarten. If you have any friends, family or neighbors who are seriously considering enrolling at SKS please have them contact Anne Condello as soon as possible to ensure a spot for them.
Thank you Home & School Board
Our Home & School Board under the leadership of Erin Buckley has things running smoothly. She communicates well and continually reminds families of important upcoming dates for events which continue to keep us close knit as a community. The Annual Trivia Night is a prime example of that. It was well attended and a fun night. I got a kick out of the team names. Thank you to Gina O’Sullivan and Bernadette Corrigan for chairing this popular event.
Winter CYO Sports
Our CYO Basketball season is quickly coming to a close. Many thanks to Mike McCormick , athletic director, and Chet Walsh, winter sports coordinator, who oversees the thankless position of coordinating so many teams. Thanks to our many coaches who volunteer so much time to our players. Special congratulations to our Boys Varsity A Team who went undefeated in league play and won the league championship. They will move on the archdiocesan playoffs. Good luck to all the remaining teams still competing as their playoffs approach.
Remember to sign up for spring sports on the CYO website at http://skscyo.website.siplay.com/
Catholic Schools Week Recap
Our Catholic Schools Week was one of high spirits, energy, and enthusiasm. I think parents’ perception of CSW is a whole week of fun and games. It really isn’t. The Sunday 9:30 opening mass had an excellent turnout and our Student Council spoke at every mass with their personal reflection on what their education at SKS has meant to them. The Rainbow Prayer Service led by Mr. Heacock and our 8th grade was spiritually uplifting. The Career Day, where we had over two dozen presenters from various industries, introduced students to career options. In the Spelling Bee and the Trivia Contest students learned in an informal, social setting. We recognized 2nd grader,
Sean McGlinn, and his sisters as “heroes” that Friday during the annual faculty/student basketball game. It showed everyone the courage and resilience of our very own families. In our Catholic Schools Week we do, as the motto says: Learn, lead and succeed.
DAR Writing Contest Winners
Congratulations to 7th graders Justin Hnat and Domenic Elia on receiving 1st place and 2nd place respectively in the Daughters of the American Revolution Writing Contest. Both boys were honored at an award ceremony this week. In addition to the recognition, Justin received a $100 gift certificate and Dominic a $50 gift certificate. Attending the event with their mothers was very proud 7th grade ELA teacher, Jennifer Loftus. Her mentoring helped both boys during the writing process. Both Justin and Domenic wrote about a journey on The Mayflower. Justin’s essay was from the perspective of a dog named “Duke.” He received the 1st place in the state of Pennsylvania and will represent us in the national competition this spring in Washington D.C. Given the excellent competition, this is quite an accomplishment!
Eighth Grade Acceptances and Scholarship Winners
Our 8th graders are finalizing their high school choice for fall. This Class of 2020, besides having a wonderful and engaging personality as a group, has been successful academically. Our students have been accepted by the schools of their choices at many private institutions where the enrollment for 9th grade is competitive. Our students who go on to public schools are regularly placed in the most challenging courses.
As of this writing, 9 students have received 11 academic scholarships totaling a value of over $250,000.
The faculty and I have a simple message for those few students and their parents in grades 5, 6and 7 who may consider leaving us early for another school: “Stay with us.” We promise you our commitment to have your child prepared and ready to meet the exciting challenges ahead in the high schools of your choice.
I hope you enjoy the photos from this edition, they cover a range of events from the last few weeks:
Martin Luther King Day of Service
Ryan’s Case for Smiles
March for Life in Washington DC
CYO Boys’ Basketball Championship
Daughters of teh American Revolution contest
Forensics
Catholic Schools Week
Take care,
Bud