Dear SKS Families,
The school year continues to move at warp speed. Blink once it’ll be Thanksgiving, and blink twice we will be breaking for Christmas.
SKS is an Archdiocesan School of Distinct Instruction
After an archdiocesan review of our standardized testing data, SKS was awarded recognition as a school of Distinct Instruction. This award was based on our school’s growth by comparing the Normal Equivalent Curve (NCE) from the testing last March compared to NCE our students took in the previous testing – our students gave evidence of greater growth than expected. This accomplishment is a testament to our students who work hard, the support of our parents, and the outstanding instruction from our teachers.
The SKS Community
Take a look at the pictures of all that has taken place this past month. The flurry of activities in and out of school make a statement about the importance of our community being together. After more than a year where we have been unable to be together we have safely found ways to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate our faith, family, and friendships.
Here are a few of our activities in the photos:
– The KG Fire Safety assembly
– Girls Varsity Field Hockey Championship Team
– Ryan’s Cases for Smiles: Jennifer Loftus and 7th grade service project
– The Fall Social
– STEM Class
– Trunk or Treat
– Halloween Extravaganza
– 3rd Grade Natural Disaster Day
– 8th Grade Mass of Thanksgiving for Parents
– Our Archdiocesan Award as a School of Distinct Instruction
Christmas Concert and Christmas Tableau will be live events
Two time honored traditions we are bringing back as live events in a modified form to be safe are the annual Christmas Concert by the KG – 4th grade and our Christmas Tableau by the 5th -8th grade. Here are the details with dates and times. Please mark your calendars for these events and the changes that have been implemented to accommodate us being safely in church for both events. Please note the grades 5- 8 Christmas Tableau can only be attended by the 8th grade families – we will not have room for the other families in grades 5, 6 & 7 to attend but the event will be live streamed.
K-4 Concert: grades KG-4
K-4 Students will perform their concert two times on the morning of 12/9. Once from 9:15 AM – 10 AM for Kg-1 Parents /Grandparents and then 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM for grades 2,3 &4. It will NOT be in the evening. If families have students in multiple grades they can attend either performance. We decided not to have an evening concert to ensure that our audience size would allow for the health, safety and comfort of all SKS families. Scheduling two concerts during the day will help minimize the number of people in the audience without having to impose limits on who can attend.
All who attend are expected to be wearing a mask. Grandparents are most welcome!
Christmas Tableau: Grades 5 -8
Will be on the evening of Wednesday 12/15 at 7 pm. Students in grades 5-8 will participate as usual. We will invite the families of our eighth grade class to attend in person. We will live stream so that all other families and community members can watch. Bud is working on the logistics of student drop off and pick up. We will likely organize a modified car line. Pick up after the service for students in grades 5 , 6 &7 will be communicated. All who attend are expected to be wearing a mask.
Remember to mark the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the evening of December 1st and also make sure you sign up for the Santa Visits scheduled for 12/6, 12/7 and 12/8 to your houses.
Enrollment for 2022-23 school year.
Automatic re-enrollment takes place for each returning student for the following year. Your child currently attending SKS has been updated on Option C to “returning” for the 2022-2023 school year. The registration fee payment link was included in the registration emails sent out over the last few weeks, thank you to those who have paid that fee already. Please contact Anne Condello and me if you do not plan to come back to SKS next year. All information will be kept confidential. It’s important for us that we know if you do not plan to return, as it is likely that we can fill a seat with another student. Please be forthright with us if you do not plan to return, we appreciate your help in keeping our enrollment data accurate.
Enrollment for the new kindergarten class started on November 1. Incredibly we are at full enrollment for next fall in kindergarten!
Importance of Meet and Greet (aka give me a good 5 and 2!) and Good Manners
We are big on meet and greet at SKS. It’s something we pride ourselves on. It’s an important life skill that students can carry with them the rest of their lives. You may see me at times at school reinforcing this idea: Gimme Five and Two – that’s 5 fingers and two eyes in the form of a firm handshake , a smile with eye contact and a friendly greeting such as, “Hi, good morning , how are you today?” If it is someone we are meeting for the first time, we introduce ourselves with our name and continue the warm welcome. This is all part of being a welcoming community. Parents reinforce this idea at home and in public too. Also, while you are doing this, conduct a Politeness Inventory Check in your household as a family. As a family, are there a steady dose of words like Please , Thank you, Excuse me, I am sorry, and You’re welcome ? Are good manners a part of your family’s expected communication to each other? It should be and it’s never too late to set that expectation by modeling it. One family meeting can set the tone. Good manners in our students is another important life skill and part of our mission “to educate the whole child.”
A Principal’s Thanksgiving Wishes to our SKS Families
No (turkey) bones about it – I love Thanksgiving! Food, Family, Friends, Football and for me a new season of coaching basketball (at Rosemont College.) I love the grateful sentiment of Thanksgiving. It’s a true respite in the action from our busy school year and a time to celebrate God’s many blessings that He has bestowed on us. Gratitude is the mother of all virtues and each year I realize I have more and more to be grateful for. For me, I will count the SKS Community as one of my most cherished blessings in my life. Enjoy this special time with all your loved ones.
Take care,
Bud
