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December 14, 2017
Dear Families and
Friends of St. Francis Xavier School,
Merry Christmas! I hope this message finds you well and happily readying
yourselves and family for the holiday break! Advent and Christmas are truly
delightful times of the year!
The children are working hard to present the Christmas Shows. My apologies
to the families whose last names begin with “J.” Last I wrote, I
unintentionally left you off the list of attendees for night two! Mrs.
Raymundo, teachers, aides, along with the support of room parents and
others, are helping to ensure a delightful Christmas program. Many thanks
to everyone for what you do on behalf of the children.
On a side note, I have asked the teachers to define exactly the type and
level of support they need for the downtime in the classrooms on the nights
of the shows. I ask that all parents honor the decisions of the teachers to
help them facilitate the goings-on inside the rooms as the children wait to
perform and return for the finale. We thank you in advance for your
cooperation and support.
Thank you to the several parents who have witnessed and reported the Choice
Lunch truck driver speeding through our parking lot at the close of the
day. I contacted the management and was assured that the driver would be
reprimanded. I was on afternoon Safety Patrol recently and noticed a much
safer arrival of the driver. I can’t be certain it’s the same driver, but I
am relieved to observe that the message was delivered and the driver much
more safety conscious of the school grounds at dismissal. Please continue
to keep a look out for safety matters!
I am also grateful to a parent who reported some minor injuries to his
young children in the new jungle gym area. It’s evident that the “wood
chip” flooring has the potential to pierce the soles of some shoes and
pierce the skin of the foot. After discussing the matter with the Pastoral
Team, we advise that families ensure that the shoes you purchase for your
children have sturdy, thick soles. Soft-soled shoes may be susceptible to
piercing by a “wood chip.” Please continue to alert us to any safety issues
with the new play area. While we do not have immediate plans to replace the
current flooring, we do want to know how often this matter occurs. The
decision to use the current flooring was in consultation with experts in
the field of play ground equipment. We decided on the current material as
it is one of the better deterrents for impact injuries.
It’s beginning to look a lot like high school recommendation time! Mrs.
Konzen has been receiving myriad requests from the Class of 2018 for high
school recommendations to the various Catholic high schools in our area. We
are happily accommodating all of the students and their potential high
schools!
In CYO news, basketball teams are taking shape. The Boys A team is coached
by Mike Graceffo and Carlos Perez, the Boys B and Girls A teams are coached
by Mike Magallon, and the Girls B team is coached by yours truly. We are
excited to embark on a winter basketball season of skill development,
competition and fun! Go Lancers!
There has been a rash of student absences due to illness. I am sorry so
many students are adversely affected by colds, coughs and other illnesses.
Please be attentive to your child’s symptoms. Sending them to school when
they are not well typically results in a phone call to come pick them up
early. Just a friendly reminder to make sure you keep your child at home
for 24 hours following a fever or vomiting. We want to minimize the
potential for spreading illness among students, faculty and staff.
Robotics is taking shape. The K-3 class is the one that is drawing
interest. As a final plea to be included if so interested, please remit
your application and fee through your child before we break for Christmas.
Applications are still available. Please email me personally if you’d like
to be included.
God’s blessings on each of us as we prepare for the Savior’s birth. To the
many people affected by the recent fires, we ask God to help make you
whole. For those in the community battling illness and grave conditions, we
ask the Lord to comfort you through the love and strength of family and
friends. May this love bring you good health in body, mind and spirit.
Sincerely,
Paul Sullivan, Ed.D.
Principal, St. Francis Xavier School
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