November 2011
Dear SJP Community,
I am sure each one of us has some sort of appointment book, whether it is the “paper and pen” version or the kind on your smart phone. Quite honestly, some of the boxes in my calendar are so filled it is hard to decipher the actual “appointments”! Yet each time I check off one of the tasks, I feel satisfaction.
Earlier this month, the guest speaker at our First Annual Principal’s Luncheon, Dr. Susan Abelein, spoke to us about “keeping our appointments with each other and God.” Unfortunately, in our busy lives and perhaps even more during the upcoming Christmas season, the appointments with one another and prayer may be sacrificed for our “To Do Lists.” As educators, there are many tasks that can fill up our inbox: grading papers, preparing lesson plans, or completing reports.
However, it is the appointments with our children, our students, that are the most important part of what we do. Whether it is a chat during recess or a conference about 7th grade Math during Consult Period, these are all ways we are accountable to our students.
November was also a month for our appointments with one another – our Parent/Teacher Conferences. As parents, we love to hear about how our children are doing in school. I was very pleased with the parent participation and with the follow-up conversations I had with my teachers at the end of each day. Open, respectful communication between us and our families is essential if we are going to continue to grow.
In life, we do not always get the opportunity to see the results of keeping our “appointments.” Yet, this month at our first Open House, the Student Ambassadors of our middle school personified our students being heard and known. As our prospective families entered the school, they were greeted by our middle schoolers with handshakes, introductions and smiles. Our Ambassadors accompanied the visiting families on tours and addressed a large group of parents about their experiences here at SJP. I was so very proud of their self-assurance and poise. Our children have found their voices.
In these days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I pray for all of us to be able to slow down, breathe and pray. I believe that keeping our appointments with God will help us see the joy that surrounds us each day here at Saints John and Paul.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Colleen Pettus
Principal