
Dear Families,
I was hoping to be writing about spring fever, but as I look out the window today, spring is nowhere to be seen. Even though Vermont winters tend to go on and on, I know better weather is around the corner and will eventually be here. Our Lenten journey here at school has been a good one so far and, just like the spring weather, Easter will be here before we know it.
At this time of year, I like to take a moment to remind families about the importance of a good school, family, life balance. As we head toward spring sports and the last trimester, we sometimes see students struggling to meet their academic responsibilities. Often they are out later for their sports practices and games, which cuts down on family time. As a sports fanatic myself, I encourage children to get outside and be active, but we must also help students remember the importance of academic responsibilities. Here at school, we try to ensure that homework directly relates to the work we are doing and is only given when it benefits the learning of the students. Homework is an important part of the academic process and contributes to a student’s classroom success. Family, school, recreation --balance is the key and helping students establish a consistent routine can go a long way towards creating that. Please know how much we appreciate the partnership we have with our families. We always want to work with you to provide the healthiest balance possible for your children.
Second trimester report cards go home today. Please be on the lookout for them. You can keep the report card itself, but please return the envelope, signed by a parent or guardian on the outside, to school. This is our way of confirming that you have seen the report card. We are excited to start a new trimester with our students and to help them reach their academic goals.
There has been a great deal of interest in Saint Francis Xavier School over the past months, with many prospective families contacting us for tours and shadow dates for their children. I know that is in large part due to so many of you sharing your experience here at Saint Francis with family and friends.There is no greater compliment to our school community than having you recommend it to others!
A few of our current families have not yet re-registered. Having a firm sense of our enrollment is key to our planning for next year, so please let me know if you need any assistance with the registration process. A few of our classes are nearing their enrollment limit and we want to preserve space for all our current families.
I will leave you with a quote that is particularly applicable during Lent, but I also refer to it often when working with students.
“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring."
– St. Catherine of Siena
God Bless,
Eric Becker
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