Gratitude

As we worked on the virtue of Gratitude this week, I prayed daily for God to give me a grateful heart. My husband and I used to be in the habit of listing 5 things each night for which we are thankful and sometimes that gets really hard. Life is busy. Things are changing. People are asking stuff of us. Emotions are big. Sometimes, we had to resort back to things that maybe were very common or taken for granted – such as the smile of our baby or the love of a parent.

I am super thankful for all the volunteers we have at SHOJ. I am excited to have so many people willing to help with the strategic planning process this evening. I love all the work the Catholic Parents as Stewards do. The friendly faces each week in the cafeteria are a great help. People who show up to do sight words or volunteer to attend field trips. Those who take a moment to send a nice email about something at school. God help us all to have a grateful heart!

As the fall approaches, there are some activities that you will hear about that I want to explain: Trunk or Treat, Halloween, Veterans Day Appreciation Mass, and Near and Dear Day! Please see below for more information, and know that there will be more information forthcoming as we approach each event.

We feel like October is when we get into the groove of things, but it may be when things get busy with all these events. The second quarter starts on Oct. 23 and we will let you know when you can view grade cards on the portal (we will print out K-2). Please know of my gratitude for each of you!

Important Dates

Oct. 18 - 1st Grade Parents - Coffee & Pastries after Mass

Oct. 19 Mornings with Moms

Oct. 20 - End of 1st Quarter! NO SCHOOL

Oct. 25-27 Book Fair More Info Coming Soon!

Oct. 27 - Trunk or Treat @ 7:00pm

Oct. 28 - Confirmation Teen Retreat

Oct. 31 - Halloween Parties @ 2:00pm

Oct. 31 - Last Day for Uniform Shorts (K-5)

Nov. 9 - Thankful Thursday - Family Dinner

Upcoming Events - What to Expect

Trunk or Treat!

Trunk or Treat, Oct. 27. At SHOJ we ask that the school families who wish to participate bring a trunk and lots of candy (300-500 pieces). It is more fun when the kids are able to travel to many cars for candy. Even though this event is at school, parents need to ensure the safety/supervision of their kids. Please note the playground is off limits and though we hope it is only SHOJ families, we can’t ensure that strangers won’t be here.

Halloween - Dressing for School

Halloween is such a fun day for kids. We will do our parade out of school that day through the courtyard after the classroom parties. There will be information coming about free dress and costumes. We do not wear costumes all day at school, so they need to be easily and independently added at the end of the day (no masks will be allowed all-day either) – kids can show off their FULL costume at trunk or treat.

Veteran's Day Appreciation Mass

Veteran’s Day Appreciation Mass on Nov. 8. We did this for the first time last year and loved it. We hope that our students will invite veterans in their life to Mass with them where they will receive a special blessing. Afterward, there will be a treat with the students who invited them at a short reception. Watch for more information and an invitation to come.

Near and Dear Day

Near and Dear day will be Nov. 21 (the half-day of school) on Tuesday before Thanksgiving break. We are returning to having the students attend All School Mass with their guests and then visiting the classroom. We hope grandparents can make it but know that not all can so students should invite a special relative or friend instead. To maintain security, we are going to ask for RSVPs early and will have nametags for them to pick up at church. There the pews will be divided by letters of the alphabet and families need to decide which section the students will sit in. Most students leave with their visitors before the official 11:30 dismissal but must check out with their teacher before leaving.

Next Week's Virtue: Kindness

Next week we will begin to work on the virtue of kindness. Kindness means expressing genuine concern about the well-being of others and anticipating their needs. Kindness sounds like asking someone, “Do you need help with that?” when we see them carrying something heavy or difficult. Who in your life is a model of kindness? Who in your life is always looking out for others and serving their needs? Do you follow their example?