Wishing you a New Year filled with
new hope, new joy, and new beginnings.
Peace and Greetings,
Happy New Year! Endings prompt different kinds of thoughts in each of us. Today's ending is tomorrow's new beginning. That is the law of growth ... what will 2019 bring?
Know any potential new Falcons? This is a reminder that our last Open House is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, January 5 at 10:00 am. The second placement exam for the Class of 2023 (and 10th grade transfer students) is scheduled for next Saturday, January 12 at 8:00 a.m. Keep spreading the news ... thank you for serving as valued parent ambassadors for our school in the communities in which you live and work.
Over 125 St. Paul students, parents and faculty pilgrims will be heading to Washington, DC on January 17-18 to participate in the annual March for Life. That's an amazing number and inspiring witness to our school community in putting our faith into action.
A reminder that midterm exams are scheduled for January 23-25, and 28. There will be a noon dismissal during exams with buses available. A reminder if school is cancelled due to weather, the exam schedule is pushed back a day. If there is a two-hour delay, both exam periods will be pushed back two hours and there will NOT be a noon dismissal. Tuesday, January 22 will be an exam review day with normal dismissal at 2:12 p.m.
There is some very exciting Honoring Our Past, Shaping Our Future capital campaign news to report. In November, we received a $100,000 challenge match from an anonymous donor which has triggered subsequent giving. Today, we stand at $1,958,000 toward our original $2M goal. We have been truly blessed with receiving hundreds of timely gifts of all sizes. If you haven't already, please prayerfully consider making a gift to this campaign. God certainly works in mysterious and marvelous ways!
The most recent capital campaign phase to be completed is the beautiful renovation of our newly named Rev. Brian W. Monnerat Gymnasium. While the campaign will officially end on June 30, 2019, this Tuesday evening, January 8 we will acknowledge the generosity of all our donors during a brief ceremony between the girls' and boys' varsity basketball games versus Naugatuck High School. All are invited!
Congratulations to Fr. Gary Simeone, pastor of St. Gregory the Great Church and St. Paul school board chair who was selected by Pope Francis and Archbishop Blair to receive the Papal Honor, Chaplain to His Holiness and named a Monsignor in the Archdiocese of Hartford. Truly a well deserved honor for a very respected priest and friend.
After much prayer and consideration, Mrs. Rotondo and Mrs. Zavarella will be leaving St. Paul at the end of the first semester. Mrs. Rotondo has accepted a position at Springfield College while Mrs. Zavarella has decided to devote more time to her family and seven month old son, Alexander Jr. She is leaving the door open for a possible return some day in the future. We thank them both for their commitment to St. Paul and wish them well. Mr. Cooper will be announcing their replacements soon.
We will celebrate Catholic Schools Week beginning Sunday, January 27. It's a time to reflect upon what makes our educational experience unique. Our faith community is truly blessed by the generosity of all the people who call St. Paul home. My sincere thanks are extended to everyone who contributes, in countless ways, to the greatness of St. Paul.
Gratefully, may God grant our St. Paul community peace, joy and continued success!
In the Spirit of St. Paul,
