Dear Parents and Students,
With the great feast of Christmas just around the corner, I am sure that everyone, including teachers, parents, and students, are welcoming our generous Christmas break which begins on Wednesday, December 19. Students will not be returning to their classes until Tuesday, January 8, 2019 and the start of a New Year and a new semester. Final exams will be a distant memory; for seniors, college applications have been completed; teachers will be done with all of their test corrections.
As I reflect on all that has taken place in the first semester, the only word that comes to my mind is
“Gratitude.”
I am so grateful for the sacrifices made on a daily basis by our students, parents, faculty and staff. SJND is a wonderful community - the Pilot family - wonderfully diverse in composition yet unified by the same mission and desire to be excellent in all that we do and all that we are becoming. We are not perfect - all of us stumble and fall; students fail and, as adults, we fail at times to live up to the expectations of our children.
Yet God allowed his Son, Jesus, to take on that humanity, that Incarnation - literally, “into the flesh” in his birth some two thousand years ago. Jesus entered into this humanity - fully human, and fully divine. It is good to know that Jesus became one like us in all things but sin. Our God loved us that much! I like to pray on the west side of St. Joseph Basilica, where I can meditate on the beautiful stained glass window of the Nativity scene of Jesus’ birth. I cannot help but think that Jesus was a vulnerable infant dependent on the supportive care and love of his parents. How grateful am I that God allowed this to be.
And so I am grateful to the
wonderful and crazy students of SJND
- you are awesome!
And so I am grateful to all
parents
- it’s a tough job which gets tougher every year - hang in there - and love those teens because they need as many hugs and words of encouragement as when they were cute five year olds.
And so I am grateful to the men and women of our
SJND faculty and staff
- you amaze me by your dedication to the craft of teaching and mentoring our students - thank you!
And so I am grateful to our many
SJND benefactors
who support the mission of our school - we could not do what we do without your generosity.
And so I am grateful to
God
- who loves me and you without conditions and sent his Son Jesus into our humanity - that is Christmas - that is the grace of God Incarnate.
On behalf of Father George, our Pastor, and the faculty, staff and administration of SJND, we wish you and your family a blessed and safe Christmas and a happy New Year.
Go Pilots!
Mr. Jennings
Principal
PS: If you are looking for a great Christmas present, check our our
Runway Store
on the SJND website where you can purchase all of your new Pilot gear for loved ones this Christmas.
