“Don’t be afraid of the radicalness of His demands.
If He asks much of you, it is because He knows you can give much.”
Saint John Paul the Great
Dear Parents and Friends of St. Michael’s School,
The new school year is off to a fantastic start, and it is wonderful having all of our students – old and new – filling our campus with LIFE. As in the past, I will continue writing a brief note each Monday, sharing with you how St. Michael’s School lives out its mission. I will address a variety of topics relating to academics, how our faith is integrated into our school culture, and how parents can navigate developmental and societal changes. Hopefully my words will ring true for you from time to time.
Today, the entire student body, together with the faculty, gathered together in the gym for Morning Assembly, raising our voices in prayer and petition, honoring God and one another. Students were asked to think about and set some goals for the year. Goal setting helps students take charge of their own learning. By setting goals (and it is important to actually write the goals down), monitoring them, and celebrating successes, students become aware that they play an important role in their education and progress – learning is not something that is handed down from the teacher, but teacher and student working cooperatively toward a shared vision. Short-term goals (daily or weekly) help the student manage a big goal in smaller, bite-size chunks, and mini-celebrations along the way help to keep motivation strong.
As a school community, we will be focusing on two goals, and we hope that all of our students, staff, and parents embrace these ideals. The first is to SPEAK LIFE. In all that we do, in speech and in action, we strive to be life-giving and not life-depleting, with ourselves and with those we encounter each day. Our second goal, which flows from the first, is KINDNESS MATTERS. Through our Baptism, we are called to serve one another, to be gentle, and compassionate, recognizing that we are all children of God.
The secular world bombards us, day in and day out, with messages of divisiveness, vitriol, and hatred. While we might not be able to change this negative societal trend, we can, in our own little corner of the world, push back and insist that there is a better way - by treating one another as Christ would – with love and respect.
#speaklife #kindnessmatters
