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Memo
To: All ASCS Parents
From: Steve Virgadamo
Date: October 28, 2022
Re: Week 8 - Head of School Journal Entry - Week 8 – October 25-28, 2022
Week 8 - What is a Child?
What is a child, but a gift from God and the product of its parents? What is a school, but a public servant?
It is not the teacher alone that forms disciples, but rather parents and teachers together. Parents are the primary educator of their children and they entrust their most precious gift – their child(ren) to the teacher and then partner with them in the formation and transformation of each young scholar. The teacher’s vocation is to address these diverse young individuals and impart the Faith and the tools we use in life, which we call formation – the means to learn and think for ourselves and make values-based decisions, not to be told what to think, that is indoctrination.
Many of our government sponsored schools in our community have started a new initiative for middle school students. Instead of neighborhood schools enrolling students from families who share common values, they are establishing schools with a special academic purpose and giving parents a choice of a particular school focus.
They believe that school choice will allow students (5th graders) to choose:
- What they want to learn;
- How they want to learn;
- Where they want to learn;
- With whom they want to learn;
regardless of where they live.
One local school district has established middle schools with a special focus. That is there will be middle school choices among schools that are established as the:
- Arts School
- International Baccalaureate School
- Steam Academy
- Global Studies School
- Marine Science school
There is another choice of schools in Norwalk. It is a neighborhood school with a focus on a rigorous academic curriculum, forming disciples and serving families. There is a school in Fairfield County that believes a student’s intellectual formation, spiritual formation, human formation and apostolic formation can happen best in a Trinitarian relationship, that is one where the teacher, parent and student are working collaboratively to help each child fully develop their God given talents. The school as you know is All Saints and the specialty focus is COLLEGE and HEAVEN.
As we enter the month of November. I want to thank each of you for making the right CHOICE and entrusting the education and formation of your child to our faculty and staff.
Shout Outs and Gratitude….
Many thanks to Janet Mitchell, Mrs. Dunn, middle school room mothers, and the many families who baked goods or donated other refreshments for the young scholars to enjoy at the dance. As I write this week’s journal entry, I’m listening to the conversations of our middle schoolers who are excited about tonight’s dance.
October is a month in which we celebrate the Blessed Mother. Mrs. Pino donated handmade Rosary beads to the Middle School Students. They were made by missionaries and blessed. Each Middle School Scholar was given a Rosary of their own.
Mrs. Wrinn and our middle school scholars have started inviting their lower school buddy classes to the Chapel to teach them how to pray the Rosary.
Every person in our building accepts responsibility for the formation of our scholars. Some are unsung heroes.
Miss Ida our school chef is extraordinary. She arrives every day before six am to begin preparing the luncheon meal with love. She always has the young people at the center of her vocation. The students love the food.
Fr. Perella hosted the first meeting of “Books and Beer,” an opportunity for All Saints dads to discuss ways to be the best dad they can be. The inaugural meeting saw 8 Dads join Father Perella. Shout out to Father Perella and Mr. Redhead for launching this effort.
Varia
I missed the opportunity to welcome parents and students “HOME” to campus several mornings this week. Mrs. Dunn and I had meetings to attend. One of the days I was doing drive time radio on Veritas, the Catholic radio network. I was speaking about Catholic education and All Saints. Veritas radio can be found at 1350 on the AM dial. Their programming is extraordinary. I encourage you to tune in periodically, especially while sitting in traffic. The programs are inspirational, informational and faith filled.
Another day I was blessed to attend the Leaders of Tomorrow Breakfast sponsored by Bishop Caggiano and Foundations in Education. The breakfast honored 107 young scholars enrolled in Catholic schools in the Bridgeport diocese. All Saints had 4 young scholars honored. I’m sure the photos will be in the Fairfield County Catholic soon.
With the help of Mrs. D’Andea, I also hosted a morning coffee and “How are we doing?” meeting with parents in grades K-8 who are new to the school. The first quarter of the school year is almost over and just as the young scholars get a report card, it is good that the entire school community gets a grade from parents experiencing our community for the first time. I am pleased to report we got an A grade. The affirmation was a pleasure to hear and the ideas to enhance our community were constructive and great suggestions. Without exception, each parent commented about the dedication and affirmation of their child’s respective teacher.
The parents are appreciative of the teacher newsletters, phone calls and other communication, but asked if the teacher websites could be updated more frequently.
One shared this story with me privately post the coffee discussion. She said her son came home and asked if his teacher was paid well. She asked him why and he responded: “Because she is a great teacher and my friend. She likes to go shopping, drinks coffee every day, and is saving to get a new puppy.” The young man was concerned about a person other than himself and wanted his teacher to be happy.
A parent at the coffee said the teachers all use Google apps and many parents are unfamiliar with it. She asked if we could maybe offer a “crash course” in Google.
Parents at the coffee plan on reaching out to room mothers to help do a class directory for their respective class. They thought this would facilitate communication among families.
Finally, one parent suggested that in the future for new parent orientation that we add a social component so the parents new to the school have an opportunity to “mix and mingle.”
Stewardship
Several parents have told us that they would like to make a philanthropic gift to help the school reach the $6,000-dollar challenge match, but they would like to restrict the gift. Mrs. D’Andrea has assembled an All Saints Gift Catalog. It includes items to benefit early childhood classrooms, lower school and upper school students, as well as the entire school.
The gym was painted this week by Jonathan Painting. Jonathan’s daughter is in the 4th grade and his older daughter i a graduate from the ASCS Class of ’21.
The front office also is getting a minor facelift. The office was crowded with Michele and Chandra working there together. Michele is moving to an office adjacent to Mrs. Dunn’s Office and Chandra is moving her workstation to where Michele previously worked. We also were able to replace the original and vintage 1950’s counter top and enhance the office workspace.
School Culture
How do we know we are building a healthy school culture? Let me share an observation from the week;
This week while I was in the dining hall during lunch a young scholar asked me if he could speak with Chef Ida. When I escorted him to the kitchen he said:
“Chef Ida thank you for preparing lunch every day. Todays “orange chicken” was the best meal I have ever tasted.”
Mr. Al rewarded the young man with a DUNN DOLLAR. Dunn dollars are awarded to young people who do a kindness, an act of charity or demonstrate one of the virtues that we focus on in our formation efforts. The Dunn Dollars can be used to purchase school swag, have an extraordinary school experience or the individual receiving it can deposit in the homeroom Dunn Dollar Bank so that the entire class can enjoy an ice cream sundae party or a pizza party.
We Are Expecting Company
Fall Open House is at All Saints on Sunday, November 6 from 12 pm to 2 pm. Remind your friends and neighbors about All Saints, a neighborhood school with a goal of setting young scholars on the path to College and the stairway to Heaven.
Saintly Whisper and a Weekend Prayer
We can be better parents if we focus on our own spiritual growth first. So, I share this “SAINTLY WHISPER”
“When you have free moments, go graciously to prayer. The good God is waiting for you there.”
St. Julie Billiart, SND
God bless your family. Have a blessed weekend and make memories.
In Christ:
Steven Virgadamo
Head of School
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