A Message From Our Principal

Ms. Donoghue

Dear Parents,

Good evening. I am very pleased to welcome all of our families “Back to School” this evening. This is my first back to school night as your new principal, and I am very eager to share some information about our school year. As many of you know, I am not new to St. Jerome School. In fact, as my aunt said to me over the weekend, I should be in the Guinness Book of World Records for going from kindergarten to principal at the same school. I’m not sure it’s worthy of a world record, but it certainly does indicate a certain dedication to this school.

St. Jerome School – indeed all of Catholic education – find its mission in the very teaching mission of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and his church. As our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, proclaimed recently: “Education is integral to the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News. First and foremost, every Catholic institution is a place to encounter the Living God, who in Jesus Christ, reveals his transforming love and truth.”

Before the school year began, our teachers met and began the work of preparing for a new year and new students. At that time, I shared with them the two Guideposts that you have received this evening. The first, which relates to our school’s Catholic identity, compels us to create a Christ-centered environment through the integration of Catholic tradition and Gospel teachings. For your child, this means praying as a school community three times a day, attending Mass once a week for grades 1-8, celebrating the sacrament of penance in grades 3-8, and participating in other liturgical or devotional practices.

I have always embraced the scripture passage that compels us to “Seek first the kingdom of God”. In doing so, our other endeavors are properly ordered.

This brings me to the second guidepost & goal, that of Educational Excellence. Here, our faculty strives to foster the growth of the whole child by helping each child reach his or her own potential. This year, our faculty will focus on the use of assessment to inform instruction – in other words, we will strive to evaluate each student’s progress in order to develop a program that challenges your child, and facilitates learning.

Ultimately, we affirm that the parents are the first teachers of their children, particularly in the ways of faith. It is our hope that we can supplement your efforts, and with you, form a partnership that provides support for each child’s spiritual, academic, social and emotional growth.

Together, we must model and hold the expectation that each child will aspire to the highest Christian ideals. Childhood is known as the formative years because it is the time when values and virtues are internalized, and a future citizen is formed. The values that embrace love of God, family and country should be demonstrated to all of our children. The virtues of honesty, integrity, and respect for authority must be introduced and nurtured.

My father used to tell us when we were kids – I am the youngest of 8 – that we were never, ever to talk back to a teacher. Even if we knew for a fact that a teacher was wrong, we were to bring that to our parents, and they would decide how they would proceed. If they did, in fact, act on it, we never knew – my parents preserved the authority of the teachers by keeping that information from us.

Finally, there may be times when we will be in contact because of a child’s misbehavior or poor choice. Childhood is, after all, the formative years; no one is perfect, and no one escapes childhood without having to learn lessons that are sometimes difficult and painful. We adults have a responsibility to correct misbehavior, and to allow children to experience the consequences of poor choices.

We should not, however, try to keep children from experiencing the consequences of misbehavior. In my capacity as vice principal, I had many meetings with students who were sent to the office because of some violation of school rules. I urged them to follow the path that both Scripture and the sacrament of penance lay out – admit your wrongdoing, ask for forgiveness, and do what must be done to make amends. If this process does not occur, the child may avoid “getting in trouble”. But the reality is – they are trapped in their wrongdoing, and that is far worse.

I want to close by once again thanking you for your interest and support of your child’s education. I want to assure you that I am eager to work with you, and can be easily reached by phone or e-mail.

Now you will go across the street to meet your child’s teacher and see his or her classroom. The teachers will share with you their policies, procedures, and expectations for the school year. It is not a time for conferences about individual students.

I know the children are very eager for you to meet their teacher, visit their classroom, and see some of the work that they have done. 2 should come through the cafeteria door; and our pre-K parents can enter directly through the Pre-K classroom door. Once again, thank you for coming this evening. Enjoy your visit!

God Bless,

Ms Donoghue

This letter was last updated on: October 2007