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St. John Vianney School
January Newsletter 2012 Dear Parents, Families and Friends of SJVS, Hallmark Cards’ latest slogan states “Life is a special occasion.” I think it is quite an ingenious statement to lure people to buy their expensive greeting cards, but I believe it holds a very special message for all of us as we begin a brand new year. On Christmas day we celebrated the birth of Jesus, a wondrous miracle of God’s Son being born of a virgin who is the Savior of all people. The shepherds hurried to the stable to see the baby after hearing the angels’ message. What an occasion for these simple men to be able to share in this incredible experience! Then the magi traveled from afar in search of the “newborn king of the Jews.” They came bearing gifts to honor the baby because, again, this was a very special occasion. Imagine Mary and Joseph’s surprise when three kings come to visit their baby boy. It had to be a special occasion for them as well. All “hallmark moments” to say the least. As people of faith we do not just celebrate Christmas on December 25th, but all through the year. We are followers of Jesus and we carry the Christmas message that he is our Lord and Savior with us wherever we go throughout the year. We live the gospel message and we trust that Jesus will lead us on this journey through the year 2012. Everyday will be a “special occasion” because it is an opportunity to be visible signs of God’s love for each other. Everything we do, whether it is celebrating the Eucharist, helping those in need or just lending a listening ear, will make everyday a “special occasion.” Our students will experience many special occasions as the school year continues. We are looking forward to Catholic Schools Week at the end of January into the first days of February. There will be several activities during that week (January 30th – February 3rd) to celebrate the importance of Catholic schools both locally and nationwide. We will be getting ready for our Open House which will be held on Thursday, February 9th from 6:30-8:00PM as well as looking forward to “Coffee, Tea and Someone Special to Me” on Tuesday, February 14th at 9:00AM in the cafeteria. This is just a sample of what is ahead in January and February. As the year marches on, there will be even more to celebrate while our students continue to grow in faith, academics and service to others. By the way, that just happens to be the theme of this year’s Catholic Schools Week! In these early weeks of the New Year, let us resolve to make life a special occasion, especially as faithful followers of Jesus. Perhaps we can write our own Hallmark card with words such as “Gentle Jesus, help us to follow you and share our faith with others. We will celebrate you every day of the year because you are the Savior of the world!” Happy New Year, everyone! God’s peace & love, Mrs. Terry Siuta
SJV Tidbits
West Seneca Food Pantry Donation: Donations taken before and after the two performances of our Christmas musical amounted to $498 to benefit the expansion project of the West Seneca Food Pantry facility. A check was sent to the pantry before Christmas break and we are most grateful to all who contributed to this worthy cause. Gingerbread Shop Thank you: We are most grateful to Mrs. Maria Arnold for organizing and chairing the Gingerbread Shop held on Friday, December 2nd. She was responsible for doing all the leg work to make this fun event possible for our students. Many thanks, Mrs. Arnold, and to all the fantastic volunteers who ran the shop throughout the day. God bless! H.S.A. Nominations: Soon nomination forms for the Home School Association leadership team will be coming home. We hope you will prayerfully consider running for one of the positions on the team. Couples may also preside as “co-presidents or vice-presidents.” Thank you for considering this important work on behalf of our school. Staff Development Day: Please remember that there will be no school for our students on Friday, January 13th so that our teachers may attend a BOCES training for the Common Core State Standards that will go into effect next school year. This year, teachers are familiarizing themselves with these new standards and the training will help them to seamlessly integrate them into their teaching beginning in September 2012. Martin Luther King Day: School will be closed on Monday, January 16th in observation of Martin Luther King Day. Catholic Schools Week: More information about this important week will be coming home soon. However, we would like you to be aware of a change in the school Mass for that week. Instead of Wednesday, February 1st, the Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 31st at 9:00AM. We changed the date to insure that Msgr. Gallagher would still be with us for this special liturgy. Distinguished Graduate Award: Congratulations to Mrs. Susan Fabian ‘81, our Pre-K 3 & 4 year old (morning only) teacher, who has been chosen as our Distinguished Graduate 2011. She will receive this well-deserved award at the January 31st liturgy in recognition of her dedication to Catholic education. Mrs. Fabian has taught in Catholic education for 20 years and has three children who attend Catholic school: Matthew, a sophomore at St. Francis High School, Megan, Grade 8 and Michael, Grade 6 who attend Queen of Heaven. At both St. John Vianney and her parish of Queen of Heaven, Mrs. Fabian is a shining example of what Catholic education is all about! Coffee, Tea and Someone Special to Me: Each student may invite one or two special persons to be with us on Tuesday, February 14th for a Valentine’s Day celebration. The event will begin with a 9:00AM Prayer Service in the cafeteria, followed by coffee, tea and pastry. Following refreshments, Grade 8 will run a Bingo Game for all students and guests. Special guests can include grandparents, aunts, uncles, close neighbors, etc. However, due to space limitations, we ask that a limit of two guests per student be invited. More information will follow.
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