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It seems that Fall has begun in full effect! This weekend promises our first shot of cold weather so bundle up. As we conclude our week and delve into October, there are just a few quick points:
As we close for the week, remember what the time of harvest, which we are currently in, is all about. So many different cultures in different places use this time as an opportunity to celebrate all that God blesses us with. One only needs to look at their children to feel blessed. Remember also all the things we have grown accustomed to that we take for granted; family, a home, employment, the means to save, the means to help others, a loving community. Though commonplace, these are things that so many go without. During this time of harvest and celebration, remember to give thanks for the blessings, both tangible and intangible. As we come together this Sunday evening to begin our month of the Rosary at the Parish, let us celebrate these blessings and ask it to be shared, through us, with those who need it. Stay warm and celebrate, Mr. Laszlo Katona Principal |
- There is NO SCHOOL Tomorrow, Friday, Sept 26th as the faculty and I will be attending professional development.
- A TREMENDOUS THANK YOU to all of our volunteers who made our Oktoberfest such an enormous success!
- This coming Wednesday & Thursday, October 1st & 2nd, are Picture Days! Another email will follow shortly to give more information on when each grade will have their day.
- I am in the process of updating, reviewing and adding to our emergency procedures and drills. There will be a silent fire drill this coming Monday to familiarize students with new rally points and procedures. Later in the week, we will have a full fire drill with alarm.
- ATTENTION! Recently, there was some questions and feedback regarding Kiddos lunch orders and field trips. As with any new lunch program, the first month can come with some hiccups. I have spoken with Kiddos and from this point forward, any class that has a field trip will be reported to Kiddos so that in case a parent has made an order, the order will be canceled and the amount credited to you. We apologize for any inconvenience!
- This week, we began our Adoration for Students on Tuesdays between Mass weeks. This is a great experience for the students to be in the presence of Jesus and to experience silence, which is such a rarity in our busy and noisy lives. Thank you to Fr. Bob, Fr. Gos, Kirsten Solmos & Legia Uhm for helping to make this possible.
- A reminder that the Parish October Rosary Kick-off will be on Sunday, October 5th. Please click on the following link for more information. OCTOBER ROSARY
- Just a reminder that any parent who wished to volunteer must go through the ‘Protecting God’s Children’ program with the Archdiocese. If you wish to volunteer, but have not completed the program, or have questions regarding it, please contact me. We have set up a VIRTUS training date (also a one-time requirement for volunteering) here at the parish graciously presented by Mr. Peter Frank, one of our parishioners. The Training will be on Sunday, October 12th, at 1:00 p.m in the Church annex. To register, click on the following link VIRTUS REGISTRATION . Select the Chicago Archdiocese and create a username and password. If you wish to attend a session earlier at another location, you are welcome to do so. Please bring your certificate of completion to the school.
- Our website is currently under construction and we plan to unveil our new site in a few weeks. Please check our Facebook page in the meantime for information.
- Please be mindful of our parking lot procedures for pick-up and drop-off. Please click on the following link for the diagram. PARKING LOT PROCEDURE
I was astounded by not only how many St. Joseph families I saw at Oktoberfest, but also how many families I did not know. This was a wonderful thing! I was very encouraged to hear from people I did not know that we are quite a discussion topic in the community in many positive ways. This is a testament to our St. Joseph Family. We have so much to celebrate and be grateful for as a community.
As Fall is here and we move out of this busy September, let us remember to take some quality time and spend time with our families. There are some long weekends ahead which afford the perfect opportunity for this. As I hear repeatedly from so many, we truly need to enjoy this time with our children as they will grow up quickly. Personally, I watch our son, who just turned two, and our nine month old daughter growing so quickly. My wife and I find ourselves reflecting on this frequently when we watch them play, or hold them at night. Though all children come with challenges, they are blessings and make us better in the process. Take time, as this is part of our year of performing miraculous deeds. Parenting is a miraculous deed.
Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend,
Mr. Laszlo Katona
Principal
Dear St. Joseph Family,
We are now four full weeks into our school year and it is time to celebrate our time together, our family! Before we prepare for our Annual Oktoberfest Celebration this Saturday, there are a few quick points:
- Tomorrow, Saturday, September 19th, is our Annual OKTOBERFEST celebration! Come and enjoy the family fair, the food, antiques market and the evening camaraderie!
- There is NO SCHOOL next Friday, Sept 26th as the faculty and I will be attending professional development.
- Just a reminder that any parent who wished to volunteer must go through the ‘Protecting God’s Children’ program with the Archdiocese. If you wish to volunteer, but have not completed the program, or have questions regarding it, please contact me. We have set up a VIRTUS training date (also a one-time requirement for volunteering) here at the parish graciously presented by Mr. Peter Frank, one of our parishioners. The Training will be on Sunday, October 12th, at 1:00 p.m in the Church annex. To register, click on the following link VIRTUS REGISTRATION . Select the Chicago Archdiocese and create a username and password. If you wish to attend a session earlier at another location, you are welcome to do so. Please bring your certificate of completion to the school.
- Our website is currently under construction and we plan to unveil our new site in a few weeks. Please check our Facebook page in the meantime for information.
Please be mindful of our parking lot procedures for pick-up and drop-off. Please click on the following link for the diagram. PARKING LOT PROCEDURE
This is the weekend to celebrate our many blessings and our wonderful St. Joseph Family. My sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all of our volunteers and parents who have dedicated so much of their time, talent and treasure into making our Oktoberfest so incredibly special and successful! I think of you often and with great appreciation! There may be a chance of rain tomorrow, but in all honesty, it is merely another example of our theme for the year; Walking on Water. Peter lost focus and fixated on the winds, waves and the darkness. Tomorrow, as we walk on water together for our children, we will keep our focus on our community and the winds and waves will not prevail. Life will always present its challenges, but never more than what we can bear. I look forward to spending time with all of you tomorrow. No winds, nor torrent or threat of darkness can bring us down. We are the St. Joseph Family and we are walking on water!
See everyone tomorrow,
Mr. Laszlo Katona
Principal
Dear St. Joseph Family,
Thank you to all of the families that made it to our Back-to-School Night last night! It was very well attended and hopefully provided parents with a great deal of information regarding what your children are learning. Fall has decided to pay us an early visit. It has been a raw and chilly day. Before we head into a hopefully warmer weekend, there are a few quick points:
- Save the date! Wednesday, September 17th, at 7 p.m. in Meter Hall. Our first P.E.P. (Parent Education Program) Talk featuring Carrie Goldman. Her presentation is entitled, SOCIAL CONFLICT, BULLYING, or CYBER-BULLYING? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE AND WHAT CAN WE DO? E.P. TALK
- Just a reminder that this coming Wednesday, September 17th, is a school mass day. Please note that Mass is at 10:15 and please remember your Mass Uniforms for Mass Days.
- Next Friday, Sept 19th, will be an Oktoberfest Out of Uniform Day. This means that students may come dressed out of uniform in their PSO Oktoberfest t-shirts or in traditional German/European Harvest attire. You may wear jeans with your t-shirt. If you don’t have a current or past Oktoberfest t-shirt, you may purchase one at the PSO store at the following link: PSO Oktoberfest T-Shirts
- If you have not done so already, please make sure that all health, immunization and/or allergy paperwork is returned to the office. This is vital to ensure the safety of the students. I will be calling families who are still missing paperwork this week.
- Please be mindful of our parking lot procedures for pick-up and drop-off. Please click on the following link for the diagram. PARKING LOT PROCEDURE
As I mentioned last night, this is our year of walking on water, this is our year for miracles. We continue to do great things and I hope that what parents saw during Back-to-School night is evidence of that! We continue with our Blended Learning initiative of incorporating technology into the classrooms, we have an Early Childhood Program at capacity, we have met and exceeded our total school population from last year, our new website is about to be released and Oktoberfest is around the corner to give us a chance to celebrate together. What a Family!
Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend,
Mr. Laszlo Katona
Principal