April 23, 2015

Dear Parents,

As all of us know, school is not over yet. Unfortunately, some of our students think it is.  This is more of a contagious disease at the intermediate and middle school level.  I have looked at Power School and as a group the students have lower grades. There are also more demerits and behavioral consequences issued than earlier in the year.  I have had more  students in my office for bad choices than earlier in the school year. Some of the eighth graders even think graduation has taken place from an academic standpoint. 

Am I painting a picture of gloom and doom?  I don't think so.  What I have described is something that occurs in almost every school this time of year.  It reminds me of the saying "we are so close, yet so far away."  The end of the year is soon, but it is not here yet.  Let us all work together in late April and May to remind our students/children that there is plenty of school remaining and they need to continue to do their best.  The field trips and special events in May will be much more enjoyable if the students can retain their focus throughout the rest of the school year.

I would again like to thank those of you who have already enrolled your child for classes next year.  We are accepting enrollments from both public and private schools in the Green Bay/De Pere area.  There are a number of current families who as of today have not enrolled their child(ren) next year.  If you are one of these families, remember that we will enroll parents on a first come first serve basis.  Our 4 k program MWF, second grade, and third grade are already capped for next year. I have taken approximately seven families on tours or shadows the past week.  If you have not enrolled your child for next year, please do so as soon as possible.  If you know of families who would consider Notre Dame for their child(ren), please ask them to call either campus to schedule a tour or appointment.  YOU are the best advertisers for the excellence that is Notre Dame of De Pere.

Unfortunately the issue of bullying is one that does not go away in any school environment.  I would ask you to read the article on my link this week that refers to the "r" word.  This article has taught me a sense of awareness of people who have special learning and living needs. I would ask you to take the pledge requested on the website.  We sometimes lose sight of the words we say and use with and to other people.  These words can hurt other people as mentioned on the website.

The After Hours Program at Notre Dame is a great service we provide the students. When I have "bonded" with the students at After Hours, they have been very well behaved. I wish to thank Mrs. Ambrosius and the St. Norbert Students for their work. Two things I would ask you though is to talk to your sons or daughters who are in After Hours to be on their best behavior. I would also ask parents to pick up their child as soon or as reasonable a time as possible. The St. Norbert students will soon be taking final exams so any extra time they get to study will be most helpful.

Beginning next year, we have some openings for parents to serve on the Notre Dame School Advisory Council.  SAC is advisory to me and help supports the many functions of our school.  Some of the current members will be fulfilling their maximum terms in the coming year and/or taking different roles on the School Advisory Council, and we would like to identify successors to overlap in certain areas of expertise before the terms expire.  We would like to have in particular people who have background in technology, fund raising or some accounting skills to serve in leadership positions.  The group meets the last Tuesday of each month. If you have an interest in supporting the future and growth of our great school, contact Julie Van Straten, Notre Dame SAC Chair by May 6.  Thank you.

Yesterday was Administrative Assistants' Day.  Perhaps this prayer sent to Ann Landers in 1999 best describes the work Mrs. Nance and Mrs. Lamers do for all of us:

"Dear Lord, help me to do my work well, to have the memory of an elephant and by some miracle to be able to do five things at once: answer four telephones while typing a letter that "must go out today."  When the letter does not get signed tomorrow, please give me the strength to keep my mouth shut."

" Never let me lose my patience, even when the boss has me searching files for hours for the report that later is discovered on his desk."

"Help me to read his mind and his handwriting and carry out all instructions without explanation."

"Let me know exactly where my boss is and when he'll even be back, even though he never tells me these things."

"And Lord, when the year ends, please give me the foresight not to throw out records that will be asked for in a couple of days, even though I was told emphatically, 'Destroy these; they are cluttering up the place.'

" I ask these in the name of secretaries everywhere.  Amen."

Thank you Mrs. Nance and Mrs. Lamers for what you do for the members of the Notre Dame family.

Have a great rest of the week!                                                                                God Bless,

James A.( Jim) Clark, Principal

"May All Of Us Pray The Gospel, And If Necessary Use Words."

Enrollment

Parent Education

Mr. Clark has set up a Education Post at the top of our webpage. This week he added the topic of R - Word/Spread the Word to Stop the Word. This site is updated constantly. There are many valuable tools in which parents can educate themselves in different aspects of their children's education. Very helpful information. Check it out here.