“Bad times, hard times – this is what people keep saying; but let us live well and times shall be good. We are the times. Such as we are, such are the times.”
-St. Augustine of Hippo
As this school year comes to a close we pause to look back and thank all of those who shared this year’s amazing and challenging journey with our school. Thank you, Fr. Patti for your guidance and leadership and loving our school in so many ways. Thank you to our parish family for all your prayers and financial support and for putting up with our crazy schedules when we sometimes show up in a building unexpectedly! Thank you to Linda in the Rectory for all she does every day to take care of the business end of things for our school and your everyday support! Thank you to Mr. Sanner for his amazing patience, hard work and encouragement keeping our school clean, setting up and tearing down for all of our events and always ready to help with a smile! Thanks also to Mr. Jano, Mr. Black, Mr. Critchfield and Jared for their help in so many ways! Thank you to Miss. Caroline for her personal touch that is like none other when she cleans and takes care of us. Thank you to our PTA and their leadership to continue to support the school with all the fundraisers and an amount of love and commitment that shone through the clouds to remind us what love looks like even if it is a name on a styrofoam lunch container. To all of our school families at home for their spirit and commitment through “remote learning” and “in person” learning and even “hybrid learning” during quarantines, through transportation alerts, ZOOM conferences, masks, long quarantines and limited volunteer opportunities we say “thank you.” Your hearts are what drives us to do better, encourages us on the cloudy days and reminds us daily of the good of this school.
When the teachers, staff and students of St. Peter School stepped into school that August morning last year, we had everything in place: best plans and practices written, reviewed and followed, desks spaced with shields on (Thank you, Mr. Delano!) and masks on, hand sanitizer at the ready and temperature scanners up and running. Our teachers had spent so many hours over the summer preparing their rooms for social distancing and attending numerous trainings to prepare for safe cleaning and virtual instruction. We had meetings and sent newsletters. We didn’t know what the year would hold, but we were as “ready” as we could be. What we didn’t prepare for or “see coming” was the joy. We didn’t “plan” for feeling the true presence of God’s grace holding us up each day. Every hard day our students and teachers brought hope and joy to each other and this school. Together we learned about perseverance and what it means to have faith in dark times and what it feels like to have God “show up” like sunshine and a breeze on an expected rainy Sports Day – but all year long. Teachers and students – you are amazing! Each of you was called to be part of this school’s beautiful history this year, and no doubt you have made this parish, every person who has ever been connected to our school these past 60years, and above all, our Heavenly Father so proud. Rest well this summer…it is well-earned.
God bless you all!
#stpeterschoolstrong