Dear Kindergarten Families,
I hope this note finds you happy and healthy!
We have experienced a lot of sickness during the month of November. If your child is showing signs of illness, please consider giving them a day of grace to rest their bodies at home.
Happy Thanksgiving! We only have school on Monday and Tuesday of this week. I wish you and your loved ones a Thanksgiving holiday full of love, thankfulness, and blessings.
I wanted to share Father Hagen’s reflection on preparing our hearts for Thanksgiving:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Have you ever noticed the subtle revelation of God tucked away in today's Gospel?
As we prepare for our Thanksgiving feast this week, we rightfully start listing the things we want to thank God and each other for. Thanksgiving is not a "theoretical" holiday for "cultivating gratitude habits."
We thank someone for something through a concrete act of Thanksgiving (or if you speak Greek, through a concrete Eucharist). Theoretical Thanksgiving is as impossible as Christmas presents appearing under the tree with no grandma, no parents, and no Santa.
It requires an actual ritual exchange of persons to happen. That's why we feast. And that's why we actually articulate what we are grateful for, as cheesy as it may be. So, what does this have to do with today's Gospel?
The Master in the parable is the source of any and all money that the servants had. Objectively, everything came from Him, and the servants are who they are because of Him. There is no objective thanksgiving He could give to the servants. But there is something that precedes thanksgiving: Contemplation. "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
The Master sees, contemplates, and receives the servant's gift of themselves. God contemplates. He steps back on the seventh day, beholds what He has made, and declares it "Good."
Subjectively, the servants can indeed receive thanksgiving from He who made them what they are. If you and I struggle to create our thanksgiving lists, perhaps we begin with letting God contemplate us, His handiwork. He does. He sees you. He wills you. He stops His work of creation in order to behold you, to rejoice in you.
Only then you and I may be able to contemplate too, like Him. To take the time to stop and celebrate that which has been made. To enter into the actual ritual exchange of persons. Then the Thanksgiving list may come.
Thankfully yours,
Fr. Nick Hagen
I hope this note finds you happy and healthy!
We have experienced a lot of sickness during the month of November. If your child is showing signs of illness, please consider giving them a day of grace to rest their bodies at home.
Happy Thanksgiving! We only have school on Monday and Tuesday of this week. I wish you and your loved ones a Thanksgiving holiday full of love, thankfulness, and blessings.
I wanted to share Father Hagen’s reflection on preparing our hearts for Thanksgiving:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Have you ever noticed the subtle revelation of God tucked away in today's Gospel?
As we prepare for our Thanksgiving feast this week, we rightfully start listing the things we want to thank God and each other for. Thanksgiving is not a "theoretical" holiday for "cultivating gratitude habits."
We thank someone for something through a concrete act of Thanksgiving (or if you speak Greek, through a concrete Eucharist). Theoretical Thanksgiving is as impossible as Christmas presents appearing under the tree with no grandma, no parents, and no Santa.
It requires an actual ritual exchange of persons to happen. That's why we feast. And that's why we actually articulate what we are grateful for, as cheesy as it may be. So, what does this have to do with today's Gospel?
The Master in the parable is the source of any and all money that the servants had. Objectively, everything came from Him, and the servants are who they are because of Him. There is no objective thanksgiving He could give to the servants. But there is something that precedes thanksgiving: Contemplation. "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
The Master sees, contemplates, and receives the servant's gift of themselves. God contemplates. He steps back on the seventh day, beholds what He has made, and declares it "Good."
Subjectively, the servants can indeed receive thanksgiving from He who made them what they are. If you and I struggle to create our thanksgiving lists, perhaps we begin with letting God contemplate us, His handiwork. He does. He sees you. He wills you. He stops His work of creation in order to behold you, to rejoice in you.
Only then you and I may be able to contemplate too, like Him. To take the time to stop and celebrate that which has been made. To enter into the actual ritual exchange of persons. Then the Thanksgiving list may come.
Thankfully yours,
Fr. Nick Hagen
Grandparents / Special Person Day
Grandparents / Special Person Day - Tuesday, November 21st
Please invite all grandparents, or a special person to enjoy the following day of activities:
7:30 am - Grandparents meet students in their classroom for attendance and morning greetings.
8:00am - Grandparents attend mass with students
8:45am - Grandparents and students enjoy coffee and donuts in the cafeteria
9:15am - Grandparents attend recess with students on the playground
9:45am - Grandparents attend classroom activities with students
10:45am - Grandparents attend sing - a - long songs in gym
11:00am - Grandparents eat lunch with students in cafeteria (lunch provided)
11:30am - Grandparents / special person are allowed to take kids home OR students should be released back to classroom to complete rest of the day.
You may RSVP for Grandparents / Special Person Day here:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrE5atgcImOEYdlgsMDbOjWjKuejyBgwyQ6jQJYIRc8gqGdQ/viewform
Please invite all grandparents, or a special person to enjoy the following day of activities:
7:30 am - Grandparents meet students in their classroom for attendance and morning greetings.
8:00am - Grandparents attend mass with students
8:45am - Grandparents and students enjoy coffee and donuts in the cafeteria
9:15am - Grandparents attend recess with students on the playground
9:45am - Grandparents attend classroom activities with students
10:45am - Grandparents attend sing - a - long songs in gym
11:00am - Grandparents eat lunch with students in cafeteria (lunch provided)
11:30am - Grandparents / special person are allowed to take kids home OR students should be released back to classroom to complete rest of the day.
You may RSVP for Grandparents / Special Person Day here:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrE5atgcImOEYdlgsMDbOjWjKuejyBgwyQ6jQJYIRc8gqGdQ/viewform
Additional Dates to Consider
- Saturday, December 2nd - Christmas Village
- Friday, December 8th - All School Mass - Feast of the Immaculate Conception (note: we will also have our normal all school mass on Wednesday, December 6th).
- Tuesday, December 12th - All School Mass - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Wednesday, December 13th - 6:30 pm - School Christmas Concert (all students required to participate - wear "Sunday Best" and invite family and friends to enjoy the program!
- Thursday, December 21st - Christmas Bingo (more details to come)