October 22, 2008

Dear Families,

            It is not my usual time to do a Principal’s Newsletter, but there is much information to share with you. So, the birth of this, the Principal’s Potpourri of Information, came to be.

            On our IHM School website, www.ihmary.org, you will find a new tab, “Healthy Kids.”  Under this tab, you will be able to download and read a four page Healthy Kids Newsletter provided to us by Independence Blue Cross.  They will update it throughout the year, at which time, we will replace the current one with the newer.  In addition, Independence Blue Cross is providing our school with a free Healthy e-Tools program for both Mr. Rizzo, our physical education teacher, and Ms. Fernando, our nurse, to use.  It should aid us nicely in meeting the Archdiocesan Wellness Standards.

            Our lunch program is operating with very few volunteers.  I realize that everyone is not able to do this service for our school due to working full time, but I strongly encourage anyone who has an afternoon or two free to please get involved!  The students need to be fully supervised, so that we can avoid any unnecessary injuries.  As I am sure you know, the teachers truly need that 40 minute break as much as the students to refuel and refresh themselves for the afternoon lessons.  So, I truly need your help!  To become involved, please call Mrs. Annemarie Campanella at 215-482-0268.  You will need to obtain your state clearances and attend a 2 hour class conducted by the Diocese.  If you cannot help, but know someone who can, please pass this information along to them, too!

            We are also in need of a new Pizza Chairperson.  Mrs. Janice Petka gave much time to our school lunch program as a Lunch Volunteer and as the Pizza Chair.  At the end of this month, Mrs. Petka will step down from this position.  We thank you, Mrs. Petka, for all that you have done for our IHM school community.  The new chair will be responsible for:  distributing the monthly order forms, placing the order with the pizza store, collecting the orders & monies as they come into school, organizing volunteers to assist with the distribution, and distributing the pizza at lunch.  If you are interested in this volunteer spot, then please contact Mrs. Carolyn Pownall at 215-487-1073.

            Lastly, the teachers and I have not been able to access our IHM email this week at school.  I have encouraged the teachers to check it at home as often as they are able.  Please know that if an email was not answered promptly this week that is probably the reason.  We are hoping to have our web master out this weekend to correct the problem.

            I thank you for your time and the gift of your beautiful children!  We are blessed to be touched by their innocence and love of life each day!  Keep up the good work on raising them to become kind Christian adults.

                                                                    Respectfully in peace & love,

                                                                    Mrs. Kimberly A.  Szypula

Dear Families,

            Our 2008-2009 school year is well underway!  Students and teachers have been working very hard.  I love the cool projects going on, such as our 5^th grade science classes physically demonstrating the vastness of our solar system, and our 3^rd grade science classes artistically depicting their knowledge of volcanoes.  We are truly embracing lessons full or Rigor and Relevance.  Way to go, IHM!

            The month of October is devoted to Our Lady of the Rosary.  As we did last year, our entire IHM community will be gathering on Fridays to pray the Rosary together.  It will be a living testament to our Catholic faith.  Please be sure to help your child be prepared to fully participate by sending in his/her rosary.  We are also excited to announce that October marks the start of a new monthly tradition, Holy Hour.  On the third Wednesday of each month, we will gather in church at 2PM to participate in Holy Hour, which will include benediction.  Everyone is invited to join us.  It is our sincere hope and one of our goals for this year to help our students deepen their personal relationship with Jesus.

            I have been quite proud, too, of teachers and students alike for adapting to our new behavior journals.  Many of the teachers are using these instead of demerits.  I am seeing positive changes as a result.  It is wonderful to hear productive, proactive conversations occurring between staff and students.  Our learning environment has been more upbeat, too, due to this process.  Keep up the good work!

            One concern I have at the moment is lunchtime.  Our students have been experiencing great difficulty during lunch.  I have spoken to the boys and girls a number of times as a collective group and as smaller classroom groups reminding them to use inside voices during lunch and to give the lunch volunteers the same respect they would give to any teacher or family member.  Unfortunately, my reminders are not working.  During my final talk with the students, I made them aware that I would be seeking your help.  Please reiterate my words with the children at home.  I also told all of them that if major improvements are not seen within the next week, that I will take lunch recess time away.  I do not want to do this, as I am a firm believer that ALL of our students need some supervised down time.  However, I need for everyone to be safe and respectful.  I thank you in advance for your help with this matter.

            I hope everyone takes time to enjoy the beautiful fall weather God has sent our way with your loved ones.

                                                                                Respectfully in peace & love,

                                                                                Mrs. Kimberly A. Szypula

September Newsletter

Dear IHM Families,

            Welcome Back to IHM!  I am so very excited about our year!  There are many new and exciting things going on that are sure to make for a great year.

             There has been LOTS of work done throughout the school building, including:  all classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, & offices painted, landscaping & a new sign in the front of our school, a new roof put on the school, new heating & air conditioning units put in FSH classrooms, new computers put in the classrooms, 30 brand new computers in the lab, and a Weatherbug camera & online weather station set up from our school, which you may see from time to time on Channel 3’s news broadcast.  Our maintenance staff worked very hard at getting everything in tip top shape for today.  We truly are blessed and thankful for them!  Mrs. Pauline Craig, our technology teacher, also spent much time helping us to install the new computers.  We give thanks and praise to God for her, too!

            You will be getting the yearlong calendar today, along with the September calendar.  In addition, I have put the 2008-2009 school year calendar online, too, at our website.  Simply go to “calendar” and click on the month you need.  I hope this is helpful to everyone!  Since this is the start of the year, I know that you will be bombarded with many papers and forms that need to be returned to us.  I ask for your patience and cooperation in completing them and returning them in a timely manner.  By doing so, you are helping us insure the safety of your children. 

            On a final note, there are 2 types of gym shorts and BOTH are ACCEPTABLE.  Your child may wear the IHM sweat shorts or mesh shorts.  I look forward to seeing each of you at our Back to School nights!

                                                                                                                        Respectfully in peace & love,