SJW #36, May 27, 2010 FINAL ISSUE
Year End Activities
Please take note of the following year end activities:
- June 1st 2:00 PM (8th Grade Farewell-planned by Grade 7)
- June 1st 7:00 PM (8th Grade Liturgy)
- June 2nd 12:00 PM (Closing prayer service-planned by the Kindergarten)
Final Words of Advice for our 8th Graders
This past Sunday we heard in John’s Gospel Jesus saying to his disciples “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you”! How appropriate this is, as we come to the end of another academic year, we once again send our 8th grade students off to high school, with a solid foundation in their faith and the ability to spread the Gospel message. Remember what you have learned here!
Hopefully and God willing, it will only be the halfway point of your education, we will watch you grow in high school the next four years, and beyond that in college. Post-secondary school should not be an option for you; it should be an absolute requirement. I have seen the future; you are training for a life that holds endless possibilities.
If we have done our jobs correctly, then you leave here tonight equipped with the tools needed to be successful in all your educational endeavors.
Your teachers and I are very proud of the accomplishments you have made during your time here with us. The academic records your leave behind speak for themselves.
The accomplishments of this class were not just limited to the classroom! We have had one of our most successful athletic seasons since joining the IHSAA, with our football team completing an undefeated season!
In the fine arts, we listened with amazement as you performed music that should have exceeded your limitations. We watched with awe as you breathed life into “Annie”.
It has been an absolute thrill watching you all this year. You stuck together. You participated in activities together and hopefully will share some very fond memories of your time with us at St. Joseph Catholic School.
Now then, for my last few words of advice. Enjoy these last few days with each other. Next year you all will go your separate ways. Some of you to Xavier, others to Linn-Mar, or Marion. It doesn’t take a great deal of math to know that most of those friends you have grown up with the last 9 or 10 years won’t be there next year.
Set goals for yourselves, and never ever give up. Work hard and persevere. While you may be able to find a hundred reasons to give up on your goals and dreams, don’t be a victim. Whenever you think you have reached your limit; take time to pray, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and take another shot. If you give up, you will fail.
And finally in closing, enjoy high school--don’t let it pass you by. The next four years are going to go really fast. Get involved, and enjoy the ride. Love what you do. Get good at it. Competence is a rare commodity in this day and age. And let the chips fall where they may.
Mr. Voss Moving On
By now it is probably old news that I have accepted a position to be the next Superintendent of Schools for the Hudson Community School District. This all happened very quickly, and my intention was to share the news with you prior to this point. Unfortunately, the media picked up on the story and got to you before I did!
Many of you were aware that I was originally selected as a finalist for the Hudson position; they visited the school here last Tuesday. I ended as runner-up in the standings, so had planned to move forward. On Monday morning the Board President from Hudson called and asked if I would still be interested in the position because the other candidate had asked for a release from the contract. On Monday evening, the Hudson Board met in an emergency session and I was offered the contract at approximately 6:30 P.M. While on a conference call with the Hudson Board, the media was present (which is where the story first broke).
When I officially accepted the position on Tuesday morning, I had planned to inform the St. Joseph Board that night, the teachers on Wednesday morning, and the rest of our public today. You all know the rest of the story; it was picked up by KWWL out of Waterloo at noon and is part of the current news cycle. I do sincerely apologize that you had to find out in this way, it was never my intent.
I would like to share with you that I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at St. Joseph! I am not leaving for any other reason except that this is an opportunity for me to take the next step in my career. When I was originally hired at St. Joseph, the Board asked the question "How long will you be here?". My response was five years. It has been six years, and I have enjoyed every one of them. We have had some challenges along the way, but have made tremendous strides in moving our school forward.
The process to name my successor has begun. The Board met last night in a work session and have set an emergency meeting for next week. At that time, they will visit with Jeff Henderson who will provide guidance and information as they move through this process. There is no doubt in my mind that you are in very good hands with this Board. They have a very clear understanding of the task before them as they select the next leader for your school community.
This is an awesome community and I have met some wonderful people that will certainly be lifelong friends! I will truly miss you all and wish the best.
School Board Election Results
Peg Detweiler joins us as a new member of our school board. There is another seat open and the Board will appoint a member at their June meeting. Congratulations Peg! We look forward to working with you on the board.
