Week Two Comes To An End!

What a great week! I asked St. Ann staff members to set a time for us to meet one-on-one. I've spent most of this week getting to know these wonderful people. At these meetings, we have pretty much stayed away from the topic of work. Before we are staff members at St. Ann, we are human beings. And, it is these wonderful human beings I want to get to know. I've learned so much about these folks.

Here are some of the commonalities I share with staff members:
Priscilla Williams loves to ride bikes.
Angela de Jong is a soccer nut.
Donnie Shea is a Brothers' Boys.
I coached Annmarie Ghio's brother, Jason at CBHS.
Deborah Harty and I grew up down the street from each other.
Stacey Griffith enjoys John Grisham books.
I taught Anna Slattery's son, Thomas, and my brother coached her daughter, Neely.
Like Selina Trouy, my daughter is named Celina, and my daughter shares her birth date (March 18th) with Selina's son, Samuel.
I taught and coached one of Erica Winchester's in-laws at CBHS.

Here are some things I found out about some of the staff members:
Angela Odum lived in Alaska.
Amanda Bannister is married to radio personality, Bill Bannister.
John Baum is a Civil War buff.
Katie Jones earned a Bachelor's and Master's from Memphis College of Art.
Kristen Sellers is from Hayti, MO (pronounced: Hey-Ty)
Tricia Cooper is a big fan of Disney World.
Wanda Sexton loves the Florida Keys.
Tracy Angotti has a daughter named Dominica; beautiful name.
Karen Otts graduated from Shawnee Mission High School in Overland Park, KS.

So far, I have met with 18 staff members. We have six more meetings lined up for Monday and Tuesday.

Next Tuesday, I will also meet with John Conroy, chairman of the finance council. So, what did I work on most of the day today? The school budget of course. I finished the first draft of the school budget, and of course it did not balance. We are at a nice little deficit. Ugh! We have actually been able to cut our expenses. The problem is the revenue side. We will get it worked out. God always provides.

Next Wednesday, I meet with an old friend of mine, David Stephens. David is the superintendent of Bartlett City Schools. He and I were classmates in the education department at the University of Memphis. He is a great guy and I look forward to seeing him again.

Along with many of the teachers, we have started to review the English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum to see where we need to improve. I've received a lot of input from many of the teachers. We will continue the review next week. I also received some input from some of the Catholic School principals. The principals are great to work with and are always available to help.

We are also looking to add Science and Social Studies to the IXL program. To see an example of IXL Science, CLICK HERE. To see an example of IXL Social Studies, CLICK HERE. IXL also has a great diagnostic tool parents can access. CLICK HERE to see this diagnostic tool in action. Several of our teachers have previewed IXL Science and Social Studies, and feel very positive about the benefits it can have for our students. Only problem is IXL Science and Social Studies are not budgeted items.

Here's a free resource parents can use: Edutopia. Most educators know about Edutopia. As an administrator, I have been reading Edutopia articles for years. Edutopia can help parents with their child(ren)'s learning. I receive their e-newsletters, follow them on Twitter, and like them on Facebook. I am constantly sharing Edutopia articles with other educators. I feel it is a fantastic educational resource many overlook.

Finally, there is lots and lots of work taking place at the school. The hallways are being painted and re-tiled, the kitchen is receiving a facelift, and doors are being re-finished. Stop by and take a look for yourself.

If you would like to support the work we do educating the students at St. Ann Catholic School, please CLICK HERE. Thank you

Getting ready for week 3!

God bless you,
Didier Aur

A Fresh Start at St. Ann Catholic School

Well, I’m coming to the end of my first week at St. Ann Catholic School.  I spent this week cleaning the principal's office, which has been basically closed for over a year; meeting with school leaders (Joey Harris, Angela de Jong, and Selina Trouy) and school and church staff members; reviewing the budget, enrollment, tuition collection, and financial aid; seeing all the renovations taking place (the whole school is being re-tiled and re-painted); attending daily Mass with Fr. David; dining with the young folks in Camp Invention; meeting lots of great folks who have stopped by; and even attending a monthly birthday celebration lunch at the church rectory.

It has been a busy week, and I cannot believe it is already Friday.  I am excited about everything that’s taking place, and even more excited about the future of the school and parish.  My wife, Kelley, and I switched our membership over to St. Ann from Resurrection.  Going to miss Fr. Martell and the wonderful people at Resurrection, but we feel we need to be all in for St. Ann.

Next on my agenda is to continue to meet with all staff members, create a new budget for the 2018-19 school year, make a couple of new hires, work out Title funding with Bartlett City Schools, arrange for iPad in-service classes for the teachers, continue to work on enrollment, and review curriculum starting with reading and language arts.  After reviewing the reading and language arts curriculum, I plan to review the math curriculum.  The reviews will be done with our teachers, and hopefully some local experts so that we can make sure we are doing the best we can for our students. We want to make sure our students are prepared for the next phase of their lives.

Starting in July, I plan to meet with parents.  Along with the social committee,  we will organize some "Meet and Greet" sessions at the school. One of my goals is to establish a relationship of trust so that we can work together to educate the children.  The school's role is to assist the parents in educating each child in their spiritual, academic, physical, and social development.  In working together, it is our duty to do the best we can for each child.  This is difficult to do without positive collaboration between home and school.

I would also like to get grandparents involved.  Many grandparents
are instrumental in educating the grandchildren.  Let's face it, Catholic education is not cheap.  For many of us, without help from grandparents, tuition payments would not be possible.  Many grandparents make the sacrifices necessary to enable parents to afford Catholic education.

My children attended Catholic Schools from K-16.  Yes, both my children graduated from a Catholic university as well.  The sacrifices we made as a family so that our children could receive a Catholic education have been well worth it, and we'd do it again.

I plan to continue communicating with school families, alumni, and supporters in as many ways as possible, and to be as transparent as possible with what's going on at St. Ann Catholic School.  Please feel free to contact me at the school if you have any questions.

Stay tuned for more updates!  Thanks!

God bless you,
Didier Aur
didier.aur@sascolts.org

The Times They Are A-Changing'

In 1964, Bob Dylan wrote and released the song "The Times They Are a-Changin'." Dylan was right, the times are a-changin', constantly. The times for the Jubilee Schools are a-changing as well.

In 1999, St. Augustine was re-opened by the Catholic Diocese of Memphis as the first Jubilee School. The opening of St. Augustine was quickly followed by the opening of St. Joseph, St. John, De La Salle at Blessed Sacrament, Little Flower, and Holy Names. St. Patrick, Resurrection, Our Lady of Sorrows, and Memphis Catholic soon followed. That's a pretty incredible network of schools; the Jubilee Schools.

In 2002, this is when times were a-changing for me, and where I came into the Jubilee picture. I was hired by Dr. Mary McDonald to re-open Holy Names in North Memphis, and serve as its first principal. Of all the things I have accomplished in my professional career, opening Holy Names was the greatest. The four years I served as principal of Holy Names were the best. I was a rookie principal leading a bunch of relatively inexperienced educators. We worked hard with a lot of passion, and did some incredible things. Those were some fun times. We learned under fire, and it was sink or swim. And, we swam!

I have had the privilege and honor of serving as principal of Holy Names and Resurrection, head of school at Memphis Catholic, and development director for all nine Jubilee Schools. I have loved my time with the Jubilee Schools. It has been an adventure with no lack of excitement. Our students are incredible, and our teachers are passionate about educating our students.

The times they are a-changing for the Jubilee Schools once again.

This past January, the diocese announced the closing of all nine Jubilee Schools plus St. Michael at the end of the 2018-19 school year. That will mark the 20th year of Jubilee Schools. As Frank Sinatra sang, "That's Life." It is life, and it has been a great ride. No sour grapes; that's life. I've enjoyed making a positive difference in our community every day working in the Jubilee Schools.

Now, my job as development director for the Jubilee Schools will be eliminated. Time to move on to the next challenge in life, which will be as principal of St. Ann Catholic School in Bartlett. Fr. Ernie DeBlasio asked me to be the principal, and I graciously and humbly accepted the position. I will have the privilege of becoming a St. Ann Colt! I look forward to once again working with teachers, students, and parents, while remaining in Catholic education. I have been in education for 30 years, and served in school leadership for 16 of those years. Plus, I was the principal of Resurrection with Fr. Ernie. I look forward to working with him again.

Please do not forget the Jubilee Schools. Even though my position won't exist, the Jubilee Schools still have one more year. The Jubilee students need your support. If you currently support the schools, please continue to do so. For all the love and support you have shown the Jubilee Schools, thank you.

Thank you to all the administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents, and supporters I have worked with in the Jubilee School. Y'all are wonderful and I'm going to miss you. I would like to thank Bishop Emeritus Terry Steib, Mary McDonald, Janet Donato, David Hill, and Kristi Baird for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the Jubilee Schools for so many years in so many different capacities. I am very thankful to have been able to serve the Jubilee Schools in so many ways. My heart will always be Jubilee.

For the past two years, I have served the Jubilee Schools by building relationships with our supporters. I have met so many incredible people. I never would have met these wonderful folks had I not served as development director. Many of you will hear from me again because I'm going to ask for your support for St. Ann. You aren't getting off the hook that easy. 😇 Blue Streak will also be hearing from me. I can never thank Blue Streak enough for years of Jubilee support. You have truly made a positive difference in the lives of our students.

The times they are a-changin'. That's life. See you at the next stop.

Please come visit me at St. Ann Catholic School. Just as everywhere else I've worked, all are welcomed.

God bless you,
Didier Aur

Mardi Gras in Memphis Sponsorships

Most people know that the Jubilee Schools will close after the 2018-19 school year. Many people have stopped supporting Jubilee Schools since the closure was announced. There is one huge problem with this; we still have two months left in this school year, and all of next year before we close our doors.

WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

One great method of supporting the Jubilee Schools is through event sponsorships!

In this blog, I want to focus on the great people in our community who sponsored Mardi Gras in Memphis. For every fundraising event we host, sponsors make the events profitable. Money generated at an event generally pays for that event. In other words, events pay for themselves. Sponsorships is how an event generates revenue.

For Mardi Gras in Memphis, the Jubilee development office set a goal of raising $20,000 in sponsorships, and a stretch goal of $30,000. With lots of hard work and through the generosity of our donors, we reached the stretch goal of $30,000 in sponsorships for the Mardi Gras in Memphis!

Blue Streak Scholarship Fund was our double platinum sponsor! Even though this is the last Jubilee event Blue Streak plans to sponsor, they have donated over $1 million in support of Jubilee students. Blue Streak was formed in 2003 for the sole purpose of supporting the Jubilee Schools. The Blue Streak board members are currently re-writing their mission and figuring out where to throw their support.

Billy and Gayle Posey, through Greystone & Co., Inc. were platinum level sponsors. Billy is a graduate of Memphis Catholic and has supported the Jubilee students for so many years in so many ways. They have sponsored every event we have had since I have been with Memphis Catholic. They usually don't wait to for me to ask before offering support. We can never thank Billy and Gayle enough for their support.

Boyle Investment Company (Gold Level) have increased their support of the Jubilee School over the last three years. Their support helps many of our families with tuition assistance. If not for great companies such as Boyle, families could not afford a Jubilee education. Thank you to everyone at Boyle Investment Company especially the Boyle and Morgan families for their philanthropic work in our community and their desire to make a positive difference in the lives of our children.

Independent Bank (Gold Level) has sponsored the Jubilee Schools through Blue Streak for more years than I can remember. Frank Stuppy is my contact at I-Bank. You will not find a nicer person. He really cares for the Jubilee students, and wants what's best for our young scholars. Because of Frank, I-Bank is willing to support our students and our schools. I-Bank is constantly working to make a different in the lives of our students and in our community. Thank you Independent Bank!

Presto-X Pest Control (Gold Level) is one of our new event sponsors. Not only did they sponsor this event, but they had their folks out at the Mardi Gras in Memphis representing their company all day Saturday and Sunday. They are super nice people and supportive of the Jubilee Schools. If you are looking for a pest control company, contact Edward Minier at edward.minier@prestox.com or 888-759-2307. We are very thankful for their support.

Jimmy McElroy & Associates (Silver Level) sponsored the Taste of Jubilee last year and Mardi Gras in Memphis this year. They were our musical stage sponsor as well this year. We would like to thank Jimmy McElroy, Joseph Fox (Memphis Catholic '82), and Marcelle Nia for their continued support of the Jubilee students and the work taking place in our schools. Their support makes us better for our students.

Juice Plus (Silver Level) is a regular Jubilee sponsor. They have sponsored the schools through Blue Streak as well. Juice Plus sponsors the 5K, golf tournament, Wings of Jubilee, and now Mardi Gras in Memphis. Talk about wanting to improve our students and community, Juice Plus is doing something about it. Thank you Juice Plus and Paulo Teixeira for your kindness and generosity in support of the students of the Jubilee Schools.

Bank3 (Bronze Level) has really come to the support of Jubilee Schools since they opened their bank in Memphis. Banc3 sponsored our golf tournament, Wings of Jubilee, 5K, and Education That Works internship program. Now, they also sponsored Mardi Gras in Memphis. We would like to thank our great friends at Bank3 especially Frank Cianciola and Scott Hauss for taking a chance on our students. That chance has very much benefitted the Jubilee students especially the Memphis Catholic students interning at Bank3. Thank you Bank3.

Baptist Memorial Health Care (Bronze Level) has been a long running supporter of Memphis Catholic and Education That Works. They have sponsored the 5K for years and several interns every year. Now, they sponsored Mardi Gras in Memphis. Thank you to Cynthia Allen and the great people at Baptist Memorial Health Care for supporting the students of Memphis Catholic and the Jubilee Schools. You put the children first and we thank you for your love and kindness.

Michael & Silvia Hecht (Bronze Level) have supported the students of the Jubilee Schools since 2003 when Blue Streak first began. Their involvement began when they supported families at Holy Names Catholic School in North Memphis. Every year since, they have answered the call to help the children in giving those in need a better future. Michael has also been very instrumental in the Jubilee Schools receiving support from Juice Plus. Michael and Silvia have been incredible friends of the Jubilee Schools. For what they have done, we can never repay. Thank you!

Little Caesars (Bronze Level) has supported the Jubilee School since 2004-05 when they began helping Holy Names. Now, they support Our Lady of Sorrows, sponsor Education That Works at Memphis Catholic, and sponsor every event that the Jubilee Schools host. Marty and Julie Mathews have been our friends and have helped to improve the lives of many in our community. Our students and teachers benefit greatly from their support. Thank you Little Caesars!

Thank you to Pediatric Dental Group (Bronze Level) for sponsoring Mardi Gras in Memphis! John and Terry Acosta (Memphis Catholic '80) support many of our events and Education That Works. We can always count on their support to help the students. The most important work PDG does for our students is through mentorship in Education That Works. Their work has been a motivational factor in promoting academic excellence in our students in both high school and college. Thank you PDG for your support!

The Wharton Law Firm (Bronze Level) is Memphis Catholic! André Wharton, Alexander Wharton, and Monte Flowers are all graduates of Memphis Catholic. Mrs. Ruby Wharton is a strong believer and supporter of Catholic education. The Whartons sponsor most every event that  takes place at Memphis Catholic. They not only support, they participate. Thanks to The Wharton Law Fire for their many, many years of support including Education That Works.

Balfour/Commemorative Brands, Inc. (Copper Level) sponsors many of our events especially the annual 5K. Doug Kearney has a passion for Memphis Catholic and is always available to help the school. In my time with the Jubilee Schools, he has been one of the most consistent sponsors of our events especially if it has to do with Memphis Catholic. Thank you Balfour and Doug Kearney for your sponsorship!

Nexus Exxon (Copper Level) on the corner of Poplar and McLean has been a 5K sponsor for several years. We are good customers of Nexus Exxon so they support us. That's a nice partnership to have. So, if you are in the Midtown area and you need to fill-up on gas, snacks, or beverages, shop at Nexus Exxon and thank them for supporting Memphis Catholic and the Jubilee Schools.

Pendergrast Insurance (Copper Level) has also sponsored the Memphis Catholic 5K for several years. Jody and Cindy Pendergrast are wonderful supporters. You will find Cindy on campus every Monday and Wednesday morning for Mass. Looking for an insurance agent, contact Jody at (901) 507-7046 or jody@pcrins.com. Thank you to Pendergrast Insurance for your sponsorship!

Piretti Home and Garden (Copper Level) are relatively new sponsors of Jubilee events. They sponsored our golf tournament in the fall and now the Mardi Gras in Memphis. Richard is a former student of mine. When I contacted him about sponsoring Jubilee events, he didn't hesitate to help. For your home and garden needs, contact Richard at (901) 870-1679 or pirettihomeandgarden@gmail.com. Thanks again for sponsoring another Jubilee event!

Cargill (Copper Level) is a first time sponsor of Jubilee events. Thank you for helping our students and investing in their future.

Junior Achievement (Chrome Level) is another first time sponsor. We love our new and recurring sponsors. We need both in order to reach our goals and provide the best we can for our students. Thank you Sarah McDonald and JA for your help in making a positive difference.

Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum: MMBC (Chrome Level) is yet another first time sponsor of Jubilee events. We thank you for supporting our students!

Patrick Rassi (Chrome Level) is a fantastic friend of the Jubilee Schools and a good Lebanese friend of mine. Patrick has supported the Jubilee Schools for some time now and wants the students to have a successful future. I asked him to sponsor Mardi Gras in Memphis and he did. Thanks Patrick!

Soccer Olé (Chrome Level) has sponsored just about more Jubilee events than anyone else. Rogerio and Simone Lima are great friends who want what is best for the children. We cannot thank them enough for their recurring support and their kind hearts.

Thank you to all our sponsors! You are greatly appreciated and much needed. You are helping to make our students and schools better. Please continue to sponsor our events!

Our next event is the Wings of Jubilee on Saturday, September 29th from 12-5pm at Memphis Catholic. My wing cooking team is ready!

God bless you,
Didier Aur

Thanks for Another Successful Jubilee Event!

Mardi Gras in Memphis turned out to be a fantastic 2-day event. We were blessed with the perfect weekend weather-wise; not a cloud in the sky with temperatures in the mid to low-70's.

The crawfish were spicy and almost all gone by the end of the first day. I'm not a crawfish lover, but I do love the sausage and corn on the cob boiled with the crawfish. Pineapple and green beans were the secret ingredients added to our crawfish boil this year.

I really like the format of the people's choice gumbo cook-off. Anyone who wanted to judge the gumbo did so. The gumbo tent was packed with judges. By the end of the judging, most of the gumbo was gone.

The winner of our first-ever gumbo cook-off was St. Joseph Catholic School despite protests from the competition claiming St. Joseph did not use Roux in their gumbo. Leslie Harden, New Orleans native and St. Joseph principal, refuted their claim and laughed off the protest by showing off the championship trophy with a victory lap. Nothing like a little touting to quiet your opponents.

The Risky Whiskey Boys, David Pool (Memphis Catholic '85) and Jimmy Smith along with guest soloists Fr. Michael Werkhoven (Memphis Catholic '84) and Philip Schulte, entertained the crowd on Saturday with their repertoire of classic rock, pop, and current music.

Memphis' own one man band, Charvey Mac, wowed the crowd on Sunday with his acoustic arrangement and vocally driven sounds. He is a former student of mine from CBHS. I love listening to him perform because his voice is so smooth and very relaxing.  Never seen that man not smiling.

This event could not have taken place without our many volunteers. The best volunteers were from St. Patrick Catholic School. They arrived early and stayed late. They worked the food tents throughout the entire event. Thank you to the St. Patrick volunteers: Susan Pittman, Jackie Brown, JoAnn McKinney, Jennifer Santes, Chad Martin, Kendra Masters, Yaschia Dillard, and Sheree Wilson.

I want to send out a special thank you to Heidi Ames, Mercedes Durham, Anita Whitthaus, and Philip Schulte for driving from Jefferson City, MO to volunteer at the Mardi Gras in Memphis. This was Heidi's first time in Memphis, but the other three have been volunteering for years.

Mr. Richard Jones volunteered once again to cook all the hamburgers and hotdogs for the 2-day event. Not easy for a strict vegan to do, but he did it and did it well!

Mrs. Lolita Miller put in her 20,000 steps each day of the event. No one works harder than Mrs. Miller, and she does so with a smile on her face.

Thank you volunteers! Here's a long list of volunteers who helped put on this event not including the dozens of students from Memphis Catholic and St. Patrick: Angela Fox (event coordinator), Terri Carney, Landaria Saulsberry, Nancy Eddins, Kristi Baird, Tunia Sangster, Lola Scarlett, Debra Robinson, Deacon Ted Schreck, Eda Fain, Victoria Moore, Rebecca Rosa, Dawn Rose, Eric Harper, Chip Pankey, Katie Trivitt, Erin Celeste, Erica Crabtree, Rosie Jupson, Michael Ash, Sherrie Justice, Consuelo Martell, Andrew McDougal, Carolyn Pinkston, Beth Niedzwiedz, Yolanda Scott, Derikah Scott, Deacon Henry Littleton, Esmeralda Martinez, Leticia Gonzalez, Antonio Hinton, Ruth Bowlin, Kelley Aur, Jonathan Aur, Brittany Aur, David Justice, Jeff Justice, and D.J. Harden.

Thank you to our crawfish chef, Shannon Runnels. Geaux Tigers!

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the Jubilee Schools at the Mardi Gras in Memphis. We had a great time celebrating the Jubilee Schools.

We thank the crewes that set up teams and invited their family, friends, and co-workers to come out to enjoy great food, music, and company.

We have already debriefed and have started making plans for next year's Mardi Gras in Memphis.

Our next event will be our 3rd Wings of Jubilee this fall. We have tentatively set the date of Saturday, September 29, 2018 for the Wings of Jubilee. My team is ready and in place. We used the Mardi Gras in Memphis to perfect our wings!

My next blog is going to be a shout-out to all our sponsors.

Thanks again!

God bless you,
Didier Aur

Mardi Gras in Memphis!

Mardi Gras in Memphis is the newest fundraising festival for the Jubilee Catholic Schools.  This festival combines the Tails of Jubilee (Jubilee Crawfish Festival) and the Memphis Catholic 5K (Education That Works Out 5K) to create a 2-day Jubilee celebration taking place on April 28th & 29th at Memphis Catholic located at 61 N. McLean Blvd, Memphis, TN 38104.

This event benefits the nine Jubilee Schools and 1,600 students supported by the Jubilee Fund.  For more information about the Jubilee Schools, click on http://jubileeschools.org.

Mardi Gras in Memphis takes place on April 28th & 29th from 1-5 pm. Admissions is $5 with children 5 & under are free.  There will be live music, bouncy castles, face-painting, and games included as part of the admission.  Purchase tickets online at http://jubileeschools.org/mardigras.

The Crawfish Boil begins at 1 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.  Each box of crawfish (roughly 2 lbs.) is $10.  You can pre-order crawfish at http://jubileeschools.org/mardigras

We will also be serving hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, water, sodas, and beer.

At 2 pm on Saturday, the People's Choice Gumbo Cook-Off begins.  It is free to enter a pot of gumbo for judging.  Register online at http://jubileeschools.org/mardigras to enter the Gumbo Cook-Off.

Live music on Saturday will be performed by the Risky Whiskey Boys. https://www.facebook.com/Risky-Whiskey-Boys-879415615534581/

Live music on Sunday will be performed by Charvey Mac. http://charveymac.com/

The Education That Works Out 5K takes place on Sunday.  Registration and beer tent open at 1 pm with the race beginning at 2 pm.  All racers receive a Mardi Gras in Memphis shirt, 2 food/beverage tickets and festival entry.  Register for the 5K at https://racesonline.com/events/etw5k.

Bring your chairs, blankets, and umbrellas and join the party.  If you need more space for your crew and would like to bring a tent, we do have spaces available.  10x15 spots are $150, which includes 10 free admissions (worth $50), 10 boxes of crawfish (worth $100), and entry in the gumbo cook-off.  Reserve a spot for your crew at https://jubileeschools.org/mardigras.

If you cannot make it to the event but would like to invest in a Jubilee student, you can do so online at https://www.jubileeschools.org/invest.

For questions, please contact me at (901) 373-1226 or didier.aur@jso.cdom.org.

Hope to see you there!

God bless you,
Didier Aur