How Are You Doing?

This morning I received a text from my sister-in-law asking the question; How are you doing? Thought I would take that question and make it the subject of this week's blog.

How am I doing? I'm doing well. Thank you for asking and for your concern.

In a running email conversation with a St. Ann parent, I wrote that I actually thrive on a bit of chaos. When things are smooth, I’m not at my best. I need to constantly be challenged. What is happening now, is definitely a challenge. This is my ideal work situation with fires everywhere!

There are three phrases that just drive me crazy. They are 1) Let's maintain the Status Quo, 2) I don't like change, and 3) We've never done it that way before. That cannot be said of our current world situation. If you want status quo, don't like change, and never done it another way, this is now a time for you to grow and embrace the changes in our lives. Time to change your way of thinking and doing. Definitely cannot bury your head in the sand.

Albert Einstein said, "Creativity is intelligence having fun." I absolutely embrace the opportunity we have been given to use our creativity to the fullest to improve our global situation. I think many people are just now realizing we have to start thinking globally and about others. We had a few days to change the way we live our daily lives. We've had to change the way we work. We've had to change the way we interact. It is a time for us not to despair, mope, think and act negatively. Anybody can complain. So don't. We are given an opportunity to shine. So, Shine! Every day, I see more people using creativity in helping to make everyone's situation just a little bit better. I want to be a part of that!

I took yesterday off from school work. I figured out yesterday that I had worked 17 days in a row and put in more hours each day than I normally do. Staying on the leading edge of this process we are creating is exhausting. I’m beat. Yesterday, I stepped back and let my mind rest. Spent most of yesterday doing chores: gardening, washing clothes, cleaning the house, even went shopping at Aldi’s and Big Lots (my two favorite stores along with Lowe's and Barnes & Noble). I also purposefully stayed away from the computer for most of the day. Today, I'm much better and looking forward to starting up again, but just maybe slowing down a bit.

View from my front porch

I am writing this blog while sitting on my front porch enjoying this cool, calm, beautiful morning, while soaking up some much needed sun, and listening to the birds chirp and sing. Since I have been sitting here, very few cars have driven down my street but lots and lots of neighbors have walked by with their dogs. Dogs are loving this.

A squirrel just came by and didn't notice me working on my blog. Neither did the squirrel realize it was going to become part of my blog. The squirrel was about 20 ft. away from me. It dug a little hole in the grass, buried some food, covered it up for safe keeping, and scampered away.

The reason I am sitting on my front porch is because our "Shelter at Home" ordinance and I cannot go anywhere. I don't want to sit inside on such a beautiful day when it is nice and peaceful out here. I could complain about the situation, but it is not in my nature to complain. To me, the glass isn't half full, it is overflowing. So, I'll make the best of it. If I would not have made the best of the situation and come sit out on my front porch, I would have never witnessed that squirrel burying its food in the ground. I've never seen that before. To me, squirrels are something my dogs chase, who climb all over my trees, and are constantly trying to chew their way into my attic. Today, I witnessed something different. I witnessed another one of God's creatures doing what it does every day, trying to survive.

Gacha Life Mr. Aur

All this to say, with the long weeks and days we have endured and will continue to face for God knows how long; with all the work that is required of us in these changing times; with the little sleep we are getting; and for the many unknown challenges we all face in our new world, let's embrace what is happening with some gusto. Be creative, do something different, accept the challenge, and thrive on the chaos.

In yesterday's homily, Fr. Ben Bradshaw said. "Let's hope that this will have some meaning and God will make us stronger." What we are going through will only have meaning and God will only make us stronger if we accept the challenges before us with love, compassion, generosity, and patience in making the best of what we have. After this is all said and done, I hope to be a better person, husband, father, son, brother, friend, educator, and most of all a better Christian.

So, as far as my situation and how I'm doing? Think I'll follow the squirrel's example and go plant some flowers, a few tomato plants, and maybe even some okra because my wife loves okra.

St. Ann...Pray for us!

God bless you,

Didier Aur, Principal

St. Ann Catholic School

Previous blog: https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/03/apollo-13ed.html

"Apollo 13'ed"

Ken Buck is a school board member in Lancaster County, South Carolina. He posted the following statement on his Facebook page:

We gave educators almost no notice. We asked them to completely redesign what school looks like and in about 24 hours local administrators and teachers "Apollo 13'ed" the problem and fixed it. Kids learning, children being fed, needs being met in the midst of a global crisis. No state agency did this, no so-called national experts on curriculum. The local educators fixed it in hours. HOURS. In fact, existing state and federal policies actually created multiple roadblocks. Local schools figured out how to do it around those too. No complaining and no handwringing - just solutions and amazingly clever plans.
Remember that the next time someone tries to convince you that schools are better run by mandates from non-educators. Remember that the next time someone tells you that teachers have it easy or try to persuade you that educators are not among the smartest, most ingenious people in society. And please never say to me again, "Those who can't do anything else just go into teaching."

Get out of the way of a teacher and watch with amazement at what really happens.

Thank you to Jennifer Podesta for posting this on the Colt Parent Facebook page. I see Jennifer's post as an appreciation of the work being performed not only by the teachers at St. Ann, but teachers everywhere.

Our Catholic School teachers don't have to deal with government agencies and national experts on curriculum. We have the blessing of a very supportive Bishop and Catholic School Superintendent to figure out the solutions and move forward with doing our best to help the children. They both stated in our meeting yesterday that we will not stop educating our children. Gotta love it when your leaders support your mission and work 100%! The Catholic School principals are also providing each other guidance with the challenges of online learning for elementary and middle school students.

Ken Buck's statement is so true, and it makes me think about what a great staff of educators we have at St. Ann from the front office to the classrooms. I have the great privilege of working with these folks everyday. I know they would all rather be in their classrooms teaching the students face-to-face and being part of the miracle of learning as they have been for many years. The alternative of posting assignments on a blog page for parents to assist their children is not their choice but it is the best option for education at this time.

As with all parents, their world has been rocked. Their whole way of dealing with everyday activities has completely changed. They are putting in more hours per day than they did when the students were present. When I left yesterday at 4:00 for a 4:30 meeting, the PK teachers were still here trying to figure out how best to serve their students and parents. And, for awhile, it is only going to get more difficult until we can fill in all the potholes and the roads once again become easily navigable.

Think about the work of teachers. How do they put together lesson plans for students who are not sitting in front of them? How do they test the students to see if they are meeting educational objectives? Are they mastering the subjects/skills? Do they need extra help? How do they evaluate students' social/emotional development? How do they model their Catholic/Christian faith to the students? How do they show students love when they aren't present? That's tough to do.

We aren't exactly sure how to do this, but we are all trying to figure it out. It is a lot easier for high schools and colleges to administer online/distance learning. You plan out your classes, write your syllabus, post it, and expect the students to follow it. If they do, they get good grades. If not, that's their responsibility. This doesn't work with elementary and middle school students. They are neither ready nor equipped to deal with education without having the necessary guidance. My heart goes out to the teachers and parents of the younger students. You are the ones with the toughest job of all. Because of this and many more reasons, the faculty, staff, and families at St. Ann amaze me.

This is a teachable moment for all of us. Our children see how we react in times of adversity and learn from the examples we set. The result I hope to see from this is that our children learn to handle adversity without fear and with a level head. This will make them stronger, more compassionate people and be able to deal with whatever life throws their way.

The first wave of the Coronavirus storm is just now hitting us in the United States. The biggest part of the storm is yet to come if we don't heed the Center for Disease Control (CDC) precautions. CLICK HERE to access information from the CDC on how to protect ourselves from the Coronavirus.

We at St. Ann must keep in mind that school is in session, but how we operate looks completely different. Home, work, and school life have changed for all of us. Daily teaching and learning must continue and continue with purpose. We have an obligation to our children to work and continue the education process. Since we are going to fight this battle together, I like the side I’m on.

St. Joseph (today is his feast day)...Pray for us!

St. Ann...Pray for us!

God bless you,

Didier Aur, Principal

St. Ann Catholic School

Update On School Assignments for Next Week

St. Ann faculty members met this morning and many are still here at school working in order to plan how best to continue the teaching and learning process while the school is closed due to the Coronavirus.

Teachers have created or are in the process of creating blogs so they are able to post lessons, assignments, handouts, and videos. Please see the homepage of our website under "TEACHER BLOGS" to see what work is being posted. Only a handful of blogs are listed at this time. As teachers create the blog, we will update the list. Teachers are also sending out emails to the parents to update everyone on assignments.

We are limiting the different online programs to those each grade normally uses: PlusPortal, Khan Academy, IXL, easyCBM, BrainPOP, Istation, ACT Academy, Lyrics2Learn, RQ, ReadWorks, Padlet, Flocabulary, ShowMe…  If we aren’t currently using it, then the teachers probably aren't going to use it. The learning curve of adding a new program will not be helpful to the teachers. One of the exceptions is Starfall. We are sending home activation codes to the PK3, PK4, Kinder, and 1st grade students.

Remote/Distance Learning is something extremely new and different for all of us. It is common for some high schools and all colleges/universities, but not for elementary/middle schools. Even though I am sad we have to close our doors and we will not see the students for awhile, I'm happy about this opportunity for us to learn and grown as an educational community. Our focus is to keep things simple so we may all work together. Some of the things we do might not work, but we won't know until we try them.

I am thrilled with the work my teachers are doing and the positive attitudes as they work during Spring Break because of the love they have for their students. We have an incredible staff of people at St. Ann and it really shows when working through adversity.

Please keep the lines of communication between students, parents, and teachers open so we may support each other in the best ways possible. If there is something you would like to suggest so we may do the remote/distance learning process better, please contact me directly. My email is didier.aur@sascolts.org. We are taking a terrible situation and doing the best we can with it.

The Catholic School principals will meet on Wednesday to discuss future plans and the diocese will make a decision on Thursday regarding re-opening the schools for the following week. We will keep everyone posted.

On Sunday from 2-4pm and Monday from 8-9am, parents are to come to the school to pick up packets with student work and assignments, iPads, Kindles, books, and whatever else teachers want to send out.

Thank you for your support.

God bless you,

Didier Aur, Principal

Embrace the Drama

Middle school, the grades of self-discovery where drama becomes a much unwanted yet necessary part in the transition from elementary to high school. These are the days when students are learning how to deal with the good and bad we all face in day to day life. These are the days when parents are starting to let go a little bit in allowing their children some choices in developing their decision making process. Everyone needs to learn how to make their own decisions in how to handle life. We all need to learn how to deal with life, and middle school is a great place to start.

On last year's 8th grade trip to Washington D.C., Stacey Griffith and I just happened to have lunch at the same table as a retired middle school principal. We discussed middle school drama. The retired principal said we need to learn to embrace the drama. It is an important part of the middle school education process. Even though we think the drama is silly, she explained the drama and the issues surrounding the drama are real to the middle schoolers. Though the issues aren't that important to us, they are a huge part of of their lives especially the social-emotional aspects of who they are.

The manifestation of drama is caused by insecurities in the development process. Drama is a coping mechanism for the middle schooler. There are a lot of insecurities at this age. Who are my friends? How do I look? Am I good enough? Does he/she like me? Is he/she making fun of me? This is a time of sexual attraction. Many of the middle schoolers are starting puberty. Their hormones are changing. Even though they are quite a ways from becoming adults, this is the beginning of the changes. The changes are both physical and mental. The changes they go through can be intense and sometimes confusing. Welcome to adolescents. 

So, what's the best thing we can do? Embrace the drama! Know the drama is real! If we don't deal with it and teach our students how to deal with the drama, they won't know how to deal with the drama and it will be a perpetuating deal for the rest of their lives. If you think I'm kidding, look at all the adults around us who constantly perpetuate drama, and have a soul-sucking affect on those around them like the Dementors in Harry Potter. They take every opportunity to teardown what others have worked hard to build up. Best to deal with the drama early instead of ignoring it.

The drama usually starts in 7th grade (operative word here is "usually"). It is more visible with girls but don't kid yourself, it is pretty equal among the genders. The boys are usually more able to internalize the drama. I'm not sure that's a good thing. They all need to learn how to deal with the drama.

The students who are self-assured are the ones who are the most capable of dealing with the drama. If they know who they themselves are and have good self-esteem, they are more likely to handle the drama and the rumors that come with it. If they are confused about who they are and have low-self esteem, these are the students who are most likely to be affected by the drama and rumors that go along with the drama.

How do we deal with middle school drama? I have an open door policy with my students. The students know they can come in and talk when needed. And, they do. I take what they have to say seriously. I also know what they have to tell me is only part of the truth. The other part of the truth lies with the other student or group of students. They many times travel in packs. I bring everyone together and allow them the opportunity to speak their mind in a controlled environment. I don't keep secrets from parents. If I need to speak with parents about what's going on, I do so. I do my best to help the students find a solution and cope with the drama. I also meet with the classes when needed. We have to teach them how to act, behave, and be in a Christian manner. Who best to use as a model than Jesus and the Gospels.

My suggestion to parents, listen to your children. Don't just hear them, listen to them. They need for you to listen to what they have to say. You won't have all the answers. It doesn't matter. They will need some guidance on how to solve their problems. They are smarter than we think but don't forget their brains aren't fully formed until the age of twenty-five. I think that's part of God's sense of humor. Also remember there's another side to every story. Don't jump to conclusions. Think through the drama.

If you are one of the adults who has to deal with drama, listen to Fr. Ben Bradshaw's homily on dealing with difficult people. If you are that difficult person everyone has to deal with, for everyone's sake, please listen to his homily. Just CLICK HERE to listen.

I look forward to seeing my middle schoolers tomorrow. They are wonderful with plenty of surprises. Never know what the day will bring. Have a great week.

St. Ann...Pray for us!

God bless you,
Didier Aur, Principal
St. Ann Catholic School

Previous Blog:
https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/02/let-your-light-shine-before-others.html

Let Your Light Shine Before Others

Fr. Ernie usually ends his homilies by giving his parishioners an assignment. I see these assignments as a challenge for us to live Matthew 5:16. "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glorify to your Father who is in heaven."

At Mass last evening, Fr. Ernie talked about the need for hope and salvation, and how Rev. Billy Graham said those are two things we all need. We need to live our lives in such a way that we have hope in a salvation that there is more in store for us after our time here on Earth. Because of God's love for us, we received and continue to receive the gift of salvation through Jesus in the Eucharist. Life has little purpose and meaning if we do not have hope in salvation for eternal life.

Fr. Ernie then challenged us to live our Christianity. We are to model that hope in the way we live our lives, and that modeling is to begin the moment we leave Mass and encounter the world.

During his homily, I thought about the way I live my Christianity, and how I need to do a better job of living my faith. Those thoughts quickly turned to the many ways I see people living their faith through the school day. In my role at St. Ann, I am constantly on the move throughout the school doing my best to support the students, teachers, staff, volunteers, and parents. I try to not spend much time at my desk. Instead, I have the privilege of seeing "light shine before others" constantly.

During Mass, I whispered to my wife to please remind me that my next blog would be on how I see people live their Christianity every day. So, here is a list of thirty ways I see people living their faith at St. Ann Catholic School.

I see people living their Christianity when:

• May Young and George Dhuy volunteer every morning to work the carpool line no matter the weather condition. They greet each student and family with a helping hand and a smile.
• Jane Gillespie and Linda Garvey-Meisler are waiting at the classroom door at the end of the day to work with the Knowledge Bowl team.
• Kris Miller tells her 4th grade students the story during religion class about her conversion to Catholicism.
• Tricia Cooper's Kindergarteners sing Christian hymns as they do their seat work.
• Selina Trouy in a very motherly and loving way helps a student who is not feeling well or sternly yet compassionately deals with a student sent to the office for a much needed time out.
• I walk into the library and see Jim and MaryAnn Hall, Trena Kilp, Marilou Smith, Linda Sones, Jean Bedwell, Nancy Howland, and Marla Ferguson helping the students and teachers during library time.
• Annmarie Ghio organizes the monthly Rosary, St. Faustina Youth Society, and Eucharistic Ministers in promoting Catholic faith and charism.
• Angela de Jong goes the extra mile to organize the Band Trip, school play, Knowledge Bowl competition, and Pajama Drive for Catholic Charities.
• The Burns kids are piling out of their car with backpacks flying, a smile on their faces, and being fired up about school.
• Joner Tadrous and Amaya Bolton are walking together to their next class always laughing and full of life.
• The PK students are lined-up and greet me with a "Good Morning Mr. Aur."
• Savannah Bannister is the first student to enter the office each morning to turn on the lights and say good morning.
• Rocco Jimenez helps his little sister, Ivy, get out of their van and into the school building upon arrival.
• I get a high-five from the Petteys triplets.
• The middle schoolers escort the PK students to school Mass. Or, is it the PKers escorting the middle schoolers to school Mass?
• The Knights of Columbus put on extra fundraisers to help St. Ann families with much needed tuition assistance.
• Tony Mulrooney volunteers to help renovate the library, install security cameras, and build the set for the school play. Tony has many talents.
• Everyone in the carpool line gets a hug from Mahealani Siaulaiga.
• The 8th graders go to Ave Maria to spend time with the residents.
• My students sing in the youth choir on Sunday mornings.
• The school choir sings at the school Mass.
• The Knowledge Bowl team prays before each round of competition.
• 1st and 2nd graders answer Fr. Ernie's questions at Mass.
• So many of our 5th-8th graders are Altar Servers.
• Mariela Granados kneels to receive Communion.
• Stacey Griffith and Billy Gage serve as Godparents for an 8th grader being Baptized in preparation for First Communion and Confirmation.
• Teachers are in prayer before Mass.
• Enrique Montiel gives of his time, treasure, and talent to repair the kitchen equipment when needed.
• Abe Abuelouf and Anthony Maranise step in to team teach 8th grade Religion/Confirmation class.
• Parents sacrifice to be able to give their children a Catholic education. And, it is a sacrifice; a very worthwhile and important sacrifice.

St. Ann is a great Catholic School. Our students, families, and staff live their Christian faith daily. I see it in many more ways than these thirty ways. Every day I see it more and more. God continually blesses us in so many ways. It is up to all of us to thank him by letting our light shine and live our Christian faith.

God bless you,

Didier Aur, Principal

St. Ann Catholic School

Previous Blog: https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/02/another-great-catholic-schools-week.html

Another Great Catholic Schools Week

Student/Faculty Volleyball Game

Catholic Schools Week 2020 has come to an end, and what an exciting event filled week  we had highlighted by a Mass celebration with Bishop David Talley con-celebrating with Fr. Ernie DeBlasio.  And, what a fantastic Mass that turned out to be with our 2nd graders in charge and doing an awesome job as ushers, gift bearers, and lectors. I'm extremely proud of my students; all of them.  Bishop David was not too bad himself. Loved the way he brought the families together at the front of the church in describing how faith begins with the family and supported by the Church and School. His message was right on the mark. Perfect!

Bishop Talley and the
Montiel Family

I forgot to mention that Thursday was also Grandparents' Day at St. Ann. So, we had a packed house for Mass with the regular daily communicants, the students, staff, parents, and grandparents attending. The reception at the school was also packed. Grandparents and students were spending special time together creating lasting memories. Besides the donuts, bagels, coffee, and juice, grandparents were able to tour the school, visit the classroom, and purchase lots of books at the Scholastic Book Fair.

Catholic Schools Week started with our Open House and ended with the faculty once again coming out victorious in the Student/Faculty Volleyball Game. Thanks to the great play of Deborah Harty (the game's MVP two-years running) and great coaching from Tracy Angotti, the faculty made quick work of the students.

Selfie with Bishop Talley

In between those events, we had the Geography Bee, which was won by Vincent Ho (two-years in a row); Pajama Day, which brought in about 100 pairs of pajamas for Catholic Charities; School Spirit Day; Red, White, and Blue Day; Favorite Team Jersey Day; Student Talent Show, which was won by Zoe Geronimo; Priest Appreciation Day; Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day; and the Scholastic Book Fair, which raised over $1,000 for the school and promoted reading with our students, which is the single most important academic skill.

New 1st Grade Desks

Thank you to all those who took part in Catholic Schools Week. A special
thank you to Selina Trouy and Jennifer Burnett who keep the school going throughout all these events, taking care of students' needs, answering what seemed like hundreds of daily phones calls and emails, assisting dozens of school visitors, and making sure everyone is where they need to be. The work they do is immense and the love they do it with is immeasurable. Also, thank you to all the parents who help make Grandparents' Day a wonderful and joyous day.

Bannister Family at
Grandparents' Day Mass

In the middle of all these activities, the new 1st and 2nd grade desks and chairs arrived from Knowledge Tree. Thank you once again to the Stuppy Family Foundation for purchasing the desks and chairs for our students. Last year, the Stuppy Family Foundation purchased new students lockers for our 8th graders. They have been very good to our students and school. If you would like some of the old desks, come on by and pick up a few. They are yours for the taking while they last.

Support St. Ann Catholic School

This week, we are back to business as usual. Hoping to be able to not add to my to-do list, but I know that isn't going to happen.

Have a great week everybody, and thank God for all the blessings He has
bestowed on St. Ann Church and School.

God bless you,
Didier Aur, Principal
St. Ann Catholic School

Lots of Events. Lots of Thank Yous.

St. Ann Student Ambassadors at Preview Day

Sure is a lot going on at St. Ann these days. It seems as if one event ends and another begins. There is no slowing down. Actually, one event begins before another even comes to an end. There are some folks I would like to thank for their hard work to make all these events happen for St. Ann.

Last  weekend was the All-West band competition in Jackson, TN. I would like to congratulate Chloe Nguyen and Jonathan Clowney for being selected All-West two years in a row! Making All-West once is an incredible achievement. Making it twice is just unbelievable.

St. Ann All-West Band Members

I want to give John Baum a special shoutout for the time he gives to our students. He makes St. Ann a better school. His love of music, dedication to the students, and strong Christian faith are always front and center. As I said to the ladies in the front office, "John brings a lot of good to St. Ann."

While All-West was going on, so was the Allen Green Basketball Tournament. This tournament is an annual four-day tournament at St. Ann. Thank you to Tracy Angotti, St. Ann Athletic Director, for running such a big and awesome event. She gave her heart and soul to make sure the tournament was a success for all the teams, players, coaches, and families. If you have never run an event like the Allen Green Basketball Tournament, you have no idea how much time and effort it takes. It is pretty all-consuming running such a tournament.

Thank you to Lance Jolly for his leadership in being the tournament director. Thank you to Dawn

St. Ann 7/8 Grade Tournament Champions

Lewis for helping to run the tournament and being at the tournament the whole time. Thank you to Brian Kargauer for helping to run the gyms during the tournament. Thank you also to Emma Jolly, Beth Kargauer, Sarah Kargauer, Justin Wehmeyer, Mary Clowney, Emma Clowney, Maribel Green, Jason Lewis, and lots of SBA students for all the volunteer hours they gave to help make the Allen Green Basketball Tournament happen. A four-day basketball tournament takes many volunteers. A sincere thank you to all of the volunteers.

The next event was the Knights of Columbus Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser this past Wednesday in the school cafeteria. This was a fundraiser to help raise money for the K of C Scholarship Fund. The K of C Scholarship goes to help several St. Ann families with tuition assistance. It is a needs based scholarship and goes to help our parish families. Thank you to all who came out and supported the K of C and St. Ann School. Thank you Knights!

Our Knowledge Bowl team is gearing up for competition. Thank you to coaches Jane Gillespie and Linda Garvey Meisler for giving of their time and energy to lead our Knowledge Bowl team. They do great work in leading our students to higher academic learning. Knowledge Bowl is kind of like super-enrichment for our students.

Into the Woods, our spring musical, is in full practice mode. Thank you to Ryan Cooper as he leads our students and gets them ready for this production.

Putting on a play is not cheap. There are costs associated with anything worthwhile. We project it will cost roughly $4,000 to put on the musical. At this point, we are $600 short of our $4,000 goal. If you are interested in sponsoring Into The Woods, please contact me at didier.aur@sascolts.org or Angela de Jong at angela.dejong@sascolts.org. We would greatly appreciate your support in helping us reach our sponsorship goal.

I want to thank our sponsors who are making this production possible.  Thank you to Little Caesar's Pizza, Juice Plus, Boyle Investment Company, Fantastic Sams Germantown, Pendergrast Insurance Company, Michael & Silvia Hecht, and Jonathan & Brittany Aur. We cannot thank you enough for your support of our students and their work.

Click on Image for CSW Events' Calendar

The Journalism Club has been working on getting the yearbook ready. Thank you to Angela de Jong and Jennifer Podesta for leading the Journalism Club.

The Student Council has put together Catholic Schools Week events and activities.  Thank you to Billy Gage for coordinating this week's events with the members of the Student Council.  Please check our Facebook page for a list of the events. I invite you to attend our school Mass with Bishop David Talley this Thursday at 8:15 am in celebration of Catholic Schools Week. Following the Mass, we will celebrate Grandparents' Day.  The Scholastic Book Fair takes place all week. Come by our library to support our Book Fair.

This is just part of what's going on at St. Ann Catholic School. Come join in on all the excitement. Great things happen when great people come together for the benefit of the children. Funny how that works.

God bless you,
Didier Aur, Principal
St. Ann Catholic School