Welcome, 2023! I hope you all enjoyed some cherished time with family and loved ones during Christmas break. My husband and I spent a week with our children in Gatlinburg and then traveled to see my parents and siblings in FL. Sadly, we also had to say goodbye to our 16-year-old family dog, Lily. Like most of you, we experienced many ups and downs this year, but all in all, 2022 was filled with many blessings, and our hearts are full as we reflect on sharing in each other’s joys and sorrows.
Yes…I did miss the schoolchildren, too. It’s so wonderful to be back at school where love, laughter, and learning abound. This month at SHCS, we are focusing on the virtue of friendship. We are learning about and practicing true friendship – one in which we seek the good of another. That seems so simple, but there is such great power in thinking, speaking, and acting only for the good of another.
I recently witnessed a fourth-grade student giving up her own recess time to walk an injured student to the clinic. This act of sacrificing one’s own needs and wants for the good of another is an example of true friendship and choosing to be the light of Christ to others. All of the schoolchildren (LE-8) are learning about friendship as a virtue. Healthy friendships encourage us to do what is right and good and model those things, too. Please ask your children about it and share your own experiences with them (both the difficult and the uplifting).
Just a few reminders…
January is a time for new beginnings. Let’s start the year off right with a new haircut. Our school guidelines state that boys’ hair must be cut over the ears, off the collar, and above the eyebrows. The girls are growing by leaps and bounds, and their skirts are not growing with them. It may be time to let the hemline down or purchase the next size up. Please ensure your child’s skirt is no shorter than 3″ above her knee.
*Next year, students in grades 3-8 will not be permitted to wear “skorts” since the uniform companies are unable to provide them in the required length. These girls should wear skirts with solid navy or black shorts underneath. Additionally, eighth-grade girls may purchase/wear the solid navy blue skirt that is part of the Knoxville Catholic HS uniform.
Ensuring that our students abide by the school uniform policy (as well as every policy in the parent/student handbook) is the responsibility of every parent and faculty member at SHCS. We need your assistance and cooperation to help our school become a place of self-discipline, respect, and order, focusing on growing, learning, and becoming disciples of Christ. Thank you for being our partners in education!
Mary Sue Kosky
SHCS Principal