March 3, 2014
Middle School Parents,
Due to the inordinate amount of snow days we have had this year, the planned activities for Middle School on St. Patrick’s Day will be cancelled. At this point there is much instruction to be made up. With Terra Nova test week lurking, our teachers and students need all the time in the classroom they can get. The Middle School curriculum at St. Francis is even more accelerated than that of our elementary program, and because of that the students cannot afford to fall further behind with their learning of content, standards, and objectives. In place of the scheduled St. Patrick’s Day activities for Middle School, there will be a Middle School Dance on the evening of Friday March 14. Outside of educational or Catholic identity planned activities, the teachers, in compliance with Fr. Mark and myself, have been directed to focus solely on classroom instruction until further notice.
One of the challenges of being a Pre-K through 8th grade school is to determine the relevance of activities within the school and with that, making fair (not equal) decisions regarding the activities. Therefore, the Pre-K and Elementary students will still have afternoon celebrations from 1:30-2:30 as originally planned. Again, Fr. Mark and I agreed on the fact that classroom celebrations and activities are more meaningful and easily planned for around an event at the Elementary level compared to the Middle School level. Along with that, the Elementary students will not have the amount of days away from instruction as the Middle School students do for the remainder of the year.
The approved middle school educational activities and/or trips for the rest of the year include:
6th Grade
-trip to theatre on Ash Wednesday to see “Son of God” movie
-Lenten retreat on April 14
7th Grade
-trip to theatre on Ash Wednesday to see “Son of God” movie
-trip to Carnegie Science Center on March 28
-Lenten retreat on April 15
8th Grade
-trip to theatre on Ash Wednesday to see “Son of God” movie
-Religion field trip to Latrobe, PA with Fr. Peck, Fr. Jeremiah, and Mrs. Payton
-Lenten retreat on April 16
-annual trip to Washington D.C. on May 2
-History field trip to Wheeling/Moundsville on May 9
-Graduation May 29
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We truly appreciate your understanding in allowing us to honor the academic integrity of our school. Peace.