Patty Bajek / Thursday, March 9, 2023

Saints Speak - 3/9/2023 - Our Lenten Journey

Please take a few minutes to reflect on today’s quote from Pope Francis:

“An example I often use to illustrate the reality of vanity, is this: look at the peacock; it’s beautiful if you look at it from the front. But if you look at it from behind, you discover the truth…Whoever gives in to such self-absorbed vanity has huge misery hiding inside them.”

As we pray today, let each of us think of our own vanities and self-absorbed behaviors. How can we, especially during this Lenten season, make an extra effort to be others-centered?

Lent

Today our students in 2nd-6th grade had the opportunity to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. Thank you to our parish priests who joined us this morning! We will schedule Reconciliation for our 7th and 8th graders at a later date before Easter.

2023-2024 Calendar

Click here for next year’s calendar of important dates! More details will be shared as we near the fall, but hopefully this helps with your planning.

DDA Update

We are so excited for the Great Gatsby Gala in just 9 days! It is truly going to be a roaring good time.

In addition to the amazing evening filled with dinner, dancing, raffles, and our incredible auction items, each year’s DDA also has a Fund A Need. We humbly ask you to consider raising your paddle at this year’s event in support of our incredible faculty. Think back to your own educational experience and what memories stand out to you most. Chances are, these memories aren’t centered around a “what” but rather, around a “who.” For many of us, when we look back fondly on a school memory, there is a favorite teacher who comes to mind. Maybe this teacher had a way of explaining the content that made it all crystal clear. Maybe he wove jokes or life lessons into his lectures to make each day memorable. Maybe she always asked how your day was and made you feel truly known and loved.

Each of us can name a teacher who made a difference in our lives. During the school year, children spend more waking hours with their teachers than they do with any other adults. These teachers are charged with showing them love and compassion, modeling kindness and empathy, and teaching them academic and life skills that will stay with them forever. Research shows that teacher quality matters more to student achievement than any other aspect of schooling.

We are blessed at All Saints to have excellent teachers who care for each one of their students as much as they care for their own children. ASCA teachers go the extra mile to get to know each child and family, provide excellent instruction, and create a loving and faith-filled classroom environment. Our faculty and staff is truly our greatest asset.

Teaching, and especially teaching in a Catholic school, is more than a job, it is a vocation. Our educators are called by Christ to do His work in our school, and following this call requires a commitment different from most professions. While we recognize that teachers certainly do not choose this path for financial gain, they still deserve a fair and just wage for the work they do each day. Unfortunately the salary scale for teachers in the Diocese of Joliet is such that each year many are forced to leave Catholic schools such as All Saints for financial reasons.

This year’s Fund A Need is to support additional compensation for the excellent educators serving the students of All Saints. Did you know that in the Diocese of Joliet, a new teacher with a bachelor’s degree will make less than $31,000 in her first year? This salary is 59% of what her peers with the same background will make in our neighboring public school districts. Additionally, salary increases for experience and education are minimal: a Diocesan teacher with a Master’s degree and ten years of experience will make less than $37,500, a salary less than 50% of that of her peers working in local public schools.

While it is unrealistic to match the salaries of our public school neighbors, additional compensation for our teachers is necessary to recognize the value of their work, continue to recruit and retain top talent committed to our faith and mission, and provide a just wage. Neighboring Catholic schools have created endowment funds that are used to supplement teacher salaries beyond the Diocesan salary scale, providing an additional 15% or more beyond the Diocesan recommendations. This year’s Fund A Need will be used to build a similar fund that can support ASCA teacher salaries next year and into the future. Such a fund will allow us to maintain and grow our greatest asset, our teachers, so they can continue to partner with you in developing saints and scholars each day!

Thank you in advance for your generous support of All Saints Catholic Academy, this year’s Fund-A-Need, and our faculty. God bless you!

Athletics Update

Our basketball teams have had a great season, and four of our teams are competing in the league Championship games this weekend! Good luck to these teams, and please head out to cheer them on this weekend. Go Saints!!

5th grade Boys A Team – Saturday 5:45pm at Montini Catholic High School vs. St. Petronille

6th grade Girls A Team – Saturday 11:30am at St. Francis High School vs. St. Petronille

7th grade Boys A Team – Saturday 7:30pm at Benet Academy vs. St. Petronille

8th grade Girls A Team – Sunday 1:15pm at Joliet Catholic Academy vs. St. Joe’s

Student Recognition

Last weekend, three of our students participated in the Music and Arts SoloFest through band. Congratulations to these students on their fantastic solo performances:

Nico Martinez (4th grade) – Beginner Trumpet Solo 1st Place Gold Medal

Norah Gardner (5th grade) – Intermediate Trombone Solo 1st Place Gold Medal

Aubrey Chernick (6th grade) – Snare Drum & Bell Solos, 1st Place Gold Medal on each

Student Council Bake Sale

Student Council is hosting a bake sale next Friday for St. Patrick’s Day! Baked goods will be available for purchase after school at doors 1 and 7 for $1 each.

Saintly Acts

Congratulations to the following students who earned Saintly Acts this week: Kyler J. (8th grade), Katie D. (8th grade), Alberto S. (8th grade), Clare H. (6th grade), Christian O. (6th grade), Barrett K. (6th grade), Bella B. (6th grade), Alex S. (8th grade), Kya C. (8th grade), Ashley K. (8th grade), Ashley S. (6th grade), Derek L. (7th grade), Michael B. (4th grade), Nico M. (4th grade), Renee S. (Kdg), and Mila B. (Kdg). Keep being saintly!

Warm regards,

Margie Marshall