A Message from Our Principal

Dear Families,

We want to reissue the invitation to our Nativity Play and Christmas Concert on Friday, 12/19, from 12:50 to 2:15.

The Nativity Play (K and 1) will be first on the program, followed by performances of each class in grades two through eight, in that order. The program will conclude with a song by our student choir. If time allows, we will sing some songs together as a school community. 

Following the program, students will return to school while parents wait inside church (or outside) for dismissal. If you will be switching your usual transportation plans for the afternoon, please let Mrs. Estridge know before 1:00 on Friday. 

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This past week, we sent out courtesy attendance notifications to parents of any student on track to meet or exceed 11 absences and/or tardies for the school year. We will repeat this exercise in February. 

Our overall school attendance numbers are strong. Thanks to everyone for the value you place on making sure your students are present and prepared for the school day. 

Parental attitudes on the importance of everyday school attendance have loosened nationwide since the pandemic. Our own numbers, however, show a very stable picture. The one change we do see is an increase in days missed due to sports-related travel and family vacations. (Note: the purpose of this statement is not to cast blame, but to convey useful information about trends we observe. In other words, your first thought should not be, "Hey, they're talking about me!")

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As many of you know, 4th grade teacher Mrs. Robyn Schlabach is retiring from education at the end of this school year. Replacing her will be Mrs. Sarah Seals, who is already a staff member serving as a PreK instructional aide and member of our Catholic Identity Team. We'll more fully introduce Mrs. Seals down the line. 

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If you rely on bus transportation, be sure to monitor the websites and social media messages of your home districts. This past Friday, we had a situation in which Talawanda was fully closed and not providing transportation. I have refrained from sending this info out on OptionC to avoid flooding everyone with messages in the early morning hours about delays and transportation changes that pertain to other schools. The purpose here is to confine the OptionC alerts to info on whether Queen of Peace School itself is delayed or closed. Furthermore, you will probably get the transportation updates more quickly if you monitor district communications. I apologize to anyone on Friday who was waiting on an OptionC message about Talawanda transportation that never came. 

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Last Monday, we had a special Mass for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This occasion celebrates Mary's sinlessness.

Since we are Queen of Peace School, we make a big deal out of Mary's role as her Son's #1 disciple and Mother of the Church that carries on His ministry in the world. 

The sin we suffer is often the symptom of spiritual blindness, which is an ironic kind of sightlessness that deceives us into thinking we actually see with clear and unclouded eyes. Being blind to our blindness is a terrible affliction. It is endemic to the human condition of original sin. 

Mary gives us a model for how to overcome this liability when she hands herself over to God's will. Yet not being "immaculate" as she is, what hope do we have to emulate her dutiful discipleship? We have prayer. We have the sacraments. We have the Mass. We have the everyday graces that flow from the Lord's love. We have the promise of sharper vision if we can maintain the discipline to hone it. 

Our current Catholic School Superintendent, Matt Daniels, signs off his written correspondence with the following words: "Christ through Mary." The beautiful mystery of the Immaculate Conception should open our eyes to Mary's capacity to lead us out of darkness and into the light. 

Hail Mary, full of grace!

Christ in Self. Christ in Other. 

Sincerely,

Josh

This Week at QP

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