School Advisory Board - Strategic Planning Initiative May 1 Notre Dame English as a New Language Training May 3

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1 School Advisory Board - Strategic Planning Initiative May 1 Members of our school board met to review where the school currently is and where it is heading in the next three years. Led by Deacon Mike Eiffe, chair of our board, members broke into Catholic Identity, Academics, and Finance sub-committees to discuss goals and actions for our strategic plan. Developing such a plan was one of our main goals during our accreditation review. We hope to begin school year with a working draft of our new strategic plan. Notre Dame English as a New Language Training May 3 Our Faculty worked in small groups and as a whole staff learning the science of language acquisition and how best to help our students learning English as a new language. First you understand language that you hear, then you can speak the language, then you can read it, then you can write it. We all learn language this way and our teachers have learned some new strategies to help all students improve! Several members of the Sacred Heart School Faculty joined us for our training. 8th Grade Trip to Camp Greenville May 1-5 Our 8th Graders had a wonderful time at Camp Greenville up in the mountains on the border between North and South Carolina. Despite some rainy weather, our students made the most of their time and continued our legacy as a Golden Plate winning school. Four of the Camp Staff even made the trip to Knoxville for our 8 th Grade Graduation.

2 Bulldogs in the News Caleb Morgan and Lucky DePersio, graduating seniors at KCHS and members of the Saint Joseph School Class of 2013, were awarded full academic scholarships to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Congrats to Caleb and Lucky and all our graduating alumni! 6th Grader Mary Eunice's club soccer team won the Tennessee state championship. Mary's soccer skills helped her SJS squad all season - congrats on the big win! 8th Grader Savannah Watson's club cheerleading squad placed 9th in the nation at the D2 Summit in Orlando. Congrats to Savannah who helped lead our SJS squad this year and will go on to cheer for KCHS along with teammates Georgia Wallace and Natalie Jeffries, who will join the Dance Team at Catholic High. KCHS Robotichauns Visit SJS May 9 The Knoxville Catholic Robotics Team, or "Robotichauns", visited Saint Joseph School on to demonstrate how their club works (and, more excitingly, how their robot works!), hoping to inspire students to join the team when they go to Catholic High. Many thanks to Mr. Parris for organizing the assembly. May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary May 10 This past Wednesday, we honored our spiritual mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, just as the Scriptures say we ought: Behold, from now on will all ages call be blessed. (Luke 1:48). Special thanks to our crowners this year, 8th Graders Katie Henson and Mike Francisco. Keeley Wade proclaimed the Reading and Sami McLean,

3 Meredith Thomas, and Savannah Watson led us in the Litany of Loreto. Special thanks to our 2nd Graders who provided the Honor Guard for the 8th Grade Procession. Mass in the Extraordinary Form May 12 Father Michael Hendershott, Associate Pastor of Holy Ghost Church, celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form in our chapel. What a blessing to be on the "spiritual bus ride to heaven"! Special thanks to Mr. John Gensheimer for coordinating the event and to Father Hendershott for inviting members of Holy Ghost parish's Latin Mass community to serve at the altar and provide the music. Spring Concert May 12 What a tremendous performance on Friday evening from our student singers and instrumentalists! Mr. Lovelace put together another fantastic program, featuring songs inspired by classic works of literature.

4 The Gymnasium/Performing Arts Center was a packed house to see our students showcase their talent. There's no business like show business! New Sacred Heart Cathedral Dedication SJS Saint Joseph School briefly hosted the dedication stone for the new Sacred Heart Cathedral as part of its pilgrimage throughout the Diocese of Knoxville. Bishop Stika brought the stone with him to Rome and had it blessed by Pope Francis himself. Our students joined in prayer to the Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4): Heavenly Father, through the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we ask your continued blessing upon the Catholic Church of East Tennessee as we strive to be the face, the hands, the feet, and the heart of Jesus. As we continue to grow as the Diocese of Knoxville and celebrate our unity with the Bishop of Rome, may this dedication stone of our new cathedral be a reminder of our unity as one Church! We ask this through the intercession the patron saints of our diocese, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John Paul II, but especially through Christ our Lord. Amen.

5 2017 Field Day May 17 We began our day last Wednesday with an all-school Mass. After our Sports Recognition Ceremony, our students proceeded through 10 sports-themed Field Day activities. It was a hot sunny day with fun for all! Special thanks to Mr. Drew Franklin, Mrs. Robyn Wilson, and all our parent volunteers for making our Field Day a success! 8th Grade Graduation Mass & Ceremony May 19 Our community gathered for Graduation Mass on Friday morning to celebrate God's many gifts to our Graduates. Afterwards, Mrs. Robyn Wilson hosted a breakfast for the 8th Grade families. On Friday evening, faculty and families were on hand for the Graduation Ceremony. Here are a few of the Awards handed out on Friday:

6 Father Albert Henkel Conduct Award Kate Landen Meredith Thomas Georgia Wallace Levi Waxmonsky Saint Albert the Great Science Award Kate Landen Principal s Award Keeley Wade Student-Athlete Award Emma Schaad Pope Saint John Paul II Religion Award Levi Waxmonsky Sister Mary Jolita Hughes Religion Award Meredith Thomas Servant of God Isaac Hecker Award Keeley Wade

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