Dear SUA Community,
It is hard to believe that we are at the beginning of April with only two more months of school ahead of us. Without a doubt, we are entering a busy but exciting time of year for students and their families. We are holding onto our time with our seniors and are looking forward to celebrating the Class of 2025 with the many SUA traditions.
One thing that I have committed to doing recently is something that I put in my calendar daily called “Campus Walk.” I set aside at least an hour, two if possible, to do just what the calendar entry says: walk around campus. No real agenda - just a walk around campus. As much as I know how important it is to be visible around the school, sometimes the meetings and office work get in the way of spending this informal time that I want with students, faculty, and staff.
I have to tell you how much I am enjoying these campus walks. It is fun to chat informally with the students and teachers and learn more about what makes up their days. What strikes me most on most walks is the huge variety of learning activities that are happening across the campus. Today I stumbled upon a group of students in the East lobby working out their blocking for a scene in their Fundamentals of Acting course. This multi-aged group was working collaboratively, figuring out the best way to present their scene. I am certain that they learned plenty about the acting principles, but I wondered if they were aware of all of the soft-skills that they were practicing: leading, following, negotiating, listening, compromising, and problem-solving. I have overheard multiple discussions in classrooms where students listen to each other and preface their responding comments with phrases such as “Just to build upon that idea….” or “To take that point in a different direction….” I could give many examples of similar encounters from all academic disciplines. Our teachers are doing an excellent job facilitating these important lifelong skills, and it is wonderful to see the ways that students respond.
We are so blessed with an amazing faculty and staff at SUA. The first week in May is traditionally National Teacher Appreciation Week. We use this week to celebrate the people in our school who help our students learn and grow and/or perform important functions to support a quality, well-rounded educational experience. This year I am asking parents/guardians to consider writing a note of appreciation to a faculty or staff member. It is rare to meet a school person who does not have a special folder or place for these types of notes or momentos. Believe me, these notes will mean more than any treat or gesture of appreciation. If you are interested in writing a note, you are welcome to drop them off to Mrs. Bacon or email them to Mrs. Fischesser at jfischesser@saintursula.org by April 28. Please clearly indicate the recipient on the envelope or in the subject line of the email. I hope you will participate!
Go Bulldogs!
Kathy