Dear Friends,
I am often asked “Dr. Fike, why should I send my child to DeSales and have to pay tuition when I can send my child to public schools for free?” This is a question that I both dread and look forward to at the same time. I dread it because it forces me to “brag” about the incredible accomplishments that our students realize on a daily basis, but I look forward to it for the very same reasons and today, of all days, it seems apropos to speak about the value and beauty of a DeSales education. However, not as you might expect, with me going on about the variety and depth of offerings at DeSales, but, as the song goes, “looking forward in reverse.”
Now, you may ask why today, well, that is the easy part. This evening we celebrate the induction of our second class into the DeSales Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame at the Classics V. The Hall of Fame inductees embody the teachings of the school's patron, St. Francis de Sales, as they excel in their professional, volunteer and family lives. Bearing the motto "enshrining our past, ensuring our future," induction into the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame serves as the highest honor bestowed by Desales Catholic School. This year’s inductees, Mary Carol (Bracken) Marotta - St. Joseph's Academy, 1950, the late Sr. Mary Loretto (Loretta Hamm) - St. Joseph's Academy, 1926, David R. Kinyon - DeSales High School, 1968, William A. Kirsch - DeSales High School, 1950 and, inducted together, the late Jim and Jack Mullane - DeSales High School, 1950, represent some of the very best of what a DeSales education can lead to.
As the principal here at DeSales, but more importantly as the parent of a current student and alum, I want to know that the education that my children and yours are receiving is going to prepare them for: Are we laying a solid foundation for their future? I know that the answer is yes because all I have to do is look at what has been accomplished by the 2014 DeSales Distinguished Hall of Fame Class to know that yes, DeSales is the Start of Something Great.
God Bless You All.
In His Name,
Scott
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Dear Friends,
Wow, what a week this has been. There are so many different, really cool experiments going on in all of our classes that I just had to tell you about them as well as share a few other things.
If you ask any educator why they entered the field, they will most likely tell you they became a teacher because they wanted to see that “ah ha” moment on a child’s face. That moment when everything just clicked and they figured out the answer to a problem. Well, that is what learning is all about and exactly what happened in Mr. Welt’s science class; a lot of “ah has.” Our middle school students were giving a variety of different products (tinfoil, paper plates, paper towels, and masking tape) and asked to create a cooler to see how long they could keep an ice cube from melting when placed in front of a heater. Well, after twenty minutes two young ladies ended up with very little water in their “cooler” and a whole lot of ice. Check out our Facebook page to see some of the fun.
With the sudden resignation of our Spanish teacher we began an immediate search for someone to fill this position. It is my pleasure to announce that we have found just the person to lead our Spanish program through this year, Miss Alexis Targus ’06. Miss Targus is a certified teacher with extensive college training in Spanish, including study abroad in Spain. Please join me in welcoming her back to the DeSales family.
Finally, last month I spoke about my project for this year, Walking in St. Francis’ Shoes, and am happy to announce that this month’s character trait that teachers are looking for is Responsibility. As a reminder, teachers will be looking for students who go above and beyond. Students who are “caught” will receive a DeSales Dollar to deposit, with their name on it, in a fishbowl in the Main Office. This month’s winner will receive an “I Tunes" gift card.
In His Name,
Scott
Wow, what a week this has been. There are so many different, really cool experiments going on in all of our classes that I just had to tell you about them as well as share a few other things.
If you ask any educator why they entered the field, they will most likely tell you they became a teacher because they wanted to see that “ah ha” moment on a child’s face. That moment when everything just clicked and they figured out the answer to a problem. Well, that is what learning is all about and exactly what happened in Mr. Welt’s science class; a lot of “ah has.” Our middle school students were giving a variety of different products (tinfoil, paper plates, paper towels, and masking tape) and asked to create a cooler to see how long they could keep an ice cube from melting when placed in front of a heater. Well, after twenty minutes two young ladies ended up with very little water in their “cooler” and a whole lot of ice. Check out our Facebook page to see some of the fun.
With the sudden resignation of our Spanish teacher we began an immediate search for someone to fill this position. It is my pleasure to announce that we have found just the person to lead our Spanish program through this year, Miss Alexis Targus ’06. Miss Targus is a certified teacher with extensive college training in Spanish, including study abroad in Spain. Please join me in welcoming her back to the DeSales family.
Finally, last month I spoke about my project for this year, Walking in St. Francis’ Shoes, and am happy to announce that this month’s character trait that teachers are looking for is Responsibility. As a reminder, teachers will be looking for students who go above and beyond. Students who are “caught” will receive a DeSales Dollar to deposit, with their name on it, in a fishbowl in the Main Office. This month’s winner will receive an “I Tunes" gift card.
In His Name,
Scott
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