Mount St. Joseph Academy

Dear Parents and Students:

I hope you are enjoying your summer and setting some personal goals for yourself, even if they are completing a good book or taking a long overdue hike on the Long Trail.

The intent of this letter is to touch base with you about the upcoming academic year.  Keep this letter as a reference.   Please read the updated Parent/Guardian-Student Handbook at www.msjvermont.org and make sure that you return the following signed forms before the first day of school:

Handbook and Financial Agreement Form

Medical Form

Senior Privilege Form (for Class of 2010 only)

You will notice that the 2009-10 Handbook specifies changes in dress code, daily schedules and other areas.  Note the changes.

New CKS Principal: Mrs. Carol Wincowski is the new principal at CKS.  She and I have spent some time this summer collaborating on projects.  Please welcome her to Rutland Catholic Schools.

Financial Obligations: Tuition payment plans are available in 1, 2, 4 and 10 installments only.  Your payment plan should be registered with Mrs. Robbins (775-1051, ext. 111 or crobbins@msjvermont.org) in the Finance Office.  Payments begin in July, the start of the new fiscal year.  Tuition bills have been sent.

Calendar: A revised copy of the 2009-10 calendar is enclosed and posted on-line at www.msjvermont.org.

Meeting for Parents and Guardians: The first meeting for Parents and Guardians will be on Tuesday, August 25 at 6:00PM in the Jennifer Bagley Theater.  Key issues will be addressed.  Parents of the Class of 2010 will be invited to remain after the general meeting in order to discuss Project Graduation and other senior-related concerns.  Mark your calendar.

Front Office Hours: This is a reminder that the Front Office is open on M-TH from 8:30-1:30.  Closed on Fridays.  These hours are through August 7.

Summer Volunteers:  If you volunteered to help at MSJ this summer, please contact Mr. Audette and Mrs. Liscinsky in the Front Office.  The Front Office is open on M-TH from 8:30-1:30.  Mr. Audette is coordinating volunteers and works at MSJ from 8:00 -2:00.  Your help is needed.

Summer Assignments: All summer assignments for AP Calculus, Composition I and Composition II; and World Literature are posted at www.msjvermont.org.  Make sure your assignments are completed before the start of school.

Course Schedules: If you have not picked up your course schedule, see Ms. Notte, Registrar, from 8:30-11:30, M-TH.

Books: The official 2009-10 MSJ book resource is Back-to-Books.  Back-to-Books has all of the books needed for 2009-10 MSJ courses.  Go to the academic portion of the MSJ web site and find the link to Back-to-Books.  Also, please note on the homepage of the MSJ web site the list of book corrections.

Honor the Past: There is an MSJ/CKS Scholarship fundraising event called “Honor the Past” taking place on July 28 at the Rutland Holiday Inn.  It starts at 6:00PM.  Dr. Bob Rotella, MSJ alum and nationally known sports psychologist, is the featured speaker.  Contact the Mrs. Terrie Churchill (775-0151, ext. 112 or development@msjvermont.org) in the Development Office for details.   All are welcome!

National Honor Society: As the 2009-10 NHS Advisor, I sent a letter to all eligible students who were invited to apply for admission to NHS.  Also, I sent letters to all current NHS members.  If you received an NHS letter, you are reminded that your response is due by August 20.  Please follow the instructions that were given.

2009-10 Parent/Guardian-Student Handbook: The new handbook is posted at www.msjvermont.org.  Read the revised handbook and sign the signature form that is enclosed with this letter.  (I know I said this above, but it bears repeating.)

Service Hours: You will note in the 2009-10 Student Handbook that the completion of service hours is mandatory for graduation.  Please make sure that you are planning a service project.  (Some students have already completed their hours for 2009-10.)  Miss Zimmer will coordinate special service projects and Mrs. Gides will track the hours you complete.  Turn in your forms with hours to Mrs. Gides.  Forms will be available at the start of the school year.

Class of 2010: Members of the Class of 2010 are reminded that now is the time to begin writing your resume and college essays. Plan ahead.

Faculty Members and Boys’ Hockey Coach: Last, but not least, MSJ welcomes its new faculty members and boys’ hockey coach.   New personnel include  Mr. Bjorn Behrendt, IT Coordinator; Mrs. Kristina Cady, French; Dr. Stephanie Larson, Chemistry;  Fr. Timothy Naples, Religion and Chaplain;  Mr. Dale Patterson, Boys’ Hockey Coach; and Mr. William Van Liew, Mathematics.

If you lose this letter, it is posted on-line on the MSJ homepage.  Be well.

Best regards,

Mr. Paolo E. Zancanaro, MA

Principal

Dear Parents and Students:

It was a pleasure to work with you during this past year.  In particular, I am grateful to all the parents who assisted in advancing the programs at MSJ.  The athletic, arts and the Parents and Friends Club’s supplementary programs could not be possible without the commitment of MSJ parents.  I wish you and your family a peaceful and restful summer.

You will notice that the final grade report for 2008-09 is enclosed, as well as the calendar for 2009-10.  In case you misplace the hard copy of the calendar, the 2009-10 calendar will be available on-line as of June 26.  School begins for students on August 26.

A final copy of the new Parent-Student Handbook will be available on-line by June 26 as well.  There will be revisions to the dress code and other areas of the Handbook.  Please note the revisions and sign the signature form at the back of the Handbook.  The signature form, along with additional forms that will arrive before the start of school, should be returned to Mrs. Liscinsky in the front office.

In preparation for the start of the 2009-10 academic year, please make sure that you have made tuition payment arrangements with Mrs. Robbins (775-0151, ext. 111; crobbins@msjvermont.org) in the Finance Office.  Your timely attention to this makes the payment of MSJ’s obligations a much smoother process.

Students schedules were distributed during exam week.  Mrs. Gides worked to create the schedules in as effecient of a manner as possible.  If you have any questions about your schedule, please refer those questions to Mrs. Gides by Wednesday, June 24.   June 25 is Mrs. Gides’ last day before her summer break begins.

Also, please make certain that books are purchased before August 26, the first day of school.  A number of parents took adavantge of the “book swap” that was organized by the Parents and Friends Club on June 18.  Books may be purchased through the Back-to-Books link on the MSJ web site.

Members of the Class of 2010 should begin the college admissions process.  Some seniors have already written their resumes in anticipation of requesting letters of recommendation from faculty members.  It is important that seniors stay focused on achieving the goals that they have set for themselves.  Part of staying focused is taking the time to prepare the required elements of the application process, including college essays.

If you have any questions or if I may be of help to you in some other way, I will be in my office until July 1.  I will return after July 22.

Peace and all good,

Paolo E. Zancanaro, MA

Principal

Dear Parents and Students:

Your schedule of classes for 2009-10 have been sent.  Mrs. Gides, with the assistance of Ms. Notte, worked with the scheduling program to provide you with the greatest number of your choices as possible.  Some accommodations were made to increase the number of course selections. I am grateful to Mrs. Gides for the number hours she spent creating schedules within the numerous parameters that were part of the process.

If you have any questions or concerns about your schedule, please refer them to Mrs. Gides.  Please limit any changes to your schedule.  If you are unsure about a particular course, wait to purchase your books until you have rectified any schedule changes.  All changes must be made by Wednesday, June 24, 2009.

Books for all courses must be purchased prior to the start of classes on Wednesday, August 26, 2009.

Back-to-Books will be available to buy back books on June 17, 2009.   You are invited to come to MSJ to sell your books to Back-to-Books.   Back-to-Books is the official source for the purchase of all MSJ-related texts.

If you are registered for a course that has summer reading/summer assignment, please make certain that your assignments are completed by the start of school on August 26.  Summer assignments/reading lists will be posted on-line by June 26.

The MSJ calendar for 2009-10 will be available on-line and sent in the mail as of June 26, 2009.

Sincerely,

Paolo E. Zancanaro, MA

Principal

January 27, 2009

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Included with your daughter’s and/or son’s first semester grade report, are a letter from Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence, RI, on the mission of Catholic schools and  recent articles on Catholic education from both the New York Times and The Wall Street Journa.  Each of these documents addresses core issues facing U.S. Catholic schools, as well as highlights the enormous contributions that Catholic schools have made to the nation.

Bishop Tobin’s letter is the first in a series of twelve letters that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will write on various aspects of Catholic education. It is clear in Bishop Tobin’s letter that the mission of Catholic education is three-fold: to preach the Gospel; to develop an enlightened sense of service to the least of our sisters and brothers; and to cultivate an attitude of thanksgiving and worship of God.  All of this, of course, flows from the context of a rigorous academic program.

Both the bishop’s letter and the Times and Wall Street Journal articles address the challenges that Catholic schools face, especially in the midst of the current global economic circumstances. However, these documents, just as numerous studies and articles previously written about Catholic education, note the enormous success of Catholic schools and the importance of Catholic schools to families and the nation.  As Bishop Tobin says, “[Let us] resolve to recognize the irreplaceable and enormous value of our schools, and let’s resolve to do all that we can to preserve, support and hand on this important heritage.” 

Your voice on behalf of Mount St. Joseph Academy is key to the success of our school.  Now is the time to speak up about, and to promote, the value of MSJ.  At the request of Bishop Matano, I met with him on January 16, 2009.  Our conversation was about the importance of The Mount in the lives of current families, alumni, and the wider Rutland Community.  I will have a follow up meeting with him in mid-March.  It is important for me to present him with 80% of the 100 students on which the 2009-10 proposed budget is based.

If you are a parent/guardian of a returning student, please register now for 2009-10.  Whether you are the parent/guardian of a senior or that of a current freshman, sophomore or junior, please encourage others to register at MSJ.   Registration forms are available on-line, as well as through the admissions office and front office. The early registration period ends on February 8 and it provides a registration fee savings of $50.  Please check the MSJ web site for details.  Also, please refer to materials sent in the last mailing for details about tuition, tuition discounts for families with more than one child in RCS, as well as information about tuition assistance.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Reynolds in Admissions (admissions@msjvermont.org; 775-0151, ext. 108) or Mrs. Robbins in Finance (crobbins@msjvermont.org; 775-0151, ext. 111).

Thank you for your unwavering support of The Mount.

Sincerely,

Paolo E. Zancanaro, MA

Principal