Mardi Gras, king cake and disappointment

This coming week we will be celebrating Mardi Gras parties for the first time at Annunciation Catholic Academy.  We normally have Valentine’s parties in February, but Valentine’s Day falls during the first week of Lent—not a good time for parties to my way of thinking.  Trying not to eliminate one of only three parties we have all year, I thought we would give Mardi Gras parties a try this year.

While many associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans and certain excesses, the tradition actually goes back centuries and was brought to these shores by French settlers.  The term “mardi gras” means “fat Tuesday” and refers to the celebrations in which many indulged right before Ash Wednesday.  Carnival atmosphere and the eating of sweets was often the lead up to the somber time of prayer, fasting and abstinence which characterize Lent.

One of the traditions associated with Mardi Gras in this country is the king cake.  This is a cinnamon-roll like cake inside, with sugary icing and traditional Mardi Gras colored sprinkles on the outside.  Inside the cake is a baby.  Getting the piece of cake which contains the baby is considered special. 

Some interesting conversations have evolved around having a king cake at our parties.  Some of the parents preparing the parties planned on making individual cupcakes instead of the traditional large cinnamon-roll type cake.  They wanted each child to get a baby.  They did not want any child to be disappointed.  As an educator I objected.  Not only would this not be true to the tradition of the king cake, it would also be a lost opportunity to teach our children that you do not always get everything you want in life.  I would much prefer to have a child learn how to deal with disappointments by not getting the baby in a king cake than to have his/her first disappointment come when he/she is not able to have or do something truly significant.  We do our children a disservice when we shelter them too much.  Instead of teaching them that they can have everything they want any time they want it, we need to be showing them that we will love them and support them even when things do not go exactly as they would like. 

I am glad we are introducing the children to Mardi Gras, and I can't wait to have a piece of king cake.  It is a great prelude to Lent, one of the most significant times of the liturgical year.

Catholic Schools Week

This week is probably the best week of the school year for our students.  As we celebrate the many aspects of what makes our school special, our days are filled with wonderful opportunities to celebrate and grow. 

Saturday we were proud to have four of our students receive prizes at the Diocesan Art Show.  We completely swept the category for mixed media bringing home a first, second and third place! 

Today it was fun to see everyone dressed in blue and white, our school colors.  It was impressive to watch the spelling bee.  Some of our youngest students lasted the longest, and they were so poised each time they went to the microphone!   The day finished with a Praise and Worship service for our Middle School students.  I could not believe how well they all sang!

I have been principal of Annunciation Catholic Academy for 18 years.  I am proud of our students and their many accomplishments.  It has been a wonderful blessing to watch them become faith-filled leaders.  We are only just beginning Catholic Schools Week and already I have seen them shine in the area of the fine arts, spirituality and language arts.  I can’t wait for tomorrow and all it will bring.

New Year, New Resolve

The new semester and the New Year offer us opportunities to look at how we are doing and try to make adjustments if they are needed.  As I talk to children in the cafeteria or courtyard, I am continually impressed by their wonderful spirit.  They are so spontaneous, so filled with life.  What a precious gift they are to all of us—home and school alike.

I cannot help but be concerned, however, when they tell me about their current interests.  They appear to spend so much time with electronics: games, videos, television programs, etc.  When I ask about time spent outdoors with family, or just time spent with family, I do not get positive responses.

I would like to challenge you all to find some type of exercise to do with your children on a regular basis: bike, roller blade, swim, run or walk.  The “what” is not important.  Just get out and do it together as a family!.

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to see hundreds of families have a wonderful time together.  It was the 5K Color Run in downtown Orlando.  Many families ran in the race.  Many families walked in the race.  Everyone had fun. I was so happy to meet so many ACA families at the conclusion of the event.  We were all covered with colorful powder, and we were all very happy.

I didn’t start running until a couple of years ago.  I did my first triathlon when I was 63.   It is never too late!

Reflecting on School Tragedies

Many are probably asking, “How can I make sense of what happened in Connecticut recently?”  The simple answer is, “We cannot.”  There is no way to comprehend what has happened in Newtown and the effects that it will have on that community, indeed, on our nation.  Psychologists, ministers, politicians and parents have all expressed the unfathomable sadness that settles upon us.  As people of faith, we know that these innocent victims will be reunited with their Heavenly Father, and this gives us comfort.  I do not know how people without faith deal with such loss.

As I walked through our school today, I felt confident that our children are as safe as possible.  Our gates are secure; we have safety procedures in place; access to our campus is extremely limited; we routinely practice code drills and fire drills.  Most importantly, the children are always with loving adults who take their responsibility to care for our children very seriously.

Our administrative team met today to explore ways of making our building even more secure.  We came up with a few ideas and you will hear more about them as the days go on. 

For now, concentrate on your children. 

·         Listen to those who express anxiety. 

·         Answer their questions in age appropriate ways.  For most, a brief, factual answer is best. 

·         Do not be afraid to use words like “died.”  They understand that better than “passed away” or “is gone.”  Those terms are too nebulous for children in the concrete stage of their development.

·         Assure the children that our school is as safe as is possible.  Tell them that they can ask questions of Mrs. Waters, their teachers or me if they want to know how we would deal with something similar in our school.

·         Pray as a family: for the children, the adults, the entire school community.

·         Hug your children and tell them how much you love them.  The loss of a child is something I would never want any of you to experience.  I have known that grief, and I have known the healing grace that God provides for those of us who must deal with it.

May God continue to bless our school community with health and happiness.