Newsletter

Dear HSF Family,

Surely sometime during the next few months, we‚ll experience some typical Nebraska winter weather. I want to simply share again with you that Mr. Sjuts and I work together to make decisions about school closings for weather. Due to the distances that some of our students and teachers travel to get to Humphrey, we do try and anticipate inclement weather based on the forecast and sometimes we make the call to close school the evening before. Most of the time we are right, sometimes we are wrong. Our philosophy is if we are going to be wrong, let‚s be wrong in calling off school than in choosing to have school. As far as activities go, if we close early due to weather, we will not have practice or regular season competitions. Depending on the weather later in the evening, site to travel to, and the pressure by the NSAA, we would consider participating in a post season competition on the evening of an early dismissal. If we cancel school for the day, we may allow open gym later that afternoon or competition that evening depending on if the weather clears. As we know, Nebraska weather can go from one extreme to another in a short amount of time. Common sense and safety will always be our guiding principle. Hopefully, we won‚t have to worry about snow days at all this school year but if God truly answers (teacher‚s) prayers, I‚m sure we‚ll have a few.

I‚m writing these words while sitting in an Art room in Stuart HS. I‚m taking a break from watching One Act plays at the district competition. I can‚t help but conclude that the skills that our students acquire while participating in the performing arts are likely more valuable to their employability in the future than other extra-curricular activities. We hope that the academic knowledge and skills that they leave us with will take them anywhere they want to go in the world and give them the opportunity to choose their career field. They will certainly also need the ability to articulate and express themselves confidently to any particular group of people. I just really appreciate and enjoy watching our students perform on the stage. It takes a level of poise, courage, skill, and strength that easily matches the same needed to perform on the field, court, mat, or track. It‚s very gratifying to see so many of our students choose to hone these skills through drama. They commit a tremendous amount of time and energy to it and I‚m delighted that their investment is paying off.

I like to share a simple reminder during this time of year about sportsmanship. Basketball season generally brings out the worst in fans since there are so many „judgment‰ calls that officials make combined with the intensity and proximity of the gym atmosphere, sometimes parents and fans can get out of hand. I know that, for the most part, St. Francis represents our school and our faith very well. I do feel that it is a good idea to reiterate good sportsmanship at the start of the season however. Check out the „Ten Commandments of Good Sportsmanship‰ included in this newsletter.

I would guess that the most overused cliché is „time flies.‰ How frequent do we mention how fast the year, and indeed, life goes by? It is amazing that when we look back at the calendar, a week, month, or year seems like yesterday but thinking about a week, month, or year into the future makes us feel that it‚s a time forever away. December will come and go in a flash and then we‚ll start on a new semester and will be on the downhill slide of this school year. In fact, I‚ve already begun some of the preliminary business in preparation for the 2008-2009 school year. I hope that during this hectic holiday season you are able to manage some time to enjoy peace in your heart, fellowship with family, and praise for the Christ child.

Website of the month: www.catholic.com

Blessings, Darron Arlt darlt@esu7.org