THOUGHTS FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL, JOSEPH VORBACH:
What a great start to the school year we had this week! The first three days with freshmen gave us a chance to get to know them and them the opportunity to get more comfortable with us, the building, and their schedules. I reminded them this week that they should not underestimate their capacity to exercise leadership, individually and collectively, right from the beginning of their high school careers at Bishop O'Connell. They are a bright and energetic group and we look forward to helping them discover what God has in store for them.
Yesterday, we enjoyed welcoming the entire student body back. Those who have been around the school the past decade have probably already heard me make this observation, but it bears repeating -- there comes a time, around the second week in August, when we all realize that it is time to get the students back in the building. Even as we lament that we don't have just a little more time to finish making improvements, and even as we fret about the fact that certain key deliveries have not been received, we know it is time to use the school for its intended purpose.
And when the students arrive, they are so glad to see each other, and even to see us! They are enlivened by a sense of the possible as the year begins and we draw great energy from them. There is a sense of renewal, of new beginnings and great possibilities. In our preparations before their arrival, we have been planning the best ways to encourage and sustain that energy with creative, focused and engaging learning opportunities.
All of us are compelled to acknowledge that it is a marathon, not a sprint that just started. Still, the adrenaline and energy we feel at the beginning is not artificial and we are challenged to make the most of it. It is an important component of an undertaking that we pray will conclude in June with each student looking back with pride and saying they set a good pace and achieved their personal best.
I encourage you to take a look at two links below. The first is a collection of photos from our freshman welcome (starting with the New Family Cookout and continuing through their first three days of school). The second is a link that will introduce you to the fantastic new members of our team this year.
Meet Our Newest Faculty Members
Wishing all families a blessed Labor Day weekend. We remember and pray for all whose labors make our lives easier. May I ask you to pray for all of the employees on the C&W Services team at Bishop O'Connell. They have worked tirelessly throughout the summer to prepare for this week and we are grateful for their efforts.