Dear Brothers, Lasallian Colleagues, and Friends,
The summer break never seems to be long enough for the many small but important tasks that need to be accomplished before school reopens. Nonetheless, we were ready when school opened for Faculty meetings and New Student Orientation toward the end of August. The first day of classes on September 5th saw the largest Form 1 class (7th grade) that we have seen in many years, 47 boys and girls!
Thanks to the generosity of the Brothers through the Visitor’s Appeal 5 students have received academic scholarships while another 25 students have received financial aid. None of these 30 students would be able to attend this school without this financial assistance. Additionally, another 20 students receive assistance for transportation or lunch. Each of our teachers now has a laptop for their professional use as we begin to integrate technology into an educational system that still relies heavily on “copy and memorize”. The Brothers of the District and their generous dispersal of community funds have our gratitude!
Included in this issue of Strambi News you will note pictures of parents and students at the Orientation sessions at the beginning of the term, “House” Tug-of-War-the first school-wide sports activity for the year, and Teacher In-Service Day on instructional technology. We were fortunate enough for the second year running to receive 100 new desks and folding chairs from Food for the Poor.
We hope to be able to sponsor service groups this coming year. A group from St. Jerome’s Parish in Fancy Farms, Kentucky spent 3 days painting and cleaning the former volunteer residence that we have re-christened Solomon Hall. Tentatively, a group from La Salle University will be visiting us in March and will stay in this residence which is next door to the Brothers’ Community house. More groups are welcome.
Our community continues to celebrate; birthdays, local feast days, commemoration of Mother Theresa’s canonization as well as our own St. Brother Solomon, and the Passionist founder St. Paul of the Cross. A special thank you to Brother Mark Brown who volunteered two weeks of service and fraternity this past July.
God bless you for your support of this Institute mission “beyond the borders”.
Sincerely,
Brother James Dries, FSC
Principal
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