I am so grateful to the generous volunteers who came out this morning. We made a huge difference in a short period of time. Thank you! Thank you! It is such a blessing for me to be part of this faith community.
If I had been thinking ahead, I would have taken "before" pictures. However, as I looked at the abundance of weeds this morning before we began, I had more of a feeling, "Where do we start?" Taking a photo did not cross my mind until we were well into the process.
I am so grateful to the generous volunteers who came out this morning. We made a huge difference in a short period of time. Thank you! Thank you! It is such a blessing for me to be part of this faith community.
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It must be getting close to the start of school. Uniforms were all over the hallway outside of my office this week. Once again, I have been impressed with the organizational skills of our volunteers and staff in serving the needs of our parents and students. The methodologies utilized to help make Catholic education affordable for all comes in a variety of forms. Having the opportunity to participate in some type of uniform exchange is one such avenue to keep costs down. Things were neatly compiled by style and size for easy browsing. Many thanks to everyone who made this week-long event possible.
Can you feel the excitement in the room? That was the primary question running through my mind as I prepared to speak. We had a gathering yesterday evening in the band room at St. Albert Catholic Schools in which the community was able to hear from the new leadership team at the school. As the executive director, this was my first real opportunity to share my vision for the school with a wider audience beyond the staff. I wasn't sure what to expect in regard to turnout, but it was a joy to watch people stream in through the doors as we approached the starting time. We had set up 75 chairs earlier in the day. We still ended up with people standing in the back of the room. Wow! Thank you to everyone who came.
The positive energy flowing through the room was almost palpable. After many years of public speaking, I still get excited when I can see that people are enthused about the message I am sharing. In that room last night we all shared at least one thing in common--the success of St. Albert Catholic Schools. I extend my gratitude to the leadership team for all of your hard work in recent weeks. Your presence at the gathering last night was also deeply appreciated. It was a long day for several of you because of meetings and commitments during the day prior to the evening gathering. Then, one of you had to leave very early this morning for diocesan meetings. Your dedication and commitment is noteworthy. Please know that the sacrifices you are making do not go unnoticed. Thank you! "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected."
~John Maxwell On a recent trip to Des Moines I visited the state capitol. The architecture of the buildings and the numerous statues around the property were a treasure to behold. There is a sense of grandeur in looking at these structures for the beauty in and of itself, but also for what is represented in each edifice. There is a deep sense of accomplishment present when one views these majestic artifacts and ponders the work behind each. It is my desire to create an atmosphere where people can flourish. This begins in my home, spreads to my local faith community, then to the wider community, and especially into my place of employment. We each have influence over others in our day-to-day interactions. Are we influencing others in a positive way? In my current role as executive director, I want the rest of the administration team to thrive in their leadership roles. I want the teachers to be enthused about their ministry of educating and forming the young people entrusted to their care. I want the support staff to be appreciated for the value they add to our endeavors across the spectrum. I want volunteers and supporters to be eager to share their gifts and talents with us. Ultimately, I want the students to have a wonderful opportunity to learn, to grow, and to be formed in the ways of Christ and His Church. I want all of us to blossom as individuals and as an institution. It is my desire to be a "yardstick of quality." Let's pursue excellence together! As the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord today, I could not help but think about the profound way that lives are transformed and transfigured here at St. Albert Catholic Schools. Many people invest their time, talent, and financial resources to make that happen. This includes paid staff as well as the many volunteers who support our endeavors in a multitude of ways.
I met with the Ambassador Advisory Committee this morning to learn more about what they do. I was given a copy of their mission statement which says, "The mission of St. Albert Ambassadors is to support Catholic education at St. Albert in a social setting through volunteer activities, prayer and assistance to school staff." I then learned that their group had over 920 hours of volunteer time during the 2017-2018 academic year September through August. The 2018-2019 numbers will become available at the conclusion of the month of August, and then they will embark on the 2019-2020 academic year. This is just one group at the school. There are many others. Also, we can send out a quick e-mail blast and post an event on social media to solicit workers to do weeding and flower garden work, and people sign up to come. It is this kind of generosity that keeps many nonprofit organizations going. St. Albert Catholic Schools benefits immensely from these dedicated and generous individuals. The picture above reflects the dedication of our employees. The director of the childcare center brought his wife and daughter up to school last weekend to clean the front entrance area, did some trimming of the grass, and planted fresh flowers in the large pots. That is how a "day off" was spent. In my first month here I have seen this type of commitment over and over from the staff. I want to thank everyone who is getting on board to help us be successful in launching the new school year. It is an exciting time to be a Falcon and a Sainte at 400 Gleason Avenue in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It seems like I have been moving furniture for months. We moved from South Carolina to Iowa. We went and reclaimed some of our stuff from our daughter in Wyoming that we left a year ago when we moved to South Carolina. We moved those things to Iowa. Yesterday we loaded up yet another trailer to move our son to Missouri in preparation for finishing his degree at Northwest Missouri State University. I am gaining some skills that I really never wanted to attain in regard to packing and unpacking.
Since I attended Northeast Missouri State University many moons ago, I am conflicted about my son attending Northwest. However, after exploring the campus of Northwest a little bit yesterday, I must say I was quite impressed. It is a beautiful campus sitting in a peaceful town. As more and more college students prepare to head off to campus in the next few weeks, please keep them in your prayers. There are plenty of challenges facing our young people on many different levels. It is my hope that Catholic students will get connected with their local Newman Centers. My diaconal assignment is to St. Albert Catholic Schools. Bishop Pates wanted to give me the flexibility to minister in all of the local parishes when invited to do so. Subsequently, it is my desire to build a solid relationship between the school and the wider community. I look forward to the opportunities to preach at Masses, give retreats, teach at religious education workshops, and lead parish missions.
Fr. Tom has invited me to be the deacon and to preach at Mass at 4:00 P.M. on Saturday, August 24, at Corpus Christi Parish here in Council Bluffs. Following Mass we will enjoy a "Back to School BBQ." All families with school aged children are welcome regardless of which school you are attending. This is a generous outreach of the parish to help build relationships among the wider community. I am grateful to be part of this celebration. As the beginning of the school year draws near I hope you still find time to enjoy these days of summer. Blessings and peace! Next summer I hope to replace more of the sidewalk that has been damaged from the salt and other ice melt products. I also hope to re-blacktop the driveway and parking lot and paint fresh lines after that work is completed. However, this year I am just going to tackle the concrete right in front of the main entrance to the school. It is my plan to have that area replaced before the start of school. The contractor has assured me that he can get it accomplished even with the short window I have provided.
Today, the maintenance staff here at the school is honoring my request to paint the "Fire Lane" curb. The paint had become dull and needed sprucing up. This fresh coat of paint diminishes the effectiveness of the excuse I have been hearing, "I didn't know it was a fire lane." Bright red paint with white lettering stenciled on it that says "FIRE LANE" should take care of parking problems. (I know that is an optimistic hope, but one can dream.) A volunteer work night is scheduled at 5:30 P.M. on August 19. I am hoping we can get the flower beds weeded, fresh mulch applied, and just get everything manicured nicely. I want the beginning of school to be an exciting moment on all levels. I want us to shine inside and out. This pertains to the facilities, but it also applies to each of us individually as well. I want each member of the administration team, each teacher, each staff member, and all of the students and parents to be filled with joy. We are children of God. We have the opportunity to be in a school that can outwardly reflect that love of God to all. That is a freedom and privilege that I don't want to ever take for granted. Subsequently, we will fulfill our mission in a spirit of joy. The page of the calendar has turned to August. On your mark; get set; ____! |
AuthorThis is my personal blog. The opinions expressed are those of Deacon Vernon and the blog's readers. This site operates independently and is not affiliated with any other entity. The information I provide is on an "as-is" basis. I make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information on this blog. I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information. Furthermore, I will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use. |