During this Lenten Season, we are invited to turn our minds and hearts back towards our God of mercy. Begin your daily encounter with mercy with Lenten Moments of Mercy. This daily, Scripture-based series is delivered to you by e-mail. In this series, James Campbell, M.A., D.Min, shares beautiful reflections and the inspiring words of Pope Francis, and provides suggestions for Lenten actions and prayers. Lenten Moments of Mercy is free from Loyola Press. Go to http://www.loyolapress.com/lenten-moments-of-mercy.htm  and be ready to connect with the Pope’s message of mercy, and live it daily throughout Lent.

Principal Search update…
Allow me a word about the search to find Ms. Reichenbach’s successor. The Archdiocesan School Office updated its principal search packet this past January. In that document they describe the role of the principal this way. The principal is the spiritual and educational leader of the elementary school community… The highest priority of the principal is the building of a Christian Community of faith that provides for the spiritual, moral, intellectual, emotional, social and physical needs of the children in the school. The document then goes on to describe the 4 areas in which the principal exercises that leadership.

Using those guidelines, I have sought the input of the faculty around these three questions:
1) What are the strengths of our St. Ann School community?
2) What do you see as the most pressing needs of our
St. Ann School at this point in history?
3) What skills and qualities are most important for an
administrator to possess in order to guide the future of St. Ann School?

That input was then collated and reviewed by a search committee that I appointed, consisting of one school board member, (Mrs. Christina Buchek) one faculty member (Mrs. Dana Aubuchon), one St. Ann parish school parent (Mr. Joe Morrow), one non-catholic St. Ann school parent (Mr. Tommy Smith), and one parent at large (Mrs. Nancy Williams). This group then reviewed the faculty input as well as their own, and began work on identifying the important skill sets and experiences we are looking for in the candidate.

Taking that information, two of our faculty members, Mrs. Cheryl Thomas and Mrs. Julie Thompson will sort through the resume’s on file with the Archdiocese, and make recommendations on which candidates to invite to inter-views. (I have already had 11 people contact me about the position.) We will conduct those interviews in as timely a manner as possible and keep you updated as we move forward. Please feel free to contact any member of the Search Committee for further information.