The Patriot Report – September 8, 2023

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” –  Maya Angelou

It is one of my favourite quotes and one that I would have former students of mine memorize. It is worth sharing with your own child.

The reason why I love this quote is because it starts with the understanding that we all make mistakes. Doing our best might mean that we gave it our best effort but we did it wrong. When I first started getting into woodworking, I made the classic error of measuring once. I thought I had an accurate read and went ahead and made the cut. When I went to install the wood into the project, it was too short. Once cut, you cannot really go back. A trip to the lumber store to purchase another piece of wood taught me a couple of lessons. Measure twice or three times, and always err on the side of cutting too big instead of too short. 

When I first started out in woodworking, I was making all kinds of errors. Each mistake taught me something new and with time, fewer mistakes were made. 

And so Maya Angelou’s quote applies to all learners. We all need to try our best but once we know better we need to do better because otherwise we are purposefully doing less than our best and that is not worth pursuing. 

We will have Patriots Spirit Wear on Fridays throughout the year. A special order from Cambridge will come out soon. A reminder that all PE uniform items are considered Patriots Spirit Wear. Please stay tuned for ordering information.

Our new Earthquake Emergency Supply for 72 Hours was delivered. This shipment will not expire until 2028. Our current supply expires in August of 2024. Each registered child at our school is coming home with an Emergency Food Kit and Water. These Food Kits do expire in August 2024. Any child not present at school today, including Kindergarten students, will receive their kits next week. 

Please be advised that the lower part of our parking lot will be refinished on Tuesday, September 12th and will be unavailable for parking. There will be a shortened drop off lane due to the exit road to Renfrew being closed off. Please enter the drop off lane on 15th as usual and exit back onto 15th. Due to the traffic and congestion, we suggest parents budget extra time on that day to drop off. If you would like to park and walk your children in, please park in the neighborhood being mindful of parking restrictions. 

If you park across from the school on East 15th, please be very cautious and careful crossing the street due to the traffic. 

This is an important night for parents to meet their child’s classroom teacher. The first session is in the gym for all parents. Then we move to classroom sessions. Each classroom session is 20 minutes with two sessions for those with multiple children. 

Meet the Teacher Night is not the time to ask questions about how your child is doing in the class. A separate conference can be set up to discuss your child’s progress. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you would like to schedule a meeting. 

Even though most of us carry cellphones and have digital calendars, it is sometimes still useful to have a fridge calendar of school events. It is also helpful to share this with family and those who may be picking up your child. 

A hard copy will go home with the oldest child on the first day of school but you can access a digital copy here: 2023-24 Year at a Glance

Our School Supplies company (School Specialty) is back up and running is now receiving orders. Most orders are filled in as little as one business day. 

If you are having difficulties securing the school uniform please notify the office and your child’s classroom teacher. Families are reminded that wearing a school uniform is part of our school code and family statement of commitment. On School Mass days (Wednesdays) students are expected to be in full uniform (school sweater cardigan or school sweater vest). 

At St. Jude School we value the virtue of modesty. This not only applies to the uniform but to accessories and hair. 

It is the policy of the school for boys to have their hair trimmed to collar’s length. Girls’ hair should be neat and hair accessories limited to navy blue, forest green, black or white hair bands or simple barrettes. 

Students may wear holy medals or cross necklaces and birthstone rings. Costume jewelry, chokers, accessories, etc. are not allowed. Girls may wear pierced earrings provided they are a single small stud or hoop per ear. For safety reasons, the teacher/coach may request that jewelry be removed during sports activities. Students are not permitted to wear makeup or nail polish. Body piercing (other than ears) and tattoos (including fake ones) are not allowed.

Thank you for your understanding and support of our school policy. 

To order our school uniform you need to visit the Cambridge Uniform store (in person or online). Click here for more information, including our school code, which will be needed.