Principal’s Report 3/28/2014
Dear Lumen Christi,
Spring Break is over and we are in the final quarter of the year. We see the excitement in the faces of the students as they countdown to summer break. It’s been an outstanding week!
Lumen Christi was honored when Cardinal Dolan visited the high school on Monday, stopping in the halls to visit every single class and teacher. Joining the Cardinal were Archbishop Schwietz and Bishop Burns from the Juneau diocese. Cardinal Dolan shared words of praise and encouragement to Lumen, complementing the school for its strong Catholic commitment and honoring it with a presentation to students and faculty in the gymnasium. This honor followed on the honor received just a few weeks earlier from Pope Francis, who provided an Apostolic Blessing from the Vatican to Lumen Christi High School.
We are currently in the pre-enrollment period for grades 8 – 12, and in the open enrollment period for grade 7. Enrollment packages were sent home. As you know, each grade level is capped at 20 students. Once we have current students enrolled for the 2014 – 2015 academic year, we will open up enrollments to the larger Anchorage community. Once a grade level reaches 20 students, the school will start a waiting list. Therefore, if you want to ensure a place for next year, please take advantage of the pre-enrollment opportunity! The pre-enrollment period ends on April 15.
It’s hard to believe we are already looking forward to next year. For the new school year, we have some exciting changes. In order to better unite the school and sports program, we have established a new full time position that will be both the Athletic Director and a teacher. Coach Billy Hunt has accepted this position and will be joining the school’s teaching staff as the Lumen PE teacher. In addition to his teaching role, Billy will also lead the school’s Athletic Department. We appreciate the contributions of Coach Diane the past few years in the part-time Athletic Director position and look forward to having her continue to support the school and sports program in other roles.
With the end of the year closing in, it is time to ensure your share hours are accounted for in the school log book at the front desk. I’ve seen various parents working events, but the share hours are missing. Share hours will be billed in May at $35 per hour if they are not logged. If there is any issues, don’t panic – just give me a call and we will work to ensure records are correct.
All families should be aware that opportunities to earn share hours, particularly fundraising hours, are becoming more limited as the year winds down toward summer. If you need to earn additional share hours, please contact Mrs. Estes at the front desk or Mrs. Grafton for further information. For those who need fundraising share hours, remember you have the opportunity to volunteer for the Archangel Attic First Fridays. Money raised by the Attic goes to support the school! Here is a link to use for the sign-up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A45ACAA238-archangel2
Mark your calendars! The 4th Annual Cinco De Mayo event will be held on Saturday, May 3rd from 6 PM to 9 PM in the Lumen Christi Gym. Come enjoy delicious Mexican dishes and entertainment! Tickets are $20 per person or $300 per table. Please contact our office to place your reservation! Our Cinco de Mayo event is also currently looking for sponsors! Become a Jalepeño sponsor for $300 and receive a 1/2 page in our event program for your logo or advertisement! Or, take it up a notch and become a Jabanero Sponsor for $500 – you will receive a full page for advertisement and a sponsor table at the event!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Open House yesterday. We had a record attendance and are more than half way in filling up the entering 7th grade class. If the trend continues, we will start a waiting list for the 7th grade very shortly!
ATLAS-Alaska Teen Leadership Summit is now accepting applications for this week-long summer residence program on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. Previously known as the Summer Leadership Institute, ATLAS is designed to develop leadership skills for students finishing 9-12 grades. Students will learn about communication, goal setting, decision-making, ethics, social responsibility, and more – all while discovering their own leadership strengths and earning two college credits. The total cost for this program is $450, which includes tuition for two academic credits, fees, room, meals, and program materials. Some scholarships are available on the basis of demonstrated financial need. The ATLAS application deadline is April 10th! For more information about this program or to apply, visit the ATLAS website at www.atlasuaf.com. Contact Program Coordinator Andrea Miller at (907) 474-5942.
We appreciate everyone’s support of Lumen Christi High School. We also wish all a very meaningful Lenten Season of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works as we prepare for the upcoming celebration of Easter – just a few weeks away!
In Christ,
John Harmon
Principal, Lumen Christi High School