From the Office of the Principal...

Ms. Barbara Wehnes

"I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me..."

                                                                             John 10:14

April showers have turned Ridgewood into a beautiful garden adorned with blooms of every shape and color. Take a moment to enjoy the glory of God's creation as it springs anew in our backyard!

Please join me in congratulating Sister Katharine on her Golden Jubilee celebrated on April 20th. We are so very blessed to have the continued presence of the School Sisters of Notre Dame here at Saint Matthias School. Sister Katharine has devoted the past 50 years to her selfless ministry in Catholic education. How fortunate we are to be able to celebrate this milestone with her! Thank you to our Children's Choir, under the direction of Mr. Steve, and all who were present at Sister's Jubilee Mass.

We also congratulate our Pastor, Msgr. Scharfenberger, on his installation as Episcopal Vicar of Queens. Monsignor is responsible for shepherding over 100 parishes. He will continue to be our Pastor through fall of this year. Please pray for him as he moves forward in his ministry.

May's calendar is definitely reflective of the busy days that signal the final two months of our school year. Many field trips have been planned in the coming weeks; so pray for good weather as our classes travel to seashores and museums. Our students will have new adventures at The Science Museum of Long Island, Old Bethpage Village Restoration, Camp Alpine, and more. It's exciting to hear of the lessons and activities each class enjoys on these important learning excursions. Thank you for supporting our field trip efforts through funding and chaperoning.

Science will be a focus for this month as the fourth and eighth graders face the challenges of two New York State Assessments. Each grade will spend one test session working on lab experiments to demonstrate their skills of investigation and critical analysis. Another test session on June 3rd is devoted to a written assessment of content supported by the NYS Learning Standards. Our students are well prepared. I know they will competently demonstrate the skills they have mastered within our science program here at St. Matthias School.

You may also have noticed that many of the classes will receive a special day off this month for their wonderful participation in this year's candy sale. Please read the calendar very carefully. Each class has chosen a specific day off. Some classes will celebrate their candy day in June.

The Spring School Band & Choir Concert will take place on Tuesday, May 28th at 7:00pm. All school families are welcome to enjoy the fruits of our students' hard work in these programs. I am very proud of their efforts and progress!

In addition, please make note of the date for the pre-k and kindergarten closing ceremonies on June 11th. Our Class of 2013 will graduate on Friday, June 14. Everyone is invited to join us at the Graduation Mass in the morning and the formal Graduation Ceremony scheduled for the evening.

We must remember to thank Mrs. Diana Reyna (Hernandez) for her efforts as chairperson of this year's Family Bingo. As always, the generous donation of time and talent from our parent volunteers brings wonderful opportunities for us to enjoy school spirit and celebrate our school family. A "big" thank you, too, goes out to all who donated items for our raffles.

It seems so unbelievable that we are again facing the final weeks of our school year. As we look back over the past months, let us rejoice at the growth we have witnessed in our children. It is with pride that I commend our school families on their support and encouragement of our students. Our children have grown in faith and knowledge...we are truly blessed!

Barbara Wehnes, Principal