"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."
St. Thomas Aquinas
March is a special month at Saint Matthias School. Our seventh graders will receive the grace and gifts of the Holy Spirit in a beautiful sacrament celebrated on March 20th. They have prayed for this day to come. It wasn't easy to find the perfect Confirmation name or to choose the sponsor who will serve as their strength and support. We congratulate them, as they move forward on their faith journey!
Other March events will ask us to step forward for the values and beliefs that are basic to all of our school families. Registration has begun for 2010/11. Once again, you must ask yourself the value of the gift of Catholic education you have chosen for your child/children. It has been said that the elementary school experience at St. Matthias is worth over $30,000. Tremendous sacrifices on the part of parents, grandparents, and teachers are included in this total.
A parent recently asked, "How does one compare this cost, equal to the value of a fancy SUV, to the life-long gift I have given my children?" Put in these terms we clearly see that the St. Matthias School experience cannot compare to material goods. Your gift of a strong, value-based, Catholic foundation for your child is priceless. As I've said many times before, all of us who share in this experience are blessed many times over as we work with your child and family. A fancy SUV certainly comes up a pretty poor "second" when I reflect on the many gifts and life-long values we receive as partners in faith and education. We are building the future together! You've made a wise choice!
We all know that managing the cost of education is critical to the continued success of our school. Since 2005, State lawmakers have failed to fully reimburse our school for the costs we incur in complying with State-imposed mandates and programs. To make matters worse, lawmakers have imposed a new "payroll tax" to bail out the MTA. Public Schools will receive reimbursement for their portion of the tax. Nonpublic schools in the 12 counties in and around New York City will be forced to pay approximately $6 million. Despite the understanding that our schools operate on extraordinarily narrow margins, lawmakers continue to find ways to short change our budgets. We are tired of this unfair treatment! This policy has resulted in a cost to religious and independent schools of approximately $243 million - an amount equivalent to $500 per student. It is time to fight for the money owed to Catholic Schools. Everyone can be involved! Make a few phone calls, write letters to your representatives, join the Catholic Advocacy Network, and pray for the success of the campaign to restore 100% reimbursement to Catholic Schools for Mandated Services and the MTA Payroll Tax.
Another way in which to be a guardian of the costs of educating children in our school is to support the Saint Matthias Educational Foundation. Parents already provide the bulk of the funding for our school programs. This burden can be shared by reaching out to find income sources beyond our school families. Help us make this year's Annual Fund Drive a tremendous success. In order to do this and more, we need your help to "spread the word".
It is no secret that we believe our children are living gifts from God. Thank you for entrusting us with laying the educational and value foundation that will help to make your treasure reach his/her fullest potential. May the Holy Spirit be our Counsel and our Guide, today and always!
Barbara Wehnes, Principal
"Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much." - Helen Keller
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