A message from school principal, Laura DiGiambattista,
on the occasion of our solemn school blessing, May 28, 2008.
Good evening and welcome this evening.
We have been planning today’s activities and tonight since June 2007.
Tonight is a celebration. Tonight is a tribute to Catholic Education, in all of its glory
and splendour.
A school blessing is a milestone event in the life of a new school community. It is
an occasion which marks completeness, performance, stability and commitment.
Tonight is also an opportunity for us to reflect on the gifts and grace of our Lord the greatest of these gifts being our children. Tonight is for them – in honour of
them.
Today is a day of celebration of FIRSTs!
Today the crucifixes which were hung Sept 3/ 07 have been taken down and
presented to Father Papais for his blessing.
Today we used our official school logo for the first time – this logo being the genius
of our children and the talents of our staff and parent community.
Today we said our school prayer for the first time: during the day as Father
blessed each child and classroom, our children recited the prayer; and this
evening, the chair of our prayer committee has read our prayer, for the first time,
for our community.
Today was the first time we’ve used Room 103 -- and it was used as our dining
room for dinner tonight.
Today was the first time we used our staffroom as a bakery – and the CHILDREN
decorated 500 cupcakes for our after blessing ceremony reception – and “YES” we
all washed our hands first!!!
This year we had our First Mass – our first Holy Communion our first Confirmation
and we now are preparing for our first graduating class of Grade 8 students and
kindergartens.
This year we had our first charity initiatives – Terry Fox Walk-a-thon, Heart and
Stroke jump a thon – Christmas clothing and gift drives, and Share Life Teacher &
Parent vs. Students sporting events, our first fundraisers, and our first ski trip.
On Sept 4, we sat for the first time in a brand new chair, new classroom, new
building, with a new teacher – and with all the excitement that came with this
newness – we also faced the challenge of building community…
…and the building of community came; with each and every event we grew closer.
I would tell staff, students and parents – at each challenge – that I believed God
had put us together for a reason and the reason was to use our gifts and talents in
the service of each other and then ultimately. by doing this , in the service of God.
Today is also the first time that I am able to thank the many people who have built
this community.
To Father Papais, who was here in August to help us with our start-up and has
stayed with us all year long to act as our spiritual leader: Father has opened his
church and his heart to us! We know he loves us!!!
It was very exciting to our community when we discovered that two of our senior
executives would be with us tonight! Ralph Borrelli and John Harajnik: thanks so
much for your presence here this evening.
I’d also like to thank John Kostoff, Our Director of Education, for having been the
first person to impress upon me the need to respect, protect and value what we
are able to create in Catholic schools. I now teach this to my community.
To Joyce Anderson, our trustee and Cathy Saytar, our supervisory officer: I thank
them for their constant support.
To the construction crew, who did the impossible and got us in on time - after the
3 month mason strike! Joe Brundia, DP head of construction for this site; Domenic
Sarra, Bondfield site supervisory & project engineer; Angelo Pellegrino, Head of
custodial services for our school: it was a very exciting, fun filled few weeks!!!
To Karen Walsh and Ed Robertson, our school secretary and custodian: my left and
right hand – thanks
And to our School Council Members, who assisted with the cupcake decorating
this morning, and spent all last night setting up our school library and have been
an extra pair of hands at each and every challenge and event: my heartfelt thanks.
What a great team; what fortunate students to have such committed parents…
and our school council grows each and every day!!!!
And finally to the students, parents and staff of Father Francis McSpiritt: thanks for
your patience this year. The first year in any organization is always a challenging
year, but with those challenges comes a true appreciation of the Grace of God.
You will see at the end of tonight’s presentation, a DVD slideshow, which tells of
the magnificent first year we shared!! We have been able to make a difference in
the lives of our Catholic elementary school children!
Again – thanks to all for your attendance this evening – God Bless!
Laura DiGiambattista
First Principal of Father Francis McSpiritt