A transcript from the above video is located below:

It’s a beautiful Friday in May, Providence Academy. Thanks again to everyone during this time of distance learning. We are now more than half-way there! Blessings to you all.

While COVID-19 dominates headlines, there are other and unrelated sufferings that require prayer. I want to acknowledge especially the tragic and unexpected passing this week of a Providence father. The heart of our community goes out to that family. They can be assured of all of our love, prayer, and support. We will share notice of arrangements when these become available. We know that upon the loss of his own friend, Jesus wept. Jesus weeps at the loss of his friends, as do we. And he also brings life everlasting.

There were beautiful things this week as well. The outpouring of love for faculty members during the annual teacher appreciation week tops the list. This was of course no ordinary year’s celebration! PA teachers are in our homes, in our lives, loving our kids in new and profound ways. They are pouring themselves out in beautiful self-giving. They are working harder than ever before to bring learning, joy, faith, and semblances of normalcy to our families. God bless them! They are the best! On behalf of all of us: Thank you, beloved PA teachers!

The week brought Nurse Appreciation Day as well. We celebrated our nurse, Mrs. Maureen Murphy! She is warm, wise, and wonderful. She is caring, loving, attentive. She knows us all, and is a friend to us all. And at this time, she is a key figure in assuring our safe planning and helping us be bold and brave! God bless Mrs. Murphy!

And our dear senior class has been honoring Upper School teachers by paying us visits, bringing jars filled with Hershey’s hugs and kisses. How humbling to be so served by the very young people it is our joy and vocation to serve.

As we begin to look intently toward preparations for next year, we are seeking to solidify projections for fall student enrollment. Many thanks to those who have made enrollment deposits. If you have not yet, I ask that you do so so that we may begin concrete planning, including faculty employment agreements so dependent on enrollment.

For families who may experience COVID-19 related financial impact, we will next week be communicating applications for Providence Academy COVID Transition, or PACT grants. In short, application will be available to families who can demonstrate the circumstances and extent of financial impact. As I mentioned two weeks ago, while we will need to gauge the art of the possible, our goal is to assure that our PA family stays together.

A word about Summer Programs: Our intention is to commence programs as scheduled the week of June 8, taking health and safety guidelines fully into account. Of course, our plans are subject to change by possible governmental actions. Know that in the event of any alterations in our plans, fees for unused services will be adjusted accordingly or refunded.

I am absolutely delighted to announce the following for our beloved Class of 2020: We will be celebrating our traditional Baccalaureate Mass, celebrated by the Archbishop, in the Cathedral of Saint Paul late afternoon of May 29. This will happen rain or shine. Our plan will be to have the commencement ceremony that night, in front of the school, with June 5 as a backup date for inclement weather. We guarantee: the events will be beautiful and memorable. We do love you so.

Finally, this Sunday is Mother’s Day! We honor all our moms, who in so many ways make our world go ‘round. We thank God for you. We are grateful to you. We honor all of the amazing additional things you are doing for families during this time. God bless you richly this weekend.

We’ll see you again next week.

Translate »