Last Thursday night, about 30 parents and a few Pastoral Council members met at the Town Hall Meeting to stir up those creative juices and look at current and future funding of Catholic education at St. Clare School.  There is no immediate financial crisis and certainly no plans to change our financial infrastructure for next year.  The intent of the meeting was to be proactive before current trends impacting Catholic education have a negative effect on tuition, subsidy and fund raising.

What are these trends?

· Possible reduced subsidy either due to parish’s inability to maintain its current subsidy rate, or due to effects of bankruptcy settlement.

· Reduced fundraising due to a lack of qualified leadership, and/or parents’ time constraint in doing current level of fundraising (over $150,000).

· On-going need for and desire to build community will necessitate on-going commitment to fundraising and other community building events.

· More reliance on tuition assistance as costs increase

· Public and private education competition for fund raising dollars may impact overall returns from fundraising

Those parents in attendance generated many ideas which the SAC will now collate and review in detail.  Their goal is to bring these ideas back at another Town Hall for our parents to flesh out the pros and cons, and indicate their preference.  From this discussion, the SAC will deliberate on when we may implement whatever change is indicated.  I might add that it is conceivable that no change many be indicated.  If parents want to keep our current way of operating, and we feel this will continue to support our mission and goals, there would be nothing stopping us from doing this.  Stayed tuned for more information.  Your input is always encouraged.

We’ve had so many comings and goings lately.  Our 6^th graders just returned from a week at Outdoor School at Camp Howard.  They were plenty tired, and though the week was enriching in so many ways, they were glad to get home.  Ms. Harmeyer went with them and reported on how well our students behaved and contributed to the education and events of the week.  On 4/6 and 4/7, Ms.  Mac took her 4^th graders to the Oregon Trail Overnight excursion.  Thanks to many parents who did the overnight chaperoning, these kids enjoyed a great educational experience.  Also, on 4/7, our 5^th graders visited Blanchet House to do service.  Mrs. Monahan arranged this opportunity for her students which helps our kids understand poverty in a very real sense.

We’ve built into our middle school program a chance for our 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders to enjoy a retreat day.  Eighth graders will depart on April 23^rd for an overnight retreat experience at the Milwaukie Evangelical Center.  Gail Saltveit, campus minister at Central Catholic High School, offered to organize this retreat and provide directors for our students.  On May 17^th, our 7^th graders will spend an entire day at the Evangelical Center in retreat, and we will plan a ½ day retreat for our 6^th graders.  I very much appreciate the help from Central Catholic in giving our students an age appropriate spiritual retreat.

On behalf of our teachers and students, I’d like to congratulate Megan Baglien who performed VERY well at the State competition of the National Geographic Bee.  She had 7 out of 8 correct answers and was second in her group of 20 students in the preliminary round.  Then she went into a tie breaker round with around 13 students who all scored 7 out of 8 correct answers to select the top 10 students out of the 100 participants.  Megan DID make the final round, and was one of the 10 State finalists.  She survived five or six rounds in the finals before she was eliminated.  We’re very proud of this accomplishment, Megan.  Cheers for you!

This is Holy Week.  We’ve already enjoyed some very meaningful para-liturgical experiences with our students through the Seder Meal prepared by our 8^th graders, and the Stations of the Cross, beautifully re-enacted by our 7^th grades.  Mrs. Harmeyer even made the costumes!  I’m encouraging all parents to provide your children the opportunity of experiencing Holy Thursday and Good Friday services in your parish.  Many like to avoid the very long reading of the Passion, but most places let you sit for this!  We have been covering the Passion and Resurrection of Christ in our religion classes.  It only makes sense that our kids experience the rituals and traditions of this peak season of our liturgical calendar.

Please remember, that, at the insistence of the Archbishop of Portland, we will not be in school on Good Friday.  As it will be a three-day weekend, the temptation is to go shopping, to the movies, or vacationing, but we hope you will help your kids keep that day a solemn remembrance of Christ’s death.

And finally, the faculty and I wish each of you a blessed Easter filled with the certainty that Christ, who is in all things,  showers you with his incomparable love.

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