HUNTERSVILLE — Families attended a special outdoor Mass on the St. Mark School field Aug. 30 to start the new school year. Father Alfonso Gámez welcomed more than 400 people – physically distanced and wearing masks – to the Mass.
In his homily, he talked about all the adjustments the schools have made to provide safe, in-person learning during the pandemic. “What resolution, what grace and what love for our students these teachers imbued in their efforts to make these teaching accommodations in the midst of all of the health concerns that we are currently undergoing. Why would we put ourselves through so much difficulty?
I think that at the end of the day, parents do everything for the happiness of their child. But the reality is that while we’re here in this world, we experience that contrary and bad things happen. As a Christian, we should be able to say, in some sense, ‘Lord, thank you.
Thank you for this ability to be free from my comforts because I know you have something better.’ The hope is that at a Catholic school, you learn to become a disciple, a follower of Christ. It’s not a life of being able to just ride along through life. It is one of carrying the cross. But although the cross is heavy and painful at times, it is also healing. It frees us from the attachments to this world to find our true happiness.
I know the Lord has many surprises for us for the rest of the year. We trust in His goodness. We trust in His providence and we trust that the Lord has, in His mercy, the ability to bring good out of difficulty.
And so, though the next few months are certainly veiled to us, we as Christians embrace it because we know there’s a loving God and there is something better. Like C.S. Lewis said, ‘The best is yet ahead of us.’ And so with great confidence, we run to that future knowing that the Lord is continually guiding us, guiding us to be free and to be happy in eternity.”
— Photos provided by Amy Burger
SALISBURY — Hillary Shores and Callie Michaels, two teachers at Sacred Heart School, were recently awarded “GO OUTSIDE” grants of $5,000 each from the N.C. Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council – for a total of $10,000 for the school’s outdoor learning spaces and STREAM programs.
Shores, who teaches middle school science, received funding for a covered outdoor classroom that will be adjacent to the school’s existing Master Garden area. Picnic tables will be used as learner workspaces and installed pergolas will provide shade during hot weather. Shores also received funding for an outdoor weather station to record daily weather conditions and to create student discussions on climate change and weather patterns. She also plans to install a magnifying station to allow for detailed investigations of natural items.
“I am thrilled to have been awarded this $5000 grant to continue to develop our outdoor learning opportunities at Sacred Heart. The SHCS administration continues to encourage the creative use of our 100-acre property to ensure the COVID safety of our students. ‘Go OUTSIDE’ is a BIG theme at our school. Also, I am introducing a new 8th grade curriculum in Environmental Science for high school credit. The addition of a weather station and a magnifying station will help support this new curriculum,” Shores said.
Michaels, who teaches third grade, received funding for an outdoor learning space for the arts – music, art and theater. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Sacred Heart School must limit shared spaces and shared teachers. This $5,000 grant will help create an outdoor space where students can continue to grow in the arts in a safe outdoor environment. Michaels received funding for various outdoor musical instruments, easels, and chalkboards for art projects. In addition, she plans to add a shade system and stage for drama productions and other imaginary play.
“We plan to begin construction and installation in September, which will allow for our students to take advantage of the cooler fall weather. My plan is for our elementary students to utilize this outdoor arts area twice per week: once for using the art supplies, and once for drama performance and/or exploring the outdoor musical instruments,” Michaels said.
Principal Tyler Kulp said he is excited about these new outdoor areas. “I am so proud of my teachers who continue to think outside the box – ‘OUTSIDE’! Our teachers have had a lot added to their plates this year, but they continue to step up over and over again – all for the safety of our students as well as creating incredible learning environments for our students.”
Sacred Heart School is using Sacred Heart Parish’s 100-acre campus for more STREAM learning opportunities –everything from explore a 5K nature and cross country trail which weaves throughout the property to gardening, in which they plant trees, flowers, vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as manage honeybee hives and a flock of chickens.
— Robin Fisher, Special to the Catholic News Herald. Robin Fisher is marketing and communications director at Sacred Heart School in Salisbury.
