Well, we won’t actually have students in classes until next week, but we did start faculty/staff meetings this past week:

Tuesday we had a fabulous Diocesan-wide faculty/staff Mass at All Saints Church (in Manassas) with our aging, but amazing, Bishop Paul Loverde. He is a strong, active proponent of Catholic education (at all levels) and was instrumental in getting our high school built and the Dominicans of Nashville to come and administer. We then had a short break (water and granola bars were flowing …) and then the best pep talk by Bishop (Bridgeport, CT) Caggiano. Bishop Caggiano, first generation American of Italian immigrant parents and Brooklyn (NY) native, received multiple standing o’s for his words of wisdom to the Catholic educators. He was GREAT!

The rest of the week included teacher meetings at school (including the annual viewing of the blood-borne pathogens … the video that almost makes me want to change vocations ….), grade-level orientations (including a full-day of meeting/greeting the 9th graders), student government activities and volleyball practice.

The work-week ended with our first football game under the lights.

Thomas played some amazing defense as he tried to retain his starting spot of cornerback; at one point he took down a guy a full head taller and with at least 50 pounds on him. The kid left the field for the rest of the game! We lost 0-37 (but we were playing the number 1 team in the State … basically a Catholic military academy named Benedictine!) but the boys held the score lower than last year’s 0-54 and there were NO offensive turnovers. It was pretty cool watching the game under the lights … even if it was in the 90s and very high humidity. Rick and I worked crowd-control while Maggie and JP socialized and enjoyed the freedom.

Today, I went up to a volleyball scrimmage at St. John’s College High School (Chevy Chase, MD). Due to some staff changes … and no one else willing to help … I am now the assistant coach of our high school volleyball team. The girls are wonderful and the head-coach is from Baton Rouge and went to Texas A&M (so she understands the whole SEC-football thing). I’m enjoying helping with a sport that’s always been one of my favoirte school-sports; even if the rules/methods have changed a bit since “back in the day” when it was best of 3 to 15 … bump-set-spike … points only on serve … serve must clear the net to be live. So yes, I am feeling my age … but ti’s great exercise and the girls seem to appreciate my input.

My year ahead:
running the library, solo, for an almost 800-student high school … coordinator of our work-study program (1st semester student enrollment is 120+ students) … adviser to the Servant Leader Association (our form of student government) … House of More (rather than homerooms we have a house system) Leader (with Rick helping) … assistant volleyball coach … football mom for my senior on varsity … sideline cheerleader for my daughter running cross-country … asisting with hauling 8th grade son around for his school soccer team … and continuing to create and publish hand-knit designs.

What’s the saying about idle hands and the devil ….

Pray for me and I’ll keep y’all posted as the year unfolds.