Today was Catholic Education Sunday and so I decided that I would go to church at our school's parish to help represent our staff in church. (I usually go to mass in my own home town so that I can have some family bonding time). I arrived at church early to help get the coffee perking, the juice made, and the cookies set up. During the mass it was great to hear Terry O'Donnell speak so highly of our division and to let the congregation know all that we have been up to in our school as well as what our faith plan is for this year. After mass I was serving the coffee and tea and it was a great opportunity for me to introduce myself to some of the parish community. Many of the church members were curious who I was and it was a good chance to network with the locals and for them to see me as an active school member. My favorite part was getting to see some of the students of St.Catherine's and many of them even came to help me do dishes after the mass as well so it was a good chance for both myself and the kids to see each other in new roles. I found the day to be very rewarding and fulfilling!
Today was our staff retreat day down at the Elk's Park in the river bottom. We were blessed with a gorgeous, sunny day full of laughter, bonding, and of course praying together as a staff. I was thankful for the opportunity to have a change in pace from the crazy-busy schedule that has been happening since starting school. I remember saying at one point "this is the least stressed-out I've felt all month" which really speaks to the calming effect that I had after dedicating some real energy into re-connecting with the Lord. Our day consisted of a small morning ceremony and breakfast, and then a guided walk along the river-bottom with various spots to stop and reflect with bible passages, stories, and prompting questions. Some of activities included things such as looking at mirrors to 'reflect on yourself', connecting with nature, and writing words on river rocks and then tossing them into the river to "let them go". It is hard to explain, but there truly was something just so calming and serene about the whole day! I have always been a person who feels more connected to God when I am out in nature (which I have been lacking lately due to spending most of my time inside the school!) I think that my highlight of the day was when I was sitting alone on the beach rubbing some smooth rocks and simply talking to God when suddenly the sun came out in full force to beam down on my face. I couldn't help but to smile and know that my prayers were being heard in that moment. It was a beautiful day that was greatly needed in order to remind me to slow down and simply talk to God when I feel the stress building up. It was just the kind of spiritual day that I needed at that time! Here is a PowerPoint that one of the staff members made to summarize our retreat day, and below are some of the pictures of me throughout the journey of that day. As a first year teacher, I was understandably excited to get my first classroom organized, decorated, and ready to inspire young learners. One of my major areas of focus that I wanted in my room was a designated "Prayer Area" where students could go to pray and talk with the Lord. Unfortunately due to the layout of my room, I was not able to designate a 'corner' like I would've liked to (with more of a private seating area). Instead, I was able to find a bit of wall space underneath a bulletin board in which I could display our prayer table as well as our daily prayers that we would soon be learning. I love that this prayer area is a very focal point to this room, and we have a place where we can gather as a class to worship the Lord. The prayer bulletin board includes the words "We pray to the Lord", a poster displaying some of the different names to use when talking to God, and some of our common prayers such as the Hail Mary, The Our Father, and our daily lunch prayers. Our prayer table features a (fake light-up) candle, a friendly picture of smiling Jesus, a lifted bible with a rosary, and a statue of Mary and Jesus. I purchased green, purple, and white fabric to decorate the table with throughout the religious calendar.
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Cheryl MillerGr.2 St.Catherine's ArchivesCategories
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