Dear Academy families and friends,
Last week as the faculty returned to campus, we began the year with a celebration of liturgy. One of the readings from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians offered the following:
Consider this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.
And, from this reading came our faculty and staff theme for the year- “God loves a cheerful giver.”
I wish to share with you my tremendous gratitude for the support and strength our community has displayed as we together readied ourselves for the return to campus this week. This has not been an easy path but we have all believed that the reward for the effort was worth the effort. This was evidenced on the first day when our students joyfully returned to their school. It has been witnessed in the eagerness of students to be together and to learn together.
Academy teachers have yet again stepped up to prepare to teach in a new environment. They have learned about how to deliver instruction via video conferencing to include those opting for our Flexible Remote Learning Plan. They have demonstrated what it is to be a cheerful giver.
Parents have taken on new roles as they responded to the evolving needs of this community. On behalf of the teachers, I thank all who helped to provide the goodie and supply bags to the teachers as a means of welcoming them back to campus. To those who have begun working on our Golf Tournament and are looking ahead to Country Fair, thank you for helping us to build community and come together in a safe and fun manner. You, too, are cheerful givers – and we are so very grateful.
As this first week of school draws to a close, I am grateful for the smooth opening and will continue my prayers, and ask for yours, that we all maintain our commitment to the safe and healthy practices which will keep us well and keep the Academy open for on campus instruction.
Congratulations on a great first week back!
Dr. Susan Dempf
