February 1st, 2021
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
1 Peter 5:10
From The Office of The President:
Dear Salesian Parents/Guardians and Students:
We are already in the beginning of the second semester, and winter seems to have finally arrived! I hope that we will have a successful and profitable semester in every possible way. In the meantime, there are some important messages that I wish to bring to everyone.
TUITION
As we look forward to next year (already!), we have an important announcement. Due to the financial situation many people have faced since the onset of the pandemic, the Board of Trustees has voted to keep the tuition and fees at the same level that they are for this year. That means, for the 2021-2022 academic year, fees will remain at $725 and the tuition will be $8975.
We have changed the financial reporting service this year. We will not be using TADS, and in its place, we are using Smart Aid. Go to this link to apply – smartaidforparents.com. As in the past, if you wish to apply for financial aid, you may do so. However, the deadline is Monday, March 1st, 2021. If there are any questions, please contact me by phone or email (jserio@salesianhigh.org). Students who have academic scholarships must maintain an 85% average for the year as has been the tradition.
****************************************************************************************************************************
ASH WEDNESDAY AND LENT
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. This year, Ash Wednesday occurs on February 17th. This is during the week of Mid-Winter break. However, in order to assist those who would like to receive ashes to mark the beginning of this season of prayer and penance, we will have two services on February 17th – 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM. This is for students and parents and other family members. You are all invited for one of these services. Please email Mrs. Correale – lcorreale@salesianhigh.org – if you wish to attend one of these services.
****************************************************************************************************************************
MR. GEORGE JANVIER
We continue to mourn the loss of our good friend and CYM, Mr. George Janvier – Mr. J. As you read in an earlier letter, Mr. Thomas Siefring will be the CYM for the remainder of the year. On January 29th, as we celebrated the feast of St. John Bosco, we dedicated the student lobby in memory of Mr. J. This will be a lasting and visual tribute to this wonderful member of our family.
****************************************************************************************************************************
CHANGE OF PRESIDENT
You may have read that the Provincial (regional superior) of the Salesians, Fr. Timothy Zak SDB, has asked me to take a new assignment for the next school year. Thus, my service here at Salesian will conclude on June 30th, 2021.
Fr. Jim Heuser, SDB, currently serving as the Director at Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey NJ, will be the new President of Salesian High School. He has had several important positions prior to his years at Don Bosco Prep. I will write more about Fr. Jim in a future letter. At this time, it is sufficient to announce that there will be a change in Presidents. As we continue through these days, each one of which has its own joys and difficulties, let us remember to pray for each other, that we may live these days with grace and patience.
In Don Bosco,
Fr. John J. Serio SDB
President
****************************************************************************************************************************
I hope this email finds you all warm in this snowy and frigid opening to February!
As we enter into this month, we are very early in the 3rd marking period and about 50% of our school year has been completed! As a community, we have navigated choppy waters and faced many hurdles. Yet, with the return to “in person” instruction on January 11th, it truly is wonderful to see the students back on campus. Coincidentally, the week after their return to campus, the Salesian held the annual Spirit Week celebration. While reduced in numbers due to COVID-19 and social distancing, the smiles on the boys faces was well worth it.
February is a short month due to midwinter recess, but a very important month nonetheless. In just one week, you will have the opportunity to meet with your son’s teachers once again to discuss his progress. While very early, these upcoming conversations are more crucial than in November because time is of the essence. At this point, students should begin to develop awareness of their circumstances and take a deeper ownership of the results of their decisions. It is never too late to ask for help, but the longer it goes on, the more difficult it becomes to reverse course. To provide additional help, starting on February 24th, Salesian High School will remodel it’s Wednesday Remote Class schedule to employ an office hour schedule to provide more time for teachers to meet with students.
I also want to take a moment to thank all who were able to participate in our most recent Drive In Movie night on January 29th. Please keep an eye out for future dates.
There are some dates that I would like for you to keep in mind this month:
- February 3rd – Report Cards are uploaded to the eLocker – Parents will be able to view their son’s final marks for the second quarter to determine which teachers to schedule an appointment with for Parent/Teacher/Student conferences.
- February 4th – Sign up for Parent/Teacher/Student conferences appointments – Parents will have the opportunity to schedule appointments to meet with their son’s teachers for the upcoming Report Card sessions.
An email invite with a link will be sent to parent salesianhigh emails, including personal emails to be on the safe side. After clicking on the link, parents will be taken to a new page where they are able to select their son’s teachers to meet with for report cards. The email invite will go out by 3 pm.
- February 8th – Parent/Teacher/Student conferences – Opportunities to meet with teachers will be between the hours of 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Appointments must be set in advance. Please keep in mind, due to timing, there are a limited number of available teacher appointments. Zoom sessions will be run in two (2) hour increments (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM). Individual meeting sessions will be scheduled for 10 minute sessions. Parents are encouraged to login to their Zoom sessions at least 5 – 8 minutes before their scheduled appointment, in the event the teacher may be ready to take their next appointment.
- February 10th – Virtual Semester Awards – To be streamed to make it accessible for all to participate, the students who have achieved 2nd Honors, 1st Honors or Principal’s list during the 1st semester will be recognized for their hard work and effort. Information for start time will follow
- February 13th – 21st – Midwinter Recess (No Classes)
- February 22nd – Classes Resume (Day 4 Schedule) – Also, on this date parents will be provided with instructions to prepare for the 2021/2022 Course Selection process.
Also on this date, the interest in the ability to return to “in person” will be re-evaluated. The survey will be sent to parent salesianhigh.org emails on February 12th
- February 23rd – Course Selection link sent to student emails – Students will receive the link for the 2021/2022 Course Selection in their student google emails (not PlusPortals).
- February 24th – Start of Wednesday Office Hour Schedule – Beginning on this date, class periods will be shortened to create an office hour time block, enabling students to be able to meet with their teachers
- March 1st – Progress Reports uploaded to the eLocker
Let us never forget everything we do is in the best interests of our young men. Through our collaboration (Teacher, Parent & Student), we will all do our part to ensure success.
****************************************************************************************************************************
From The Guidance Department:
Please pencil in the following events hosted by the Guidance Department this Spring. Details for each event will be provided via email closer to each date. Upcoming Events in the Guidance Department:
- Virtual Junior Parent Information Night: College Application Process – Thursday, February 11, 2021 (7 pm – 8:30 pm)
- College Admissions & Financial Aid Information Night for Junior Families – Thursday, March 18, 2021 (7 pm – 8:30 pm)
- Virtual SAT Pretest (Juniors who registered for SAT Prep Classes) – Saturday, March 20, 2021 (8:45 am – 12:45 pm)
- Virtual Career Day for All Students – Wednesday, March 24, 2021 (Time TBD)
- Virtual College Fair for Sophomore & Junior Families – Wednesday, April 28, 2021 (7pm – 9 pm)
****************************************************************************************************************************
From The Office of Youth Ministry:
133 years ago, Don Bosco breathed his last breath. His 72 years of life were spent proclaiming Christ and the truths of His teachings. The young and the poor received special attention as they were the most “valuable and vulnerable portion of society.” His goals remain essential: to foster good Christians and honest citizens.
The month of January was a difficult and trying time, as we returned to classes after the passing of Mr. George Janvier. Nevertheless, we prepared our hearts for the observed feast of Saint John Bosco on Friday, January 29th as the culmination of our fun-filled spirit week activities. Although it has been difficult over the past couple of weeks, our young men came together and showed Mr. J faith can move mountains. The impact Mr. J had on our young men and faculty was immeasurable. We will continue to live out his message and joy each day at Salesian. During the course of this month, with midterm projects and other assignments due, we ensured time was set aside for prayer and reflection. As a reflection of his importance, a special prayer service for Mr. J took place on Thursday, January 28th, with a dedication renaming the student lobby in his honor on the morning of Friday, January 29th.
In the coming weeks, we will have upcoming service opportunities and prayer services for our young men. On February 10th and February 22nd, we will have our rosary gatherings for our young men beginning at (all are welcome to attend). On February 26th, we will have NRG both in person and live streamed.
Wishing everyone continued blessings, health, and safety.
Best,
Thomas Siefring
Coordinator of Youth Ministry
The Salesian Spectator 