Principal's Page

October 2026

If you enjoy living in New England, you probably love fall.  I certainly do.  As a kid, having your birthday in early October really kicked off a fun time of year.  Your birthday seemed to be the first “major” event of a wonderful season, concluding with Christmas.  Fall colors, Halloween, Thanksgiving, pumpkins, cider, apple picking, etc.  Go on any major highway north of I-84 and you’ll see the bus loads of people who come from all over the world to see fall in New England.

The unique thing about New England though, at least for me, is that each season seems to be my favorite when I stop and think about it.  Or at least in the beginning.  Fall is great (as we’ve already established), however the first snow of winter and the sound of snow falling in the woods (yes, there’s a sound) is something that I do look forward to.  But by our 43rd snow fall of the season in early April, when the first buds start to spring out of the ground, I look forward to spring, Easter eggs, and May flowers.  And lastly, summer comes, worries are set aside, and the long days couldn’t be any better.  But every year, that first cool night in mid-August gets me itching for fall again.  It is like clockwork.  The trick with New England, I think, is that each season is just long enough for us to miss it, fully appreciate it, and be glad it’s over year after year.

I think that’s God’s plan.  Not just with seasons, but with life too.  He gives us variation:  good times and “not-so-good” times.  He gives us ups and downs.  Why?  I doubt he’s sitting up there laughing at us while we wallow in confusion, frustration, and uncertainty.  I like to think he does it to keep us fresh.  We can’t appreciate the good unless we’ve tasted the bad.  We also can’t motivate ourselves out of the “downs” unless we know where to find the “ups” from a previous experience.  The low points in life serve their purpose, as do the highs. 

A wise friend once gave me advice shortly after I became a father for the first time. “This, too, shall pass.”  During the sleepless nights and endless poopy diapers, it helped me know that this was just a phase.  The advice also kept me grounded when he started sleeping six hours straight.  Sleep regression is real and was coming for him.  During changing times and the endless progression of seasons, I think God is trying to remind us to take it in and learn from each moment, for good or for worse.  Right when we think we’ve “nailed it”, the leaves will start to fall and we know winter is coming.  Don’t panic…we’ve been here before.  It’s good to remember that spring is waiting on the other side.  So for now, I’m going to have a cup of hot cider and take this in.

Welcome Back to the 2026-2027 School Year!

September 2026

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year and thank you for choosing St. Joseph for your children.  The mission of St. Jospeh School is to provide the highest quality of spiritual and academic education, in the spirit of Jesus Christ, in order to meet life’s challenges by developing Catholic values in a faith-filled environment.  And everything we do here is motivated by that mission.  Our goal is to help our students discover who they are and also whose they are.  They are children of God and, because of that fact, they deserve to receive compassion, patience, loving concern, and joy every day that they come to school.  They deserve to feel safe, take risks, try hard things, succeed and fail knowing that they are loved and supported.  That is what we do at St. Joseph School.

But it takes a village.  Because of our Catholic mission, we also strive to collaborate with families in the education of our students.  Children do not learn everything they need to know and turn into successful young adults because of things that happen 6 hours a day, five days a week 10 months of the year.   No, they are shaped by every moment of every day.  Ryan Holiday, an author and historian, often says that “Quality Time” is a myth.  It is not something separate and special that should be cherished above the mundane moments of each day.  No, every second is an opportunity, a memory, and learning moment for both our students and for us.  We need to understand this if we want to give our children the best opportunities in this life.  So, as we start a fresh new school year, I want to present you with a few “asks” that I hope you can do for myself and our teachers.

1. Read to your students.
2. Practice math facts every day….make it a fun game on the ride home or as you scoop out ice cream for dessert.
3. Learn what your children are learning and make them excited about it.
4. Look at their homework and do it with them….but not for them!
5. Have conversations with your children to gauge what they understand and what deserves more of their attention.
6. Ask them to tell you about God and the prayers that they are learning.
7. Make learning fun and important while also letting them know it is ok to fail.
8. Make them comfortable with being uncomfortable.
9. Celebrate accomplishments and empower them when they struggle.
10. Remember that our teachers have about 20 students in their classrooms, spouses, children of their own, lives, anxieties, struggles, and stuff.  They will be communicating with you and working with you.  But also, if you have questions or concerns, please reach out to them.  They are here for you and your students.  I think one thing, as a parent, that is most important is to know that you are not doing this alone.  Our school and parish communities are here to support you in whatever way possible.  We are not perfect.  No one is.  Ask my wife and she can provide a list of how I am far from perfect.  I am a principal, a counselor, a father of almost 13 years, and there comes moments when I am lost.  But sometimes you just need to know you are not alone.  Sometimes, you just need another set of eyes, ears, hands, or just a presence.  Maybe its God, maybe its our pastor, or maybe its one of our faculty and staff.  Whatever it may be, know that you do not walk this journey alone. 

This year, our faculty will be focused on executive functioning skills with our students.  These are the frontal lobe’s air traffic control system.  They help children manage emotions, tasks, whatever we throw at them.  Historically, students gained these skills from playing outside in the neighborhood, resolving conflicts, deciding if that tree limb will hold their weight or break.  I remember learning many skills going sledding off my neighbor’s garage roof, for better or for worse.  But today, as endless research shows, children are not learning these skills on their own.  From heavily organized sports programs to increased screen times, our students have been “protected” if you will from these risky or unorganized experiences that taught them so much.  The effects are scary.  We see the dopamine hacks of tablets and screens, the shortened childhoods from exposure to social media, increased child anxiety and decreased problem-solving skills and attention spans.  So, my last ask is that this community work together against these trends.  Let us limit, collectively, exposure to screens and social media.  Let’s encourage students to solve their own dilemmas and problems.  Let us allow our students to take risks and grow from experiences.  And, together, let us be there for them as a community of faith, when they get knocked down so they can learn to pick themselves back up. 

So, thank you for choosing St. Joseph School.  Thank you for saying yes to Catholic education.  Thank you for your trust in educating your children and your partnership on that journey.  I look forward to a wonderful year.