From Mrs. Buhrman

Dear St. Luke Community,

            So this is our new normal now. We worked all summer to create a platform for distance learners and on site learners. We wracked our brains trying to find ways to meet the needs of our children. We trained on new ways to reach all kinds of learners. We have lived and breathed preparation.

            Now that we have been going strong for several weeks, we wanted to revisit our commitment to excellence. Our goal as partners in education with you is to have our children excel in education and life. It is vitally important that we work together to teach our youth how to complete tasks on their own, how to be responsible for the expectations set for them, and how to manage and organize for success.
 
            It is very easy to grab the pencil and attempt to help our children complete their assignments, but is this really the best way to teach our children how to complete a task? This actually teaches our children that if they wait long enough, someone will eventually show up and get the job done for them. We know that is not how life is, don’t we? I encourage you to assist your child, instead of taking over a task. This shows them that they can ask for help, but ultimately, it is their responsibility to get the job done. This teaches them not to give up, and that is a valuable lesson, indeed.

            High expectations are another area that is at the core of the Rebel experience. If we set our achievement bar low, our children will have low expectations of themselves. When we set our expectations high, our children will work hard to meet those goals. This is priceless for teaching our children that hard work results in great success. Set those standards high and watch your child soar!

            Together, we can set the stage for great success for our students. Together, we can teach our children that the sky is the limit with hard work and dedication.

Nadine Buhrman
Interim Principal




Click to read the Pastoral letter from Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller regarding the challenge of COVID-19, Transformed by Hope.



Counselor’s Corner…
 

When Children Need Help Bouncing Back

 
Throughout the pandemic, everyone has been affected by unwanted changes and uncertainty, and many have had to work hard to stay positive.  Significant upsetting events, such as the pandemic, can trigger depression in children who previously never showed any signs. When a child gets stuck in a negative mood, feeling hopeless and unable to enjoy anything, he/she may need help bouncing back.  The Child Mind Institute offers the following steps a parent can take to head off depression if a child displays persistent changes in sleep, mood, appetite, and general engagement.
 

• Encourage your child to stay active and engage in activities that give them a sense of accomplishment, pleasure, fun, or social connection every day.  Activity itself helps protect against depression.

 

• Help your child keep a sense of perspective and avoid “catastrophizing” - obsessing over terrible things that “could happen” or only focusing on the worst possible outcomes.

 

• Help your child tolerate uncertainty by expressing confidence that they can manage it. Mindfulness practices can help your child focus on the present and resist obsessing on frightening possibilities.

 

• Challenge negative thoughts by encouraging your child to evaluate the evidence for the things that upset them, for example, if your child feels like this will go on forever and they’ll never see their friends again. 

 

• Work with your child to come up with plans that will help them feel more engaged: outdoor activities to encourage much needed exercise, learning a new skill if they are bored, or scheduling opportunities to engage with friends virtually.

 

• Encourage your child to focus on gratitude by listing and reflecting on 3 things they feel grateful for every day.

 
If your child continues to show symptoms of depression, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional for help.


Many Thanks to the Jimenez Family!

Our heartfelt thanks to the Jimenez Family and Bexar County Sign Company for their awesome signs which welcomed students to our campus on their first day back in the classroom. Visit their website at www.bexarcountysigncompany.com

Cafeteria Service Resumes Monday, September 21

Cafeteria service will resume on September 21. Please visit the Lunch Menu/Cafeteria Page for a link to the cafeteria menu and information on lunch tray prices.

Students use a “debit” lunch card to pay for lunch. Lunch cards are given to students who are buying a lunch tray just before lunch; cards are collected at the end of lunch. Parents can add to their child’s cafeteria account by making a payment in the school office by check. Please do not send payments with students; please come to the school office and obtain a receipt.
 
Students’ lunch account balances carry over from year to year. Please email, Patsy Baumann, Cafeteria Manager, at cafeteria@stlukecatholic.org  to check on your child’s current cafeteria balance.

Student Information System Family Directory

A family directory is maintained in the FACTS Family Portal (RenWeb). Please email debbie.rodriguez@stlukecatholic.org if you do not wish your family’s information to be visible in the directory.