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St. Mary’s School
Don’t freak
out. My class is capable of anything.
By Kathy Ayette
There is one thing that I can say about the first half of
December. It certainly has been eventful. In the
first thirteen days of the month, we have had First Reconciliation,
Mass with a bishop, a Christmas program and Donuts with Dad.
Ever agree to do something that at the time seemed like a good idea,
but as the task grew nearer, you had second thoughts, as in “Why didn’t
my so-called friends stop me?” Back in September my principal
called me into the office and his first words were, “Now don’t freak
out.” The last time I had a meeting with him that began in a similar
fashion, I walked in as a first grade teacher and walked out as a
first-slash-second grade teacher, and of course nothing freaks out a
teacher more than being told by the principal, not to freak out.
He explained that he had come from a principals’ meeting and Bishop
Binzer had offered to come to schools to celebrate Mass with the
students, and of course my principal invited him to do so, obviously
without consulting the Mass schedule. Want to guess whose class
was responsible for the Mass that day? However I was so relieved
that I wasn’t going to be a first-slash-second-slash-third grade
teacher I readily agreed. After all, a bishop is just a priest
with more parishioners, right? And my class is capable of
anything, right? And December 7 was way, way, way off in the
future. It was about midway through October that I began to have
some qualms. I mean a BISHOP was going to be the celebrant and my
class is just a bunch of little kids and December was closing in
fast! Normally the children and I plan the Mass on Monday,
practice at church on Thursday and Mass is on Friday. This time I
decided two weeks were needed. Now I did catch a break.
Thanksgiving was early this year and we returned to school with two
full weeks to plan and practice for Mass. The first week the
children with reading parts read their parts to the class every
day. The next week we had a couple of practices at church.
I had to admit things were going along according to schedule. The
readers had steadily improved and only paused a nanosecond before
reading words like arrogant, Lebanon and tyrant. The children in
the processions found their places and walked in a reverent manner down
the aisle. I had my anxiety dream a week early and my stress rash
was developing nicely. On the morning of the Mass, I knew that to
keep the children calm I had to project an aura of calm
confidence. In other words, I had to put on an Oscar worthy
performance. Well, I hate to be anti-climactic but the bishop was
as nice as could be and the children did an excellent job, exceeding my
hopes that we would set neither bishop nor church ablaze.
Actually one of my students summed it up nicely. As we were
leaving church he looked up at me and said, “That wasn’t so bad.”
I heartily agreed.
The second graders received First Reconciliation on Wednesday, December
5. The next day they were guests of honor at our traditional
donut reception. Of course since that day was December 6, St.
Nicholas Day, we had a special visitor. Right before recess the
preschoolers through fourth graders left their shoes outside the
classroom doors for St. Nick to fill.
Our Christmas program was Monday, December 10. The program opened
with all the preschoolers singing Christmas carols. They gave a
very enthusiastic performance, especially during Jingle Bells as they
accompanied themselves with jingle bells. Following the
preschoolers was my group, the kindergarten through third graders, or
as I like to call them the cherubs. This year the children sang songs
in English, French, and Latin. The highlight of the evening was
the performance by the newly formed fourth through eighth grade bell
choir, directed by probably the bravest man on earth, or at least in
Greenville, Tim Nealeigh. The students had had no experience with
bells until they began in September. For their first song, they
played “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” as my group sang the song.
The bell choir then performed several other carols. For the grand
finale everyone, preschool to eighth grade sang We Wish You a Merry
Christmas.
Today, December 13, was Donuts with Dad. Students and their
fathers enjoyed donuts before school. It was a grand
success. I have a suggestion. Let’s not have Donuts with
Dad twelve days before Christmas. Between the sugar and the
anticipation of Christmas, my class was so high I was tempted to ask
them to dust off the ceiling fans.
Have a Merry Christmas!
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