September 12, 2008

Dear Parents/Guardians & Friends:

Magazine Sale Began on Wednesday
Our annual magazine sale began on Wednesday and continues until September 24.  This is our only student centered fundraiser for the school’s general budget.  Our goal this year is $30k.  The money from this sale is used towards budget items that do not have to be passed on to tuition costs.  Magazine that you presently may be receiving can be renewed through this sale and the renewal won’t start until your present subscription runs out. 

Volunteers Needed at County Fair
The Fisher Catholic Athletic Association is looking for volunteers to take tickets at the Fair.  The dates are October 6 – 11.  Three shifts per day, 6:45-11:45, 11:30-4:30, and 4:15 – 9:00.   We need 12 workers for every shift, a total of 216 people.  Volunteers receive free fair admission on the day they work.   We do not handle any money, only tickets and passes.  The FCAA receives $6500.00 for this fundraiser.  Please share this information with grandparents, friends, family or any FC supporter.  To volunteer, contact Brian and Elaine Householder at 687-4626 or ehouseholder@columbus.rr.com .   If not, they will contact you.

Mandatory Parent Substance Abuse Meeting
The Advisory Board of Fisher Catholic has ratified a new Substance Abuse Policy which is in effect for this school year (It can be found in the handbook).  As part of this new policy, which has been put together through a hard working Student Wellness Committee through out the course of the summer, all parents are required to attend a one hour workshop on issues of drugs and alcohol on an annual basis.  The dates for this year’s workshop (parents only need to attend one) are Sunday, October 19 and Thursday, October 23, both beginning at 7pm.  Both parents must attend, although not necessarily together.  Please mark your calendars and plan on attending one of these meetings.

Some questions and concerns have been raised about the Parent Pledge Sheet.  The school is not making a judgment derived from whether or not you sign and return that form.  We are simply trying to facilitate communication between parents.  Thanks.

Guidance Attachment
Mrs. Kirby is doing a great job with her weekly Guidance Newsletter.  It is attached to the Forget-Me-Not and can also be found under the Guidance section of the web.  The information contained is for all grades and students so plan on making it a weekly part of your reading!

The Knights of Columbus is offering a $1000 scholarship to Catholic students attending a Catholic school who have a GPA of at least a 2.5, have a financial need, and have involvement in community, church and school.  Mrs. Kirby has applications.  The deadline is November 17.  This money would help offset tuition at Fisher Catholic.

Panel Discussion on Bullying
The Triumph Organization will be at the Fairfield County District Library on Tuesday, September 23 to conduct a forum on female bullying.  Tami McCandlish, who came to our school last year, is the Founder and President of Triumph.  For further details you may contact triumphorganization@yahoo.com

Big Thanks for Our Weight Rooms Cleaner uppers!
Mr. McCann would like to thank the Following people for their effort in completing the weight room. These volunteers finished laying the rubber flooring, placed new vinyl covering over the benches, and cleaned the mirrors and floor. Our booster club is second to none. Their focus and efforts are contributing to moving us in the right direction. They are a huge part of our success in making Fisher Catholic a great school for our student/athletes.

Weight Room Volunteers
   Scott Taylor
    Adrian Andrews
    Pamela Dodds
    Laura Karch
    Sherry Orlando
    Tim Craine
    Brian Householder
    Elaine Householder
    Jennifer Shonk
    Chuck Rogers
    Russ Rogers
    Tim Gordon

Ride Needed
We are looking for anyone heading to Canal Winchester after school that might be able to give a ride to one of our students.  Please call the school office if you can help!

ALS Walk is September 28
The 2008 Annual Walk to D’feat  ALS is Sunday, September 28.  Registration starts at 10 and the walk begins at 11 at the Fred Beekman Park at OSU.  For more information or to register go to www.alsa.org
Ben Thimmes’ team is Ben.  I would love to see the whole Fisher Catholic community turn out to support this organization in honor of Ben.

Help Needed
Behind the soccer field at Forest Rose School which we use for our games, they are making a walking trail for MRDD students.  They are looking for assistance in building this trail.  Deacon Mark Scarpitti is looking for volunteers and can be reached at 653-1500 ext 40.  I am sure that he will welcome whatever time you can give him for this worthy cause!

Family Notes
Please keep the following families in your prayers:

Mrs. Reade and Olivia Reade and their family on the death of Mrs. Reade’s Aunt.
Mr. Sheets and his family on the death of his wife’s grandmother.
Melissa Tipple and her family on the death of her grandfather.

Principal Observations
I lost one of my favorite teachers this week and one of my favorite students.  Msgr. Thomas Bennett was a long time teacher at St. Charles and I had the privilege of having him for history classes two out of my four years there.  Brian Casey was a graduate of Bishop Watterson High School, class of 1989.  While I never taught him he was in the spring musicals that I directed all four years of his time at Watterson and accompanied me on a trip to Ireland and Great Britain the summer before his senior year.

In school, both as a student and as a teacher or administrator many many people come and go in your life.  Some I can’t remember, some are vaguely remembered, others are people that you might say hello to if you see them somewhere.  A few stick out for the impact they make on your life and the intensity of your experience with them.  Msgr. Bennett was just such a teacher and Brian Casey was such a student.

Msgr. Bennett was an old school type of teacher.  He lectured and he lectured well.  He forgot more history than I will ever know and he imparted with passion, some theatrics and an eye towards shaping young boys into men.  Although I had him for history he only gave essay tests with which he graded very carefully.  He helped to shape my writing ability and increased my confidence tremendously when he would congratulate me on a test.  He also was a master story teller of his life and life in general.  I remember him telling us about his father who worked for the Ford Motor Company.

Like many of the priests who taught at St. Charles when I was there he lived on campus and had a small apartment just off the main hall.  Once in a while he would take his classes to his room as a change in the environment from the classroom.  I remember that his room was packed wall to wall, ceiling to floor with books and I was impressed that a priest had such a wide range of reading habits.  Even today for as many books as I own and try to manage my collection pales to his.

Fr. Bennett gave his life to the Church and a major portion of that well lived life was given to the students at St. Charles.  I am a better person for having known him and having been taught by him.

Brian Casey was one of the nicest young men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing as a high school teacher.  He was bright and warm and selfless and talented.  He was a tremendous musician, singer and actor.  My dealings with him were in the theater where I directed the spring musical.  The summer before his senior year when I took students and adults to Ireland and the UK (Brian’s Dad was with us on the trip) we saw the musical 42nd Street, a fun dancing extravaganza.  I decided to do that show the following spring. Bishop Watterson was the first high school in Ohio to undertake it.  Brian played the lead magnificently and after the show was over he told me that when we saw the show in London and I had suggested we do it, he thought I was a little ambitious if not down right crazy.  I told him that I wouldn’t have dared do the show without very talented people such as him.  The final number of the show is the lead character, a Broadway producer, singing the song “42nd Street” all by himself under a spotlight.  This image of Brian singing that song is one that I will never forget. 

Brian’s family, his parents, his brother and his sister are wonderful people and my heart goes out to them for their tremendous loss.

I have been to 7 schools in my 30 year educational career.  Moving around has not made it easy to stay in touch.  If you include going to 4 elementary schools, St. Charles, working for 15 years at Columbus State and many years at the family restaurant, I certainly have had the honor of knowing some wonderful people, all of whom have made my life richer.  Msgr. Bennett and Brian are two of those individuals, and their passing this week has reminded me of how lucky I have been in my life.  I appreciate that you took a moment to learn about them by reading these words. 

As I get to know the faculty, staff, students, parents and community of Fisher Catholic I realize that my luck continues.  In my 13 months on the job, I have already met so many wonderful people here who add to the rich tapestry of my life.  Actually, the deaths of Msgr. Bennett and Brian Casey this week made me appreciate, again, how lucky I was to get to know Brenden Krannitz for the short time that we were together here at school.

Please keep the Bennett and Casey families in your prayers.

Thanks for all that you do for your children and our school.

Jim Silcott
President/Principal

	September 12th Guidance Newsletter