The Welcome Wave - News Our Teachers Need 🍎

Oct. 11, 2024 / Issue 3

Make a wholehearted gift of yourself. —Maxim 39

Resources for Teachers

We are thrilled to finally roll out some of the resources that we discussed at Teacher Orientation in August. The first is the Teacher Resource Bank, where we've compiled ESL and Citizenship materials to support and supplement the lessons in our textbooks. This includes: websites, videos, slide presentations, ideas for classroom activities, games and icebreakers, as well as some practical lesson planning strategies and ESL best practices.

Our best resources are always our fellow teachers, and my heart is filled with gratitude for the many contributions our veteran teachers have created, utilized and generously shared with us here. If you have teaching resources and materials that you'd like to share, please send them to me at mcawley.welcome@gmail.com. Your expertise is so valuable to us.

Click the link below to access the Teacher Resource Bank.

Teacher Resource Bank

Join us in our

Virtual Teachers' Lounge

on Facebook

Please join your fellow teachers and members of our Welcome Center staff at our new SSJ Welcome Center Teacher Chat on Facebook.

BYOC (Bring Your Own Coffee), but also bring questions, answers, funny stories, classroom challenges and breakthroughs to this friendly online group. It's a private group, by invitation only for our teachers and Welcome Center partners, and we hope it will be a warm and welcoming place to connect with our fellow partners in mission.

Join Our Virtual Teachers' Lounge

A Housekeeping Note:

For In-Person Teachers

We are working on getting an up-to-date inventory of all books and supplemental materials in the Book Room at the Welcome Center. These are available to all teachers for their use. However,in order that we may maintain an accurate accounting of our classroom resources, please be sure to check-in with me before moving or borrowing any items from the Book Room.

Just stop by my office and I will be happy to assist you, or email me at mcawley.welcome@gmail.com.

How are you?

Please Sign-up for a Teacher Check-in by Monday, Oct. 14

Schedule a Check-In

Dear Teachers,

The end of our first month of classes is approaching, another perfect opportunity to share the heartfelt appreciation of our Welcome Center team for each of you and the passion and generosity of spirit that you bring to our shared work. Thanks also to those of you who have reached out to let us know how classes are going so far. We love sharing in your experiences: happy surprises, unexpected challenges and hopes for the year ahead.

I've set aside time over the next two weeks for us to meet so I can better understand how we might continue to support you. I am respectful of the valuable time that you already offer us so I don't anticipate that these meetings will take longer than 20 minutes or so. However, please feel free to reach out individually if you ever have anything to discuss.

Thanks for making time for this important discussion. Please sign up for a meeting time using the button above.

Happy SSJ

Founders Day,

October 15!

Tuesday, October 15 is Founders Day, a special day for the Sisters of Saint Joseph to remember and honor their roots. The Sisters trace their origins to a group of six women who came together in 1648 to serve the poor and forgotten in the war-ravaged city of Le Puy, France.

The gathering of these women was the initiative of Father Jean-Pierre Medaille, a Jesuit priest, who believed that women could live religious life fully and completely and outside of the cloister, among those in need. The Sisters received encouragement from Bishop Henri de Maupas of Le Puy, and on October 15, 1650, he granted their small Congregation official existence and the name St. Joseph. This is also the Feast of St. Theresa of Avila and the root and foundation of all the Sisters and Congregations of Joseph throughout the world.

Sisters celebrate the day with a Liturgy at the Motherhouse and/ or in local communities with prayer and a special meal. Nine of our SSJ Welcome Center partner teachers are Sisters of Saint Joseph. Please take a moment this week to wish them a Happy Founders Day.

(Thanks to Sr. Maryanne Zakreski for helping me locate some information about Founders Day.)

"We do not quit!"

No-No and Jo-Jo Need Some Support from Friends.

Sisters of Saint Joseph Welcome Center