Thursday, February 25, 2010
One of the dreaded parts of administration is when a staff member isn’t living up to expectations and has to be written up so they can attend to the areas they need to improve.
We have very high standards at St. Joseph’s, so improvement plans are put in place occasionally.
But today, I enjoyed a more joyful kind of write up! I wrote letters of congratulations to the winners of this year’s service awards.
We had a large number of nominations to look over. Staff are nominated by their peers for going above and beyond the ordinary effort and seting a good example for others.
So many of our team members have invested all of themselves in their efforts to serve our children well, and they are passionate about what we do at St. Joseph’s.
People from several different areas won – houseparents, teachers, development staff, a cook in the dining hall.
It takes all of us working together to meet the needs of our students. Some staff have added responsibilities of supervision, but we’re in this together. The custodian cleaning classrooms can do as much to contribute to morale and success as I can.
We need each other. And it’s good to stop once in a while and say thank you and congratulations to those who go the extra mile!
I know what a GREAT staff you have there..! I have talked to some of them..Hooray for all of them..Love makes people bloom..and right there..you have proof positive..!
What a wonderful bouquet of Roses in Bloom..! And guess who marches at the head of the “Good Kid ” Parade..?
Hugs and Prayers for All..
Mia and Bob
Dear Fr. Steve,
Truer words were never spoken. The people who go above and beyond their call of duty deserve to be recognized. You should be among those being recognized.
Here you are going through this terrible ordeal yet you still go to work, go to ball games, visit with the children, hold services and all that while going through what you are going through.
You are truely an amazing person Fr. Steve and Kudos should definitely go to you. You are an inspiration to us all who are suffering from a serious illness. You help us to push ever onward in the services to God and His children. Thank you and thank God for you. Our prayers are always with you. Please pray for me because I have Diabetes and just found out that I am losing heart fluid through my legs due to acute edema. I might lose my leg if we don’t stop it on time. I know this is a time when we should be praying for you and we most definitely are. Please do the same? Thank you to you and all our extended family at St. Joseph’s.
Sincerely,
Nancy A.P. & Kenneth A. Raymond
Dear Fr. Steve,
I am so sorry to hear about you having cancer. I will pray for you and ask God to grant you healing and strength. I assure you that your personal needs and care will be in my daily prayers. Until then, may God keep you in his care.
Sincerly, Vera T. Hypolite
This is so very wonderful to know this sense of appreciation and recognition exists today! It is very true everyone has a vital role, and whatever role we play is so very much recognized, especially by Our Father.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
You have the best staff at St. Joe’s. They are family to us and each time we come to visit it is a homecoming for us. God bless them ALL for the selfless work they do. Truly, God has smiled on all of them!
Keep up the good fight Fr. Steve!
Love to all our St. Joe Family,
Jim & Marianne
Hi Fr. Steve:
Do you know about the site: http://www.cancerhope.com? My friend Tawna (Kiowa Indian) survived cancer in part by their support and mentoring. You are in my prayers with faith and gratitude. God Bless You in your journey and recovery. Your Cherokee Friend, Jayne
Hi Father Steve, I prayed for you when I opened your newsletter today and will continue to do so. Your work there warms my heart. The weird thing about supporting you is that when I told my Lakota friend, Judy, about it years ago, she told me that St. Joseph’s was where her two brothers lived for a time, probably in the 70s! What a small world. I am so grateful to you for your heart of service to these precious children. Even here from Anchorage, I send you assurance of my prayers for you and your health! May God continue to be glorified in your life! Love, Janet
Hi Father Steve.
i hope you are feeling better. talking about God’s intentions in time of our cricis, I fell and broke my left wrist … I told myself ‘ Now I am going to learn how it is like to be a disabled person who has to depend on others. In fact it is a struggle even to capitalize a letter on this key board. at the beginning of a sentence .. oh well I am praying for you and think of you a lot from Cleveland, Ohio