by Nancy Chang, Principal

Barbara says that it is newsletter time again. It seems like this time rolls around every other week. I guess that is an indication that time is passing much too rapidly. As we look forward to the month of March, I am reminded that the first week of March is spring break. If I remember right, once spring break hits, things happen fast and furiously right up until graduation. As I take a look at our school calendar, I note that this year will be no exception. If you don’t have a school calendar on your refrigerator door, you may visit our web site at www.oakschool.com and view our upcoming events there. You may also get a peek at our kindergarteners during their 100th day celebration. March 10, the day that we return to school from spring break, marks the beginning of registration for students returning to OAKS next year. Current students have until the end of March to re-register. Then on April 1, registration opens for new students. I am very encouraged that we already have families visiting and touring our campus and wanting to register for next year. March 10 also marks the beginning of our Spring Week of Prayer. This year, Pastor Jose Nieves has agreed to lead us through that very special week. We will meet in the church sanctuary each morning that week at 8:10 a.m.

Then, incredibly, the following Friday, March 21, is the end of the third grading period – only one more quarter in this school year.

On February 18, we added another new student. Dustin Oney has joined our first grade. Miss Young, assisted by Mrs. Anderson, is doing a wonderful job of keeping 27 students in grades one and two enthusiastically thirsting for more and more knowledge. This classroom is our largest class this year.

Some of you may have already heard that Miss Carrie Young and Mrs. Robbie Burke have decided to change places and positions next school year. Mrs. Burke will be teaching grades 1 and 2 and Miss Young will be teaching grades 3 and 4. Since they are both such excellent teachers, I am looking forward with great anticipation to what they have planned for next year!

As I sit here at my computer sharing this information with you, I am reminded of the following story.

Sticky Notes

I received an email from a friend of mine today sharing the good news that he had been promoted to vice president in a prestigious company.

Now, I'm not certain what this means, but added to his retired government employee pension, I'm fairly sure it translates into pretty big bucks.

Was I pleased for him? I should have been. He puts in staggering hours at work, and is extremely productive -- an all around great guy. I sometimes wonder if his good wife remembers what he looks like.

But I wasn't pleased. In truth, I was just plain jealous! Why him, I thought? I'm pretty productive myself, but at my annual evaluation I received a meager 4% raise and nothing resembling a promotion. I lay awake nights worrying about the hefty home equity loan I had to take out to keep the roof over our heads, literally. I pray that my college age daughter doesn't overdraw her checking account, again. I peek at the mileage on my '93 Camry, and tell myself that 135,000 miles is nothing for a Toyota. Instead of wishing my friend well, I was wallowing in self-pity -- staring in envious stupor at the computer.

Ah, but the Lord indeed moves in mysterious ways.

Something caught my eye. Two tattered sticky notes, attached to my computer. They've been there for a few years, so I don't usually "see" them anymore. But today I saw them again, as if for the first time.

One is lime green with the message, "Have a great day Mom! I love you!" That one is from my daughter Helen. She was probably 11 or 12 when she wrote it. She's 15 now, and besides being an excellent student, my little hospital candy striper is a beautiful and caring young woman. She still asks for a hug, and still wants her "mommy" to tuck her in at night. Now there's something money can't buy.

The second note is lemon yellow. This one is from my son Stephen, now 10. By the wobbly handwriting, I'm guessing this note is vintage 6 year old. It simply says, "I love you Mom." He continues to echo that sentiment every day in a long-standing ritual. When I drop him off for school, I'll say, "I love you, Stevie". His reply is, "I love you. Angels around you and your car!"

I look around my office and see the homemade artwork, and the cluttered array of photos. I see a favorite picture of my oldest daughter Annie, except in this picture she is an awesome little blonde creature of two, clutching her stuffed cat Ming and leaning against her (wow...young!) mom. Ming hasn't changed much over the years, but Annie has. Despite the overdrawn checkbook, she constantly amazes me with her self-motivation. I am convinced that Annie can do anything she sets her mind to, which includes making her crabby mother laugh when she needs it most. She is still awesome.

I realize with infinite gratitude that my friend can keep his vice president's title and all the money that goes with it, with my best wishes for success.

I wouldn't trade my title for any other, and no one in the world will ever share it. I'm Annie, Helen and Stevie's mom. Priceless!

Maureen Deutermann

Just a short reminder to all of us working so hard for our living… However, let us not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some quality time with those who really matter to us.