February 6, 2023

Dear St. Raphael School Families and Friends, 

Everyone enjoyed Catholic Schools Week!  It was wonderful to have our school participate in the Global Day of School Play! Students brought board games, toys, sports equipment, and other fun items to share and use throughout the day. The engagement of our students was fun to witness!  I had multiple students ask if we could do this every day!  Well, that can’t happen at school, but I do hope that we can all learn something from our 2023 Global Day of School Play.  Kids of all ages need unstructured time to play and explore this beautiful world.  Please give your children time to do this. They will learn essential life skills like creativity, sharing, communication, and independence.  Even if your child appears bored, please let them work through it. We live in a world that is filled with instant gratification.  Let’s slow down and enjoy the great outdoors!

Every so often I get to experience “proud principal” moments, and last week I received one.  While at Mass at San Roque Parish, I ran into a former student’s dad.  Before Mass, we had the great opportunity to chat outside and catch up. I knew she went off to college but didn’t realize that she graduated from St. Raphael School 10 years ago! She is a recent graduate of the University of San Diego with an engineering degree.  Her dad chuckled and said, “Remember she struggled in math? Who would have guessed that she would become an engineer?!” She was recently hired in Santa Barbara!  It’s always wonderful to run into our alumni in public and learn about the amazing things they have accomplished!  

Get ready for our annual auction “Wanted” on Saturday, February 25^th at the Carriage Museum. This is an event that you don’t want to miss…it’s always memorable.  Purchase your tickets here.
Important Dates:

February 14: Jeans for Jesus Valentine Style 

February 22: Ash Wednesday. School Mass at 10:45 am

February 25: School Auction

February 27: TK and K Evaluation Day

In Mary’s Love,

Ms. Michelle Limb, Principal 

A Prayer for Valentine’s Day
Dearest Heavenly Father,

            I want to thank you for the precious gift of love you have given to the world and to me. Thank you for blessing me every day with this love and the power and strength that I get from you every single day. Without your love for me I can't be.... I can't function.... I can't even breathe...because I NEED your love to sustain me. It's like food and medicine for my soul Lord.

            Please continue to let me feel your comforting love in my life and Lord, I give myself over to you to perfect in me this gift of love...that I may be able to express it and share it with others. Lord...I have not always been good at this...forgive me. Lord...some people are harder to love than others...but I want to be like your Son Jesus...so please continue the work you are doing in my heart so my heart will be like yours. In Jesus’ name I pray.