Homecoming: A time to celebrate!

We are the Black and Gold of Vianney 

We are the Golden Griffins of Vianney High

Half lion, half eagle so the Griffin can roar
So the Griffin can soar above the lightening and thunder
We will win, win, win, yeah Vianney.
Oh hear the din din din and our clamor and cheer
We want the world to be told about the Black and the Gold of
Old Vianney, Vianney, Vianney. Hey!

Spirit Week! Homecoming!  A week like no other week in the school year!
Are you ready? Have you prepared your outfits for Lumberjack Day, Tacky Tourist Day, or Flotation Device Day?  Have you prepared your stomachs for Syberg's Chicken Tenders, Jack in the Box Tacos, Ice Cream and BBQ?  Can you hear the chanting of our students at the pep rally?  Will they be able to defeat the faculty this year in tug of war?

You have to admit, even as adults, there's something VERY special about homecoming!  And as our students prepare for goofy costumes, as our teachers prepare to harness some of the excitement during class time so learning can take place, it's time to reflect and celebrate!

At St. John Vianney High School we have MUCH to celebrate this time of year!

Just look around....

Athletics:
At 2-1 our football program is scoring points at an unprecedented rate!  Fans are packing the stadium! Students are adorned in Black and Gold and parents and alumni are cheering until their voices are hoarse! When the Billikens visit The Heeb this week there will be an intimidating atmosphere that they have not encountered in many years!
Soccer continues to establish a culture of excellence.  The Griffins are undefeated and just claimed the CBC Tournament last week by defeating MCC rivals Sluh & Desmet and tying CBC.  The soccer Griffins are currently ranked #2 in the area polls and look to compete deep in to the post season.
The Swimmers & Divers continue to make a splash in the pool.  Many school records have already been challenged or broken this year.  Lead by sophomore Nick Alexander the Aqua Griffins will be real contenders in the state rankings this year.
Cross-country remains solid, getting better with each race.  They will compete again this week after already claiming the Marianist Cup earlier in the season. And don't forget about the success we had last spring.  Baseball advanced deep in to the state playoffs and we were able to claim state titles in golf and volleyball!
Matt Mueller became the first Griffin to win the State Golf Individual title and Volleyball claimed their 17th state championship!

Academics:
This is definitely an area I'm extremely proud of.  We should all be celebrating that Vianney is a Top 50 Catholic School for Academics.  This summer more accolades were attributed to our faculty and students when Vianney became only the 10th school in the country to be named a Model School for Brain Based Education by the Gurian Institute.
Vianney students are excelling at unprecedented rates.  Our ACT scores remain higher than state and national averages, 99% of our graduates attended college this fall, Anthony Schrader and Jack Lyons were recnely named National Merit Semi-finalists.
Our 4x4 schedule is innovative and provides a terrific framework to educate young men.  The faculty at Vianney is second to none in the state of Missouri.  77% have Master's degrees or higher and their commitment to our students is inspiring!
Later this year our chess Team will try to claim their third NATIONAL Championship!  Our curriculum has grown exponentially over the last two years: 12 new courses, 4 new dual-enrollment courses, partnerships with Drury University and Kansas State!  Our freshmen love their Forensics science course!  We are living proof that school can be fun, practical, and rigorous all at the same time.

Spiritually:
What separates our school from all the others is our spirituality.  We should celebrate all the many things that Vianney does to LIVE our Faith.  Many schools pray before school or have monthly masses, but we do a lot of living Faith Formation. From praying the Angelus, Daily Communion Services, participating in the Living Rosary, and wearing outward symbols of our Marianist Faith, Vianney is a special, sacred place.  This past weekend ALL of our coaches participated in a "Play Like a Champion" Retreat to continue their faith development.  And each athletic program has Athletic Apostles now!  At Vianney we LIVE our Faith!

Those are just a few of my thoughts this week!  It will be electrifying to welcome back our Alumni on Friday Night!  Collectively they will share many stories and celebrate the education they had at Vianney.  Between the football and the food, the fight songs and the pep rallies, I hope you'll also take a few moments this week to celebrate the MANY things that make Vianney Special!