Thank You for being Vianney Teachers!

To the Vianney Faculty and Staff:

I want to personally thank you.

Thank you for being a teacher, more importantly a Vianney teacher and part of the St. John Vianney High School family. Three years ago I uprooted my family in great part because of the people in this building.  I never asked about our ACT scores, I never saw a curriculum map.  Questions about enrollment, facilities, and  budgets, NEVER came out of my mouth.  But the feeling of family was strong. From the moment I stepped on this campus in October 2011 I knew I wanted to be part of this special place.  I wanted to be a Griffin!

You welcomed me and treated me like family from day one!
That feeling of family permeated my body and sustained me on drives back to Springfield and consumed my thoughts in the months I waited to receive "the phone call".  YOU are what makes Vianney special.  You are its heart and soul!

You have personally, positively impacted me and my family. Lexi loves being the lone- "Vianney Cheerleader." God knows I love and appreciate the opportunity to work with my dad on a daily basis! As young adolescents we dream of growing up and making our parents proud.  To demonstrate that their efforts and sacrifices were not wasted on us.  I not only was allowed to full-fill my dreams because of my parents, but each and every day my father gets to see me LIVE my dream.  That's a pretty awesome feeling!  And more than that, Vianney brought us to St. Louis so Lexi can grow-up seeing her Paw-Paw whenever she wants!  You cannot put a price on that!

Thank you for being in the classroom, ready, prepared, and willing to serve.  For having the art and the science to develop men of character and accomplishment.

Thank you for your dedication and timeless efforts. Words like complacency and status quo are nonexistent at Vianney and that's because each of you will not allow such words to be spoken or actions to exist.

Thank you for recognizing each individual student is unique and learns differently and for creating differentiated classrooms that engage our students.

Thank you for encouraging our students to push a little more, lengthen their reach, give a little more effort! That is often tiring and tedious work that does not get headlines in the media.  But it is good, honorable, important work that will sustain our young men their entire lives!

Thank you for taking the time to teach life’s lessons and for using teachable moments! So often in this fast paced, standards driven world of education so many people and schools have forgotten that our students and our works are about so much more than test scores.  At Vianney we practice  holistic education.  That faith and family are equally as important as foundational courses in Algebra, English, and Biology.  You each understand the greater role we play in educating young men to be servant leaders, good husbands, great fathers, and leaders in their communities.


Thank you for helping our students to be balanced people.  Who are not just intellects who lose themselves in books, but productive humanitarians that see and aide in community and world problems.  Who are so level-headed that when they grow older they'll know to appreciate family, and faith, and freedom and NOT fret the small things.

Thank you for volunteering at the athletic events, Architecture night, All-Night Graduation, Open house, Auction set-up, Cocoa and Cram, and dozens of other school events. Thanks for attending our student's athletic competitions, their musical and theatrical performances, and supporting their causes when they Battle Cancer or try to help the less fortunate in Nairobi.  You're teaching them that this is NOT JUST a school, but a family.

Thank you for being part of their retreat experiences and for modeling your faith on a daily basis.  You are all such outstanding role-models for our young men!

Thank you for stretching yourself professionally, taking every stride in curriculum and evaluation changes so effortlessly.  I realize you work with a principal that has a lot of ideas and only one speed--FAST! Through curriculum mapping, brain-based research, and technological advances you have taken it all in stride.  I'm not naive.  I know it's been difficult at times, but I've also seen so many positive advancements in our students, our curriculum, and our student outcomes because of your efforts!

Thank you for reinforcing kindness and respect and teaching personal responsibility.

Thank you for allowing our young men to be unique personalities and not forcing conformity.

Thank you for cleaning the classroom, picking up trash in the halls,  and helping to keep our campus nice.

Thank you for letting our students know they are good enough and to believe in themselves. Thank you for teaching them that from here ANYTHING is possible if they're willing to work hard, apply all of themselves, and trust in God.

I could go on for days!  There is so much to Thank You for. Thank you for being the best faculty in Missouri. Thank you for being better than you need to be.  Thank you for making me the LEAST important person in the building.

But mostly, Thank you for inspiring the hearts, minds, and souls of tomorrow's leaders!
You inspire me!