Dear Xavier FamilySit down before you read the next sentence – I don’t want the shock to overwhelm you. High school students are, as a rule, not really morning people. Whether school starts at 8 or 8:30, dozens of students roll in barely conscious, often with their hair still in the same shape it was as they lifted it from their pillow (that’s admittedly more of a guy thing), and usually not much in the mood for conversation. For every “Good morning” I deliver, the response is somewhere between a grunt, a mumble, or the infamous “walk past, then realize someone said something to me, then look back and see it was Mr. Mauthe, then just ignore him and keep walking” strategy. I suppose that’s high school for us. Maybe they’re all staying up late studying, doing community service, or spending time in quality conversation with their parents! So what does it take to change the vibe in the halls at 7:45 am? There are only two things that have ever seemed to work. One is free food. The leftovers from Food Fair were the equivalent of gold bars in their time. The other, a much more sustainable solution, is the Christmas music produced by the Xavier Jazz Band and HawkSwing during these weeks of holiday cheer.
December 2022 Volume #413 In this Issue: Business/Attendance ..................................... 02 Campus Ministry ........................................... 03 Upcoming Events .......................................... 07
St. Francis Xavier High School 1600 W. Prospect Avenue Appleton, WI 54914 920-733-6632 Fax: 920-735-1787 www.xaviercatholicschools.org
On the day before Thanksgiving Break, the first of these special mornings commenced. I sat peacefully in my office when suddenly I could hear the Jazz Band warming up in the commons. Immediately, my excitement peaked. As their first Christmas tune began, teachers started to come down the hallway from their rooms. Students who were mindlessly thumbing through apps on their phones stopped to applaud as the song ended. Then, as if we were not already blessed that morning, we watched as HawkSwing strolled in and began their own performance. Imagine entering your high school, a little groggy and perhaps slightly apathetic about the day of learning ahead. Before you know what is happening, you are surrounded by the angelic voices of your peers singing Christmas carols, followed by the talented members of the Jazz Band following suit. By the time this impromptu performance is done, the commons is full of onlookers, classmates and adults posting this joy to social media, and even some members of administration quietly singing along, hoping not to disturb the quality. For those thirty minutes, the rest of the world ceased to exist. Our Xavier community just relaxed in peace and calm, alive and ready for the day ahead. That’s the power of the Christmas season and the gift of music. In the weeks ahead, there are all kinds of things to do to prepare for Christmas. It’s a busy time for adults and a chaotic time for students. We fill Advent with service, reconciliation, Mass, and all kinds of other things to get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus. There are so many things we can do to get in the Christmas spirit. Here are a couple of things to make a priority – join us on December 14 and 15 for the band and choir Christmas Concerts. You’ll be awed by their performance, impressed by their spirit, and transformed by their holiday cheer. We are so blessed to be a school of exceptional academics which also wins state championships in athletics and boasts one of the finest fine arts programs in the area. Never is that more evident than in November and December, when our fall musical brings thousands to Xavier and then our performing arts ensembles move us with their concerts. If you can’t be here at 7:30am to watch the way music affects cranky, overtired adolescents, I invite you to join us at the concerts. I guarantee you that it’s a perfect way to prepare for Christmas. Merry Christmas,
Mike Mauthe Principal Xavier High School is a proud member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic School System, and has been accredited by AdvanceED (formerly the North Central Association) since 1970.