Dear St. Rose School Families:
In the blink of an eye, we arrive at Christmas! As we prepare to celebrate Jesus' birth and enjoy some well deserved days off, it seems fitting to look back on all of the gifts we have received since beginning the school year in August. First and foremost I am thankful to all of you for welcoming me in to the St. Rose School family so warmly. It has been a joy to get to know your children and witness their growth over these past few months. We are a vibrant community, now in our 60th year, poised for continued growth due to the hard work of those who came before us and the dedicated team of clergy, religious, administrators, teachers, parents, students and community members who are committed to Catholic education. Together we will help St. Rose School thrive.
Here are some highlights of our year to date:
-Extensive, intensive search and identification of premier faculty/staff members.
I am so very pleased with and proud of these accomplished men and women -- both
our new hires and our ongoing faculty and staff members. They are dedicated,
collaborative professionals who put their heart, soul and many talents in to the the
education of our students.
-Established a new Administration model that includes the appointment of Mrs. Mary Jo Bokuniewicz as Dean of student life; streamlines internal/external communications and identifies key processes dedicated to achieving an optimal learning environment for all students.
Introduction of a new, vibrant website that offers a dimensional view of St. Rose School, is easy to access and constantly updated.
Please click here to visit the website if you haven't done so recently
and share the word with friends, family and neighbors. Good things are happening
here!
-Acquisition (through grants and other funds) of 60 sets of Chrome Books and 4 Smart TV's
for use in the classrooms. In addition we purchased graphing calculators for the Middle School
Math classrooms and are in the process of securing funds for additional Chrome Books.
-Celebration of our 60th Anniversary! A beautiful mass and engaging Oktoberfest celebration
in October called together St. Rose family through the years to recognize this significant
milestone and help pave the way for the next 60 years. Citations from state and local officials as
well as blessings from the Diocese all reflected the powerful, far-reaching impact St. Rose
School and its students/alumni make on the community and beyond.
-Installation of the Be Kind Mural in front vestibule. A gift from the Class of 2018 that
emphasizes our theme of "Kindness" for the year and is a constant reminder to all who enter
our halls that Jesus walks among us and works through us.
-Discovery of major strides in Math and Language Arts scores (May - October 2018) of
students in grades 1-8 through Star Testing. Our students showed a 13.2 percent increase in
Math skills and a 23.95 percent increase in Language Arts skills.
-Announcement of parent survey results (based on 2/3's responding) that reveal 98.44
percent of families feel the St. Rose School community is positive; 95.3 percent of respondents
believe their child(ren)'s daily experience is positive; and 92.3 percent of respondents are
satisfied with the curriculum.
-Approval of a five phase Infrastructure upgrade to the Main and Preschool buildings.
Due to a delay in material deliveries the project is expected to begin the week of January
Together we have accomplished many positive goals, all of which help us strengthen St. Rose School and ensure that our students receive a stellar academic and faith focused educational experience. We blend tradition and innovation to create enlightened citizens.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Kate O'Connor for accepting the role of Home School Association President this year. This is a big undertaking that involves MANY volunteer hours. The HSA Board, which also includes Mrs. O'Connor's equally dedicated teammates, Mrs. Diane Lavin, Secretary, Mrs. Siobhan Frieary, Treasurer and Mrs. Tara Johnson, Vice President, has made a substantial impact on the school community. In fact, we received many glowing comments in the Parent Survey about the events the HSA has hosted to date. Families feel welcomed and want to be involved which is such a benefit to our students. I look forward to this positive momentum continuing into 2019 and beyond.
It is true what they say that we learn from children. This week I had the pleasure of visiting every child in Preschool to 8th grade to give them a special St. Rose 60th Anniversary ornament. They were all so excited and brimming with stories to share as well as sincere "Thank you's". Children capture the spirit of Christmas and emphasize what really matters. This is a life lesson that never goes out of style.
I hope that through the years this ornament will find a place on your trees and evoke fond memories of your years at St. Rose School -- we will always be connected with those who have walked these halls and will walk them in the years to come.
The Christmas Concert was a feast for the ears! Mrs. Salustri did an amazing job of raising every student's voice to Heaven as we anticipate Christmas Day. It was heartwarming to be in the glow of our warm church surrounded by members of our St. Rose community and inspired by those angelic voices. A true gift to cherish! We are grateful to Robert Taylor Photography for taking photos and providing free downloads to all families.
Christmas mass this morning, followed by Buddy Bingo, put the icing on the cake of our festive week. We are grateful to Monsignor Bob for being our faithful shepherd and lifting our spirits with the beautiful mass and traditional "12 Days of Christmas" which turned the hall in to a very jolly place.
Now it is time to say good bye for a while. I wish you a Blessed, Merry Christmas filled with special moments and surrounded by the people you love. May God protect all who are traveling and grant us all peace and fulfillment in the New Year. I look forward to seeing you in 2019 and am excited about all of the good things ahead. The next school newsletter will be distributed January 11, 2019.
God Bless,
Mr. Bardhyl Gjoka
Principal
