"It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the Spring, who reaps a harvest in Autumn."
-B. C. Forbes
Greetings from Mr. G
September 20, 2019
This weekend we welcome Fall and all of the gifts it brings. Take time to enjoy the splendid colors and fresh outdoor air.
Dear St. Rose School Families,
Talents are gifts from God and your children are blessed in many ways. It is a privilege, as educators, to guide students in their lessons and help them reach their full potential. We have all the tools in place to make every child's learning journey successful. Your partnership is the icing on the cake. Together we do great things.
We were delighted to welcome area high schools to our Gathering Hall Tuesday night. Many representatives were former St. Rose School students who we always love to see in our halls. Navigating the high school decision process can be stressful but we are here to help. Please feel free to make appointments with Mrs. B who can assist you during this time. We are aware that many of our 8th graders, and some 7th graders, may be shadowing at high schools. Please be sure to give teachers and Mrs. Wong advance notice if they will be out. We wish our students good luck on upcoming entrance exams and remind them that God has a plan so, in the words of St. Augustine "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you."
Our enrichment programs are up and running. We are very blessed to have such dedicated and knowledgeable people running these activities which add tremendous dimension to the curriculum.
I trust you received my email with the update about the portable classroom removal and finance plan. We are delighted to have achieved this significant milestone which puts our school in stronger financial standing. My thanks again to the HSA and all parents for supporting us in the removal costs and to Monsignor and the Parish Finance Committee who have agreed to a three year loan for purchasing the remaining classrooms. Click here to read email.
One last thing -- next Thursday and Friday I will be attending a Professional Development conference that is mandatory for all Principals in the Diocese. Our Superintendent Dr. Cheeseman will be there as well. In my absence Mrs. B will ensure that all goes smoothly at the school. I am sure I will glean some important insights and ideas from this meeting and look forward to doing all that I can to enhance our wonderful school.
I hope you will all come to Castle Hill Farm tonight for the HSA's Bonfire. It is a wonderful family event in a beautiful place -- the perfect way to kick off Fall.
Enjoy your weekend.
God Bless,
Mr. Bardhyl Gjoka
ATHLETICS
Basketball
All teams should have been contacted by their coach and notified of upcoming practices.
Thank you to everyone who submitted an updated State Health Assessment to the School Nurse. This form must be on file prior to participating in any basketball activities.
The registration fee of $265 per student / athlete was due September 16th. If you have not done so already please send payment to the attention of the Athletic Director.
Cheer
We hope to have some good news to share about our Cheer program shortly. Thank you for your patience during this transition.
The newly paved parking lot is beautiful and...safe! Sidewalks and illumination are wonderful additions that have led to new protocols for bus and car walk arrival/departure procedures. We appreciate your cooperation which guarantees safety and efficiency for all involved. Click here for details;
click here for map.
Beginning in October, St. Rose will again be offering Homework and Tutoring support after school each day, from 3pm - 4pm, as a resource for students in grades 2 thru 8. Registration forms are sent out in the school newsletter throughout the year and you can select - with payment - the days that you want your child to attend. Read more...
A MESSAGE FROM MR. G ABOUT VIRTUS TRAINING -- PLEASE READ
Dear Families and Staff -
As you know the safety of your children is of utmost importance to us. One of the things we do to ensure this is to follow the Diocese of Bridgeport's requirement that ALL people who come in contact with school children partake in the Virtus Training course called "Protecting God's Children." If you are not currently Virtus trained, we encourage you to take one of the courses offered throughout the Diocese so that you can participate in your child's various school activities. Mrs. Wong is St. Rose School's Virtus Administrator; she has access to the current Virtus database and can provide any information you need including the dates/times of upcoming classes and the status of your training. Complete training requires attending the course (in person if it is your first time, online if you are updating your certificate) and getting a background check. Once you are cleared, your name will be in Mrs. Wong's system and you will be ready to volunteer. Please be sure to wear or carry your Virtus badge to all activities.
The heartbeat of our school is powered by the amazing activities taking place in all classrooms, Preschool-8th grade, every day. Our teachers and your children make an awesome team!
We are looking forward to seeing many of you tonight at the bonfire - we have over 45 families signed up and the weather looks perfect. It will be a great opportunity to visit with friends old and new!
Thank you to all who have filled out and returned their HSA enrollment forms. We've had a great response and appreciate your generosity. If you have not had time to send in your form yet, please take a moment to do so - every contribution helps us reach our fundraising goals.
Exciting news....SRS Class of 2016 alumnus Hunter Kirkman received a perfect score -- 800 -- on the Math portion of the SAT exam. Hunter is also part of the one percent of high school juniors from 21,000 high schools in the United States who are semi-finalists selected based on a 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Corporation qualifying test. As an eligible finalist, he will complete the required application that includes SAT or ACT scores, an essay and a letter of recommendation by a high school officials; if he becomes a finalist he would be eligible for various scholarships.
Currently a Senior at Immaculate High School, Hunter is in the college application process and intends to major in Engineering. He is a captain of the IHS Boys Soccer team and is also active with the Do Gooders group and United Youth Ministry at St. Rose Church. A long time Boy Scout, Hunter is currently working toward his Eagle Scout award.
Hunter is one of five siblings who have either graduated from or who are currently students at St. Rose School. His oldest sister Victoria is a Senior at Catholic University, Diana is a Junior at Villanova, Sarah is an 8th grader at St. Rose and Liam is in the Fourth grade.
Way to go Hunter, we are proud of you and ask God's blessings as you make your college decision.
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Auditions are coming up for The Nutcracker, see details in this flyer.
NEWS FROM THE NURSE
Here are some helpful hints to help navigate the allergy and cold season:
We are pleased to be able to offer Before and After school Child care to our families. This is a fee based service that is staffed by trained, caring teachers and staff. Before school care is available starting at 7:00 a.m.; After school care is available from the time of dismissal through 6:00 p.m. Hours may change on holidays and school half days.
If you are interested please contact Mrs. Wong, secretary@srles.com.
LET'S CELEBRATE MONSIGNOR BOB'S BIRTHDAY!
A very special day is coming -- Monday September 30th is our beloved Pastor's birthday. On Friday the 27th we'll recognize Monsignor at Mass and then on Monday, September 30th there will be a DRESS DOWN DAYfor $2.00 per studentin recognition of his actual birthday. Please send money in to Mrs. Wong's attention. The collection will be used for gifts from the school. Please take time to wish Monsignor a happy birthday and remember him in your prayers. Thanks.
ATTENTION ALL PARENT VOLUNTEERS!
We really appreciate our wonderful parents who share their time and talents with St. Rose School and make it such a special place.
If you plan to volunteer in any capacity this year -- Thank you! In order to get everyone on the same page, Mr. G and Mrs. B are holding Parent Volunteer meetings on Tuesday September 24th at 5:00 p.m. and Wednesday September 25th at 10:00 a.m. in the Library. Please make every effort to attend so you don't miss out on important information.
