"Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future."
~ Proverbs 19:20
Dear St. Rose School Families,
We learn new things from every life situation, no matter our age or stage. Over these past few weeks I have been challenged to accept the things I cannot control. And I have been reminded every day to count my blessings for the people in my life who are helping me through this time. That means all of you! I look forward with great anticipation to being back in our halls and hopefully to a time when we can all connect in person. Brighter days are on the horizon!
There was a whole lot of learning and celebrating going on this week! It's great to hear about the innovative lessons taking place in our classrooms and I am always encouraged to see a love of reading among our students. Kudos to our teachers for making learning fun!
We had some housekeeping issues to tend at the Preschool involving pipes in need of repair. We apologize for the inconvenience this caused
and appreciate the patience and flexibility of our Preschool teachers, parents and students. Thankfully everything is back in order now.
Iowa testing will begin mid March. Teachers will be in touch with details. As in years past, please be sure that your children get a good night's sleep, have a healthy breakfast and come prepared. There is no need to study for the Iowas, they measure the knowledge your children have acquired up to this point in their education.
I am delighted to hear about all of the good works being done during Lent. Sister Thaddeus has shared that the Mother Superior of her community, who lives in Rome, is very touched by the outpouring of support from St. Rose School to the Mission Drive. Jesus is certainly alive in our halls and hearts!
As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, we are blessed to have the support of a volunteer School Advisory Board who work behind the scenes to help us stay vibrant. If you'd like to learn more about our current members, many of whom are alumni parents, please click here.
We are grateful for their commitment to St. Rose School!
On a housekeeping note, Due to scheduling conflicts with high school graduations and the availability of the church, we are moving our graduation ceremony to Sunday, June 6 at 1:00pm. We apologize for any inconvenience this change might cause but wanted to alert you as soon as we had this information.
The weekend is here. Enjoy some down time with your family and in the great outdoors. Stay healthy and hopeful! And, please consider ordering take out from the Knights Fish Fry which are held Fridays during Lent. Proceeds support their many good works in the community. Thank you.
God Bless,
Mr. Gjoka
IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT
CAR WALK PROTOCOLS
Please take time to review the attached car walk map and guidelines. If you have questions or concerns please contact Mrs. B, dean@srles.com. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe!
This week many members of our faculty and staff received their first dose of the vaccine. Reported cases are below 2 percent. This is good news but adhering to all the safety measures is still important and ensures our continued good health.
A Webinar Series for Parents and Families on Supporting Children’s Well-Being and Learning during COVID-19 The CSDE is hosting a series of virtual conversations for parents and caregivers who are managing children’s learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. See attached flyer for more information and registration links
The mission of the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund (BSF) is to help families in need afford a Catholic education. In the 2020-2021 academic year, BSF awarded nearly $2,700,000 in aid to families at Diocesan elementary schools in Fairfield County.
Applications opened this week -- the deadline for returning families is March 15, 2021 and April 15, 2021 for new families.
We are excited to offer weekly, live virtual tours with Mrs. Coppola for Kindergarten through 8th grade prospective families. These will take place at 11:00-12:00 noon Tuesdays. Registration required using this link. If you are interested in touring the Preschool or have other questions email admissions@srles.com. Please share the word!
Stop! Drop! and Read! was a favorite activity in Kindergarten this week.
Preschool and Primary Grades celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday this week with crazy hats, colorful socks and "Stop, Drop and Read" times. Teachers joined in the fun as well!
STUDENT LIFE
by Mrs. B
Dear St. Rose Families,
Dr. Seuss wasn’t only on the loose in our building this week; in true St. Rose fashion with a little help from our neighbors and friends, we ended the week of celebration with a friendly parade around the building! Yes, on this chilly, but beautiful sunny day we had a parade pass by!
To the smiles, laughter, and waves of our children, our friends and neighbors from Church Hill Village paraded down our sidewalks as a colorful cast of characters! Brought together last Easter with the car parade, a true friendship has grown with our neighbors across the street and it seems whenever we are together it is cause for a parade, whether it’s Easter, Halloween, or just a sunny March afternoon. We look forward to warmer weather and more outdoor visits!
Our children had a week of fun dressing down and dressing up but also treasured the moments of a week-long celebration of reading and the priceless gift it is to give to ourselves and others! Classrooms were bustling with activities and read alouds, as well as a Tuesday afternoon Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R.). Please check in with our classroom newsletters and photos to see the creativity that abounded in our hallways!
March has not only come in like a lion, but it is roaring with excitement and activity for our community! We are looking forward to more learning fun with Pi Day, St. Patrick’s Day, competitions, and school spirit. This will also be a time to begin preparing for our annual International Week, which we officially celebrate April 6-9.
We continue to expand upon our after school offerings. Please be sure to see our flyer of activities in this newsletter! The bright sunshine greets us as our continued reminder of hope! We are hearing the advances being made toward rounding the corner of this long year of restrictions we have lived through; we are anticipating the return to things that have been canceled or put on hold; we plan with the safety of our children as our priority. Please continue to watch your email and the weekly newsletter for those rays of sunshine and good news as they unfold!
Mr. G will be returning to school on Monday. I want to take this opportunity to thank the faculty and staff for their support and contribution in keeping things going and moving forward these past weeks; it once again shows the strength of our community and the love we have for our school and children! I want to give a special shout out to my fifth graders for going with the flow when I had to step out of the classroom; they kept on task and were patient with any changes that had to be made. They are definitely a crew I can count on!
On Monday, March 8, we are reminded of the news, one year ago, of the first Covid case in Connecticut. While there have been and are many trials and unstill waters associated with this time; we focus on the positive things we have taken from this experience and remember that God never puts in front of us anything that he won’t bring us through. A year later, we know even more the truth of that and the power of our God!
Lord,
You are the wind in my sails.
You guide me as I steer and find direction. You give me strength to keep on going.
You watch over me as I navigate the stormy seas. You are the harbor where I stop for rest. You are my encourager when I lose hope. You are the lighthouse that keeps my path safe. You are always with me.
Although it does not feel like it today, warmer temperatures and greener grass is on the horizon!
We wanted to send out a friendly reminder about the upcoming Saint Rose Annual Golf Outing scheduled for May 24, 2021!
Currently we have been able to register 38 Golfers already for this extraordinary event, thank you to all that have registered thus far.
Because of the intimacy of the venue and available carts, we are capping this years outing to 100 golfers. Please make sure to get your foursome, threesome, pair, or if just single registered today so you do not miss out on playing one of the premier private courses in Fairfield County.
We still have plenty of sponsorships available so please help spread the word.
Mrs. Winington's 3rd grade students "Stepped Into History" presenting reports about famous people while Mrs. Vitetta's First graders conducted a Polar bear science experiment testing how gummy bears reacted to different liquids.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE MISSION DRIVE
News of your generosity to the Mission Drive traveled all the way to Rome. Sister Angela Marie Mazzeo, Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, asked me to extend this message:
"We are really grateful that your school community so faithfully remembers and supports our mission in Ghana. I offer a grateful prayer for you and all the students and parents in St. Rose School. God bless you."
At the end of week 2 donations total $1,170! Raffle tickets are on sale every week day for $1.00 each. Winners are drawn on Fridays. THANK YOU to everyone for your prayers and support of those in need.
