"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them."
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
Greetings from Mr. G
May 22, 2020
May God bless the brave men and women who have died to protect our great country. Through their sacrifices we have received the gift of freedom and opportunity. We are "one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. "
Dear St. Rose School Families,
God has smiled down on us with the beautiful weather this week. I hope you are all finding time to soak in some sun and fresh air.
It has been a productive week as classes continue and learning is evident. I am so pleased at the level of student engagement. This is owed to our incredibly dedicated and creative teachers and to you, our faithful and committed parents. Great teamwork! I trust that you received progress reports this week and honor roll certificates. If there are any questions or concerns please speak with teachers directly. We remain on track to finish the school year strong.
I am excited to share the good news that our Advanced Math Club has received the Gold Level Award for the 10th consecutive year! These industrious 6th, 7th and 8th graders have worked diligently and strategically to accomplish and submit their challenging project so the award is very well deserved. My thanks to Ms. Smith for her faithful and insightful leadership of this club through the years. Congratulations!
What a delightful day I had Wednesday travelling in a caravan with Monsignor Bob and Mrs. Petrillo to visit our 8th graders. It was the day we should have been heading to Washington D.C. so we wanted to bring a bit of D.C. to each of them. The weather was beautiful and the smiles were bright -- it was so good to get a chance to see and speak with our 8th graders and their families. It is difficult for them to miss out on all of the special activities that are tradition for this last year at school but they are handling it with grace which is so commendable. We want them to know how special they are to us and that they will always have a home in our hearts!
I look forward to seeing you at the HSA meeting next Wednesday May 27th. We had a beautiful turnout on Zoom last time so I hope the same will be true for the final meeting of the year. It's a great way for us all to connect.
It's hard to believe that we have arrived at Memorial Day weekend yet here we are. Please remember that school is closed on Monday the 25th. I hope you all have a restful and fun weekend. A little birdie told me that Holy Cow Ice Cream Shop opened today. They are following all of the safety rules so if you would like a tasty treat keep them in mind.
My prayers continue for your health, safety and peace. God Bless America and all who have sacrificed so that we may be free.
God Bless,
Mr. Bardhyl Gjoka
STUDENT LIFE UPDATE
It seems we just started May with celebrating Mother’s Day and Special Person’s Day; and yet, this past weekend, our soon to be graduates, both in 8th grade and kindergarten, received their caps and gowns for graduation!! We arrived at the middle of the month and seem to be zooming towards the end! As we continue
our journey in distance learning, we are ever grateful to our families for their support and dedication on the home front in helping our children continue learning.
Click here to read more.
Across the Miles...Many Smiles...
Labors of Love
Our faculty have been busy in the classroom and on the road! In the past week Mrs. Petrillo made special deliveries of graduation caps and gowns to her 8th graders, Monsignor Bob, Mr. G and Mrs. Petrillo visited 8th graders in colorful caravan style bearing gifts from D.C. and Mrs. Cicarelli stopped at all 19 of her 4th grade students' homes over 2 days, bringing gifts and smiles. These are lessons in kindness, compassion and LOVE. It's what sets St. Rose School apart. We are a family and as such we go the extra miles to show how much we care.
HOLY COW! The Ice Cream Shop is opening today, 3:00-9:00 p.m. Hours will be limited to start and many safety measures have been put into place. If you feel like a sweet treat and want to support a local family business whose owners are part of the St. Rose School family, stop on by! For more information visit www.holycowct.com.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM NURSE BONNIE
Attention parent of Preschool and Kindergarten students, please read the attached information from Nurse Bonnie.
What subject/grade level do you teach/how long have you been at St. Rose School?
I currently teach grades 5-8 Science and grade 8 Religion. This is my 2nd year at Saint Rose and my 35th year in teaching. My teaching experiences have been in several Connecticut public school systems as well as parochial schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford.
What do you enjoy the most about teaching this age group?
Middle school aged students are an excellent group to work with. They are coming into their own as individuals and there are so many possibilities ahead of them. You can build connections with them and it is so heartwarming when they come back to visit from high school and college. I enjoy their wit, some students can be quite entertaining! This year I was fortunate to teach 5th graders. I enjoy their curiosity and their sense of wonder as they grow to become more independent thinkers.
Tell us about your Family
We have 2 daughters. Brianna, is 25 and a Berklee College of Music graduate. She works in music and production in North Carolina. Caleigh is a senior at Trinity College majoring in biology and plans to be a veterinarian. We all love animals and have a houseful of pets- sometimes it feels like a zoo!
What is your favorite book?
Many of my favorites are books I read to my girls when they were younger. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch is my favorite children's book. It brings back many good memories and one day I hope I can read it to my grandchildren.
What is your favorite movie?
If you saw my collection in my home you would easily guess that my favorite movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz. I have loved the movie since a very young age and have been collecting memorabilia ever since. I once had a dog named Toto as well!
What is your favorite color?
My favorite color is orange, the brighter the better.
What is your favorite season?
Summer! I love the beach and the sun- the season is never long enough! There is something about the sounds of the ocean that is just so relaxing. Summer is also time for my favorite sport- baseball and my favorite team, the Boston Red Sox!
What is your favorite prayer?
I have always had a special connection with the Blessed Mother. The story of Mary's visitation to Fatima is most special to me and The Hail Mary is my favorite prayer. I was so fortunate to have my first born on August 22nd, the feast day of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Hobbies
I like gardening, home projects and cooking new recipes with my youngest daughter. I also enjoy crocheting, it is very relaxing and during the winter crocheting a blanket keeps me warm! Most recently I have been learning how to groom dogs!
What do you value the most about the St. Rose School community?
From the moment I stepped into the school building, I was welcomed and greeted with warm smiles. Everyone is helpful. The close knit families are what make Saint Rose so special.
What advice can you give to students and families as we live during these uncertain times?
These times are most definitely concerning. As difficult as it is to not worry or be fearful, I find that prayer gives me hope and reminds me that all is in God's hands. The Rosary is something I pray every day. We are reminded that Our Lady of Fatima told us: " In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph". It is the Rosary that gives me comfort
ADVANCED MATH CLUB STRIKES GOLD...FOR THE 10th CONSECUTIVE YEAR!
Hot off the presses...St. Rose School's Advanced Math Club just heard that they have received the Gold Level Award from The National Math Club. This is the 10th consecutive year in a row that the club has received this award. According to Ms. Smith, club moderator, "the students had taken photographs of various vocabulary words and created math word problems along with their solutions. My thanks to 8th graders Mycayla Canlas and Sylvia Pinheiro who collaborated together and were able to create a beautifully planned out and mathematically correct Powerpoint presentation. Their level of expertise is amazing!" Ms. Smith went on to congratulate all of the club members who worked so hard to achieve this milestone and gave a shout out to the 8th graders thanking them for their leadership, their assistance to the younger club members and encouraging them to join or start math clubs at their high schools. Here's what they received from Math Counts: "Congratulations!! Your math club reached Gold Level Status in The National Math Club! This is an extremely commendable accomplishment. We will be updating our website to include your club’s name on the Gold Level Schools list. You will be mailed a gold level banner in June.Congratulations on this fantastic achievement. "
Advanced Math Club members:
Julia Bryan, Alina Budzynski, Jude Cappiello, Savanna Cicarelli, Ava Canlas, Rohan Carey, Mycayla Canlas, Ava Heineken, Griffin Geissler, Stephen Johnson, Daniel Lee, Benjamin Haddad, Justin Markowitz, Thomas Phelan, Mason McSwiggan, Bekkalu Liben, Joshua Schumacher, Monica Toakr, Jonathan Voskov, Sylvia Pinheiro. Click here to see sample certificate that each student received.
HSA NEWS
Dear Friends:
Hello again - what a gorgeous week it has been! We hope you and your families have been able to enjoy the sunshine in between the classwork.
Our final HSA meeting for the 2019/2020 school year is next Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30pm. Mrs. Wong has already sent an email with the call in information - we hope you can join us for this important discussion. Following the meeting, we will be asking for your vote to help us move forward with financial disbursements to the school and by-law changes. As always, we welcome any questions you may have going into the meeting - either for the HSA Board or for the Administration/Faculty. Please submit these through our email: hsa@srles.com.
Thank you, and we hope you enjoy a great holiday weekend!
Your HSA Board
DATES TO NOTE
May 25th -- School closed, Memorial Day
June 4th -- Preschool graduation
June 5th -- Kindergarten graduation (moved
from June 3rd)
June 6th -- 8th grade graduation
June 9th -- New Family Virtual Meet & Greet
June 10th -- Last day of school
PLEASE NOTE: Vacation Bible School, You Gotta Believe (YGB) Basketball Camp, Steubenville and Fan the Fire have been cancelled this Summer
