"Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with lough songs of Joy!"
Psalms 47:1
Dear St. Rose School Families,
It was a beautiful week starting with Sunday's 8th grade graduation in the church. Members of the Class of 2021 are now officially St. Rose School alumni, setting off to various high schools but always bonded through the times and experiences they shared in these halls. We are grateful for their unique talents and the many ways in which they and their families contributed to our school. It will be exciting to follow their progress.
Kindergarten graduation was Tuesday. You can't help but smile when you watch these young students with hands folded in prayer take their place on stage, wave excitedly to their families and then receive their diplomas with such poise. They made remarkable strides this year and are more than ready to begin First Grade. Many will be staying with us and for those who aren't please know that you always have a home here. Cheers to the Kindergarten graduates their families!
Last but never least was graduation for the Preschool 4's and Transitional Kindergarten students. The love in their hearts filled the gathering hall with such light as they sang, danced and clapped during the ceremony, each student announcing what they wanted to be when they grew up. The answers ranged from Doctor to Teacher to Vet (lots of those) to Batman, Wrestling Man, Art Man and Ninja. We know that under God's continued guidance they will make the world a brighter place.
Thanks to Monsignor Bob and all of the teachers and parents for putting such special touches on the graduation ceremonies and mostly for the love and support you give these students -- these are lasting gifts.
On Monday it was our great pleasure to host a Welcome Mixer for incoming new families. We are excited that so many students across the grade levels will be joining our St. Rose School family. Thanks to all who attended, it was wonderful to meet you. We promise to be in touch over the summer and will hold a New Family Welcome picnic before school begins. Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions.
Mother Nature brought the heat this week. Thank you for your patience, we know the conditions were not ideal but we assure you that we did everything in our power to keep the students and faculty safe. It was nice to get a reprieve as the week ended and so far next week looks comfortable.
Monday is Field Day which is an early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. Your teachers will be in touch with all of the details. It's going to be a fun time. On Wednesday we will gather in the church at 9 a.m. for the last school mass of the year. This is a dress up day. Sister Thaddeus and teachers have been reviewing mass etiquette with students and they are doing really well. It is such a blessing to end the year together, in church. Please join us if you can; we love to see parents, grandparents and family members in the pews.
June 16th is the last day of school. Our last newsletter will be June 18th; it will resume in mid August with emails in between if necessary. Summer office hours are Mondays-Fridays 8:00 a.m -1:00 p.m. except for the weeks of July 5th and August 2nd during which the school will be closed. If you need to contact us during the summer please email secretary@srles.com and Mrs. Sweeting will direct messages accordingly. As always, our goal is to maintain open communications and partner with parents in the learning journey.
I hope you received the message from Superintendent Dr. Cheeseman yesterday in which he makes a forecast for the new school year. If you haven't had a chance to read it, click here.
We look forward to closing out this most remarkable school year on a happy, healthy note next Wednesday. Have a relaxing weekend and enjoy the Bonfire tonight.
God Bless,
Mr. Bardhyl Gjoka
IMPORTANT DATES
June 14th -- Field Day, early dismissal 11:30 a.m.
June 15th -- Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m, PD
June 16th -- Last day of school for 1st-7th Grade, Early dismissal 11:30 am., Mass in the Church.
Our Brick Walk is filling up -- don't delay, get yours today!Bricks make great gifts for Confirmation, First Holy Communion, Graduation, Weddings, Birthdays, In Memory of a Loved One and so many other occasions. Buy a brick to connect to the past and pave the way for many bright futures. Order online,
polarengraving.com/stroseoflimaschool
bloomsbricks@srles.com.
Questions? Email bloomsbricks@srles.com
PRESCHOOL CORNER
They did it! Students in the Pre K 4's and Transitional Kindergarten graduated this week with lots of smiles, songs, and waves. It was a year of great growth and they are ready for the next exciting step in their educational adventure.
St. Rose Preschool is a place of Light, Learning and Love! For many families, summer is a time to decide about Preschool. We will be offering virtual and in person tours throughout the summer. Interested people can contact admissions@srles.com. Please share the word!
First Graders presented their hand made Bibles; 8th grade and Kindergarten partake in graduation ceremonies.
HSA NEWS
Dear Parents,
We are looking forward to seeing so many of you tonight at Castle Hill Farm! Didn't register? Don't worry - just come over and join us! The more, the merrier! Please see the attached flier for info. We look forward to sharing photos next week.
As we finish up next week, this is a friendly reminder to be generous with gratitude to all of your child(ren)'s teachers as we end this one-of-a-kind year. We are so grateful to our dedicated teachers and staff who have been there for our kids all year and made it possible for them to stay in person. Don't know what to get your teachers? Please consider purchasing gift cards for your child(ren)'s teachers through our SCRIP fundraising program. Every card gives money back to St. Rose School with no added cost for you! You can still purchase e-cards and print out or email a certificate to the teacher. Contact our SCRIP team at scrip@srles.com for more information.
Your HSA Board
Kate O'Connor - President
Isabel Almeida - Vice President
Dave Budzynski - Treasurer
Carrie Sirois - Secretary
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
The Newtown Chamber of Commerce is holding the Great Newtown Shopping Spree Raffle! It's a new twist on shopping local. Tickets are $20 each for the chance of three prizes: 1st- $3,000, 2nd - $1,500 and 3rd - $500. Winnings can be applied to organizations, businesses, nonprofits and restaurants/stores in Newtown. Three lucky winners, one lucky prize! To purchase tickets Text NewtownRaffle to 406-302-5086. For more information contact helenbrickfield@newtown-ct.gov. Good luck!
Caps off to our St. Rose 8th grade, Kindergarten and Preschool students who graduated this past week in joyful celebrations. We love you and wish you God's blessings as the next chapter begins.
STUDENT LIFE
by Mrs. B
Dear St. Rose Families,
The last full day of school for the 2020-2021 school year is now complete! It was the last week of full days and it was a busy, busy week for all! First, we would like to, once again, congratulate our Class of 2021 as we send them forth to high school; they will be missed, they leave lasting memories and impressions upon our St. Rose School community! Applause, applause to our littlest learners as our preschoolers celebrated their accomplishments and moving forward to the next step and kindergarten; and our kindergartners graduated and are ready to take on first grade!
In our classrooms and outside, our children were tie dying t-shirts for Monday’s Field Day; dissecting frogs, building towers of spaghetti and marshmallows, giving Genius Hour and Explorer presentations, counting down the days with fun activities, having special reading times, recording podcasts, getting ready for a celebration across the USA and many more end of the year activities! So as you can see, we are making the most of every minute left of this unique and unforgettable school year!
The Last Hurrah!
On Monday we have our annual Field Day!! Students can dress in their tie dye t-shirts, shorts (appropriate length for school), gym shoes (no flip flops or sandals), a hat is recommended, but not required. Please make sure your child has a water bottle, snack, and applies sunscreen before leaving for school. We highly recommend NO BACKPACKS as we will gather for prayer, head outdoors, and by the time the fun has ended, they will be on their way home!
On Tuesday classes will be celebrating and wrapping things up! This is a dress down for all students.
On Wednesday, it is one of the most exciting and blessed events of the year!! We will finally be able to gather in-person for mass! While we were able to pray each week, virtually attending mass, it will be like coming home, to be in the church again, together as one! This is a DRESS UP day for our children to celebrate our faith as one big family!
Ending One Year and Planning for the Next
We will be offering skill practice workshops for incoming Kindergarten through grade 2 with Mrs. Heyder, July 12-15. Incoming grades 3-5 can sign up for a skills workshop with Mrs. Winington, July 12-15 and July 19-22. For incoming grades 6-8, if you are looking for a tutor for the summer, please let me know, we have a few teachers available for summer tutoring. If you would like a few fun and beneficial practice books to have handy this summer, here is a list of great books at affordable prices!
Barnes and Noble offers a series by Flash Kids Editors, in association with Harcourt Family Learning(Harcourt is one of the publishers that we have used over the years for many of our textbooks in grades K-5). They offer all-in-one workbooks, which have a variety of curriculum areas at a specific grade level; you can purchase workbooks that have targeted practice for a specific skill (separate books for each: math, reading, spelling, language arts, and writing). They even have one for cursive writing practice. These books are available for $6.95 each.
They also have a series of mini workbooks, with even more specific practice, for example time and money in math. This mini series also includes Math Drills and Sight Words. These books are available for $3.95 each. Flash Kids offers good old fashion flashcards, which can be good for practice away from the screen and books. These are available for $3.95-$5.95 each. You might consider two sets for creating learning games at home. They have Test Prep workbooks for most grade levels. These are available for $5.95-$9.95 each. Finally, they have their own brand of summer bridge books for transitioning from one grade to another. These are available for $9.95.
I find that the offerings at Barnes and Noble are more extensive and provide more options, especially if you have a specific skill in mind that you would like your child to practice over the summer.
The only thing I would not purchase at Barnes and Noble, is, if you are interested in the original Summer Bridge Books by Summer Bridge Activities Publishers; they are more expensive here, over $13.00 each; I recommend Amazon at $8.48 per book. My preference though is the Barnes and Noble books and flashcards; many teachers have used these for extra help in classrooms over the years; I have used them in my own classroom and for extra tutoring support. The flashcards are nicely laminated and durable. I have found the workbooks to offer more practice than the traditional bridge books.
If you are looking for a program for the summer, Kumon is a great choice! We have a number of our students, from all grade levels, that have been students at Kumon. Mary Kate Gordon, one of our second grade parents, operates the Newtown Center and she also owns and operates a center in Danbury.
Summer work, supply lists, and other information in preparation for next school year will be shared as we get closer to the end of school.
For our future school leaders, Class of 2022, we are considering a High School Prep Test Course to begin the first weeks of the new school year.
Celebrations and Gratitude
We will be busy this summer, preparing for the next school year; excited to know that we can bring back our many programs and after school activities that were unable to be offered during this school year. It has been over a year since we enjoyed “normal” in our hallways and classrooms, but it has been an experience that we will not ever forget, one that brought growth in everyone, and that showed us just how strong we are individually and as a community! Above all we are grateful to our God for keeping his loving arms around us, keeping us safe, healthy, and moving forward, even when, at times, going one more step might have seemed impossible. It was the spirit, hope, and faith of all that brought us here, to put the successful ending to this chapter of our St. Rose history!
This has been one unique experience for our community this year; but, we made it through and have created many memories despite the challenges! If you would like to have a keepsake of those memories, please order your St. Rose Yearbook today! Follow the link below to place an order for your copy!
May our feet walk on sandy beaches and our heads rest on thick grass under blue skies. May we listen to and marvel at the singing of the birds and stop to watch blissful children at play This summer, God, may our breathing slow and our hearts open.
God help us to be present to all that is so that we might best see all that might be. Amen.
I must admit, when I saw the forecast for the beginning of the week, I said out loud, with a laugh,“are you kidding me?” I don’t think anything that came our way during the pandemic surprised us this year; but, as a community we “weathered” it all. So once again we got creative and kept our kiddos cool and learning throughout those days.
I think that is a fitting way to end this week’s update; as our community has proven over and over again, nothing can diminish our St. Rose pride, spirit, and most of all, our faith; and we will do what it takes to make things happen in our community!
Now with just three early dismissal days ahead, we look forward to the fun, laughs, and celebrations of a year of school, completed, in-person! A job very well done by all!!
2nd graders take a popsicle break after making tie dye t-shirts for Field Day.
ATHLETICS NEWS
Hello SRS Families,
We have had quite a year, and we are pleased that we have been able to provide continuous after school activities for our students safely and enjoyably.
We would greatly appreciate it if ALL families would take a moment to complete the attached survey. There are questions for those who did attend our after school programs as well as for those who did not attend. Your feedback will be extremely useful as we prepare programming for the upcoming school year.
We are happy to say that Team Dig is offering summer camps. Please see the flyer below for details.
