June 8, 2010
Letter From The Principal
BERNADETTE O'LEARY
Thank you for a great year!
As I work with the School Commission on our school’s strategic plan for the next five years, I have
been reading about the characteristics of high-performing schools and reflecting on what a great year
this 2009-2010 school-year has been.
- Our school community, parents, faculty, staff, parishioners, and students have come together with a shared sense of purpose and dedication to lead our lives as Jesus did and to provide our children with strong Catholic values and a robust Catholic academic foundation.
- We have maintained high standards and expectations for all students and we have monitored learning at all levels. Many of our graduates were placed in honors classes at their high schools. Our test scores were above the national and local averages.
- Throughout the year, teachers, parents and students have collaborated and communicated with each other. The teachers have reported very positively about email communication.
- You, parents, have supported us and your children throughout the year. We are so grateful for your partnership and involvement.
- We, the faculty, are mapping the curriculum to ensure that it is aligned with state and Archdiocesan standards and we constantly evaluate our instructional methodology.
- The teachers value learning and ongoing professional development. Faculty meetings are lively discussions about student achievement and how students learn differently. Teachers are enrolled in many classes for the summer, including the teaching of life sciences, math and reading instruction, differentiated instruction, catechetical certification classes, and formative assessment. In two weeks, time I will head off to China to study their schools and the increasing interest by our schools in Chinese language and culture.
- What makes our school really great is our partnership with you!
Kristin Agbalog is the volunteer of the year!
Congratulations and thank you, Kristen.
We thank all parent volunteers. We recognize all those who go above and beyond the hours of service
required by the contract. I am also taking this opportunity to thank those of you who “love your
neighbors” by driving their children to school every day.
Mrs. Palma (grade 3 parent)
and
Ms. Coverson (grade 7 parent) offer their services on a daily basis to bring other children to school.
God Bless you and all those who help with car-pooling! Without your help, some families would be
unable to send their children to St. George.
Thank you,
Russ Lessard, Kristen Agbalog, Marvin Thueringer and all who helped with the fun-filled
carnival last weekend. Even the sun came out for the event. Check out the photos on the web-site.
Mr. Singian, third grade parent, volunteers many, many hours to creating our website and we are
extremely thankful.
The St. George community is a strong vibrant learning community of parents, teachers, students and
friends, progressing and advancing day by day, year by year. The five year plan on which the School
Commission is working will ensure continued improvement in Catholic identity, community building,
learning and teaching.
In the meantime, enjoy a sun-filled, book-filled adventurous summer!
More News
The past few weeks have been filled with retreats, field trips, picnics, parties and yes, learning.
- Students from all grades performed in the Talent Show last week. Children from kindergarten to the eighth grade delighted us with their dancing, singing, magic shows, piano, recorder and violin playing. Thank you so much, Mrs. Wingard, for organizing and directing this showcase of our students’ abilities.
- Yesterday, Ms. Marissa’s music classes sang and played the bells and recorders for our Spring Concert.
- The sixth graders presented their biography projects, integrating vast amounts of technology, live music, thanks to Ian’s dad and Ms. Marissa, art and drama.
- The “Fab Four”, Ms. Liz’s first grade advanced reading group, taught their class and me all about the different habitats, and her fourth grade advanced reading group performed in the Dragons Keep, a play about their book.
- The fifth graders toured me around their Revolutionary War Museum, the fourth graders slept overnight at Mt. St. Helens.
- The seventh graders listened with awe to a presentation from a Holocaust survivor. They have a new appreciation for the blessings they have in their own lives.
Faculty News
Ms. Holly Kusak, our teacher of advanced math and Title I reading and math, will leave us this year to
pursue a Masters Degree in teaching. We are very sad to see her leave, and hopefully she will return
to St. George once she has completed the degree. We will miss Ms. Holly’s engaging and lively lessons.
Frequently, the students sneaked upstairs at the recess bell, preferring to spend time with Ms. Holly
rather than go on recess. Yesterday, when I stopped by, her young students were having tea and
scones. Ms. Holly brought in a table cloth, a tea set and baked scones to teach her students about
fractions! They were so excited! Come back soon, Ms Holly.
Miss Brianna Singh is also heading off to school. Brianna has been the assistant in the extended
daycare and a great help to Mr. Rittman. The children enjoy her gentleness and support and they will
really miss her; so will we. We wish her all the best and hope that she will also return to St.
George.
Great Opportunity for students going into grades seven and eight
Sr. Kathleen Sullivan, former Dean of the Math Department at S.U., and organizer of the summer SPLASH
math and science program for girls for the past twenty years at S. U., has offered to put on a
ROBOTICS camp for St. George students (boys and girls) in the second and third weeks of August, right
here at St. George! This is an incredible, FREE opportunity for our students. Please let me know
immediately if you want a space in this program. The dates are August 9 – August 20, from 10:00 a.m.
to 12:00 noon. Sr. Kathleen will bring in the teachers and the robots from S.U.
- Thursday, June 10th, Preschool Graduation, 6:30 at the church
- Friday, June 11th Mass at 8:15, followed by kindergarten graduation in the church and the Honor Roll Assembly for grades 5 – 8 in the auditorium
- Dismissal at 10:00 for all students. We will not have extended daycare.
2010 – 2011 School Year
You will find the new school year calendar and supply list with this communication. You will be
delighted to note that the supply lists are much shorter. The teachers noted that buying in bulk was
much less expensive and it assured that all students would have access to supplies. They will pick up
the supplies for you, at a much cheaper rate! You’ve got to love those teachers.
Have a great summer! God Bless!
Almost
twenty five years ago, Bernadette O'Leary traveled from the Emerald Isle to the Emerald City ...
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