January 29th, 2009
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
Education is a priceless commodity and one that must be cultivated and cherished. At St. Mary High School, we understand the importance of exposing students to think critically, independently, and to appreciate the value of knowledge and the inherent responsibilities. Students are nurtured, but challenged to participate in discovering the truths and helping themselves through their life experiences.
St. Mary High School provides a warm and nurturing environment through its teachers and staff. Students are part of a rich and fulfilling Eighty Year Tradition. The faculty and administration
have developed a strong commitment to work collaboratively with parents to achieve these goals. We recognize that parental expectations of their child, often translates into a way of life. Therefore, the mission of St. Mary is to motivate students to establish high goals for themselves, and to help them achieve their objectives.
This year our vision has been to work more closely with the Science and Mathematics department to provide our students with the necessary tools for the future. This has included the purchase of eight new SmartBoards (IWB), several new projection microscopes and a new Physics Laboratory. The monies from these projects have come primarily from donations, and not from student tuition. This has helped keep tuition at a reasonable level, while enhancing the educational opportunities for your child. "Introducing an interactive whiteboard (IWB), which learners can use interactively during whole-class teaching may offer new opportunities for publicly expressing their ideas, not only verbally, but using graphical and other representations. ...more easily articulate scientific knowledge and receive teacher (and peer) feedback (Rogoff, 1990). Students are doers rather than passive receivers"(Hennessy et al., 2005).
In addition, we are revising our Science and Mathematics curriculum, which include the Advance Placement Courses. We are also revisiting the sequence of courses to better align them, if necessary, to meet the needs of our students. The rigor of these courses provides the challenge to make students think more critically and creatively. This will provide them with the necessary tools and intellect to compete with other students in the 21th Century.
Teachers are attending workshops to keep abreast of the educational research that will assist them to incorporate new information and techniques into their teaching. Students are learning about the benefits of the internet and the danger inherent in its misuse. The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office has provided the faculty with an interactive workshop regarding the advantages of the internet, and also focused on the dangers of cyberspace to our students. In the coming weeks, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office will present to our students, a program on the dangers of cyberspace and how to protect themselves from predators.
As part of our curriculum, students have experienced a workshop sponsored by the College of St. Elizabeth, on the Holocaust and the Genocide in Rwanda. Students were afforded the opportunity to speak to several of the survivors at the conclusion of the presentation. Additionally, students have been exposed to various cultural events. All of these experiences help our students prepared for the global world.
Highlight: A Remembrance
Teacher and Confidant
(1953-1956)
Thirty-five years ago, U.S. Army Chaplain Major and Roman Catholic priest, Father Charles J. Watters, saved the lives of fellow soldiers in fierce fighting in the Dak To province of Vietnam, earning him one of the few Congressional Medals of Honor ever awarded to a chaplain... while costing him his own life (Featured Alumnus, Corona Magazine, 2009).
I hope this communiqué gives you insight into some of the happenings at St. Mary High School. We are committed to providing an excellent Catholic Education to all students who enter St. Mary High School.
Mr. Roy J. Corso
Principal