St. John the Beloved School Annual Report 2016 - 2017
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St. John the Beloved School Annual Report 2016 - 2017 St. John the Beloved School 905 Milltown Rd. • Wilmington, DE 19808 www.sjbdel.org MIDDLE STATES Accredited NCEA Member AMLE MEMBER ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY, SERVICE, WORSHIP! “Come, Holy Spirit” Class of 2017 Our Mission MISSION STATEMENT The MISSION of St. John the Beloved School is to teach and model the Gospel of Jesus Christ, foster academic excellence, and encourage service to others. BELIEF STATEMENTS 1. We believe that Reverence, Respect and Responsibility are the foundations of our Catholic School. 2. We believe that the whole child will be developed spiritually, intellectually, physically and socially. 3. We believe that the academic and Catholic religious formation of our students is a shared responsibility among the home, the school and the parish. 4. We believe that the diverse academic needs of students are met in a rich learning environment with a challenging curriculum and dedicated teachers. Class of 2017 August 2017 Dear Staff, Students, Families & Friends of Saint John the Beloved School, As Saint John the Beloved School is beginning to celebrate our 60th year of existence, we present this Annual Report. The enclosed data is important to measure the well being of our school. Fortunately, it is very healthy. More important is the fact that our school is recognized at many levels as truly a Catholic School; passing down the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our families, parishioners and friends make sacrifices to enable this to occur and, most often, reap the goodness in the world around them. What makes our school unique is the fact that we blend quality education with moral fidelity. More than the solid basics, Catholic Education establishes a spiritual fabric that is essential for the diversity of life. The past year was wonderfully rooted in Jesus. This coming year, we look to His mother as the first disciple who followed Him. “To Jesus through Mary” is a guaranteed path that our school aspires to follow. Together, we can meet this end. May the continued blessings of our parochial school enhance the world. God Bless You! Rev. Joseph J. Piekarski Class of 2017 Page 1 St. John the Beloved School Serving 4 year old Early Childhood through 8th Grade 905 Milltown Rd. • Wilmington, DE 19808 • 302-998-5525 A Catholic school in the Franciscan Tradition. www.sjbdel.org September 2017 Dear Friends, Indeed, St John the Beloved has been blessed by the presence of the Holy Spirit for over 50 years. The spirit of God has been the guiding force of our school. Because of this reliance on the Holy Spirit, our school has continued to change, adapt, and grow to meet the needs of the children placed in our care. We are blessed with a stable enrollment. We have the finest resources to offer a quality program. Our children are successful. When they leave us, they are prepared for high school. All of this happens because of the tremendous work and support of our children, their parents, our parish, and our faculty and staff. As you read and page through our Annual Report, you will see first hand our blessings as well as the guiding force of the Holy Spirit. Our school was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School. We are in the top 15% of schools in the nation. This did not happen by chance. Because we are always changing, always renewing, and always searching for new ways to instruct our children, and our school quality are the reasons for this great honor. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the success of our mission to teach and model the Gospel of Jesus Christ, foster academic excellence, and encourage service to others. Peace and Joy, Richard D. Hart Principal Class of 2017 Page 2 Highlights Accomplishments 2016 - 2017 CATHOLIC IDENTITY CURRICULUM Celebrated monthly liturgies Recognized as National Blue Ribbon Prepared second grade for First School 2016 Communion Adopted the new Terranova testing Celebrated First Reconciliation & program – 2nd to 8th grade Communion for second grade Emphasis placed on Step Up to Spotlighted a student choir and band Writing Program school wide for liturgies Expanded Spanish Program Participated in the Faculty Retreat Instituted an in-depth memorization Day program for multiplication in grades Created a retreat experience for our three through five sixth, seventh, and eighth grades Google Doc school Instructed Kindergarten in prayer All updated Curriculum has online assisted by their eighth grade buddies component Recited the Rosary in October and My Math program grades 2-5 May as a school community Wonders Reading 6th grade Participated in the Stations of the Cross New Spanish Books 8th grade during Lent Vocabulary Workbooks grade 3 Eighth grade performed Living Stations 1:1 Chromebooks 6th – 8th grades School community honored Mary by Chrome Book Carts grades 3-5 participating in a traditional May Additional iPads for primary grades Crowning Expanded Reading Assist Students participated in a monthly service Employed Instructional Coach – Mrs. project that benefited various Ryan Organizations Established weekly Activity Period Franciscan Award at eighth grade for Middle School graduation Peacemaker awards awarded each FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS trimester to those who model our Remodeled library circulation desk Franciscan Values Enlarged playground Continued support to our sister school with Neighbors to Nicaragua MAINTENANCE Participated in Diocesan Pilgrimage Stripped and waxed all floors Initiated school wide service requirements Area Carpets Cleaned Asbestos Inspections Detailed Student Bathrooms Class of 2017 Page 3 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Celebrated the life and retirement of Raised over $8,500.00 for various 3 teachers Charities including Special Olympics, Twenty-five 8th grade students Little Sisters of the Poor, Family received U.S. President’s Award for Promise, & Neighbors to Nicaragua Educational Excellence Easter Baskets for Ministry of Caring Honors Awards and Breakfast of Raised money for John Paul II school Champions in Nicaragua Memorial donations made to recently HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION/ deceased members of our school EDUCATION COMMITTEE family Finances the following after school Raised over $45,000.00 during the programs: Italian Club, Science Bi-Annual Bid-A-Mania. Explorers, Math Leagues, Science Olympiads, Bricks for Kidz, It’s STUDENT ACTIVITIES, ATHLETICS Academic, Jr. and Sr. Chess Club, EXTENDED CARE & SUMMER Cookings Cool, Discover your Palette SCHOOL Coordinates Recess Volunteers Hosted Art Fairs in January and April Breakfast with Santa and Santa’s Received first and/or second place by Secret Workshop several athletic teams in all sports Bid-A-Mania Fourth grade hosted Career Week Grade Level Socials Annual Christmas concert K – 3rd Father/Daughter Dance with school Choir and Drama Dept. Mother/Son Jump Middle School trips for Character Family Night Bingo Education/Leadership & Team- Multiple Business Take-Overs Building Bricks for Kidz PARENT PARTNERSHIP Band Recognition – Jazz Fest at U of Special Persons Week DE, Superior Performance at the Coffee and Conversation with the National Catholic Band Association Principal at Villanova 4th grade Career Week Soccer Shots Spring Concert salute to Disney TECHNOLOGY Lap Tops for Grade 8 IPADS – ECP through 2nd grade Upgraded technology curriculum School Messenger Broadcast System Web-based curriculum for Math, Science, Social Studies, Reading & Vocabulary Smart Boards in all classrooms ACHIEVEMENTS & RECOGNITIONS Received acceptances of all Graduates into a High School of their choice 31 students received forty-one scholarships to various High Schools Class of 2017 Page 4 Our History Celebrating over 50 years of Catholic Education In 1953, after two years of searching for a desirable site, his Excellency Bishop E. J. Fitzmaurice and Monsignor John J. Lynch decided to purchase a nine acre farm on Milltown Road, which included a nine room house. Boundaries for the proposed parish were loosely drawn up and some 500 families began congregating at the armory on Kirkwood Highway for Sunday service. Bishop Fitzmaurice appointed Rev. John J. Sheehy, the founding pastor of the parish, to select a new name for the community, to organize a building program and to establish various parish committees. During this time, a contract for the design of the school was confirmed. Construction began in the summer of 1956 and in August 1957, seven Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia moved into their new home and began preparations for students to enter their new school. On September 4, 1957, Sister M. Eutropia, the grade school principal, along with four sisters and four lay teachers, opened the doors to approximately 500 students. The school at this time was a nine classroom structure. With time and the expansion of surrounding suburbia, St. John the Beloved’s much heralded school became increasingly crowded. Enrollment increased from 500 in 1957 to 940 in 1963, requiring the scheduling of split academic sessions, under the principalship of Sister Edward Augustine, OSF. To meet the demands of this growth a new junior school was built and on September 6, 1964, it opened to provide much needed classroom space. In its first 15 years of growth, St. John’s experienced many clergy changes; the second and third pastors respectively were the Rev. Alex Gorski and the Rev. Monsignor John H. Dewson, and the third principal was Sister M. Synesia, OSF. Later, in 1971, Sister M. Rita Thomas, OSF, assumed the principalship of the school and introduced updated teaching methods in reading and mathematics. In 1974, the new church was built. The fulfillment of a promise made to the parishioners since 1955 was realized on December 21, 1976 with the dedication of the church. Shortly afterwards, in the spring of 1978 the Rev. Daniel W. Gerres became St. John’s fifth pastor and in the fall, Sister Patricia Hutchison, OSF, assumed principalship of the school. The school’s population continued to increase and once again in 1983, the need was recognized to enlarge the school.