St. Joseph's School | St. Joseph's School

Beginning this week East 87th Street will become a little quieter as the sounds of morning arrival, recess laughter, and dismissal excitement will be hushed as St. Joseph’s School begins summer break. This academic year has been special for all of us at St. Joseph’s School – Yorkville. Every year our School is a reflection of our mission statement: to inspire lifelong learning through our strong academic program, encourage service through the teachings of Jesus Christ, and promote a faith-filled family community.

This year we saw the addition of new faces with a new class added to our school and we will say good-bye to a very familiar one. Sister Leona Armstrong, school financial secretary, will be leaving St. Joseph's School after nineteen years to return to the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Agnes motherhouse in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Sister Leona has been a constant and dedicated part of our community from ensuring that the School's finances are well managed to collecting Street Fair earnings on those very hot and humid June days. We thank her for her kind dedication to the students, parents, staff, and school community. She has touched our lives.

As the school year ends I would like to take a moment to revisit this past year, relive some of the special moments, congratulate the students, parents, and staff on the many accomplishments, thank all our supporters, and reflect on how each of these contributors and events have benefited the students spiritually and academically.

Each new academic year is filled with new beginnings, hope, and excitement. Last September was no different. When school began learning was renewed; friendships were formed and strengthened; and goals were set.

We started the year off with a visit by Dr. Timothy McNiff, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York. He told us that he had to visit because out of the two-hundred seventy nine archdiocesan schools of which he is in charge, he had been told again and again to come see St. Joseph’s School – Yorkville and all the wonderful learning that takes place here. Dr. McNiff commended the students, staff, and parents for a job well done, which reaffirmed our Catholic mission.

In the fall we had the honor of being part of a television commercial, narrated by Regis Philbin, for the Catholic Alumni Partnership (CAP) program. CAP is a groundbreaking initiative that is enabling us to reconnect with and reengage our alumni. This year also saw the first of what we hope to be many alumni reunions. The Class of 1960 met for a day of remembrance and reconnection. Our eighth-graders were fortunate to be part of the event as they walked the hallways alongside those who walked them fifty years ago sharing stories and fond memories.

This year saw the completion of and dedication of our newly expanded library. Through the hard work of many the vision of a new library became a reality. The library inauguration included an opening ceremony and blessing hosted by our directors of endowment and attended by our donors and friends of St. Joseph’s School, a student prayer service, and a visit by award-winning children's author Roni Schotter, whose words mesmerized the children. Our new library fosters a love of books and inspires life-long learners.

St. Joseph’s School completed an eighteen-month self study for reaccreditation. In November a visiting team from Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools visited our school to verify the quality educational programs that service our children. The team spoke highly of the academics and family environment. In May we received word of official reaccreditation!

As always this year witnessed many acts of service to the school and community. The St. Joseph’s Yorkville families collected for many charitable organizations: Sisters of Life, to support their mission to care for pregnant women by providing spiritual and material support; Yorkville Common Pantry and Operation Christmas Child, to help less fortunate families during the holiday seasons; The Wings Committee, to help carry members of our school community in times of need; Bread for the World, as part of our missions collection; the American Red Cross and Catholic Relief Services, for the residents of earthquake ravaged Haiti; the American Diabetes Association; and the Dominican Sisters who are forming a team to visit the House of Presence in Haiti to offer their presence, support, love and prayer for ten days this summer. We thank all those who supported these worthwhile causes and for being Christ-like role models.

Artistically and academically our students excelled this year. The children delighted audiences with two music concerts, four plays, one of which was written by a seventh-grade student, and several performances. Artwork from twenty-five of our students was chosen to be displayed at an exhibition entitled A Year of Inspiration (sponsored by Creative Classrooms Visual Arts Program) at a local hospital. Finally the School, once again, had a citywide finalist in the Modern Woodmen of American Speech Bee.

This spring approximately twenty students received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. The school was honored to have Cardinal Egan confirm forty-one of our students. He spoke about five essential gifts– justice, compassion, prayer, clean heart, and honor. To date, both children and adults continue to speak about these gifts and their meaningful value demonstrating how his words had an impact on young and old.

Later in the year, the children and faculty had an opportunity to be involved in an international exchange. A delegation of educators visited from Shenzhen, China to observe teaching and learning as part of the College of Mt. Saint Vincent education program. We were honored to be the one Catholic School on their itinerary. To end the year, the Class of 2010 made us proud by being accepted, many with honors, to diocesan, private, and specialized high schools for both academics and the arts.

Yes, we had a full and successful year and, before thoughts turn to the fall and the 2010-2011 academic year, I must first take this time to comment that the academic success and Catholic values of our students are the direct result of our dedicated school personnel and parish priests working in support of the parents in the total education of each child.

As always I must thank our supportive parishioners for all they do for our school and children. Our school is so fortunate to have a supportive pastor and parish, loyal parishioners, and generous friends. So much of what we have and accomplish is because of the continued support of our parishioners and it is truly appreciated.

As I listened to the Class of 1960 tell stories of the past, I thought of how St. Joseph’s still has the same strong sense of community. Our parishioners, alumni, benefactors, faculty, staff, parents, extended-family members and students help create something special each year in our school, and I am thankful for each of you.

Next year will bring new excitement and successes for our school. Through the overwhelming generosity of an anonymous donor, St. Joseph’s School will bring opera to our students. This funding provides an in-class partnership with the Metropolitan Opera Guild. The children will now have a unique opportunity to attend the opera, learn from a Guild Teaching Artist, compose music, and write a libretto of their own. What a wonderful synthesis of English Language Arts, music, and culture!

As we look forward to the next year at St. Joseph’s School – Yorkville, I am confident that the members of this community will continue to work together in spreading the Good News by developing children into young men and women who will follow in Christ’s footsteps and make our world a better place for everyone.

So, as the children are enjoying their well-deserved summer vacation, the staff will work through the summer readying the school for the fall. On behalf of the administration, faculty and staff, I wish you all a safe and restful summer. God bless.

Sincerely,

Theresa Bernero

Principal

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