Dear STS Family,

            Next Wednesday, November 25^th, our First Trimester of school will be completed.  Congratulations to all our students for “doing their best” (I hope).  This has been a special time for all of us: some remote, some in-person, many adjusting to a new school environment, while still mourning the loss of their previous school community.  Kudos is deserved for all!  And now we move forward!  Since the 25^th is a remote day, and since it would normally be a half-day with classroom celebrations, we are going to allow it to be a day off for students (no remote instruction) and a professional day for teachers, especially since our First Friday in December will be used for Parent-Teacher ZOOM Conferences.
            After many years as a school administrator, I have come to believe in the adage, “what happens in school is my business, just as what happens at home is your business.”  With that said, I am VERY concerned about the effects of large gatherings for Thanksgiving.  All I ask is that you be very, very careful and keep in mind the health and safety of your own children and families, as well as all of us here at STS.  Thanks.

Now, since this will be my last communication with you until December 3^rd a few calendar reminders:

• Graduation pictures and retakes (Tuesday, 11/24) for anyone who missed the first Lifetouch Picture Day or weren’t satisfied with the photos.  8^th graders should follow Ms. Pakulski’s directions for what to wear under their cap and gown, etc.  Any questions, please contact Mrs. Scheuermann.

• ADVENT begins on Sunday, November 29^th.  As we all prepare for Christmas with decorating and purchasing gifts, etc., let us not forget to prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas… the realization that “Emmanuel”, God, is ALWAYS with us.
• REPORT CARDS will be distributed electronically to you on Thursday, December 4 (by 6 pm).
• PARENT TEACHER ZOOM CONFERENCES will be on Friday, December 4 (which is a NOON DISMISSAL DAY).  Your child’s teacher will let you know how to sign up for this.  The question always come up: “Do I have to have a conference with my child’s teacher?”  The answer: ONLY if you wish to, but this is a time reserved for parent-teacher communication.
• UGLY (but “appropriate”) SWEATER DAY will be the Tag Day theme for Friday, December 4.  This Tag Day ($1) will benefit the Class of 2021 and is payable on our Website or by check.  Thanks.
• Also on the Friday evening (12/4) from 5-8:30 pm, we will be having PARENTS’ DECORATING NIGHT OUT.   In the past, this has been a night where we’ve had pizza and drinks for the parents.  Of course, we can’t do that this year, but it will be an evening to transform the entire campus into a Christmas wonderland for our children:  the hallways, the gym, the outdoors… and then the best day of all: when the children (all children of all ages) come to school on Monday morning and have their A-HA moment.  Please join us for whatever amount of time you can offer and help us make this happen.  Thanks!  (And, by the way, NO KIDS ALLOWED).

• In case you didn’t see it on our website, we were able to raise over $500  from our Halloween Tag Day to gift our St. Theresa’s Food Pantry with, along with all the food goods that you’ve been sending in with your children.  On behalf of the many needy people of our area, THANK YOU!
• As many of you may have heard, due to a possible Covid-19 exposure, we had our KA Class quarantining for the past two weeks.  There was no in-school transmission involved, and all actions were in accord with the Covid guidance we’ve received from the CDC, State and local Board of Health.  Perhaps some of you have heard that the Kenilworth elementary school has been quarantined until after Thanksgiving.  Covid is all around us (hence the 2^nd paragraph of this weekly letter) but – thanks be to God and to all the efforts we’re making – we, your children and our teachers and staff, have remained safe.  With that said, at any point in time, the situation may change, so I’m asking ALL parents to be prepared with a contingency plan… just in case.

Finally, to you and all your families, from all of us here at St. Theresa’s – the Sisters, Teachers, Staff:
                                    God bless!    
                          
                                   Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, FMA
                                   Principal

*** Many of you have been asking about our STS Spirit Wear and Lil Stallions Spirit Wear T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, etc.
     GOOD NEWS!  Our Spirit Wear Sale is up and running at www.mysts.org.  Click on “Community” and in the drop down menu you will see links for both.       With Christmas right around the corner, these might be useful gifts for your child(ren).

Dear STS Family,

            As we prepare to enter the second week of November, I would like to remind you of some of our continuing/upcoming events:

• Let us continue to pray for a resolution to our Presidential Election results and for either a continuance of the presidency of Donald Trump or for a peaceful transition of power to Joe Biden.
• Let us continue to pray for what is happening with the Covid-19 Pandemic; as everyone seems to be saying, at least here in NJ, this is NOT a good situation.  Whatever our personal beliefs may be, the pandemic directly impacts our lives, we are all tired of it… but we all need to safely get passed it.
• Please remember that this Friday (tomorrow) is a Noon Dismissal Day for Faculty Mtg.
• Let us remember many of our 8^th grade students who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this weekend.
• Coming up on the 11^th (we will celebrate it on the 12^th) is Veterans Day.  We are asking parents and family members to prepare one to three-minute video clips (could be recorded simply on a cell phone) explaining what serving our country in the armed forces meant to them, why they volunteered, etc.  We will show these clips to the students throughout the day… it will be our way of honoring and thanking the veterans for their service to our country and to each of us.  You can begin sending in your video clips to me at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org as soon as possible.  (Deadline: Monday, November 9^th).  Don’t forget to tap grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, etc.  Thanks.
• Let’s try to remember our Thanksgiving Food Drive that will begin on Monday, November 9 to Thursday, November 19.
• Tomorrow (and I’m breaking my own rule of not permitting anything that hasn’t been posted on the monthly calendar) will be a Tag Day.  As always, appropriate dress for school is required, as is stated in our Parent-Student Handbook.  Tag Days are used as “in-school” fundraisers. This Friday’s Tag Day will be to benefit our St. Theresa’s Food Pantry, and we are asking a $1 donation for this purpose.
• One last reminder:  our children (your children) are doing so well with the mask wearing requirement.  We are very proud of them!  Some are wearing disposable masks, but most are wearing fabric masks.  These masks should be laundered on a daily basis in order to achieve the positive health benefits.  Please be sure to switch out your child’s face masks.  We have additional masks in the school office, so if any student/family needs additional masks, please let me know.  Thanks.

Any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me at (908)276-7220 or at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org.
God bless and have a wonderful week!



God bless!

Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, fma
Principal

Dear STS Family,

       We’ve come to the end of October and we will end it with a great event that I know our children will enjoy: HALLOWEEN!  Once again, we make adaptations and modifications, but are hoping that everything will give a bit of a boost to our children as we all continue to muddle through this time in our history.

        As always, a special thank you to…

• Alex Infante and the Tricky Tray Committee for a fabulous event!  None of us knew how it was going to play out, but it was exceptional, smooth, seemingly enjoyed (by the comments posted online), and beneficial to STS.  Preliminary reports are that the Tricky Tray raised approximately $35,000 for our school; rather, for our children.  So a BIG word of thanks to everyone who supported it, too.

• all those parents who participated in our Middle States Survey.  Completing this survey allowed the teachers to have a great deal of information when we worked during our Middle States Day last week.  Be assured that we all read the Survey AND the comments.
• all those who sent in some candy for our modified Trick-or-Treat on Friday. 

     Now some reminders for our Halloween Celebrations: students may wear Halloween colors/Halloween shirts.  And we are also asking that each child bring a Halloween Bag or a Plastic Bag (with their name written on it) to bring home their treats.  Thank you.

     This brings me to the thought of Tag Days: whenever we have “free dress Tag Days” it is important for our children to realize that they are still in school and should dress appropriately.  I use the word “appropriate” often with them.  In the past most of the children ”get it”: no torn jeans or jeans with holes in them, no explicit T-shirts, , no inappropriate sayings on the shirts, skirt lengths appropriate for a Catholic School, just to name a few.  If there are any questions, please let me know.  It is always better to err on the side of what might be considered acceptable.  Tag Days are fun for the children, but, again, what they wear must be appropriate to being in a school.  (Studies have shown that students often ACT in relation to how they are dressed).  This is important because we usually have Tag Days monthly, and we want to avoid any issues with this.  Thanks, in advance, for your cooperation.
               
     Speaking of uniforms (kind of), starting November 2 we will be moving into our Winter Uniform season.  Please consult your handbook for details, but it basically means no more short pants.  Due to all the Covid restrictions we will still be permitting our children to wear gym uniforms daily if that helps them feel more comfortable.  Whatever works best for them.  Again, any questions/comments, please let me know.  Thanks.

     Coming up in November, we pray for our Presidential Elections and we prepare to celebrate Veterans Day.  This year, once again, we have to adapt our usual Veterans’ Day Assembly due to the Pandemic. We will be asking our children to prepare cards for our veterans in hospitals, veterans’ homes, etc., AND we will be asking parents and family members to prepare one to three-minute video clips (could be recorded simply on a cell phone) explaining what serving our country in the armed forces meant to them, why they volunteered, etc.  We will show these clips to the students throughout the day… it will be our way of honoring and thanking the veterans for their service to our country and to each of us.  You can begin sending in your video clips to me at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org as soon as possible.  (Deadline: Monday, November 9^th).  Don’t forget to tap grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, etc.  Thanks.

       Along with this letter, you should be reading about our Thanksgiving Food Drive, our Class of 2021 Chipotle Drive-thru Fundraiser, and a November Memorial Prayer Card.

      November is traditionally the month that we remember those who have passed on from this life to the next.  Please print out the November Memorial Card, with your child(ren) write the names of your family members or loved ones who you would like remembered in prayer on the card, and return them to me at the school office.  We will bring these cards into our Sisters’ Chapel at the convent, and remember all of these loved ones in prayer.  We will also teach our children the traditional prayer: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.  May they rest in peace.  Amen.”   This, also, is an important part of teaching our children the Faith.

      Each week I try to keep this letter short, but – thus far – I haven’t been very successful, have I?  Please know, I am not trying to bore you or preach to a captive audience.  I am simply trying to explain why we are doing, what we are doing in school… especially until we are able to allow you, the parents, to have more direct involvement with us throughout the school day.  God willing, that day will come!

      Any questions/comments/concerns, please feel free to contact me at the school office (908)276-7220 or by email at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org.




God bless!

Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, fma
Principal

Dear STS Family,

            Before anything else I need to thank Alex Infante and her committee (too many to mention and I don’t want to leave anyone out) for the outstanding Virtual Tricky Tray that will be held this coming weekend.  I hope many of you will be able to support this either by helping out or with your participation in the event.  Our Tricky Tray was actually set-up and ready to go last March when we went into lockdown… it was surreal to walk through the Gym knowing that was planned wasn’t going to happen.  So everything was moved to the garage, and now… HERE WE GO!!! As a school this is our single-biggest fundraiser, seconded by the Calendar Raffles, so you can just imagine how important both are to us.

            Thank you also to everyone –parents, students and teachers – who were able to complete and submit a Middle States Survey.  Your input is greatly appreciated AND helpful as we move STS forward – sure and steady – into the future.

            Third Thanks:  to the parents of our 5-8^th graders regarding the possibility of having Winter CYO Basketball.  The final decision hasn’t been made yet, either by the CYO League or by us, but we will be letting you know about that as soon as possible.

            I hope you and your families enjoy this bit of “extra” family time this weekend; after this, we will be moving into November, the weather should be getting a bit chillier, and before you know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here.  We, of course, are already thinking of how to make these seasons “special” for your children, so, as always, any suggestions, please let me know. 

            But, before Thanksgiving and Christmas, let’s celebrate HALLOWEEN this coming Friday, October 30^th!  I’m sure the Class Parents have contacted you (if the class is too large, you may not be contacted for each holiday) and planned the celebration with the homeroom teachers.  If you have any questions regarding HOW we will be celebrating, please refer to the Principal’s Letter of October 8 (posted on www.mysts.org) for details.  And thanks to all those who were able to send in candy for our “modified” Trick or Treat.  Much appreciated!

            It seems as if I’m always harping on the same topic, but a few words about our Covid-19 compliance.  The kids are doing GREAT!  Yes, they need reminders about mask wearing and about social distancing, but kids are kids… so it’s understood.  Drop-off is going very well, but pick-up needs a little work.  I was at a Union County Archdiocesan Principals’ Meeting this morning and – it turns out – that some of them have been approached by their authorities and told that lingering should not be permitted at dismissal or they could be shut down.  Now, don’t shoot the messenger!  I’m only relaying what was said; we have not received any such notifications.  At the same time, forewarned is forearmed, so we will make some small changes to avoid any lingering, and I do ask that parents pick up their children (I know some of you have to wait for older students… we’re working on that, too) and leave immediately. 

So here is a small change to help streamline our Dismissal Process:

                                                2:30 pm          PreK-3 and PreK-4
                                                2:35 pm          Kindergarten A & B
                                                2:40 pm          Grades 1 & 2
                                                2:45 pm          Grades 4 & 5
                                                2:50 pm          Grades 6, 7 & 8

For grades 4-8:  Parents should remain in their cars until their child(ren) are dismissed.  Many of you are already doing this, and it is appreciated.  Just signal to the teacher (from your car) and your child will be released to you.

For any of you who may be thinking: “This is one heck of a way to build school community!” You are right!  But for the time being, this is just one more thing we need to do to keep our children safe and to comply with what is being asked of us by the Archdiocese and the State.  Someone remarked to me that things seem to be done at “the last minute” at St. Theresa’s.  I disagree with that!  I don’t think we’re changing the dismissal times at the “last minute”… I think we’re responding to needs as they occur or as we become aware of them.  Rather than “last minute”, I like to suggest that we are “fine tuning” our program and process.

Some of you have asked about “School Masses”.  Obviously, an entire school Mass (150-175 people) cannot happen at this time.  As soon as we are sure of the process and procedure we will be taking the children to Mass, class-by-class, on an established schedule (which we will share with you ahead of time).

Finally, not to end on a dismal note, yesterday Union County had the highest number of cases of Covid-19 in the State; prior to that, we were in the top 10 for over two weeks (as per www.nj.gov).  It is so important for all of us to stay on our guard until we can return to some semblance of normalcy without worrying about infecting others or becoming infected ourselves.  Please – please – please, let’s continue working together to ensure the health and safety of our children, our families, and all our loved ones!


God bless!

Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, fma
Principal

Dear STS Family,

            Amen!  Alleluia!  We are half-way through the month of October!  It seems almost comical, but in these days of Covid-19, every milestone we can celebrate is just that: something to celebrate!

Pumpkin Sale Postponed (due to weather):  As we go through this upcoming week, there is a lot going on… and the weather, which before this past week has been wonderful,  is not exactly cooperating with us.  As you know, our LifeTouch Picture Day has been postponed to Thursday, October 29.  Now we find, due to the weather, that we need to postpone our Pumpkin Sale until next Tuesday, October 20^th. 

“Paperless”, “Cashless” School:  By the way, we are continuing to move forward as a “paperless”, “cashless” school.  Please Click Here to order your pumpkin.  Thank you.  Hopefully, we will have this set-up for any/all payments very soon.  If you have already sent pumpkin money into your child’s class, that is fine… as I said, we are moving forward (but not totally there yet).

Progress Reports:  Tomorrow you should be receiving your child(ren)’s Progress Report (K-8).  This is a means of communicating to you your child’s progress mid-Trimester.  Some of you will be pleased; some of you may need to have a chat with your child.  Either way, it is not the end of the world; it is simply a way of knowing where your child is “at”.  Any questions, please email your child’s teacher directly.  After you receive the Progress Report, it needs to be signed and returned to school.  There are different ways to do this: 1 – sign the form electronically and send it back to school; 2 – print out the Report, sign, scan and return to school; 3 – simply send an email to your child’s homeroom teacher acknowledging that you have received the Progress Report for the first Trimester; or 4 – Print out the Report, sign, and send hard-copy back to school (this, of course, is the least preferred method).  As mentioned in our Orientation Meetings last August, you will see that there is no grade for Music or Spanish: Music, because it is a restricted activity in our Covid-19 environment; Spanish because we opted to offer PE two times per week in lieu of Spanish, in order to give the children more opportunity for movement.  This, of course, will change as we – God-willing – move from into a less-restrictive learning environment, but, in the meantime, your child will be receiving N/A for these two subjects.

MapGrowth Testing:  is continuing and going well, as are make-up testing and remote testing.  Thank you for your cooperation and helping your child(ren) be prepared for this assessment by having a good night’s rest and a sustaining breakfast.

World Mission Day:  As you know from my daily Good Morning Assemblies, each Friday I remind our children to go to Church over the weekend to thank God for his great goodness to each and all of us.  (They already probably think I’m a “broken record”… even if they don’t know what that expression means).  This is an essential element of being in a Christian, Catholic, Salesian School, and I would be remiss if I didn’t remind them of this.
This particular Sunday is World Mission Day… a day to pray for the works of our Church in mission lands, and also to recall our own call to be missionaries of God’s love to those around us.

Next Week’s School Schedule:   As you know, we had a “calendar change” this month and didn’t take Columbus Day as a school holiday.  We did this because our Tricky Tray is being held on the 24^th and we need to take the 23^rd  as a “set-up” day for this.  It is not a remote learning day; it is, in fact, being taken as a “holiday.”  So our school schedule next week is:  Monday-Tuesday, regular instruction days; Wednesday, remote learning day; Thursday, in-service day for teachers; Thursday & Friday, days off for students.  Any questions, please let me know.

Remote Learning:  Next Monday (10/26) I will be sending out a form for anyone who wants to CHANGE their learning platform (moving from in-person to remote, or moving from remote to in-person) for the month of November.  ONLY THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE “CHANGING” FROM ONE PLATFORM TO THE OTHER NEED TO RESPOND.  If your child(ren) is staying with what they have been doing in October, there will be no need to respond.
Reminder: Unless you have opted for remote instruction for your child(ren), this is only offered on Wednesday’s unless your child is absent for more than three (days).  Believe it or not, it is very difficult for our teachers to switch between in-person and remote instruction;  when you have a full class in front of you and need to be cognizant of those who are present on the monitor is difficult.  The teachers are doing this as gracefully and responsibly as is humanly possible, and when the students are signed up monthly, they are able to get into the “groove” of things, but when the faces on the screen change on a daily basis it becomes exceptionally challenging to keep track of.  Thank you for your understanding.

Halloween:  Thank you for all those who have begun to send in candy for our school-wide, modified Trick-or-Treating.  We still need some more, so whatever you can do is greatly appreciated.

Tricky Tray:  A BIG thanks, in advance, to Alex Infante and her Committee for working so hard to get our Tricky Tray up and running!  If you haven’t bought tickets yet, or if you’re able to help out with set-up, the event itself, or clean-up, please contact Alex Infante at Alex (lexa94@aol.com).  Hope to see you there!

            So, another L-O-N-G letter!  But I’m going to stand by the need to communicate, communicate, communicate!  And, as always, any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me at (908)276-7220 or louann.fantauzza@mysts.org.  Thanks and have a blessed week!

God bless!

Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, fma
Principal

Dear STS Family,

            Thank you to those of you who were able to make our STS Family Twilight Rosary last night.  It was a bit breezy, but I’m sure the wind helped to raise our prayers to heaven for all of our families during this time of uncertainty and Covid.

            Our Map Growth Testing has begun well.  As I remind our children in their Good Morning Assembly talks, two of the most important elements to good testing is to have a good breakfast in the morning that will sustain them, and a good night’s rest the night before.

            As we look to the week ahead of us, I’d like to highlight a few things:
 

• Our Home-School Association Fundraising is moving full-speed ahead!

• Next Tuesday we have our Lifetouch Picture Day.  This will be held outside under our red & white Tent.  You will be receiving a flier and  Order Form from Lifetouch… please follow the directions and place your order online, as we continue to be as “paperless” as possible.  All students should wear their regular school uniform on Tuesday since these photos are also used for their cumulative records and our school yearbook.  If you do not have the regular school uniform, we will be having “retakes” later in the school year, as we will also be having our Graduation Pix.  Please note, we will NOT be doing class/group photos.  Any remote students who wish to come in for a picture, please call Mrs. Scheuermann, and she will arrange to have you “cut” the line.
• Looking ahead to next week, the 8^th Grade will sponsoring our annual PUMPKIN SALE… a flier for this event is being posted on our website.. This, also, is available to our Remote Students… please call Mrs. Scheuermann to arrange a good time.
• And looking further through the month, we have HALLOWEEN coming up!  While we want this to be another “fun” day for our children, we are never far from the day-to-day restrictions that Covid-19 is impacting us with.  Some of you sent in suggestions regarding Halloween celebrations, as did our teachers, and just yesterday the NJ DOH put out their guidance for Halloween.  With all this in mind, and also being tempered by the fact that our children range in age from three to 13-14, our plans for Halloween will include:

• wearing Halloween Colors Free Tag Day  – students may wear appropriate Halloween-colored pants and shirt, Halloween shirts, etc.  We are opting for no costumes to avoid confusion regarding mask wearing and also, in the case of younger children, the need  for teachers and staff to get in close contact with them to help them with their costumes.
• Halloween Mask Decorating Contest (in each class… the teachers will be sending details regarding the categories).
• Classroom Halloween Activities and Parties  prepared by the Teacher in coordination with the Class Parents (unfortunately, the Class Parents will not be able to attend the events).
• “Modified” Trick-or-Treating in the School Parking Lot with school staff handing out the treats.

• A request: if anyone would be able to send in a bag of candy/individual chips, etc. so that we can prepare the Trick-or-Treat event for the parking lot I would greatly appreciate it.  Thank you.

I’m also posting this week a flier for our Salesian Sisters’ Virtual Oratory offered on Saturdays.  You can read more about it in the info sheet, but the “oratory” is a fun event for young people, in the spirit of St. John Bosco, with a spiritual twist.  Perhaps your child(ren) may enjoy it.
 
So that’s it for now. Any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me (louann.fantauzza@mysts.org or (908)276-7220.

God bless!  Stay safe and healthy, and have a good week!


God bless!

Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, fma
Principal

Dear STS Family,

            The BIG news of the day is our upcoming Tricky Tray!  Thank you to all who are already working on this, and to those of you who have helped to get the message out.

Two other things I would like to mention to you:

• Class Parents – Traditionally, each class has “class parents” who help the teacher plan special events for the class and foster communication with and among the other parents.  Of course, as with many, many other things, Covid-19 is putting a crimp in our style.  “Special events” are being very modified, but the help with class communication is always a plus.  If you would like to serve as a Class Parent, please let me know at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org by Monday, September 28^th.  I will then speak with each of the teachers and let all of you know who the Class Parents will be.  Thanks.
• Did you know that we have a Weekly School Counselor?  Attached is a letter of introduction for Mr. Frank Malta, and a permission slip for your child to speak with him.  Much has been said during the last few months about the effects of the Pandemic and subsequent lock-down on our young people.  Mr. Malta’s presence simply provides another “listening ear” for our children who might benefit from this.  Any questions, please feel free email/phone me.  Thank you.

            There are still a number of families who have NOT responded to our request to let us know their learning choices for the month of October.  This is very important information for us to either transition into a smooth month of remote learning for your child, or to have a place prepared for him/her in the classroom.  If you haven’t already done so, please respond ASAP.  Thanks.  Starting next month we will use a Google Form for you to submit… perhaps this will help to get an easier response.

            Next week, when you receive your Thursday communications, you will be receiving the October Calendar.  Not too much has changed from the tentative yearly calendar, except for Columbus Day.  We will not be having Columbus Day off from school; instead, at the end of the month, we will be having an In-Service Day on Thursday, October 22 and a Middle States Work Day on Friday, October 23… this will also allow for Tricky Tray set-up.  If you’ve already made plans for Columbus Day weekend, please stick with them.  Although, as a school principal, I’m always going to say “school is important”, I will always temper that with: “Family Time is important”, so if you already have family plans in place, please do not change your schedule. (Don’t forget, Friday, October 2 is one of our monthly half days).

On another note, again, thanks to so many of you who have sent little messages of affirmation to the teachers, staff, and even me for all our efforts on behalf of the children… much appreciated.  I did receive one particular note that I’d like to share with you (having received permission from the writer to do so):

I am so thankful my kids are at STS.
Today during virtual the students did a lesson on inviting Jesus into their heart.
It filled my heart. I was a Christian School teacher and then principal for a time
in a little Christian school in Miami area and often attended various
Christian and Catholic schools as a child but somehow I forgot how
wonderful and amazing and important Christ-centered education is.
What a blessing to have Jesus at the center!!!!  
This year has already re-centered our whole family. Thank you!  

This short quote describes so well WHY we do what we do here at St. Theresa’s and I thank the Mom who sent it in for doing so.  The Christian-Catholic-Salesian Family Spirit and environment of our school has the power to impact the lives of our children, who hear almost every day, how they must be “first responders with Jesus;”  not as healthcare workers, or police, fire or EMT’s, but as followers of Jesus caring for one another.  It is amazing!  I see small snippets, while walking around the school, of our children doing just that.  I am very proud of them!  I’m sure you are too!

Have a wonderful week!

God bless!

 Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, fma
 Principal
 

Dear STS Family,

As promised, I will try my best to keep you updated on Thursdays of each week.

This week we’re on the cusp of completing our first full week of school!  Our PreK has now started, so we are going the full gamut of 6 week olds to Grade 8.  I cannot tell you how happy we are to have everyone back!  (Even if some of that reality is virtual).
An empty school – as it had been since last March – is surreal and sad; it is our children that make it come alive.

With that said, we had our first Remote Learning Wednesday yesterday.  As with all things, it would be great to say that it went off flawlessly, but – as with all things – that would be a rarity.  Nonetheless, Mrs. Sacco, Mr. Gatchalian and Mr. Aguinaldo are working tirelessly to remedy whatever they see needs remediation (frankly, I usually have no idea what they’re talking about, but I know they are all working hard).  And, quite honestly, it’s been less than two full weeks of school so I think, all things considered, the teachers, the students and technology-at-large have been doing a phenomenal job and giving a 100++++ effort.

Of course, we can only be an open school because we know our God and His blessed Mother are here protecting us!  With this in mind, Fr. Giovanni, our Pastor, will be blessing the entire school this Friday morning.  It would be wonderful to have all of you here for this event, but unfortunately, this will not be possible now, but know that as soon as we can, we will get back to our programs and events during the school day and on evenings and weekends.  This is our hope moving forward, but in the meantime, we will video the Blessing of the School and try to get it out to you by Monday (at the latest).

Also this Friday, there will be a ZOOM Info Meeting for Forensics.  If your child(ren) is interested in public speaking, please try to attend this meeting with them.  Tryouts will be on Tuesday, September 22 (4-5 pm).  Please contact Mrs. McCarthy with any specific questions.  Thank you.

Along with this letter, you should be seeing at www.mysts.org the announcement that our long-planned Tricky Tray will be held virtually on October 24^th.  And the best part… the baskets were already prepared and donated by our families from last March so we not even asking you for a basket (next March is another story).  All we are asking is that you help to get the announcement out AND that you might be able to lend a hand.  Any questions or to volunteer, please contact Alex at lexa94@aol.com.  By the way, since the event will be virtual, we can have as many people attend as possible!  The more we are able to gain from this event, the less we’ll be pestering you throughout the year to participate in fundraising.

This Saturday, at 10:30 am, there will be a Mass at St. Theresa’s to honor our First Responders.  Please see the flier below.  We hope you are able to attend.

As always, any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org or at the Office (908-276-7220.

                                   
God bless and have a good week!
                                                                       
Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, FMA
Principal
 

We are almost at the end of our first full week of classes and we were able to have our first official Wednesday Remote Learning Day.  I wanted to provide you an update on our remote learning.

Overall, the remote learning has been effective but has had its challenges which we are working diligently to rectify.  We have upgraded many of our classrooms with new wifi access points so that online students experience less drops.  We have already seen much improvement in this area.

We have also identified issues with our Google Chromebook users.  This would affect students in our Middle School, grades 5-8.  It seems that the Chromebook has a difficult time processing all that video from Google Meet. It should be noted that Zoom has the same issues.

We believe this issue will continue but, as a short-term solution, we would like to strongly suggest the following for the remote students and for all students on Remote Learning Wednesdays:  if possible and if you have availability to these devices, for the Google Meet Classes, use a PC laptop/desktop instead of the Chromebook.  PC's have the ability to process video much more efficiently and the student should experience less "drops" or "freezing".  Additionally, utilizing the PC for the Google Meet allows students to use the Chromebook for their school work exclusively.

Dear STS Family,

It has been a very hectic first few days given our new "normal", but I am very happy to say that the students, teachers and staff are doing a tremendous job.  We are all making a concerted effort to maximize your child's learning experience while keeping everyone's health and well-being a top priority. 

As with schools across our State (and probably Nation), our greatest challenge is the "Hybrid" concept of having in-person students and remote students at the same time.... but we're up for the challenge and for the students who are remote, we are taking steps to improve that experience daily.  For the most part, students have been able to login to their classrooms and participate.  Each class has experienced some challenges but rest assured we are working diligently to fix those issues.  And a BIG thanks to our Technology Team of Mrs. Sacco, Mr. Aguinaldo and Mr. Gatchalian who are working tirelessly to assist our teachers and children with this.

Next week, we will begin full day school days for Grades K-8 and half days for Pre-K at the beginning of the week.  I know that you, the parents, will still have many questions and I welcome questions and feedback so that each student will get the most of their education.

I am sure that each teacher will be sending you an "end-of-the-first-week-of-school" note, but in the meantime, please allow me, before we begin the first full week of school, a few reminders:

• First full week of school:  M, T, Th, F in-person full days of school; Wednesday is remote for ALL students (4-hour session).  PREK 3 & 4 dismissal on Monday & Tuesday at Noon; full days on Thursday & Friday.
• Please remember snacks and lunch for your student(s); please remember to send a water bottle with them daily.
• We've tried to be "understanding" for this first week of school, but now - a reminder - that we will not be permitting students back into the building for forgotten items, and we will not be delivering forgotten items from home.  Please help us with this by checking (and double-checking) your student's belongings before they come to school... this is a "life-skill" that will be helpful to them in their futures.
• Regarding REMOTE LEARNING just a little reminder to re-read the section of the Parent-Student Handbook that speaks of remote learning expectations… expectations for teachers, students and parents.  Please remember that this is virtually your child being IN the classroom; it is his or her’s learning environment.  If you have questions, comments or suggestions for the teacher, please share them after the class meeting.  Also, along with that being a learning environment, keep in mind proper dress, not snacking or eating, being on the screen, etc.  All these are reminders as we begin our Wednesday Remote Instruction Day next week.
• A few parents have approached me with concerns regarding the Parking Lot at drop-off and pick-up.  We will have orange cones designating a “safe” path for walkers, but please, please, please be attentive and patient when dropping off and picking up your student. 
• Lastly, I always claim to be a-political (and I still adhere to that), but it is important that we all comply with governmental regulations – despite whatever our opinion may be – and wear masks while on school grounds.  Thank you for your cooperation with this.

With all that said, WE ARE HERE for you!  So if there is any need that we can assist you or your child(ren) with, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Finally, the graphic says it all:  “We will always remember…”  Thanks be to God, none of our children were around on that tragic day which I’m sure we all remember so vividly.  May they, and we, never have to experience that horror again.  Let us pray for this special intention, as well as for those who suffer the effects of war and terrorism each day… especially the children.


Click on the below and watch our STS Welcom Back to School Video.

STS Welcome Back Video

God bless you and God love you all!
                                  
Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, FMA
Principal

Dear STS Family,
 
(I promise: this will be a s-h-o-r-t one!)
 

1. Due to Tropical Storm Isaisa, the School Office will be closed Tuesday, August 4.  We will reopen on Wednesday, August 5.

2. After reading our ReOpening Plan, some parents have asked if there are other options for lunch.  We have spoken with Marinos Stratigakis, Chef/Owner of Souvlaqueria of Union who has prepared this option for us.  Please click on the link below to see his proposal and information regarding costs, etc.:

3. Just a reminder: please contact me (louann.fantauzza@mysts.org) or the Office (908-276-7220) if you haven’t already reserved a spot for our Parent Orientation Meetings on August 18, 19, 20 (please choose one), and also to let us know if your child(ren) will be attending STS in-person or remote in September.

See!  I promised this would be a short one!

In case you did not get a chance to see my last communication on the re-opening of the school, please click on the below link to read the plan.

/STS-Projected-Re-opening-Plan
 

Stay safe and healthy!
 
God bless!
                                                         
                                                    Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, FMA
                                                                    Principal

Dear STS Family,
 
Thank you for your patience while waiting for information regarding our projected re-opening in September.  Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but please note I said “projected” re-opening…  this is the plan… this is what we have in place… this is our intention… but, with that said, if there is any additional guidance from the CDC, the State of NJ, or our Archdiocese, we would have to adjust our plan.
 
First, an explanation about how the plan developed.  Following the CDC and NJ State Guidance on Re-Opening of the Schools (“The Road Back”), we developed a skeleton plan.  This was presented to the faculty in early July.  Next, we asked for the input of our general school public through the online survey.  With the input from both of these sources, we prepared a more-developed plan.  Yesterday, we had an in-person/online meeting with a group of parents (most of whom were last year’s Class Parents, members of the School Advisory Board, HSA Officers, etc.), presented the meeting and received their input which was incorporated into the plan.  Our St. Theresa School Re-Opening Plan was submitted to the Archdiocese of Newark for approval and is now being shared with you.
 
Each part of our Re-Opening Plan has rationale behind it, the basis of which is keeping our children and families, faculty and staff safe and healthy, but there are a few critical parts of the Plan that I would like to highlight for you:
 

• Our weekly structure will be in-person school on Monday and Tuesday; remote learning on Wednesday (8a-Noon); in-person school on Thursday and Friday.  This will allow for a 20% reduction in the possibility of transmission and an opportunity to clean carpets and do additional cleaning and sanitizing.  At any time, should the State require us to transition to remote learning, we would be following the Wednesday schedule with two additional hours available for teacher office hours (parent-student communication with the teacher); additional help for students.

• Face coverings will be required of all students (over the age of two), administration, faculty and staff when they cannot maintain a six-foot distance or within a physical barrier.  When they ARE within a physical barrier (i.e., study corral or sneeze guard) individuals will be able to have a “mask break” and remove their face coverings.

• Although the Plan states that lunches will be brought from home, we are investigating possible on-line plans for lunches to be brought to school from outside vendors for your child(ren).  Further information will be shared with you as it becomes available.  This would be a totally optional opportunity for you.

• If a child/faculty/staff member is sent home with a fever or any other significant symptom that might be Covid-related, it will be required that the child/faculty/staff member be evaluated by a health-care professional; minimally, this might be a Telehealth appointment.  Most probably, if you try to get a telehealth appointment, there will be an initial screening.  If the person only has one symptom, the healthcare professional will most probably suggest that you let the symptom run its course.  Students/faculty/staff would then be permitted to return to school after being symptom-free for 24-hours.  If there are additional symptoms, the healthcare provider might want the person to be seen and/or tested.  St. Theresa School will abide by the decision of the healthcare provider, since they are the professionals in these matters and will ensure that the directives of the CDC and State of NJ are respected.

• Any child/faculty/staff member being sent home must be picked up within a one-hour window.  We ask that you make provisions for this should the need arise.

• If you are receiving this communication, you are already registered at St. Theresa School.  Given the information received, is STS still your choice?
• For the month of September 2020, will you be opting for in-person learning or remote learning?  (This question will be asked of you on a monthly basis… if we know that x-number of children are opting for remote learning, we will remove those desks from the classroom to give greater space for social distancing, and add them back into the classroom when your child returns).

 
Along with all the other supplies on your child’s Supply List, we are also asking that you provide a large rectangular milk crate for under one of your child’s desks  this will be for jacket and book bag storage.  All your child’s supplies should be stored in a plastic shoe box.  Please have both of these items labeled with your child’s name.  Thank you.
 
And here we are!  I will never promise you that mistakes won’t be made… I will, and I have promised you that I, and we here at St. Theresa’s, will always do our best for your children and especially whatever needs to be done in order to keep them, and our entire STS Family, safe and healthy.  That means we’re in this together, and I thank you, in advance, for your cooperation and understanding.

Please click on the below link to read the plan.

/STS-Projected-Re-opening-Plan
 

Stay safe and healthy!
 
God bless!
                                                         
                                                    Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, FMA
                                                                    Principal

Dear STS Family,
 
As I mentioned to you at the end of last month, I will be keeping in contact with you throughout the Summer, and as we continue to plan for the 2020-2021 school year. 
With this message comes an appeal to you to complete the STS Back-to-School Parent Survey.  Just click on the following link and you will be directed to the survey:
 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B56R3N2

 
Since the days seem to be flying by, I would ask that it be submitted by Wednesday, July 22, 2020. 
 
Your input is very important as we try to ensure that St. Theresa’s will be a safe and healthy environment for your child(ren) and families, and for our teachers/staff and families.   This is the primary and most important goal and it is a non-negotiable!  How to do this is where all the questions come in:  we all know the value of in-school instruction, but that needs to be balanced with all the risks that Covid-19 has placed before us.  From October 2019-February 2020 (five months), the Flu and Pneumonia claimed  1,091 lives in New Jersey; from March 2020 til today (almost five months), the Corona Virus has caused 15,634 deaths.  I quote these numbers simply to stay above the public opinion fray and to emphasize the seriousness of this situation. 
 
I’ve been looking at many published school district plans for reopening.  Most are leaning towards

• shortened-day or alternating week schedules with 50% of the students in school at any given day and the other 50% doing remote learning 
• students going to school two days per week with the other three days doing remote learning
• Summit is thinking about offering a 5-day a week plan with shortened days
• Gloucester is considering a 2-day week (alternating 50% of the students) with two other days of remote learning,  and the 5^th day being used for deep cleaning.

 
 
I don’t think any of the above options would work at St. Theresa School, because of the large population of working parents we serve, but that is why it is important that you complete the survey:  I need to hear from you what your needs and possibilities are!  In advance, thank you for your cooperation.
 
On another note, thank you to all those who were able to send in a $25 donation to help defray the cost of our desk guards.  The help is most appreciated.
 
One last request… due to the on-going pandemic, we have had to furlough many people, including our  part-time maintenance man.  HELP NEEDED!!! We are hoping to provide each child with two desks in order to help with distancing and classroom order.  We have the desks in the garage, but I need some help getting them out of there and into the classrooms.  On Saturday, July 25 from 9-11am, I am asking for any help possible (of course, with masks) to complete this project, which is compounded by the fact that ALL the Tricky Tray baskets from last March are also in the garage and we need to work around the baskets.  Please let me know if any of you will be able to make it.  Thanks.  Also, we are putting up a temporary divider between Lil Stallions and the regular school… I also need help with that.  Please let me know if you might be available for this.
 
Any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org.
 
God bless!

Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, FMA
Principal

540 Washington Avenue Kenilworth, NJ 07033

office 908-276-7220
fax 908-709-1103

.


 

Happy Summer 2020!

                  


Dear STS Families,

I hope you all have a safe, happy, HEALTHY, and enjoyable 4th of July Weekend!

The purpose of this letter is to announce to you our teachers for the 2020-2021 school year.  Our early childhood section is not completely determined yet, so we are still trying to safely accommodate as many children as possible, respecting the need for social distancing.  Here are our homeroom teachers:

                Ms. Nancy Pakulski        Grade 8
                Mrs. Crystal Kacerak      Grade 7
                Mrs. Lynda Leo                Grade 6
                Mrs. Donna Morgese     Grade 5
                Mrs. Maria Fernandes    Grade 4
                Ms. Carolyn Pancurak    Grade 3
                Mrs. Karen DeMaio         Grade 2
                Mrs. Michele Keating     Grade 1
                Mrs. Amber Sierant        Kindergarten

                Early Childhood:        
                               Mrs. Nicole Alfano
                               Mrs. Mary DiQuinzio
                               Mrs. Joanne Furlong
                               Mrs. Kim Kelly
                               Mrs. Margarita Moribaldi

                Mr. Anthony Colletti            Physical Education
                Mrs. Doreen Sacco               Technology & Graphic Arts
                Mrs. Carol Prymuszewski   Art
                Mrs. Christine McCarthy     Library & Music                         
                Mrs. Ana Marisol Yanez       Spanish

On my part, I can assure you that each of these teachers will care for your child(ren) and do their best to provide them with a complete, an integral Catholic/Christian education during the 2020-2021 school year.  No worries about any educational deficits your child(ren) may have due to the “virtual” learning that was offered during the last trimester of the 2019-2020 school year; our teachers will take them from where they are, and move them forward.  I saw this entry in April on Facebook.  It’s not “gospel”, but a great deal of it is true:

Dated April 7, 2020

Dear Parents,

Don't stress about schoolwork. In September, I will get your children back on track. I am a teacher and that's my superpower. What I can't fix is social-emotional trama that prevents the brain from learning. So right now, I just need to share your calm, share your strength, share your laughter with your children. No kids are ahead. No kids are behind. Your children are exactly where they need to be.

With Love,

 All the Teachers on Planet Earth

Will be sharing more information with you as it becomes available.  Please remember: if you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to contact me at louann.fantauzza@mysts.org.

God bless!
 

           Sr. Lou Ann Fantauzza, FMA

        Principal