Rosarian Academy E- News
Issue: 1February 1- 28, 2013

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807 North Flagler Drive

West Palm Beach, FL

561.832.5131
www.rosarian.org 

Newsletter Banner Marquee   
We are excited to present our first electronic newsletter! In addition to Principal Virginia Devine's weekly updates, this newsletter will serve as a platform to highlight the incredible work of our faculty and students, upcoming events and alumni happenings. We aim to strengthen our connection as a Rosarian community by keeping current and past parents, alumni and friends informed. 
  
If you have news or updates you wish to include in the next newsletter, please click here
IN THIS ISSUE
Alumni Spotlight
Asian Studies in The Children's House
Heritage Education Program: 4th Grade Students Build Dream Houses
Math Counts: Top Ten
21st Century Technology in the Classroom
The Power of Science
Student of the Month
Scholastic Book Fair
Shaking It Up at the Valentine's Dance
Boys' Basketball Wins Championship
Rosarian's Got Talent
Feeding Children Everywhere
Family Fun Day
Volunteer Opportunities at Rosarian
Upcoming Community Events / Volunteer Opportunities
Annual Fund: Be Inspired
Did You Know? The Meaning of the Shield
Alumni Spotlight
Mary Acosta, Rosarian Academy 2007

 

Mary Acosta and Michael Shockley
Mary Acosta pictured with Rosarian Alum Michael Shockley

Years Attended Rosarian:
Kindergarten to 8th Grade (1998-2007)

 

High School: 

Cardinal Newman High School, Class of 2012 

 

How do you feel Rosarian prepared you for high school? 
I was more than prepared for the amount of work. Rosarian focused on challenging us in every subject; so, during my freshman year, I never felt overwhelmed with the amount of information or difficulty level. Rosarian provided a strong foundation in English which prepared me for the intensive writing components of the IB curriculum which I completed in my Junior and Senior year of high school. 

 

College:

University of Notre Dame, Class of 2015

 

Major/Minor:

Science-Business with a minor in Catholic Social Tradition

 

Extra-Curricular Activities:

I am involved in our student government, specifically Sophomore Class Council which focuses on the Class of 2015. I am also a commissioner for my dorm, Ryan Hall, where I serve as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. In keeping with the dorm spirit, I play interhall lacrosse and golf. I also tutor chemistry in the on campus freshman help center. 

 

Do you feel like your experience from Rosarian shaped who you are today?    

Spending nine years at Rosarian has definitely shaped who I am today. All of the lessons I learned at home from being kind to working hard were reinforced by the amazing teachers and staff. Every time I take a test, I think of Ms. Moormann, my seventh and eighth grade history teacher, calling it a "celebration of knowledge." For me, going to a catholic elementary and middle school has been invaluable for my faith. I would not be where I am without a sense of hard work and faith that was instilled in me at Rosarian. Not only that, I made friendships at Rosarian that were strong then and are even stronger now and I know will last well beyond my college years. 

 

Fondest Memory of Rosarian:    

My fondest memory while at Rosarian is when Mr. Cohane, my sixth, seventh, and eighth grade English teacher, would bring his guitar to class and play for us.

 

Any other comments about Rosarian that you would like to share?   

The effectiveness of Rosarian is only possible due to the teachers, parents, staff, and students who attend Rosarian. The school is full of teachers who genuinely want to challenge students to reach their potential both academically and as a whole person. It is in part due to them that I am who I am today. 

  
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Matt Burke Receives Football Scholarship to Attend Purdue University

 

Alumni Matt Burke Signs with Purdue Football TeamMatt Burke, Rosarian class of 2009 and current Senior at Cardinal Newman High School, signed his letter of intent to attend Purdue University on a football scholarship. Matt was a three year letter winner in football and led Newman's team in receptions with 29 and added 6 touchdowns. Congratulations, Matt!

 

  
  
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Women of Distinction: Gail Coniglio and Danielle Hickox Moore Honored

 

Gail ConiglioDanielle HickoxDuring its annual Women of Distinction luncheon on February 20, Palm Beach Atlantic University honored Gail Coniglio (pictured left) and Danielle Hickox Moore (pictured right) as Women of Distinction 2013. Recipients of this award are women who cherish community and family and want to preserve these ideals for others. Gail is the mother of three Rosarian alumni. Dani graduated from RA's high school in 1981 and is a current Rosarian mother.

Asian Studies in The Children's House
Montessori Children Learn about Russia
Childrens House Studies Russia     

This month, The Children's House did an overview of Asia, learning about animals and flags of some of the Asian countries. They finished their geography unit on Asia with a presentation by Mrs. Svetlana McCarthy (mother of a Montessori student). She is from Russia and shared photos and facts about her home country. Mrs. McCarthy showed the children the Russian Alphabet and several nesting dolls (Matryoshka) and brought in Russian tea cookies for everyone to enjoy. 

 

Throughout the year, the Montessori School examines all of the continents. Next month, the children are heading "down under" to explore Australia!

Heritage Education Program
Fourth Grade Students Build Their Dream Houses
4th Grade Architecture     

Ms. Adley's and Ms. Linsin's fourth grade students studied local history and culture with the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. After drawing floor plans, assembling house kits, designing landscapes and creating real estate ads, each student finished their study of Florida architecture by creating a dream home. This interdisciplinary program incorporated vocabulary, reading, math, science, history, art and more.

  

The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the preservation of the historic, architectural, and cultural heritage of Palm Beach, Florida. Through advocacy initiatives, educational programs, architectural resources, and cultural events, the Foundation's goal is to encourage the community to learn about and save the historic buildings that truly make Palm Beach special. 

  

Math Counts: Top Ten
Rosarian Received Most Improved School Award
Math Counts Most Improved School   

Seven eighth grade students participated in Math Counts, an all-day competition among private and public schools in Palm Beach County on Saturday, February 9.  Rosarian placed in the top ten and received the Most Improved School Award. Congratulations to Paige Adams, Finn Kennedy, Victoria LePore, Jake Lewis, Guy Quattlebaum, Will Randolph, and Nick Signori.  A big note of thanks to Mrs. Jan Wallace, middle school math teacher, who prepared them well for this event.

 

  
21st  Century Technology in the Classroom
Wikispaces Used for Learning in Literature Class
8th Grade Wiki    

In Mr. Hansen's 7th and 8th grade literature classes, students participate in discussions on the class wiki.  Wikispaces provide an online space that allow students to share ideas and collaborate on projects outside of class.  In a recent autobiography unit, 8th grade students interpreted and debated the meaning of passages, discussed personal connections to the life experiences of authors, and posed meaningful questions to peers all online.  Online discussions are beneficial because students can take time to read other students' perspectives and carefully craft responses.  For students who are visual learners or experience social anxiety in traditional classroom discussions, online discussions are especially advantageous as they allow for a greater degree of active participation.

  
The Power of Science
8th grade scientistsForces in Physics 
   

In 8th grade science, students are calculating work, power and the mechanical advantage of simple machines. The students have been studying forces in physics since January. These basic forces are what govern motion and how objects interact: cars/skateboards roll, boats float and planes fly. The universal forces of gravity, electricity, magnetism and nuclear have been explored. The physics unit will culminate in the application and exploration of these forces when the 8th grade takes a trip to Seaworld to explore the Kraken and the Manta, as well as the amazing sea life on March 15th.

  

February Student of the Month
Congratulations, Finn Kennedy
  

February 2013 Student of the MonthThe 8th grade teachers choose a student to be honored each month at a luncheon at The Chesterfield Hotel sponsored by The Kiwanis Club of Palm Beach.  The students are chosen based on academics, character, service, participation and excellence in extra-curricular activities, etc.  Each student is allowed to bring two guests and a teacher of his or her choosing.  He/she writes a short speech about themselves and receives a check for $100. The students selected so far this year include Paige Adams (October), Logan Russell (November), Julia Raymond (December), Nicholas Signori (January), and Finn Kennedy (February). Click here to read Finn's speech.

  

Scholastic Book Fair -- A Great Success
Book FairRaises $3,500
      

The Scholastic Book Fair was a great success and our library program earned approximately $3,500 for new books and technology. Thank you to all parents and grandparents for your support.

  

Shaking It Up at the Valentine's Dance
6th, 7th, 8th Grade Dance

 

Harlem Shake Dance
Watch this video. See us dance

The sixth through eighth graders danced the night away Friday, February 22nd in Rosarian's Schar Social Hall. The highlight of the evening was students doing the popular Harlem Shake.  Click on the image to the right to watch our dancers in action.

Independent School League Basketball Champions
Boys' Basketball Wins Championship
Boys 2012-2013 Basketball Champions    

The boys' Raider basketball team proudly claimed the Independent School League Championship on Thursday, February 7th. We helped raise the level of competition in the league which includes Benjamin, Palm Beach Day, King's Academy, Meyer Academy, Jupiter Christian, and St. Mark's Episcopal.

 

The boys' team comprised Tony Azqueta, Pablo Barrios, Thomas Driscoll, Kent DeWoody, Ricky Hutchinson, Daniel Iscoe, Nick Nielsen, Grant Quattlebaum, Will Randolph, Clayton Rustmann, and Andrew Yavinsky.

Rosarian's Got TalentTalent Show 2013
February 9th Talent Showcase
  

Talent filled the Rosarian Theater on Saturday, February 9th as K-8th grade students sang, danced, played musical instruments, and flawlessly delivered their lines.  Click here to check out the photos of all our future Hollywood Stars on Facebook.

Feeding Children Everywhere
Making 150,624 Meals for Food Pantries
Feeding Children Everywhere    

On Saturday, February 23rd, the Middle School National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) teamed up with 800 other members of the community to make 150,624 meals to distribute to local public schools' crisis food pantries.  The non-profit group Feeding Children Everywhere organized the event which was held at Palm Beach Atlantic University.  Their innovative meal design was featured in Time magazine as a "game changer" for ending hunger.  Each meal costs only 25 cents to produce, but is scientifically formulated to provide enough nutrients to sustain health. 

 

  
Family Fun Day
Rides, Slides and More...
Family Fun Day Slide      

What's more FUN than an afternoon full of rides, slides, bounce houses, sno-cones, popcorn, rock climbing and bungee jumping? Family Fun Day, put on by RAFA on February 24, proved to be a day of all smiles for Rosarian families and friends. Click here to view the Family Fun Day photo album.

 

  
Volunteer Opportunities at Rosarian
Alumni Coordinator

Would you like to be more involved at Rosarian? Consider volunteering for 4-8 hours each week as an Alumni Coordinator!  Help RA reach out to our Alumni, keep them informed, collect their information and receive feedback. Learn the Alumni CONNECT Database, help schedule tours and reunions.  This position is open to current parents, alumni or alumni parents!  For more information, please e-mail [email protected].

Upcoming Community Events / Volunteer Opportunities

Gleaning Corn

March 16: Gleaning through CROS Ministries 

The NJHS will participate in the second glean of the year.  CROS Ministries provides weekly opportunities to take part in local gleaning which is the process of collecting leftover crops from fields after a harvest.  Due to high aesthetic standards in the produce industry, far too much perfectly edible produce goes unpicked and is wasted.  NJHS students gleaned over 2000 pounds of corn for the Palm Beach County Food Bank in a single Saturday morning in January.  All students and families are encouraged to participate.  Please contact the NJHS group adviser Patrick Hansen, [email protected], to sign up or for more details.

 

April 2: Drawing, Poetry, Essay, Video Contest

The Lord's Place, a local non-profit dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness, is holding a drawing, poetry, essay and video contest for all K-12 grade students in Palm Beach County in conjunction with their SleepOut on Friday, April 19th at The Meyer Ampitheatre. The purpose of this contest is to educate students about homelessness in Palm Beach County and help develop a sense of compassion and personal responsibility towards serving others. Entries are due April 2. Click here for more information on the contest.

 
April 15: Melanoma Monday Art Contest 
Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation is proud to present an opportunity to help students and their families learn about sun safety through a fun and creative project. The Melanoma Monday Art Contest entries are due April 15. There will be a ceremony for all contest winners and the public at Roger Dean Stadium (TBA). Click on the appropriate links for instructions and grade level contest information: Letter of Instruction, K-2 Guidelines, 3-5 Guidelines, 6-8 Guidelines.

Annual Fund
Be Confident. Be Happy. BE INSPIRED.
Be Inspired
Watch this Video.
  

What inspires you about Rosarian Academy?  Every day, students at Rosarian Academy are receiving an outstanding education in the finest school facilities in Palm Beach County.  Our Alumni are accepted into the most competitive high schools and colleges.  The RA Community continues to be family focused and empower parents and students to make lifelong friends.   Since its inception in 1925, Rosarian is still centered by the incredible Dominican charism of the Adrian Dominican Sisters and continues to be driven by excellent academics that provide a foundation for life.  Consider giving a gift by May 1st to the 2013 Annual Fund that will ensure another brilliant year for Rosarian Academy.  Click here for more details.

  
Did You Know?
The Meaning of The Rosarian Academy Shield
Rosarian Logo      

The Rosarian shield symbolizes a rich cultural and religious heritage. Set against the background of a thirteenth-century Dominican shield, represented in the fleur-de-lis at the right, the three roses signify the three mysteries of the rosary, a heritage left by Saint Dominic to his daughters, the Sisters of the Third Order, who staff Rosarian. The red roses identify the spirit of love and sacrifice that must permeate the life of a true Rosarianite.

 

Superimposed on an expanse of blue is an open book, exhibiting Rosarian situated on the blue waters of Lake Worth. The open book represents the intellectual challenge that the school offers to the eager student. Blue and white, the colors of the school's patroness, symbolize the wise and loving protection of our Blessed Mother Regina Rosarii (Queen of the Rosary).


Rosarian Academy, founded in 1925, is a private, coeducational, Catholic school sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Its mission is to educate the whole person for life in a global community in light of Gospel values.