Rosarian Academy E- News
Volume 3: Issue 3October 1-31, 2015

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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 the light of Gospel values. 

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IN THIS ISSUE

Dear Rosarian Community,

October ushered by in a flurry of activities that represented our school at its finest. We opened the month with the tradition of Rosarian Week--continuing the celebration of our rich 90-year history-- and closed with Red Ribbon Week, the Science Fair, and Halloween festivities. Thank you to all of the faculty, staff and volunteers who helped to make these events so successful. 

As the fall athletic season ended, the K-8th swim team finished first for the 24th time in the last 25 years--an accomplishment of which we are extremely proud!  Congratulations to Jan Wallace who finished her fourteen-year tenure as Rosarian's swim coach with the big win.

Please note several upcoming events. 
After much practice, the Lower School 1st-4th graders are ready to take the stage as they present The Lion King KIDS November 7th and 8th. 
 
As we continue to discuss, "How to Create a Culture of Thinking," we invite parents to join us November 6th for our First Friday Coffee and Conversation. In addition, we will welcome Assistant State District Attorney, Mr. Greg Schiller, to campus on November 10th to speak to parents and students regarding internet safety. Parents are encouraged to come to campus to hear his talk between 8:15 and 9:30 AM.

Lastly, please remember that Auction season is upon us! This year's Auction Chairs, Marian Macias and Adrianne Sanchez, and their committees have had great success with the various events leading up to the Auction and are ready to launch the main event on November 21st at The Breakers. I hope to see you there as we experience a night in tropical paradise in support of our great school!

Blessings to all for a lovely fall.

Stephen Rubenacker
Head of School

Alumni News

Palm Beach Daily News Looking for Alumni to Share Rosarian Memories

With Rosarian celebrating its 90th year, the Palm Beach Daily News is looking for alumni who have stories about specific memories at the school. Do you have a memorable story involving a favorite class, teacher, friend, or sporting event? Please email your one- to two-paragraph stories to [email protected] and put ROSARIAN in the subject line. 

They are also looking for photos from school events. Please email photos to [email protected] with ROSARIAN in the subject line. 

Please make sure your name, address, phone number and email address are included with all submissions. Click here for more info >>>

Nineteen Seventh-Grade Students Qualify as Duke TIP Scholars
58% of Rosarian's Seventh-Grade Class Qualify

Nineteen seventh-grade students qualified for and have been recognized as Rosarian Academy Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP) Scholars. These students earned at least a 95 percentile or higher on an acceptable composite or subtest area from a previous standardized test.
 
The Duke University Talent Identification Program allows students an opportunity to pursue an out-of-level testing experience by inviting them to participate in taking either the SAT or ACT college entrance examinations.  These tests are exactly the same as that of high school juniors and seniors preparing for college admission.  In addition to building their testing skills, students also have the opportunity to learn and/or possibly participate in other programs for academically talented students.
 
Congratulations to the following qualifying students:

Sailor Kate Ashley, Remi Beaud, Hope Diffenderfer, Devyn Dyett, Lorenzo Escobar, Gabriella Faber, Isabella Fiorentino, Marlowe Flom, Aidan Griffiths, Van Gronberg, Javier Keough, Sofia Mendez, John Molina, Matthew Mullen, Drew O'Brien, Max Sanderson, Lacey Steele, Isabella Vega-Dadurian, Hannah Wilson

The nineteen Duke TIP scholars make up 58% of Rosarian's seventh-grade class. Currently, Rosarian Academy has a total of 33 Duke TIP students in both its seventh- and eighth-grade classes.
Rosarian Continues to Celebrate Its 90-Year History with Rosarian Week Tradition 
Week Brings Service-, Faith-, Community-, Spirit-, and Mission-Filled Activities

Rosarian Academy spends the first full week of October each year celebrating its service, faith, community, spirit, and mission-all of which have been a part of the history of Palm Beach County for 90 years. This year, Rosarian Week took place October 5 - 9 with Monday as Service Day, Tuesday Spirit Day, Wednesday Faith Day, Thursday Community Day, and Friday Mission Day. 

Service to others is an integral part of the Rosarian Academy Community and school mission. Rosarian Week kicked off with a "school family" service project. On Monday, October 5, Lower School students began their day by meeting their Middle School "big brothers" and "big sisters" in the Garvy Gym to make rosaries and then pray a decade of the rosary together. Each student received a rosary and others were made to donate to Catholic Charities. The crucifixes were blessed by Pope Francis during his visit to Washington, D.C. on September 24th. 

The school's spirit was celebrated on Tuesday with "Hats off to 90 years of RA" where students and faculty wore crazy hats to school. 

Faith day was highlighted with a school-wide Mass on Wednesday morning, celebrated by Reverend Brian King, Episcopal Secretary to Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito.

Thursday's Community Day held two significant events--an Open House for the greater Palm Beach County community and a Spaghetti Dinner for the Rosarian Academy Family community of students, parents, teachers and staff.

Rosarian Week ended traditionally with Mission Day, or Field Day. 

Rosarian Week 2015 was a significant time for the Rosarian community as the school celebrates 90 years of providing "A Foundation for Life. A Tradition of Excellence." Seizing the opportunity to remember the school's rich history in Palm Beach County, Student Council representatives disseminated history facts about the school throughout the week. Service, faith, community, spirit, and mission have always been a part of Rosarian Academy's history and continue to be written into its promising future.
Rosarian Week Ends with a Mission Day Filled with Spirit

Purple Team Takes First Place in Field Day Competition; Over $1,700 Raised for Missions

A rainbow of color blanketed Rosarian Academy's campus on Friday, October 9, 2015, as students ended the celebration of Rosarian Week with a Mission Day, or Field Day.  

Clad wildly from head to toe in their team colors--Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Purple, Black & White--, fifth-through-eighth-grade students competed in athletic events, such as: relay races, basketball, volleyball, dance, capture the flag, hula hoop, and bocce ball. This year, the Purple Team took first place with 175 points, just three points ahead of the Green Team's 172-point finish. Following close behind, Red finished with 170 points and Orange with 169 points. Although the teams competed to showcase the first place trophy in their team leader's classroom, the focus of Field Day was on good sportsmanship-being "athletes of Christ," like St. Dominic. 

Members of the Purple Team and eighth graders, Lily and Daisy Cook, have attended Rosarian since the toddler program and shared what it meant to them to win Field Day. 

"Winning first place in this Rosarian Mission Day/Field Day means so much to us. We are so proud of the Purple Team and all the teams that participated," said Lily.
 
Daisy added, "Every single one of the teams did an amazing job, and I am proud of the entire eighth-grade class for supporting all of their teams and doing such a good job."

Upon entering Rosarian's Middle School in fifth grade, each student is assigned to a Field Day team and remains on that team through the end of eighth grade. Siblings are on the same team.

Field Day is also known as Mission Day as money is raised to support "missions" of the Adrian Dominican Sisters. This year, two missions were supported. Over $1,700 was raised and donated to the Adrian Rea Literacy Center. Located on the Adrian Dominican motherhouse campus, the Literacy Center assists adults to become more self-sufficient and confident as they acquire skills in reading, writing, and basic math. In addition to raising funds, Field Day participants brought in over 160 cans of food to donate to St. Ann Parish in honor of St. Ann School's Athletic Director Ray Cheron who recently passed away after being a part of their school family for the past fourteen years. 
Mariana Perez-Vargas Honored as October Student of the Month
8th Grader Honored by Kiwanis Club of Palm Beach
 
Rosarian Academy eighth-grade student, Mariana Perez-Vargas, was honored as the school's October Kiwanis Club Student of the Month on October 7th. Continuing its tradition of honoring excellence, character and leadership potential, Kiwanis Club of Palm Beach recognizes students from local schools at a monthly luncheon at the Chesterfield Hotel. Selected students are honored with a check and a certificate.
 
Mariana was accompanied by her parents and teacher, Ms. Kathy Moormann. In the speech she delivered at the luncheon, Mariana thanked her family and teachers. She spoke proudly of her athletic and academic achievements and being selected to see Pope Francis in Washington, D.C. last month. Mariana plays volleyball, soccer and tennis for Rosarian and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society. She has attended Rosarian since preschool and plans to attend The Benjamin School next year.
Middle School Students Compete in the Global Change Challenge 
Making the Change: Implementing Solutions

This Fall, approximately 35 Rosarian Middle School students (grades 5-8) teamed up as the Glocalizers (their team name) to participate in the Global Change Challenge (GCC) competition created by Renee Restino. 

Through the GCC competition, the Glocalizers' mission is "Making the Change: Implementing Solutions." Their vision is "Fostering awareness of the continual need for social change and yielding service to others." 

As a team, students referred to the 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that were put forth by the United Nations to "transform" the world at the 2015 Summit in New York. Rosarian students collectively decided to work on Goal 11 of the U.N. 2030 Sustainable Development initiative--to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. More specifically, they are focusing on homelessness in our city, West Palm Beach. They will team up with middle school students from Nazareth School, a catholic private school for girls in Ethiopia, to address issues with "street children" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

To do this, the team created four groups (Vision, Research, Communication and Technology) and team leaders for each group. Each team has a coach (RA teacher) that oversees progress and inspires their young minds to stretch far beyond the conditioned, traditional realm of scholastic in order to discover their inner creative power.

The Glocalizers' main objective is to develop, create, and propose a solution(s) and produce a video/film, or other format of social media to submit for the GCC competition by April 22, 2016.
Rosarian Shoppers Spend $34,000 to Support the School 
Gardens Mall Shopping Day
 
Rosarian families and friends spent October 14th shopping at The Gardens Mall in support of the 5th Annual Gardens Mall Shop & Share Event. Thank you to everyone who shopped and logged their receipts. The Gardens Mall generously donated 5% of the $34,000 that our Rosarian families spent that day. Thank you to The Gardens Mall for your stylish support of RA! 
Rosarian Swims to a First-Place Finish at the 25th Invitational Swim Meet
169 Points Ahead of Second-Place Palm Beach Day Academy
 
Rosarian won the 25th Rosarian Academy Invitational Swim Meet held at Lake Lytal on Saturday, October 24, 2015. Coached by Mrs. Jan Wallace and Mrs. Ginny Downes, the 60 kindergarten-through-eighth-grade swimmers came out strong and fought hard against the four other schools competing. The team finished with a 169-point victory over Palm Beach Day Academy who placed second. In third, fourth, and fifth places were St. Clare, St. Ann and All Saints respectively. The final scores were Rosarian: 689, Palm Beach Day: 520, St. Clare: 217, St. Ann: 132, All Saints: 118.
 
Rosarian Middle School students, Charlotte Breckenridge, Lolly Colton, Gemma Conroy, Natalie Goffe, and Emma Guerrieri took first place in each of their races. In the Lower School, Vivienne Angle, Harrison Ashley, Emma Chopin, Nick Coniglio, James Flynn, Eleanor Hall, Kepa Mendia, and Whitney Ray won first places.
 
Celebrating Rosarian's 25th Invitational Swim Meet is significant for the Rosarian community as the school also celebrates 90 years as an educational landmark in Palm Beach County. Rosarian stands proud as it continues to provide a strong academic program enhanced by athletics.
 
Starting in 1959, Rosarian Academy was blessed to have a swimming pool and swim program in the physical education classes. The Rosarian Academy Invitational Swim Meet was started in 1990 to encourage other schools to get involved with swimming and participate in a swim meet. Doug Rozelle started the Invitational Swim Meet and was Rosarian's coach for many years.
 
Cathy Reader, former Rosarian Athletic Director and Physical Education Teacher and current Director of Facilities, has been involved with every swim meet since its inaugural year. As Athletic Director, Ms. Reader continued the swimming program once the pool was removed from Rosarian's facilities in 2006.
 
For the last fourteen years, Jan Wallace and Ginny Downes have coached the Rosarian Academy Swim Team and have continued to grow the program using the Lake Lytal facilities. Both Mrs. Wallace and Mrs. Downes are retiring from coaching at the end of this year.
 
For the first time in the school's history, kindergartners were invited to join the Swim Team and compete. Ms. Devin Andersen coached these youngest swimmers.

"Swimming has been a part of Rosarian Academy for 58 years, long before many interscholastic sports were offered in Florida. May it continue to be an important part in our school's athletic program," said Ms. Reader who is in her 45th year working at the school.

Underwriting and Sponsorship Party
October 24th Appreciation Party
 
Rosarian Academy kicked off its 37th Annual Auction and Ball with an appreciation party at the home of Cristina and Desmond Keogh on Saturday, October 24, 2015.
 
The party honored those underwriting and sponsoring the Ball. Nearly 80 attendees enjoyed listening to calypso music and dining on Caribbean bites. Leading up to the October 24th party, more than $80,000 in underwriting and sponsorships was raised.

Since 1983, Rosarian has hosted an annual auction and ball. Underwriting and sponsorship go directly to the school's bottom line and are a vital part of funds needed to operate Rosarian Academy. This year's auction and ball, Caribbean Nights-Paradise Found at Rosarian Academy, will be held at The Breakers on November 21, 2015. Auction Chairs, Marian Macias and Adrianne Sanchez plan to add Caribbean flair to the Venetian and Mediterranean ballrooms as they transform them into a tropical paradise filled with hundreds of members of the Rosarian community. 
Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.
Rosarian Celebrates Healthy Living with Red Ribbon Week
 
Rosarian celebrated Red Ribbon Week October 26-30. This year's national theme was "Respect yourself. Be drug free." Students were encouraged to dress according to various themes throughout the week to promote positive choices and a healthy lifestyle, including: hats off to our health; team up against drugs; sock it to drugs; say "boo" to Halloween.  

Red Ribbon Week was inspired by the tragic death of an undercover Drug Enforcement Agent, Enrique Camaren, at the hands of drug traffickers in 1985. The week is celebrated annually during the last week in October and has turned into a celebration of positive choices and a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. It is celebrated by tens of thousands of schools, government agencies, and social service organizations and touches the lives of 80 million young people and adults in the United States each year.
Conscious Discipline Workshop Empowers Parents
Six-Week Course Prompts Formation of Empowering Parents Group
 
October 27th marked the final session of the six-week Conscious Discipline workshop for parents led by Amy Decker. Parents learned about how the brain functions in relation to emotions and self-control. This is essential information so parents (and all adults) can begin to recognize what brain-state they are in as they interact with others, especially their children. Additionally, recognizing a child's brain state, especially when in a state of upset, helps the adult to know what the child's need really is and can address it more effectively.

Each week of the class introduced a skill that helped participants navigate through teaching children (and oneself) how to recognize and appropriately respond to the various emotional states that a child experiences. Parents practiced skills of composure, encouragement, assertiveness, choices, empathy, positive intent and consequences. These skills provided new ways for them to address challenges such as sibling rivalry, temper tantrums, defiance and homework battles. 

As participants shared their parenting ups and downs in practicing each new skill, a bond of camaraderie and connection developed between them. As the workshop drew to an end, participants recognized the need to continue to meet to hone their skills, share their journey, learn from each other, and share these skills with others. There will be a monthly Empowering Parents Group for anyone interested in learning about Conscious Discipline at home and at school. This group will gather the first Tuesday of every month. Click here for more information
Spooktacular Service for Other Children in the Community
Rosarian Students Spread Halloween Cheer to Children at The Lord's Place and Palm Beach Children's Hospital
 
When October 1st arrives, most Rosarian Academy children become elated to unbox their spooky decorations, decide on a costume, carve jack-o-lanterns, and prepare for a candy-filled Halloween night at the end of the month. The students at Rosarian also recognize the unfortunate reality that not all of the children in our community have the opportunity to celebrate fun holidays like Halloween due to circumstances out of their control. As a solution, students provided Halloween cheer for children at The Lord's Place and Palm Beach Children's Hospital. 

On October 28th, 35 middle school students from Rosarian Academy participated in the 4th Annual Pumpkin Carving Party at The Lord's Place Family Campus. The Rosarian students paired up with children who are currently housed by The Lord's Place to carve pumpkins, paint faces, make Halloween crafts, and share stories and have fun together.

Though a school-wide effort, approximately 50 pumpkins were collected as well as 15 Halloween costumes to donate to The Lord's Place. The Rosarian National Junior Honor Society organized the event and is in the process of planning a Christmas party for the Lord's Place children in December.

The Lord's Place Housing Programs provide shelter for homeless men, women and children and help residents identify the issues that led to their homelessness. The Lord's Place gives their residents the tools they need to stabilize their lives, while providing safe homes so they can thrive. Currently, about 60 children reside at the Family Campus. In addition to the Family Campus, The Lord's Place has two other campuses-one for homeless men and one for single homeless women.

This year, some Rosarian Lower School students also spread 'spooktacular' fun to the children at Palm Beach Children's Hospital. Each second-grade student decorated two Halloween bags and filled them with items such as puzzles and coloring books. Through the Alliance for Kids, the bags were distributed to the children staying at the hospital. 

The Palm Beach Children's Hospital is located at St. Mary's Medical Center and is dedicated exclusively to the healthcare needs of children. Alliance for Kids is a non-profit organization committed to providing resources, special programs, and services for hospitalized children and their families.

Twenty Eighth Graders to Advance to Regional Science Fair
Rosarian Middle School Science Fair

The Middle School Science Fair took place on October 29th in the Arrigo Gallery and Schar Hall. Eighth-grade students competed to advance to the 2015 Palm Beach County Science Fair. As seventh graders, the students began working on their projects in the spring. Six months later, the school Science Fair showcased each eighth grader's scientific research and final conclusion on the topic chosen.

Congratulations to the top-placed winners of the 2015 Rosarian Science Fair:

1st Place: Jake Mockoviak: What Types of Smells are Most Interesting to Dogs?
2nd Place: Thomas Raymond: Bees Be Buzz'n
3rd Place (tie): Seema Thakaar: Monkey Business
                        Daniel Mullen: Something's Fishy

The following 20 students will advance to the regional Palm Beach County Science Fair at the South Florida Fairgrounds on December 10, 2015:

Mason Adams - Focus on Exercise
Lauren Bartyl - Fluorescent Light
Charlotte Breckenridge - Do Clothes Change Your Mood?
John Carlson - Speedy Subs
Daisy Cook - Greenhouse Blues
Lily Cook - Hole in One
Laila Fahmy - Do Different Liquids Affect the Growth of a Flower?
Peter Fields - Acid Attack
Emma Guerrieri - How to Build a Water Cycle
Andrew Guildford - Fitting Clubs
Milo Keough - Why Tap?
Colin Kramer - Do Worms Help Plants Grow?
Jake Mockoviak - What Types of Smells are Most Interesting to Dogs? 
Daniel Mullen - Something's Fishy
Mariana Perez-Vargas - Midnight Metabolism
Thomas Raymond - Bees Be Buzz'n 
Bard Rockenbach - Are Onions and Potatoes Friendly?
Seema Thakaar - Monkey Business
Jack Throop - Windy Windmills
Grayson Zwickel - Electrifying Magnetism 

10th Annual Guys' Night Out Breaks Record
Men of Rosaian Raise $22,635 in One Night
 
Nearly 70 men of Rosarian attended the 10th Annual Guys' Night Out at Trump International Golf Course on October 30. The event brought in a record-breaking $22,635 for the school. Thanks to the hosts--Jim Arrigo, Christian Angle, John Cassidy, Jason Guari, Desmond Keogh, Shaun McGruder, Michael Perry, Joe Rooney and Nate Ward--100% of the proceeds benefit Rosarian Academy directly. The evening started off with an additional $4,000, thanks to twelve generous guys who donated money to play in a golf foursome prior to the event. The guys enjoyed great food, open bar, games of chance, and a night of camaraderie. All Rosarian dads, grandfathers, alumni, alumni fathers, and friends are invited to attend this annual event.
Get Your Tickets to The Lion King This Weekend
Saturday, November 7 at 4:00 PM and Sunday, November 8 at 2:30 PM
 
Disney's The Lion King KIDS will be performed by Rosarian Academy Lower School students on Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8, 2015. Showcasing a cast of 50 first-through-fourth-grade future stars, The Lion King KIDS will take you on an epic African adventure that you won't want to miss! 

"We are thrilled to be the first school in South Florida to present the musical in the kids version," said Robert Sherman, the producer and director of the show.

Based on the Broadway production directed by Julie Taymor and the 1994 Disney film, The Lion King KIDS tells the story of the adventures of a curious cub named Simba (Jack Johnston) as he struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destiny as king. Along the way, the young lion encounters a colorful cast of characters, including spunky lioness Nala (Natalie Acosta), charismatic meerkat Timon (Kaitlin Koch), and lovable warthog Pumbaa (Layna Steele). To claim his rightful place on the throne and save his beloved Pridelands, Simba must find his inner strength and confront his wicked Uncle Scar (Nicholas Stewart). The Lion King KIDS features classic songs from the 1994 film such as "Hakuna Matata" and the Academy Award�-winning "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" as well as additional songs penned for the Broadway production.

The performances of Disney's The Lion King KIDS are open to the public at the Rosarian Academy theater on November 7, 2015, at 4:00 pm and November 8, 2015, at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $10 and available at http://ra.booktix.com

This is the first time the Lower School will offer two performances. In addition, this is the first time since 2011 that first-grade students have been included in the school play. Implemented at the beginning of this school year, students now take drama classes starting in kindergarten. 
Caribbean Nights Auction Two Weeks Away: Bidding Starts 48 Hours in Advance
Join Us November 21, 2015 at The Breakers
 
Rosarian Academy is readying for a tropical, yet elegant, evening at The Breakers for the school's 37th Annual Auction & Ball, Caribbean Nights--Paradise Found at Rosarian Academy, on November 21, 2015. Auction Chairs, Marian Macias and Adrianne Sanchez, plan to add Caribbean flair to the Venetian and Mediterranean ballrooms as they transform them into a tropical paradise filled with hundreds of members of the Rosarian community. 

With the goal of raising $350,000 for RA, the chairwomen and their vast committee are planning an event to be remembered, including silent and live auctions, dinner, dancing, raffles and more. While guests will use smart phones and iPads to bid for silent auction items through BidPal for the third consecutive year, auctioneer and long-time supporter of Rosarian Academy, Jim Arrigo, will lead the live auction. Joan and Brian O'Connell are the Honorary Chairs of the event.

All guests who have purchased tickets to the Auction & Ball will be able to start bidding 48 hours in advance of the event! This is an added perk for ticketholders to win bids before they arrive and have their "watchlist" working so they can enjoy the evening with family and friends even more.

To purchase your tickets to the upcoming Auction & Ball, please click here

Auction Sponsors and Underwriters
Thank You to the Following Businesses and Families
 
Angle Family
Arrigo Dodge Chrysler Jeep
Arrigo Family
Beaud Family
Braman Motorcars Palm Beach
Breckenridge Family
Brown Fisch Real Estate
Cathy Flagg & Signature Collection
Christian Angle Real Estate
Colton Family
Conroy Family
C'Orrico
Danielle Hickox Moore
DeWoody Family
Diffenderfer Family
Dr. Cabanellas
Fabbri Family
Garden of Life & Ray Family
The Gardens Mall
Gil Family
Groden Family
Hardyman Family
Herlong Family
John C. Cassidy AC
Jones, Foster, Johnston & Stubbs
Jordan Family

Koch Family
Kreusler-Walsh, Compiani & Vargas, P.A.
Law Office of Abigail Beebe PA
Lou Hager & Kathleen Emmett
Macias Family
Manuel V. Mendez, MD
Mecox Gardens
MP Design & Architecture, Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. Brian O'Connell
Mr. & Mrs. Guillermo Perez-Vargas
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Scarola
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Swan
Mr. & Mrs. Jamis  Bornschein
Mr. & Mrs. John Stewart
Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Haft
Mr. Mark W. Cook
Mrs. Cecilia Skivington
Ms. Lucia Musso
Ms. Paula Cook
Pine Creek Sporting Club
Roberta Roller Rabbit
Rodriguez & Alves Families
Sanchez Family
Sushi Jo
Ward Real Estate
Woolems Construction