Rosarian Academy E-News

Volume 3: Issue 6                                                                                                               January 1-31, 2016
Alumni Connect

Dear Rosarian Community,

As we 'leap' into 2016, we are proud of the learning taking place in the classrooms and the opportunities given to our students through on- and off-campus field trips and scholastic competitions. Rosarian students continue to excel and receive recognition for their hard work.

Enjoy reading about our January highlights!

Steve Rubenacker, Head of School
Alumni News
Rosarian graduate Patrick Hopkins was selected by Governor Rick Scott to receive the Champion of Service award at the Florida Cabinet Meeting in Tallahassee on Thursday, January 21, 2016. 

The Champion of Service Award is the only statewide volunteer recognition award; it is awarded to volunteers and organizations who go above and beyond in service to their community.

Patrick was recognized for his service to Boys Town South Florida. Boys Town is a Catholic organization that helps local children and families in crisis. Patrick was recently the chair of the Thanksgiving Day Basket Brigade which provided Thanksgiving meals to over 300 underprivileged families in Palm Beach County. Patrick first volunteered in his community as an elementary school student by filling baskets with food and delivering them to families in need. Patrick is also an active member of the Palm Beach League of Cities youth delegation and volunteers for the Literacy Coalition Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee.
Charlotte Breckenridge Honored as January Student of the Month

Eighth-grader Charlotte Breckenridge was honored as Rosarian's January Kiwanis Club Student of the Month on January 19 at the Chesterfield Hotel. Charlotte was recognized with a check and a certificate for her excellence, character and leadership potential.

Charlotte is the secretary of Student Council, a member of NJHS, and a Student Ambassador. She enjoys lacrosse, tennis, cheerleading and swimming. In her speech delivered at the luncheon, she said, "I love my school and can be proud of sharing it with others."

Charlotte's parents and Language Arts teacher Sarah Anderson accompanied her to the luncheon.
Paris-Based Hermès Quartet Performs at Rosarian

The Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach joined forces with Rosarian Academy to expose its students to great young artists. The world-class, Paris-based Hermès Quartet performed in Rosarian Academy's Theater on Friday, January 15, 2016.
 
According to The Washington Post, the Hermès Quartet "will likely take their place among the top quartets of our time." They have already been heard in prestigious European venues. Winner of the 2012 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the Hermès Quartet made its U.S. debuts to rave reviews at the opening concerts of the Young Concert Artists Series at Carnegie's Zankel Hall, and at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. The quartet has been awarded many prestigious prizes
Special Guest Days in the Children's House

Children's House teachers welcomed 'special guests' to their classrooms on three different days in January. 

Parents spent time with their children during their Montessori work time, observing activities and lessons that are done within the Montessori environment.They saw firsthand the many areas where their children are learning not only letters and numbers but also the very important skills of independence, coordination, cooperation, responsibility, routine, time management, and exploration. 
Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Presents Heritage Education Program to Fourth Grade

As part of the fourth grade Social Studies unit on Florida History, the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach began presenting its Heritage Education Program to the fourth graders. The students are learning about our local history and culture through the built environment. Using architecture as the medium, they recreate a pioneer home, draw floor plans, assemble housing kits, and design landscapes. Towards the end of this six-week program, the students will bring in pictures of their own homes and identify the architectural style and features.  
Four 8th Graders Place in Regional Science Fair

Four eighth-grade students placed at the Regional Science Fair on January 7th at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

Daniel Mullen received second place in the category of Animal Science and the Lion Country Safari Award, along with a check for $100. Daniel's project, "Something's Fishy," tested how different types of light affect the weight of guppies. According to his finding, white light caused the most weight gain and blue light resulted in the least amount of weight gain. Daniel will now advance to the Broadcom MASTERS, the premiere science and engineering competition for middle school students.

Thomas Raymond placed third in the Animal Science Category for his project, "Bees Be Buzz'n." He looked at the effect of probiotics and antioxidants on bee hives. Thomas discovered that both probiotics and antioxidants caused the bee hives to produce less honey.

Mariana Perez-Vargas and Charlotte Breckenridge placed fourth in Behavioral Science. Mariana also received the American Psychological Association Award for her project, "Does Working Night Shifts Affect Your Metabolism?" She found that working night shifts affects your rhythmic pattern causing your metabolism to slow down. In studying "How Does Color Influence First Impression?" Charlotte concluded that the colors pink and yellow make the most positive first impressions on strangers. 
First Graders Light Up Over Electricity
 
The first grade students learned about static and current electricity during their in-school High Touch High Tech Electricity field trip. They were engaged in hands-on science experiences exploring many different electricity concepts. They learned about atoms, electrons, repel, attract, conductors, insulators, circuits, electromagnetic, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Edison. The students used Edison Boxes to create circuits to light bulbs and ring a bell. They used batteries to make magnets, and they each got to take home a static electricity kit to try at home. The first graders lit up over learning about electricity!
Jack Throop Wins Geo Bee: Moves One Step Closer to $50,000 College Scholarship 

Eighth grader Jack Throop won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee on January 25, 2016, and a chance at a $50,000 college scholarship. The school-level Bee, at which students answered oral questions on geography, was the first round in the 28th annual National Geographic Bee.
 
Thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories are participating in the 2016 Bee. The school champions, including Jack Throop, will take a qualifying test; up to 100 of the top scorers on that test in each state will then be eligible to compete in their state Bee on April 1, 2016.
 
The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for state winners to participate in the Bee national championship rounds May 22-25, 2016. The first-place national champion will receive a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the Society including a subscription to National Geographic magazine, and a National Geographic Expeditions trip to a national park in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. 
MJ Hanlon Takes F-I-R-S-T in Spelling Bee

Rosarian Academy held the school-level competition of the 2016 Scripps Spelling Bee on January 28, 2016. Twenty-two fifth-through-eighth-grade students competed in the Bee. After seven rounds, MJ Hanlon (fifth grade) and Hope Diffenderfer (seventh grade) fought back and forth for the championship title. As one of the youngest students in the competition, MJ won with the championship word "applicable."
 
MJ and Hope will both represent Rosarian at the Regional Spelling Bee on February 23, 2016, at The Benjamin School.
 
The Spelling Bee participants included--fifth grade: Sabrina Bernstein, MJ Hanlon, Caleb Miller, Liam Landers, Nick Scully, Parker Ward;  sixth grade: Brandon Dorsey, Blair Haft, Delaney Groth, Joseph Coates, Finn Throop, Georgia Blumel; seventh grade: Javier Keough, Johnny Molina, Hope Diffenderfer, Gabriela Faber, Devyn Dyett; eighth grade: Victoria Skivington, Meredith Anderson, Peter Fields, Charlotte Breckenridge, James Cinque.
The State of School & Strategic Direction

Head of School Stephen Rubenacker presented the "State of School and Strategic Direction" to parents, faculty, and community members on January 27. Mr. Rubenacker discussed current school accomplishments and initiatives and laid out a vision for the next 3-5 years in the areas of: Mission, Culture and Community; Program; Facilities; and Sustainability into the Future.

If you have not had the opportunity to see this presentation, you can watch the recorded version here. 
Family Fun Day Kicks Off Catholic Schools Week

On Sunday, January 31, Rosarian Academy's campus was buzzing with rides, bounce houses, slides, and games as we kicked off Catholic Schools Week with Family Fun Day. Underwritten by the Rosarian Academy Family Association (RAFA), Rosarian families and friends spent the afternoon enjoying this fun-filled community event.  
 
Catholic Schools Week is a national celebration of Catholic education and being communities of faith, knowledge and service. Schools across the country celebrate with Masses, open houses, service projects and other community activities. Family Fun Day is an annual event organized by RAFA. This year's chairs were Rebecca Vargas and Emanuela Marcello.
Rosarian Academy, founded in 1925, is an independent, 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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Rosarian Academy | 807 N. Flagler Dr. | West Palm Beach, FL 33401 | 561.832.5131 | www.Rosarian.org