CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ST. AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY SCHOOL CLASS OF 2016!

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2016 GRADUATION AWARDS

Medals are awarded to the following students who have displayed exemplary work in a certain subject area.
	Gold Medal	Silver Medal
Religious Studies	Alyanna A.	Gregory M.
Language Arts	Samantha M.	Avni B.
Mathematics	Mary G.	Jacob N.
Algebra	Avni B.	Michael M.
Social Studies	Sarah G.	Samantha M.
Science	Anna R.	Jack B.
Technology	Avni B.	Amishi A.
World Language - Spanish	Alyanna A.	Jacob N.
Physical Education	Antonio I.	Gia V.
Fine Arts	Patricia P.	Cheyenne A and Zara N.

Presidential Academic Excellence Award:	Alyanna A.	Shaun M.
	Amishi A.	Marie M.
	Avni B.	Samantha M.
	Jack B.	Michael M.
	Grace C.	Gregory M.
	Brianna F.	Zara N.
	Mary G.	Jonathan P.
	Sarah G.	Anna R.
	Jeremiah H.	Amy Z.

President's Achievement Award:	Emma A.	Nishika D.
	Matthew A.	Hannah K.
	Isabella A.	Jacob N.
	Connor A.	Patricia P.
	Heather C.	Justin P.

Columbiette Confirmandi Saint Award:

Anna R.

Notre Dame High School Academic Scholarship Award:

Mary G.

Saint Lucy Filippini and Cardinal Barbarigo Award:

Zara N. and Gregory M.

Father Reilly Memorial Award:

Hannah K. and Jack B.

Monsignor Capano Scholarship:

Amy Z.

Brother Robert Sheeley Scholarship:

Patrick Q.

 

ST. A'S HOLDS FIRST-EVER STEAM EXPO

The St. Augustine of Canterbury School gym was transformed into an exhibition center as the school held its first STEAM Expo on Wednesday, May 11. “STEAM” expands on traditional STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) by adding an art component to foster creativity along with critical thinking skills. The Expo showcased the five elements of STEAM individually and in combination at booths featuring collections of student projects from Pre-K 3 to 8th Grade, interactive demonstrations, and hands-on activities for the nearly 200 visitors that filled the gym at any one time.

Examples of STEAM projects were on display at boots set up for each grade unit (Pre-K, Primary, Intermediate, Middle School). Students performed hand-on science experiments and demonstrated math-based board games they had created in class. Extracurricular programs were represented as well, with booths dedicated to Odyssey of the Mind, Robotics, KTN, Mad Science, and Bricks 4 Kidz. The "A" in STEAM was front and center in the gym balcony, which was filled with exhbits of student-created artwork from all grades. Capping it all off was the Tech Team Makerspace, which featured a live 3D printing demonstration and hands-on "maker" activities utilizing everything from common household items to snap-together electronic components to interactive robots.

Principal Sister Mary Louise Shulas, MPF, originally presented the idea of a STEAM Expo as a way to breathe new life into the school’s annual Middle School Science Fair. With the enthusiastic support and teamwork of teachers, students, and parents, the event took on a life of its own and mushroomed into an unforgettable evening that brought the entire community together to experience STEAM first hand.

TECH TEAM CROSSES THE FINISH LINE WITH THEIR 3D PRINTED CARS

The St. Augustine Tech Team completed their year-long 3D printed car project just in time to display and race them at our first STEAM EXPO in May. We would like to offer our congratulations to our graduating 8th Grade Tech Team members, and wish them good luck as they get ready to enter High School in September. We would also like to recognize a very special and dedicated 8th grader, Amishi A., who was the only student to be a Tech Team Member for all three years of Middle School. Way to go Amishi, our Future Engineer! (Note: Madison Q., 6th grader was missing from Tech Team photo)

 
 
 

BROWNIE TROOP 82406 RECEIVE THEIR COMPUTER EXPERT BADGES

The St. Augustine of Canterbury Brownie Troop 82406 worked very hard for two days after school in the Computer Lab in order to receive their Computer Expert Badges. The Brownies had to complete five steps before they could receive their badges. For Step 1, they used the free program TUX PAINT to design and draw a picture. In Step 2, they went on a virtual field trip to the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, and learned about the artists and their different styles of work. Step 3, proved to be the most exciting, as the Brownies used our SHARP AQUOS BOARD and Google Earth to explore the planet.  For Step 4, they actually typed a letter to President Obama, thanking him for his eight years of service to our country. Lastly, for Step 5, they used Max Write, a word processing program to create their own individual summer-themed stationary, with which they promised to write an old school letter to a friend or family member. Congratulations Brownie Troop 82406 for you are all COMPUTER EXPERTS now!

  

FIRST GRADERS TAKE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP TO THE SAN DIEGO ZOO

The First Grade Students completed a unit on animals by taking a virtual field trip all the way to California, to visit the San Diego Zoo. On the Zoo's website they were able to see live cams of the animals and find new facts about all different kinds of animals. They learned about the differences between amphibians, birds, arthropods, mammals, and reptiles. Lastly, they each chose an animal to research, added a photo of it and created an animal trading card to take home and share their new knowledge with their family.

OLDER SCIENTISTS TEACHING YOUNGER SCIENTISTS!

Ms. Segally’s eighth grade scientists came up with simple science experiments to do with their Kindergarten buddies. The experiments were a fun way to introduce the students to basic scientific concepts. The students worked together to construct and complete the experiments while observing, collaborating, analyzing, drawing conclusions, interacting, exploring and hypothesizing together. It was a “win-win” project for both age groups!

EXCEPTIONAL SEVENTH GRADERS ACCEPTED TO 2016 BISHOP'S SCHOOL

Eight St. A's students have been accepted to the 2016 Bishop's School programs offered at Bishop George Ahr High School from June 20 to June 24. The Bishop's School offers programs in theater, technology, forensics, photography, science, and religion. As stated in the Bishop's School brochure, "Academically strong 7th grade students with exceptional leadership and communication skills, as well as a unique interest in the program for which they are applying, may apply for admission." Listed below are the Bishop's School participants and the program they will attend:

SEVENTH GRADER HONORED BY JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR TALENTED YOUTH

Minhal V. was among the bright young students honored at a ceremony sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) at Rutgers University on Saturday, May 21, 2016. Minhal, a participant in the CTY Talent Search, was recognized for scoring exceptionally high on a rigorous, above-grade-level test. This summer, he will be taking a 3-week Johns Hopkins CTY advanced math course at Lafayette University in Pennsylvania.

 Press release from Johns Hopkins CTY

KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS DESIGN THEIR OWN ROBOTS

Our 21st Century Kindergarten Students became Robotics Engineers and were asked to design and build a robot using the website ABCya.com. They were introduced to the Engineering Design Process by learning how to make an initial plan and design on paper using their imagination, and then to use the website to improve their robot and make it even better! Watch the video below to see their final designs and see just how inventive and creative they are!

SPRING WAS IN THE AIR AS ST. A'S STUDENTS SING AND DANCE THEIR HEARTS OUT!

Mrs. Shirman and the Kindergarten to Fifth grade students presented the Spring Musical, "Spring Is The Thing" on Thursday evening, May 19. The show started off with a beautiful tribute to Our Blessed Mother, as some very talented fourth grade students composed their own poems, and lyrics and music as well. Layna T. recited her original poem and sang along with Sharbella J., and Gabrielle M. to the song they wrote "Good Mary." (They were also joined on stage by Erin L. and Abigail H.) The Kindergarten and First grade students delighted the audience with their adorable costumes and dance movements. All the students in 2nd grade to 5th grade sang with such joy and enthusiasm that they had the audience singing and clapping right along with them. Kudos and thanks to Mrs. Shirman, all the teachers and aides, but most especially to all our awesome and talented STARS-you really shined brightly here on the stage at St. A's.

RESPECT FOR LIFE POSTER CONTEST WINNERS HONORED AT DIOCESAN MASS & LUNCHEON

7th Grader Kristina I. and 8th Grader Patricia P. were among the students honored at a special Mass and Awards Luncheon held at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center in Piscataway on Tuesday, May 10 for the winners of the 2016 Respect for Life Poster Contest. The theme of this year's contest was "Every Life is Worth Living." Kristina's poster won First Place among the 7th Grade entries, while Patricia's tied for Second Place in the 8th Grade category. The students were accompanied by their respective religion teachers, Miss Segally and Sister Barbara.

SECOND GRADE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT TREES IN HONOR OF EARTH DAY 2016

The Second Grade students used the theme of this year's Earth Day to learn about the importance of trees. They used the website PBSKIDS Plum Landing to design and draw a picture of a tree and to thank it for one of the very important roles it plays in our environment.

SHOWBAND VICTORIOUS AT HIGH NOTE BAND FESTIVAL!

Musical Adventures Concert Band – Superior Rating –
96 average score (out of 100)

Musical Adventures Wind Ensemble – Superior Rating –
97 average score (out of 100)

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the High Note Band Festival in Lebanon, PA on Friday, May 13. Your hard work and dedication to being your best have resulted scores that you can be very proud of! Even more important that the judges’ scores was the number of people you touched with your music and who will always remember this special day.

From Mr. Mallinson: "Mrs. Mallinson and I have fond feelings for our bands every year, but we have to say that this year was special. This was one of the best bands we have ever had the privilege of conducting, and that includes those students who were not able to join us this year. You rehearsed with us and helped us prepare every day of band practice. These trophies belong to you also! Mrs. Mallinson and I will be a little sad that the showbands will not perform again this year. We consider everyone to be like family. Our trip next year will be to Washington D.C. we hope you will consider joining us again.

Thank you to all of the parents who have supported our students this year and in past years. Without you, there would be no showband. I know that our students perform their best when they are inspired by your applause.

Have a great summer vacation. We hope you will be able to join us next year for Washington D.C.!"

8TH GRADER EXHIBITS ART PORTFOLIO AT MIDDLESEX COUNTY ARTS FESTIVAL 

Congratulations to Patricia P., one of our very talented 8th Grade artists, who presented her portfolio of art work on Tuesday, May 4, 2016 at the Middlesex County Arts Middle School Student Festival 2016 held annually at Middlesex County College in Edison, NJ. Patricia had to audition in order to secure a spot in the Visual Arts Class taught every Wednesday afternoon by artist and teacher, Joan Conway at Middlesex County College. In this class the students learned about why and how art is created and the various mediums used to create it. The students were introduced to pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, pastel and water color concepts and developed their skills with the various genes of still life, landscape, figure drawing and portraiture. We are very proud of Patricia's talents and body of work, and look forward to hearing more about her artistic achievements as she heads to High School in September.

 
 

KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ACHIEVE READING SUCCESS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION

Our Kindergarten students have been using a new online program to develop and improve their reading skills through the use of technology. The program is Teach Your Monster to Read and through the proceeds of a charity, the Usborne Foundation, it is totally free and the students love playing it while gaining valuable reading skills at the same time.

According to the website (http://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/how-it-works/how-is-it-educational) the children learn as they "crack the alphabetic code which means understanding that the symbols on the page (letters) relate to sounds.  In order to decode they need the skill of blending the sounds together when reading. When spelling, they need the skill of splitting the word into its sounds (segmenting) and representing these with letters. These challenges offer many opportunities for the children to develop their listening skills as they match letters to sounds. The game also models the process of blending and provides opportunities for children to listen to words and practice segmenting. Of course, reading is about far more than decoding. It is about pleasure and opening up whole new worlds for children as they immerse themselves in stories. Whilst the focus of this game is on phonics, its imaginative and engaging context offers an enjoyable and exciting adventure in which to practice new found skills learnt in school." Since this is an online log-in program, the students are also able to use this at home and practice their skills both in class and receive at-home reinforcement as well.

Our congratulations to the students pictured who have already completed their First Steps Level and have progressed to Level 2: Fun With Words: Edwin, Kendrick, Robert, Maeve and Brandon. Way to go; Super Kids of Kindergarten!

   

PRE-K STUDENTS EXCEL AT HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS IN COMPUTER CLASS

The Pre-K 4 students were challenged in Computer Class to complete an activity that involved higher order thinking skills while completing a Shape Pattern activity. The students first watched a video about making patterns and then used the website abcya.com to complete the Shape Pattern activity. "This activity is a fun way for the students to practice identifying patterns by helping a monster truck get across a bridge by correctly placing the missing shapes in the pattern. Each round gets more difficult and the final challenge is to complete the pattern with no hints or help at all." Mrs. Pullen and Mrs. Sheehy's Pre-K 4 class was able to complete all the rounds and received a gold Computer Star for their efforts. Way to think outside of the box Pre-K!

ST. A'S SCOUTS RECEIVE S.T.E.M. AWARDS

Cub Scouts from Pack 100 received the Cub Scout Supernova STEM Award which recognizes superior achievement by a Cub Scout in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Supernova award has rigorous requirements and is designed to recognize in-depth, advanced achievement in STEM-related activities. Due to the intensity of this award, Scouts work with a Supernova mentor to guide them through the process which requires the scout to earn other academic pins in their areas of science, math and technology as well as to perform research and conduct experiments.

Third graders Stephen H. and Stefen H. received the Dr. Luis W. Alvarez Award and fifth grader Timothy H. earned the Dr. Charles H. Townes Award.

ODYSSEY OF THE MIND TEAMS EXCEL AT NJ STATE FINALS, QUALIFY FOR WORLD FINALS!

St. Augustine School's Odyssey of the Mind teams had outstanding performances at the New Jersey State Finals on April 9. The 8th grade team, competing in Division II on the problem titled "Stack Attack!", won Second Place and earned a spot at the 2016 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, which will be held from May 25 to 28 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The 7th grade team, competing in Division II on the problem titled "Fins, Furs, Feathers, & Friends", achieved a perfect score in the Spontaneous category on their way to a 3rd Place overall finish. Not to be outdone by their older and more experienced schoolmates, the 4th grade team took Second Place in Division I on "Fins, Furs, Feathers, & Friends" and will also represent St. A's at the World Finals. Congratulations to all of the teams and their coaches!

TECH TEAM LEARNS ABOUT MATERIAL ENGINEERING FROM RUTGERS UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Material Engineering was brought into real-life applications by a St. Augustine parent and Engineer, Dr. Jennifer Lynch, Ph.D. during a recent Tech Team meeting. During the month of February all students participated in National Engineer’s Week and completed engineering projects about bridges. Dr. Lynch demonstrated how different kinds of materials - for example, polyethylene from plastic bottles and polystyrene from plastic silverware - can be mixed together in various proportions to form “composite materials” that possess the most desirable properties of their components. She was able to show the students one such composite, a polymer blend of post-consumer HDPE, polypropylene, and fiberglass designed at Rutgers for use in the construction of bridges that is more cost efficient and needs less maintenance than wood. Madison Q., one of the 6th grade Tech Team members commented that “it was so interesting how they did not use natural resources to conserve wood, but used recycled plastic milk jugs instead.” We are very grateful that Dr. Lynch took time out of her busy schedule as both a parent of three children, and full time Engineer, to inspire and educate our Tech Team members. She has an open invitation to visit us every year during National Engineers Week.

 

8TH GRADERS CLOSE OUT BASKETBALL SEASON WITH FINAL HOME GAME AS KNIGHTS

On Saturday, March 5, our 8th Grade Boys and Girls played in their final game of basketball for St. A's!  A very proud moment as all 3 teams played on our home-court consecutively, and each team remained for all games in support of their classmates!  The gymnasium was filled with school spirit, energy, and most of all a positive attitude!  We are very thankful to all the dedicated coaches who worked tirelessly with our students year after year, especially 8th Grade Dads, Mr. Forsythe, Mr. Minnihan and Mr. Quigley who coached the boys since 3rd Grade!

ST. A'S SCOUTS LEAD PACK, ADVANCE TO REGIONAL PINEWOOD DERBY FINALS

Boy Scout Pack 100 held their annual Pinewood Derby race on Feb. 13, 2016. Boys from all Cub Scout ranks raced homemade cars and competed for fastest time, flat tire (slowest time) and best in show awards.

Alexander L., a Tiger Scout in first grade had the fastest time in the Tiger den, as well as the fastest time in Pack 100. He and Cristiano V., a first grade Tiger Scout who placed third in the pack, will race in the regional Pinewood Derby Championship in Edison, NJ on Saturday, March 12th.

Good luck mighty Tigers!





 

8TH GRADERS AUTHOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS & READ TO KINDERGARTEN BUDDIES

The eighth graders created picture books for their kindergarten buddies using poetic techniques learned in Language Arts class.  They wrote their own original stories and drew the illustrations themselves as well.  The books were read to their buddies and then given to them as a keepsake. Copies of the books will be professionally bound and displayed in the school library.

NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION

On Tuesday, March 1, the St. Augustine of Canterbury School chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) welcomed 19 new members at its annual Induction Ceremony at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church. Principal Sister Mary Louise Shulas presided over the ceremony, which featured the current NJHS Officers and Student Council President lighting five candles representing the five criteria of NJHS membership: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Character, and Citizenship. The keynote address was delivered by Home School Association President Maureen Quigley.

Congratulations to all the 2016 National Junior Honor Society Inductees: Grade 8 - Amishi A., Jack B., Brianna F., Jeremiah H.   Grade 7 - Ryan C., Luke D., Justin F., Koby H., Erin H, Jesse I., John J., Gwyneth M., Andrew M., Joseph M., Taylor O., Marvell P., Sarah S., Allison T., Minhal V.

FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE

St. Augustine School held its annual Father-Daughter Dance on Saturday, February 13, fittingly on the eve of St. Valentine's Day. The school gym was transformed into an Ice Palace with decorations inspired by the movie "Frozen", and our beautiful young princesses and their dads filled the room with joy and the warmth of love. Dancing, laughing, sharing, and togetherness were the themes of the evening.

Thanks to Kim Swietek and the organizing committee for an awesome job coordinating the event. The raffles and the games for the girls added to the excitement. The older girls helped with the younger children and at the same time had a good time dancing together and with their dads.  A favorite moment was the last dance which was followed by all the girls singing "For the First Time in Forever" on the dance floor, and the girls waiting anxiously to see if they were raffle winners and clapping and cheering for each other.

The evening had a happy ending with a great clean up committee. Thanks to everyone who participated in the evening including our moms at home who shopped, fixed hair and nails, ordered flowers and dressed the princesses.

  
 
 
  
 
 

WORKS OF MERCY, SERVICE TO OTHERS HIGHLIGHT DAY 2 OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

The theme for Day 2 of St. A's celebration of Catholic Schools Week was "Pilgrimage of Mercy Through Service to Others." Throughout the day, students participated in service projects exemplifying the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Below are a few highlights from the various activities.

 
 
  

ST. A'S SCOUTS PRESENTED WITH RELIGION MEDALS / PATCHES ON "SCOUT SUNDAY"

13 Brownies from Troop 82406 earned the religious medal and patch "Family of God":  Isabella D., Stasha H., Jayne K., Jayciella K., Madison L., Jenna M., Delanie M., Makensie M., Maura N., Callie O., Isabella R., Adrianna T., and Darleen W.  Several Cub Scouts from Pack 100 also earned religious medals: Andrew T. (Den 3) earned the "Light of Christ"; Xander B., Stefen H., Stefen H., and John M. (Den 5) earned the "Parvuli Dei"; John Michael A. (Den 2) earned the "Parvuli Dei". Congratulations to all of the medal recipients!

YOUNG LEARNERS GATHER AFTER SCHOOL TO EXPLORE, COLLABORATE, AND CREATE

Saint Augustine of Canterbury School students in Kindergarten and 1st Grade have been participating in an after-school STEM program called Bricks4Kidz. The goal of the program is to build self-confidence and problem-solving skills, foster teamwork and collaboration, spark imagination, and provide a safe enriching environment to create and play. Each week, the students learn about the day's project from the Bricks4Kidz educators, then team up with a partner to build the model by following the directions provided. Models are created using popular LEGO® building blocks and other materials designed to teach concepts across various subject areas. The hour-long sessions end with free play time, encouraging the students to develop and expand their creativity and imagination.

The following video features a few of the models that were created during a recent session titled "Amazing Animals."

TECH TEAM JOINS THE MAKER MOVEMENT!

The St. Augustine of Canterbury Tech Team ended the year and began the new year by taking part in the Maker Movement. In December, the members of the Middle School Team designed original Christmas ornaments using the 3D CAD design program Tinkercad. After they perfected their designs, they sent them to our 3D printer just in time to hang them on our Christmas tree in the school cafeteria.

 

To start off the new year, in preparation for their major project of the school year, the students got a hands-on introduction to the world of the Maker Movement. They were given the LITTLEBITS invention toolbox filled with electronic building blocks and the Makey Makey kit that uses everyday objects like bananas and potatoes and turns them into touchpads when used with the Internet. Within a short time, the Team members were able to design and build two working vehicles complete with lights, a fan, a doorbell, and even turned bananas and potatoes into piano keys, drums, and controllers for a game of Tetris.

  

We are proud to say that our Tech Team members are well on their way to mastering the 21st Century skills they will need to excel in high school and beyond!

ART MEETS ANATOMY IN SEVENTH GRADE SCIENCE PROJECT

Students in Ms. Segally's seventh grade Science class created life-size diagrams of the human circulatory system as part of their study of the life sciences. They were required to include representations of the heart with its four chambers, the aorta, veins, and arteries. Working in groups, they used textbook illustrations for reference but drew their circulatory systems entirely by hand. Their work will be displayed proudly in the Middle School Wing hallway.

   

STUDENTS AND PARENTS TOUR THE FIFTH GRADE CURRICULUM ON PARENT DAY

Students in Grade 5 joined their parents for a tour of four curriculum areas as part of their Parent Day celebration. Fifth Grade teachers Mrs. Falk and Mrs. O'Connor set up activity stations for Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Math with groups of students and parents rotating through all four stations. For Science, students used Chromebooks to log into Discovery Education and make a board on a topic they had learned in Science. They included videos, diagrams, pictures, sound clips, passages and more on their boards. For Social Studies, students used task cards to review the thirteen colonies. Some of the students were able to move on to a harder level of task cards! For Language Arts, students made their own silly stories with Mad Libs, which they shared with each other and their parents! For Math, students were assigned a Carmen Sandiego game on Think Central. Together with their parents, they tried to discover who stole the tea kettle while practicing decimals. Thanks to the students, parents, teachers, and staff who made Parent Day a great success!

 
 
 

ST. AUGUSTINE STUDENTS EXCEL IN COMPUTATIONAL THINKING WHILE LEARNING TO CODE

All of our students in Kindergarten to 8th Grade participated in the annual Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week in December. They learned about the basics of coding using the Blockly visual programming editor. Grades 3-8 executed basic algorithms, loops, conditionals, variables and functions by going on an adventure through the world of Minecraft and moved into a galaxy far, far away, by programming droids in a Star Wars game based on the movie “The Force Awakens.” Grades K-2 learned to code on the iPads using apps like Kodable, The Foos and RunMarco.

 
 
 

ALTAR SERVER INSTALLATION

Congratulations to our 5th and 7th grade students who were installed as Altar Servers at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church this past month. Pictured below are Seminarian Tom Lanza and Pastor Father Bob Lynam (top row, center) with the senior Altar Servers (top row left and right) and the Altar Server "Class of 2015" (bottom row).

ST. A'S ALUMNUS RETURNS TO SPEAK TO STUDENTS ABOUT MISSIONARY WORK

Daniel Chedid (Class of 2007) ministered to the 5th through 8th Grade students and faculty about his mission work on the campus of the University of Central Florida. Even though Daniel graduated from Rutgers University five years ago with an Environmental Planning Degree, God had something else in mind for him when he felt the call to become a missionary. He originally did some rewarding missionary work in Africa, where he said "the people were poor materially, but very rich in their spirituality." However, he still felt the call to minister in the United States where it is the exact opposite; "where we are rich in all material things, but poor in our spiritual lives." He told the students how he works to bring the students to a "closer relationship with Jesus and to bring them back to the church if they have fallen away from their childhood faith." The students were amazed to find out that Daniel receives no paycheck for this mission job; instead he must raise all his funds for the year from "sponsors" like those in the St. Augustine Parish who donate to his cause.

   

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM - 2015 EDITION

On Wednesday, December 16, 2015, our gymnasium was transformed into a beautiful stage filled with the joyful singing voices of our Kindergarten to Fifth Grade Students during our annual Christmas program. This year's theme was "The New World Christmas" and everyone truly enjoyed all the performances of the evening; but especially when the Holy Family, Angels, Shepherds and the Three Wise men appeared onstage portrayed by our Second Graders. Congratulations to Mrs. Shirman, our Music Teacher, and all the faculty, staff, parents and students who helped make this evening a wonderful success!

DRESS DOWN DAY BENEFITS RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

The Student Council held a Dress Down Day in December to collect money for the Ronald McDonald House in New Brunswick, NJ. The four officers used the money to buy food and supplies and delivered them to the families that stay at the house while their children are in the hospital.

LEGO ROBOTICS TEAM PERFORMS WELL IN REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

The St. A's "Robo Knights" LEGO Robotics team did a great job at their last regional event, but fell just short of moving on to the state competition. Out of the 28 teams competing, only a maximum of 6 teams can move on from this regional to states.  The team tied for sixth place in the robot game part of the competition with a score of 351 points.  They also scored very well in the other three presentation areas that the teams get judged on. The robotics team worked very hard on the project, the robot and overall as a team. We are all proud of their work and accomplishments this season.

THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IN THE 21ST CENTURY WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

The annual Kindergarten Christmas Computer Class this year went hi-tech due to the use of our new Sharp AQUOS BOARD that we won at the beginning of the school year. First the students were treated to an animated Power Point reading of the Christmas story, "The Tiny Star" by Arthur Ginolfi, where the students learned that you are never too small to be a part of God's big plan.

 

Then using Google Earth, the students took a whirlwind trip around the planet; first stop at 45 Henderson Road, Kendall Park, NJ, our school's location. Next we traveled to the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem to see where baby Jesus was born and the students realized that it looked very different today then it did the night Jesus was born.

Then we had to don all our winter clothing as we now were ready to travel all the way to the North Pole in the search for Santa Claus, and we found him in his den reading his list, and checking it twice...we even took a quiz to see if we were on his Naughty or Nice list.

 

Lastly, the students used the iPads to read several interactive Christmas stories, as the true spirit of Christmas filled the Computer Lab.

 

TEACHERS JOIN IN THE "HOUR OF CODE" DURING THEIR MONTHLY TECH WORKSHOP

For the December Faculty Technology Workshop, the St. A's faculty were invited to participate in the third annual Hour of Code celebration during Computer Science Week. They received the same challenge as the 3rd to 8th grade students; to complete the Minecraft coding program in one hour. The challenge was accepted and the faculty worked very hard to accomplish their goal; but in the end the two challenge winners were Mrs. O'Donnell in Pre-K 4 and Mr. Modzelewski in the Middle School. All who participated truly enjoyed the spirit of competition and seeing how their students are using computational thinking to complete these coding challenges.

 
 

A special shout out goes to Ms. Fama in 4Blue who actually stayed with her students during Computer Class and coded right along with them!

STUDENT COUNCIL AND NJHS MAKE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS FOR NURSING HOME

The National Junior Honor Society and the Student Council joined forces as Santa's elves in the Art room to create Christmas wreaths, ornaments and decorations to be distributed to the local nursing home in Franklin Park. Faculty moderators Ms. Stout, Ms. Quinones, and Ms. Bash helped organize this annual event and declared that all the crafts were made with love and care for the seniors.

  

8TH GRADE ADVENT RETREAT

Sister Mary Louise invited all the 8th graders on the second Sunday of Advent for a night of decorating, prayer, good food and good company. Since there were two trees that needed to be decorated, the girls took on the challenge of the tree in the cafeteria and the boys decorated the tree in the middle school wing.

   

After an hour of creative team work, Santa's elves were done and the students enjoyed a dinner of pizza with dessert of hot chocolate, cookies and candy canes.

  

To close the wonderful evening, all the 8th graders gathered around our Christmas tree in the lobby and Sister Mary Louise led the students in a heartfelt and reverent Advent prayer. 

SCHOOL FAMILIES COME TOGETHER AT HSA ADVENT CELEBRATION

On Sunday, 12/13, many families gathered after Mass to celebrate as a family as we prepare for His coming. Families arrived to share breakfast with one another, create a family Christmas ornament together and the cafeteria was alive with Christmas spirit!

 
 

Middle School and Alumni read Christmas stories to the younger children which inspired our children with the feeling of excitement!

 

A wonderful way to begin the day in prayer and togetherness as a school community and appreciate the true meaning of our season!

2ND GRADE BULLETIN BOARD DISPLAY: FIND THE GINGERBREAD BOY

The Students in Mrs. Pullen's second grade class read the story "The Gingerbread Boy".  They had to disguise their gingerbread so that no one could find him.  They also had to write a cinquain poem to go with it.

SERVICE PROJECTS BENEFIT LOCAL FOOD PANTRY

Grades 6, 7, 8 put together over 1100 snack packs for the South Brunswick Food Pantry. This was a great necessity for our township and it provided many families with after school snacks for children and adults.  For some, it may be the only meal of the day. Our students took great pride in this project and all reflected with Sister Barbara how it made them feel even more appreciative of the normal everyday needs they may take for granted.

  

Second grade also helped out by donating over 100 turkeys and other food items to needy families in the South Brunswick area.

KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS BRING JOY TO SENIORS AT BRANDYWINE

For a service project the Kindergarten classes made their annual trip to visit the elderly at the Brandywine Assisted Living in South Brunswick where they saw a program about the pilgrims and spread cheer to all! The Kindergarten students made a special Thanksgiving gift for the residents and enjoyed singing for and chatting with them!

  

FIRST GRADE MAKES TURKEYS FOR LOCAL SENIOR CENTER

The first grade classes participated in a service project to create special turkeys for the residents of the Franklin Care Center. They are sure to bring the senior citizens at the center a smile on this Thanksgiving holiday.

 
 

ANCIENT EGYPT: ENGINEERING AN EMPIRE

Grade 6 is currently immersed in the study of ancient Egyptian civilization. They have been studying the beginnings of Egyptian settlements along the Nile River and their lasting contributions to the world, including their temples, monuments, and advances in science, mathematics and technology. In order to bring our study of Egypt into the 21st century, and at the same time transplant our student’s minds to the past kingdoms of Egypt, the students embarked on a STEM lesson to help them understand, re-live, and assess the engineering techniques used by the Egyptians to build one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever seen.

By using technology integration in the classroom, the students watched a film from Discovery Education titled Engineering an Empire. Watching the film, the students are introduced to different architects and builders who help explain and re-create some of the ancient Egyptian building methods. A team of graduate students from the University of Louisiana Lafayette conducted several experiments to show the durability of pyramids, the exhaustive work of block moving, and the raising of an obelisk. In order to stay true to the project, they used all primitive building techniques without the use of modern technology. The film also discussed why some of ancient Egypt’s building did not survive the times due to flaws in the engineering, specifically the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

In order to assess the student’s understanding of the lesson, they were given the task of evaluating the different theories behind the methods of building the Great Pyramid of Giza. During the film they learned there were many ways the Egyptians may have constructed the pyramids. These theories include the internal/external ramp theories, the straight ramp/winding ramp theories, and the use of a lever and pulley system. They students completed the assignment using Google Docs on their Chromebooks and they debated which theory is the most plausible and why. After thorough thought and investigation, the majority of the class came to the conclusion to support the theory of the lever and pulley system. They collectively believed that lever and pulley system garnered the most evidence to be proved true. Comparatively, they argued that the ramp theory didn’t seem plausible because it would take too much extra work. Historians are still at odds today about the prevailing theory of Egyptian engineering techniques. Hopefully, new evidence can be uncovered in the future to help us all further understand the remarkable ingenuity of the ancient Egyptians and their lasting contributions to the world.

1ST GRADERS COMBINE ART & TECHNOLOGY IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING

After reading "The Thankful Book" by Todd Parr, our First Grade Computer Students used their mouse, the "Tux Paint" drawing program, and their creativity to design an "I am thankful for ..." picture.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WRITE LETTERS TO VETERANS

Mrs. Borowick's writing classes wrote messages to our Veterans thanking them for their service. The messages were assembled into a flag and given to the VFW in Kendall Park. The posters are on display there.

 

Ms. Stout's and Mrs. Borowick's classes wrote letters to the men and women who have served or are serving. The letters will be mailed to both active and retired personel. We are very grateful to all who serve!

2015-2016 STUDENT COUNCIL TAKES OFFICE

Congratulations to our newly-elected Student Council Officers and Class Representatives!

Pictured left to right:  Hannah K. (President), Jack B. (Vice President), Zara N.
(Secretary), Amishi A. (Treasurer)

MEMBERS OF ST. A'S FACULTY AND TECH STAFF ATTEND "DENAPALOOZA 2015"

On Saturday, October 17, Science Teacher Mary DeSimone, Technology Teacher Debra Knox, and Technology Coordinator Tony De Bari attended "DENapalooza 2015 Sayreville" at Samsel Upper Elementary School in Parlin, NJ. This in-person event sponsored by Discovery Education included sessions on instructional strategies, Discovery Education, web 2.0 tools, integrating technology into the curriculum, and more. Educators also spent time networking and collaborating with members of the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) to grow their personal learning network (PLN) while building community. Mrs. DeSimone, Mrs. Knox, and Mr. De Bari all brought back valuable insights, strategies, and best practices that will be shared with the entire St. A's faculty over the coming weeks.

Group photo of DENapalooza 2015 Sayreville attendees (courtesy of Discovery Education). Pictured seated 2nd row: Technology Teacher Mrs. Knox (4th from left), Science Teacher Mrs. DeSimone, and Technology Coordinator Mr. De Bari

8TH GRADE CONFIRMATION CLASS MAKES PILGRIMAGE TO NEWARK FOR ST. MARIA GORETTI

On September 21, the 8th Grade Confirmation Class traveled to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ to venerate the relics of St. Maria Goretti. The relics are currently on an 18-state "Pilgrimage of Mercy" to the United States, foreshadowing the Holy Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis to begin on December 8.

After venerating the relics and spending a few moments in silent prayer, the students had the great privilege of celebrating Mass in the crypt below the cathedral. Father Bob Lynam and Father Edmund Luciano served as concelebrants, with Father Edmund delivering the homily.

“POPE FRANCIS” COMES TO ST. A'S IN ADVANCE OF HIS HISTORIC U.S. VISIT

3rd grade student Emma F. poses with “Pope Francis” outside the School Office. His Holiness begins his visit to the United States in Washington, DC on September 22 and he will headline the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia on September 26 and 27.

MEMORIES FROM THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

  
  
  

FACULTY AND STAFF ATTEND SAFETY TRAINING FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR

On Thursday, August 27, the St. Augustine School faculty and staff attended a mandatory safety training workshop in preparation for the new school year presented by School Nurse and certified CPR instructor Donna Hermosilla. Topics covered during the workshop included instruction on how to respond to severe allergic reactions to foods and other allergens, including delivering epinephrine injections (Epi-Pen, etc.) when necessary; how to perform CPR and how to properly use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED); and how to prevent accidental exposure to blood-borne pathogens according to OSHA best practices.

 

 

ST. A'S WINS STATE-OF-THE-ART INTERACTIVE BOARD IN SHARP TECHNOLOGY CONTEST

St. Augustine School was selected out of more than 500 entries nation-wide as one of 10 runners up in the “Tech It Up: The Sharp Classroom Technology Challenge” sponsored by Sharp Electronics Corporation. The contest was open to any accredited public, private, or parochial primary or secondary school (i.e. K-12 only, no colleges or universities) in the United States. Entrants were asked to answer questions about how their school would integrate Sharp technology products to improve the students’ educational experience and how students would benefit from such an infusion of technology. As a Runner Up Award winner, St. A's received a 70" class Sharp AQUOS BOARD™ Interactive Display System valued at over $10,000.

The AQUOS BOARD was delivered over summer break and several students were invited to try out the new, state-of-the-art interactive display which features a built-in PC, multi-touch/multi-user High Definition screen, and rolling stand for portability. All four students were able to use the touch screen in Google Earth and were amazed by all the tools that this next-generation system offers. They all agreed it was worth getting dressed up in their school uniforms on a sunny summer day in order to be the very first students to use the new board. (Photo: Left to right: Tony DeBari, Technology Coordinator, Patrick Q., 8th Grader, Caden D., 2nd Grader, Ella F., 5th Grader, Gianna F., 7th Grader and Debbie Knox, Computer Teacher.)

Inspired by the capabilities and educational potential of the AQUOS BOARD, Father Bob approved the purchase of a second, identical AQUOS BOARD system so that the Elementary and Middle School floors would each have their own. The Middle School board will reside primarily in the Science Lab where it will be used with the new 6th Grade Science TechBook curriculum and Streaming Plus multimedia service, both from Discovery Education. The Elementary School board will rotate among the classrooms, also utilizing Discovery's Streaming Plus services as well as interactive lessons and activities in all subject areas.