Classroom News

by Maria Ricciardi

“Top 5 Things to Know About the 2024-2025 Pre-K Class: Be the First to Know About the Youngest Class of St. Rose!”

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in Pre-K again? Well, no matter the case, you have come to the right place because in this article, it talks about the top five things to know about the 2024-2025 Pre-K class at our school, St. Rose of Lima! 

To find out more about the Pre-K, including what a day in their class is like, to what they are looking forward to this year, it was all made possible by interviewing their whole class with their teachers, Mrs. Cruise and Mrs. Barkalow. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it! 

What is a day in the life like for a Pre-K student? 

As you could imagine, a day of being in Pre-K is usually filled with lots of fun, learning opportunities that really help engage students at such a young age, and according to the preschoolers of St. Rose, the same holds true! I got to hear from each of the students, and they told me that their day consists of: practicing prayers, singing songs, having circle time, eating delicious snacks, learning numbers, the alphabet, and shapes, and best of all, play time! Sounds fun, right? After hearing more about what their school days are like, I learned that their Pre-K year is surely going to be a very special memory to remember!

What is everyone’s favorite thing to do in Pre-K? 

I learned that some love to color, some like to go to the playground and play with toys, and some really love to learn and read books! It was really interesting and special to hear that everyone loved doing different things despite having a larger class! 

What is everyone looking forward to the most this year in Pre-K?

At the time of my interview, many were very excited for Halloween. Others said that they were excited to join sports teams this year, such as football and soccer. Finally, some even said that they were excited to color and learn new letters of the alphabet! Based on everyone’s responses, it seems that each Pre-K student has many fun, enjoyable things to look forward to this year!

What is your favorite holiday to celebrate at school? 

Most had said Halloween and Christmas, mainly because of the fun times that they get to enjoy when celebrating with their friends and teachers at school. 

What are your favorite things about your class? 

There were lots of amazing things that the preschoolers loved about their class. Some said that they liked learning, counting, being a leader, and playing and sharing their toys. It’s so amazing that the students value learning and being kind and respectful at such a young age! For favorite items in their classroom, some students said that they liked a special ABC decoration in their classroom, a globe, a caterpillar decoration, playdoh, and toys in their class such as: cars, trucks, and dollhouses.

It was so much fun interviewing all of the students, and they are all such a kind group of children that always love to share and learn, and are taught so many nice things from their amazing teachers, Mrs. Cruise and Mrs. Barkalow! 

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope that you enjoyed learning about the Pre-K.

by Gia Shanks

Have you ever wondered what goes on in a kindergarten classroom? Well, I had the chance to find out!! In January, I interviewed the kindergarten class and asked them a series of fun questions to get a glimpse of their favorite things and classroom experiences. The first question I asked was about their favorite special. Special classes are a big deal in kindergarten, and when I asked the students, most of them excitedly said their favorite was Gym! They like running around and playing games. Next, I asked about their favorite lunch, and nearly all of them said pizza!  It seems that pizza is the favorite lunch choice in most of the school too. Looks like pizza is a winning choice for lunch! Another question I asked was whether they preferred chocolate or gummies. The answers were clear—most of the kids said gummies! They would pick gummies over chocolate every time.

 We couldn't forget about the kindergarten class’s two pet guinea pigs, Panettone and S'mores. These little pets are a big part of their classroom experience. When I asked the kids which guinea pig they liked more, the overwhelming favorite was S'mores. They said S'mores is more energetic and playful, always ready to interact with the kids and bring a little extra fun to the classroom. Panettone is sweet too, but S'mores steals the spotlight with her lively personality! 

It was a joy to hear what the kindergarten class loves and enjoys. From gym time to pizza, and from gummies to their adorable guinea pigs, these little ones certainly have a lot of fun in their classroom. It’s clear that their days are filled with laughter, play, and lots of exciting moments that make being in kindergarten so special.

by Caitlyn Andreczski

In October, the 1st graders were interviewed. Recently, they had a debate. They are learning how to read and sounding out words. They have read Spookley The Square Pumpkin and The Bad Seed as a class and have done partner reading. In religion, they play Religion Around The World. Religion Around The World is when two people verse each other, the teacher asks a question related to religion. The first one to answer moves on to verse the next person, the goal is to make it back to where you started. Today, they made heart puzzles and colored them. Whenever they have free time they will use their chromebooks and will play Indian Chief. For those who don’t know what Indian Chief is, it is a game where everyone sits in a circle and one person goes out of the room. The people who are sitting in the circle decide who is going to be the person to change the movements, the person that went out of the room comes back. That person now stands in the middle of the circle to try and guess who keeps changing the movements. They person who is changing the movements, has to change them when the person in the middle isn't looking. The goal is to not get caught! The 1st graders are also learning about the importance of rules and laws. They said that math, gym, and art are their favorite subjects and activities. Chicken fingers & mac and cheese, bagels, and pizza are the most popular school lunches in 1st grade, pizza being the most popular. I enjoyed interviewing the 1st graders and can’t wait to interview them again for the next edition of our school newspaper. 

by Makenna Miceli

In October, I had an interview with the second grade.  They told me all about their amazing activities, and let me ask them some questions.  Lately, they have been focused on growing beans in Mrs. DiStefano’s class, and saving their gummy worm friend, Fred from drowning.  They had to work to help Fred retrieve his life vest, a gummy life saver, put it on him, and get him safely back in his boat.  They have also been working so hard in religion class, and they can't wait to make their communions!  

I asked them which one they liked more: Field Day, or Color Run.  The majority of second graders like Field Day better.  I also asked them what their favorite subjects are and it was a tie between science and art.  I can’t wait to interview them again in the near future for the next edition of the Jaguar Post newspaper.

by Leighton Shimko

It’s mid-October, the last period of the day, my friend and I went to go interview the 3rd grade class. We asked them all types of questions which some of their answers were surprising. They are a very energetic and fun class. To begin, I asked them, "What's your favorite subject?" Although they had the most hands raised for math, some of the kids had faces that looked like they didn’t really enjoy math. Next, I asked What’s your favorite special? There were barely any hands raised for comm/tech, Spanish/Italian, music, or art until I said… gym! They all jumped out of their seats and were all talking over each other. Mrs. Bennett and I started laughing. Next, I had my friend ask what’s your favorite school lunch out of these three options? They all didn’t love the options but the most hands were raised on pizza. The next question was what’s your favorite snack from the snack table? When I asked the question they were being super specific about the snacks but they picked chips/popcorn as the winner. Next, out of the blue I decided to ask them which candy would you prefer, sour gummy candies or chocolate?” and it actually ended up being a tie! That’s so interesting! The next question was a little different than the others. I asked Which type of movies would you prefer, horror/scary or happy/comedy? Shockingly they said horror/scary but it only won by one vote. Lastly, I asked what Mrs. Bennett’s favorite color is.And Suddenly, they all sprang out of their chairs and they knew right away. I didn’t even get the whole question out yet. I really enjoyed interviewing the 3rd grade class. I am looking forward to speaking with them again in the future. 

What is 4th Grade up to?
by Eduardo Rojas

In a recent interview done with fourth grade, we have asked them about their recent activities and what they plan to do in the future school year.

When asking them ‘what is their most recent lesson they are learning about?’ They responded by stating that they are learning about the beatitudes, in which they also added that they enjoyed learning about it because it involved learning more about Jesus and believing in his sacrifices for people's sins. 

On the second question: ‘What is a project or activity that 4th Grade really like?’ They had said that they have plans to do a presentation about several famous people from the Latin community and were eagerly waiting for the day of the presentation.

On a further note, when asked if they have any school trips they are going to or wish to go to, they noted that they were all planning to go to the liberty science center in New York.

On the last question of the Q&A, we had asked them ‘What is something exciting the fourth grade wants to do?’. We were surprised by the many responses we had received from the group, with some saying they wanted to go to a sports game, and others saying that they wanted to go to a theme park. In the end,it was a diverse ball of ideas.

And with that, that concludes the update on fourth grade.

by Aidan King

I asked a group of 5th graders about their recent experiences and here’s what they shared. When I asked about projects they’ve done recently, they told me they were working on a game show, exploring invisible chemical changes, decorating a tree, creating a haunted house, building a gingerbread house, and learning about the Oregon Trail. They’re excited about several things this year, including the possibility of Mr. I taking them to Ellis Island and becoming 8th graders so they can hang out in the brand new Middle School Lounge. Their favorite school lunches include pizza, macaroni and cheese with chicken, tacos, pancakes or french toast, and bagels. One of their favorite moments this year was their field trip to the Covenhoven House, where they had an amazing time, had fun, and learned a lot. When comparing 5th grade to 4th grade, they said it’s been a big change. They said it’s harder, they switch classes more often, and have more responsibility, with different teachers for each subject.

by Sal Keehn

One week I decided to venture to the 6th grade. Once I made my way to the room I started firing questions and this class was eager to answer them. They are looking to participate in many school clubs this year like chess, art, and sports activities. The Student Council is going to have a hard time picking all these contenders for the 2025-2026 with 18 6th graders running for Homeroom Reps.

The 6th graders are showing a ton of school spirit on the activities that happened this year so far and filling in the three new kids on what fun some of the events are.

by Justin Campesi

I was thrilled meeting and interviewing with the current 7th graders at St. Rose of Lima to explore their different personalities and what they look forward to as future eighth graders!

Eighth Grade is a special time in everyone’s life.  One can feel a mix of emotions. For example, graduating eighth grade brings excitement for the future but sadness about leaving friends and teachers behind. 

During the interviews when asked about how the students felt as a future 8th grader, many of them expressed how they will have special privileges such as more volunteer opportunities and involvement in special school events.  Anthony stated, “I am ready to ADVANCE to the next level!” The majority of the students are eager to have more responsibilities as an eighth grader.  Carter said, "I am excited to go into eighth grade next year because we will have special privileges.”  Caroline said, "“I am looking forward to eighth grade because you are more involved with the school.  There are a lot of things we have not done yet, like making confirmation.”

While some students are excited for their eighth grade journey, others are sad about growing up and leaving the safety and comfort of St. Rose of Lima School.  Sophia, a seventh grader, described that she “does not want to get older.”  The elementary and middle school years go by quickly.  It is hard for some students to see themselves as the oldest in the school.  

Interviewing St. Rose of Lima’s seventh graders was an engaging and insightful experiencer. As I reflect on the student interviews about their future as eighth graders, I believe if they continue to have determination and a positive mindset, they will have a fun and successful year ahead! 

Class of 2025 issue coming soon!