St. John Bosco School New Principal, Mrs. Eileen M. Updegrove

Principal Message

Welcome Message from the Principal

“The art of life lies in constant readjustment to our surroundings.” Okakura Kakuzo.

The message of this quote on change is a positive way of approaching our new school year. Welcome to the 2006-2007 school year at Saint John Bosco School where our theme this year is “Keep the Faith.” Throughout the year, we will be reminding ourselves about the reason that we remain such a fantastic school – our Catholic faith! As we adjust to the changes in the school and in the routines, we will keep the faith in the excellent teachers who know that the education of your children is our goal. We also know that you, the parents, are the primary educators of the children, and we will continue to have faith in you. Let us all keep the faith in God’s great love, the promise of the Son, and the Spirit that makes us one.

I am very fortunate to be a new member of the Saint John Bosco family. I am impressed with the quality of education that occurs at this fine school and I am confident that it will continue. I look forward to meeting each of you and creating partnerships that will last for many, many years.

As I reflect on the philosophy and mission of Saint John Bosco School, there are recurrent themes that continually arise. A few strike me as important at this time for our school. Change – our challenge is to live intelligently with change as it happens and the changes that we cause to materialize. A cooperative atmosphere is the environment that we strive to maintain in our efforts of community building. We must communicate continuously so that we develop a greater understanding and so that our relationships can be strengthened. Of course, our Catholic faith and Christian values provide us with our shared belief, as does our concern for others as we reach out in truth, justice, and love. As educators, we want to assist your children in becoming competent in many areas. One of the most crucial skills is that of decision-making. Additionally, we want the children to be capable of sound judgment. In order to do this, we have a commitment to cultivate the unique talents of the individuals. The students must also have a commitment to themselves and their goals.

The teachers at Saint John Bosco School have a variety of methods of instructing the children. Certainly, our teachers value “hands-on” learning as well as appreciate the significance of technology in learning for today and tomorrow. Each classroom has its own Smart Board that will assist the children in becoming engaged in learning. We have a computer lab with a PC for each student. All computers in the school have internet access with a T-1 line. We also have a mobile card with 16 lap top computers and internet access. The technology is here and the teachers know how to use it to enhance learning as well as teach computer skills. We value higher order, critical thinking. The children are challenged to think beyond “the right answer.” The children compare, analyze, interpret information and then apply skills to many situations. We utilize cooperative learning to improve teamwork within our classrooms and school.

This year, our teachers will continue with a process that was begun last year. Across the entire Diocese of Cleveland, teachers are taking the time to “map” the curriculum. The Diocesan graded course of study is aligned with the state of Ohio’s Academic Content Standards. We are fortunate to be able to “add Jesus” to each subject and create a truly Catholic school. In mapping the curriculum, we are able to analyze our programs and determine if there are overlaps and gaps in the material taught at Saint John Bosco and make the changes as needed. This process will continue for a few years as we map each subject through the entire school year. The hope for the future is that each Catholic school will have their maps available on-line so that a teacher from another school can share ideas and develop professionally. In turn, the children will benefit from this process.

We welcome the kindergarten back into our physical school building and look forward to their energy and enthusiasm. We are also fortunate to offer the part-time preschool program as part of our school. Children who are ages three and four will be in our halls and adding a new dimension to Saint John Bosco. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students will be our Junior High this year. Even though there are many changes occurring, some things remain the same. The Junior High teachers continue to use the block-scheduling format to promote a greater understanding of material and allow students to implement this knowledge. Block-scheduling allocates 80 minutes a day to a subject/class that meets every other day. The fourth and fifth grade students will switch classes for certain subjects throughout the day. We continue to respect all aspects and needs of learners as we provide wonderful music, art, and physical education classes to all of our students.

We are able to provide remedial math and reading tutoring as well as speech and language services to the children. We also have a psychologist who, in addition to testing, oversees many programs that enhance social skills and coping skills. These services are provided through state funding.

I hope that you are looking forward to a great new school year. May God bless each of us as we keep the faith in God’s great love and begin a year of change for the improvement of Saint John Bosco School.

Eileen M. Updegrove