For the most part, girls coming into Holy Family Academy last week for their first day of classes didn’t notice anything unusual, except perhaps that there are twice as many freshmen this year than last.
The hall buzzed with the voices of excited students, the hurried footsteps of administrators, and the hum of computers turning on in every classroom.
The fact that nothing has changed for the average student is not only a good thing, it is remarkable. A year ago, many students, teachers, administrators and parents did not know whether the school would even exist after Sept. 1.
Early in 2008, the Sisters of St. Joseph, who founded the school in 1925, announced that due to reduced enrollment and continued demands for running, they could no longer afford to run the school. As a result, the school would close at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.
“I believe what we already have is good, but we want to make it better.” – Susan Ward
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Late last year, the school’s Board of Trustees negotiated a lease agreement with the Sisters of Saint Joseph to operate the school at its current location.
While HFA continues to operate at the same location and continues to serve an all-girl population, other changes took place as part of a change of ownership, including the establishment of a Table of Organization or model similar to the current organization at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City.
A short time later, the school named Dr. Karen Fasanella president, whose duties were to work with the trustees to setup operations at the school.
Fasanella said hard work on various levels made all the difference. Not only did the school get financial and spiritual support, it also received a large human response.
“We had a lot of manpower,” she said. “People worked hard for many hours across many days and many months, and it is not going to stop.”
Fasanella said keeping the school open will require the same level of dedication.
“We can’t back down,” she said. “We need to get the word out that we still have a strong school for girls and that Holy Family is the same school of strong academics it has been for years, giving girls a vision for success.”
Susan Ward, who took over as principal on July 1, said the idea was to maintain the same level of academics and the same experience for the girls as in the past, continuing the tradition that she and many other women in Bayonne and elsewhere experienced when attending HFA in the past.
HFA’s building has a gymnasium, auditorium, chapel, two science labs, three computer labs, a guidance building, and a library media center. Students at Holy Family are required to take four English courses, four mathematics courses, three science courses (four recommended), two World Language (Latin, Spanish or French) courses (four strongly recommended), two United States History courses, one World History course, one Physical Education course, one Health/Driver’s Education course, and four Theology courses. The school offers 10 Advanced Placement classes, two college classes, and a strong honors program. The art, business, and technology departments offer many electives.
A former dean of students at HFA for several years, Ward was recruited from Bayonne High School, where she was teaching special education.
“When they asked me, I didn’t even ask how much they were paying. I said, ‘Yes,’ ” she said, hoping that the dramatic changes won’t be noticed by students coming back.
She believes students will learn the same basic core values as before, and that students are coming here to learn to take responsibility for their lives and to learn the concept of stewardship.
One of the ways this small school keeps up with larger institutions is through the use of technology. In some ways, HFA has actually been a step ahead of other schools, such as with using the Internet to allow students, teachers and parents to access grades, lessons and other valuable information.
While students still learn how to use basic programs such as Word and Excel, they also use a variety of programs that enhance their creative sides and allow them to expand the walls of the school to access information, tell stories, or visit places of interest without leaving the classroom.
Every classroom has a computer, and the school has several computer labs. Some classrooms are equipped with computer generated smart boards, and new modern microscopes with an overhead projector allow for group studies.
Each student comes to school with a TI 84 calculator – considered one of the standards for math and engineering studies. Students learn to use this valuable tool, which they carry with them through all four years at HFA.
The school draws on the Internet for a lot of information, and students are encouraged to do a lot of work online in order to save natural resources and reduce costs to the school.
“We’ve become adept at finding free stuff,” Ward said.
Fear that the school might close drove down the number of incoming freshman last year. But enrollment has rebounded this year, so that the school saw 45 new students coming in as freshmen this September (as opposed to 28 last year). The school population this year is about 168.
Ideally, Ward said, she would like to see a population of 75 students per grade level. Ward’s personal goal for students is to have each girl realize her potential: that she has the potential to become a company’s chief executive officer, not just a secretary.
This year, Ward admits, will involve a lot of evaluation, looking to see what works and what doesn’t.
“I believe what we already have is good, but we want to make it better,” she said.
The role of the school has changed since she attended in the 1970s. HFA has become a college preparatory school with 100 percent of the students attending college after they graduate.
Helping students navigate the confusing world of higher education, HFA has a guidiance building – where Jean Stroud, dean of academics, helps work with the students.
“Not all students can afford to attend four year colleges, even though all our girls are accepted to them,” she said.
Like Ward, Stroud said she works to make the change of ownership of the school appear seamless to the students.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.