Sneakers squeak on the gym floor as students move across its bright surface, a newly restored floor that reflects newly painted walls and a dramatic new curtain along the stage.
Perhaps for other schools, these changes might seem small; but for All Saints, which is starting its second full year as Bayonne’s only remaining Catholic elementary school, these things are signs of progress – small steps toward overall goals that make the school an even better place to get educated.
Sister Eileen Jude Wust, principal of ASCA, said the central purpose of the school is its faith foundation, although the school also meets the state requirements for core curriculum standards. But the school is also seeking to make certain that the children and parents have a fulfilling experience.
“I knew they were looking for a test site for their product.” – Sister Eileen Jude Wust
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“I knew they were looking for a test site for their product, and I tried to get them to use our gym as that site,” she said.
The kids raised a large part of the cash for the curtain.
Like many things in the school, one event is tied to another. The upgrading of the gym was partly made possible by the air conditioning of the cafeteria earlier this year, allowing the school to relocate some of the public events that formerly took place in the gym, such as bingo, school night, and parent teacher meetings that formerly took place in the gym. The curtain, the new paint, and the new covering opens up this space for a number of activities, which includes performances and an increased focus on inside sports.
Making efforts in a number of areas
One of the focuses this year is the brain child of the Home and School Leadership Team that met all summer hoping to develop a number of new initiatives. While the group does help raise money for the school, it is moving toward developing family events that will allow teachers, parents, and others to interact and get a better idea of the needs and concerns of parents and students.
This year, the school has expanded its language program and brought on a world language Spanish teacher for language arts. This year’s focus is to also pump up the school’s art and music programs, even in the early grades.
The school is introducing a new science program, in grades K-8. Also, thanks to a grant, ASCA will be able to begin development of a new music curriculum, purchasing books for grades 1, 3, 5 and 7 this year, and 2, 4, 6, and 8 next year. This will include all aspects of music study, including opera and drama plays.
“It gives a broad based experience in music and the arts,” she said. “When a lot of schools are dropping arts, we’re not. We’re building them up.”
The school will be making use of programs offered at the Liberty Science Center, interactive Web sites, and electronic field trips that will allow students expanded access to information and media opportunities.
The school already has one smart board in every classroom in grades one through eight, while lower grades – pre-k and kindergarten – have online access, and a variety of projectors.
The school is currently in preparation for its Middle States evaluation, which takes place in November. For Wust, this is a reflection of what the school is good at, how it is currently doing, and how many things it could do better.
The process usually involves a team coming to the school, interviewing people, and looking over many of the operations.
ASCA, in addition to all of this, is also in a transitional period as the school’s chairman, Brian McCabe, is stepping down from his post. He is someone who Wust said was instrumental in making the school happen. While he will not vanish from the school and will likely still remain involved, his leadership will be missing.
The school population is pretty stable, although, Wust said, they always hope to bring more on.
This year, the school has 453 students – down from 459 its first year, and up from the dip last year of 430.