Bringing Literature to Life

Learning punctuation has never been more delicious! This week, Mrs. Murphy brought creativity—and a touch of Italy, into her middle school classroom by transforming a traditional grammar lesson into an immersive, Italian-themed experience using pasta to teach punctuation. From the moment students walked in, they were greeted by an atmosphere inspired by all things Italian. But the real magic happened when Mrs. Murphy introduced an innovative, hands-on way to understand punctuation marks, using a variety of pasta shapes as visual and tactile tools. Elbow macaroni, spaghetti, shells, and more became commas, periods, quotation marks, and question marks right before students’ eyes. By connecting each punctuation mark to a pasta shape, students were able to see and build sentences in a new way. The lesson encouraged active participation, collaboration, and plenty of curiosity as students constructed sentences, corrected errors, and explained their punctuation choices, all while engaging multiple senses. What might normally feel like a dry grammar topic quickly turned into an energetic, memorable learning experience. This creative approach not only helped reinforce punctuation rules, but it also made learning fun and accessible for different learning styles. Students laughed, asked thoughtful questions, and walked away with a stronger understanding of how punctuation shapes meaning, plus a lesson they won’t soon forget. Mrs. Murphy’s pasta-powered punctuation lesson is a wonderful example of how imaginative teaching can bring curriculum to life. Bravo to Mrs. Murphy for serving up a lesson that was equal parts educational and inspiring!

This fall, our 7th and 8th grade students stepped into the exciting world of finance through the Stock Market Game, an immersive simulation that gives students a virtual $100,000 to invest in real-time markets. Guided by Mrs. Cicarelli, students learned firsthand how global markets operate and how investors make informed decisions. Throughout the club, students explored how to research companies using tools like Yahoo Finance, studied trendlines, analyzed graphs, and followed major brands to understand how real-world events can influence stock performance. They practiced identifying ticker symbols, monitored market fluctuations, and discussed the importance of timing and observation—recognizing how noticing trends in everyday life can translate into investment insights. Their diligence and teamwork led to remarkable success. On multiple dates in November, St. Rose School achieved the #1 Advisor Ranking among all schools in the region with five or more participating teams—a significant achievement in a competitive field. Several teams reached impressive standing in the overall competition, including top rankings of 2nd, 3rd, and 5th place out of 275 participating teams. These groups built portfolios exceeding $100,000 in value through thoughtful research and strategic investing. Their excitement and pride were evident as they presented their certificates and reflected on their accomplishments. In addition, the class collaborated to create a combined portfolio featuring one favorite stock from each team. This collective effort earned an outstanding 6th place ranking out of 275 teams, demonstrating the power of shared decision-making and diverse perspectives. Beyond rankings and portfolio growth, the Stock Market Game offered students a meaningful opportunity to build financial literacy, strengthen analytical thinking, and experience the rewards of teamwork. The enthusiasm and engagement shown by our middle schoolers highlight the impact of hands-on learning experiences at St. Rose School. We are incredibly proud of our students for their efforts, curiosity, and leadership throughout the program. Their success is a testament to the vibrant, engaging, and future-focused education we strive to provide every day at St. Rose.

With all the activity buzzing through our classrooms and halls, you couldn’t miss the excitement and friendly competition of this year’s Turkey Trot — and what a year it was! Now in its fifth year, the Turkey Trot just reached its most successful total ever. Our previous record from 2022 was 4,228 food items… and this year our students shattered it with an incredible 5,226 items collected for the Faith Food Pantry! ❤️🤍 What makes this even more special? This project was entirely student-driven. With just a few turkey gobbles during announcements and a simple flyer, students checked the Turkey Trot track daily, strategizing and encouraging each other to move their buddy turkey forward. Their teamwork and enthusiasm showed what St. Rose spirit is all about! 🏁 Final Turkey Trot Standings 🥇 Toto the Turkey (Grades 3 & 6) — 1,988 items 🥈 Blueberry (Grades 1 & 5) — 1,560 items 🥉 Gobbler (Grades 2 & 7) — 782 items 4️⃣ Frozen Blueberry (Preschool & Grade 8) — 473 items 5️⃣ Mr. Gobbleson (Grades K & 4) — 423 items Awards were handed out to celebrate, Monday will be a schoolwide dress-down day as a BIG thank-you to our amazing students. Every can, box, bag, and jar helped bring us to a huge win for the Faith Food Pantry. We’ve already made two deliveries — shelves are stocked for Thanksgiving — and the remaining items will be delivered next week to keep supporting families well into the winter months. Our children showed once again that many hands make light work. When it was time to gather items for delivery, one quick call brought out carts, teamwork, and strong arms ready to help. Their willingness to step up, take charge, and serve others truly reflects the heart of St. Rose. We are THANKFUL, PROUD, and continually inspired by our students. 🧡 What a beautiful reminder that when we share our blessings, we spread joy far beyond our walls.

Our students never fail to amaze us — not only do they get the job done, but they’re always up for a challenge! This week was no exception as we held our first annual “Anything BUT a Backpack Day”… and WOW, did our students deliver! From baskets and buckets to mailboxes, pots & pans, garbage cans, wheelbarrows, golf bags, luggage, pet carriers and so much more — you name it, it came through our doors! Our elementary students enjoyed unpacking their clever “book carriers” for the day, while our spirited middle schoolers committed fully and traveled from class to class with their creations in tow. Hearing wheels rolling down the sidewalk and peeking out to see laundry baskets, Christmas stockings, and even wheelbarrows being pulled along brought the biggest smile to our faces! We kicked off the morning with a parade in the Gathering Hall where every idea got its moment to shine, followed by homeroom favorites and even a mini-parade from our littlest learners. In the end, there were prizes… but even better, there was joy, laughter, imagination, and school spirit everywhere we looked. Here’s to creativity, fun, and a new tradition that we already can’t wait to bring back next year!

Students come together in faith and gratitude to honor those who served.