Bubble Mania Brings Science and Smiles to St. Rose School

There was a special kind of excitement in the air at St. Rose School as students celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a blend of faith-filled learning, creativity, and a touch of playful mystery. Second Grade: Learning with Wonder Our second grade students fully embraced the spirit of the day as they learned about St. Patrick and his teachings, with a special focus on the Holy Trinity. Through thoughtful discussions and hands-on activities, students explored how St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain this important concept of faith in a way that is still meaningful today. The classroom quickly transformed into a hub of creativity as students put their engineering skills to the test by designing and building leprechaun traps. Each trap was unique, showcasing imagination, problem-solving, and excitement as students eagerly anticipated whether their clever designs would succeed. Science was also woven into the day’s learning. Students explored the beauty and science of rainbows while discussing plant needs, connecting seasonal themes with foundational scientific concepts. These hands-on experiments encouraged curiosity and helped bring their learning to life in a tangible way. A Surprise Visit in Seventh Grade Meanwhile, in seventh grade, the day took an unexpected turn when a mischievous leprechaun appeared to have visited the classroom. Students arrived to find signs of a playful disturbance, tiny footprints, a bit of chaos, and a few surprises left behind. The experience sparked laughter, curiosity, and plenty of storytelling as students pieced together what might have happened. Moments like these create lasting memories while fostering a sense of fun and community within the classroom. Bringing Learning to Life From exploring faith through the story of St. Patrick to engaging in creative building challenges and hands-on science, the day reflected the dynamic learning environment across grade levels. Students were not only learning concepts but actively experiencing them, through collaboration, imagination, and shared moments of discovery. St. Patrick’s Day at St. Rose School was a reminder that meaningful learning often happens when tradition, creativity, and curiosity come together.

At St. Rose School, learning often extends beyond the traditional classroom experience, blending academics with creativity, leadership, and connection across grade levels. This week, our middle school students brought that spirit to life through a celebration of Pi Day, paired with a special opportunity to serve as mystery readers for our preschool students. Bringing Math to Life In honor of Pi Day (3.14), middle school students explored the significance of π through a variety of engaging, hands-on activities. Rather than simply learning formulas, students applied their understanding through creative projects, visual representations, and problem-solving exercises that highlighted both the precision and beauty of mathematics. From carefully designed circle diagrams to imaginative interpretations of the infinite nature of π, students demonstrated not only their understanding of mathematical concepts but also their ability to think critically and express ideas in meaningful ways. Leadership in Action This week, Middle school students stepped into a different kind of role, as mystery readers for our preschool classrooms. With books in hand and a sense of excitement, they visited the youngest members of our school community, sharing stories and engaging preschoolers in an experience that was as impactful for the readers as it was for the listeners. These interactions create natural opportunities for older students to lead with confidence and compassion, while younger students begin to see themselves as part of a larger, supportive school community. The connections formed in moments like these often leave a lasting impression, strengthening relationships across grade levels. A Community That Grows Together Experiences like Pi Day and mystery reading reflect the everyday rhythm of life at St. Rose School. Academic learning is enriched through creativity, and students are regularly given opportunities to step outside of themselves, to lead, to mentor, and to connect. It is in these shared moments that students develop not only knowledge, but also confidence, empathy, and a strong sense of belonging.

At St. Rose School, curiosity is alive and thriving in every classroom. Our students are learning that the future belongs to the curious, the ones who are willing to try new ideas, explore possibilities, ask questions, and discover how the world works. Throughout our classrooms, students are stepping into the roles of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. With hands-on learning experiences, they are experimenting, building, calculating, and problem-solving in ways that spark both creativity and critical thinking. Whether they are designing structures, conducting experiments, solving challenging math problems, or testing their ideas through trial and error, our students are learning that discovery often begins with a simple question: “What happens if…?” At St. Rose, we encourage our students to be bold thinkers. We celebrate the ones who are not afraid to try something new, explore different possibilities, poke at problems from different angles, question what they see, and even turn ideas completely inside out. These moments of curiosity are where learning truly comes to life. Our teachers foster an environment where exploration is encouraged and mistakes are simply part of the journey toward understanding. Students are learning that perseverance, creativity, and curiosity are just as important as the answers themselves. When students approach learning with curiosity, incredible things happen. They begin to see themselves as innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders of the future. Whether they pursue careers in science, engineering, mathematics, or another field entirely, the skills they are building today, curiosity, resilience, and critical thinking, will serve them for a lifetime. At St. Rose School, we believe that every question has the potential to spark discovery, and every student has the potential to change the world. Because the future truly belongs to the curious.

Read Across America Week at St. Rose School has been nothing short of joyful, creative, and wonderfully wacky! While the weather outside has been unpredictable, the excitement inside our school has been unstoppable. Throughout the week, our halls and classrooms have been filled with giggles, smiles, and incredible creativity as students embraced each day’s reading-themed challenge. From crazy socks to wild hairstyles and wacky outfits, our students truly brought their A-game and made every day a celebration of books and imagination. The week began with “SRS in Socks,” where students proudly showed off their favorite and craziest socks with their uniforms. The following day, our hallways transformed into a parade of creativity during “Daisy Head Students” day, with students sporting imaginative and sometimes gravity-defying hairstyles. Midweek brought even more excitement with “Reading Feeds the Imagination,” where students dressed wacky from head to toe, filling the school with bright colors, silly combinations, and plenty of laughter. Despite an early dismissal and a delayed start during the week, the enthusiasm of our students never wavered. Their excitement for reading and participating in the daily themes remained strong, proving that a love of books can brighten any day. Thursday, we were especially excited as the halls of St. Rose transform into a living library during our “SRS Cast of Characters” celebration. Students arrived dressed as their favorite book characters, bringing beloved stories to life and sharing the characters that inspire them most. From classic heroes to imaginative storybook figures, it’s a wonderful reminder of how books spark creativity and connection. The week concluded with “Drop Everything and Read”, where students brought a blanket and their favorite book to enjoy a cozy reading time together. At St. Rose School, Read Across America Week is more than just fun dress-up days, it’s a celebration of the power of reading, imagination, and the joy that books bring into our lives. Watching our students engage so enthusiastically reminds us that stories truly have the power to inspire, educate, and bring our community together. We are so proud of our students and grateful to our teachers for creating such a memorable week filled with creativity and a love of reading.

This week, our St. Rose middle school students once again demonstrated curiosity, leadership, and a true love of learning — and this time, it all started with frogs. As many of you know, frogs have taken on a life of their own in our middle school lab this year. So when students in grades 6–8 learned about a program being offered at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, excitement spread quickly. What began as simple interest turned into something much bigger: a hands-on conservation initiative that connected our students with scientists across the country. After reaching out to the sanctuary for more information, families were invited to participate in an evening training session — and the response was incredible. Nine students attended in person with family members from 6:00–8:30 PM, while additional students joined via Zoom as part of a national training session of 41 participants. In fact, the entire in-person sanctuary event ended up being exclusively St. Rose students and families — essentially our very own private training! The program was led in partnership with experts from the Yale Peabody Museum, the The Maritime Aquarium, and the Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo. Students learned about ten frog species native to Connecticut, including how to identify them by physical traits, habitat, and — most impressively — their distinct calls. After completing a short quiz, our students aced it! Participants are now preparing to complete an official assessment through the Beardsley Zoo, earning certification as “Frog Watchers” by scoring 80% or higher. Once certified, students may register nationally to contribute to FrogWatch USA, a community science initiative affiliated with the Akron Zoo. As part of this program, students will collect weekly data and submit observations that directly assist scientists in monitoring frog and toad populations and wetland health. They learned how to use the Beaufort Wind Scale to measure wind speeds, how to assess frog call intensity, and how to record precipitation, temperature, and species identification. Their data will contribute to real scientific research — an extraordinary example of authentic, applied learning in action. Laura King, Director of Programs and Events, and Ken Elkins, Director of Education and Partnerships at the sanctuary, were deeply impressed by our students’ engagement and knowledge. We are incredibly proud of how they represented St. Rose — not only with enthusiasm, but with professionalism and a genuine commitment to conservation. Congratulations to our student participants: Ava Gordon (Gr. 7) Alessandra Maurina (Gr. 7) Olivia Tokarczyk (Gr. 6) Nolan Hall (Gr. 6) Henry Mesinger (Gr. 6) June Murphy (Gr. 6) Ryan Halstead (Gr. 6 – Zoom) Arabella Fappiano (Gr. 6) John Monckton (Gr. 8) Madalynn Haddad (Gr. 8) We are also excited to share that Ken Elkins has offered to partner further with St. Rose. He is eager to visit our school to design a program tailored to our needs and welcomes grades 3–8 to participate in programming at the sanctuary, our neighbor right around the corner near the post office. With his extensive experience working with the Audubon Society, this partnership holds tremendous potential for expanding environmental education opportunities for our students. This event was more than a lesson about frogs, it was a lesson in stewardship, scientific inquiry, and community engagement. We hope you will join us in congratulating these students for volunteering their time and representing St. Rose with such excellence. We can’t wait to see (and hear!) what happens next in our wetlands.