Athletics in Our New World

Initiating a new school year during this worldwide pandemic has the Fall athletes wondering and waiting for answers. Pre-season and training took a turn and started late with many new rules; Masks, temperature checks, health surveys, and social distancing. The season games have been pushed off until October 1st,  making the following  seasons delayed as well. With all of these new rules and precautions athletes question if their games and practices will ever be normal again. 

 

Questions for Coach Savacool, Girls Soccer Coach:

How has COVID-19 affected the way you coach and your motivation towards the season?

During the summer we had to divide our team up into small individual groups and keep them separate for the entirety of the summer sessions. Summer sessions also had to be non contact. It was a challenge keeping students focused during this time as drilling technical and fitness workouts exclusively every practice can become repetitive and boring. Now that we can begin real practices again I am looking forward to building a style for the team and preparing for our first game. 

 

What changes did you have to make to your usual coaching routine?  

We were unable to run any contact drills so we had to run fitness and technical sessions exclusively. Other things stayed the same. I still enjoyed getting to the fields super early and seeing everyone over the summer. 

How have you been able to train without putting any of your athletes at risk?

I was happy when they announced the plans for the season to go ahead as I know many high schools in other states and many colleges have cancelled their seasons. Coaching the soccer team is how I have formed the best relationships with students in the past and to lose that would have been very disappointing. Hopefully the current guidelines set in place will be enough to keep us safe throughout the season and we are able to play all the games and enjoy ourselves. 

 

Questions for  Senior Boys Soccer Player 

How has the Corona Virus affected your practices and preseason?  

The Corona Virus has had an impact on our every day sessions forcing the coaches to think out of the box in order to make our time on the field worthwhile.  

How has practice been productive and significant while social distancing?  

Practices have been altered to follow the very strict rules enforced by the NJSIAA which require many phases in order to lessen the risk of illness.  But while on the field we mostly work on foot skills and running because we are not able to play contact. 

What impact does the Corona Virus have on your motivation for the upcoming season?  

Corona has definitely lowered our motivation as a team and has set us back mentally and physically compared to past years.  But we are in this together and need to overcome these obstacles in order to have a safe and successful season.

 

A Chat with New Math Teacher

By K.H 2021

The beginning of the school year brings lots of new and exciting things. Specifically, we were lucky enough to have a few new important staff members added to our St. Rose community. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Kempf, in order to get to know him a little better. He hoped that this interview would allow the students to learn more about who he is and his experiences. I started the interview with the basic question of where Mr. Kempf was from:

 

Mr. Kempf: “I’m from here in New Jersey. I graduated from South Brunswick High School.”

 

Kiernan Hickey: “Have you taught at any schools previously?”

Mr. Kempf: “Yes, I taught for 21 years at St. Dominic Academy in Jersey City. This is an all girls college prep school. More recently, I have taught mainly AP Classes and Precalculus at Keansburg HS and Rutgers Prep (I taught summer school and at other schools for very brief periods before SDA.)”

 

KH: “What are your hopes for this school year?”

Mr. Kempf: “I just want to provide the best learning experience I can for my students here and to try to fit in with the St. Rose community.”

 

KH: “In your opinion, what is the best part about teaching?”

Mr. Kempf: “I love seeing my students overcome obstacles. I take great joy in seeing them gain confidence when they do things that they thought they couldn’t do. I think you work very hard and still really enjoy what you’re doing.”

 

KH: “What is the hardest part about teaching?”

Mr. Kempf: “The part I dislike most is grading! But one thing that can be hard sometimes is convincing students that they need to change certain things that they are doing in order to progress. Sometimes students are taught very bad notation or other bad habits in math and they have become comfortable with that way and as a teacher I have to tell them that they have to change these habits or they won’t progress.”

 

KH: “What possessed you to want to become a teacher?”

Mr. Kempf: “I was very poor at math until 9th grade. My HS math teacher (Mr. Shelusa) encouraged me to study algebra and really helped me a lot. I still stressed, but ultimately it changed my life. I would like to help my students in the same way. They may not want to study math or become math teachers, but hopefully they won’t be afraid of it and they will be able to master the math they need to be successful.”

 

KH: “If you were to have any other occupation, what would it be?”

Mr. Kempf: “It’s hard to imagine, but I did work as an auto mechanic for a couple of years, so probably something along those lines.”

School in a Pandemic

School in a Pandemic 

by MG and CM -2021

There is Wealth in Health 

Going to school during a pandemic is difficult, a learning curve for most, but the hard work and resilience of our staff and students have become beneficial to us all. After three months of virtual school, meeting together brings an abundance of joy but we must also remember the necessary precautions that will keep us all happy and healthy until things become normal again. Masks are the utmost essential part of keeping us safe when we are together. University of Maryland Medical System states, “Cloth face masks are effective. They create a barrier between your mouth and nose and those around you. This makes it more difficult for the droplets that spread coronavirus through coughs, sneezes, and talking to reach other people”. Along with masks, in each classroom, desks have been separated 6 feet apart, to maintain state safety regulations. When outside of the classroom, either during transfer times between classes, using the bathroom, or walking around campus, students (and staff) are asked to use designated hallway sides and staircases depending on their route in order to reduce unneeded face to face contact. On top of these necessary protocols, each student is also asked to sanitize their workspace after each class and to wash/sanitize their hands often. While everything might feel odd and take a while to get used too, we’re lucky to have such amazing staff who helps make it possible for us to be together again.

 

Protocol Changes- Virtual Learning Adjustment 

As the new 2020-2021 school year begins at St Rose High School, there are certain precautions and changes to be made. One important change is the virtual learning rotating schedule. This schedule is a new precaution to prevent the spread of the global pandemic- COVID19. This schedule is made to only hold 75% capacity of the whole student body in St Rose each day. There are four different groups based on last names alphabetically. It is a rotating schedule, therefore, when group 1 is out the first day the other three remaining groups are present in school. The next day, group 2 is out with the other three remaining groups in school as well. This schedule continues and repeats starting with group four in the next new rotation. This new schedule is an adjustment for the student body, but is working effectively and is helping prevent the spread of COVID19. 

 

2020-2021 Behind the Blog…

Behind the Blog

By: D.R.- 2022

 

Well, here we are. After just over six months of sitting at home, learning virtually, and enjoying a drastically different Summer break, we’re finally back in the St. Rose building! Or least a heavy majority of us are. Now that we’re back in full swing, that means another year of great new happenings throughout 2020 into 2021 is incoming! And that also means another great year for the St. Rose Blog! Headed by Mrs. Conover and her stellar new band of Publications students, we’ve got some awesome plans to engage in all of St. Rose’s events, virtual and in-person. From interviews with new students, freshmen, and staff, to outlining the school’s protocol changes, to spotlights throughout the school community, here’s what’s going on in the St. Rose Blog these first three weeks.

 

What’s Coming Up in the Blog In The Near Future?

 

There are plenty of new ideas and plans to engage with the student body and community of St. Rose. Starting just this week past this post, we’ll be interviewing some of our new teachers and staff, along with the Freshmen Class of 2024 with their feelings about St. Rose so far. Next week, we’ll be discussing the impact of COVID-19 on our Fall Sports and how the Athletic department went about changes to make sure all our players on the field stay safe and healthy through the pandemic. Also next week, we’ll be spotlighting a few of the student body’s siblings in their own special shoutout. We’ll as well be talking with our new transfer students about their thoughts and concerns leading into the new school year. And finally next week, we’ll be looking back at learning during the lockdown earlier this year and what it was like to them to be going a-hundred-percent virtual for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year. This first week and next week are only just the beginning of a busy year of blog posts to keep you in the know of everything going on in and outside of St. Rose.

 

In week three of the blog, we’ll be taking a look at one of the new classes that started up this year. Along with discussing mental health, the postponed Walkathon, our first Mass this year, and where to get lunch around the school campus. I personally cannot wait to get some great recommendations for lunch in Belmar!  We’re all extremely excited about what’s on our way this year and we’re so happy to be back with you guys, together as a school community. This is only the beginning of another amazing year at St. Rose, and we’re ready to go! Are you ready?!

The Development of the Saint Rose Theater Company

For years at Saint Rose High School, there has been an Annual Fall Drama and Spring Musical as a way to showcase all the wonderful performers within the community.  As time has passed, the theater program has progressed tremendously, and has had significantly positive changes in just the past year.  

 

In the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, Saint Rose welcomed Mr. Henderson as the new director for the drama and musical.  He immediately had an impact on the program, as he guided the performing students in rehearsing for the 2019 fall drama, which was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Mr. Henderson beautifully constructed not only the show-stopping performances, but also took a prominent part in the set design, construction, props, and has introduced the theater company to wonderfully talented people, including Christine Baglivio, who has been an incredible choreographer for the students.

 

While discussing the wonderful impact Mr. Henderson has made, senior Madison Cancro mentioned how “It was refreshing to get new eyes and new ideas on the shows. Mr. Henderson has a lot of great ideas…..and he always makes the shows and rehearsals so much fun!”

 

Since last year, Mr. Henderson has also directed last year’s James and the Giant Peach for the spring musical, as well as The Hounds of Baskerville in the beginning of the school year, and the theater company is looking forward to many more shows with him. 

 

Last year was also when the theater students officially became known as the Saint Rose Theater Company; prior to this, there had been no official name for the students.  There is no induction to become a member either, as long as a student remains committed to their fellow members, and promotes a positive and dedicating atmosphere, it’s simple to be considered part of the group.

 

Beginning last year, the option of receiving a letter for participation in the plays and musicals had become available to students. The qualifications included participating in one fall drama and three musicals (therefore it is attainable by junior or senior year). At Serendipity last year (an annual event where students’ art is showcased), the qualified students were presented with their letters.

 

The Saint Rose Theater Company is bound for more success as well, as the recent ShopRite bagging was effective in raising money for the spring musical, and many more theatrical events at the school have yet to occur.  Everybody is looking forward to what’s next for the theater company!

How to Stay Healthy

Let’s break it down! If I could make a list it would be the obvious six: 

  1. Wash your hands.
  2. Cover your mouth with a tissue or elbow.
  3. Avoid sugar and dairy.
  4. Eat between eight to nine cups of produce a day. 
  5. Drink eight-eight ounce cups of water daily.
  6. Exercise. 

Just because we know better does not mean we do better, and we should. We have to stop looking for what others can do for you, and take responsibility for yourself and your family:  self-educate, implement, and execute. 

It is not only important to learn of the actual tangible ways to keep ourselves well, but it is also crucial to implement a schedule or a routine in order to maintain a strong immune system and healthy lifestyle. 

With a pandemic, your best defense is a strong offense. How can we boost the immune system? Apples, garlic, dark greens, and onions are some of the foods that help maintain a healthy intestinal tract. Our immune system is established in the gut (intestines). If the intestines are unhealthy, even eating healthy foods takes time to penetrate the thick build up along the intestinal walls. This keeps the nutrients from passing through the walls and getting into the bloodstream where your body receives food and oxygen.

It is our responsibility to ourselves—and even to God—to respect our bodies (temple) and do the best we can to execute a healthy lifestyle:  physically and spiritually.

New Year, New Schedule

This year’s freshmen will never know the struggle of being so invested in a project that’s due at the end of the period, eagerly working to finish, and in a short forty-two minute period, the bell rings, and the poster board needed for the project is only half-colored.  As of this 2019-2020 school year, the new drop schedule has been implemented t.aint Rose, allotting more class time to students and teachers. Classes that were previously forty-two minutes are now fifty-two. Unlike past years, only six of the eight classes that students sign up for take place everyday. The two classes that don’t take place on a certain day will occur the next, one being the first period and the other being immediately after flex/lunch. The periods that drop will alter everyday; a student might drop their English and Biology class on a Monday, but would drop two different subjects on that Tuesday. 

Along with six classes a day, a forty-minute flex/lunch period also takes place after the third class.  All students either have lunch prior to flex, or flex before lunch. At a student’s given lunch time, they can eat in the cafeteria at a table of eight with some friends and purchase a meal from Maschio’s, St. Rose’s brand new food service. In preparation for the flex and lunch period, students must decide where they would like to go during flex. This recently installed period is a time for all students, including seniors if they do not use their lunch privilege, to work on the school subject of their choice, and can go to a teacher’s room that is available that day. They can go to a specific teacher for extra help, making it easier for students who are unable to stay after school. They can also work on any assignment of their choice, whether it is beginning an essay or completing a lab. 

               When Freshman Class President Gwyneth Fahy was asked about how she felt about the schedule this year, she pointed out the decrease in her workload: “I really like the new schedule because it gives you time to do your homework and study for tests because you don’t have all your classes everyday. It has helped me a lot because I have been able to get studying done and do work quicker. I also love the new lunch food and I think flex is a great opportunity to get extra help or get some extra work done.” Not only does the schedule benefit underclassmen, but is also beneficial for upperclassmen. Keara Reilly stated that “ I like the fifty minutes because the teachers get to fully explain the subject and I like how we drop each subject because there is less homework and it’s a nice break from certain subjects.” The new schedule has had a positive impact on the whole student body along with the faculty and staff. It is allowing the school to progress as a whole and create an exceptional academic environment. 

Campus Ministry

You may have heard talk about Magnify, Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC), Acoustic Spirituality, Liturgy Team and Cinematic Spirituality but what are they and how can you join. Magnify is a short one topic meeting on thing not covered or discussed in class held every Wednesday during flex in the little theater. It serves as an opportunity to engage with Catholic content such as demons, saints, miracles, and other random topics of interest.

 At the time of this interview Mr. Petrillo couldn’t comment much on plans for Catholic Athletes for Christ as he was going to a meeting to discuss possible activities for that program but he said that he was open to feedback from students as to what they wanted to see and do in that club. 

Acoustic spirituality focuses on listening to music and pulling out Catholic themes, concepts, and messages in all music no just Christian music specifically. This program is very open format where students can bring in songs that speak to them and using music to encounter the divine in everyday life. A similar program Cinematic Spirituality is also returning and this takes a similar approach to seeing God in our everyday life like acoustic spirituality but through cinema. The idea for this program came from a paper that Mr. Petrillo wrote in seminary looking at The Lion King, creation, and the fall of man in a classic Disney film. 

The Liturgy Team is a group of students that learn about the mass and the various functions within the mass. The team is responsible for fulfilling the roles such as altar servers, putting together programs, different prayer events and serving for liturgical functions.

 In short Campus Ministry’s purpose was summarized best by Mr. Petrillo who said “Its purpose is to bridge the gap between class, Mass, and trying to make the connection between the sacred and secular everyday living.”

“Swiping Into the New School Year” 

St. Rose students have a new card on their lanyard this year, and The Courier has the story behind it! The new swipe card system at SRHS might seem intimidating at first, but it’s here to make everyone’s day a lot easier.  The production company, appropriately named “Swipe K-12”, has been making elementary schools and high schools all across the country a lot safer for many years. It’s new to St. Rose this year, so get excited! This article will reveal everything a swiper needs know. We spoke with Mr. Carey, Vice Principal, to get all the reasons why we installed Swipe. 

Mr. Carey has a lot of great information on the new system. “The first reason is for school safety. Every person that comes into the school has to show their license, so we can do a background check. Second, to cut time down with attendance. The system processes much larger amounts of people in short amounts of time compared to attendance by hand, like we did last year. It can process around two hundred names in under three minutes. 

 Third, student tracking, especially for the flex periods. If we need to find one of the students for any reason, all we have to do is look for the last place you swiped in. Another reason is consequence management, for issues like lateness. Everything is automatically tracked and any consequences are automatically issued.” These consequences are the new student responsibilities for being late, like restricted lunch. This cuts down the time it used to take to email students warnings or issue them slips. 

On the topic of safety, Mr. Carey says that with the new background checks and ease of student location, the school is much more secure. And that’s not all – he also says that taking attendance has sped up a lot compared to last year.

“Everyday, there are about two to three errors (maximum). Much less than when we did it manually.” When a card is swiped before entry to Convocation, the system automatically tracks presence as well as the time that it was scanned into the gym. Then, all of the teachers seen throughout the day know if that person is present in school or not. It simplifies the process in many ways.

Before the interview ended, I asked Mr. Carey for any advice to students that want to make their morning entrance to Convocation faster: 

“Take off your lanyards when you come in the make it easier for you, make sure you scan your card correctly, and look to make sure your picture is on the screen before you take your seat.” If the picture on student ID cannot be seen by the scanner, the teacher that’s monitoring should be asked to check it. All it takes to fix an error is to swipe the card again.

Swipe K-12 is just one of the many interesting new additions to our school this year.  For any additional questions about the system, reach out to a teacher for some help. Happy swiping!

Surfing Roses

Riding Into the New Season With the Surf Team

 

The St Rose Surf Team is dropping in on the new season, and they’re ready to work their way to the top this year. The surf team is a fairly new program at St. Rose High School. This year, everyone is ready to start their second season off with a bang. Seniors PJ Dwyer, Nolan Beohmcke, Spencer Flynn, Matt Pelech, Dan Magrini, Declan Coyle, Patrick Kennan, and Molly Moore really make an impact and set examples for the rest of the team. Some of the other members including Joe Dechev, John Harold, Dereck Hope, Joey Bryceland, Aidan Bryceland, and Olivia Allen are all very excited to compete this season and hopefully get some big wins. 

The team had their first meet against Manasquan, and unfortunately had a tough loss. Senior Captain Nolan Beohmcke admits, “Manasquan was tough, they’re a great team and on top of that, the waves weren’t ideal but we tried our hardest. When we went against shore the waves were better and we dominated each heat which led us to win the meet”. Other than the Squan meet, the last few meets the team has competed in, went great! Sophomore Joe Dechev has a great attitude for the rest of this season. He said, “Our biggest competition is Manasquan, the rest of the season should go pretty smoothly, up until states, we go up against teams a little further away, one being Ocean City. States won’t be easy, but I believe that we can come out on top”. The surf team also just went up against CBA and finished the meet off with a winning score of 114 to 91. Declan Coyle finished in first place for the long board event. “Based on how we did these last few meets, we should have a pretty smooth and successful season.” , said Nolan Beohmcke filled with hope. 

Some of the teams that our surf team goes up against are CBA, Point, Shore, Manasquan, and Wall. These should all be some great meets, the team enjoys when peers come out to support. Joe Dechev agrees, “I’m looking forward to a long, successful season and hope everyone can come out and support, our meets are always fun and it always motivates the team when we see our classmates watching.” Another reason to come out to the meets is to buy a #samvincible T- Shirt. The surf team has been selling these since the beginning of the season, and have donated the money to one of our own, Sam Jarmer and his family. The surf team started selling these shirts at the Belmar Pro, which is a surf competition in belmar. Our team’s tent was set up and got the opportunity to sell a lot of T-shirts and raise more money than expected for Sam. The team also has merchandise of their own that is also available to students, or anyone in the St Rose community. 

Overall, the St Rose surf team has a very bright season ahead, and will hopefully come out on top. Don’t forget to come out and show your support, it will be the surf team.