Category Archives: Academics

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A Leap into the Future

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With two computer classrooms, a library equipped with 22 computers, SmartBoards in every classroom, and iPads provided to every student, it is evident that technology is a vital part of St. Rose High School.

As your eight grade year came to a close you had to make a hard decision, where were you going to spend the next 4 years of school? Thankfully, St. Rose makes deciding which school to attend and the transition into high school much easier with the use of technology. Every freshman is provided with an iPad during orientation and it is yours until graduation. No more heavy backpacks and forgetting to bring books home or to class…these tablets are used as your textbooks, notebooks, and are also an easy way to communicate with your teachers.

As you improve in your academics, your iPad does too. At the end of every year the iPads are collected by homeroom and, depending on which classes you are taking the following year, applications are added by Mrs. Winkley, from our Tech Department . Many students agreed that the best apps for keeping organized and focused are Quizlet, eFlashcards, and Note. “I love that St. Rose provided us with these iPads. They make it so much easier to keep organized and in touch with my teachers, even though changing from handwriting on paper, to typing on a screen, was hard to get used to at first” stated freshman Gianna DeMaio.

This tradition hasn’t been around for long, though. The iPads were introduced in 2012 to the incoming freshman, now the class of 2016. “I love having the iPads and I can’t imagine my high school experience without them” stated senior Emily Lawrence, “Not only did they make the process of homework, note-taking and communication easier, but I feel more prepared for college. Most homework assignments in college are due by Dropbox; I was introduced to Dropbox and learned how it works early on.” On our iPads Dropbox can be used as an app or can be accessed straight through the student portal which enables homework submissions to become easy and fast.

The iPads are also helpful when you are absent; you can view PowerPoint’s and other assignments straight from your iPad. Usually the worst part about missing a day of school is the make-up work, but thankfully teachers provide weekly or daily updates on the classwork and homework to their online portals for students and parents to see.

St. Rose High School is very interested in the growing use of technology in the classroom and hopes as more knowledge about technology grows, St. Rose does too. As the school year comes to a close the Tech Department will be working had to keep the iPads updated, and ready for the following year. Anyone can see that iPads are an amazing addition to our school.

By Shannon Spiezio ’16

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China vs. USA

Do you want to know how “fun” it could be if you study in China?

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Here is some general information: In China, we don’t have four-year high schools like America. You attend middle school and high school for three year each, then enter college. Throughout elementary school and up to college, you will need to take an exam to see if you are qualify to transition into better schools. However you can also follow your district to enroll, except for high school.

My personal experience of study in China is different than my experiences in America.  I was having a “great time” when I was in China. If I was absent and there were some tests I missed I didn’t  need to make them up.  Instead I just needed to take the test home and take a look at it. For missed homework I only needed to make up those that were important to me. All the tests and homework did not affect my grade because we don’t calculate a GPA.  Although we do study and take a  midterm and final every year, which cannot be missed. After the midterm and final exam we have breaks.  During these breaks you receive a list that informs you of your ranking in school according to the results of your exam. The third year of middle school is crucial, the final we take will directly determine what kind of high school you will go to. If you do not study in a good high school it will equal out to a bad college.

My experiences of study in America are very different from China.  In America I can get more sleep if I want to. In America there are seven hours of school followed by extracurricular activities after school. In China, I went to school from 7:30 to 4:50 for two years and I was lucky that my school had a short schedule. When I was in my third year, I did not leave school until 6:10 pm. Although PE is mandatory in both countries, in China we need to run a certain distance in a certain time in order to pass the final. In China I took PE three times a week and all we did in class was run in super hot weather that made you feel like you could faint anytime. I’m really happy that in America because I get to choose what I want to do, either sports and academics or just academics. We have so much time after school that we can experience more, from playing sports to community service to experiencing this new culture.

Everything matters when applying to college in America and you can take the SAT more than one time. There is no need for worrying about messing up on one exam. However, in China, there is only one “SAT” like test that you can only take once.You score on that exam is all that matters in regards to getting into college. Here in America it is a combination of the SAT, school grades and classes, leadership, service and so on. In China none of that matters when you apply for college, score is top priority.

I can’t say which country’s education system I like better as both have pros and cons. There are too many differences I can talk about. I can say that even though we didn’t do the same work and speak different languages, the effort we pay is the same for everyone.  My personal experience of study in two countries leads to a distinctive view!

By Emma Huang ’18

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New Course Offerings for the 2016-2017 School Year

There will be new classes introduced to the 2016-2017 school year. This creates more variety during the course selection process. It will also help students to gain more information into specific majors that they are thinking of pursuing in college and beyond.  The new classes range from all levels: CPA to AP and are both semester and yearly courses. The new classes are CPA Horticulture and Gardening, CPA Spirituality and Prayer, CPA Church History, CPA Introduction to Engineering, CPA Chinese 1 and 2, Honors Chinese 3 and 4, and AP Chemistry.

The Religion Department is excited to offer two semester courses. CPA Spirituality and Prayer is being offered as a course to help students grow in their Catholic faith. Students in this course will practice various prayers and also learn about different saints in the Catholic. CPA Church History will supply students with a general understanding of how the Catholic Church came to be. Students will also be taught about how the Church is a living Body of Jesus Christ today.

The Science Department is excited to offer AP Chemistry to the science line-up. Students will be taught about material designs, fuels, and pharmaceuticals through elaborate labs. The plan is to rotate between AP Chemistry and AP Biology each year to give students the opportunity to take both in their junior and senior years. Additionally, the Science Department  will be offering a CPA Introduction to Engineering course and CPA Horticulture and Gardening. CPA Introduction to Engineering will help students who want to be engineers to get a stronger understanding of the profession. CPA Horticulture and Gardening will provide the basic information to start and maintain a backyard garden.

The World Language Department is excited to offer Chinese language courses. Students will be able to take CPA Chinese 1 in the 2016-2017 school year. During the 2017-2018 school year  CPA Chinese 2 will be added, during the 2018-2019 school year Honors Chinese 3 will be added, and finally during the 2019-2020 school year Honors Chinese 4 will be added. The Chinese courses will put an emphasis on listening and comprehension skills and not only will the students study the language but they will also delve into the culture. Students will also focus on Pinyin and simplified Chinese characters.

At the start of the 2016-2017 school year the introduction to the newly formed  Business and Technology Department will occur. Full year courses in this new department will include  full year courses: Advanced Placement Computer Science A and Accounting 1 CPA; and semester courses: Honors Computer Programming, CPA Personal Finance, CPA Software Productivity and Programming, and CPA Introduction to Programming.  AP Computer Science A will focus on programming and solving strategies that can be applied to real world problems.

Students around the school are very excited for the new opportunity for the new classes. “I will be taking Advanced Placement Computer Science A next year. I am very excited for this opportunity because I am very interested in computers. It should be fun” said Junior Nick Paterno.

by: Jeff Mahon, Class of 2016