RAMbler Blog

Dear Jesus, 

As the school year begins keep us safe at all times. Bless the children as they learn, play, and make new friends. Bless the parents that trust us to protect the mind, spirit, and health of their children. 

Help us to appreciate all of the hard work of those around us. Help us to do what is right, but not always say.

Give us the grace and peace to accept the days ahead with joy and compassion. Give us the strength to work with all obstacles put in our way.

Amen

~ Mrs. Kim Schadrack – TLC Coordinator

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the halls of our school.

Come, Divine Teacher, make a dwelling place in our classrooms.

Be the strength of our teachers and the inspirations of our students.

Fill us with your grace in every moment of every day, that we may learn all that You ask.

Teach us to love our teachers and classmates with Your perfect love.

Grant us the desire to learn and the desire to know You, who are the inspirations of every soul. Amen

~ Mrs. Laina Haff – Jr. High Religion Teacher and Miss Erin Haff – HRS class of 2014

Dear Heavenly Father, 

As we begin a new school year, we thank you for the opportunity to attend Holy Rosary.  Send your Spirit to guide our studies as we work to deepen our faith, calculate math, comprehend reading, discover science, explore history, and all the amazing things we will learn and do this year.  Give us wisdom, grace, patience, fortitude, and zeal as we approach our work as students, teachers, staff, administration, and parents.  

Turn our hearts towards you Lord and give us a spirit of gratitude.  Help us see the little things and respond in kindness.  We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

~ Mrs. Rhiannon Thomas – 1st Grade Teacher

Dear Lord, use my eyes to see my Holy Rosary friends.

Open my ears to hear my teacher's voice.

Open my mind to all of the new things that I will learn.

Let my heart remember that You are always near me in my classroom.

Help me to love my family, friends, and my teachers like You do.

I want to shine Your light so brightly at Holy Rosary this new school year.

Amen

~ Mrs. Sheila Balton – 2K Aide

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember all the great friends I have made. I have made friends that will last a lifetime. These friends have stuck by my side through thick and thin and will continue to do so. I am very thankful for Holy Rosary providing an experience that helped me make such great friends. ~ Emma Maye Leonard

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember all the fun sports I played and the good times I had playing them. I also remember co-writing some of “Frank the Frog and Friends” with Joe and James in 5th grade. ~ Colin Kozlowski

There are many reasons why Holy Rosary is awesome! I love going here because I have many friends that I have made over my many years here. My school’s environment is very welcoming and friendly. I received an excellent education here. I have learned so many new things thanks to my teachers. Our teachers always care about our learning experience and find fun ways to teach. I am so sad that I have to leave next year. I will miss every part of Holy Rosary! ~ Maggie Old

Holy Rosary is a great school for many reasons. One is the sports. I will always remember the sports that I played. Another reason is friends. Friends are very important for school. One last reason is the teachers. The teachers have taught me school and life lessons. ~ Jackson Noah

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember how much I yelled at my volleyball games and the memories I made with my class. ~ Janney Perez

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember the 8th grade boys absolutely demolishing every track record at this school. I also think of my friends and all the times we got in trouble or started to die laughing. I also will remember the sports that my friends and I have played. ~ Ben Rouse

There are many things that I love about Holy Rosary School. One is my friends. I met them here and can talk to them every day at school. I also love the family aspect of our school. Everyone knows each other. I have been at Holy Rosary for the past nine years. I would have never had these great teachers if I didn’t go here. This school has made me who I am, and I am so grateful. Holy Rosary is a great school that makes a positive impact on everyone’s lives. ~ Virginia Towne

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember all the friends that I have made. ~ Brandon Walker

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember my best friends. Almost everyday I think of the great memories we have made together throughout the years. I also think of my accomplishments such as good grades, and winning the soccer and volleyball championships with my teammates. ~ Natalie Catafygiotu

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember the first time I went to church at this Parish. ~ Massimo Valentino

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember truly connecting with my friends in 8th grade. In 7th grade the guys and girls never really talked but in 8th grade everyone became like family to me. I would be so excited to come to school the next day because there was never a dull day in class. Whether it was arguing about mermaids with Jaimes or talking about mistakes we made in 7th grade, I will never forget it! ~ Kale Burleson

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember going to Mass every week with my younger buddies and my older ones from a long time ago. I will also remember the great education I got and how grateful I am for it. I will remember the classes and all the students and friends that stayed or left. ~ Joshua Burns

I really enjoy how nice the students and teachers are to everyone. The people here are very sweet, serious about Catholicism, and love to make new friends. I enjoy having religion and going to Mass. I am so sad leaving this wonderful religious school. It’s like home and I will be sad to leave. ~ Chloe Russell

I wanted to say how grateful I am for coming to Holy Rosary Catholic School. I have met so many new people and made many friends. I also played many sports such as basketball, kickball, cross-country and volleyball. The teachers are always here to help with something whenever you are stuck or have a question. You will never feel left out because the people here are all friendly and kind. I really do enjoy Holy Rosary. It is a great school! ~ Oscar Cambron

Holy Rosary means so much to me because I was able to learn in a cool new way in The Learning Center. Holy Rosary is such a cool place because of the amazing staff. Holy Rosary is a fun place to make new friends. With my dyslexia, I found Holy Rosary as a way for me learn at my pace of learning. ~ Charis Carroll

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember the family I have made, the education I have received, and the events I have participated in. ~ Leander Castro

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember the amazing friends I have made! I love every friendship I’ve created that I will keep for life! I will also remember how my mom was my 5th grade teacher. That will always be a special memory. ~ Annabelle Lawler

There are many reasons I like Holy Rosary. One of the reasons I like it is because of my friends. Holy Rosary has given me a great education the past 5 years I’ve been here. I like a lot of my classes. I like reading our novels every year. I like hanging out with my friends at lunch and break. I’m sad to be leaving Holy Rosary, but so excited to be going to high school. ~ Whitman Keith

Holy Rosary has taught be many valuable lessons that I can apply to real-life all over the world. I have met people who have changed my life, and have changed my perspective on this world. The education here is strict but beneficial. My time has come where I have to leave this place, but I’m taking important experiences with me. ~ Ava Ryan

There are many reasons why I enjoy and will miss Holy Rosary. One reason I like Holy Rosary is because of the amazing friends I have made over the years. I have known them for a long time. Another reason is that I like all the different teachers and classes that I attend. I enjoy graphing in math and reading class novels. I also enjoy specials and lunch. All the teachers that I have had at Holy Rosary have done their best to prepare me for high school. Holy Rosary has given me many great memories. ~ Andrew Sefers

I have many reasons as to why I like attending Holy Rosary. All of my teachers have prepared me for high school. The teachers are fantastic and always make learning in class fun. Our classes are strict and take a lot of studying, but I am proud of how much I have learned and excelled. Talking to teachers about personal issues, grades, sports, etc. is super easy, and they always make me feel comfortable. Playing sports for Holy Rosary has completely changed my life. Playing volleyball for my school has given me multiple opportunities, allowed me to make a club team, and win championships my 7th grade year. Something I look forward to every single day is walking down the hall and receiving a “good morning” from all the teachers. Holy Rosary is by far the best part of my day from when I wake up to when I go to sleep. I could not have asked for a better middle school experience. ~ Jaimes Harvey

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember my friends and teachers. I will remember all the good and bad times with my friends and all the things my teachers have taught me. ~ Alex Kano

Holy Rosary is a very good school. The education is amazing. There are fun events, like the fish fry and the crawfish boil. The students and teachers are unique. I get to hang out and interact with my friends at school. When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember all the comics I write in 5th grade. I will be sad when I am gone from Holy Rosary. ~ James Jacobs

I love going to Holy Rosary. I have not been at Holy Rosary long but already feel the loving community. I have many great memories of Holy Rosary. Holy Rosary is the place to be. ~ Jack Manning

I will remember Holy Rosary for the kind students and teachers. ~ Elaine Gwatney

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember the sports I’ve played and the friends I’ve made. ~ Drew Benton

I like Holy Rosary for many reasons. One of these reasons is because of my friends. I have been at Holy Rosary since 1st grade, so I’ve known some of my friends for eight years. All the teachers I’ve had throughout the years, and the ones that have helped me with my work, I have grown very fond of. Another thing I like about Holy Rosary is all the different fun events; plays, race day, field day, cross-country meets, basketball games, and pep rallies. I will really miss Holy Rosary when I leave. ~ Ali Parish

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember growing up my entire life here. I will remember all my classmates I have known since I was four years old. I will remember the kindness and hospitality that I’ve been shown. ~ Abby Locks

Holy Rosary is a very special place for me for one big reason. When I went to another elementary school, in 1st grade, I was diagnosed with ADHD. After that, I was treated differently there. Fewer people talked to me and teachers stopped slowing down for me to catch up. I was looking for schools after my birthday, and my dad brought me to Holy Rosary to visit a 1st grade class. Then the Tuesday after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I began attending school here. That’s why Holy Rosary means so much to me. ~ Chandler Henderson

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember my friends that I’ve made here. I have so many fond memories that I have shared with them throughout my years here. ~ Annesley Gardino

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember my friends and the fun things we did. ~ Quinton Gattuso

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember how fun my 8th grade track season was. My friends and I put in hard work, and our determination led us to having a successful and exciting season. ~ Joe Edwards

When I think about Holy Rosary, I will remember my best friends, Italian Fest, 5th grade, and the middle school plays. ~ Bonnie Bryan

When I think of Holy Rosary, I will remember the friends I have made and all the good times we have had. ~ Will Fletschinger

I like Holy Rosary for many reasons. One reason I like Holy Rosary is because of the people here. Everyone here is willing to help you no matter what. I am so grateful that I got to go to a school that offers options for everyone, whether you understand the material or not, or even if you have a disability, you can come here, and everyone is willing to help you with anything you might need. ~ Andrew Greer

Holy Rosary has been the best for me. I met many of my friends here. The whole school is very welcoming. The school is very faithful to the Catholic religion. It helped me build my relationship with God and practice my faith. I will always love Holy Rosary; it is the best school. ~ Selena Beasley

Autism Awareness for our ANGELS this April

by Gene Mangiante, III

Board President, The ANGEL Program Fund, Inc.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships and is often accompanied by behavioral challenges. Autism is currently diagnosed in 1 in 54 children and is four times more prevalent in boys. The causes of this disorder are widely speculated, but largely unknown. The month of April is recognized as Autism Awareness Month, which is dedicated to creating awareness, empathy, and support for individuals and families living with autism.

In 2010, Holy Rosary School created a “school within a school” for children living with autism. Holy Rosary’s vision of including all children in classroom education, regardless of their learning ability, became The ANGEL Program (Autism INtervention and Guidance for Early Learners). The ANGEL Program is a one-of-a-kind program that believes that these special children should learn in inclusive classrooms alongside their typical peers. Holy Rosary is the only private school in Memphis that integrates Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in an inclusive, year-round classroom setting for ages 3-11. ABA is the only scientifically proven therapy for children living with autism.

Here is what a few ANGEL parents have said:

Holy Rosary and The ANGEL Program have become a family to us. We have seen Christ's work through this school, through this program and their work with our son. They have loved and guided him (and us!) through it all, the good and the really bad.

Our son had less than 5 words when he started at age 3 and a half, and within the first couple of weeks of working with the ANGEL team, he was able to calmly communicate his needs to us. He has learned how to attend in a mainstream classroom and function as a typical child would. More than anything, we are now able to know our son in a way that we weren't sure we would ever experience. He can tell us what he is thinking and how he feels.

After we joined The ANGEL Program, our son has thrived. He has learned to speak better and play with others and has also developed ways to respond in social settings without outbursts or shutting down. He has transformed as a student and as a kid and is now thriving in his environment. He has friends, plays sports, communicates, and is never told that he cannot do something, because he can!

Since our son joined The ANGEL Program last summer, he has met more goals than I ever knew were possible. He went from playing alone, speaking mostly babble, little to no eye contact, to now having lots of new friends even "very best friends", speaking in clear sentences, and getting to look straight into those big brown eyes. I couldn't be more proud of our little boy and this program. My wish is for all children on the Autism Spectrum to have something as special as The ANGEL Program to grow and learn the way God made them.

To continue these success stories, The ANGEL Program requires a low student-teacher ratio, competitive salaries, and ongoing professional development for its staff. For these reasons, operating The ANGEL Program is costly and the tuition is expensive for families already burdened with significant therapy expenses. In 2016, The ANGEL Program Fund, Inc. (The Fund) was formed as the fundraising arm for The ANGEL Program and granted non-profit status as a 501(c)(3) organization. Over the last 5 years, The Fund has raised over $500,000 to support The ANGEL Program and provides more than 40% of the annual budget for The ANGEL Program.

To learn more, or to donate online, please visit www.theangelprogram.com.  Please save the date for our largest annual event, the Memphis Runs for Autism 5k, which will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2021. We are optimistically looking forward to a live event this year!

Please keep The ANGEL Program, the teachers, families, and students in your prayers. May God bless you for your generosity!

A smile on my face and a song in my heart

~ The gift of joy through music ~

            The best part of my job is walking into a classroom full of children who are thrilled to see me. Sure, I walk in playing happy music with twinkling lights on my cart and I pull a puppet or two out of my bag, but I also like to think it’s because of the joy music brings to our lives.

            We have all heard the cognitive benefits of music education for our children. Music in the classroom and private lessons have all been shown to help develop fine motor skills, increase test scores and raise IQ scores. It has even been documented that children with a strong musical background attend college at a higher rate than those who do not.

Recently, scientists have turned their attention to how music effects the emotions. In a German study conducted in 2011, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Human Cognition and Brain Science found that singing together in a group significantly reduces the body’s level of the stress hormone, cortisol. Much like physical activity, it was found that singing releases endorphins causing a sense of joy and euphoria. The study even went so far as to note that those singing together in a group tend to sync heartbeats. How magical to think that singing together in Mass actually joins our hearts together.

            Each of us can sing, no matter how much we might protest. Sing with your child at home and at Mass and encourage them to do so. Promote musical activities such as choirs, plays and learning an instrument as much as you would a favorite sport. The experts have spoken, it will make your child happier.