Rosarian Academy Newsletter, 3-1

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Rosarian Academy E News
Volume 3: Issue 1 Opening of School
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Rosarian Academy, founded in 1925, is a private, coeducational, Catholic
school sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Its mission is to
educate the whole person for life in a global community in the light of
Gospel values.
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IN THIS ISSUE
Alumni Spotlight
New Faculty and Staff Spotlight
Two Weddings and a Baby
Miss Murphy Returns from 550Mile Religious Pilgrimage
We Welcome 38 New Families for the 201516 School Year
Mr. Hansen Implements 20% Time in the Classroom
Big Brothers Big Sisters: Tradition ReInstituted
Early Childhood Starts with Focus on Developing a Caring School
Community
Lower School Explores the Wonders of Science
Middle School is 'Setting the World on Fire'
Conscious Discipline for the Family Workshop
RSVP: Rosarian Academy is Turning 90
Caribbean Nights Paradise Found at Rosarian Academy
Dear Rosarian Community,



807 North Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach, FL
561.832.5131
www.rosarian.org
Rosarian Academy is beyond fortunate to have such exceptional faculty
and staff.  Since our opening of school on August 24th, I have seen them
create a rigorous learning environment for their students through a caring
approach, individualized attention to each student's needs, and a
willingness to push the students to their full potential.
Since assuming the headship of Rosarian Academy, I can look back with
fond memories to the amazing teachers I had who worked to teach,
counsel, and push me when I needed it.  I believe that the uniqueness of
any teacher stems from his/her ability to be truly present to
someone else's needs. Being present in a world full of distraction can be a
difficult task.  Truly listening and working to understand one another in
order to foster learning is what separates a solid education from an
extraordinary one.
Recently, our teachers began training with the Conscious Discipline
model for their interactions with students. Although there is much to be
said about this wellregarded program, the most important thing I have
taken away is how to address one's state of being before addressing
behavior.  Therefore, a good teacher needs to understand things like the
student's mood or level of anxiety before s/he can effectively teach the
child. "Being present" with the student is critical within this model.
Recently, I read Tolstoy's short story, "The Three Questions," which
addresses this point. In the story, a king aspires to know when to begin,
the right people to listen to and who to avoid, and, above all, what is the
most important thing to do at a given time.  After seeking advice and
guidance, he receives his answer from an old hermit who tells him that the
only time that is ever important is the presentdeal with the situations with
which you are presented. This story captures the point well.  The
student/teacher relationship is about being in it togetherbeing present
and learning to understand one another.
Thank you to our teachers for living this model, setting the stage for a
great year, and fostering an extraordinary education.
Blessings for a wonderful 201516,

Stephen Rubenacker
Head of School

Alumni Spotlight
Elisabeth Anderson, Class of 2009
For the past seven years, Class of 2009 alumna Elisabeth Anderson
has returned to her alma mater to help with Rosarian's Sensational
Summer Fun camp. The camp is run by Amy Anderson, Elisabeth's
mom and teacher at Rosarian Academy. Together, Elisabeth and
Mrs. Anderson lead the summertime adventures for the threetofive
yearolds.
We love when alumni return to the school to give back. Elisabeth,
thank you for your dedication to Rosarian!
Maria Conchita Mendez Piedra, Class of 1970
Class of 1970 alumna Maria Piedra is a native of Cuba and
immigrated to the United States in 1961. She is currently the director
of Latin American Sales and Trade Development for the Alabama
State Port Authority. She has a passion for her homeland and is
extremely involved in USCuba relations. She was instrumental in
facilitating contacts and opening doors for the first cargo shipments to
Cuba. Maria coauthored a book, "Cuba: It Matters," which was
recently published in July 2015. Congratulations, Maria!
New Faculty and Staff Spotlight
Rosarian Welcomes New Faculty and Staff to Our School Family
W. Myngoe Brashers, Music Teacher / Director of "Rosarian in
the Afternoons"
Rosarian welcomes Myngoe Brashers to our faculty to administer the
afterschool programs, including enrichment and aftercare. Mr.
Brashers is an accomplished musician and will also support Mr.
Sherman and Mrs. Dedo in teaching music and theater. He received
a Music degree from Florida International University and comes to
Rosarian from Pope John Paul II and St. Mark Catholic School.

Marcela Cioffi, First Grade Teaching Assistant
Marcela Cioffi comes to Rosarian from St. Luke Catholic School
where she spent ten years. She attended St. Johns Prep in New York
and then Lengua a Vivas in Argentina. Mrs. Cioffi is Ms. Segerdahl's
first grade assistant and loves to work with children. Outside of work,
she loves reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband,
three sons, and friends.
Kathleen Emmett, Director of Institutional Advancement
The school welcomes back Kathleen Emmett to Rosarian as she
formerly served as Rosarian's Director of Development and
Admissions. She returns nearly 15 years later with a breadth of
experience in fundraising, major gifts, and nonprofit management
from Palm Beach Day Academy, Hospice of Palm Beach County
Foundation, The Lord's Place, and the Norton Museum of Art. Ms.
Emmett received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the
University of Georgia. She serves as President of the Board of
Directors at Quantum House and sits on the Boards of the
Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties and the
Palm Beach Community Trust Fund. She is a Past President of the
Palm Beach County Chapter of the Association of Fundraising
Professionals and is a member of Leadership Palm Beach County's
Class of 2005.
Macaria Falana, Lunch Supervisor and Aftercare
In July, Rosarian Academy welcomed Macaria Falana as a Toddler
House assistant during the Toddler House Extended Year
summer program. Prior to her hire, Macaria served as a Rosarian
security guard. This school year, we are happy to have Macaria as a
Lower School lunch supervisor and a Lower School aftercare staff
member.

Erin Goerke, Director of Finance
Erin joins Rosarian Academy from The Aquinas Institute in
Rochester, New Yorka private Catholic high schoolwhere she
served as the Director of Finance for 11 years. Mrs. Goerke also has
extensive experience cleaning up, setting up, and directing
accounting departments from over 17 years working for various New
York companies, including: EKA Associates, Campus Global Net Inc.,
Labotek, Citizens Communication, and ACC Corp. Mrs. Goerke
received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Empire State
College in Rochester.
Cyndee Hackney, Middle School Resource Teacher
Cyndee Hackney, who previously taught at Rosarian from 2002
2014, has returned fulltime to be the Middle School Resource
Teacher. Before spending 12 years at RA teaching 5th and 6th grade
literature and English, Mrs. Hackney taught in MiamiDade County,
Palm Beach County, and Clark County (Nevada) and spent three
years as a resource/learning specialist in a public elementary school.
She received her B.A. from University of Florida and M.S. from
Florida International University, and she completed postgraduate
studies at the University of NevadaLas Vegas. In her free time, Mrs.
Hackney reads, travels and spends time with her family.
Janet Keller, Interim Director of Communications and Marketing
Coming to Rosarian from Little Rock, Arkansas, where she was
president of her own marketing/advertising/public relations agency for
21 years, Janet Keller joins Rosarian temporarily to assist with the
school's marketing efforts while Mrs. Hansen is on maternity
leave. She has a B.A. in Journalism/Marketing and an M.A. in
Organizational Communications from the University of Arkansas at
Little Rock (UALR). She has completed onethird of a doctorate in
Higher Education.
Alexandra Melligon, Children's House Teaching Assistant

Alexandra graduated with a B.A. in Comparative Religious Studies
from the College of Charleston and moved to Florida in February of
this year. Before moving to West Palm Beach, she lived in New
Jersey and taught yoga in Newark public schools. She worked as a
substitute in the Toddler House before being hired full time as an
assistant in the Children's House.
In her free time, Alexandra volunteers at Loggerhead Marine Center
in Juno Beach. She enjoys going to the beach, gardening, practicing
yoga and traveling.
Zephyr Secher, 7th and 8th Math
Teacher
Before coming to Rosarian Academy,
Zephyr Secher taught middle school
math and science for six years at
Sacred Heart in Lake Worth. He also
has ten years of experience coaching
basketball at both the middle and high
school levels. Prior to teaching, most of
Mr. Secher's past work experience was
in business development, mergers &
acquisitions, and risk analysis.
He attended Cambridge Rindge &
Latin High School and received his
bachelor's degree in Economics from
Earlham College. He also has an MBA
with a concentration in Finance from the University of Washington in Seattle.
"My life changed for the better when I redirected my attention and began focusing on how I could
give back. I love being a mentor and a positive role model. Knowing that I am making a difference
in a student's life and that they can potentially use what I shared with them to influence and help
others is what drives me," said Mr. Secher.
He loves to hike, ski, and spend time in nature listening to music with friends or reading.
Summer Brings Two Weddings and a Baby
Middle School Language Arts and Religion Teacher Sarah Hoffman married Josh Anderson on
June 6, 2015, at San Pedro Catholic Church in Tavernier, Florida. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs.
Josh Anderson!

Middle School Religion Teacher Francesca Coniglio married William Finck on July 25, 2015, at St.
Edward Church in Palm Beach. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. William Finck!
Middle School Language Arts Teacher Patrick Hansen and Director of Marketing Cara Hansen
welcomed Mary Grace Elizabeth to their family on July 6, 2015. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs.
Hansen and big brother Jack (1st grade) and big sister Cecilia (Children's House)!

Miss Murphy Returns from 550Mile Religious Pilgrimage
FourthGrade Teacher Fulfills Dream of Walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela
Fourthgrade teacher Katherine Murphy spent her summer fulfilling a
dreamwalking 550 miles on a religious pilgrimage called the Camino
de Santiago de Compostela (The Way of St. James). Traveling with
her brother, Michael, and carrying everything they needed in their
backpacks, they finished the journey in 38 days. This pilgrimage
dates back to medieval times.
The sibling pair journeyed by foot from village to village, town to town,
and city to city, averaging about 15 miles (25 km) per day. Their days were filled with the wonders of
what they would see next and who they would meet as the goal of Santiago grew closer.
"Walking the Camino without knowing exactly what was coming next, or where I would eat, or where
I would sleep, I have been reminded to trust in God with the little things as well as the big things in
my life," said Miss Murphy.
Completing the Camino was on Miss Murphy's dream list, and she felt there had been several signs
from God calling her to walk the Camino this summer. "One of these was in working in fourth grade
and discovering I would be teaching a unit on Europe in the Middle Ages, including medieval
religious pilgrimages," said Miss Murphy. She will be incorporating her experience on the Camino
into the fourth grade Social Studies unit.
Reflecting on her pilgrimage, Miss Murphy shared the below lessons and insights from her Camino:

Follow the arrows.  The entire path is marked with yellow
arrows to guide pilgrims on their way.  It seemed like just
about every time I would be unsure if I was headed the right
way or which way I should go, an arrow would appear.  This
was a lesson to me to follow the arrows in my life.  There are
people and events in my life pointing me in the right direction
and helping to guide my way, if only I pay attention.
Walk your own Camino.  On the Camino, it's ok to walk your own pace and your own way.
You might be faster than some people and slower than some people.  Your experience will
look different from others' experiences.  It's better to stop comparing myself to others on the
Camino and in life.
Keep it simple.  Life on the Camino is simple.  Wake up, pack your belongings in your
backpack, and start walking.  Everything you have and everything you need is in your
backpack.  Taking this lesson back with me encourages me to keep things simple and focus
on what's really important.  There are so few things that I actually need to be happy and
fulfilled.
Everyone has a story.  One of the highlights of the Camino was meeting so many amazing
people of all ages, from all over the world.  The shared experience of walking the Camino
together helps people form bonds and get very honest and open with each other very
quickly.  Hearing the stories of other pilgrims reminds me that when I look at someone, I
never know what they may have gone through.  Returning home, this makes me want to take
the time to learn more about the stories of my family, friends, students, and anyone that I
may meet.
We Welcome 38 New Families for the 201516 School Year
48 New Students Join the Rosarian Community
We happily welcomed 38 new families, 48 new students, to the
Rosarian Academy community for the 20152016 school year. Out of
those 48 new students, 19 entered the Early Childhood program, 18
Lower School, and 11 Middle School.
Led by the Rosarian Academy Family Association (RAFA), new
parents joined returning parents at the Welcome Social and Dinner
on Friday, August 28th. The evening started with a presentation in
Schar Hall, including introductions of all new 38 families, then
continued to a lively dinner at Café Sapori. The evening served as an opportunity for making new
friends and building a stronger community.

Rosarian is grateful to our parents, students, alumni, and teachers who attract new families by

speaking so highly of the value of a Rosarian education and the unparalleled foundation of
academics, faith, athletics, arts, service and community.
Mr. Hansen Implements 20% Time in the Classroom
Students Explore Interests Outside the Curriculum

Rosarian Academy Middle School Literature teacher, Patrick Hansen,
recognizes his role to help his students become independent learners
to aid in the exploration of their interests and find their passions
even if that passion is outside the realm of the literary text they are
reading as part of the school's curriculum. In the second half of the
201415 school year, Mr. Hansen implemented 20% time in his
classroom: allowing students 20% of class time, or one class period
per week, to work on or explore a topic of their choice. The result?
Students like current eighthgrader Hailey Albergo starting a school
wide service project to collect and send used books to
underprivileged children in Africa.
20% time is a movement in education to give students the opportunity
to develop passion through the pursuit of a personal interest project.
The concept was popularized at Google where management found
that employees were more creative and innovative when given the
autonomy to pursue a project outside of their job description. This
resulted in the origination of products like Gmail, Google News and
Google Teacher Academy.
By implementing 20% time in the classroom, students become autonomous learners as they
develop their own idea for a project that allows them to explore an interest outside of what is taught
in school.
At Rosarian, students had seven weeks to create their own selfdirected project. Through Hailey's
book drive, she not only collected over 1,000 books but also developed a relationship with a local
nonprofit, Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative, that helped her ship the books to a primary
school in a rural village in Bunyore, Kenya. The books arrived in Kenya at the end of August. In an
August 24th email from Jim Cummings, the founder of Kijana, to Hailey, Mr. Cummings attached
pictures and wrote, "Check out the happiness."
Hailey's 20% time project quickly became Rosarian Academy's
school mission in practice. Through her work, Hailey and her
schoolmates can tangibly see that we are a global community and
can each make a positive difference in the world. There is no doubt
that this project has led Hailey to a new interest in helping the
children of Africa. In a reply email to Mr. Cummings, Hailey wrote, "I
would love to work with you again...I'm just so happy I helped!"

Examples of other student projects included: writing a screenplay,
fish taxidermy, exploring robotics and aerodynamics, web design,
video game development, architecture, learning a language such as
Gaelic or Braille, and much more.
This school year, Mr. Hansen plans to continue the 20% time project
and continue to help students spark their own individual passions.
Big Brothers Big Sisters: Tradition Reinstituted
One School Family

We are one school family. On August 28th, Middle School students
were paired with Lower School students to foster mentorship and
community building. This is an old tradition that has been reinstituted
this year. In the past, upperclass mentors were referred to as "Big
Sisters;" today, we refer to them as "Big Brothers and Sisters."
Throughout the year, Big Brothers and Big Sisters will join together
with their younger brothers and sisters to build a stronger sense of
family throughout our Rosarian culture.
Early Childhood Starts with Focus on Developing a Caring School
Community
Teachers and Students Act as 'Safekeepers'
The Early Childhood Program is off to a great start. In the Montessori environment, the first month
of school is a vital 'orientation' time for both new and returning students. The routines and ground
rules are reviewed and practiced, and the development of our caring school community is
established. A great deal of time is spent reviewing our School Family roles as 'safekeepers.' The
students hear the teachers say, "It's my job to keep you safe, and it's your job to help keep it safe!"
When students feel safe, their brains can perform higher functioning learning and problemsolving.
When they feel they are part of the responsibility of keeping the environment safe for everyone, the
children are cooperative and helpful to that end.

Lower School Explores the Wonders of Science
K4th Grades Visit the Science Lab Weekly
This year, weekly visits to the Lower School Science Lab have been
added into the kindergarten through fourthgrade academic
schedules. In the Science Lab, the Lower School teachers facilitate
activities for the students to think like scientists and experiment with
the concepts taught through the Core Knowledge Science
Curriculum.
The school laboratory classroom provides optimum space for young
children to explore the wonders of science and engage in handson
experiences with Life, Physical and Earth Science topics. Additionally, students will have
opportunities to explore building and engineering. Each student has created a science notebook
and will practice scientific writing and drawing throughout the school year.
We look forward to this year's explorations into the wonders of science as experienced by the
natural curiosities of children.
Middle School Follows Trimester Calendar
New Calendar Allows for Increased Electives and Rotating Schedule

Beginning this year, Rosarian moved to a trimester calendar as used
by many schools and colleges. Balancing students' core classes over
three terms gives the Middle School students the opportunity to
perform at a higher rate of success with less stress and is
developmentally better suited to our students for mastery and testing
of academic content. Other benefits of this schedule include the
alignment of curriculum and the opportunity for students in Middle
School to take a wider selection of elective classes, including: Art,
Music/Chorus, Drama, PE, Robotics, Technology, Writing, Science
Lab, Study Skills, Computer, and Library. Another positive change is
rotating classes. To help facilitate peak performance, students now
see teachers at different times each day.

Conscious Discipline for the Family Workshop
SixWeek Series Begins September 22nd
Rosarian is offering its first Creating a Conscious Discipline Family
workshop series, beginning with a free introductory course on
September 15th at 8:15 a.m. RSVP for the free introductory course
and/or for the sixweek series which begins on September 22nd by
emailing Cindy Nehemias at cindy@rosarian.org. Please direct any
questions you may have about Conscious Discipline or the workshop
series to Cindy.
RSVP: Rosarian Academy is Turning 90
90th Anniversary Celebration, September 12, 2015

Rosarian Academy celebrates its 90th Anniversary this year! Save the date of September 12th for a

celebration honoring Rosarian's rich history and including the
induction of our new Head of School, Mr. Stephen Rubenacker. Click
here to RSVP.
As we celebrate 90 years of our great school, click here to read to
learn more about Rosarian's rich history.
Caribbean Nights Paradise Found at Rosarian Academy
Save the Date: November 21, 2015 at The Breakers

Save the date of November 21st for a tropical evening filled with
Caribbean flair as the 2015 Auction Chairs, Marian Macias and
Adrianne Sanchez, host the 37th Annual Auction & Ball at The
Breakers, Palm Beach. For more information on the upcoming
Auction & Ball and all of the exciting events leading up to the big
night, please click here.

Please save the following dates leading up to the Auction:
The Gardens Mall Shop 'n Share Event: October 14th
The IMPROV night for Travel & Entertainment: October 22nd at 7:00 pm
Guys' Night Out: October 29th at 7:00 pm
STAY CONNECTED

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Rosarian Academy Newsletter, 3-1