Thursday, April 17, 2014 • 33
schools
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
St. Rose Academy Breaks Ground on New Addition
A groundbreaking ceremony for a new addition at St. Rose Academy was held recently. From left: Sister Mary Andrew, Sister Mary George, Sister Mary Louis, Mother Ann Marie, Bishop Robert Baker and Sister Mary Elizabeth. Photo special to the Journal
A private Catholic school for students in preschool through the eighth grade recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new addition to its campus. The groundbreaking for the new building at St. Rose Academy was held Feb. 27 with Bishop Robert Baker, Mother Ann Marie Sister Mary Andrews, Sister Mary George, Sister Mary Louis and Sister Mary Elizabeth doing the ceremonial shoveling. The new building, which will connect two existing buildings on the St. Rose campus, will include a new library, science lab and additional classrooms. St. Rose Academy is located at 1401 22nd Street South in Birmingham. The school was founded in 1956 and is under the direction of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia Congregation. St. Rose Academy currently has about 180 students.❖
Mountain Brook Debate Team Honors Gunn The Mountain Brook High School Debate Team recently honored its longtime coach, Betty Gunn. The team hosted an alumni lunch in Gunn’s honor Feb. 8 at the 2014 Betty Gunn Invitational Debate Tournament at Mountain Brook High School. Officials said the tournament continues to thrive and is a testament to Gunn’s successful career. Donations from the Butrus family allow the school to offer a low-cost tournament with catered food and a panel of highlyqualified judges, officials said. Those attending the debate tournament luncheon included Gunn, Pat Kammerer, Annie Butrus, Julie Butrus, Kate Butrus, John Butrus, Annika Mishra, Adesh Mishra, Lane Thomas Brown, Skip Coulter, Anoop Mishra, the National Lincoln-Douglas debate champion, and Greg Wald, debate team coach at Mountain Brook High School.
LPM Marks Read Across America with Contest Liberty Park Middle School recently celebrated the Read Across America program by holding a contest for students. Jean Deal, the school’s librarian, encouraged all LPM students to participate in a bookmark drawing
The Mountain Brook High School Debate Team recently held an alumni lunch to honor longtime coach Betty Gunn. From left: Anoop Mishra, Pat Kammerer, Annie Butrus, Julie Butrus, Kate Butrus, John Butrus, Gunn, Annika Mishra, Adesh Mishra, Lane Thomas Brown, Skip Coulter and Greg Wald. Photo special to the Journal
contest to observe the program, which annually celebrates reading across the country. Read Across America, initiated by a small task force at the National Education Association in 1997, is held each year on March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The winner of Liberty Park’s bookmark drawing contest was eighthgrader Lexie Durick. Sixth-grader Alex Ricketts was the runner-up.
St. Francis Celebrates Catholic Schools Week St. Francis Xavier School celebrated Catholic Schools Week with the theme “How sweet it is...to attend a Catholic school.” Candy always gets children’s attention and is an appropriate metaphor to express the excitement, joy and love for the Catholic school life at St. Francis Xavier, school officials said. The week began with sweet treats for parents in the carpool line. Teachers and priests were also given treats during
the week to remind them of the special sweetness they bring to the school, officials said. On Wednesday, Carolyn Romano gave students a special presentation about her visit to Rome and her encounter with Pope Francis. The students enjoyed seeing Pope Francis’ zucchetto, a small, round skullcap worn by Catholic clergy, school officials said. On Thursday, students had treats made by the school’s Student Council at a Sweet Shoppe. Catholic School Week activities ended Friday with the annual Jump Rope for Hearts to benefit the American Heart Association. Students clapped and cheered as the classes presented original jump rope routines. Jeh Jeh Pruitt from Fox 6 energized the students as the event emcee. The Home and School Association provided refreshments. The school’s Student Council also held a Jeans for Teens clothing drive to collect jeans for homeless youth across the country. ❖
BLUFF PARK WINDOW WORKS
Alex Ricketts, left, was the runner-up and Lexie Durick, right, was the winner in the bookmark drawing contest at Liberty Park Middle School. Photo special to the Journal
• Wood window restoration and repair • Sash replacement, rot repair • Replace broken and fogged glass • Wood insulated, putty glazed, and composite vinyl replacement sashes • Locally owned and operated
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Shades Mountain Christian School donated proceeds from its Sole to Soul 5K to the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders. From left: Kim Kugler, Mindy Barber, Danette Samford, Cheryl Bailey, Sharon Liko and Joel Smith. Photo special to the Journal
SMCS Donates Race Proceeds
Officials from Shades Mountain Christian School recently donated the proceeds of its first annual Sole to Soul 5K and Fun Run to help children with cancer and blood disorders. In March, the school presented 100 percent of the October event’s proceeds--$3,000--to Sharon Likos, community development director at the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders. The center is a partnership between Children’s Hospital of Alabama
and the UAB Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Kim Kugler was the race’s marketing and publicity chairman, and Mindy Barber, thirdgrade teacher, was race chairman. Danette Samford was the first aid and refreshments chairman. Cheryl Bailey of Children’s of Alabama was the accounting and registration chairman for the event. Joel Smith was the SMCS school board representative at the donation presentation. ❖
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