IMPORTANT NOTE: Ms. Nicole Garelick-Fresca, Principal and Mrs. Rita Azzopardi, Assistant Principal, will be available to conduct tours of the St. Teresa campus for St. Rita families on Tuesday, March 3rd from 9-11 am. Families may also tour the building on Tuesday, March 24th from 9-11 am and from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.
Additional tour dates have been scheduled for St. Rita families to tour the new campus. Evening tours are available on Thursday, March 12th from 7-8 pm and Thursday, March 19th from 7-8 pm.
For more information, visit: https://catholicschoolsny.org/st-teresa-st-rita-stream-academy
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Our goal has always been to secure the future of Catholic education on Staten Island. We have also seen a great need for a seamless educational experience from Pre-K 3 through 8th grade that will allow learners to experience a rigorous instructional program that challenges them in a STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Math) supported atmosphere that focuses heavily on community partnerships and project-based learning. In order to honor our mission, we have exciting news to share with our St. Rita Families!
His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan has approved the creation of a new school, to be known as
St. Teresa St. Rita STREAM Academy. Starting in the 2020-2021 academic year, St. Teresa will be expanding our current school population by welcoming the families from St. Rita School to become one new academy. Ms. Nicole Garelick-Fresca has been named the principal, and Mrs. Rita Azzopardi will be her assistant.
The unification of both school communities will allow us to enhance existing programs, increase community partnerships and expand our preschool program. The larger St. Teresa campus will allow both school communities to continue to grow and thrive.
It is appropriate and a blessing to name the new school after two incredible women for whom both our school communities pray. St. Teresa, known as "The Little Flower", has been a highly influential model of sanctity for Catholics and for others because of the simplicity and practicality of her approach to the spiritual life. Similarly, on the 100th anniversary of St. Rita’s canonization in 2000, Pope John Paul II noted her remarkable qualities as a Christian woman: "Rita interpreted well the 'feminine genius' by living it intensely in both physical and spiritual motherhood.”
We have included more information and guidance as well as other resources and upcoming events at https://catholicschoolsny.org/st-teresa-st-rita-stream-academy. Additionally, our regional Director of Enrollment, Diana Gatto, will be reaching out to individual families in the next week to answer any questions and provide updates on how the process will unfold. You can also reach Mrs. Gatto by phone at: (646) 995-9327 or by email at: [email protected]. You can also call our bilingual hotline at (646) 794-2885 between 9:00am and 5:00pm Monday-Friday.
Combining the school populations of St. Teresa School and St. Rita School will help to create an optimal long-term solution for maintaining a strong and vibrant Catholic school presence in Staten Island. We ask that you embrace all new families with open arms, as your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Zoilita M. Herrera Deacon James M. Cowan