Dear Friends of St. Rose School,
Each morning as we quiet our students to begin our morning assembly in prayer, we start with a call and response to bring us all to order. Our student council president proclaims "God Is Good" and the students respond, "All the Time". On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Tubbs Fire, all of us at St. Rose School are feeling particularly blessed. By the end of October, our entire school campus will be completely restored, not just to its pre-fire condition, but to a state that is better than before.
Every inch of our main building has received a facelift with new flooring, new casework, wall coverings, and paint. Classrooms have state of the art interactive white boards with laser projectors and high quality sound systems. The Kindergarten and Second Grade students began this new school year in classrooms that were totally rebuilt and sparkle with their newness.
Over the summer all classrooms were equipped with new HVAC systems that include air conditioning which we'd never had before. The covered eating area that was destroyed in the fire has been replaced with a paved shade structure that houses solar panels to help offset the cost of the AC. It is so beautiful that our students thought it needed a classier name, so we now call it The Eagle's Nest. The new playground equipment is very popular and soon the renovation of our blacktop will commence with extra basketball courts being added.
Perhaps best of all, in just a few weeks the rebuild of our preschool, which was only eight years old when we lost it, will be ready for our youngest students to move back in. We utilized the original architectural plan but were able to add upgrades such as more extensive storage and a metal roof with a generous overhang so children can play outside even in the rain.
Our school marked the first anniversary of the fire on October 9th with a Day of Gratitude. During our Mass we recalled all of the individuals and groups who supported us with prayers, good wishes, and monetary donations. We also prayed for all the people who are still struggling to rebuild their homes and lives. Jesus relies on all of us to show His love for the world and He depends on us to be His hands and feet. The generosity of spirit you offered to our school community during our darkest days has made that message abundantly clear to all of us at St. Rose. Thank you, again, for your kindness.
Sincerely,
Kathy Ryan, School Principal