Dear PJS Families,
In less than one month our red doors will open for the start of school. Now that summer is winding down, I sincerely hope that you can look back to it with fond memories.
This summer I paid a visit “across the pond” to our neighbors in the United Kingdom. I was particularly intrigued during my journey to the eastern shore of Scotland where I met with colleagues at one of UK’s leading Independent Schools, also a fellow IB World School. Founded in 1877, St. Leonard’s School is nestled nearby century old castles and cathedrals, and in an inspiring university town of St. Andrews, Fife. St. Leonard’s shared with me testimonials of how the community has been transformed by the IB program from nursery through high school, sending their graduate to prestigious universities across the globe. Despite our demographic and cultural differences, I was amazed to witness how we share many similarities. We are both situated in distinguished university towns, we are adjacent to large cities with a higher concentration of sister IB schools, and we share credence that how young people learn is becoming vitally important. This visit affirmed my belief that we must not merely prepare students to be academically successful, but to realize their potential for positive change in an unpredictable future. Keeping in mind that PJS is invested in giving students as the head of St. Leonard’s remarked, “deeper learning, wider options and richer minds,” I am delighted to share new developments for this upcoming year towards these goals.
Our schoolhouse will welcome you with new flooring, new technology and new faces. In addition to my previous faculty placement updates, I would like to share new additions to our staff since then.
Many of you have already met Jennie Bartell. Jennie is now our executive assistant, working at the front desk. She comes to us with a wealth of experience working in schools and is already finding her way beautifully at PJS. Debbie Molinelli will be our atelierista in Preschool through Grade 5, in the art studio in the afternoons and alongside the Preschool team in the mornings. Debbie has been in the field of education for almost 20 years, with certification in Montessori education. She began this summer designing curriculum steeped in the arts for our summer program. We look forward to Debbie sharing her passion for the arts with our community. Collaborating with Debbie from the Toddler suite atelier will be Allison Smith, who will also be the Director of our After School and Vacation programs. Allison has relocated to the Princeton area from Portland, Oregon, where she was a lead teacher and assistant director of a Reggio Inspired school. Chrissy Johnson will join the Toddler Suite as an assistant teacher. Chrissy is currently the Director at Recess Theatre is Robbinsville and is currently teaching in our summer program. She will be a terrific addition to the Early Childhood Program. Please join me welcoming Jennie, Debbie, Allison, and Chrissy to our community this coming year.
I hope to see you at our Meet & Greet on August 31st from 2-3pm.Until then…
Silvana
In less than one month our red doors will open for the start of school. Now that summer is winding down, I sincerely hope that you can look back to it with fond memories.
This summer I paid a visit “across the pond” to our neighbors in the United Kingdom. I was particularly intrigued during my journey to the eastern shore of Scotland where I met with colleagues at one of UK’s leading Independent Schools, also a fellow IB World School. Founded in 1877, St. Leonard’s School is nestled nearby century old castles and cathedrals, and in an inspiring university town of St. Andrews, Fife. St. Leonard’s shared with me testimonials of how the community has been transformed by the IB program from nursery through high school, sending their graduate to prestigious universities across the globe. Despite our demographic and cultural differences, I was amazed to witness how we share many similarities. We are both situated in distinguished university towns, we are adjacent to large cities with a higher concentration of sister IB schools, and we share credence that how young people learn is becoming vitally important. This visit affirmed my belief that we must not merely prepare students to be academically successful, but to realize their potential for positive change in an unpredictable future. Keeping in mind that PJS is invested in giving students as the head of St. Leonard’s remarked, “deeper learning, wider options and richer minds,” I am delighted to share new developments for this upcoming year towards these goals.
Our schoolhouse will welcome you with new flooring, new technology and new faces. In addition to my previous faculty placement updates, I would like to share new additions to our staff since then.
Many of you have already met Jennie Bartell. Jennie is now our executive assistant, working at the front desk. She comes to us with a wealth of experience working in schools and is already finding her way beautifully at PJS. Debbie Molinelli will be our atelierista in Preschool through Grade 5, in the art studio in the afternoons and alongside the Preschool team in the mornings. Debbie has been in the field of education for almost 20 years, with certification in Montessori education. She began this summer designing curriculum steeped in the arts for our summer program. We look forward to Debbie sharing her passion for the arts with our community. Collaborating with Debbie from the Toddler suite atelier will be Allison Smith, who will also be the Director of our After School and Vacation programs. Allison has relocated to the Princeton area from Portland, Oregon, where she was a lead teacher and assistant director of a Reggio Inspired school. Chrissy Johnson will join the Toddler Suite as an assistant teacher. Chrissy is currently the Director at Recess Theatre is Robbinsville and is currently teaching in our summer program. She will be a terrific addition to the Early Childhood Program. Please join me welcoming Jennie, Debbie, Allison, and Chrissy to our community this coming year.
I hope to see you at our Meet & Greet on August 31st from 2-3pm.Until then…
Silvana