New programs spark pupil interest at St. Aloysius BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer JACKSON - Pupils at the St. Aloysius School, Bennetts Mills Road, consider themselves to be blessed with new materials and programs for the 2007-08 school year. "The Reading First Grant received by the Jackson School District has enabled the St. Aloysius School to purchase many supplemental materials for the teachers to use in their classrooms during this school year and has provided the opportunity for the teachers to attend many literacy based professional development conferences," said public relations coordinator Olive Taylor. Allison Erwin, a spokeswoman for the Jackson School District, said the Reading First Grant that was provided to the public school district also allowed the St. Aloysius teachers to attend workshops and purchase supplemental materials. "This year a large number of books were purchased for the school library. We have also been able to provide a great program for kindergarten pupils called 'The Land of the Letter People,' which helps the children learn through the use of puppet characters," Taylor said. The St. Aloysius School educates 383 pupil in kindergarten through eighth grade. A first-grade program called "Sing, Spell and Write" has also been beneficial to the pupils, Taylor said. Over the past two years the school has implemented the Destination Reading Program, which is a computer-based program in which children receive additional instruction in a computer lab. The program helps to improve reading and language skills. Last year school administrators implemented the 100 Book Challenge for kindergarten through third-grade pupils, Taylor said. "The Reading First Grant has been a tremendous aid in bringing a wide range of literature and programs to our school to help our children grow in the love of reading," she added. Students at St. Aloysius will continue their tradition of participating in scholastic competitions. The students will travel to Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, Monsignor Donovan High School, Toms River, and St. Rose High School, Belmar, to take part in competitions in art, English, spelling, math, history, science and computers. "Our students will compete against private and parochial schools from around the state," Taylor said. "In the past they have attained medals and this year they are working hard to bring home the gold." Taylor said the St. Aloysius fine arts program will be comprehensive this year and will include the study of visual arts, music and creative arts. Visual arts is offered to pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade, while music is offered to children in kindergarten through fifth grade, and a creative arts program, which includes the study of music drama and movement, is being offered to students in grades six through eight. "In addition to our fine arts program, students are offered educational assemblies in theater, music, science, integrated language art and dance throughout the year," Taylor said. "Thanks to the hard work of our PTA and a local fine arts grant from Target, the first assembly scheduled for this year will be 'China Patterns,' which will take place on Oct. 18." Taylor explained that "China Patterns" will be performed in traditional Chinese costumes. The program introduces students to Chinese culture through language lessons, historical background, demonstrations and audience interaction. The dances and narration illustrate and explain traits, customs and patterns of Chinese life. Students are given the tools to interpret the dance movements as expressions of what people do, see and feel. "A new social justice group has been formed with group members already hard at work arranging a National Hat Day on Oct. 19 to benefit Heavenly Hats, an organization run by 16-year-old Anthony D. Leanna, Taylor said. The program distributes hats to cancer patients and other medical patients who have lost their hair due to a disease or from the treatment of a disease. St. Aloysius will partner with The Orchards, an assisted living center, to start a service technology group. The program will allow students to help older members of the community learn how to use computers. Taylor said residents of The Orchards will visit St. Aloysius and work alongside seventh- and eighth-grade students in the technology lab. "Students in the fourth grade will sponsor their annual food drive to benefit the Mercy Center Food Pantry in Asbury Park," said Taylor. "They will also make blankets for Project Linus." The blankets that are made will be distributed to sick and needy children at hospitals and women's shelters. Taylor thanked the members of the Fathers' Club for their time and talents and the generosity of Lisa Whalen and the Altar Rosary Society for a new playground that is expected to be constructed on Nov. 3. She said the children are excited to have all of the new materials and programs.