St. Joseph the Worker School, Orefield

St. Joseph the Worker School, Orefield
SCHOOL
well as teacher. In 2008 she was
SNAPSHOT asasked
to be the principal of St. JoBackground/history: St. Joseph
the Worker School, Orefield was built
in 1997 as a center for learning committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ
and his church. It provides Catholic
educational opportunities designed to
promote, build, strengthen and unify
the faith community.
The school strives to nurture the
growth of each student’s relationship
with God and with the community
through prayer, liturgy and service.
The goal of St. Joseph the Worker
School is to extend Catholic values
initiated in the home.
The school is staffed by 18 teachers who implement a curriculum that
enhances opportunities for spiritual,
academic, artistic, musical, technological and physical development.
The student enrollment is 385. The
student-teacher ratio is 20:1.
Mission: St. Joseph the Worker
School provides a quality Catholic
education for children in early education through eighth grade. Giving every child indispensible tools to grow
and succeed, it develops a child’s faith,
academics, values and service to others.
The students, faculty and administration are committed to promoting an
environment that is positive, supportive and Christ-like, while fostering a
relationship of mutual respect with the
community.
Principal and teacher biographies: Principal Jody Myers received
her degree in psychology with a teaching certification from Cedar Crest
College, Allentown. She also holds a
degree in special education from
Marywood University, Scranton and
principal certification from Cabrini
College, Radnor.
Myers began her career as a kindergarten teacher in 1986. For nine
years she was the assistant to the principal of the former Cathedral of St.
Catherine of Siena School, Allentown,
seph the Worker School. She enjoys
making a difference in the lives of all
of her students.
Teacher Lynne Snyder graduated
from Lehigh University, Bethlehem
with a bachelor of arts degree in English and a minor in classical languages. She worked for 12 years in
corporate settings before becoming a
substitute teacher at Cathedral School
for several years. Snyder taught seventh and eighth grade literature and
language arts while obtaining her
teacher certification from DeSales
University, Center Valley. She also
taught literature and religion at Seton
Academy, Bethlehem.
Snyder has served as a moderator
for speech and is the moderator for
the literary magazine. She completed
the Bearing Witness program cosponsored by the Archdiocese of
Philadelphia and the Anti-Defamation
League, and uses the experiences and
resources she gained in a literaturebased study of the Holocaust with her
seventh and eighth grade students.
Special programs/technology/
extra-curricular activities: St. Joseph the Worker School employs
methods, tools and technology that are
reasonable and appropriate to each
child’s age and development. The
Spanish program from kindergarten
through grade 8 creates cultural
awareness and exposes students to
beginning Spanish-language skills. The
school has a fully equipped computer
lab and computers in every classroom.
The school features a full-sized gymnasium, art room equipped for children to explore all forms of mediums,
and a music room that fosters instrumental and vocal talent. Extra-curricular activities include academic bowl,
band and choir, broadcast media studio, declamation, history day, middle
school bake off, MathCounts, and
Math League. Students can also participate in a variety of athletics operated by the parish.
Pre-K and kindergarten pro-
Next issue: August 2
Advertising deadline: July 23
News deadline: July 26
The students, faculty and administration are committed
to promoting an environment that is positive, supportive
and Christ-like, while fostering a relationship of mutual
respect with the community.
grams: St. Joseph the Worker School
serves students in preschool (ages 3,
4, and 5) and offers full-day kindergarten.
Extended care: The school offers
an extended day program for students
enrolled in the school’s academic program. The program has three components: Before Care, 7 to 8 a.m.;
Extended Care, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and
Aftercare, 3 to 6 p.m.
Academic achievements and
awards: First in Math National
Champions 2009, second place First
in Math 2008. Middle States accredited.
Catholic high schools students
attended: Allentown Central Catholic High School.
Financial aid availability and
transfer grants: Scholarships available through the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation, the Angel Fund and the school’s Helping
Hands Program. The school participates in the Bishop’s Commission for
Catholic Schools Transfer Grant Program, in which students transferring
into grades 2-7 from a public or private school can receive a $1,500
grant.
School contact information:
1858 Applewood Drive, Orefield, PA
18069,
610-395-7221,
www.stjw.org/school/, e-mail
stjw@ptd.net.
Social media: The school’s
Facebook page is “St. Joseph the
Worker School.”
School tours: To schedule a tour,
contact Lisa Geosits, director of
school advancement, 610-395-7221
and press 6, e-mail lgeosits@stjw.org.