Overbrook students excel on National Spanish Exam

Overbrook School seventh-grader Isa Aparicio, left, placed first in the state for the Level 1 bilingual division of the National Spanish Exam, while her classmate Genny Parkes placed ninth in the state for the Level 1 regular division. The National Spanish Examination is an online, standardized assessment tool given voluntarily by more than 3,000 teachers throughout the United States to measure proficiency and achievement of students who are studying Spanish as a second language, according to its Web site. Overbrook Spanish teacher Katherine Morrice gives the exam annually to seventh- and eighth-graders. The students begin studying Spanish in kindergarten. Other high achievers on the test include seventh-grader Dana Lee, who earned a Bronce award for her performance on the exam as well as eighth-graders Nicoletta Guglielmi, Maggie Page, Timothy Buls, and Caitlin Casey, who earned Premio de Excelencia, which is the equivalent of an honorable mention. Seventh-graders earning an honorable mention include Griffin Connolly, Jack Sheridan, Page Forrest, Alex Forrest, Claire Eckert and Kate Rolman.

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Christ the King School students recently held an impromptu fundraiser for the Room In the Inn program, setting up a lemonade stand in their neighborhood. The students, including second graders Catherine Bohren and Alexis Strobel, first grader Catherine Pyburn, with help from Alexis’ little brother Ben Strobel and Mary Catherine’s brother Mark, raised $50 for the program.

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St. Joseph hosts golf tournament

St. Joseph School in Madison recently hosted its annual Golf Classic at Through the Green Golf Course in Joelton. With the help of 140 players, more than 30 parent volunteers and many sponsors, the tournament earned more than $15,000 for the school. Pictured are, from left, parent Laura Craven, parent and tournament co-chair Jody Mainello, Principal Sister Mary John, O.P., parent Janice McCormack and parent Jacinta Adams.

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High Schools

Father Ryan extends PowerSchool service to elementary schools

Father Ryan High School has introduced the ’s introduction of the PowerSchool software to its technological system and is offering its benefits to diocesan elementary schools, according to Jim McIntyre, president.

PowerSchool’s web-based solutions provide K-12 administrators, teachers, students and parents with secure, up-to-the-minute information on student performance including grades, homework and attendance.

Since launching the program this spring, Father Ryan has reached out to diocesan schools to provide access to the Ryan server and its IT staff to make PowerSchool part of the elementary schools’ operations.  Each school sets up its own license, but by using the Ryan server and set-up they are able to use the remote, web-based component. The arrangement enables teachers to handle grade books and lesson planning from home or from any locale. At this point, St. Matthew, St. Ann and Holy Rosary are participating, and McIntyre expects more to come on board through the summer.

The software was made possible through an $82,000 grant the school received last fall.

Jeff Mesch, Father Ryan’s IT director, said the system currently can serve more than 3,000 students but could be expanded to handle 10,000.

“The benefits for teachers in simply being able to do their grade work and updating from their own homes have already proven valuable for our faculty,” Mesch said.

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St. Cecilia Academy names Sarah Camplese St. Cecilia Girl 2008

The title of St. Cecilia Girl is the highest honor St. Cecilia Academy confers on a student. By vote of the juniors and seniors, with faculty approval, a senior is chosen who best exemplifies the ideals of St. Cecilia Academy. Sarah Camplese was named the 2008 St. Cecilia Girl.

Sarah is an Overbrook School graduate who during her years at St. Cecilia distinguished herself especially as a leader in serving others. She has tutored refugees at Catholic Charities, traveled to Honduras on a summer mission trip, and served as a leader on the Nashville Search retreat team. For the past three years, she has sponsored a child in India with her own money. She was accepted to many colleges including Loyola of Chicago, Seton Hall, George Mason University, Saint Louis University, and the University of Rochester. She has chosen to attend Samford University in Birmingham where she wants to study Middle Eastern languages in pursuit of her dream to work with refugees from the Middle East.

Camplese, who is the daughter of Dennis and Laura Camplese, was also presented with a scholarship award from Jean Elcan. The scholarship is in honor of Elcan’s daughter Lisa who graduated from Saint Cecilia in 1973. Lisa died in 1993 and her family began a scholarship fund in her honor because of Lisa’s love and dedication to St. Cecilia.

Sarah Camplese was named St. Cecilia Girl 2008. She stands with her parents Dennis and Laura Camplese after St. Cecilia Academy’s Honors Evening.

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JPII student wins writing award Pope John Paul II High School junior Anna Robertson won the “Sewanee Book Award for Excellence in Writing” because of her excellent scholarship, including grade point average and test scores, demonstrated leadership in school and community, and demonstrated excellence in writing. She was awarded a copy of Henry David Thoreau’s book “Walden” from The University of the South. Each year, one junior from JPII is presented with this award.

JPII bassist to attend Governor’s School for Arts Pope John Paul II High School junior William Gilstrap, a bassist, has been accepted to the Governor’s School for the Arts to be held at Middle Tennessee State University this summer. More than 900 students applied for all of the Governor’s School programs this summer. In addition, William played well enough to be the principal bassist with the Tennessee All-State Orchestra that performed at the Tennessee Music Educators Association conference held in Nashville this past April.