Our Schools • St. Patrick School
Teachers stress community at Kaimuki parish

By Kapono Dowson
Advertiser Staff Writer

When Abe Correia reads aloud to his students, they shut his door so he doesn't disturb the other classes. Parents and students say he is animated and expressive, breathing life into every word.

St. Patrick teacher Abe Correia emphatically reads the book, "The Mouse at the Seashore" to students in the "Bridging the Gap" program. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

The program, begun in 1997, emphasizes relationships among parent, child and teacher to build a child's confidence and excitement, especially in reading. Considered a vital link in their children's success, parents are trained through workshops to help their children read. Teachers and parents work with the children to create success through relationships. Workshop topics include parenting skills, helping the student with homework, time management, goal setting, recognizing problems and finding solutions.

Jo-ann Machiguchi, mother of 7-year-old Lesley, said her son was shy and had trouble expressing himself. His reading and writing skills were not up to his potential last year. He read little and wrote only a few words for assignments.

Machiguchi went to parent workshops while Lesley went to Correia's class. Following the workshop material, Machiguchi worked with her son and his teacher. The third-grader now loves to read Harry Potter books and writes freely by the page. His grades also have improved.

"Correia kept expressing to us how our child is like a gem. He really believed in Lesley," Machiguchi said.

Janis Sanchez, mother of 8-year-old Victoria, said, "Vicky kept coming home with U's (unsatisfactory grade). I kept asking, what are we going to do?"

When she and her daughter became part of the program at the Catholic school, things changed immediately.

"It was like night and day. Suddenly the U's became E's (excellent grade)," Sanchez said. "We're just so glad they have this program."

• What are you most proud of? "What impressed me is (principal) Sister Rose's philosophy that we're all family. We're a small school where the kids will grow up to be brothers and sisters. It's not about competition. Everyone is unique, and we teach them to be better people," Sanchez said.

• Best-kept secret: "It's the PTA," Correia said. "We have a strong PTA that is well organized."

• Everybody at our school knows: Joe Scrofani, the computer teacher, and Sister Sarah Bernard Talite, kindergarten teacher.

"Everyone has Scrofani because everyone takes computers. And as for Sister Sarah, all the children grow up with her. She's also involved with everything ... you name it; she's there," Sanchez said.

• Our biggest challenge: "To be sure we practice peace and justice and are kind to each other," said school principal Sister Rose Miriam Schillinger. Schillinger said every year the school challenges its students with a goal. "Last year and this year's goal is to be peacemakers. Each month we have a special theme to help reach the goal such as humor, tolerance, respect. We also ask students at the end of the day, have I been a peacemaker today? How did I make peace?"

• What we need: "We need people to participate in our capital campaign with time, as well as money," Schillinger said.

The school has started a $12 million capital campaign for a resource center, which includes a library and computer lab, a pre-kindergarten learning center, and the renovation of St. Patrick Church and retired priest quarters.

• Special Events: Family Fun Day is a school-wide picnic with fun activities. It keeps people close, according to St. Patrick moms.

The school also raises money for charity.

"It's a way to show concern for our neighbor," Schillinger said. "And really without God, we wouldn't be doing any of this, and without Him many of the good things in our lives wouldn't be happening."

Last year, students raised $10,000 for Jumprope-for-Heart, $5,000 in a math-a-thon for St. Jude's Hospital Cancer Research for Children, and $10,000 in a jump-rope-a-thon for the school capital improvement fund.

St. Patrick School at a glance

Where: 1124 Seventh Ave.

Phone: 734-8979

Principal: Sister Rose Miriam Schillinger

School nickname: The Saints

School colors: Green and white

Enrollment: 540 students, grades K-8, co-ed, year-round

SATS: The school uses the Terra Nova tests. Student scores are usually equal to or higher than national averages.

History: The school is 71 years old. The Fathers of the Sacred Hearts opened the independent nonprofit elementary school in September 1930. Fire destroyed the school in January 1949. The present buildings were completed in September 1950. The school is administered and staffed by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, and also has many well-qualified and dedicated lay teachers.

Special features: Boys and girls sports program in volleyball, basketball and track have brought many awards to the school, Schillinger said.

Computers: One computer lab with 16 computers. All classrooms have two to three computers.