August 25, 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to my final summer update! Beginning in September, I plan to return to my regular bi-weekly communications to keep you informed about everything happening at St. Bartholomew School. Please continue to check our website regularly and read school communications carefully so you don't miss important information.

If you have not already done so, I encourage you to read last week's letter regarding our arrival and dismissal procedures. Those procedures are designed to keep our students safe and help the first days of school run as smoothly as possible. Your partnership in following them is greatly appreciated.

This has been an incredibly busy summer at St. Bartholomew School, and I would like to begin by thanking Mrs. Tkacenko, Mrs. Ebert, Mrs. Csizmar, and Mrs. Tee for their countless hours of work preparing for the new school year. Behind the scenes, they have been organizing classrooms, assisting families, processing registrations, preparing student records, and helping ensure that everything is ready for our students and teachers to return.

This week, I'd like to introduce (or reintroduce!) the outstanding faculty and staff who make St. Bartholomew School such a special place. Collectively, our instructional staff brings more than 600 years of educational experience to our classrooms. Yes—you read that correctly...over 600 years! Our teachers hold degrees in education, sociology, psychology, mathematics, literature, music, special education, and many other fields, and many have earned advanced degrees. More importantly, they share a deep commitment to helping every child grow academically, socially, and spiritually.

Preschool

Our youngest learners will be welcomed by Mrs. Perdoni, Mrs. O'Connell, Mrs. Rodriguez, Mrs. Bonk, Miss Chuchoque, Mrs. Mazzamuto, and Mrs. Maglies.

Mrs. Perdoni and Mrs. O'Connell will teach PreK4 in the Preschool Building, while Mrs. Rodriguez and Mrs. Bonk will welcome another PreK4 class in Room 117. Miss Chuchoque, Mrs. Mazzamuto, and Mrs. Maglies will work with our PreK3 students.

We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Rodriguez, who joins us from a local preschool, and Miss Chuchoque, a recent graduate of the University of Alabama. Together, this caring The mission of St. Bartholomew School is to love, educate and inspire our children to live the teachings of Jesus Christ. team has prepared a nurturing program that will help our youngest students blossom during their first school experiences.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten students will be welcomed by familiar faces Ms. Cicero and Miss Giuliani, along with teaching assistants Mrs. Shun, Mrs. Strandberg, and Mrs. O'Connor. Their experience, enthusiasm, and dedication will help ensure a year filled with learning, laughter, and growth.

First Grade

Our first-grade team includes veteran teachers Mrs. Burns-Wilmott and Ms. Musso will be returning to first grade. They will be supported by teaching assistants Mrs. Napoli and Mrs. Csizmar. Together, they look forward to helping students strengthen their reading, writing, and foundational academic skills while fostering confidence and independence.

Second Grade

Second grade features the outstanding team of Mrs. Balestrieri and Mrs. Fornarelli, assisted by Mrs. Yuen. This is a very special year as students prepare to receive the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, while continuing to grow as readers, writers, and learners.

Third Grade

Third grade welcomes an exciting new team. Mrs. Maneri and Mrs. Bechay will once again be teaching together after many successful years partnering in Kindergarten. Their experience and collaborative spirit will help students become increasingly independent while mastering important new concepts such as multiplication.

Fourth Grade

Our fourth-grade students will be taught by Miss Bianchino and Miss Januse. They bring a variety of teaching experiences and have spent the summer collaborating to create an engaging and successful year for their students.

Fifth Grade

Veteran St. Bartholomew teachers Mrs. DePalma and Mrs. Egan continue to lead our fifth-grade classrooms. Together, they will guide students in strengthening their reading comprehension, grammar, writing, mathematics, and faith as they prepare for middle school.

Sixth Grade

Our sixth-grade team includes Mrs. Foley-LaRocca, who teaches Language Arts and Religion, Miss Carreon, who teaches Mathematics, and Mrs. Santoro, who teaches Science for all middle school students. Together, they will help students successfully transition into middle school with high expectations, academic rigor, and caring support.

Seventh Grade

Seventh-grade homerooms will be led by Miss Carreon and Mrs. Hojnowski. We are delighted to welcome Mrs. Hojnowski to our middle school faculty. She brings more than 30 years of educational experience and will teach sixth-grade Social Studies and seventh-grade Religion and Social Studies. Seventh-grade students will also learn Language Arts with Mrs. McInerney, while Mrs. Hart and Miss Carreon will co-teach Mathematics.

Eighth Grade

Our eighth-grade students will be guided by an exceptional team as they prepare for high school. Mrs. McInerney will teach Religion, Mrs. McCorry returns to teach Language Arts and Social Studies, and Mrs. Hart will teach Mathematics. Students throughout the middle school will also benefit from the support of teaching assistant Mrs. Tee.

Special Areas

Our special area teachers provide students with opportunities to explore new interests and talents.

• Mrs. Dudra – Physical Education
• Mrs. Peterson – Spanish (Kindergarten–Grade 4)
• Mrs. D'Esposito – Spanish (Grades 5–8)
• Mr. Goodstein – Technology (Kindergarten–Grade 7)
• Miss Carreon – Grade 8 Technology
• Mrs. Jaorawala – Art
• Mrs. Kinnucane – Music, Beginning & Advanced Band, Chorus, and Drama
• Mrs. Solinski – School Counselor and Life Skills (SEL)
• Mrs. Phillips – Library (PreK3–Grade 8)

Students requiring additional academic support will continue to receive services through ESCNJ. At this time, we anticipate welcoming Rachel Castor (IDEA), Lisa Wolkoff and Gia Riccobono (192/193 Services), and Nagasai Karee (Speech). Final schedules are still being completed.

Our administrative and support staff also play an essential role in the success of our school. Mrs. Tkacenko returns as Assistant Principal, while Mrs. Ebert continues as School Secretary/Office Manager. Miss Figueroa will continue serving in the school office during the day and co-directing our After School Care Program with Miss Victoria. Our aftercare team also includes Mrs. Shun, Miss Geneive, and our newest staff members, Miss Nyasia, Mr. Eric, and Miss Sophia. Mr. Giordano returns as our Director of Safety and Security, and we are pleased to welcome Nurse Debra Iammatteo to our Health Office. Mr. Collins returns to the position of technology support. We are also grateful for the spiritual leadership of Fr. Tom and Fr. Peter, who continue to guide our community in living our Catholic faith.

Finally, I would like to recognize Mrs. Soga, our Director of Facilities and Grounds, along with our custodians, Mr. Alberto, Ms. Norma, and Mr. Nicolas, whose hard work throughout the summer has ensured that our building is clean, safe, and beautiful. When you visit the school, you'll notice several improvements, including the newly refinished cafeteria floor and new flooring in one of our kindergarten classrooms and the counseling office. There is new lighting in the library and art room and the nursing office has had an update. Students and teachers will experience the new bell and public address system.

As the first day of school draws near, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible faculty, staff, students, and families who make St. Bartholomew School such a wonderful place to learn and grow. Thank you for entrusting us with your children. We are excited to begin another year of loving, educating, and inspiring them to live the teachings of Jesus Christ.

I look forward to seeing everyone very soon!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Theresa Craig, M.Ed.
Principal