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Fell Charter School celebrated its 10th anniversary on Friday, Sept. 16, with an afternoon ceremony.
“This is a great day to celebrate!” stated Ed Skorupa, charter school board member and one of the school’s founders.
The event, which included the student body, faculty, administrators, Mosaica Education officials, and local dignitaries, was held in the courtyard of the school’s new location, the former Sacred Heart Elementary School on Farview St. in Carbondale’s West Side neighborhood.
The school moved into the former Sacred Heart Elementary School building when classes started a few weeks ago. For the past 10 years, the charter school was located in Fell Township, and classes were taught in trailers designed for that purpose. St. Basil’s Hall in the same location was used as an auditorium, gym, cafeteria and office space.
Fell Charter was in the planning stages for the construction of a new school building when it was announced that Sacred Heart would be closing. Charter school officials negotiated with Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, and an agreement was reached for the charter school to lease the Sacred Heart building.
The ceremony led off with the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Principal Miss Mary Jo Walsh offered opening remarks and served as mistress of ceremonies.
“The founders of our school imagined we’d be standing here celebrating 10 years later,” she said. “They imagined a school where every child can succeed, no matter what, and that is how we begin each day here. In those imaginings, we have succeeded.”
Miss Walsh outlined the goals of the school, and described its curriculum based on encouraging students to ‘try new ways of learning,’ with an emphasis on respect.
Several times during the program, Miss Walsh asked the students to ‘give me five.’ In response, each student would hold a fist in the air, and then raised each finger separately in rhythm to the letters P-R-I-D-E, and shout in unison, “PRIDE!”
Several faculty members, students and officials spoke during the program. Students also opened a “time capsule,” a container that was filled with items related to the school and designated to be revealed on the school’s 10th anniversary. Each faculty member was introduced, and two were noted as having been with the school since its inception — Mrs. Susan Gravine and Ms. Donna Melvin.
The ceremony also included a ribbon cutting for the school’s new facility, the release of balloons and bubbles, and a cake-and-punch reception in the school.
Miss Walsh concluded the program by stating, “The 10th anniversary is traditionally known as the Diamond Anniversary...and we all know that diamonds last forever...and so will Fell Charter School!”
Fell Charter School celebrated its 10th anniversary on Friday, Sept. 16, with an afternoon ceremony.
“This is a great day to celebrate!” stated Ed Skorupa, charter school board member and one of the school’s founders.
The event, which included the student body, faculty, administrators, Mosaica Education officials, and local dignitaries, was held in the courtyard of the school’s new location, the former Sacred Heart Elementary School on Farview St. in Carbondale’s West Side neighborhood.
The school moved into the former Sacred Heart Elementary School building when classes started a few weeks ago. For the past 10 years, the charter school was located in Fell Township, and classes were taught in trailers designed for that purpose. St. Basil’s Hall in the same location was used as an auditorium, gym, cafeteria and office space.
Fell Charter was in the planning stages for the construction of a new school building when it was announced that Sacred Heart would be closing. Charter school officials negotiated with Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, and an agreement was reached for the charter school to lease the Sacred Heart building.
The ceremony led off with the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Principal Miss Mary Jo Walsh offered opening remarks and served as mistress of ceremonies.
“The founders of our school imagined we’d be standing here celebrating 10 years later,” she said. “They imagined a school where every child can succeed, no matter what, and that is how we begin each day here. In those imaginings, we have succeeded.”
Miss Walsh outlined the goals of the school, and described its curriculum based on encouraging students to ‘try new ways of learning,’ with an emphasis on respect.
Several times during the program, Miss Walsh asked the students to ‘give me five.’ In response, each student would hold a fist in the air, and then raised each finger separately in rhythm to the letters P-R-I-D-E, and shout in unison, “PRIDE!”
Several faculty members, students and officials spoke during the program. Students also opened a “time capsule,” a container that was filled with items related to the school and designated to be revealed on the school’s 10th anniversary. Each faculty member was introduced, and two were noted as having been with the school since its inception — Mrs. Susan Gravine and Ms. Donna Melvin.
The ceremony also included a ribbon cutting for the school’s new facility, the release of balloons and bubbles, and a cake-and-punch reception in the school.
Miss Walsh concluded the program by stating, “The 10th anniversary is traditionally known as the Diamond Anniversary...and we all know that diamonds last forever...and so will Fell Charter School!”
