Greetings From the Principal
Welcome to St. Bernadette School
Principal EwanciwThank you for stopping by to check out the “Buzz.” For the past 74 years, starting with the first day of school under the guidance of the sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis on September 8, 1947, St. Bernadette School has nurtured a robust Catholic identity and instilled traditions that foster the complete growth of each child.
On behalf of pastor Monsignor Smith and our faculty and staff, I invite you to visit our school during one of our Open House events, or to call the admissions office for an appointment. St. Bernadette School is dedicated to building a strong academic foundation for life-long learning. Woven into our school days are activities and prayer designed to foster a love of God and a passion for service.
As we head toward our 75th anniversary, we reflect on the many blessings of our community: Foremost are our students and their families that embody this enthusiasm for education and love of life. We witness their joy daily throughout our campus, from the bright classrooms to the spacious fields and playgrounds to the sacred majesty of St. Bernadette Church and the spiritual calm of our school chapel.
We are a diverse community of learners and educators committed to meeting the challenges before us and achieving excellence through faith-based education, and we hope that you will see the evidence of Christ’s light in our students and community. There is a rich heritage that permeates throughout the school and church and into the nearby Silver Spring neighborhoods and beyond that we are happy to share with you, so please explore our web site, come visit our school and see why St. Bernadette School is buzzing! We look forward to meeting you.
Wishing God’s Blessings to All,
Theodore Ewanciw, Principal
Mission
St. Bernadette, a parish school founded in 1947, is committed to the formation of a mature Catholic faith and academic excellence for all students. As life-long learners, the St. Bernadette community attains its full potential by exercising moral strength to live as faithful stewards.
Guiding Principles
- We believe our Christ-centered community strives for a deeper understanding and practice of the Catholic faith.
- We believe every member of our community is respected and encouraged to participate fully in the life of our school.
- We believe in serving others.
- We believe prayer is an integral part of our daily lives.
- We believe our Catholic school provides a secure and positive atmosphere where learning is cultivated.
- We believe our students are capable of excellence and are nurtured to develop their full academic potential.
- We are a dynamic and vibrant community because of the unique gifts and talents of our students, faculty, and parents.
History
The Silver Spring Post on September 21, 1946, carried an architect’s perspective of a proposed group of parish buildings, consisting of school, convent, church and rectory. It was estimated that the whole plant would cost two hundred thousand dollars. Just precisely when construction began on the school and convent is not clearly revealed in the existing records.
The parishioners supported the construction of the parish buildings from the inception of the enterprise. This is evidenced by an apology being made from the pulpit on Sunday, October 5, 1946, for not providing enough collection envelopes. On Sunday, September 7, 1947, the parishioners of St. Bernadette Church were invited to inspect the new school. The next day, St. Bernadette School opened its doors to receive 238 pupils. Four sisters from the Third Order of St. Francis at Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, began teaching students from kindergarten through the third grade. Grades were added each year with the first class of 47 students graduating from the eighth grade in June 1959. The first principal was Sister Mary Emma.
The student body of the school reflects the varied ethnic backgrounds of our community. The wealth of diversity enriches the lives of all our students. St. Bernadette students continue to excel academically; many students are awarded scholarships each year to Catholic high schools, and many students participate in various honors programs.
(Information taken from the 1983 Directory and History of St. Bernadette, and from the 50th Anniversary booklet printed in 1994.)
Awards
On October 31, 2003, Saint Bernadette School was awarded the 2003 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education. Previously, St. Bernadette was recognized in 2001 for its educational excellence with a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education.