Mission/Philosophy/Administration /Faculty//OLF
Advisory Board /School History/ Directions/ Diocese
of Bridgeport/Website Policies/Teacher Review Board
Welcome to Our Lady of Fatima School
website!
We are extremely proud of the quality of
education that Our Lady of Fatima School provides for its students as well as
the Catholic philosophy of life which constantly encourages the children to a
greater love and service to God and others. The goal of providing a truly
Christ-centered atmosphere for the religious and moral education of our
students is of equally high importance to our goal of academic excellence.
We hope that the information presented
in this website will acquaint you with the mission, philosophy and programs of
our school.
Please feel free to call me at
203-762-8100 if you are interested in finding out more about our school
Mission Statement
The mission of Our Lady of Fatima School
is to provide, in a creative atmosphere, a child-centered education of academic
excellence for our students from preschool through eighth grade. It is based on Catholic principles and
traditional Christian values supported by strong family commitment.
The community of Our Lady of Fatima
School believe that our fundamental purpose is to provide a truly Catholic
education for our students. Since education is a preparation for complete
being, the entire school community works together to foster the emotional,
moral, social, and physical development leading to knowledge and excellence. We
encourage our students to strive to reach their full potential, to prepare them
to function responsibly in a democratic society, and to lead a productive life.
Our philosophy is based on a code of
Christian conduct. To teach as Jesus did, we must develop in our students a
clear understanding of the teachings of Jesus and His church, a sense of
personal integrity, the love of thy neighbor that stems from civic involvement
and social action, and accountability to God as Father. By adhering to this
code, we strive as a community to teach our students individual responsibility
that gives witness to Christian beliefs and values.
Recognizing the unique characteristics
of the complete individual and the variations in patterns of growth,
motivation, and development, as well as the needs of a democratic society, our
school aims to provide teaching that inspires, challenges, informs, and
constantly searches for methods of improvement. We value a classroom climate
that recognizes academic excellence and encourages achievement.
Our Lady of Fatima is fully accredited
by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the state of
Connecticut, and the Diocese of Bridgeport.
Pastor
Rev.
Michael C. Palmer
Principal
Mr. Joseph Carmen
Secretary
Mrs. Linda Makowski
Office Secretary Ms.
Marie Tripodi
Preschool Mrs. Donna Kydes
Mrs. Catherine Sakamoto -
Aide
Kindergarten Mrs.
Kristen Stover
Grade
1
Ms. Kristen Mazzeo
Mrs.
Allyson McDowell — Aide
Grade
2
Mrs. Mimi Shea
Grade
3
Mrs. Patricia O’Shea
Grade
4
Mrs. Geri Galasso
Geometry-Grade 8
Grade
5 Mrs.
Mary Obermayer
Grade 6 Mr.
Louis Montalbano –
Social Studies: Grades 6, 7, & 8
Math:
Grade 6, Science: Grade 4
Grade 7 Mrs. Jane Ryan
Language Arts: Grades 6,
7, & 8
Grade 8 Mrs. Teresa Guerra
Math: Grades 7 &
8;
Science: Grades 6, 7 & 8
Religion Mrs. Kathleen Rooney
Religion: Grades 7 & 8;
Math: Grade 7
Library
Mrs. Susan Saxon
French Mrs. Tracy Sutka Grades 5—8
Spanish Mrs. Veronica Hernandez Grades 5—8
Phys
Ed. Mr.
Kevin Huber
Music Mrs. Barbara Speare - Grades
Mr.
Daniel Fox —Pre K - Grade 3
Computer Mrs. Rose Highland
Religion-Grade 6
Related
Services
Extended
Day Mrs. Marie Beltrami
Nurse
Mrs. Evanne Covino
Speech/Lang
Mrs. Debbie Fieber (Wilton)
Custodial
Mr. Evaristo Martinez
2007-2008
Christine Poppy, Chair
Peter Steiwer, Co-Chair
Robert
Baughman
James Colihan
Ralph DePanfilis
Dr. Jay Dobos
Dr. Charles Duffy
Mella Kernan
Phil Lauria
Frank McGowan
Harold Osgood
Ignacio Perez
Jodie Stanley
Our Lady of Fatima School,
designed by architect Robert Van Summern, a parishioner, opened its doors in
September 1962 to four classes, grades one to four. It was founded to serve the community of Wilton and the parish of
Our Lady of Fatima. During each
succeeding year a new grade was added and in June 1966 the first graduation
ceremony was conducted. A morning
Kindergarten was initiated in 1976 and a Pre-School was added in 1990. In 1989 the Diocese of Bridgeport organized
all elementary schools into regions. Our Lady of Fatima School now serves
children in three parishes - Our Lady of Fatima in Wilton, Sacred Heart in Georgetown
and St. Francis in Weston. The school is
also open to other students on a space available basis, thus we have students
from Norwalk, Fairfield, New Canaan, Bethel, New Milford, Ridgefield, Westport,
and even New York State.
The school is operated under the
guidelines and policies of the Diocese of Bridgeport. The Board of Education was established in 1989 and is comprised
of Lay Directors representing each supporting parish. The pastors of the three parishes oversee the Board. The initial faculty, consisting of four
teaching School Sisters of Notre Dame, has grown to include fourteen full-time
lay teachers, a lay principal, and seven part-time educational employees. The school has one full-time business
manager and a full-time secretary.
Supportive personnel, include a special education remedial specialist, a
speech clinician, and a nurse who are all provided by the town of Wilton for
Wilton students. A private tutor for
special needs is available on premises.
School buses are also provided for Wilton students. When the school first opened however, and
for many subsequent years, parents had to furnish the transportation. The school still has a large number of “car”
people.
The After School Program was added in
1991 for assistance to those parents who work and need child care beyond the school
day. It is staffed by a program
director and an assistant. Fees are
payable on a monthly basis or on a “drop in” basis. Supervision of and assistance with homework is available for the
after school children. The After School
Program is a valuable asset to the school community at Our Lady of Fatima.
For parents, the education of their
children is of primary importance. Our Lady of Fatima School offers its
students an education that is comparable to the excellent education available
at area public schools, but with a difference - an environment fostering the
teaching of our Catholic faith and our Catholic Christian values
system.
From the South- Take I-95 to exit 15-
Route 7 North (Norwalk/Danbury) . Follow Route 7 North for 6.6 miles.
Route 7 becomes CT-33/ Danbury Road. School is located at 225 Danbury
Road, on the left, across from the Wilton Historical Society.
From the North- Take Route 7 South via
exit number 3 from I84. Go 14.25 miles. School is located at 225 Danbury
Road, on the right, across from the Wilton Historical Society.
The Our Lady of Fatima website will
include, but not be limited by, the following:
a.
School
calendars
b.
Student
handbook, without personal information section
c.
Teacher
contact information, without personal information
d.
Event
information -schedules, times and dates– including after school events and
sports schedules
e.
Student and
school awards
f.
School
newsletters
g.
Student work
where permission has been given.
The Our Lady of Fatima Technology
Committee adopts the following guidelines for publishing their website to
protect students, families and staff:
2.
First and last names of
adults may be published only with the adult’s permission.
3.
No identifying
information will be published, such as personal phone numbers, emails or home
address of students. Identifying
information for adults may be published with the adult’s permission only.
4.
Student’s work will not
be published unless permission is granted by student and their parent.
5.
Photos of children will
be published only under the following conditions:
·
Groups
only, no individual pictures
·
With
Parent’s consent
·
Student
may revoke consent
·
No
individual names, only group names, such as “7th graders”
6. Photos of adults will be published only
with adult consent and names will not be shown with photos.
It is the intent of the Our Lady of
Fatima Technology Committee to conform to all Diocese of Bridgeport rules
regarding the use of Technology, including the Diocese of Bridgeport Acceptable
Use Policy. Permission for publishing
photos, student work, adult names and adult contact information may be granted
by filling out a Permission Form yearly.
This policy was adopted by the
Technology Committee of Our Lady of Fatima School in June, 2004.
Website
Permission Form
Email Registration Forms
The goal of the Teacher Review Board is
to meet cooperatively with parents to encourage positive behavior and school
success. The Teacher Review Board will consist of upper grade teachers
who will meet with parents and students to discuss any concerns in grades 6, 7
and 8. It is important to maintain communication between teachers,
parents and students in order to help the students have a challenging but
rewarding school experience. The meetings will be initiated by the
teachers with a form letter sent home to establish a date and time for a
conference.
Reasons for meeting with Teacher Review
Board might include strategies for a student for whom normal consequences have
not proved effective. Other reasons might include classroom behavioral
circumstances leading to poor classroom performance that do not fit listed
reasons for card-pulling or immediate detention.