The ninth grade had a fascinating trip to Cuba. Our itinerary started in Havana and involved travel to the Bay of Pigs, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and Santa Clara.

Did you know that Merce Cunningham taught at St. Bernard’s?  Ms. St. Germain, St. Bernard’s School archivist, found an excerpt from our school publication in 1939 that announced a new course taught by Mr. Mercier Cunningham. 

For the first time in many years, St. Bernard’s Great Skate took place in March!  Although the morning began with a snow storm, the evening of March 4 turned out to be perfect weather for our annual skating party.  

On a frosty February day, the fourth grade and some selected parents went to the Liberty Science Center.  The center is located in Jersey City and is an interactive museum where you learn science while having fun. 

Kindergarten students visited the United Nations on Monday, February 25, 2018.  Upon arrival, everyone gathered under the portraits of former United Nations Secretary-Generals and learned that the United Nations was founded in 1945 to prevent world war and keep peace among nations. 

Last week the ninth grade visited the Guggenheim with their art teacher Ms. Meigs.  They were lucky to enjoy a sunny day and walked from school to the museum.  They arrived just as the doors were opening and met their educational guide in the rotunda.

St. Bernard’s welcomed beloved author and illustrator, Roxie Munro on February 13, 2019.  Ms. Munro spoke with Junior School students about the non-fiction books she has written and illustrated for over thirty years. 

An important aspect of the St. B’s experience is the daily interaction between younger and older students.  While much of this happens naturally in a school shared by all school levels, there are also some structured activities that encourage collaborations between different age groups.  A favorite among many students is the buddy program.

In keeping with tradition, Old Boys, faculty, and former faculty come together to celebrate St. Bernard’s on the third Thursday in January at the annual Old Boys Dinner.  On January 17, Old Boys near and far came back to St. Bernard’s for the most anticipated Old Boys event of the year.

I glanced at the clock on the score board. The score was tied, and the bright red lights on the board glowed with the fearful number of five seconds. 

On January 30 third graders visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and enjoyed guided tours through the Egyptian collection.  The boys are currently learning about ancient Egyptian civilization and were delighted to see concrete examples of many things they have discussed in their classrooms.

St. B’s students were treated to a visit from illustrator and author George O’Connor on Friday, January 18. 

On Tuesday, January 8, boys in grades VI, VII, and VIII took the MATHCOUNTS exam.  While at first glance this appeared to be a typical standardized test, it was actually the first phase in a national math competition. 

In the final days before winter break, fifth graders finished up their unit on volcanoes with a science class period filled with volcanic eruptions. 

On the first Sunday of the year, January 6, Chapin and St. Bernard’s hosted a professional networking event at the New York Academy of Medicine.  Attendees filled the room for a panel discussion followed by one-on-one tabling with leaders in various career fields.

On December 18, 2018, the eighth grade took part in a St. Bernard’s tradition established in 1910 and performed a play written by William Shakespeare.