www.thepaperofwabash.com LOCAL POSTAL
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
PATRON
Northfield’s girls golf team captured first place in the Wabash Invitational -- Page 13 August 18, 2021
Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WABASH, IN PERMIT NO. 233 Vol. 44, No. 23
Former St. Bernard student is school’s new principal By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com As a youngster, Abigail Stanley was a student at St. Bernard Elementary School. In July, after 15 years in public education, she was named principal at the school, replacing Theresa Carroll, who accepted a post in Fort Wayne. “I am very excited. This is my very first administrative position,” Stanley told The Paper of Wabash County. “I have been in the public school setting for the last 15 years, so making the jump from public to private, teacher to administrator has been daunting, to say the least, but it has been very rewarding already. “The staff here has been very welcoming and kind. All of the families of the students have been so welcoming and kind and patient as we’ve navigated this process.” Many of the aspects of the school that were in place while she was a student are still in place today, she noted. “We push strong values. We push strong morals,” Stanley said. “There is a very rigorous educational classroom environment. The kids are being challenged. “I love that we are focusing on developing the whole child. We want them to grow academically, but we also want them to grow spiritually as a person in their characters and their morals. I love being able to pray with the kids and pray over them, and talk about God in an open setting. You don’t get to do that in a public school.” Stanley notes that St. Bernard’s has a “very small ratio” of students and teachers. “Our classrooms hold a maximum of 12 students, so (the ratio) is 12 to 1,” she said. “Each classroom also has an instructional aide, so when a child isn’t getting the individual attention from the teacher, they are get-
Instructor Michelle Story helps a student program her laptop Bernard Elementary School. Photos by Joseph Slacian
FREE
at St.
St. Bernard principal Abigail Stanley watches as a youngster prepares to do an assignment. ting it from the instructional aide. So there’s a lot of help available.” The school has students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Kindergarten is a class on its own, while first and second, third and fourth and fifth and sixth are combined classes. “We would love to split (classes), especially primary grades,” she continued. “We’re hoping to do that with a higher enrollment count.” Each student at St. Bernard’s also has their own electronic device to assist in learning. “Our younger students have tablets,” Stanley said. “Our older students all have laptops that they use. They do stay here at school, but we have access to them throughout the day. We utilize them on our e-Learning days.” In addition to the regular classes, the school offers specialty classes, as well. “Our school offers Spanish three days a week,” Stanley said. “They do that for 30 minutes. We also have religious courses three days a week. They kids do get music; they get art; they get PE. We walk to the library, so they get that special time, also, at our local library. That’s all throughout the week.” Uniforms are required at the school, Stanley said, noting that the school has a uniform closet to help families out if needed. “If their child hits a growth spurt, or, times are tough and finding the funds for those uniforms is tough, we do have a well-stocked uniform closet that families can utilize,” she said. The school also is working on its presence on social media. It has a
Published Weekly, Read Daily
Continued on Page 11
FREE