The office of St. Barnabas School Principal Erin Faetanini was empty on April 19. She was working, but relocated to the roof for the day as part of a deal she made with the students.
In January, the school in Northfield had a socially distanced DanceFit Challenge event with students receiving pledges for the minutes they danced. They set a goal of $20,000 and Faetanini said if they met the goal, she would work one full day from the school rooftop.
The students not only achieved the goal, they surpassed it by raising $28,000. And that meant the principal had to fulfill her end of the bargain. So, off to the roof she went.
Her temporary office included a table serving as a desk, her laptop, a microphone and festive balloon displays. Students entering the building could see her as she greeted them while perched on the roof above the school entrance.
“As we are wrapping up this challenging and historical year with the pandemic, it is so refreshing to bring some fun to these much-deserving students,” Faetanini said. “They did an awesome job raising money for our school and we wanted to make this a fun day for them.” Fortunately, it didn’t rain and temperatures were mild.
Faetanini interacted with students from the rooftop. She made the morning announcements, greeted them at drop-off and connected with the students as they headed out for recess.
Money raised in the DanceFit Challenge will be used to enhance educational activities and experiences at St. Barnabas.
Students said they enjoyed the fundraiser. They participated in a weeklong character program where they learned about the importance of teamwork, care, courage, grit and celebration, while collecting pledges for the minutes they danced. It all led up to the DanceFit Challenge which was 35 minutes of upbeat “Just Dance” dance moves. All students, both in person and virtual learners, were able to participate in the Jan. 28 event.
St. Barnabas is a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence with grades K-8.
Classes have been conducted in person – with a virtual option – since last fall. School officials said as of last week, all students were attending class in person.
Getting the students back in the classrooms, where they thrive not only academically but socially and emotionally, was top priority for Faetanini. Guided by a COVID-19 Reopening Committee
composed of staff, medical professionals and parents, the school created a reopening plan that allowed students and teachers to safely return to the classroom or choose a virtual at-home learning option. St. Barnabas virtual learners received real-time, livestreamed instruction all year and were a part of their classes.
Faetanini said St. Barnabas had few COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the school year. All cases were contact traced and confirmed as community spread originating outside the school.
Last summer, when St. Barnabas announced that full-time, in-person instruction would resume in September, the school offered a tuition discount for new families. By the time school started, most of the classrooms had waitlists – something they hadn’t experienced since the 1990s. St. Barnabas became one of the top new enrollment schools in the Cleveland Diocese this past year.
For more information about St. Barnabas School, click here, email admissions@barnabasohio.org or call 330-467-7921.