St. Bernadette's spirit thrives in her namesake school

For 50 years this Beverly community school has woven itself into the fabric of the neighbourhood

- WCR photo by Ramon Gonzalez Bubbles, 50,000 bubbles went dancing into the air as St. Bernadette students Priscila Zeuch, left, Rena Castro, Rebecca Holmes, and Chance Hopkins did their part to mark their school's 50th anniversary.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Fifty years after it was built in the Beverly area, St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School is still a place where God is honoured, where Christian values are taught and where love is felt.

"This school is still a warm and caring place where the kids love to be and love to learn," says assistant principal and Grade 6 teacher Mona Dombroski.

Students seem to agree. "This is really a good place to be; a place where we come to learn, but also to have fun," says Grade 6 student Rena Castro.

A cool school

"This school is really cool," added Priscila Zeuch, also Grade 6. "Teachers are nice and helpful and activities are fun."

St. Bernadette School, named after the peasant girl of Lourdes who had several encounters with the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1858, marked its 50th anniversary April 9 with a morning celebration that saw its 158 students release 50,000 bubbles into the air in the school's courtyard.

The bubbles represent 50 years of learning and the school's dreams and aspirations for the next 50 years.

Close to 250 people, including students, parents, district officials, as well as present and past staff, attended the afternoon ceremonies in the gym.

Father Patrick Baska of St. Alphonsus Parish led religious services during the celebration.

"We are celebrating 50 years of learning," declared principal Melanie Mazurek, who stressed St. Bernadette is built on pillars such as spirituality, humanness, sacramentality, justice and tradition. "All of these values truly have been the core to this school."

She described the connection between students, parents and staff as unique and said everyone who enters St. Bernadette's feel a sense of belonging. "There is a true sense of hospitality and warmth at our school. Because it's a small school, we are like a close-knit family."

Visionary and messenger

Mazurek said the school at 11917-40 St. is much like its namesake.

"We are like St. Bernadette because St. Bernadette was a visionary and a messenger and we too envision for our students that they will use their God-given talents and pursue their goals and dreams very much like St. Bernadette did.

"And we are truly messengers of God, we are like his hands and feet, and that's reflected in our words and in our actions to one another."

Acclaimed for its hexagonal shape and individual heating in each of its 10 classrooms, the opening of St. Bernadette was greeted with excitement in the community. The board hoped to have the school ready for September 1956, but time was tight and classes did not begin until March 1957.

Bits and pieces

Built on a thrifty budget of $193,000 plus land costs, there wasn't enough money for adornments like a fancy metal sign. So when a contractor wanted $25 a letter to make the school sign in metal, long time Beverly resident Fred Nash came to the rescue.

Picking up plywood scraps from the construction site, Nash cut out the letters with a fretsaw, sawed a broom handle into one-inch lengths for mounting studs and crafted the school's sign, which adorned the front entrance for many years.

"St. Bernadette is all about community," said Dombroski. "This school has always encouraged community involvement."

In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s the school was the centre for a clothing depot, which accepted clean clothes and donated them to needy families.

Men's clothing was sent to the Marian Centre while the rest was kept at the school for distribution to the needy in the area.

Community centre

At that time there was no Catholic community centre in the area, so the school was used as one by many community groups, including the Catholic Women's League and the Busy Housewives Association.

There was also a daycare at St. Bernadette for many years.

Today, the school offers a daily snack program for its students, collects non-perishable items for school families that need help, does fundraising for the Edmonton Food Bank and raises money for cancer research through the Terry Fox Campaign.

"This is a small school with a big heart," quipped Mazurek.

But the school receives as much as it gives. Every winter the residents of the seniors' home close by knit all sorts of colourful and warm mitts and hats and scarves for the students.

For all its activity and community involvement St. Bernadette was on the verge of closing in 1990, when enrollment dipped to 84 students.

But things improved and the school was spared only to fall into the same situation two years ago when it was again slated for closure due to low enrollment.

Doors stay open

But Mazurek said she recently received assurances from the district that St. Bernadette will remain open.

"Things are improving," she said. "A lot of young families are moving into the area, so our numbers are going up."

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