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Sr. Ernestine Jeck, FDC High School Library and Learning Commons

St. Joseph Hill Academy Sr. Ernestine Jeck, FDC High School Library and Learning Commons
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
November 28, 2022
 
 
Thank you to the Benefactors who have supported the creation of a state-of-the-art, traditional yet modern, Library and Learning Commons. The St. Joseph Hill Academy Sister Ernestine Jeck, FDC High School Library and Learning Commons has become a bustling hub for learning that fosters community and collaboration, versatility, and comfort. Library and Learning Commons Benefactors have built your lasting legacy by investing in our students' futures!

As we envisioned this project, our goal was to transform the existing library into an innovative Library and Learning Commons that features useful areas for students to work in groups, to create an environment conducive to lifelong learning, and inspire students to become engaged, active scholars. The renovated space provides a hub for learning adn sharing where technology and innovation are paramount. We have designed a collaborative, comfortable, tech-friendly center supporting both a setting for socializing, as well as working quietly. 

It provides students with a sense of community while preparing them for both the academic challenges they will face at Hill and in their future education and careers. The support of our Library and Learning Commons Benefactors has enabled us to manifest our vision and for that we are very grateful. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement, allowing us to be the BEST we can BE.

rebeccaA Message from Ms. Rebecca Arciprete, St. Joseph Hill Academy High School Library Media Specialist
 
We celebrate the creation of a space that is a blend of the traditional and modern and more responsive to the student of today. As an alumna and Library Media Specialist, I am excited for all that can be accomplished here. In our Reading Room we have a space to borrow books, study, and research. Students come to the library for research preparation sessions, using our own online databases and those of the NYPL, to help them learn how to find and use sources for their papers and projects. This is highlighted in our new class this year, AP Seminar, which focuses on research and presentation skills and allows our students to get the experience they need in this area to be better prepared for the demands of college.
 

We also have versatile space for collaborative work. Club meetings have already made use of the SMART boards for presentations, and the iMac and standing table provide space to work for student clubs, activities, and projects. The additional outlets in the room are a great improvement from the past, when we had only a few and had to resort to numerous extension cords. Now students can plug in their laptops at the tables or chairs around the room, and even use the USB ports in the lamps to charge devices.

We anticipate using this greatly improved and versatile space to hold a variety of events, workshops, lectures, and receptions. We have had our college interviews and visits here, both over Zoom and in person. National Honor Society peer tutoring is held here after school. Our HELM Institute (Hill’s Educational Leadership in Medicine) has hosted guest speakers from Staten Island University Hospital and we look forward to additional guest speakers here in various areas, including the business, legal, and literary fields. We are also excited to host alumnae careers panels in this space. We see the new Library and Learning Commons as the ideal place to bring people together for these events at Hill.

I thank the Library and Learning Commons donors, the administration and leadership of St. Joseph Hill, the Daughters of Divine Charity, and all those involved in helping make this space a reality. We have brought our library into the future as a beautiful and relevant space for students and faculty to enjoy for many years to come.