Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Rosemary Klein
Elementary School Art Teacher Mrs. Rosemary Klein's 35 Years of Service to St. Joseph Hill Academy
Mrs. Rosemary Klein has taught Art at St. Joseph Hill Academy’s Elementary School for over 35 years. Since 1986, Mrs. Klein has served as the resident artist, bringing the joy of art and igniting the talents of thousands of young children along the way. Generations of St. Joseph Hill Academy students have been taught by Mrs. Klein and all will attest to their fondness for their very special art teacher.
A gifted artist and devout Catholic, Mrs. Klein incorporates her deep faith in her instruction. Many of her lessons have an overarching religious theme and she is known to incorporate all Catholic holidays in her art lesson. Mrs. Klein is also credited with restoring two statues which are now prominently displayed in the school. The two statues, one of Jesus as an adolescent and another of the Blessed Mother, were in need of repairs. As she went through the repairs, Mrs. Klein shared her progress with her students. Ms. Klein also created an original painting of St. Joseph which is approximately 20 feet long and is currently showcased in the school’s hallway.
Grateful for Mrs. Klein’s unwavering dedication, Principal Lawrence Hansen shared, “I am increasingly amazed at the work she is doing with our students in all grades. She has even gone as far as to teach herself how to use the InFocus boards (which utilize touch screen displays) to access a color wheel so that she can digitally draw and paint as she models her lessons. Mrs. Klein cares for her mother who is 103 years old and comes to school happy and excited to share her love of art with her students.” These sentiments were seconded by Assistant Principal, Elizabeth Campbell, who said, “Mrs. Klein is both amazing and talented!”
A family of Hilltoppers, Mrs. Klein’s two daughters, Dr. Christina Klein and Dr. Diane Klein, are graduates of Hill High School. The sisters are accomplished dentists and the owners of Dynamic Dental on Staten Island. They reflected on how proud they are of their mom's career and mark on the lives on so many students:
"Her innate artistic talent combined with her unique creativity and sincere joy of teaching has made an impact on generations of students. She has always emphasized the importance of education, critical thinking, team work and using God-given gifts to enhance the lives of those around us. My sister and I are privileged to call Hill our Alma Mater because of the vision of a solid, well-rounded and faith driven education our mother intended for us. She has shown grace, balance and fortitude by integrating art and technology as the pandemic required a re-envisioning of the personal and complex nature of learning for the Hill community."
