By Joanne Ward
“Holy Savior Academy, where academic excellence and Christ’s presence come together.” The vision of the pastors of the Middlebrook Deanery is becoming a reality. The deanery school they introduced in October has a name, an acting principal, a steering committee, and open houses scheduled during Catholic Schools Week.
The deanery school is being formed from: Holy Family Academy, Bound Brook, Our Lady of Mount Virgin School, Middlesex, Our Lady of Fatima School, Piscataway, and Sacred Heart School, South Plainfield.
The name for the new school – Holy Savior Academy — came to Father John Alvarado during prayer. Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Father Alvarado said, “It is Jesus Christ, our Holy Savior who guides us, who heals and unites us, who calls us from darkness into light, who saves us. This is the One to whom we have prayed for help and direction, wisdom and patience. This is the One whose name we now hold up as the answer to that prayer.”
Father Alvarado suggested Holy Savior Academy to the other Middlebrook Deanery pastors and after discussion and prayer, the school they had envisioned had a name.
Mission Statement
Comprised of 12 individuals from parishes in the deanery as well as four diocesan administrators, Holy Savior’s steering committee began meeting in November to address the many issues surrounding the establishment of a new school. Their first task was to create a mission statement for the school. They decided it would be: Holy Savior Academy, where academic excellence and Christ’s presence come together.
Early on, the steering committee also decided to appoint an acting principal. “There are so many decisions that need to be made in a timely manner it made sense to have someone in charge of the process to guarantee a smooth transition in the fall,” explained Ellen Ayoub, superintendent, diocesan Office of Schools and member of the steering committee.
Ayoub added that a search committee is in the process of finding a principal for Holy Savior Academy. The committee includes a member of the steering committee, a member of the Diocesan Catholic Schools Commission, educators and a parent. They will begin interviewing candidates for the position starting next week.
Steering Committee
While the task of finding a principal progresses, each steering committee member is heading one of the subcommittees that were established.
Members of the academic and technology subcommittees began addressing issues that range from interactive technology to distance learning classes. The Catholic identity subcommittee has focused on how to integrate the charisms of the four schools upon which Holy Savior is being formed. And the curriculum subcommittee developed recommendations that will be enacted when a permanent principal is selected.
In the finance subcommittee, work is continuing on determining a budget and tuition for the new academy. A new logo for Holy Savior was developed by members of the marketing subcommittee, who also designed and launched a website.
The members of the subcommittee on uniforms recently completed its work making recommendations the steering committee accepted. Photos of the new uniform will be posted on the academy’s website.
Open Houses
Parents and students will be able to meet the members of the steering committee and tour the facility that will become Holy Savior Academy during Catholic Schools Week when two open houses are scheduled. The first will be on Sunday, Jan. 30 from 2 to 5 p.m. and the second on Thursday, Feb. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
In inviting parents and students to the open houses, the steering committee wrote, “Something unique, exciting, inspirational and profound will happen when the Holy Savior Academy opens its doors in September 2011….It will offer augmented extra-curricular programs, advanced computer & science labs and bolstered language programs.”
Holy Savior Academy will be located in the facility that now houses Sacred Heart School, South Plainfield. It was chosen by the Deanery pastors as the site for the new school since it was the only facility able to accommodate up to 500 students.
“The school has 16 classrooms for grades 1 through 8. Additionally there are science and computer labs, a gymnasium, and separate rooms for pre-K and kindergarten classes. There are also two modules on site, one housing a library and other the Middlesex County Commission for Educational Services,” Ayoub said.
She added that in the past several years $600,000 has been spent by Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish on the facility. “The building was equipped with wireless internet, an electronic library system, laptop computers, books, programs and other items. Renovations, including new floors in all classrooms were also completed,” Ayoub said.
Acting Principal
Serving as acting principal for Holy Savior is Donna Kanowitz. She has been associated with education in the Diocese for 25 years as a teacher, principal and administrator. As assistant superintendent in the diocesan Department of Education, Kanowitz supervises 18 schools in the diocese.
“Holy Savior Academy will focus on educating students for the 21st century grounded in our Catholic faith. The culture of the school is to prepare our students through a curriculum that is interdisciplinary, integrated, and project-based. Understanding the way that children learn is critical to planning for the technology that will be incorporated into all subject areas,” she said.
Kanowitz said that as acting principal she has begun to interface with state officials to obtain allocations for text books and nursing services for the new academy. On the local level she is working with the Middlesex and Somerset Commissions for Educational Services to ensure services provided by them are not interrupted for students who transfer to Holy Savior Academy.
Unique Governance
Governance at Holy Savior Academy, Ayoub said, will be unique in the Diocese of Metuchen.
Currently, parish schools are served by School Advisory Councils, which provide advice to the pastor and principal of the school. Final decisions on issues rest with the pastor.
“The academy will be governed by a Board of Limited Jurisdiction composed of 10 to 15 laypeople appointed by the Bishop. Unlike other Catholic schools in the diocese, the board and not a pastor will have decision making authority,” she explained.
The Board of Limited Jurisdiction will include one pastor who will represent the 12 pastors of the deanery.
“Members for the board will be selected for their expertise in finance, strategic planning, marketing/public relations, advancement, hiring and evaluation of the principal. “These are the areas for which the board will be responsible for creating policy,” Ayoub said.
Board members will serve a three-year term and can be reappointed for a second three-year term.
The day-to-day operation of Holy Savior Academy will be under the supervision of the principal who will be responsible for curriculum, staffing, instructional supervision and athletics.
Website Launched
At Holy Savior Academy’s website: www.HolySaviorAcademy.com prospective students and their parents will find a wealth of information including 40 photos showing various rooms in the school. The website’s FAQs invites individuals to ask questions which are then answered and included in the section. So far 45 questions have been posted.
The phone number for Holy Savior Academy is (908) 822-5891and for now it will be answered by Kanowitz. E-mails to the new school will also be directed to Kanowitz at [email protected].

