Monroeville’s Divine Mercy Academy hits stride
In 2018, families with children attending the pair of Catholic elementary schools in Monroeville, St. Bernadette and North American Martyrs, learned of their impending merger.
Principal Nikole Laubham thinks the combination of the two, Divine Mercy Academy, is hitting its stride with the start of another school year.
“With any change, it’s going to get some kind of pushback and it’s going to take an adjustment period,” she said. “And covid didn’t help. It kind of gave us those extra couple of years of readjusting. But I can honestly say I see the positive finally coming to light in the regionalization and in our school, independently.”
Divine Mercy, housed in the former St. Bernadette School on Azalea Drive, is one of the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s East Regional elementary schools, along with Holy Family in Plum, Mary of Nazareth in White Oak, St. Therese of Lisieux in Munhall, and Sacred Heart and St. Bede School in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside and Point Breeze neighborhoods, respectively.
The regional principals meet frequently through the convenience of video platforms.
“We work very closely together,” Laubham said.
The Penn Hills native and current Harrison City resident previously taught at North American Martyrs and served as the school’s lead administrator for the two years prior to the merger. Afterward, she joined Divine Mercy Academy as a third- and fourth-grade teacher, before being named acting principal at the conclusion of the past school year.
“Our faculty and staff, they’re such a good team. They work together. They communicate well. And I really wanted to keep that momentum going,” she said.
Education at Divine Mercy starts with preschoolers.
“Starting them young and early, they just get an amazing benefit from the teachers and just being around one another,” Monica Rodrigues, who instructs 3-year-olds, said. “We have wonderful resources here, and great families and teachers.”
Teaching the older students, in seventh and eighth grades, are Loretta Marrone and Lisa Stough, who were instrumental in securing a grant to establish a school STREAM lab, providing learning opportunities in science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Outside the school building, behind what once was St. Bernadette’s convent, the teachers are establishing a garden, complete with a small greenhouse.
“They also have a patio area with a chalkboard and benches that convert to tables,” Laubham said. “It’s going to be a nice space.”
In addition, Marrone is developing an expanded art program, teaching a variety of techniques plus the history of influential artists.
As for the principal, she is working on re-establishing Divine Mercy’s library and media room, including the process of weeding out some of the older books from St. Bernadette and North American Martyrs, along with requisitioning new furniture and setting up separate areas for students of different ages.
“I think sometimes we forget how important libraries are and how important reading is,” she said. “I want to make sure that’s available for our kids, that they can get their hands on books, and good books.”
Her background as a language arts teacher piques her interest in the project.
“I’ve always loved reading. I’ve always loved books. I’ve always loved libraries and bookstores,” Laubham said. “So when this needed to be done, I just wanted to take it over and make it a welcoming space.”
As far as she’s concerned, the school in its entirety offers a welcoming environment:
“I really do see the positivity in our teachers, in our families and our students.”
For more information, visit dmapgh.org.
Related:
• Parents praise merger as chance for kids to complete Catholic education in Monroeville
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