Brothers Teaching Order invited to provide leadership for diocesan school in Jamaica
4/25/13 – Eatontown, NJ – In the Spirit of John Baptist de La Salle’s openness to the “successive calls” of Providence throughout the course of his life, and in fidelity to our call to “give a human and a Christian education to the young, especially the poor”, the District of Eastern North America (DENA) of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is happy to announce the beginning of a new ministry and Lasallian community, effective on August 1, 2013.
Responding to the invitation of Bishop Neil Tiedemann, CP, Bishop of the Mandeville Diocese of Jamaica, West Indies, the District has agreed to provide the leadership for St. Vincent Strambi School, which is located on the south central side of the island in the town of Bull Savannah. The school had a modest beginning as a trade and agricultural school, but reopened as an academic school in 1994.
Named for a Passionist saint, St. Vincent Strambi School currently serves 175 students from Grades 7-13. The only diocesan high school in the Mandeville Diocese, St. Vincent’s is a college preparatory school that also provides skills-training in Grades 12 and 13. Located in a rural farming area, the average family income in the region is $2,000 per year.
Brother Augustine Nicoletti, FSC, D.Min, Ed.D, currently in his ninth year at Manhattan College and presently the Chair of the Education Department, will assume the role of Principal at St. Vincent’s. “Brother Gus”, who has been an administrator on both the secondary and collegiate levels, brings his background in teaching, counseling, spirituality and administration to his new position (pictured left).
Joining Brother Gus in the pioneer Lasallian community is Brother James Wallace, FSC, Ed.D, a veteran missionary, currently in his tenth year of service at Manhattan College, including the past three years as Vice President for Mission. In addition to the two Brothers, two lay Lasallians are in the process of being identified to complete the community and to serve in the school as teachers and as moderators of extracurricular programs (pictured right).
The community of four will live on the campus of the school, in a house that can actually accommodate nine people, thus allowing for guests or volunteers to come for short periods of immersion.
St. Vincent Strambi continues to be a diocesan school, relying on Jamaican teachers, who are eager for the leadership that DENA will provide. We are grateful for their support as well as that of the Bishop, the Passionist Congregation, and the Diocese. The initial commitment is for two years.
Please join us in offering thanks for the continued action of the Spirit in the life of our District, the generous response of our new ministry and community members, and for the service of Mr. Alan Weyland and Brother Dennis Lee in partnering with Bishop Tiedemann in making this a reality.