When Sandy Miragliotta entered Holy Rosary School in Jersey City at age four and a half, she must have liked what she saw because she’s been in one Catholic school or another ever since. First as a student, then as a teacher and principal, Mrs. Miragliotta has had a lifelong relationship with Catholic schools, and it continues in her role of St. Michael’s School principal.

Her first impressions of St. Michael’s were very positive, particularly regarding the facilities, staff, and academics. “When I came here, I liked the look of the building, aesthetically speaking. The fact that there’s an auditorium, a cafeteria, and a gym — there’s a lot of space here.”

At that time she also had a chance to meet Miss Augustine, who, she said, “showed me how things are run,” and Mrs. Kiernan, with whom she “gets along famously.”

Academically, Sandy is very impressed with the students standardized Terra Nova test scores and expects students to “strive to improve them even more.”

Spiritually, she trys to have all the children attend Mass during the school day at least once a month and hopes that will carry over to Sundays as well. “I’d like to see the children show their ‘Catholicity’ a little more ... I’d like to see if more could go to Church on Sunday.”

Mrs. Miragliotta was born in the Bronx but grew up in Jersey City as an only child in a house where Italian was spoken more than English. As a result, she didn’t learn fluent English until she entered kindergarten. She is now trilingual, though she confessed that her skills in French—her third language—are a little “rusty” these days.

After grade school at St. Paul of the Cross and high school at Holy Rosary Academy, she attended Fordham University (the College at Lincoln Center) in New York, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in History. From there, she returned to St. Paul of the Cross to teach. She remained there for seventeen years, teaching Reading, English, Religion, and Math to fourth and then seventh and eighth grades.

“History was my major [in college], but I never got to teach it,” Mrs. Miragliotta said. Consequently, her favorite subject to teach was English, knowledge of which is the key to “sounding smart,” she said. “I tell my students, ‘People sound more intelligent if they speak correctly.’ ”

During her years teaching, she earned a Master’s in Administration and Supervision from Seton Hall University. She spent three years as principal of St. Paul of the Cross, her alma mater.

Sandy lives in Rutherford with her husband, Vincent and children, Lauren and Vinnie (both attend SMS). She is a Knick fan who enjoys playing Trivial Pursuit and she loves to shop. On the travel front, she loves Italy and for food, she loves escargot.

As St. Michael’s principal, Mrs. Miragliotta is a regular visitor to the classrooms, and she embraces the challenges she is faced. “Something new comes up everyday,” she said.

Her advice to students: “Be good. Be safe. Be happy.”