November 2019 Parent Newsletter

The Amat Lancer Parent Newsletter

Volume 36 Issue 3

www.bishopamat.org

Dates to Remember: NOVEMBER 1 2

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All Saints Day Mass Band Competition – Riverside City College Fall Drama Production, 7:00 p.m., PAB Daylight Savings begins Fall Drama Production, 2:00 p.m., PAB Virtus Training, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Athletic Booster Club Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Caritas Retreat – Gr.10 Caritas Retreat – Gr. 10 FAFSA Workshop, 6:30 p.m., LIB Band Mayfair Field Tournament Fall Drama Production, 7:00 p.m., PAB Fall Drama Production, 2:00 p.m., PAB Veterans Day – NO SCHOOL / OFFICE CLOSED Emmaus 32 Retreat-Gr. 11 leaves Family Ministry Evening of Reflection, 7:00 p.m., LIB Emmaus 32 returns, 3:00 p.m.

NCAA Information Night, 6:30 p.m., LIB MINIMUM DAY, Dismissal at 12:40 p.m.

Extravaganza Set up, CC Band State Championship Semi Finals Extravaganza 2019, 5:30 p.m., CC Parent Association General Meeting, 6:30 p.m., LIB End of Grading Period State Band Championship Finals Thanksgiving Mass Thanksgiving Vacation – NO SCHOOL / OFFICE CLOSED

November 2019

FROM THE PARENT ASSOCIATION GENERAL PARENT MEETING Our Fall General Parent Meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. The main presenter for this meeting is our Principal, Mr. Beck. Hosted by the Parent Association, this event provides a great opportunity for parents to be informed of a number of topics relevant to the current school year, including our newly implemented Student Success program. All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. Parents and guardians in attendance will earn one volunteer hour per family.

EXTRAVAGANZA 2019 Our annual Extravaganza will take place on Saturday, November 16 from 5:00 p.m. to midnight in the Carroll Center. "A Magical Moroccan Evening" promises to be a most memorable event. Don’t miss out on a great dinner, silent and live auctions, and dancing! Presale tickets are available at $65 each through November 4.

GRAND RAFFLE Parents are reminded to turn in their grand raffle ticket stubs to the Main Office prior by Friday, November 15. Please take out the staples before depositing your tickets the drum. The Grand Raffle drawings will take place at the Extravaganza on Saturday night. Winners need not be present.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Volunteers are needed to work in our Infirmary on a daily basis. If you are Virtus trained and are interested in earning Parent Hours in this capacity, please stop by or contact the Attendance Office at 626-962-2495 ext.

5876. Thank you in advance for volunteering!

FROM THE CAMPUS MINISTRY DEPARTMENT FAMILY MINISTRY – EVENING OF REFLECTION On Thursday, November 13 our Family Ministry Program will host an Evening of Reflection for students and parents from all grade levels. The theme of the evening is Thankfulness. The evening will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Brutocao Library. As space for the evening is limited, please contact Ms. Nicole Pfiester (npfiester@ bishopamat.org) if you plan to attend. Parents do earn one hour of volunteer service per family for their participation and students in attendance receive one service hour. Additionally, participation fulfills the Theology Department’s Faith Experience Assignment.

FROM THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS Applications for the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems are currently in progress and should be completed online.

Information regarding applying to colleges was given to seniors during homeroom last month and counselors have met with all of their seniors individually. The deadline for both the CSU and UC systems is November 30 – private college application deadlines vary.

College representatives have begun visiting Bishop Amat to speak with students about their campuses – students should be sure to listen to announcements and check posted information on the Counseling page of the Bishop Amat website about these visits. Students THANKSGIVING MASS interested in meeting with admissions evaluators must All parents and guardians are invited to our annual Mass make appointments in advance with Mr. Scott, the of Thanksgiving on Tuesday, November 26 at 11:25 College Counselor. He is available at break, lunch, and a.m. in the Carroll Center. Please join us for a school after school in the College Center in the 400 wing. tradition of over sixty years in which we give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings He has bestowed upon Wednesday, November 6, we will host a FAFSA the Bishop Amat High School Family. workshop at 6:30 p.m. in the library. Our College Counselor, Mr. Michael Scott, and Mr. David Levy, Not that anyone needs a reminder, there will be a Financial Aid Consultant, will provide valuable NO SCHOOL Wednesday, November 27 – Friday, information about filling out the Free Application for November 29 in observance of the Thanksgiving Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the main document used Holiday. to determine financial aid eligibility for college. All parents of senior students should plan to attend.

CHRISTIAN SERVICE November kicks off our Fall Food Drive. Please NCAA COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INFORMATION encourage your student(s) to bring donations to their An additional college planning workshop will take Social Studies classes. The drive ends November 26. place on Thursday, November 14. Designed for parents All canned food items collected will be donated to a of student-athletes considering participation at the local food pantry and Adopt-A-Family program of the collegiate level, Mr. Jeff Tintle, our NCAA/School Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Counselor will host an informational meeting at 6:30 Once again, Bishop Amat is happy to partner with the p.m. in the Brutocao Library. Details specific to the Shoes That Fit Foundation to sponsor needy children NCAA admissions process will be discussed. Please from local elementary schools. Participating in this contact Mr. Tintle (jtintle@bishopamat.org or extension program provides needy elementary students with an 7422) if you have any questions. early Christmas present of a much needed clothing item.

The drive runs from November 12 through December 9. AP / IB EXAMINATIONS Parents are welcome to ask their student to pick up an We are already preparing for Advanced Placement index card outside the Campus Ministry Office with the (AP) exams that will be administered in May. Students name of a needy child and be that child’s “sole-mate”. enrolled in AP classes are required to take the Advanced Placement exam for those subjects. A fee of $94.00 will be charged for each exam.

Similarly, students and diploma candidates in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program have been

registered for their spring assessments. Assessment fees will be billed to students’ tuition accounts in January.

For questions regarding IB assessments, please contact IB Diploma Program Coordinator, Ms. Jolene Joseph Pudvan at jjoseph@bishopamat.org.

FROM THE FINANCE OFFICE Delinquent Tuition / Semester Exams Parents are reminded that tuition accounts must be up to date in order for a student to take his/her semester exams. Tuition accounts must be current by December 10. Please take care of your financial obligation to the school; please do not embarrass your student by forfeiting his/her privilege of taking final exams. Please contact the Finance Office at 626-962-2495, Ext. 7414 or by email at etorres@bishopamat.org if you have any questions regarding your tuition account.

Financial Aid – CEF Tuition Awards Families who will need financial aid for next school year are encouraged to stop by the Finance Office to pick up an application for a $2,000 CEF Tuition Award. Representatives from the Catholic Education Foundation will be on the Bishop Amat campus, Wednesday, December 4 from 1:00 - 9:00 p.m. to process applications for tuition assistance. It is extremely important that families who qualify for a CEF Award, apply for this assistance. Current families in the school who qualify for a CEF Award, but who do not apply, will not be eligible for Bishop Amat financial assistance. Please see Mrs. Marino or Mrs. Torres in the Finance Office for more information.

FROM THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE Open House Bishop Amat will be hosting an Open House for interested 8th grade students and their parents on Saturday, December 7. There will be a general information session at 9:00 a.m. in the Carroll Center, followed by campus tours. We would be very appreciative if parents would spread the word to friends/ co-workers who have an interest in learning more about the programs offered at Bishop Amat that the Open House is a great opportunity to see what our school has to offer! We will also be hosting our annual Test Taking Seminar on Saturday, January 11 and the Entrance Test will be administered on Saturday, January 25.

FALL PRODUCTION This year’s Fall Production of Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward will premiere in early November with an evening performance on Saturday, November 2 at 7:00 pm and a matinee performance on Sunday, November 3 at 2:00 pm. Performances will continue the following weekend on Saturday, November 9 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, November 10 at 2:00 pm. Performances will take place in the PAB. Admission is $8. Come out and support our student-actors!