BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE
2015
DEAR FAMILIES OF BREBEUF JESUIT, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the upcoming 2015-16 school year. On behalf of our entire faculty and staff, I hope that you have had a wonderful summer and are as excited about the upcoming school year as we are. I am excited for the coming year for many reasons! Our summer renovations to our previous Library & Media Center are taking shape, and we plan to begin the fall semester with a brand new Information Commons with expanded, inviting spaces for students to learn, work, and collaborate. We will be welcoming to our community an outstanding class of incoming freshmen and their families, as well as great transfer students and new faculty and staff members. Our new online system for teacher, parent, and student communication, called Portals, will enhance our ability to share information about student progress in a user-friendly format. In September, we will welcome recognized author Sonia Nazario to campus, to discuss her book, Enrique’s Journey, which we will read as a school community and utilize as an opportunity to dialogue on the important topic of immigration. As always, there is a lot going on, great energy, and much forward momentum at Brebeuf Jesuit. I also love to take the summertime to be inspired and challenged by readings, conversations, and professional development. One of the things that has struck me this summer was a talk that Pope Francis gave at a university in Ecuador on July 7. Here are his words: “My question to you, as educators, is this: Do you watch over your students, helping them to develop a critical sense, an open mind capable of caring for today’s world? A spirit capable of seeking new answers to the varied challenges that society sets before us? Are you able to encourage them not to disregard the world around them? Does our life, with its uncertainties, mysteries and questions, find a place in the curriculum or different academic activities? Do we enable and support a constructive debate which fosters dialogue in the pursuit of a more humane world?... Families, schools, and teachers, how do we help our young people not to see a degree as synonymous with higher status, money and social prestige? How can we help make their education a mark of greater responsibility in the face of today’s problems, the needs of the poor, concern for the environment?” This is what a Brebeuf Jesuit education is about. It is this challenge that inspires our faculty and staff to do all that they do on behalf of our students. And when our alumni return to campus five, ten, or thirty years later, it is those ideals which have often stayed with them the most from their Brebeuf Jesuit education. Those words reflect a lofty aspiration, but that is why we call it the Magis, AMDG – “for the greater glory of God.” So again, welcome to the upcoming school year, and we look forward to great things from your students and their development at Brebeuf. The information contained within this letter will hopefully be a useful guide to you in a number of practical areas as we enter the school year. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we will see you soon! AMDG,
Greg VanSlambrook Principal
SUMMER RENOVATIONS Brebeuf Jesuit will begin the new school year with the opening of the brand new Information Commons. The current Library space has expanded by opening up existing walls within the Library and the Technology Department to evolve into an Information Commons. The services that modern libraries must provide now go well beyond the books and periodicals historically found in traditional libraries. Technology has transformed libraries into hubs for the electronic exchange of information. How will this renovation enhance the student experience? E xpanded spaces will nearly double the occupancy throughout the day L ess flourescents – and more natural light G roup and independent work spaces with comfortable and flexible seating N ew meeting rooms, a Makerspace room and instructional space After gathering input from faculty, staff, students and
education research, the classroom renovation initiative has also been completed with 33 classroom renovations that included: technology, furniture, fresh paint, environmentally friendly light fixtures, new carpet and ceiling tiles. The goal of the classroom renovation was to create an environment where students are active participants in learning, develop themselves independently and collaborate in ways that support the learning efforts of others. The Renovations Will Continue in 2016 In the summer of 2014, the Auditorium, Learning Center, and Art + Design Center were part of the renovation efforts. Summer 2016 renovations will focus on the Science Wing. The gifts of generous parents, alumni, and friends of the Brebeuf Jesuit community have provided one hundred percent of the funding needed for these renovation initiatives. Great appreciation is extended to all those who have participated in the Leading the Way campaign initiative supporting our students, faculty and staff.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2015-2016 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL August 12, 2015 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY September 7, 2015 YOM KIPPUR HOLIDAY September 23, 2015
FACULTY/STAFF MEETING & WORKDAY January 4, 2016
GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY March 25, 2016
FIRST DAY OF SECOND SEMESTER January 5, 2016
SPRING BREAK April 4-8, 2016
FALL BREAK October 22-23, 2015
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY January 18, 2016
THANKSGIVING BREAK November 25-27, 2015
PRESIDENTS’ DAY HOLIDAY/FLEX DAY
SPRING SEMESTER EXAMS May 25-27, 2016 BACCALAUREATE MASS/GRADUATION June 5, 2016
(if necessary)
FALL SEMESTER EXAMS December 15-17, 2015
February 15, 2016
EXAM DAY MAKEUP DATE
FACULTY/STAFF RETREAT February 16, 2016
(if necessary)
No classes for students
December 18, 2015 CHRISTMAS BREAK December 21, 2015 – January 1, 2016
FLEX DAYS March 7, 2016 and March 8, 2016 No classes unless weather make-up is needed.
SUMMER SCHOOL 2016 SESSION 1 June 13 – July 1, 2016 SUMMER SCHOOL 2016 SESSION 2 July 11-29, 2016
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
SPIRIT STORE HOURS The Spirit Store will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. starting the first day of school through August 21, then from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. during the school year. BOOK ORDERS Books can now be ordered at MBS through the link provided in both the email you received earlier this month or by visiting the Brebeuf Jesuit homepage. Be sure to have your student’s schedule handy to reference course numbers. FRESHMAN AND TRANSFER ORIENTATION Freshman and Transfer Orientation will take place on Tuesday, August 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This orientation is mandatory for all incoming freshmen and transfer students. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Liz Otteson at lotteson@brebeuf.org. PARENT ORIENTATION FOR FRESHMEN AND TRANSFER STUDENTS All parents of incoming students are invited to attend Parent Orientation on August 11 from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Parents will join students in the gym prior to moving to the Chapel. This is a great chance to come out and meet other new parents. All of the information you will need as a new Brebeuf parent will be covered! SCHEDULE CHANGE DAYS Schedule changes may be available for your student. All schedule changes are subject to availability. Teacher requests and break requests are not permitted during schedule changes. Schedule changes are available throughout the summer by contacting the Principal’s Office (smedcalfe@brebeuf.org). Drop/Add Days for students are available on August 13 and 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (except during the Day 2 PRTs) in the Academic Counseling Offices. LOCKER ASSIGNMENTS The 2015-2016 locker assignment list will be posted outside the Dean’s Office on Monday, August 10 at 9:00 a.m. Students are welcome to organize their lockers and bring in their books after that time. ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES Reporting accurate attendance in a timely manner is a very important responsibility of each student/ family. In each instance that a student is absent, a parent/guardian must report that absence by calling the Dean’s Office attendance line at 317.524.7118 and leaving a detailed message, or by sending in a written note/doctor’s office excuse with the student. The student may pick up a pass in the Dean’s Office to be released from class. No student will be released without notification from a parent/guardian. NOTE FROM THE DEAN’S OFFICE In conjunction with the rigorous curriculum at Brebeuf, student attendance is imperative. Students are expected to be at school for each and every class. Our students are balancing a variety of situations, including stressful workload, athletics, extra-curricular clubs and college decisions. Even with all of these things, students are expected to make attending classes a priority. A student loses out on valuable information and time when not attending classes; therefore, their grades may suffer. Please be mindful of this expectation and help instill in our students that this is a priority for all of us.
Students who miss an extraordinary amount of classes can/will be subject to reviews by the Dean and Principal, strict attendance requirements and disciplinary probation (see student handbook). A student-athlete also must be present at school to take part in athletic contests/practices. STUDENT PARKING Students driving to school are required have a Brebeuf parking tag displayed on their car window. Students must register their car with the Dean’s Office (license plate, car make and model) and get a tag. Students should have car registration information with them when they come to get their school ID. STUDENT IDENTIFICATION Student ID photos will be taken in the Dean’s Office on August 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. as well as August 10 and 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (with a break from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.). Reminder: students must have a current year ID card with them as they enter school on their first day. No photos or images of ID cards will be accepted. TECH DAY WITH THE PREP GEEK SQUAD Got a new device to add to our network at Brebeuf? Forget your network password? Have tech questions? Come visit the experts at Tech Day on August 7, before classes start, and get professional help from the Informational Technology team. CAFETERIA Brebeuf Jesuit partners with Aladdin Foods to manage the school’s food service. As an efficient way to keep the line moving during meal payment transactions, students are encouraged to use the swipe card system again this year. In order to check card balances and load a payment on a student’s existing account, visit payforit.net. First-time users can create an account on payforit.net using their child’s student ID number and the Patron ID that will be mailed to all new families in August. Please contact our Aladdin manager with any questions at 317.524.7004. UNDERCLASSMEN PICTURES Underclassmen pictures will be taken on September 18 in the Auditorium. All freshmen, sophomores, and juniors should stop in the Auditorium on their break to have their photo taken. More information will be sent to families prior to this date. TOTEM YEARBOOKS Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School purchases a yearbook for EVERY student each year. The 2014-2015 Totem was distributed to all students in the Cafeteria during lunch periods in the second week of May. If your child didn’t pick up his or her copy, there are still extras available. Ms. Moore can be found in the English Office during PRTs. The 2015-2016 Totem staff will begin work as soon as school resumes. Questions or concerns? Please email the yearbook instructor, Ms. Hadley Moore, at hmoore@brebeuf.org. SENIOR PICTURES All members of the Class of 2016 must sit for their formal yearbook portrait with Prestige Photography by November 11, 2015. Failure to schedule and sit for your portrait by November 11 will mean that your senior will not be featured in the 2015-2016 yearbook! The yearbook must be to our printer in pieces throughout the year, with specific deadlines for each part. Therefore, no exceptions can be made for absent-minded seniors! Don’t let your student be left
out of this keepsake. A yearbook-only portrait sitting fee is $15, and Prestige provides the wrap the ladies wear and the tuxedo top the gentlemen wear. You are NOT required to use Prestige for your child’s personal senior photos – just the yearbook photo. Contact Prestige TODAY via phone (317.829.2088) or online at PrestigeIndiana.com to get an appointment. Questions or concerns? Please email the yearbook instructor, Ms. Hadley Moore, at hmoore@brebeuf.org. SAFETY PROCEDURES In our continuing effort to provide a safe and secure environment for Brebeuf students, we collaborate with the Indiana School Safety Specialists Academy and conform with best practices in monitoring access to the building during the school day. At the beginning, during, and at the end of the school day, students must enter and exit the building through the Gym Lobby only. The single East Gym Lobby door opens at 7:00 a.m. Access before 7:00 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m. must be arranged with a staff member. Student IDs, acquired through the Dean’s Office, are required and must be presented to the Gym Lobby prefect upon entering throughout the school day. Adult visitors enter and register with the receptionist in the Main Lobby. Students are expected to be picked up by 4:00 p.m. when the Library closes (if not involved with after school activities). Please plan accordingly. DAILY MASS Mass is held at 7:45 a.m., Monday – Friday during the school year, and parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends are welcome to attend. STUDENT FAMILY DIRECTORY NOW ON PORTALS The 2015-2016 Student Family Directory will be active on Portals on the first day of school. See next page for more details. REDIKER PARENTPLUS PORTALS AND STUDENTPLUS PORTALS Beginning in summer sessions, Brebeuf transitioned away from Edline to the new, improved Portals system. The Portals offer access to class information, grades and attendance records. Login information was emailed to parent contact emails. Students received their login information via the AMDG.brebeuf.org student email system. Questions regarding Portals can be directed to Amy Pitcher (apitcher@brebeuf.org). ATHLETIC PASSES Athletic passes for adults and guests will be available for sale at the ticket sales counter at every home game this year. The cost in the fall for the all-games pass is $200. These passes are available now in the Athletics Office. Students are admitted free to games with an ID, but due to limited seating at some games, entry may be restricted. B.Y.O.T. (Bring Your Own Technology) To facilitate 21st Century teaching and learning within the Jesuit context, Brebeuf created the state’s first 1:1 Bring Your Own Technology environment in 2012. Under this expanding program, all students are expected to carry a device of their choosing that will enable them to research, create, and present new information as a part of their learning process at Brebeuf. For more information about our B.Y.O.T. Program, contact J.D. Ferries-Rowe, CIO, at jdferries@brebeuf.org.
ONE-BOOK ONE-BREBEUF ENRIQUE’S JOURNEY Brebeuf Jesuit will welcome Pulitzer Prize-Winning author and journalist Sonia Nazario, author of Enrique’s Journey, to campus on September 11, 2015 at this year’s One-Book One-Brebeuf all-school event. Sonia Nazario has spent more than 20 years writing about social justice issues including hunger and immigration and will engage students on these issues during her visit. Enrique’s Journey is the story of a Honduran boy’s struggle to find his mother in the United States. In preparation for Ms. Nazario’s visit, all Brebeuf Jesuit students, faculty and staff will be asked to read Enrique’s Journey and to answer reflection questions that will be posted for them and submitted online, prior to her visit on September 11, 2015. On the day of her visit, Brebeuf will have an all-school convocation where Sonia will address the school and take questions. Following the convocation, students will meet in small groups with faculty and staff members for discussion, reflection, and dialogue about the book. The Young Adult version of Enrique’s Journey has been added to the booklists for all English classes so that every student has it on his or her book ordering list for the fall semester. The online assignment will be posted this summer on the Brebeuf Portals site. While the assignment is not due until September 11, students are strongly encouraged to read the book and do the assignment over the summer, before their fall semester academic work begins.
EDLINE IS OUT…PORTALS ARE IN! Rediker ParentPlus Portals and StudentPlus Portals Beginning in summer sessions, Brebeuf transitioned away from Edline to the new, improved Portals system. The Portals offer access to class information, grades and attendance records. Login information was emailed to parent contact emails and student AMDG accounts.
The Parent Directory Will Be Live on the First Day of School L og into your Portals account at www.plusportals.com/brebeuf. If you haven’t activated your account yet, please contact Amy Pitcher at apitcher@brebeuf.org or 317.524.7097. O n the top right-hand corner of your Portals account, click on the arrow next to your name and select Directory Listing. Y ou can view both the Staff Directory and Parent Directory in the Portals by clicking on the Directory button directly underneath your name.
Questions? Contact Amy Pitcher at apitcher@brebeuf.org or 317.524.7097.
Save the Dates . . . 36th Annual President ‘s Dinner Honoring Andy and Lorna Mohr FEBRUARY 27, 2016 Indianapolis Museum of Art
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 Downtown Indianapolis Conrad Hotel
WHOM SHOULD I CONTACT? ACADEMIC COUNSELING (STEPHANIE MEDCALFE, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL – 524.7116) • Class scheduling, diploma requirements • Four-year course planning • Students experiencing general academic difficulty • Freshman seminar program (transition to high school) • State of Indiana ECA testing (May of freshman and sophomore years) • PLAN testing (October of freshman year) • Peer and adult tutoring • Extended time finals/testing • Personal counseling ADMISSIONS (LIZ OTTESON, DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS – 524.7090) • Guiding prospective students and parents through the steps of applying to Brebeuf Jesuit including taking the Entrance Exam • Completing the application • Finalizing enrollment and signing up for a Brave Day (Shadow) Visit ATHLETICS (TED HAMPTON, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR – 524.7175) • Matters dealing with athletic teams • Coaches • Scheduling of interscholastic contests and all coordinating concerns • Scheduling of events and room reservations for Team Moms/Dads and all coaches whose primary work is outside the school building • Athletic lockers • Weight room BUSINESS OFFICE (MELISSA GRABOWSKI, STUDENT BILLING AND ACCOUNTS – 524.7106) • Financial assistance • Tuition, billing and payments • Work Study program CAMPUS MINISTRY (MARY ANN WALLACE – 524.7109) • Freshman and Transfer Student Orientation • Prayer services and Masses • Retreats • Student spiritual concerns COLLEGE COUNSELING (JIM FADELY, DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING – 524.7110) • College admissions, visits, representatives or scholarships • PSAT, SAT, ACT testing • College Prep seminar • Ignatian Scholars • AP testing
DEAN’S OFFICE (MADELEINE MCKINNEY-TORRES ’86, DEAN’S OFFICE ASSISTANT – 524.7118) • Safety • Attendance, including illness during the school day • Health, safety, security and emergency planning issues • Student IDs, photos, lockers and parking or work permits DATA MANAGEMENT (AMY PITCHER, DIRECTOR OF DATABASE OPERATIONS – 524.7097) • Change of address, contact, demographic information, withdrawals, re-enrollment • Portals • Progress reports, grades, and report cards INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT (T.J. BIRDWELL, NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR – 524.7137) • Network questions and issues, student device connections, etc. • Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) general questions OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT (JAMIE ELKINS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, 524.7093) • Marketing and Communications • Fundraising • Alumni Relations • Special Events • Website PRESIDENT’S OFFICE (KIM DEWAAL, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT – 524.7128) • All matters pertaining to the Board of Trustees PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE (SHANI SIMONSON, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PRINCIPAL – 524.7080) • Summer school • Final exam conflicts • Graduation, room reservations • All academic, and non-athletic events • School calendar and permission to plan events SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER (LIBBY POLLAK ’97 – 524.7087) • Students experiencing personal problems or other difficulties • Referral to outside counseling and other support
2801 West 86th Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46268-1925
BACK-TO-SCHOOL
GUIDE
and keep up with Brebeuf Jesuit
Stay Connected