The Pursuit of Excellence

The Pursuit EXCELLENCE

The word excellence is deeply embedded within how De La Salle High School lives out its core values. Every young man who enters De La Salle knows that he is expected to graduate as a man of scholarship; someone who strives for academic excellence and pursues lifelong learning. It is one of the school’s three Integral Student Outcomes. It only comes to follow then, that excellence is demonstrated in De La Salle’s output. In the last five years, nearly 100% of graduates matriculated to college, and Spartans have consistently been welcomed at Ivy League schools across the country. Outside the classroom, students qualify and perform at prestigious events like the California State Science Fair and the Contra Costa County Mock Trials Championship. In sports, not only did every varsity team have a 3.0 GPA or higher last year, but De La Salle’s athletic program dominated to such an extent that the school was named the number one boy’s school for athletics in the state — for the eighth time. But why theme an entire Union Magazine around the concept of excellence? After all, De La Salle considers itself humble in nature. It is one of the many Gospel values that it shares with its students: “Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble.” 1 Peter 3:8.

The answer is simple. De La Salle does not focus on success. Instead, it looks for ways to build and reinforce the foundation upon which excellence has the opportunity to grow. As Leo Lopez, Vice President for Athletics, recently said, “it’s not about the end goal, it is about the journey.” Or as Spencer Shively, the new Vice President for Mission and Student Life, puts it, it’s about “intentional excellence.” Excellence doesn’t just happen. It is not a coincidence. It follows purposeful action. These next few pages are intended to shed light on some of the many ways De La Salle intentionally pursues excellence.

Lasallian Partners

Educational excellence starts with the right people. Whether in front of students or behind the scenes, De La Salle faculty and staff are intent on creating a loving, healthy educational environment that facilitates learning and development. But it is more than that. Talk to anyone who works at De La Salle and you will immediately get the sense that they see their work not as a job but as a vocation.

This was never more apparent than at a recent meeting with new Lasallian partners. (And, yes, De La Salle’s use of the Christian Brothers’ term Lasallian Partner, which describes all faculty and staff, is intentional). As the new Lasallian Partners introduced themselves one by one to their peers, they shared stories of how they had come to be at the table. There was a common thread. Each partner articulated, in their own way, their desire to serve. How they wanted their work to be impactful and have meaning, and how they had felt guided, nudged, and even invited to their chosen path at De La Salle.

How does this sense of calling translate to the students? It means educators aren’t just teaching pre-defined coursework. Instead, they are constantly looking for new ways to reach and engage their students. In this quest, they spend countless personal hours researching and developing techniques to bring back to their classrooms. They are constantly innovating.

Take, for instance, Melissa Marnell, De La Salle’s Mathematics Department Chair. She is always on the hunt for new tools and strategies that will keep her classes fresh, fun, and effective. Melissa was able to cut the start-of-term review period in AP Calculus from two weeks to two days thanks to some circuit quizzes she discovered in an online forum. This means her students can start learning new content almost immediately at the beginning of the school year. She’s also known for her Trade Quizzes, which involve students trading Calculus questions on notecards. While unconventional, her students unanimously say the cards help them better understand a topic.

Over in the Physics Department, Corey Kelly takes inspiration from seemingly unlikely places. He once scheduled a visit to an elementary school so that he could observe how teachers ran stations and group work for students who couldn’t read or follow directions because of their age. His theory was that it might highlight ways he could be more efficient in his classroom. He then brought his findings back to his senior physics class — using his observations to re-imagine how he organized student groupings and delineated roles.

However, inspiration doesn’t have to come from peer groups and other classrooms. It can also come directly from the young men themselves. Just this quarter, Melissa adjusted how she taught one of her lessons based on a senior asking if he could use summation notation. Now, she intends to use simplified expressions for her lesson moving forward. In Corey’s class, he directly solicits feedback from students at the end of the first and third quarters. He trusts in the relationships that he’s formed with his students. That they’ll be honest about their thoughts on lessons and whether they are being heard, even though the survey isn’t anonymous.

This openness to trying new things perfectly complements the passion and fun that teachers like Melissa Marnell and Corey Kelly bring to De La Salle. Students may find themselves in AP Calculus, where they are essentially in a college class, but that doesn’t mean they won’t find a good luck smiley face at the top of their quiz. And in science, you may be learning complex material, but you’ll be doing it in a physical way, with real-world applications.

Innovation also happens at the curriculum level. Religious Studies teacher Dr. Chris Miller is the perfect example. He was named the first 2022 Mental Health Champion by the Steinberg Institute and was the leading force behind the state of California adopting mental health education as part of the required curriculum. His unique contribution supports the efforts of De La Salle’s four school counselors, who each work daily to support the health and well-being of their students.

More than anything though, Lasallian Partners form relationships. In a De La Salle student survey, 91.4% of seniors said that they had a teacher, administrator, or other trusted adult at De La Salle that they can turn to in times of need. This stands in stark contrast to an October 2019 study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, which found that only 53.4% of students, in a survey involving 10,291 students across 38 high schools, named a trusted adult. This does not happen by accident. It is the result of countless meaningful interactions inside and outside of the classroom. It is the 3,000 plus tutoring hours that faculty log each year. It is about creating spaces where students can feel safe, loved, and supported. Whether these are the open door policies that teachers offer during break and lunch periods, or the hang-out areas at Campus Ministry and Student Life. It is also the support that students feel at their clubs and other after-school activities.

Put simply, Lasallian Partners are passionate and committed to serving De La Salle’s students. It is at the forefront of everything they do. Their belief in the vision of Saint John Baptist de La Salle is what drives them. It is no wonder that 47% of faculty have been with the school for a decade or more. It is also why 24 faculty and staff are alumni, who have returned to pass their knowledge to the next generation.

There is a reason why students have a dress code that includes wearing collared shirts and keeping a well-groomed face. (And why Deans of Students, Joe Aliotti and Bob Guelld ‘81, have spare razors on hand for those students that forget.)

Habitual Instruction

In his book The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World’s Greatest Philosophers, Will Durant paraphrased Aristotle’s thoughts on excellence. He said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” De La Salle Physics teacher, Corey Kelly, breaks down the same idea further in the presentation he gives his seniors at the start of each school year. He says, “Habits become who you are.”

De La Salle is founded on the belief that a Lasallian education promotes faith, excellence, and learning, with relationships as the starting point. At the same time, the school strives to educate the whole person — not just the mind, but also the body and spirit. This convergence is a unique one that is very much lived and breathed daily. It is woven into every part of the student experience.

There is a reason why students have a dress code that includes wearing collared shirts and keeping a well-groomed face. (And why Deans of Students, Joe Aliotti and Bob Guelld ‘81, have spare razors on hand for those students that forget.) There is a reason why each day starts with a prayer that reminds participants that they are always in the holy presence of God. There is a reason why students are marked absent if they are more than five minutes late to class. There is a reason why the cafeteria serves fresh, wholesome, homemade food. Just as there is a reason why the Ladouceur Performance Athletic Center is made available to everyone and not just the 70% of students who are on a De La Salle sports team. There is a reason why words like respect, integrity, honor, and responsibility are part of the school’s vernacular.

It is also why De La Salle runs a freshman Motivational Speaker Series during its Study Skills class. Hearing powerful narratives from community members gives rise to student conversations about goal setting, accountability, character, work ethic, values, and leadership. It is something that students are able to take with them as they move

through school. Similarly, in 2004, De La Salle created the Student Coalition On Respectful Education (SCORE) for freshmen as part of an initiative to foster respect for others, as well as an appreciation of individual, cultural, and socioeconomic differences.

However, more than this, there is structure and repetition. On campus, core ethical values like trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship are mirrored back to students by faculty and staff, as well as by peers. In the classroom, as well as in De La Salle’s Learning Center, students are not only taught skills to help them succeed but they are also held accountable for their efforts. Just ask Terry Eidson, who retired from his historic football coaching career to help with the Bishop Cummins Program. Daily check-ins with his students are part of the course. That includes text message exchanges, outside school hours, so that students can provide photographic evidence that they have completed homework. As Terry explains, “success is not a sometimes thing, it is an allthe-time thing.” He expects his students to work hard every day to make themselves a success. In return, these students receive the love and support that they need to attain that success. This comes from teachers and staff like Terry, as well as adult tutors, National Honor Society students, and Bishop Cummins Scholars. Work ethic and loving support are a winning formula that delivers results. Terry knows he is making positive progress with his students when they no longer address him as Mr. Edison but, rather, as Coach. The shift in the interpersonal relationship reflects not only a deeper level of trust but also a shift in student mindset.

Of course, habitual growth happens outside the academic arena too. One of De La Salle’s core Lasallian principles is that students enter to learn and leave to serve. It presents itself not only in the classroom but throughout the East Bay and beyond. De La Salle students cumulatively clock more than 50,000 community service hours in any given year, while also raising funds to support local, national, and international charitable organizations. This past year, students collected over 3,000 cereal boxes for the 21st Annual Cereal Drive, donated hundreds of toys during the Christmas Toy Drive, and raised $30,000 to support local and global charities. Within Campus Ministry, immersion programs provide students the opportunity to literally walk in the shoes of the poor and marginalized.

It is no wonder then, at graduation, that the highest and most distinguished award, the St. John Baptist de La Salle General Excellence Award, goes to the graduate who exemplifies ALL the ideals of his entire Lasallian education.

Leading the Way

De La Salle believes that it doesn’t just educate young men; it creates servant leaders. Graduates go on to excel in their personal and professional lives. But, more than that, they become leaders within their community. Take, for instance, some of the recent inductees to De La Salle’s Class of 2022 Athletics Hall of Fame. They are recognized not only for their athletic achievements but also for their outstanding community involvement. From civil rights activists and ambassadors for social change to directors of scholarships that expand educational opportunities for low-income students. Each one has a unique story to tell.

In the professional world, leadership can take many forms. De La Salle’s graduates prove this time and again. Some, like Chris Cole ‘99 and Tom King ‘86 go on to build their own businesses. Others, like Greg Lafayette ‘80, oversee operations for multi-million dollar corporations. Some are elected to lead, like Deputy DA Chris Sansoe ‘05 and Concord Mayor Dominic Aliano ‘10. Others, like Kevin Koenig ‘14, a child orthotist and prosthetist, choose professions that significantly improve the physical lives of others. There are also many graduates, like Tadeu Velloso ‘10, who volunteer countless hours of their time, outside of work, to non-profit organizations that are trying to make a difference. Whether that be the eradication of racism, the betterment of women, mentorship for marginalized and adversitystricken youth, or another cause related to social change.

Yet, despite different career choices, there is a commonality. Talk to any De La Salle graduate and you will find that most, if not all, credit their time at De La Salle as being instrumental in how they developed as a person. Similarly, many feel that the skills they learned as a student provided a foundation for professional success as well. As an example, Dominic Aliano, says his parents and his schools (De La Salle High School and St. Agnes School) taught him “important life lessons and exemplified the importance of virtues like courage, integrity, and humility. Virtues needed to be a leader. “ At De La Salle, leadership skills are learned in the classroom and on the sports field, as well as through specific programs. For instance, Service Leadership is an elective that is open to all grades. As Maile Shelley, Campus Minister for Service and Justice, explains, “The main purpose of the program is to help students develop as leaders, set goals for improving their communities, engage others in service, and have a positive, measurable impact on the world.” They do this through a series of service projects, that enable students to manage the complete process, from inception to completion.

This type of community leadership is echoed in other initiatives like the OnBoard! program, which focuses on peer mentoring as part of freshman orientation, as well as the Lasallian Leadership class, which develops personal and interpersonal leadership skills through shared responsibility. Jennifer Stein, the new Director of Student Activities, believes that the Lasallian Leadership class plays an instrumental role in “building a positive and inclusive school climate for the De La Salle community. One that promotes Spartan Pride through leadership, service, spirit, and fun.” Such opportunities help foster leaders, outside the traditional leadership role, while also helping students master public speaking, organization, networking, and personal development.

It is indeed a gift that keeps on giving. De La Salle’s alumni community consists of more than 10,000 men who have taken to heart the teachings of their youth. They have applied integrity, self-awareness, gratitude, learning, empathy, courage, and respect to the world they shape. They not only set an example for the students that follow in their footsteps, but they help ensure that De La Salle’s mission lives on. Some even come back to De La Salle to teach themselves. Travis Pacos ‘11, a De La Salle Math Instructor and Head Coach for Junior Varsity Basketball, explains “The De La Salle community taught me that the pillars of leadership are service and sacrifice. In order to be a great leader, you have to be willing to serve others and sacrifice your own interests for the greater good. The reason why I came back to De La Salle is to teach these same values that I experienced as a student in the classroom and on the basketball court.”

De La Salle graduates also help fund the Bishop Cummins Program; providing tuition for students whose family income falls below the federal poverty line. And they are one of the main reasons why students today are able to reap the benefits of a carefully designed Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STREAM) building.

However, the art of leading is not always easy. Good leadership requires learning agility and the intuition to adapt and pivot when necessary. It also requires knowledge. That is one of the reasons why De La Salle partnered with Stanford University’s Challenge Success program nearly a decade ago. Understanding how students can gain the skills needed to lead healthy, balanced lives, while still engaging in co-curricular activities is a challenge the school wants to better understand. It is why De La Salle was the first school in the nation to pilot the program’s parent survey back in 2018. Indeed, Stanford’s desire to redefine student success and transform the overarching student experience spoke to De La Salle’s students-first ethos.

‘‘Bob Guelld mentioned something to me in passing that stuck. That is we are only as strong as our weakest link. No matter where you ‘‘ fit into your team you want to be a strong link that makes the team better; leader or not. Anthony Pappageorge ‘99, Executive Managing Director, Multifamily Capital Markets

Following the 2018 survey, which incorporated feedback from 757 students and 270 parents, De La Salle’s academic departments spent multiple years addressing homework load and adopting school-wide policies regarding Grading and Assessment. It even moved to an alternate assessment model, instead of finals, during the pandemic. In addition, it experimented with Bell Schedules to increase the number of late starts and add additional block days. It also targeted parent education around student wellness; airing documentaries and providing Q&A sessions with De La Salle counselors. As Dr. Heather Alumbaugh, Vice President for Academic Life explains, “At every moment, mission, student wellness, balance, and academic outcomes dictate the decisions made at De La Salle.”

Moving forward, based on research recommendations, the school intends to focus on the amount of time students allocate to cocurricular activities. The goal is to reduce student stress and increase the amount of sleep that students experience day-to-day. To that end, De La Salle has just sent a delegation of coaches, as well as the Vice President of Mission and Student Life and the Vice President for Athletics, to Stanford for two days of discussion and learning. ‘‘At De La Salle, you are shown by example every day how to be a leader in the community. Whether it be teachers, coaches, or other staff, the school leads by example. DLS taught me that I can always give more of myself to help others. That isn’t just our duty, but our privilege as leaders ‘‘ in our world. If you learn to embrace that, your potential to impact the lives of others is limitless. Kevin Koenig ‘14, Certified Orthotist and Board-Eligible Prosthetist at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare