THE GEAR MONTHLY PARENT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 59 SEPTEMBER 2016
WELCOME, BOSCO TECH CLASS OF 2020! —CLASS COMPLETES FRESHMAN SUMMER PROGRAM (SEE PAGE 2)
FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Bosco Tech family, As I compose this message, I am brought to awe at the dynamism and enthusiasm of our teachers and support staff. Bosco Tech is growing; because of increases in enrollment, we have added to our faculty. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to the following teachers and staff: Mr. Casey Hernandez, MAT instructor; Mr. Bill Weissbard, science instructor; Mr. Steven Toner, mathematics; Mr. Gaurav Nagalia, MSET instructor; Mr. Clifford Reid, ACE instructor; Mr. CJ Alvarez, Healthy Living instructor; Mr. Merced Contreras, freshman counselor; and Mr. Manuel Villarreal, development consultant. Assisting me in an administrative role will be Mr. Eric Tom who is moving into the position of Dean of STEM Studies. I also wish to acknowledge the leadership and visionary roles of Assistant Principals Robert Currie and Jeff Krynen in the running of the school. In September, three areas of the campus, which have been repurposed and remodeled, will be formally dedicated as emerging technology laboratories. These areas are dedicated to project-based learning activities and include a Green Technologies laboratory located along Tech Corridor; a 3D Rapid Prototyping laboratory inside IDEA; and a Robotics Competition & Demonstration Center located inside CSEE. For funding the development of these spaces, we are grateful to the Fletcher Jones Foundation for believing in and sharing our technology program’s vision for the future. On a personal note, I would like to acknowledge all the prayers and words of encouragement I received from my Tech family and friends. Two weeks ago, I experienced a mild heart attack and underwent corrective procedures. I am healing well and am grateful to the cardiology departments of both Beverly and Huntington hospitals for their excellent care. I would like to wish everyone a great fall season, both in the classroom and out on the playing fields (Go, Tigers!) Here’s to another successful year. Mr. Xavier Jimenez
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2020 The entire Bosco Tech community welcomes the future graduating class of 2020, our incoming freshmen who have just completed the rigorous Freshman Summer Program (FSP), a five-week course of study designed specifically to introduce students to the five applied science and engineering fields they will be studying during their remaining years at Bosco Tech. (See page 4 for the next steps for these young men.) Members of the incoming class are carefully selected from more than 60 elementary and middle schools in 30 cities across the Los Angeles area. We’re confident these young men will enjoy the coming four years at Bosco Tech and pray that their time here will be memorable and beneficial.
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FROM THE SALESIAN DIRECTOR Greetings! In the Fall of 2014, the Catholic bishops met in Rome to explore family issues. They produced a document, which has recently been released. It has become my leisure reading, from which I hope to share insights and wisdom to building up society's most important institution. The church calls the family the "domestic church" for many reasons, and we'll look at that,too. If you want to read along, the document is called Instrumentum Laboris and can be found on the US Bishops website or the Vatican's website (usccb.org and vatican.va, respectively). A new school year means a new start and new opportunities. Let's move forward with courage and faith. May God bless you, Fr. Steven Way, SDB Salesian Director
SUMMER INTERNS RETURN TO CAMPUS WITH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE Several Bosco Tech students are returning to campus after completing rigorous internships that complimented their engineering and technology studies. The students spent their summer break working alongside professionals at prestigious companies and organizations like NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Boeing, and the Symantec Corp. The internships provided the students with rare hands-on experience while increasing their exposure to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professions. “The Boeing internship has contributed to one of the best summers of my life,” said junior Matthew Lewis. “I have met brilliant people, learned more about engineering, developed my social skills, and have gained unique experiences.” “Boeing has also provided many opportunities for interns to network. I have met many people who guided and mentored me throughout this internship. Because of my mentors, I got a glimpse of the satellite industry. Five years ago, I would have never imagined doing all this. I’m grateful for the JPL interns included Shant Loussararian (third from right), Frank Lora (far right), opportunities.” Joseph Felix (class of 2015) (third from left), Interning Students & Their Companies Manuel Alvarez—American Red Cross Devin Cornair—The Boeing Company Matthew Davis—The Boeing Company Augustine Escalera—Mid Valley Radio Joseph Garcia—Amity Law Group John-Paul Gomez Reed—The Boeing Company Elias Hosseini—Symantec Corp.
Noah Jimenez—Orbital ATK Matthew Lewis—The Boeing Company Frank Lora—JPL Jacob Lovi—The Boeing Company Shant Loussararian—JPL Daniel Martinez—The Boeing Company Joel Medina—Mid Valley Radio Daniel Mora—Symantec Corp.
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and Ian Dominguez (class of 2015) fourth from left). Mario Mijangos—The Boeing Company Rodrigo Plata—Reyes Construction, Inc. Jeremiah Rodriguez—Orbital ATK Diego Vargas—Bosco Tech Summer Scholars Program Lorenzo Zamora—The Boeing Company Ming Zhang—E-Freight Technology
FRESHMAN TECHNOLOGY SELECTION PROCESS Now that Bosco Tech’s freshman class has successfully completed the five-week Freshman Summer Program (FSP), they are gearing up for the official academic year. During the first semester, class members will spend their technology time rotating through three introductory programs of their choosing. These overview courses will inform students of the varied classes, exciting projects, and college and career opportunities associated with that technology major. Every six weeks, parents and guardians are required to attend a special meeting with teachers, called the Technology Information Session (TIS): • TIS #1 Wednesday, 9/21 • TIS #2 Wednesday, 11/2 • TIS #3 Sunday, 11/20 (Open House) These important meetings provide information about each program so the final decision in selecting a technology major involves both the parent and student. On Saturday, January 7, each freshman and at least one parent or guardian must attend Technology Selection Day during which students are scheduled, in order of their GPA, to be interviewed before determining their final technology choice. This important day results in the student being placed into the technology program that he will study for the next three and a half years at Bosco Tech. Questions regarding the technology programs offered at Bosco Tech should be directed to technology chairs or Mr. Eric Tom, Dean of STEM Studies at etom@boscotech.edu.
TECH ALUMNI WORKING ON JUNO—JPL/NASA MISSION TO JUPITER We're so proud of our alumni! Among the JPL/ NASA scientists and engineers who launched Juno, the mission currently orbiting Jupiter and earning world-wide attention, are Tech alumni James Holden (EL '82), Anthony Mittskus (EL '78), Alejandro Jimenez (EL '91) and Gerhard Stiebel (EL '82). Juno will spend 20 months conducting an up-close investigation of the biggest planet in our solar system. Astrophysicist and Principal Mission Investigator Scott Bolton calls this exploratory endeavor "the hardest thing NASA has ever done." For more information on Juno and for live images, visit www.missionjuno.swri.edu.
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TECH INSTRUCTOR SELECTED BY COLLEGE BOARD —AP HISTORY EXAM SCORER & WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT Bosco Tech History instructor Erick Williams had another busy summer! He was selected by the College Board to serve as an Advanced Placement exam reader. The organization flew him to Louisville, Kentucky, where he spent a week working alongside teachers from across the country, undergoing extensive instruction and training before reviewing and evaluating student U.S. History exams. Past official AP readers testify that the annual AP reading offers a rare and enriching professional development experience by providing them with the opportunity to develop teaching approaches and ideas through close interactions with a diverse group of professional colleagues. Following the intense and enlightening grading work, Mr. Williams attended two history workshops designed to compliment and enhance classroom instruction. One, sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute, focused on Westward expansion across the U.S. The second, a National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks Workshop on the Cold War Home Front, focused on the history of the aerospace industry in Southern California. Mr. Williams says that many of the seminars he has attended over the last five years, in particular, the Gilder Lehrman workshops, “have been invaluable in pushing me to rethink history and refine and reformat the way I teach. Hopefully, my summer experiences will benefit all my students in my AP (US History and Human Geography) and my regular classes (US History).”
ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAM RESULTS Congratulations to the following current students and recent graduates who earned recognition from the College Board for their superior performance on the Advanced Placement exams taken in the spring. Nineteen Bosco Tech students were named AP Scholars, while Matthew Engquist earned the AP Scholar with Honor title, and graduate Reiley Akkari was awarded the coveted AP Scholar with Distinction designation. The 19 Tech students named AP Scholars are:
Justin Bueno Edward Castro Norris Chen Kyle Chiang Christopher Diaz
Alex Escobar Luis Escobar Ziyi Fang Victor Flores Darrian Gardea
Elias Hosseini Adrian Hurtado Noah Jimenez Matthew Lewis Jacob McKinney
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Mario Mijangos William Ramos Timothy Thai Andrew To
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PARENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT Hello fellow Bosco Tech families, My name is Josephina Lira and I have the honor of being your 2016-2017 president of the Bosco Tech Parent Council. I hope you had a great summer break and are ready to begin a wonderful new school year! On behalf of our current families and the student body of Bosco Tech, I would like to give a warm welcome to our new freshman parents, the Techman Class of 2020, and to our international and transfer students. I look forward to working together as a family for the benefit of our young men. It is the mission of the Parent Council to serve as the main liaison of information and support for the parents, families, and students of Bosco Tech. In this endeavor, it is our duty and pleasure to reach out to parents and make them feel that they are an integral part of our school community. By way of the events that the Parent Council holds, we network with parents and faculty to establish a sense of family, a sound foundation of trust, and open communication. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our Bosco Tech Parent Council Executive Board Members: Norma Robles—Vice-President; Laura Jurado—Recording Secretary; Shannon Mc Connell—Treasurer; Norma Camero—Emeritus Position; Council Members—Sandra Rollerson, Tammy Torres, David Valdivia, Michelle Mijangos, Eddie Mijangos, Deadra Toribio, Jesse Toribio, Pola Florez, Mari Castillo, Elizabeth Harrell and Mike Minter; Cathy Rivera—Parent Liaison. The Parent Council meetings are working meetings at which events are planned and coordinated. Our monthly board meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Library. The Parent Council is made up of volunteer parents who apply to serve at the start of each academic year. For more information, please contact Mrs. Cathy Rivera at (626) 940-2006 or crivera@boscotech.edu. Now, a look ahead at our upcoming events: •
Back-to-School Night–Thursday, September 1st at 5:30 p.m. in Tech Hall.
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Bosco Tech 1st Annual Family Mass and Barbeque–Sunday, September 18th at 10:00 a.m. by Gym area.
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Freshman Mothers Mass and Luncheon– Sunday, October 23 at 10:00 a.m. on mall area
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Holiday Boutique––Saturday, December 3rd at 10:00 a.m. on mall area and gym
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Father and Son Mass and Breakfast–Sunday, April 2nd at 10:00 a.m. in Chapel and Tech Hall.
We look forward to seeing you at these events and getting to know you better. Warm Regards, Josephina Lira President, Bosco Tech Parent Council “With the blessings of St. John Bosco and the teaching of the Salesians, we will lead by example and shall remain united, in Christ, Family and Education.”
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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY LABS NEAR COMPLETION
Construction is nearly complete! The development of three new laboratories along the school’s Tech corridor will allow students to study various facets of emerging technologies--rapid prototyping (3D printing, shown above), green construction and alternative energy sources, and robotics. These labs will provide cross-curricular exploration opportunities for students. We are extremely grateful to the Fletcher Jones Foundation for the funding for these facilities.
FOOD SERVICE TEAM RECEIVES BEST OF ROSEMEAD AWARD The word is out! Congratulations to the Bosco Tech food services crew who daily provide students with delicious meals. The school’s cafeteria food has been awarded the 2016 Best of Rosemead Award by the Rosemead Award Program. Each year, the program recognizes companies for exceptional marketing success in their community and business category. Various sources of information are gathered and analyzed to choose winners in each category, determined by information gathered internally by the Rosemead Award Program and data provided by third parties. Ask your son if he’s tried the food and I’m sure he’ll agree with the Rosemead Award Program’s selection!
EARN CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOSCO TECH WHILE SHOPPING! EASY CASH FOR OUR SCHOOL Did you know that you can conveniently earn cash for Bosco Tech while running errands, shopping and ordering online? Now it’s easy to get corporate gifts for our school while you shop. Many of your favorite stores and websites will make contributions each time you make a purchase. Please check out some of these businesses and their convenient giving programs. Simply register and Bosco Tech will automatically earn funds. The following stores and sites, among others, are currently participating: -Amazon.com (smile.amazon.com)
-Food4Less -Kroger Family of Stores
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-Ralphs
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SHOCKLEY NAMED MVP Congratulations to Bosco Tech Athletic Director (AD) Chris Shockley who was named to the CIF-Southern Section inaugural MVP AD’s class for the 2015-2016 school year in late June, recognizing the positive impact athletic directors have on student-athletes. The program recently was launched to offer professional growth for CIF-Southern Section school athletic directors. “I want to thank and salute our section’s athletic directors who achieved MVP AD status in this first year of our program,” said CIF-Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod. “I truly appreciate their hard work, dedication and professionalism in devoting extra time and effort that was necessary for them to complete this certification.” The program involved the completion of several items by the participants, including attending a CIF workshop, participating in an Athletic Directors Summit and the State Athletic Directors conference, and completing rigorous testing. “I believe it’s important to complete programs like this for professional development and growth,” said Coach Shockley. “It’s a challenge to keep up with today's students, both socially and technically. There are so many advances in our world, it’s important to find new methods to reach and understand our youth. The best thing about the CIF program is the communication among Athletic Directors, including veterans who have been doing this for 30 years or more. To be able to hear what works for them has been key.” “I took the program very seriously because I want to be the best AD I can for Bosco Tech and our students. I believe in them whole heartedly and believe they deserve our very best!”
TELL FRIENDS & FAMILY— BOSCO HOSTS GEAR UP FOR HIGH SCHOOL NIGHT ON SEPT. 28 Please tell friends and family members—Bosco Tech will again host “Gear Up for High School” for elementary and middle school students and their parents, teachers, and administrators on Wednesday, September 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. During the free event, representatives from approximately 25 local Catholic private and archdiocesan high schools will provide information and answer questions about each school’s admissions process, curriculum, and academic and extracurricular programs. “As a convenience to families in our community, we’re gathering local private high schools in one place,” said Bosco Tech President , Sept. 28 Wednesday Xavier Jimenez. “Gear Up for High School is a great opportunity for younger students to learn more about the many quality Catholic secondary schools in our area and plan ahead.” Register at Bosco Tech’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/weareboscotech). Call (626) 940-2009 with questions.
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GET INVOLVED! Welcome, parents! Participation in our parent service program is a great opportunity for you to meet other parents while setting a good example for your son about the value of giving back. Events will be advertised throughout the school year. The deadline for the completion of parent volunteer hours for grades 9-12 is March 31, 2017. Also, by December 31, 2016, all parents will be required to have at least half their hours completed. Failure to fulfill volunteer hours and/or assigned bingo evenings will result in a $50 per hour per student charge to your tuition account. Important Note—All parents are required to complete 30 volunteer hours throughout the school year. If you have two or more sons enrolled at Bosco Tech, you must complete an additional 10 hours for each student. Bingo volunteers—If you are currently enrolled in the Bingo Program Option A, you will volunteer 25 hours with the bingo program. Bingo parents are assigned dates and teams and this information is sent via mail. Contact Mr. Paul Garcia at pgarcia@boscotech.edu or 626-940-2147 with any questions regarding your bingo sessions.
STUDENTS BECOME TEACHERS—COACHING THE KIDS
Kudos to our current sophomores who again coached small children through the City of Rosemead’s Tiny Tots sports programs this past spring/summer, as freshmen. The basketball coaching team in top left photo consists of: left to right, including back row: Vincent Maldonado, Daniel Reyes, Jaime Uy, Alex Magallon, Ian McConell, Diego Espinosa, Matthew Salazar, Joshua Dueñas, Gabriel Gonzalez. The Garvey Park Gym soccer coaches are at (top right photo—back row, left to right) Julian Lopez, Johnathan Hernandez, Bryan Valdivia, Joshua Dominguez, Marlon Barahona. Front row: left to right, Kevin Banuelos, Michael Garcia, Joaquin Barbosa, Emiliano La Farga, Eric Olvera. Not pictured: Gerry Gomez, Anthony Castillo. The Garvey Intermediate soccer coaching team in bottom photo (back row, left to right) Richard Hernandez, John Acuna, Cuba Garcia, Andrew Arenas Max Granados. Front row: left to right, Peter Ronney, Andrew Sosa, Luis Alvarez, Alfonzo Martinez, Alex Gonzalez, Gary Lopez. Not pictured: Adrian Medrano. Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen! Our apologies for any name that may be missing or is not in the correct order; we’re so proud of these young men and want to get every name included.
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SPORTS UPDATES BASKETBALL —BY BASKETBALL HEAD COACH DOMINIC SERMENO
Bosco Tech Basketball traveled to San Diego to play in the UCSD team camp and Santa Barbara to play in the Westmont team camp, respectively. The Tigers were lead by senior Jason Reyes and junior Cameron Caterio. Jason averaged 23 points during summer while Cameron chipped in 13 points and 4 assists. The Tigers also hosted their own summer league, finishing 9-1. The varsity team will take their talents to Orlando, Florida this December 26-31, competing in the KSA Tournament. I am filled with great optimism for this coming season. This group has adapted well to their roles, is extremely supportive of their teammates, and is working as hard as any team I have ever had the honor of coaching.
TENNIS —BY TENNIS HEAD COACH & COORDINATOR FOR YOUTH MINISTRY RUDY HERRERA
If the work these tennis players did this summer is any indication of their commitment to the team, we can look forward to successful year. Although the heat on the court was brutal at times, the perseverance and commitment of the teammembers was immediately evident. Because three of the team's key players graduated, many of the younger players knew they had to come out for the summer program. The fine motor skills required to play tennis at a winning level take commitment and dedication and will develop over time and through practice and dedication. The goal of the summer program was to improve both physically and mentally. The high court temperatures and off-court workouts, combined with the on-court drilling, allowed top players to improve their concentration and focus.
HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING & ALUMNI RUN —BY CROSS COUNTRY ASSISTANT COACH BRAD STOLZ
In mid-August, 15 athletes, 3 coaches, and 3 parents experienced hell week at Serrano Campground at Big Bear Lake. Depending on experience level, each athlete and coach ran from 40 to 70 miles. High altitude training is what many Olympic runners from Kenya and Ethiopia undergo to win marathons. The purpose of the training was to prepare us to dominate our league, to go to CIF, and finally to the state championships in Fresno. Although lengthy running on steep mountain trails was quite difficult, everyone who attended came back with a much higher level of endurance and confidence. The camaraderie they shared by their common struggles and fun has created a more united team. The demonstration of their leadership qualities will culminate with the election of captains after the first race in September. At the end, while very tired, they all agreed that this camp experience was well worth the effort. August 20 was a special day for the Cross Country team, as they sponsored the annual Alumni Race, followed by a barbeque and fund-raiser car wash. Close to 20 alumni, including two current (continued on next page)
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CROSS COUNTRY & ALUMNI RUN (CONTINUED) coaches Blayze Fimbres (CS ’10) and Albert Gomez (MS ‘10) and 20 current cross country team members took part in the two-mile race on the streets around and through the Bosco campus. The most senior alumni present were Jose Perez (’74), Chris Burton (DR ’82), and Omar Valdemar (EL ’88). The hard-fought race ended in a spectacular finish with John (JJ) Dominguez (EL ’12) winning with a 11:27 time, a split hair before his brother current sophomore Aaron Dominguez (MS ’19). They were followed one second later by Michael Hurley (PT ’07). After the race, the alumni renewed old friendships and made new friends at the delicious barbeque of carne asada hosted by the hard working cross country parents. If you missed the fun this year, put the Alumni Race in your calendar for next year. You’ll find the date on the cross country page of Bosco’s web site.
ALL JUNIORS WILL COMPLETE PRINCETON REVIEW All juniors will once again complete an in-depth Princeton Review SAT exam prep course on campus; this means that they need not enroll in an outside program. The course, offered at no additional charge, runs over the span of two months, including three Saturdays and 12 late dismissal days. On those scheduled dates, dismissal for the juniors will be postponed by 40 minutes to accommodate the amount of material covered. The program is mandatory for all juniors. Test prep dates and Saturday practice exam dates are already posted on the school’s website, in the general calendar. Please contact Mr. Bob Currie (626-9402013 and rcurrie@boscotech.edu) with any questions.
ALL STUDENTS TO BUILD COLLEGE TEST PREPARATION SKILLS Each fall, Bosco Tech students participate in a campus-wide effort to prepare for standardized testing and the college application process. While all juniors are currently completing a full Princeton Review preparatory course on campus, other students are also benefitting from advanced preparation for upcoming tests and future college admissions. All freshmen and sophomores will be guided through test preparation materials to prepare for the PSAT test. The material will address preparation in the areas of reading, mathematics and writing. Additionally, teachers will use the time periods to focus on developing the critical reading and writing skills fundamental to college admissions and, later on, for college success. “Strong critical reading and effective writing skills are two of the most important predictors of success as students enter their university careers,” said Mr. Jeff Krynen, Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction. “Bosco Tech is strongly committed to building up these skills, beyond the standard college preparatory curriculum, to help ensure our students not only succeed, but excel as they transition into the undergraduate phase of their educations, after they graduate from our school.” Seniors are participating in a series of college admissions sessions that will cover several important topics including financial aid, scholarships, the Cal State and UC applications, and the Common Application process. In addition, representatives from several universities will meet with the senior class.
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BOSCO TECH MUSIC NEWS —BY BAND BOOSTER MR. JUN REYES
Welcome! The Don Bosco Technical Institute Music Program would like to welcome you to the 2016-2017 School Year. It’s been a busy summer for leaders of the DBTI band, having attended several leadership camps that will help them lead the way for another successful, musicfilled school year. California Leadership Academy This summer, the Music Program sent Devin Cornair, Ethan Truong, William Ramos, Matthew Venegas and Michael Garcia to the California Leadership Academy. Devin described his experience with the camp, “The California Leadership Academy at Chapman University is all about developing your skills as a leader. During the camp we participated in numerous icebreakers and activities that were all designed to increase our people skills and leadership abilities. The camp really emphasized meeting new people, so by the end of it, we had a lot of new friends. Overall, it was a very fun and enjoyable experience.” System Blue Leadership Camp The Music Program sent Anthony Reyes and Daniel Hosseini to the System Blue Leadership Camp this summer. Anthony describes his experience with the camp, “We learned things such as how to approach newer members of the band to make them feel welcome, how to communicate effectively, and how to use different strategies to teach peers.” Bocal Majority Bocal Majority is a camp for oboe and bassoon players of all levels. This year, Yehya Nasser who showed great potential in playing the bassoon, participated in the camp. “The Bocal Majority camp wasn’t just exclusively for bassoons, but for other double reed instruments such as the oboe, English horn, and the contrabassoon,” Yehya said. “I learned how to play more difficult notes, learned how to make reeds, and adjust them to fit my liking. The camp was a great experience because I made a lot of friends who also play double reed instruments. Overall, I think the Bocal Majority camp is a good choice for anyone who would want to further expand their knowledge and experience on double reed instruments.” (See Yehya’s photo at Bocal Majority camp on the next page.) (continued on next page)
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BOSCO TECH MUSIC NEWS (CONTINUED) (continued from previous page)
Marching Band Camp The marching band’s summer “Band Camp” was scheduled for the week of August 22, 2016. During this time band members learned the basics of marching and the keys to preparing themselves for the upcoming marching band season. Band leaders will be going over plans for the year while developing new projects that would help the Music Program achieve its goals. The camp ended with a family BBQ on August 25, showcasing the band’s first performance of the year. Leadership Spotlight The 2016 DBTI Royal Techmen Marching Band leaders are Drum Major Devin Cornair, Assistant Drum Major Daniel Hosseini, Low Brass Section Leader William Ramos, High Brass Section Leader Ziyi Fang, Woodwinds Section Leader Ethan Truong, Percussion Section Leader Anthony Reyes, Public Relations Officer Matthew Venegas and Librarian Michael Garcia. The Bosco Tech music program is more than just the marching band! After football season, many band members transition to the Concert Band for the winter months, and finally to the Jazz Band in the spring. Students who join one of the school's band programs learn valuable lessons about leadership and working together as a group. Extracurricular activities, such as music, look great on college applications. Parents are invited to check out the band's YouTube channel, DBTI Music at www.youtube.com/dbtimusic and the program’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dbtimusic. For more information about the band program, contact Music Director Daniel Almanza at dalmanza@boscotech.edu or dbtimusic@gmail.com.
SCHOOL PICTURE DAY Don’t forget, Wednesday, August 31, is school picture day. It is a formal dress day for all students as indicated on both the website and in the handbook. The flyers displaying photo packages were sent home with course schedules, and are available on campus or at mylifetouch.com. LifeTouch customer service can be reached at 626-577-7012. Reminder to senior parents: portraits should have been taken during the month of August at the studio in Pasadena. If you have not made arrangements for your son’s senior portraits, please contact Lifetouch to schedule his sitting as soon as possible!
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IMPORTANT CAMPUS POLICY REMINDERS As we move into the new school year, please review these important guidelines. For a full description, please see the 2016-2017 Parent-Student Handbook. Attendance In the event of an absence, please call the Attendance Office at (626) 940-2002 and leave a message on the answering service by 9 a.m. The parent/guardian calling must state the following: a) student's name, year, and ID # b) reason for the student's absence c) phone number where the parent/guardian may be reached during the day Upon returning to campus, the student must present a signed note to the attendance office stating the dates and reason for the absence. If the student was treated by a physician, he must bring a note from the doctor and present it to the school nurse. The note must state: a) the date the student is permitted to return to school and b) any restrictions regarding participation in school activities such as PE, sports or technology. Tardies A student is tardy to school if he is not in his assigned place when the first period bell rings. If tardy, he must obtain a late slip from the Attendance Office. A note from a parent/guardian should always be presented explaining the reason for tardiness, although this does not assure the student an excused tardy. Disciplinary action will be taken if the reason for the tardy is not recognized as valid. Students are given four verbal warnings before detentions are issued. They will begin to serve after-school detention once they have accumulated their fifth tardy and serve Saturday detentions after their eighth tardy. After the eighth tardy, parents will be contacted and a parent conference will be required to develop a plan that will assist the student in being punctual to class. Fifteen tardies per semester are the maximum allowed before credit for the course becomes null. Student drop offs Parents are asked not to drop off or pick up students from the front administration parking lot because of the inherent danger this may cause students on foot; instead, they are asked to use the south parking lot to drop off/pick up students before/after school. Please observe the ‘no parking’ areas in front of the school, including the bus stop and designated emergency vehicle zones. Parents’ vehicles are not allowed on campus at any time unless by specific permission. Closed campus For the safety of our school community, Bosco Tech is a closed campus between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. Visitors must sign in in the front lobby and be escorted to their requested location on campus. Upon completing business on campus, visitors must check out as they leave. Lunch drop offs Dropping off lunch or lunch money after 8 a.m. is strongly discouraged as this requires a dean to deliver such items to a specific student. If you have pre-arranged with your son to drop off lunch/money, the student should pick it up in the front lobby during his lunch hour. Delivery of drop offs cannot be guaranteed. All lunches left unclaimed after 3:05 p.m. will be disposed of.
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SEPTEMBER 2016 Please note that dates and events are subject to change. Check the school’s full calendar at www.boscotech.edu (see the Upcoming Events box on the lower right side of the homepage) for the latest updates and for events scheduled for later dates.
Fri.-Sat. Monday Wednesday Thursday
8/26-8/27 8/29 8/31 9/1
Friday Monday Tuesday Thursday Saturday
9/2 9/5 9/6 9/8 9/10
Sunday Monday Wednesday
9/11 9/12 9/14
Wed.-Fri. Friday
9/14-9/16 9/16
Saturday Sunday Tues.-Thurs. Wednesday
9/17 9/18 9/20-9/22 9/21
Monday 9/26 Tues.-Thurs. 9/27-9/29 Wednesday 9/28 Friday Saturday
9/30 10/1
Salesian Experience for freshmen (school continues for grade 9) School begins for grades 10-12 Picture day (formal dress) Parent Council presentation at 5:30 p.m. Back-to-School Night at 6:30 p.m. (Join us for a delicious spaghetti dinner—see inside this issue for details) Faculty in-service day (no school for students) Labor Day (no school) Parent Council meeting at 6 p.m. School-wide assembly (special schedule) ACT (on campus) Salesian Family Day of Reconciliation Patriot Day Senior college information night (Last name A-L: 6 p.m.; M-Z: 7 p.m.) Character assembly Alumni Association board meeting at 6 p.m. Triduum Liturgy (formal dress) Fall dance at 7:30 p.m. Test Prep preparation #1 (all juniors) Family Picnic BBQ from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Test Prep #1, 2 and 3 Freshman College Information Night at 6 p.m. followed by TIS #1 in technologies at 7 p.m. Picture make-up day Test Prep #4, 5 and 6 Progress reports #1 due High School Night for elementary & middle school students at 6 p.m. Report cards mailed SAT (off campus) Test #2 Prep (all juniors)
PARENT COUNCIL MEETING / BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT IS SEPT. 1 The new school year promises to be a productive and successful one. Please plan to attend the kick-off quarterly Parent Council meeting on Thursday, Sept. 1, at 5:30 p.m., followed immediately by Back-to-School Night at 7 p.m. During the evening, the board will answer questions and outline the year’s highlights and goals. All teachers, counselors, and school administrators will be on hand to meet parents. We look forward to seeing you there!