Clubs & Activites Handbook 2015-2016

Immaculate High School

CLUBS & ACTIVITIES HANDBOOK 2015-2016 School Year

I Am Involved EXTENDING THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM It’s easy to get involved!

Because of our size, Immaculate High School offers more opportunities to get involved.

Immaculate High School offers more than just books‌ students have an opportunity to express themselves and excel in campus ministry, athletics, the arts and more. By participating in clubs and activities, students develop skills such as leadership, working with others, responsibility and self-discipline.

Students eagerly become involved in at least one extra-curricular activity and in fact, most participate in several.

Clubs and activities meet before, during and after school, which means there is plenty of time to get involved, even for students who are active in sports and the fine arts.

Director of Admissions Welcome Dear Mustangs, Here is your 2016-2017 IHS Activity E-Booklet. Inside you’ll find many different ways for you to become part of this great place we call Immaculate High School!

Is service to others who need it most important to you? We’ve got Habitat for Humanity, Campus Ministry, Student Ambassador Club, and Peer Leadership, waiting for you to join.

Looking for something with a little competition? How about joining the History Quiz Bowl or Math League? Perhaps you’re looking for real intellectual challenge. You might want to check out the Debate Club, Mock Trial, Yearbook, Literary Magazine or Cyber Patriots. Or is leadership that most interests you? Run for position on the Student Council. Do you liker to perform? Join the Drama Club and take on a new role! How about cheering on our Mustang athletes? Join the Stable our Student There are many activities to join. Take a look through the booklet and pick one! Or two! Or three!

Our activity advisors are excited to have you join in the adventures and challenges of their programs. Listed in this booklet is an overview of the clubs and activities that we currently offer.

Need help in making a decision? Have a question about the time commitment? What ever your questions, feel free to contact me at tburns@immaculatehs.org. My office located as you enter the building!

My advice to you is to get involved NOW! Don’t wait until the end of the year to try something. Become an active participant in the IHS community. You’ll discover more about yourself, make a lot of friends and have a great time along the way.

Sincerely, Tom Burn Director of Admissions

GET IN TOUCH 203-744-1510 ext. 148 tburns@immaculatehs.org www.immaculatehs.org/admissions

ART CLUB Faculty Moderator: TBA info@immacualtehs.org

The Art Club consists of IHS students who love the visual arts and cannot seem to get enough of them throughout the school day. The club meets after school on a regular basis to hold meetings. Each Art Club member brings his/her style to the group, which creates an environment of diversity where students can learn from each other. Art Club members enjoy an open studio where they can utilize any and all materials to create whatever they wish. Students can work individually or in groups as they enjoy each other’s fellowship and refine their artistic skills.

BAKING CLUB Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Bridget Henry bhenry@myimmaculatehs.org

What’s in the oven? Baking enthusiasts come together to hang out and learn new recipes. The goal is to introduce students to the fun and rewards of baking from scratch! Proceeds and baked goods will support selected school activities, IHS hospitality and local charities.

CHORUS Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Samantha Murtha smurtha@myimmaculatehs.org

Mixed Chorus will rehearse and perform classical and contemporary music of medium difficulty that challenges their musical abilities. The class meets 5 days a week for the entire year. Some areas of study are basic music theory, voice production, solo and ensemble singing, sight-reading and artistic interpretation. A variety of music literature is studied, including sacred and secular compositions from the master works to contemporary. A variety of languages are sung. Mixed Chorus students are required to perform in the Patriotic Concert, Christmas Concert, Cabaret and the Baccalaureate Mass. Students may also travel to festivals and competitions and take a field trip to see a Broadway show. They will also have the opportunity to audition for the Connecticut All State Chorus and the Western Regional Festival.

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CLASS OFFICERS Faculty Moderator: Mr. Tom Burns tburns@immaculatehs.org

Immaculate High School’s class officers provide leadership and serve as the voice of the students. Class of officer elections are held in the spring and consist of, but are not limited to, President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian. Freshman Class Officers will be elected in the fall. Officers are responsible for planning school activities, dances, service projects, and fundraisers throughout the year.

CONCERT BAND

Faculty Moderator: Mr. Niall Reynolds nreynolds@myimmaculatehs.org

Enrollment in Concert Band is open to any student who has at least one year of experience/proficiency on a woodwind, string, brass or percussion instrument.

A wide variety of concert band and jazz ensemble literature will be studied, with increasing difficulty in the music throughout the year, and the repertoire will vary from year to year. Emphasis is placed on development of technique and interpretation, both as individual instrumentalists and as an ensemble group, performance skills, and developing an overall mature musical expression. Music skills, such as scale, sight-reading and rhythm exercises, will be emphasized, along with music theory including music notation and key signature recognition.

CONCERT CHOIR Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Samantha Murtha smurtha@myimmaculatehs.org

Concert choir is the serious study of artistic music for the select chorus musician.

This is an auditioned group of upperclassmen who show advanced skills in vocal production and score reading. They will study and perform advanced repertoire focusing on sacred and secular music ranging from 4 to 8 parts. There will be an emphasis on a cappella singing. In addition, advanced music theory and music history will be studied. Choir members are required to participate in all concerts and out of school performances, as well as, to audition for the Western Regional Competition in November sponsored by the Connecticut Music Educators Association. They normally go to a Broadway show in the fall and may compete in a festival in the spring.

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CYBERPATRIOTS Faculty Moderator: Mr. Dave Cirella dcirella@myimmaculatehs.org

CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program. At the center of CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. The competition puts teams of high school and middle school students in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company.

In the rounds of competition, teams are given a set of virtual images that represent operating systems and are tasked with finding cyber security vulnerabilities within the images and hardening the system while maintaining critical services in a six-hour period.

DEBATE CLUB Faculty Moderator: Ms. Wendy Neil wneil@myimmaculatehs.org

Debate is popular here at IHS. Learn the art of persuasion, compete in local, regional and national tournaments, improve public speaking skills and gain confidence. This club competes in the Connecticut Debate Association (CDA) throughout the academic year. Events that emphasize knowledge of governmental policy and action on both the domestic and international levels are also discussed.

DRAMA CLUB Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Alexa Wild awild@myimmaculatehs.org

The club offers acting education and a creative outlet for theatrically-minded students. We produce a play each fall, and recent productions have been Shakespeare. Students perform, design and make costumes, props and sets.

Interested in music? We usually have a musical component to our dramas as well. We’ve received many nominations and awards for our productions.

Recently, the drama club has presented The Tempest, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If you are looking for a fun crowd - Drama Club is for you!

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GUITAR ENSEMBLE Faculty Moderator: Mr. Niall Reynolds nreynolds@myimmaculatehs.org

Enrollment in Guitar Ensemble is open to any student who plays guitar – students should have their own acoustic guitar. Guitar ensemble literature in varied styles (folk, rock, classical, jazz) will be studied and will change from year to year. Emphasis is placed on performance skills such as playing with a group and not just as a solo instrument, guitar picking and strumming techniques, and basic music theory involved in ensemble and solo playing. Grading includes performance evaluations and written examinations and quizzes, along with written exercises as homework. Attendance at all performances is mandatory.

HISTORY QUIZ BOWL

Faculty Moderator: Mr. Joe Muchanski jmuchanski@myimmaculatehs.org

Quiz Bowl is a competitive activity in which players attend practices and then represent IHS at tournaments. The matches feature a blend of individual competition and team collaboration, since no individual player is likely to be an expert in all areas of history. Quiz bowl reinforces classroom lessons and also encourages players to go beyond their assignments to master other areas of history.

HOUSATONIC HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Faculty Moderator: Deacon Jeff Font ihschaplain@myimmaculatehs.org

Students volunteer help to build homes in order to eliminate poverty housing from the greater Danbury area and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CLUB

Faculty Moderator: Mr. Niall Reynolds nreynolds@myimmaculatehs.org

The IHS Instrumental Music Club provides an environment where students can explore instrumental music performance in all of its genres. Open to all instrumentalists, club members play at coffeehouses, school masses, and other social events held at school.

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INTERNATIONAL CLUB Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Robin Moravsky rmoravsky @myimmaculatehs.org

The International Club is open to all students. The mission of the club is to enhance awareness of cultural diversity and individual differences, interests, and activities of all students within the Immaculate High School. The club provides a casual social setting for students to discover new friends and cultures by meeting students who are interested in foreign languages, trying new foods, celebrating exciting holidays and traveling to new places like restaurants, theaters, museums and plays.

KEY CLUB Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Nanci Stockmann nstockmann@myimmaculatehs.org

Key Club is a student-led organization that teaches leadership through serving others. Members learn leadership skills by running meetings, planning projects and holding elected leadership positions. Students also dedicate 25 service hours to Key Club projects. Projects include collecting clothing and participating in Relay for Life, Taste of Danbury, Reading is Fundamental, Friends of Danbury Library Book Sale, Inter Faith Aid Ministry, and the Dorothy Day Hospitality House Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Membership in the IHS Key Club is reserved for qualified Seniors. Junior level students make applications for membership each spring.

LATIN CLUB

Faculty Moderator: Fr. James Cole jcole@myimmaculatehs.org

Salvete, Omnes! The IHS Latin Club promotes the study of and enthusiasm for all things related to the Classical civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome.

LITERARY MAGAZINE

Faculty Moderator: Fr. James Cole jcole@myimmaculatehs.org

Students have the opportunity to workshop their creative writing and artistic talents. We are a collaborative group of writers willing to read any short story, poem or stanza - finished or unfinished! Members contribute to and publish Mustang Muse, the IHS literary magazine.

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MATH LEAGUE Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Jeanine Antonios jantonios@myimmaculatehs.org

IHS math students gather weekly, in a low-stress environment, to compete against one another and other schools. Throughout the academic year, students participate in six contests provided by the New England Math league.

Problems are drawn from a wide range of mathematical topics: geometry, algebra, trigonometry and probability.

MIDNIGHT RUN MINISTRY Faculty Moderator: Deacon Jeff Font ihschaplain@myimmaculatehs.org

The students are responsible for collecting and preparing toiletry bags, lunches, and clothing for the homeless to be distributed during runs to Manhattan. The students load the Midnight Run van at the start of the run and unload and reload at each stop. The students are encouraged to engage those visiting with us in conversation while serving them a cup of coffee or chili and providing them with clothing they need.

MOCK TRIAL Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Wendy Neil wneil@myimmaculatehs.org

With the assistance of a teacher-sponsor and attorney-coach Steve Sedensky, students actively experience the excitement of working in teams, exchanging ideas, setting goals, and examining issues while interacting with positive role models from area communities. By studying legal cases and preparing strategies and arguments for trial, students also develop presentation skills, analytic ability, and team cooperation. Students participate in rehearsal trials to lean more about the legal system in a competitive manner.

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MODEL UN Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Mary Maloney president@myimmaculatehs.org

Model UN is a simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. Students step into the shoes of ambassadors to debate current issues on the organization’s agenda. While playing their roles as ambassadors, students make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the Model UN conference rules of procedure- all in the interest of mobilizing “international cooperation” to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.

MORNING GLORY

Faculty Moderator: Decon Jeff Font ihschaplain@myimmaculatehs.org

Early risers can participate in Morning Glory where volunteers typically arrive by 6:30am to prepare, serve and distribute breakfast to guests at the Dorothy Day Hospitality House. By 9:00am clean up is finished and students return to school and proceed with their day.

MUSICAL THEATER Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Samantha Murtha smurtha@myimmaculatehs.org

Musical Theater at IHS is one of the highlights of the school year! This is an exciting opportunity that allows students to discover talents and perform on stage. Discover dance (jazz and ballet), voice, acting, and stage performance. Recent productions are West Side Story, Les Miserables, In the Heights, Miss Saigon, Aida, The Wedding Singer and The Sound of Music. Auditions are held in January. Students rehearse through the winter. The musical runs for four performances in late April.

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NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY (NHS) Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Dana Pinckney dpinckney@myimmaculatehs.org

The St. Thomas Aquinas Chapter of the National Honor Society is a chartered and affiliated chapter of this prestigious national organization. Membership in the National Honor Society is offered to juniors and seniors who meet the criteria established by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, these are: scholarship (cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above), leadership, service, and character. The preceding qualities of potential members are determined by a comprehensive application for admission.

NEWSPAPER CLUB Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Dana Pinckney dpinckney@myimmaculatehs.org

The Newspaper Club is responsible for publishing the Immaculate Times, the quarterly school newspaper. Students meet to learn about the fundamentals of the journalism process from planning articles to writing stories and securing artwork to publishing the paper. Members participate in all aspects of the editing/publishing process while developing new skills and mastering old ones.

The Newspaper Club is open to all Immaculate High School students who are devoted to honest, dependable journalism.

PEER LEADERSHIP

Faculty Moderator: Ms. Barb Beninati bbeninati@myimmaculatehs.org

The Peer Leadership Club is a group of students working together to help students learn self-advocacy skills and to plan for the future. Activities include Mix it up Day, 26 Acts of Kindness, Jeans for Teens, Rachel’s Challenge Assembly, and Rachel’s Legacy Assembly.

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PEERS ASSISTING STUDENT SUCCESS (PASS) Faculty Moderator: Ms. Elizabeth Krysiak ekrysiak@myimmaculatehs.org

PASS is a school-wide peer-mentoring program. PASS pairs upper classmen with underclassmen in an effort to help underclassmen achieve better overall success academically and/or socially. PASS also helps students who may struggle in areas such as transitioning to Immaculate, organizing, making new friends, managing time, communicating, and participating in the community and/or classroom.

ROCK BAND

Faculty Moderator: Mr. Niall Reynolds nreynolds@myimmaculatehs.org

Rock Band is composed of a select group of students who rehearse and perform together as a band, playing classic rock and current rock songs.

ROSARY CLUB Faculty Moderator: TBA info@immaculatehs.org

Students learn about not only the Holy Rosary and the prayers, but also the meaning of a heavenly mother as an advocate. Club members also make Rosary’s for distribution to local Catholic organizations and parishes.

SCENARY CREW Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Alexa Wild awild@immaculatehs.org

Scenery Crew meets after school to help create the props and background scenery for both the Fall Drama Play as well as the Musical Theater Production.

Students will be working individually as well as in groups to finish a wide variety of projects as dictated by the wide range of IHS production. As opening night nears, expect to stay after school on more than just Tuesdays!

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SCIENCE CLUB Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Bridget Henry bhenry@immaculatehs.org

The IHS Science Club provides students the opportunity to explore challenging scientific experiments, demonstrations, and discussions. Topics are from the basic sciences of biology, chemistry and physics to forensics and engineering. Join us to discuss and share the latest scientific news and discoveries!

SHE’S THE FIRST

Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Lynn Loya lloya@myimmaculatehs.org

She’s the First sponsors girls’ education in lowincome countries, giving them the chance to become the first in their families to graduate from secondary school. She’s the First mobilizes supporters to fund scholarships and gives a clearer understanding on global issues related to poverty. The IHS Chapter, hosts its annual Tie-Dye Cupcake fundraiser to sponsor girls at She’s the First partner schools. She’s the First members spread awareness and create a dialogue about education at IHS, the greater Danbury area, and on social media.

SIGN LANGUAGE CLUB

Faculty Moderator: TBA info@immaculatehs.org

Students who are interested in experiencing Deaf culture through sign language instruction and performance meet to learn basic conversational skills and vocabulary.

SKI CLUB

Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Bridget Henry bhenry@immaculatehs.org

The Ski club is designed to provide students with an opportunity for winter recreation and physical activity. Ski trips are coordinated with Mohawk Mountain, Powder Ridge, Thunder Ridge, Mount Southington, Ski Sundown, and Woodbury Ski Area.

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STUDENT AMBASSADORS Faculty Moderator: Mr. Tom Burns tburns@myimmaculatehs.org

Student Ambassadors assist the Admissions Department in representing Immaculate High School in recruitment and marketing events such as High School Fairs, 8th Grade Discovery Days, Open House, and grade school visits.

Ambassadors host Mustang for a Day visitors, greet special guests to the school and speak at masses. Members are selected students at all levels. An Ambassador has strong school spirit, is prepared to speak in front of student and parent groups, demonstrates excellent leadership skills, and is committed to the community that Immaculate serves.

STUDENT COUNCIL

Faculty Moderator: Mr. Ryan Nolan rnolan@myimmaculatehs.org

Student Council is an organization of student leaders whose primary focus is to represent their peers and act as a liaison between the students of IHS and the faculty and administration. Student Council is responsible for planning student and community service activities throughout the year. Activities include: organizing the Freshman Social, Homecoming Dance, Rake and Bake, pep rallies, student/faculty basketball game, IHS Annual Walk-a-thon, and all school dress down days to benefit selected causes (i.e., Wounded Warrior Project, Relay for Life, Books for Christmas, Toy Drive, and Spiritual Life). Officers are elected each Spring and consist of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Events Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, and International Ambassador.

In addition, homeroom representatives are elected each Fall. Officers meet Wednesday’s of every week at 2:05pm.

STUDENTS AGAINST DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS (SADD) Faculty Moderator: Mrs. Maureen Arsenault marsenault@myimmaculatehs.org

This group organizes, sponsors, and facilitates a variety of school-wide prevention activities with the goal of helping students make healthy decisions.

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THE STABLE Faculty Moderator: Mr. Jeff Castaldi jcastaldi@myimmaculatehs.org

The purpose of Stable is to promote spirit within the school community.

Members of the Stable help to plan and participate in school wide activities such as spirit week, Homecoming, and pep rallies. The Stable promotes our school spirit and identity at home and away games. The Stable can be found (and heard) in the student section of the stands. We look for enthusiastic and energetic students who value and embrace Immaculate High School traditions.

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DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY RYAN NOLAN THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL MARKETING THE OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT Immaculate High School admits students without regard to race, creed or color.

IMMACULATE HIGH SCHOOL 73 Southern Boulevard Danbury, CT 06810 OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS 203-744-1510 info@immaculatehs.org www.immaculatehs.org

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