ParentNewsletter THE LA SALLE
FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CA • DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Principal Ideas Learn•Serve•Lead
A most happy midDecember to you! Our classroom time, events, and activities have moved with great speed in bringing the first part of our academic year to a rapid conclusion. Before we depart for a well-deserved break later this month we have some serious business to tend too. Of utmost importance for each student is to finish each class well by completing all assignments and projects in a timely fashion and then properly preparing well for those much anticipated semester examinations beginning on Tuesday, December 17 and finishing on Friday, December 20. As a note of information, teachers are not required to administer early semester examinations because of planned family travel. I would encourage families not to seek early semester examinations for you may receive an unfortunate response. Please remember that PowerSchool will be unavailable for access from Monday evening, December 16 until the afternoon of January 9, 2014. The reason is to give teachers the opportunity to work on grades and not be disturbed by questions/special concerns.
Open House On Sunday, November 3, La Salle opened its doors to prospective students and
families who are in search of a college preparatory high school experience. I wish to express my thanks to the countless parents, boosters, and students, who along with the entire faculty and staff made for such a welcoming experience for our visitors. It was another proud day for the Lancer community!
Taking Notice Our first four months of school have been filled with many successes both inside and outside the classroom. I want to acknowledge some of our activities that are not “big ticket” events and may go unnoticed by the larger school population. The Visual and Performing Arts Department staged the production of Metamorphoses eight times at the Portico Theatre in Pasadena. Continued on page 2
The words of St. John Baptist de La Salle to the first Brothers “Your faith must be your constant light and guide as well as a beacon for your students. You must be a model for them so that they will see Christ in you.” Saint John Baptist de La Salle c.1703 Meditations for Sudays
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ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Principal Ideas Continued from page 1
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT JANUARY 9
The cast was 25 students with a production crew of 23 students and faculty. Our well established Mock Trial program represented us very well in competition at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles. Sophomore Erin McFaul was selected the Outstanding Defense Attorney for the entire competition as was Junior Mariel Lo Guercio who took first place as Courtroom Artist. Stephen Boyer ’14 was honored at the All-American High School Film Festival in New York City for two of his films. He has been designated a 2014 Young Arts Winner and in January will be traveling to Miami for a week to receive his award.
Varsity Cross Country: Girls Team - 3rd place. Boys Team - 4th place. Girls Team qualified for Section Prelims. Varsity Boys Water Polo: Record 3 – 20 season. A season of growth! Varsity Football Team – Compiled a 9 – 3 record. League champions and advanced to Section playoffs. Varsity Girls Volleyball – League Champions and Southern Section Champions for the 2nd year in a row. The team advanced to the CIF State Championship Tournament and lost in the second round. Caroline Knop was selected MVP of the Del Rey League. Varsity Girls Golf - Finished 3rd place in league.
Our Community
Back to School Night
This years’ student body has been fantastic in “reaching-out” to others. On different occasions they have chosen to help other individuals and groups because of an expressed need. They collected food and money to assist 122 military families at Fort Irwin for their celebration of Thanksgiving. They coordinated the fundraising of three thousand dollars to assist families in the Philippines for the relief fund following the typhoon damage in mid-November. They partnered with the Red Cross, donating 81 units of blood (a 133% increase from last year). The precious gift of blood will literally save the lives of many unknown individuals. In reality, they “stuck” it to themselves!
Lancer Athletes The world of athletics often brings out a myriad of feelings and emotions. “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”…could be found on our campus this fall. Much is to be learned by playing a sport and being a part of a team: cooperation, selflessness, hard work, commitment to a goal, humility and sportsmanship. While these are only some of the components I use for being able to judge a teams’ season successful, they are excellent indicators for me. Let me briefly recount our successes and challenges: Varsity Girls Tennis: Finished 2nd in league and advanced to the Section playoffs. We were represented in the Section Doubles Tournament by Chloe Beauvois and Claire Fitzgerald. PAGE 2
When school resumes in January (I know, we haven’t even had Christmas yet) we will again hold our Second Semester Back to School Night on the evening of January 9. As in the past, your student will bring home to you a special schedule they will receive on January 7 for the classroom/ teacher visits that will occur. Additionally, we will have a special Senior Parent Meeting that will take place immediately following the general meeting. The purpose of the senior parent meeting is to review various senior activities as we anticipate a successful and meaningful final semester for our seniors. At least one parent of each senior is asked to be in attendance. Both of these events on January 9 are focused on enhancing communication and expectations. PLEASE plan on attending! Amidst all of the busyness that surrounds the Christmas season, its actual meaning can get lost and forgotten. It is all together fitting and appropriate that we pause and remember that Christmas is our remembrance of the miraculous event that occurred over two thousand years ago when Jesus Christ entered our midst in the form of a child. His presence on earth and dying on the cross was his gift of love to us. May this Christmas season abound for you with all of our Saviors gifts: peace, joy and everlasting love. May you have a truly Blessed Christmas!
Brother Christopher Brady, FSC Principal
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
From the Parent Association
The Priceless Experience at La Salle The theme of Brad and Carol Wright’s December ParentNewsletter article a couple of years ago stuck with me. They mentioned the 1997 Priceless® TV commercial for MasterCard that you might remember. It is the one that typically began with a personable setting with parents and kids actively engaged in some sort of family activity. It begins to describe various items that could be purchased, along with how much they cost, and it goes on from there…you know the one I’m talking about, right? “There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else there is MasterCard”. Even though there were a number of different versions of the commercial, the fundamental message that it delivered was always the same. While it spoke to us of things that can be bought, it also addressed the intangible benefit from what could be easily viewed as a rather nominal or inconsequential purchase. Here is a different spin on that very same commercial, and it goes something like this… Cost of tuition at La Salle….a bunch of cash Cost of building the projects included in La Salle’s new master plan….a bunch of cash and a whole lot more Watching your kids savor their High School experience at La Salle….PRICELESS!
NEXT Parent Association Meeting: Tuesday January 14, 2014 6:30pm Blakeslee Library
Over the past few months, we have been fortunate to take part in a number of school events that made us proud to be part of the La Salle family. But more importantly, it’s also been a time for us to look beyond the cost of tuition and the proposed multi-million dollar master plan and come to understand the experience that we as a greater Lasallian community provide to our children. To share in the excitement during La Salle's victorious Homecoming football game and in seeing our kids running out on to the field afterwards with such excitement was heart-warming. To witness the school spirit demonstrated by students as they cheered the girls’ volleyball team into CIF playoffs was unforgettable. To enjoy the theatrical performance of the fall production, Metamorphosis, and to observe the accomplishments of our Robotics team in action at Open House kept us asking for more. And lest we not forget the numerous individual honors that many of our students have earned ranging from various academic, artistic and athletic accolades to selection as participants in the 2014 Tournament of Roses parade. Whatever the event or occasion, we’ve been left with a feeling of satisfaction and well-being that every parent in attendance undeniably shared…we all knew that what we were witnessing was special, and that as a parent, it was a fulfilling experience to say the least. For our children, though, it was a defining moment that they’ll remember long after their high school days are over; as a parent, we could not have been happier for the chance to share in these wonderful times with them. At La Salle, this is what The La Salle Difference is Continued on page 13
Parent Association Monthly Meeting Topics January - Student Technology Implementation Plan for 2014-2015 February - Mission Effectiveness Committee Presentation March - College Counselors Year-End Report April - Thank You Celebration PAGE 3
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
La Salle Matters
A PAY IT FORWARD TWIST
You may remember the 2000 release of the film "Pay It Forward". It featured an “A-List” cast that included Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Jon Bon Jovi, Angie Dickinson and child actor (and Flintridge Prep student) Haley Joel Osment. The reviews of the film were mixed - primarily due to its emotionally manipulative plot and (sorry, “Spoiler Alert”) the untimely death (at the end of the film) of Osment’s character, Middle School student Trevor McKinney. Nevertheless, it had a respectable Box Office performance (#4 on its opening weekend) and has achieved an impressive DVD following - especially among Religion teachers (myself included) - who recognized its inherent reinforcement of Gospel values. The pay it forward principle has percolated at the edges of the American literary scene at least since 1916 when the phrase may have been coined
by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1916 book, In the Garden of Delight, as a term for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying it to others instead of to the original benefactor. According to some sources, the concept is old, dating at least to Benjamin Franklin who, in 1784, used the concept to explain to an acquaintance why he should not repay the loan Franklin had given him, but to offer PAGE 4
a similar loan to someone who would need similar assistance. The pay it forward concept has since evolved into a national foundation of the same name whose mission is to promote the notion that the one who is the recipient of a charitable act should be motivated to offer a similar act of charity to unknown persons in need of a similar benefit. I recently had occasion to reflect on the pay it forward principle as I was stuck in traffic on the 110, having just returned from a visit to Transfiguration Catholic School, on the edge of Exposition Park, where La Salle’s Director of Bands, Megan Foley and I had just delivered a supply of drums as well as a Vibraphone and an electric keyboard. The struggling, inner-city school had come to my attention last summer when I read an article in the Archdiocesan newspaper, The Tidings, which reported that the School had recently developed an instrumental music program as a way to attract students from the public sector who were experiencing a rapidly shrinking set of opportunities to pursue their passion in the visual and performing arts. Having just concluded a highly successful Regents Campaign for the Arts, that, among other goals, had enabled the School to replace a variety of aging musical instruments used in our well-regarded concert band, jazz band and drum line programs; it occurred to me that Transfiguration School might have a use for these gently used instruments. I contacted the principal, who was pleased to receive this unexpected largesse and off to Exposition Park we went. I must admit there was a bit of an ulterior motive to my decision to reach out to Transfiguration School. As an institution sponsored by the Christian Brothers, La Salle actively seeks out Missionappropriate students who attend inner-city Catholic elementary schools and who require substantial tuition assistance in order to take advantage of our college preparatory program. It occurred to me that an inner-city Catholic elementary school, with an emerging focus on instrumental music, would be a great fit for us. It did not, however, occur to me that my effort to pay it forward would
ParentNewsletter
be utterly transformed by my visit to this amazing sanctuary of safety, Catholic ideals and robust commitment to the transformation of lives in a blighted neighborhood. When Megan and I arrived at Transfiguration School, the principal had arranged for us to visit their band room where the Music teacher presented a sample of the School’s instrumental curriculum. We experienced third through eighth graders performing Christmas Carols on a variety of instruments, an amazingly talented sixth grader on piano, a rousing drum line (memo to the file: these aspiring musicians would make great candidates for La Salle’s drum line) and an African instrumental group that stunned me in their discipline and commitment to musical excellence. On our departure, the principal, music teacher and coordinator of the School’s marketing and development effort profusely thanked us for our generosity to their instrumental program. The music teacher, an enormously talented young man, noted that he was probably going to cry after we departed, as he tried to find room for the instruments that we had left behind. Here’s the kicker: when I arrived at Transfiguration School, I thought La Salle was paying it forward by donating our excess musical instruments to a worthy Catholic innercity elementary school. By the time I left, a little over two hours later, I realized they had paid it backward by teaching me that it does not matter how many or few resources you have, a commitment to the Mission and an unshakable conviction that belief in the students entrusted to your care can produce miracles - in Pasadena and in the inner-city - is far more powerful than the resources we take for granted, or are suddenly, and unexpectedly, provided by someone we never met before. I left the adults of Transfiguration School that day humbled by their amazing commitment to children who don’t know what they can achieve on their own - and encouraged by their unassuming belief that music can create possibilities we take for granted. Not a bad lesson on paying it forward for this comfortable middle aged adult to reflect on during this season of gift giving.
Richard Gray, Ph.D
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
3880 E. SIERRA MADRE BLVD. PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91107-1996 • TELEPHONE 626.351.8951 FACSIMILE 626.351.0275 WWW.LASALLEHS.ORG • THE LA SALLE PARENTNEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY EXCEPT JANUARY AND JULY BY LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL OF PASADENA, INCORPORATED
© 2014
• EDITOR, DESIGNER JOHN BLACKSTOCK ’67 DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: 626.696.4316 • EMAIL: JBLACKSTOCK @ LASALLEHS . ORG
Transforming Lives Since 1680
President
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Lancers Win CIF Championship
FANTASTIC 30 Game Winning Season Haley DeSales
Jewels Tavera, Renaissance Forester
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The Division 1A, number one ranked Lancers, successfully defended their 2012 CIF Championship by downing HarvardWestlake 3-0 in the CIF Finals on November 23, 2013. The Lancers were undefeated in the Del Rey League and brought a 30-5 record into the championship game where they stuffed Harvard-Westlake at the net en route to a 25-22, 25-20, 26-17 sweep and their second consecutive CIF-Southern Section title. “A lot of people don’t get the opportunity ever in their lifetime to play for a CIF championship and we get to go three times in a row and win it twice,” said Captain Caroline Knop. “It shows our character.”
Jewels Tavera
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Caroline and Katherine Knop
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Head Coach Tiare Tuitama
CIF Champs!
2013 CIF Division 1A Volleyball Champions Back row from left, Assistant Coach, Trevor Lanzarotta, Head Coach Tiare Tuitama, India Hines, Jenny Haderlein, Lea Bruder, Vanessa Orona , Aitana Lugo-Rodriguez, Jaya Banks, Caroline Knop, Yahaira Ramirez, Julianna Palffy, Lauren Rewers, Assistant Coach Bernard Luna, Assistant Coach Eileen Mitchell. Front row, from left, Renaissance Forester, Jewels Tavera , Katherine Knop, Haley DeSales, Cheri Raymundo and Shadie Williams.
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ParentNewslett
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
MAC Luncheon Starts Season with Panache A BeAUTIFUL START OF THe SeASON
La Salle’s Mothers of Alumni Council held its 7th annual Christmas luncheon/ boutique on December 5th at the Altadena Country Club. The La Salle choir, led by Jude Lucas, entertained the guests with Christmas carols and holiday cheer. A vast selection of items were offered by the boutique vendors and shoppers found many creative holiday items to purchase.
President Richard Gray with Yolanda Valadez P'08, President of Mothers of Alumni.
The guest speaker was La Salle alumnus, Roque Valiente, Class of 2011, San Miguel recipient. His talk focused on his journey leading him to La Salle High School, his experiences at La Salle, and to his new college life at USC.
Kelly Guzman P'17 and Frances Mena P'15.
Josie Beringer P ’11, ’14; Cissy McGregor P ’13, ’15 Kathy Fogarty P'17 and Monica Borquez P'14. PAGE 8
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
THe LADIeS HAVe ALL THe FUN
Front Row (left to right): Jeane Ward P ’99; Carol Wright P ’07, ’12; Nancy Larr P ’07, ’12; Jamie Gray P ’13, ’14; Maria Lara P ’05, ’06, ’09; Lynn Torres-Lewis P ’13; Yolanda Valadez P ’08; Debbie Williams P ’98, ’00; Lisa Urbina P ’09, ’10, ’16 Back Row (left to right): Dana Jones-Brooks P ’11, ’12; Lucy Evans P ’05, ’07; Tammy Jutsum P ’02, ’05
Roque Valiente '11
Left, Jeane Ward P ’99; Charmayne and Ray Ealy P ’13; Iris Aguirre P ’04
Daina Shuster P ’11,’12,’15; Julie Solberg P ’15 At right, bottom row (Left to right): Nancy Larr P’07, ’12; Patty Wright P ’68, ’73, GP ’07, ’12; Carol Wright P ’07, ’12; Debbie Williams P ’98, ’00. Top Row (Left to right): Lucy Evans P ’05, ’07; Stephanie Plumb Miller P’06; Tammy Jutsum P ’02, ’05; Dana JonesBrooks P ’11, ’12 PAGE 9
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
From the Athletic Boosters
Christmas and New Years SUPPORT THE LA SALLE LANCERS
I would like to wish everyone a Merry 2nd in league and moved on to tournament play. I Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Athletic cannot wait to see what great things the winter and Boosters Board. The Holiday Season brings with it spring bring to La Salle athletics. a close to fall sports. I have to say it has been a very As we leave 2013 and begin 2014, I think good fall for the Lancers. Our varsity football team it is good to reflect on the year. Again it has special won its second consecutive league title and had a meaning to me as my son is a senior, and as football good showing in the first round of the CIF playoffs. ended, so did a phase of, not only his life, but my I want to thank Coach Gordon and his staff for all families life as well. I know I am not alone when I the fun Friday Nights and their dedication to our say we senior parents are in for a series of lasts and athletes. firsts for the rest of the year. Girls Volleyball continued to roll with I will move on to just say thank you to their fourth consecutive league title. In the our fall athletes for all the memories they have playoffs the girls dominated their opponents, provided us, the excitement, the drama and even winning the Division the disappointment, (yes all of it), because it is part 1A Championship of you, part of us and now part of La Salle history. for the second I hope you have a safe Holiday Season. We straight year. I was have lots more fun coming up in Lancer Athletics able to watch the first in 2014. round of the state We are always looking for people who championships where want to become more involved with the La Salle they again dominated Athletic Boosters and the Booster Board. If you are their opponent in so inclined, please contact me for more information three straight sets. The team played the number about how you can help at jdcina@sbcglobal.net. one seed on November 23 at Los Alamitos in a very close match 3-2. Bear in mind that we are a school of 700 students taking on a school of over 3,000. The team and Coach Tuitama deserve much credit for their accomplishments. Other notable sports accomplishment this fall were; JV Football won the League title; Girls Cross Country qualified for the post season; Girls John D. Cina P'13, '14 Golf came in third in league and Girls Tennis took Athletic Boosters President
For specific game dates, times and locations log on to lasallelancers.org or lasallehs.org Athletics. Please visit the La Salle Athletics Boosters page at www.lasallelancers.org under Boosters for volunteer opportunities. PAGE 10
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Caroline Knop Signs with University of Michigan for Volleyball On November 13, senior Caroline Knop, signed a National Letter of Intent to Michigan University for a full athletic scholarship. Caroline, or “CK” as she in known, may earn 16 Varsity letters in her athletic career at La Salle while playing four varsity sports each year; Volleyball, Golf, Basketball, and Softball. Arguably, she is La Salle's best female student-athlete in its 57-year history. CK was the 2011-12 and 201213 Female Athlete of the Year and was selected to the first or second All-League team in all four sports every year at La Salle. She has been a standout contributor on the volleyball team that captured its fourth straight Del Rey League championship. She was a key member of the school’s first-ever CIF Volleyball title in Division IA last season. H e r Vo l l e y b a l l a c c o l a d e s i n c l u d e : F i r s t Te a m A l l - L e a g u e , First Team All CIF Division 1A; Max Preps First Team All-State;San Gabriel Valley Newspapers All- Area First Team; and Del Rey League MVP 2013. She participated in the San Gabriel Valley Public vs. Private All-Star Game. In addition to her rigorous athletic schedule, CK maintained a 3.8 GPA. She also serves as a Student Ambassador and is a co-chair of the Student Life Rally Committee.
SeNIOR SIGNS eARLY FOR mICHIGAN
Freshman Commits to UCLA La Salle freshman, Kinsley Washington is the youngest player on the Corona Angels, perennially one of the most talented club softball teams in the nation. She recently verbally committed to UCLA to play softball. When asked how exciting is it to be a Southern California player and going to UCLA, Kinsley, replied that she is super excited to be a Bruin! "I think playing for UCLA is a dream most Southern California softball players have growing up," she remarked. “You’ll have to ask the UCLA coaches what they saw in me, but I’m hoping they saw a girl that loves the game and loves to compete and I’m excited to be playing for the Lancers now.” Kinsley decided to commit this year because she had a chance to unofficially visit other schools and realized that UCLA really has everything she was looking for. The Lancers have a ‘triple threat’ in Kinsley because she is a lefty that can bunt, slap and hit depending on the situation. The defense never really knows she is going to do. “It’s fun creating a little chaos on the field, she says with a laugh. PAGE 11
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Merry Christmas to You and Yours! JOIN US AT THE CRYSTAL BALL MAY 2
The 2014 Crystal Ball Committee wishes you and your family a blessed holiday season! We will greet the New Year with continued preparation for the 15th Annual Crystal Ball, “A Black & White Affair” to be held Friday, May 2, 2014. On December 7th, the Crystal Ball Committee rang in the season with friends and staff of La Salle at the beautiful home of Irina and John Dewar P'17. Amid holiday elegance, guests enjoyed gourmet delights and holiday cheer. The evening would not have been complete without the harmonious sounds of the La Salle Choir and the melodious tunes of the La Salle Jazz Trio! The success of the Holiday Gift Gathering Party is due to all those who attended and gave so generously – THANK YOU! In addition, thank you to all of the volunteers who assisted at the event. As a reminder, many of you will receive fabulous gift baskets this holiday season and will find yourself wondering what to do with the baskets once you have enjoyed their contents. Well, wonder no more! The Crystal Ball Committee would love to put your baskets (preferably medium size or larger, any shape) to good use. If you would like to donate your empty baskets to the auction committee, please contact Liz Kwong at 626.826.1411 or lizwardley@gmail.com to arrange for pick-up.
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DECEMBER//JANUARY JANUARY2014 2014 DECEMBER
ParentNewsletter Priceless
Continued from page 3
all about and what we as parents continually strive to do…and that’s to share with our children the priceless experiences that high school has to offer, experiences that will be with them forever. Before you know it, the Christmas Holidays will be here and we’d like to remind all parents to log in to the service hour website and record your hours before everyone’s thoughts turn to sugarplums, Santa and his eight tiny reindeer. Notwithstanding the Thanksgiving break, our dedicated Service Hour Committee has been updating all of its reports and will be notifying those parents who have not yet met their annual service hour requirement of their need to jump onto the volunteer bandwagon. If all goes as planned, the update notices should be sent out in the beginning of December. And speaking of the Christmas Season, please remember to register (if you have not already done so) and take advantage of the many opportunities to make your holiday purchases under the school’s No-Cost Fundraiser/eScrip programs. Not only can La Salle benefit from purchases made at any number of grocery stores, but many restaurants, local and online merchants also participate. Be sure to check out what’s available at www.escrip.com for additional information about the many other ways that you can help support La Salle through eScrip. If you have any questions, please contact our No-
Cost Fundraiser Co-Chairs, Michele Hardy, at mlhardyconsulting@yahoo.com or Beckie Holmes, at holmes.beckie@gmail.com. For our January 2014 general Parent Association meeting, we hope to have an extra special guest, Ms. Jamie Kwong '14, 2014 Tournament of Roses Rose Court. Princess Jamie and her parents will recount the events leading up to her selection as one of the seven finalists of one of the world’s most famous pageants. Please come prepared to enjoy and share in Jamie’s extraordinary experience with the Tournament of Roses and learn what it’s all about from the perspective of this very special young lady! And, once again, parents are reminded that they are each given credit for one service hour for every meeting attended! With the Christmas holidays now upon us, Jay and I wish for every La Salle family a time of celebration with friends and loved ones, always remembering the special time of year that it is. May faith, love, hope and peace be yours this season. With best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
MEET OUR PRINCESS AT THE NEXT PARENT MEETING
Tess Crabtree P’12, '14 President Parent Association
The Crystal Ball Opportunity Drawing Opportunity Drawing tickets are on sale now! The prizes are: • A Pleasant Holidays Vacation for 2 to Maui 8 days, 7 nights at the Royal Lahania Resort including round trip airfare $500 credit to selected resort restaurants • Family 4-pack of Disney Park Hopper Passes • Apple iPad Opportunity Drawing tickets for the event will be sold at the Parents Association meeting on the Crystal Ball link: lasallehs.ejoinme.org/cbDrawing2014 and also on La Salle's home page under "News"
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ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Students Enjoy Christmas Concert and Sing-a-long
BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY MUSIC BY THE STUDENTS FOR THE STUDENTS
SEE MORE PHOTOS ON THE LA SALLE WEBSITE
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The Gymnasium echoed with the "Sounds of the Season" as members of the V&PA performed before the entire student body and faculty on December 3. The debut of the La Salle Orchestra was conducted by Music Director, Megan Foley, as the string section was officially The Christmas Concert featured Choir, Dance, Orchestra and Jazz Band all dutifully documented by the LTV staff. added to the band.
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Holiday Shopping Time La Salle families, please use the eScrip Online Mall for your holiday shopping and earn money for La Salle at no cost to you! 1. Enroll with www.escrip.com 2. Click on the online Mall logo at: www.escrip.com
4. Download AutoEARN to earn contributions every time you shop without having to visit the Online Mall first!
NO COST FUNDRAISERS IS AN EASY WAY TO HELP LA SALLE
3. Shop at your favorite brand name stores and automatically donate to La SaIIe.
Please download the eScrip flyer that follows this newsletter.
SAVE THE DATE 2nd Annual Mid-Year Used Uniform Sale
Saturday, January 11, 2014 Blakeslee Library 8:00 to 11:00am
Make it one of your new year resolutions to shop the uniform sale. Used uniforms that meet current school standards and are in new to good condition will be sold at significant discounts (20% - 75% off new). Used uniforms are bought back the previous spring from La Salle graduates as well as underclass students who have outgrown their uniforms. The proceeds from the Used Uniform Fundraiser enable the Academic Boosters to continue their mission of support for the teaching and enrichment programs of our school curriculum by granting faculty and staff wishes for equipment and materials. Consider supporting your students in more ways than one - please visit the Used Uniform Sales this January! PAGE 15
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
From the College Counseling Center
College Center News By M. Teresa Baldonado and Owen Hou ’90 College Counselors
College Applications Seniors are deep into the application process. All University of California applications are completed and submitted, as are the Cal State applications. Parents, please remind your seniors to contact the College Board / The ACT to send official SAT / ACT scores to the schools where they are applying. Students must add the colleges they are applying to and request transcripts on Naviance. If students are completing the Common Application, they must MATCH their Common Application and Naviance accounts which will allow us to submit their transcript and letters of recommendation electronically. Letters of Recommendation: COUNSELOR: All seniors should have turned in their “Recommendation Form” to their College Counselor in November. If your student applies to another college not on the list, they must submit school/counselor report forms to Mr. Hou or Ms. Baldonado by Friday, December 13. The college counselors must complete forms/letters of recommendation to colleges before holiday break to meet most deadlines. Mr. Hou and Ms. Baldonado will not be able to write letters of recommendation or fill out school/counselor reports over the Christmas break. Please plan ahead!
SAT TEST DATE DECEMBER 7 ACT TEST DATE DECEMBER 14
TEACHER: All seniors should have asked teachers to write their letters of recommendation in November. All forms & envelopes (if needed) must be given to the teachers by Friday, December 13. The teachers must complete forms/letters of recommendation to colleges before holiday break to meet most deadlines. They need time to write good letters of recommendation, and the best letters will not be written over vacation. Give the teachers any forms they need, together with stamped envelopes addressed to the Admissions Offices of the colleges. When seniors find out about their college acceptances (and denials), they should share their news with Ms. Baldonado or Mr. Hou and enter the results in Naviance.
Financial Aid La Salle’s College Center will host a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Workshop presented by David Levy, Associate Editor, Edvisors Network, January 16, at 7:00pm in the Blakeslee Library. Mr. Levy will preview the FAFSA form that must be filed with the government by all families applying for financial aid. He will then go through the FAFSA line by line and answer any questions parents may have regarding the financial aid process. Please note that all college admission and financial aid officers strongly advise that all students submit the FAFSA. Access the FAFSA online at www.fafsa. ed.gov. The 2014-15 FAFSA form will be available January 1. Financial aid offices advise students to electronically submit the form as soon as possible after January 1. Parents and students can go online before January 1st to select a PIN number.
Junior – Planning for College Night Believe it or not, Ms. Baldonado and Mr. Hou will begin the formal college counseling process for juniors in January. We will meet with juniors and their parents on Thursday, January 16, at 6:30pm in the Dining Hall. Junior students will receive a packet of information that includes materials explaining the college application process. Attendance is mandatory for Junior students. We strongly suggest at PAGE 16
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least one parent attend with your student. After the meeting, junior students will be able to access the Junior ‘Plan for College Survey’, online via Naviance. The completion of the online survey will start the one-on-one college counseling process for juniors. Schedule: 6:30 – 6:50pm: 6:50 – 7:00pm: 7:00 – 7:25pm: 7:25 – 8:00pm: 8:00pm:
Opening Speaker, Corinne Schell, Marist College UC & Cal State Admission Requirements College Planning Process Utilizing Naviance Question & Answer Period
SAVE the DATE – College Forum for Freshman, Sophomore and Junior families La Salle’s College Forum will be held on Wednesday, April 9, at 6:00pm. As in the past, college admission representatives from many colleges will present important information to our families (see tentative sessions below). The College Forum is a great opportunity for students to learn about the College admission process and learn how to research and identify the right college for them. So highlight the College Forum on your calendar.
JUNIOR SENIOR COLLEGE NIGHT JANUARY 16
The following were the presentation topics from the 2013 College Forum. While a majority of presentations will stay the same, some presentations will be different. Please advise if there are any specific topics you would like to see presented. Dollars and Sense Parent Forum Getting In: Tips for Admission to Highly Selective Colleges The Visual Arts: The Application Process and Portfolios Navigating Naviance: Family Connection, Admission Stats, and More Studying the Sciences and Engineering Understanding UC Admission Successful Transition to College for Students with Learning Differences Making the Moment Count: College Visits! What is a Liberal Arts Education? ROTC and Service Academies UCLA WUE and Other Scholarships Understanding Need and Merit-Based Financial Aid Preparing for Health-Related Careers Will Your Student Bring Diversity to Campus? More detailed information will be published in the February ParentNewsletter.
College Tours Our one-day College Tours will take place on February 14 and March 17. This is a great opportunity for sophomores and juniors to see a variety of campuses as they begin their research and build their college list. The cost for each tour is $95 per student and the registration deadlines follow. Itinerary and registration forms for each tour can be found on the online School Calendar.
College Counseling Continued on page 18 PAGE 17
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
College Counseling Continued from page 17
Friday, February 14, we will visit UCLA, Cal State Long Beach and Loyola Marymount University. (Registration deadline is Wednesday, January 15). Friday, March 17, we will visit UC San Diego, San Diego State, and University of San Diego. (Registration deadline is Monday, February 17).
SIGN UP FOR COLLEGE TOURS
Meanwhile, all junior families should have received information for the East Coast College Tour, to be held over Easter Break (April 21-26, 2014). Please contact Mr. Hou if you are interested but have not registered.
Loyola-Marymount
Standardized Testing You may recall that all freshman, sophomore and junior students took standardized tests in October. During the January 9th Mentor period, Freshman and University of San Diego Sophomore students will receive and review their Explore and PLAN results and Junior students will receive and review their PSAT results. Please do not hesitate to contact your College Counselor (Mr. Hou-last names A-K; Ms. Baldonado-last names L-Z) if you have any questions about test results.
ACT/SAT Test Preparation ACT Winter Bootcamp, December 21 to January 6 (Course ID: 157637) This 18-hour course takes place during Winter Break and prepares students for the February 8 ACT. There will be 6 class sessions and 4 practice tests. Classes will meet on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. SAT Fundamental Course, February 1 to March 5 (Course ID: 156787, 3:00 to 6:00pm and Course 156768, 6:00 to 9:00pm). This 24-hour course prepares students for the March 8 SAT. There are eight class sessions and four practice tests. Classes will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays, with three of the four practice tests on Saturdays. Both courses teach students knowledge, content, and test-taking strategies for the SAT/ACT. In these classes, students will review specific math, grammar, reading (and also science for ACT) concepts tested on the tests. Students will also learn how to write an Essay specifically for the SAT/ACT. In addition, every student will have access to Princeton Review’s Online Student Center. This Online Student Center is its own course that is used to supplement the live instruction with drills, vocabulary, and additional content.
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The class size will be no more than 25 students per instructor and the course tuition will be discounted for La Salle students at $499 per student. This includes all materials, instruction and refresher courses. The best way to enroll is via www.princetonreview.com. Select the test you want to prepare for (SAT or ACT) and enter your zip code. The La Salle course(s) should then pop up. Juniors and their parents should review the PSAT and PLAN (from last year) results to decide if a prep course is necessary. La Salle High School does not specifically recommend test prep courses or endorse specific test preparation companies, but we try to make the information and services available for those who want to utilize them. Test preparation courses can help alleviate test anxiety and can help students learn test-taking techniques. They cannot replace the learning, the homework or the instruction that should have taken place during the past twelve years of formal schooling. You may learn more about the Princeton Review at www.princetonreview.com.
ACT TEST DATE February 8
Reminder: assigned school homework will not decrease during the Princeton Review course schedule. Homework will continue to be the student’s first priority. Other options for test prep: test prep is available online for the ACT – www.actstudent.org and for the SAT – www.collegeboard.com; test prep books are available at your local bookstore. February 8 ACT for all Juniors Reminder: All Juniors are required and registered to take the ACT on Saturday, February 8 at La Salle. All juniors MUST do the following in order to be admitted for the February 8 ACT: 1. Students should have received their registration ticket from the ACT in mid-November. 2. Students will then go to the ACT website, www.actstudent.org, to create their ACT account as noted on their registration ticket 3. Bring Registration Ticket and a picture ID to the February 8 ACT. Once the ACT account has been created and linked with the ACT ID, your student can change the test location and/or change to a later test date if necessary. Please note: La Salle has already paid for this test and there is no expense on your part. Should your student decide not to take the ACT this academic year, then we will bill the cost back to you. Please call the ACT directly at 800.553.6244 if you have any technical issues or if your student misplaces his/her ACT ID number.
Take a Lancer to Lunch Week During the first week of the second semester (Tuesday to Friday, January 7 to 10), we will be inviting young alumni who are currently in college to come back to speak with our current students about their college experiences. Current students can sign up for the lunch time meetings on the table outside of the College Center.
Ms. Baldonado and Mr. Hou wish you a very Merry Christmas and a fun, but safe New Year! PAGE 19
ParentNewsletter From the Arts Boosters
Winter Concert Season
DANCE JAZZ BAND CHOIR AND MORE
Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of the La Salle Fall Theater Production “Metamorphoses�. They pulled off a very ambitious show despite aquatic challenges and last minute actor changes. Porticos Art Space is proving to be an excellent venue for larger productions. Preparations are already underway for the Spring Musical, which will open on Friday March 28th. Before that, however, comes the Fall Dance Concert, which opens with a 6:00pm show on Friday, December 13, and 2:00pm and 7:00pm performances on December 14th. The latter bookend the AP Art Show, which takes place at 4:00pm, making a full and entertaining afternoon (or evening) that Saturday. The always-popular Band and Choir Winter Concert, was held in the Dining Hall at 6:00pm on Friday December 6th. As always, this offered the perfect opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit at the appropriate time. (Local stores please take note: September is not the appropriate time to start playing Christmas music). Arts Boosters are planning a new and exciting fundraising event for Spring 2014. We are not quite ready to announce it yet, but something radical is brewing. Look for more information in the next ParentNewsletter, and join us at the Arts Boosters meeting on January 14th (at 7:30pm in the Grinstead Theatre) to get the inside scoop.
Wishing you a happy and safe Holiday Season, and a Merry Christmas from all of us at the Arts Boosters.
Lancer Band Off to New York This Spring, a number of multi-talented and musically inclined students will embark upon a most ambitious and exciting trip to New York City. The five-day tour includes performances at Madison Avenue Atrium, the USS Intrepid and many other music-related stops along the way. The trip is open to members of Advanced Band, Jazz Ensemble and String Ensemble and truly represents the chance of a lifetime for these young musicians. Our students will not only perform but will also work with professional musicians in a masterclass format. A series of fundraisers will be held throughout the year to help defray the estimated $1900 per student cost. Parents considering accompanying the group should contact the director, Megan Foley or check out the Spring Trip page on the Visual and Performing Arts webpage: http://www.lasallehs-vpa.org/spring-trip.html. PAGE 20
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Mind the Mission By Patrick Bonacci, AFSC, Vice President for Mission
Advent 2013 November 30 was the First Sunday of Advent; the beginning of the New Liturgical Year for the Church. With the season of Advent fresh in our minds, I have selected two short passages to share with you regarding this special time of the year for Christianity. The first was written by our Founder, Saint La Salle: “Advent being a season established by the Church to prepare the faithful to celebrate properly Our Lord’s coming into this world and to draw him into their hearts so that they may no longer live save by his Spirit, it would be very proper for us today and on the following [days of Advent] to apply ourselves to prayer in order to prepare our hearts to receive Our Lord . . .” Preface for the Meditation on the Second Sunday of Advent By St. John Baptist de La Salle The second passage I share with you comes from the book, From Bread for the Journey, by Henri J. Nouwen: Waiting is essential to the spiritual life. But waiting as a disciple of Jesus is not an empty waiting. It is a waiting with a promise in our hearts that makes already present what we are waiting for. We wait during Advent for the birth of Jesus. We wait after Easter for the coming of the Spirit, and after the Ascension of Jesus we wait for his coming again in glory. We are always waiting, but it is a waiting in the conviction that we have already seen God’s footsteps.
PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD
Waiting for God is an active, alert—yes, joyful—waiting. As we wait we remember him for whom we are waiting, and as we remember him we create a community ready to welcome him when he comes. In reading both these passages, I especially reflected on the themes of preparing myself for the coming of the Lord and the waiting and anticipation for that coming. I know how easy it is for me to lose sight of these themes in the midst of the often maddening pace of the holiday season. How easy it is to forget what Christmas is really about – the Incarnation – God made flesh. It is my intent, to paraphrase Saint La Salle, to apply myself regularly in prayer in order to better prepare myself for the coming of my Savior. I can do this and still have plenty of time to assemble all those Christmas toys we bought for the grandsons.
Have a Blessed Advent and Christmas!
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Students Explore Schrubland on Biology Field Trip Scientific research is conducted in many ways and students in the classroom tend to get only the experimental form. In allowing the students to actually get out into the field and complete observations, they are getting an opportunity to study the world around them first-hand and not just get information from a textbook. This assignment gives them an understanding of the methods of field study, it allows them to complete observations which include a log of events, site description, and bird’s eye view drawing as well as helps them to identify and find evidence of living organisms.
Above, Shane Jinadasa '17 and Nicholas Surowieck '17 travel to their ecology research site. Right, Haley Tenario, '17, Alyssa Martinez '17, Johnny Clarizio, '17 and Colin O’Connor '17 working on their site descriptions and bird’s-eyeview to complete their research of Eaton Canyon.
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There is preparation in the classroom as to what to expect in a riparian-chaparral habitat (river and shrubland), how to collect data, what are microhabitats, what ecologists study regarding geographic distribution and density of organisms etc. Their final project is presented in a web page format that is accessible to all of the students in the class. This allows them to see what others have found and to share in the learning of the rest of the Biology students.
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Admissions Calendar APPLICATION DEADLINE Friday, January 17, 2014 (Late applications will be accepted, but may be placed on the waiting list.) FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION DEADLINE Friday, January 17, 2014
ENTRANCE EXAMS JANUARY 25 AND FEBRUARY 1
ENTRANCE EXAMS (STS/HSPT) AND ADMISSIONS INTERVIEWS Saturday, January 25, 2014 8:00 - 11:00am - Exams 10:30am -12:30pm - Interviews for students who did not interview during their school visit Saturday, February 1, 2014 8:00 - 11:00 am - Exams 10:30am -12:30pm - Interviews for students who did not interview during their school visit DEADLINE FOR TRANSCRIPTS, TEST SCORES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Friday, February 7, 2014 NOTIFICATION LETTERS MAILED Friday, March 7, 2014 REGISTRATION CLASS OF 2018 Saturday, March 15, 2014
Top, left, Eleni Daughters '17 and Gabriella Navarro '17, taking photos and video to document data on site to include in their website. Left, Michael Gibbs '17, listening and observing what is happening in his site to complete his 30-minute observation of Eaton Canyon.
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
From Guidance and Counseling
Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus Edited by Susan E. Keens, Ph.D. Clinical and School Psychologist, Department of Guidance and Counseling and John Blackstock, Editor
A SIMPLE QUESTION
In the fall of 1897, a little girl named Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to her local newspaper asking an age-old question: Is there a Santa Claus? In her query lies the essence of human desire for faith and inspiration. Is there reason to believe in things that cannot be seen, to hope for that which cannot be proved? The answer to Virginia’s question appeared in The New York Sun and is as relevant today as it was over one hundred years ago. There is a Santa Claus as surely as love and joy and beauty exist. In this Christmas season, we can all take time to rediscover him and share in the spirit of selfless love that Santa Claus embodies. For young and old alike, "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" will warm our hearts.
Virginia O'Hanlon
Virginia O’Hanlon
The man who wills himself down chimneys and into the hearts of children did not always look so fat and jolly. It was Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly, who gave Santa Claus his ample flesh and cheery red cheeks, right. In 1862, Nast published the first image of Santa as we know him: the kindly man with the long white beard, rosy red cheeks, and big belly.
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Even in these days of rather precocious children, a letter to an editor of a major newspaper from an eight-year-old would certainly give one pause. Yet Virginia O’Hanlon wrote just such a letter as the nineteenth century was drawing to a close, unusual on the face of it, and highly unusual in that she was a little girl. It was at her father’s urging that Virginia turned to the editor of The New York Sun with one of the most famous questions of all time. She was not an ordinary child, and she became an extraordinary woman. After growing up on the Upper West Side of New York City, she is said to have received a bachelor’s degree from Hunter College in 1910 and then a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1911. Miss O’Hanlon married, and it is somehow not surprising that she devoted her life to teaching and working with children who were chronically ill.
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
N E W
The DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years Some of my little friends Papa says, ‘If you see it Please tell me the truth;
Y O R K
Sun
old. say there is no Santa Claus. in THE SUN it’s so. is there a Santa Claus?
VIRGINIA O’HANLON. 115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
A NOT SO SIMPLE REPLY
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to Francis Pharcellus Church hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
The La Salle High School faculty and staff wish you and your families a joyous and peace filled Christmas.
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Junior Leaders Ring in the New Year
125 JUNIORS ATTEND LEADERSHIP CEREMONY
On Monday, November 18 over 125 juniors and their families attended the Junior Leadership Ceremony. It was a wonderful evening highlighted by two great presentations. The first was given by Alyssa Villavicencio ’15 and Riley Worley ’15 as they echoed and expanded the thoughts of Matthew’s Gospel 5:13-16 on salt and light. They challenged their classmates to lead with zeal and to always let their light shine. Mrs. Kjersti Holyfield ’04, a faculty member, spoke profoundly to the students on what it means to live and lead in the presence of God. All students came forward with their parents to receive the various gifts that were given to them. Some received rings, while everyone received a Lasallian coin with the image of St. John Baptist de La Salle on one side and the saying “Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God” on the other side. Students also received a scroll with a motivational leadership quote. Deacon Steve Marsh P ’11, ’15 blessed all the items given to the students. The evening concluded with a blessing of the students by the parents led by Mrs. Jenné Hakanen P ’15 and faculty member followed by a blessing of the parents by their children lead by Yoltic Sandoval ’15.
Keynoter, Ms. Kjersti Holyfield '03, with Josh Bolle.
Deacon Steve March ’15, blessed the rings and medals.
L to r,Tatiana Kedjidjian, Jonathan Raymundo, Alexa Tango and Tom Usle.
Above, l to r, Alex Tuason, Tierra Leustig and Bella Camargo.. Left, l to r, Sivan Diaz and Taylor Marks. PAGE 26
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Above, l to r, Riley Worley, Alyssa Villavicencio and Katelyn Stone.
Mallory Susank.
Above, l to r, Sinclair Daniels, Ashley Duell, Katie Stoddard and Katie Sparks. Right, l to r Hayli Varing, Clare Faber and Julia Villamater.
Nick Buzzerio.
Above, l to r, Carol Ann Dyson, Kiki Shuster, Nate Chandler, Jonathan Raymundo and Lani Nugent.
Tommy Moreno.
Sydney Feese.
Above, l to r, Philip Gong, Jesse Toribio and Sam Wu.
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Hispanic NHS inducts First Members
Participants in the inaugural National Hispanic Honor Society induction
HISTORIC INDUCTION SET IN CHAPEL
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On November 12th, La Salle’s Martyrs of Turon Chapel was the scene of a historic event. Twentythree students and their Spanish teachers gathered together for the inaugural induction ceremony of La Salle’s chapter of the National Hispanic Honors Society, sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Our chapter, Misión del Valle de San Gabriel, was recently incorporated into the Society and pursues the same values as the other chapters throughout the US. These values include recognizing high achievement in Spanish and Portuguese by students of secondary schools and promoting continuity of interest in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies. Numerous teachers participated in the event including Andrea Nelson (Chapter Sponsor), Br. De Sales, Michelle Grima, Brandon Birr, Jennifer Rocha, Harold Pleitez, and Arnold Rocha, World Languages Department Chair. After some brief remarks by the various teachers, Yoltic Sandoval and Joseph Occhipinti beautifully performed So Danço Samba on their violin and saxophone respectively. Their performance preceded the definitive moment of the ceremony: Juniors and Seniors pledging to devote themselves to the study of the Spanish language. The chapter’s members have a semester of activities and service ahead of them that they will certainly achieve under the Society moto: “ Todos a una”.
Mr. Brandon Birr '03 explaining the naming of the chapter.
New inductees Amanda Oliai and Isabella Camargo.
ParentNewsletter
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Left, Yoltic Sandoval and Joseph Occhipinti performing at the ceremony. Middle left and right, Mr. Harold Pleitez and Mrs. Jennifer Rocha lighting inductee's candles. Lower left and right, Victor Saavedra and Ashley Duell accepting their induction.
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
From the Academic Boosters
PARENTS: YOU NEED HOURS! These events are now available for sign-ups AND HERE IS HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THEM: Go to the La Salle Website. Click on “Parents” at the top of the screen. Click on “PA volunteer website” on the left side of the screen. Click on “member log in.” Enter your user name, this is your firstname_lastname (lower case). Your password is your last name (lower case). Once you are in the La Salle Parent website, click «calendar» at the top of the screen. Now you can look through the calendar year and click on the events that you are interested in volunteering for.
Please check to see how many volunteers are needed, and how many have already signed up.
ACADEMIC BOOSTERS EVENTS 2013 - 2014 EZ TO HELP AND EARN HOURS
DATE
ACADEMIC BOOSTER EVENT
START TIME*
HOURS*
1/16/14
Junior “Planning for College” Night
5:30 PM
3
1/16/14
FAFSA Workshop
6:30 PM
2
1/25/14
Entrance Exams & Interviews
7:30 AM
5
2/1/14
Entrance Exams & Interviews
7:30 AM
5
3/15/14
Registration & Freshman Pledge
7:30 AM
5
4/9/14
College Forum
6:00 PM
3
5/21/14
Senior Uniform Buyback
11:30 AM
3
5/23/14
Commencement Exercises
6:00 PM
3
5/27/14
Academic Awards Night
5:30 PM
4
6/4/14
Used Uniform Buyback
9:00 AM
3
7/10/14
Used Uniform Sale Set-Up
7/11/14
Used Uniform Sale
TBA 11:00 AM
8
*Start time and number of service hours is approximate. Credit will be based on actual hours served. Volunteers will be advised of exact start time prior to the event.
Volunteer Coordinators: Ellen Hoffman: ehoffman929@gmail.com Diane Taylor: dtaylorfamilyof5@gmail.com Cookies are needed for most of these events. Earn one service hour for each two dozen HOME-BAKED cookies. Please sign up on the calendar where you see “Cookie Club.” PAGE 30
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Students Create Cards to Send to Juvenile Hall Under the direction of Librarian, Delia Swanner, the December Café Bibliothèque in the Blakeslee Library, had students create Holiday cards for the young adults in Juvenile Hall. For the past 25 years, Just People has visited kids in Sylmar Juvenile Hall on Christmas Day and passed out over 2,000 handmade Holiday cards. "We appreciated La Salle's contribution since the giving of your time and spirit by making these cards helps the teens in juvenile hall, some of whom never get visitors except from our group on Christmas Day," said a Just People spokesperson. La Salle, a participant since 2005, contributed 70 cards made by over 55 students on December 5. Just People is a non-profit group that tries to offer some hope and encouragement to some of the many boys and girls currently detained in our area’s juvenile detention centers.
Jennifer Payne, Becky Whitehead, Librarian Delia Swanner and Roman Carrilo.
Lauren Roques, Adrian Sanchez and Lilly Grbavac.
A NICE THING TO DO
David Prada and Kevin Quinn
Eden Elizalde and Jocelyn Flores Noah Sonnenburg, Alex Mandigo.
Lizette Gallegos, Abigail Siracusa and Liz Ayala.
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
The Obsequious Observer By John Blackstock, The Editor
Names in the News Malone Lumarda ’14, won 1st Prize at the 30th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival in the category of Youth Jury Prize - Youth Produced Film for his film, “The Farm.” Please congratulate Erin McFaul ’16 on winning Outstanding Defense Attorney for the LA County Mock Trial competition, and Mariel Lo Guercio ’15 who took first place as Courtroom Artist.
GOOD STUFF TO KNOW
Rose Princess Jamie Kwong ’14 just landed from an exciting trip on the Goodyear Blimp. “Mostly spectacular, but kind of scary when it landed. It descends at 30 degrees which is really kind of steep!” On December 1st, Jamie enjoyed the Mayor’s Christmas Party where dozens of Princess Jamie accepts a commemorative young PUSD students were serenaded by certificate from the Pasadena Kiwanis the Royal Court with their own rendition Club. of "The 12 Days of Christmas." Saturday night Jamie and her dad, Ray, stopped by the Crystal Ball Gift Gathering Christmas party on their way to the Kiwanis’ Royal Court Father-Daughter Dinner Dance. Mr. Ed O’Connor P'16, 17 tells us that the 415 Christmas trees, sold by the La Salle community were distributed over the weekend, with 130 trees donated to the military families at Fort Irwin in Barstow. A joint effort by Student Life, Support Our Troops club and the La Salle community, hope to make some of the soldiers and their families’ Christmas a little bit brighter.
La Salle Students Rally for Philippines Typhoon Victims La Salle’s Student Life Team hosted a Dollar Dress Day on Friday, November 15th to benefit the victims of Typhoon Haiyan that ravaged the Philippines. The School community raised over $2,400. In addition, 91 students participated in the American Red Cross Blood Drive for Philippine typhoon victims that took place on campus on November 20th. “It was great to see La Salle High School’s blood donation potential yesterday,” said Nicole McAdam, Senior Account Manager of American Red Cross. “I’ve been at the American Red Cross for almost nine years and we have never had such a successful blood drive at La Salle. In light of the crisis in the Philippines, this is pretty awesome.” Organizer, Alex Krizek ’14 did a great job as did the faculty who supported the event. The American Red Cross supplies 40 percent of the nation’s blood. PAGE 32
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
La Salle Provides Boxes of Love for Military Families Our Support Our Troops Club led a school-wide service project to fill Thanksgiving Food Boxes for needy military families stationed at Fort Irwin in Barstow. Thanks to everyone’s support, as well as some outside donors, including Hugo Reid Elementary School, Albertson’s Grocery Store in Pasadena, members of the Pasadena Kiwanis Club, and of course, family and friends, the La Salle Community raised $3,953.58 and filled 122 boxes (last year, the School community filled 84 boxes). Thirtyone $25 gift cards were also purchased so that families could purchase a turkey to complete their Thanksgiving dinner. The Club’s goal was to fill 100 boxes and they far exceeded that goal. They have set the bar even higher for next year. Thank you again to everyone who participated.
Physics Teacher Conference La Salle was the host for the Southern California American Association of Physics Teachers (SCAAPT) fall conference, in November. Speakers from UCLA, JPL, Cal State Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona were presenters. For more information go to SCAAPT.org
Elementary School Speech & Debate Tournament On December 5, La Salle had the pleasure of partnering with St. Rita’s School to host a Speech and Debate Tournament for third to fifth grade students. More than 100 smartly attired young participants gathered in the Dining Hall, and were joined by at least 225 supporting family members. There were many speech and debate events including Expository Speech, Storytelling, Poetry Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Impromptu Speaking and SPAR. Doug Campbell from the La Salle Board of Regents; Dennis Jebbia, Chair of the Board of Regents; Ralph Seymour, actor, drama teacher and speech and debate coach at St. Rita School; and Eric Strauss, from Kudos College of Youth Leadership worked in unison to make this event come together. The Campbell Family Foundation generously provided dinner for all participants and family members.
MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW
Young participants and winners enjoyed the evening at La Salle.
From the Blakeslee Library
Library Volunteer Opportunities
The Blakeslee Library is in need of after-school monitor volunteers each school day afternoon from 3:00-5:00pm. This is a good way to fulfill your Parent Volunteer Hours obligation. Also, donations of snacks and drinks are appreciated for the Café Bibliothèque events in the library. The dates for events are: January 23, February 13, March 20, and April 10, 2014. Please call Delia Swanner at 626.696.4313 or Janet Hagen at 626.696.4332 to sign up PAGE 33
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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
Check your School calendar for event times and dates
DECEMBER / JANUARY 2014
December/January Highlights
ADOPT-AFAMILY PARTY DECEMBER 14
SNOWBALL FORMAL DANCE DECEMBER 20
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT JANUARY 9
COLLEGE NIGHT JUNIOR AND SENIOR PARENTS JANUARY 16
December 11 - 16 AP Art Show Blakeslee Library
January 8 NHS Applications Available Room 307
December 12 Dress Up Advent Liturgy 9:20am Dining Hall
January 9 Back-to-School Night and Senior End-of-Year Parent Meeting 6:15pm Dining Hall
December 13, 14 Fall Dance Concert 7:00pm Porticos December 14 Saturday Adopt-A-Family Party 10:30am-2:30pm Campus, Dining Hall December 17-20 Semester Final Exams December 20 SnowBall 8:00-11:00pm Dining Hall December 21 - January 7 Christmas Break 2014 January 6 Student Holiday Faculty In-Service January 7 Classes Resume CSF Applications Available Room 346
January 11 Saturday CSF Applications Due Used Uniform Sales 8:00 - 11:00am Atrium and Library January 13 Short Schedule Noon Dismissal Faculty Technology Meetings January 14 Parent Association Meeting 6:30pm Blakeslee Library Parent Boosters Meetings 7:30pm Campus Locations January 16 College Night for Juniors 6:30 - 8:30pm Dining Hall FAFSA Workshop for Seniors 7:00 - 9:00pm Blakeslee Library
January 17 Rally Schedule Winter Sports Rally 1:00pm Duffy Lewis Gymnasium Financial Aid Applications Due January 20 School Holiday Martin Luther King, Jr. January 23 Cafe Bibliothèque 2:30pm Blakeslee Library January 25 February 1 Entrance Exams & Interviews 8:00 - 11:00am January 27-31 Catholic Schools Week January 31 Liturgy Schedule Dress up Day Catholic Schools Week Liturgy 9:20am Dining Hall February 6 Short Schedule Noon Dismissal Parent-Teacher Conferences 12:45 to 2:30pm* and 4:30 to 6:00pm February 9 Sunday Gifts From the Heart Crystal Ball Gift Gathering
Financial Aid Applications for the 2014 - 2015 school year are available in the Finance Office. The applications are due to PSAS on January 17, 2014 FOR INCOMING STUDENTS and February 5, 2014 FOR RETURNING STUDENTS. PAGE 34
*Note: this is a new time