daughters – and now, full circle, I have the privilege to teach her daughter just as she taught mine. She joined us at a time when we were making the most significant change in the culture of this school since the school’s founding – we were moving to being a co-ed school. There is no way to overstate the essential role Jenné played in this transition – she immediately became a role model and confidant for our first girl students. She is a fantastic teacher and motivator and when you ask her peers or our students or parents about her commitment to her students - she is consistently placed in the top spots of everyone’s list.
Kaelyn Silva – Like Jenné, Kaelyn joined us at the crucial time when were transforming the culture of the school with the addition of young ladies. What many of you may not know is that Kaelyn was directly responsible for bringing immediate acclaim and creditability to our newly emerging girl’s athletic program as the head coach of our soccer team. As we were establishing ourselves as a school that was truly moving from being an all boys school to one that was not just accepting girls but was in fact embracing girls into our community – the consistent successes of the soccer teams Kaelyn coached were instrumental in placing our girl’s athletic programs on par with all of the girl’s only schools in our valley. She also moved the PE Department from one that was basically calisthentics and games to one that was instructing our students in life skills through an established PE curriculum.
10 YEARS OF SERVICE
Kathy Medlock, Thomas O’Connor, Billy Williams
5 YEARS OF SERVICE
Chija Bauer, Louis A. Johnston P ’01, Dr. Joanie Ruggles, Jenny D. Dennis, Diana Barnes
Awarded the Lasallian Educator Medallion for 2011 By Patrick Bonacci, AFSC, Principal
S
aint La Salle was an innovative educator who initiated many teaching methodologies that we take for granted today; teaching more than one student at a time, and teaching in the language of the home country (instead of Latin), are two examples. Yet, even though he instructed his early teachers, (those first Christian Brothers) how to teach to a full class, he consistently reminded them that it was always about the individual student’s abilities and needs. In his classrooms he discarded the mode of having the economically well-off students be segregated from the poor. In imitation, students of all socio-economic backgrounds are welcomed and celebrated in our classrooms. Our Lasallian education is for all, not just for the privileged few and the wealthy. It is also part of our Lasallian tradition that we celebrate service as our Christian obligation and as an essential partner to our educational mission. The statement that is often heard and seen here – Learn, Serve, Lead – is at the heart of our Lasallian Heritage. In keeping with the spirit of Saint La Salle’s message, we continue with this theme of service and Lasallian Spirit by presenting the Lasallian Educator Medallion to this year’s most deserving recipient Ms. Debby Sinnette-Baird P’07, ’14. By selected ‘Ms. Sinnette-Baird for this award, the faculty and staff reflected on all of the Lasallian ideals and traditions that we hold dear and they wisely selected Ms. Sinnette-Baird as one who represents these ideals so well. Having been at La Salle for eight years, in addition to teaching, Debby has been a member of our Counseling Department. Even more, she also took on the role of moderator of the National Honor Society and she is the Co-Director of our Mentor Program. Even with all of these responsibilities, I know that she would not hesitate to say that what she enjoys most is working one-on-one with her students and acting as an advocate for them. I was also proud to be with Debby when she received a teacher of the year award from the Rotary Club of Sierra Madre. That indicates the level of respect that Ms. Sinnette-Baird has earned in our community. Debby brings a caring heart and a unique empathy to all her endeavors especially demonstrating a consistant love for the students entrusted to her care by God. FALL / WINTER 2012
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