ParentNewsletter THE LA SALLE
FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CALIFORNIA • NOVEMBER 2016
Principal Ideas Learn•Serve•Lead
Hello. As hard to believe as it is, we have already passed the mid-point of our fall semester. Our first quarter ended October 13, and report cards were mailed home October 21. These report cards were snapshots of how your child was doing at the midpoint of the semester; they are not final grades. Semester grades, which are given in December, are the permanent grades and are placed on each student’s transcript. There is still a lot of semester to go before these final grades are given. If your child is doing well, congratulate them and encourage them to keep it up for the rest of the semester. If your child is not achieving their potential at this point, talk to them about what changes they can make to achieve the grades they can be happy with and proud of. Getting in contact with his/her teachers and/or academic advisors to get strategies for success is also something I would encourage parents to do. The most common deficiency in students who are performing below their ability is not doing the assigned homework. Not completing homework not only affects their grade for the assignment missed, it also means they are less prepared for the
exams and projects that follow those homework assignments. Homework is given to help students learn; if they don’t do homework they miss out on learning. We are trying to eliminate missing homework through the use of Academic Support, but it still is ultimately up to each student to do what is required of them.
Homecoming Week October was not only a marking point for the academic program, it was also filled with extra and co-curricular events. I’d like to thank Mr. O’Connor, Mrs. Williams and all the faculty and students involved in student life for a wonderful homecoming week. I’d also like to thank Ms. Schultz and the Support Our Troops Club for their leadership on the Boxes of Love campaign. Our students, faculty and staff collected enough goods and money to send 113 Thanksgiving food boxes to military families. A true example of living out our motto of Learn, Serve, Lead.
Junior Retreat At the end of October our first group of Principal Ideas Continued on page 2
More About Saint La Salle and The Christian Brothers Saint La Salle did not write about educational philosophy - he wrote educational handbooks and textbooks, on everything from French syllables to Gospel Maxims to the rules of politeness. His schools were extremely practical. It was the beginning of the eighteenth century and a revolutionary new method of education had started.
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Principal Ideas Continued from page 1
junior students attended their retreat. Thank you to Mrs. Moore and the rest of the retreat team for enabling our students to have this important opportunity for spiritual reflection and growth. Lastly, I’d like to thank our many coaches who were very busy throughout October as league play hit high gear.
All Saints Day
ANother BUSY MONTH AHEAD
November will be just as busy as the last few months have been. On November 1 we will celebrate our All Saints Day Mass. We as Lasallians are expected to celebrate our newest Christian Brother saint, Blessed Brother Solomon Le Clercq, FSC. Brother Solomon was canonized in a ceremony in Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City on October 16, 2016. Martyred on September 2, 1792, during the French Revolution, he was the first Brother of the Christian Schools to be martyred, and the first to be beatified.
Tiger at the Gates On November 11 our fall play, Tiger at the Gates, opens. Our students, under the direction of Dr. Jude Lucas, have been preparing for the opening for weeks. I hope many of you will be able to come to the production and see how talented our students truly are.
Open House November 6 is our annual Open House from 12:00pm to 2:30pm. Mrs. Cadwalader and Mr. Housman, in our admissions office, have been doing a tremendous job working with our partner schools and making sure La Salle is well known in the greater Pasadena area. However, nothing is more powerful than word of mouth. If you have friends or family with children currently looking at high schools, be sure to let them know about our Open House and invite them to attend.
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Leadership Ceremony The evening of Monday, November 14, will be our annual Junior Class Leadership Ceremony. This event is a milestone activity for the Class of 2018. All members of the class, along with their parents, are invited to be present for this one hour event. It is not just about class rings; it is about celebrating the role our juniors have as leaders in the school and their continued unity as a class. We hope you’ll make every effort to attend.
Thanksgiving Blessings And of course, November brings Thanksgiving. Although I love Christmas with its decorations, presents, and songs, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love that there is no pressure of gift giving, just a celebration of the gifts we already have in our lives. The opportunity to take a time out and spend a day that revolves completely around the idea of being thankful for the good things in our lives, most importantly the people in our lives, is one I look forward to every year. This year I am grateful for many things. Among them certainly is the opportunity to be working here at La Salle with you, your children, and our wonderful faculty and staff. May you be fortunate to spend your Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends and enjoy a thanksgiving meal to celebrate your blessings.
Mrs. Courtney R. Kassakhian Principal
ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
From the Parent Association
Learn, Serve, Lead This motto, Learn, Serve, Lead, was never more prevalent than a few weekends ago when we visited our college sophomore, Jack (Class of 2015), at the University of Arizona. He was so excited to fill us in on all of his fraternity activities. He was on the executive board for his class and could not wait to tell us about their annual fraternity philanthropy work. Evidently, I will have a new puppy this Christmas! This all started with his experience at La Salle. He loved his upperclassman service at Monte Vista Homes. He had a wonderful time with the older residents there and it was an experience he recalls often. We are an active volunteer family. Whether it is with our schools or the community, both my husband and I have had many wonderful volunteer experiences throughout our community. One of the things we loved about La Salle was that our philosophy of "community" was mirrored at La Salle. For our next Parent Association meeting on Tuesday, November 15, we will feature our Student Life community. Mr. Ed O’Connor, Director of Student Life, will be our guest speaker along with several students who will highlight exactly what we do to serve the community. There has always been two schools of thought on service. At La Salle, we facilitate the service opportunities in Parent Association an effort to efficiently serve our community. Other schools have the students find their own service opportunities which often end up with the student scrambling to bake dog biscuits for Meeting the Humane Society. While that is an important need, it is far from the hands on service we November 15, 2016 need our youth to experience. In addition, our Parent Association meeting for November is our Holiday meeting and will be hosted by Dr. Gray. We will have yummy, catered food and wine! 6:30pm Please make an effort to join us. Also coming up, will be our second Crystal Ball Gift Gathering Blakeslee Library party on Friday, December 2. This will be at a La Salle family’s home and our student choir will perform. We will pass out all of the information at this meeting. Coming December 10, we will be hosting our Adopt-A-Family Christmas party. This is a wonderful, fun-filled Saturday for under privileged families in our community. We have games, presents and lunch all coordinated by our students. Lastly, as we all sit around our Thanksgiving table with family and friends, may we include a thank you for the many blessings we have at this amazing school to which we choose to send our children. For many of us, it is a financial stretch, but well worth the effort for they will emerge into the world knowing how to learn, to serve, and to lead.
Lancer Armory News The Armory has amazing new merchandise! We will have a sales table at the Mother’s of Alumni Luncheon Friday, November 18 at 10:30am so you can pick up a Christmas gift or two. We will also have a full holiday shopping day Monday, December 5 from 8:00am to 4:00pm. We have many fun things to fill your holiday shopping lists. You can also stop by The Lancer Armory any day at lunch or after school until 4:00pm. Please email us at lancerarmory@lasallehs.org with questions.
Jacky Samartin P'15,'19 Parent Association President
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La Salle Matters Lasallian Values start with the rights of the child
I was at lunch the other day with a group of colleagues and friends when the conversation turned to the Dodgers’ chances of going to the World Series (full disclosure: I used to live in the Bronx, so this conversation was not one that I paid close attention to). One individual asked the question: “Well, how do they get to play in the World Series?” …Really? My (unfiltered) reaction to the group was: “Who doesn’t know this? It’s almost un-American!” As an educator, I know, of course, that I shouldn’t have blurted out that response; but – really – how could anyone – given the omnipresent impact of electronic and print media – not know the answer? Which led me to consider this question…recognizing the virtually non-stop attention print and electronic media have devoted to this presidential election’s focus on what constitutes the state of “American Exceptionalism,”1 I have to wonder, why are the Democratic and Republican candidates hammering the voters with the question: what makes America great? They offer two competing messages:
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• America once was great and is no longer • America is great because America is good
My Irish mother would have described both assertions as the intellectual equivalent of “two bald men fighting over a comb.” Really? Why is this the most important issue of the presidential campaign? Why aren’t we talking about rescuing children from poverty and ensuring that teenagers will find middle class jobs when they enter the workforce? These are the issues that concern the community of La Salle – and, in fact, ought to concern every individual of voting age. Lasallian values start with the rights of the child. For over 300 years, we have always understood that success – later in life – is inseparable from a quality education. So, given the fact that this generation of children will, for the first time since the Great Depression, face an economic future that will be less secure than their parents, I continue to ask myself, why isn’t education the front and center issue of this presidential election? There are all sorts of facile answers to this question – not the least of which is the complicity of the media in orchestrating crowd-pleasing questions (as I write this, I am watching the third and final debate between the two candidates, and the first two questions were on the Second Amendment and Abortion – really?). While I recognize that the political world requires politicians to focus on “hot button” issues such as gun control and right-to-life topics, I don’t understand why the electorate allows them to evade more pressing concerns which need to be addressed now in order to ensure that the next generation of voters enjoys economic security. Which brings me back to the tired conundrum of “American Exceptionalism.” Australian expert on American History, Professor Ian Tyrell, author of “American Exceptionalism in an Age of International History” defines the term this way:
ParentNewsletter
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American exceptionalism contains a complicated and often contradictory set of assumptions…In its classic forms, American exceptionalism refers to the special character of the United States as a uniquely free nation based on democratic ideals and personal liberty…Many aspects of American history may be left out or distorted in the traditional narratives… While most voters would wonder why this concept is important in understanding the issues being debated in this presidential election, the reality of American Exceptionalism is rooted in the candidates’ belief that their ability to secure votes is inextricably linked to the widespread perception that somehow, America as a great nation is in trouble. Any La Salle student who completed our Advanced Placement course in Civics would giggle at this notion of American greatness. They have learned that America’s place in the world isn’t so much about being “great” as it is about being attentive to the needs of the voters who elect their leadership every four years. This is what is distinctive about the American democratic experiment: the peaceful transition of power continues unabated – even in this most contentious of presidential elections. Which brings me back to, what I believe, is the central – unaddressed – issue of the campaign: how to ensure economic security for today’s teens? The eve of the next peaceful transition of power is upon us. It may not result in an outcome that some portion of the voters will celebrate. That having been said, I know that, at La Salle, my colleagues and I are committed to the task of ensuring that the students entrusted to our care learn how to interpret political messages through the (American) lens of social justice: focusing on the marginalized and abandoned and searching for economic security for everyone. They don’t need to know how the Dodgers (inexplicably) get to the World Series, but they do need to know why their vote matters.
Richard Gray, Ph.D. President
1 For more on this concept, please go to: https://iantyrrell.wordpress.com/papers-and-comments/
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
© 2016
• Editor, Designer John Blackstock ’67 Director of Communications Telephone: 626.696.4316 • email: jblackstock @ lasallehs . org
Transforming Lives Since 1680
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ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
From the Athletic Boosters
Fall Sports Report
Fall has been a busy and exciting season for Lancer Athletics!
Well into our Fall sports program, our teams and student athletes have shown the true meaning of sportsmanship, athleticism, and passion for the game. Congratulations to our varsity football team for winning their first league game against St. Paul since being moved to Division 9, one of the toughest divisions in the state. Coach Gordon and the Lancers have continually improved this season and we hope to see them in the playoffs. CHEER THE LANCERS IN THE PLAYOFFS
It’s a championship season for our girls varsity volleyball team who are currently undefeated in League, 8-0. Coach Tui and her girls are fierce — we will see them in playoffs. Our girls tennis team is 9-2 and has secured 2nd place in the Del Rey League and a CIF bid – Go Girl Power! Congrats to other fall sports teams Varsity, JV, and Freshman who are all having a terrific season - boys water polo, cross country, and girls golf who just grabbed several First Team All League Honors. La Salle merchandise and the new branding by Nike has been a hit with parents and students. We will be selling Lancer Fan Gear at the home football games and at the upcoming basketball games. A reminder to all fans is that you can go online to our Fan Sideline Store (Accessible through the Athletic website; click Boosters) in order to see a larger variety of options that can be customized. The Fan Sideline Store is available all year round. The Athletic Boosters have had a very successful season managing football and volleyball operations primarily due to the commitment of our officers and leaders, John Cina, Ralph Ramirez, Cynthia Sterling, Debbie Stone, Carol Silberberg and the nearly 40 parent volunteers, who have dedicated their time to La Salle Athletics. Special thanks to Bridget Broussard for her creative genius in producing the Lancer Football Programs and to our volleyball mom, Robin Nardoni, who gives countless hours to managing our volleyball snack bar operations and supporting our girls’ teams. The Athletic organization is grateful for our parent and student volunteers and from me personally — thank you! The Athletic Boosters will be hosting a monthly meeting after each Parent Association meeting, so please join us and get involved so we can continue to improve our organization. If you would like to participate on a booster committee or volunteer for service hours, please contact the boosters at christinemarez@me.com.
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Christine Marez Athletic Boosters President P'14,'18
ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
From the Vice President for Mission
Mind the Mission By Patrick Bonacci, AFSC, Vice President for Mission
For returning parents, you know that mid- November through Christmas Vacation is the time that we annually ask our students and families to get involved in our Adopt-a-Family Program. Our Student Life team, in conjunction with your student’s Mentor Class, has shared with you information regarding this event. La Salle High School’s on-going commit- ment and outreach to those in our own neighborhood who need our assistance, as well as to the military families who proudly serve our nation, are a large part of what makes our La Salle Community so special. I thank you in advance for your generous support to these families. Last month, Mrs. Kirchoffer and the Spiritual Life Student Leaders, presented to the student body a marvelous prayer service based on the Five Core Lasallian Principles. I share these core principles with you as a means of encouraging you to discuss their meaning with your student: 5 CORE LASALLIAN PRINCIPlES
These principles are as integral to the Mission of La Salle High School in Pasadena as they are to every Lasallian school across our country and to every Lasallian school in nearly 80 countries. I am so grateful that our students demonstrate an understanding, appreciation and acceptance of these principles while they are at La Salle; but I am even more thankful when I see the essence of these principles put into action by our students off campus as well. As I have for some decades now, I share with you a prayer for this Thanksgiving Season: Loving God, We turn our hearts to you on this day for giving thanks, mindful of your many gifts. For each one, we are grateful. For each one, we are blessed. For each one we are open to the abundance of your love. May this Thanksgiving Day offer a reminder to be generous with others, as you are with us. We give you thanks. Amen
Adapted from William Sadlier, Inc.
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Fans Support Teams and Tailgate for the Crystal Ball The evening of October 8th held much excitement as dozens of sports fans piled into the dining hall for the Crystal Ball Tailgate. Athletic competitions were streamed, games were played, and social frivolity was had! We would like to thank everyone who was able to come out during the holiday weekend to support this wonderful cause. We look forward to seeing you again for the Christmas Gift Gathering Party on December 3.
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Brother Solomon Le Clercq, Canonized October 16 Brother Solomon Le Clercq, FSC,
was canonized in a ceremony in Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City on October 16, 2016, with Lasallians from around the world in attendance. BROTHER SOLOMON 1745 - 1792
Brother Solomon was martyred on September 2, 1792, during the French Revolution. He was the first Brother of the Christian Schools to be martyred, and the first to be beatified. Once the monarchy had been overthrown early in the French Revolution, the next target was the Church. In 1790 the Civil Constitution of the Clergy gave the state complete control over the Church in France. In order to continue to function, priests and religious were forced to take an oath to support the constitution. Most of the Brothers refused and so were forced gradually to abandon their schools and communities. Eventually the Institute was deprived altogether of legal status in France.
Brother Solomon was secretary to Brother Agathon, the Superior General, after hav-
ing been a teacher, director and bursar. He always showed a great love for people and a great attachment to his work. Having refused to take an oath, he lived alone in Paris in secrecy. We still have many of his letters to his family. The last one is dated August 15, 1792. That very day he was arrested and imprisoned in the Carmelite monastery, which had become a prison, together with several bishops and priests. On September 2, almost all the prisoners were killed by sword in the monastery garden. He was beatified on October 17, 1926, together with 188 of his fellow martyrs. He was the first one of our martyrs and also the first Brother to be beatified. His feast is celebrated on September 2. Saint Brother Solomon (Nicholas Le Clercq) Born at Boulogne, France November 14, 1745 Entered the novitiate March 25, 1767 Martyred September 2, 1792 Beatified October 17, 1926
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From Institutional Advancement
Year End Tax Planning and Support of La Salle La Salle High School has established a program by which donors and supporters can contribute to the School’s endowment through one of a number of Planned Giving Instruments. Such donors who contribute $1,000 or more through such a gift become members in the St. Benilde Society. Through the ParentNewsletter and Lancer Magazine, our School will keep our community aware of opportunities within the Planned Giving program. The final deadline for filing 2015 income tax returns has passed, and with the end of 2016 looming, it is beneficial to address year-end financial and tax planning matters. Taking a little time to address these can lead to some tax savings and the enhancement of one’s overall financial position. La Salle High School can also benefit from effective and strategic planning in the context of such a Planned Gift.
Year End Giving PLans
Typical year end Planned Gifts include: Donating appreciated securities; properly structured, the donor avoids paying any income tax on the appreciation. Securities include stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. This strategy can also extend to appreciated real estate. It can provide you a tax deduction of the full value of the asset while eliminating a tax that would otherwise be due if the security or real estate was to be sold. Though there are some tax benefits at the federal (not state) level for long term capital gain income, there are also additional federal taxes that could mitigate some or all of these savings. These taxes are completely avoided if the appreciated asset(s) are donated. Taxpayers who have attained the age 70 ½ are required to take an annual distribution from their IRA and other retirement accounts. Such distributions, in addition to the tax due on the distributions, can serve to reduce the tax benefits of other attributes being reported on one’s tax return. Taxpayers meeting this age requirement can transfer up to $100,000 from such a plan to La Salle High School without having to report the distribution as part of one’s income. The tax savings from such a strategy can be multifold to the donor and enhance the support of the Mission of our School. These are some of the most common examples of a Planned Gift that are executed at or near year end. However, these can be effected at any time of the year and provide the same benefits. Please review the Planned Giving articles in future publications of both the ParentNewsletter and Lancer Magazine for ongoing updates in the Planned Giving Program.
In Summary La Salle High School can provide more information, both generically and specifically, regarding the benefits available through Planned Giving. For more information, please contact Jon Keates, the Director of Institutional Advancement at 626.696.4344.
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NOVEMBER 2016
From the College Counseling Center
College Center News By Owen Hou ’90, Tina Bonacci '94 and Marcia Yu, College Counselors
College Application Filing Deadlines Please be reminded that November 30 is the last day to apply to universities in University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) systems. Please note that both systems MAKE NO EXCEPTIONS FOR LATE FILERS. To avoid frustration, do not wait until November 30 to file electronically. The servers may be very slow accepting files due to the many students filing on the last day. NOTE UC AND CAL STATE UPDATES
Applications for private colleges are also available. You may be able to obtain applications directly from the colleges in which you are interested. Please pay close attention to the application deadlines for your specific colleges – MANY COLLEGES HAVE UNIQUE DEADLINES.
Standardized Testing (Seniors) In most cases, the last standardized test date that most colleges will accept in the college admissions process is in December (SAT-12/3 and ACT-12/10). Please be aware that the last day to register for the December SAT is November 3 and for the December ACT is November 4.
Senior Meetings with College Counselors Ms. Bonacci, Mrs. Yu, and Mr. Hou have met with all the students who have submitted their Senior College Planning Surveys to discuss their college opportunities. Please encourage your student to complete the survey if he or she hasn’t already done so.
FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification
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Much of the news for the 2016-17 school year is that the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can now be submitted starting October 1, 2016. Parents will complete it using their financial information from the 2015 tax year. The FAFSA can be completed at https://fafsa.ed.gov/.
La Salle has electronically submitted GPAs to the California Student Aid Commission for all our seniors who have completed coursework at La Salle. The California Student Aid Commission is responsible for the Cal Grant program (money for California students attending college in California). Students who submitted the FAFSA will automatically be considered for the Cal Grant. Please see your student’s college counselor if you have any questions about the submission process or about financial aid in general.
FAFSA Line-by-Line On Wednesday, November 16, 6:30 to 7:30pm, Blakeslee Library, we will be having a speaker from Pasadena City College’s Financial Aid Department to review the FAFSA Line-byLine. This is a great opportunity for parents of seniors who haven’t completed their FAFSA to ask questions.
Class of 2018 – February 11 ACT During Mentor Period last month, all Juniors were supposed to have signed up to take the ACT at La Salle on February 11, 2017. Please confirm with your student that they have signed up and uploaded their photo. They have all created an ACT account and are able to retrieve their ACT registration information at www. actstudent.org. 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, we will have to bill the cost back to you.C
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College Tours Class of 2018 & 2019 College Tours San Francisco Bay Area Tour The Bay Area tour will be held Friday and Saturday, February 6-7, 2017. We will visit UC Davis, University of the Pacific, Saint Mary’s College, UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco and San Francisco State University. Additional information will be available in the next month’s newsletter.
Greater Los Angeles Area Tour The Greater Los Angeles area tour will be held Monday, March 6, 2017. We will be visiting USC, UCLA and LMU. Additional information will be available in the next month’s newsletter.
Class of 2018 – East Coast College Tour We are currently working on finding another high school to partner with for the East Coast College Tour, as our usual partners moved their Easter Breaks. We expect to have firm details from our vendor by mid-November. Information and registration forms for the East Coast College Tour will be emailed to families at that time. Please contact Mr. Hou if you have not received the information by Thanksgiving.
Faith, Service, Community The Purpose of Lasallian Education: to provide a human and Christian education to the young, especially the poor, according to the ministry which the Church has entrusted to it. - The Rule of the Brothers of the Christian School, 1694 Saint John Baptist de La Salle Patron of All Teachers Founder, Brothers of the Christian Schools
Let us remember... ...we are in the Holy Presence of God.
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Thanksgiving Dinners Given to Military Families La Salle’s Support Our Troops Club led a campus-wide service project to fill Thanksgiving Food Boxes for needy military families stationed at Ft. Irwin in Barstow, CA. Thanks to the support of the entire community, the School filled 113 boxes with the requested 21 food items and was able to give the organization, For Families of Active Military, over $1,900 to help purchase a gift card for a turkey for each box. MENTOR CLASSES FILL BOXES FOR MILITARY FAMILIES
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La Salle's No-Cost Fundraisers Free to you, La Salle makes money, and you earn a service hour! Register ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 1st by signing onto your Ralphs.com account and selecting La Salle High School (81179) under “Account Summary” and “Community Rewards.” Ralphs gives back a percentage to La Salle on each purchase! Please ask family, friends and neighbors to participate.
1) Register your Credit/Debit/Grocery cards for shopping in stores, restaurants and on line at www.escrip.com. Use the registered cards and eScrip gives money directly to La Salle! 2) For on line shopping, please download the Forget Me Not Toolbar or shop directly at shopping.escrip.com to find hundreds of vendors. The toolbar will alert you if it’s a participating vendor, you shop and La Salle gets money!
Virtual gift cards are purchased and delivered within seconds to the mobile app for immediate in-store redemption. While shopping at stores like Wal-mart, Home Depot, Target or Whole Foods, you can download a gift card to your phone and use it at check out. La Salle gets a percentage of the sale at no cost to you! You can also send gift cards directly from your phone to family and friends! Download the Benefit App, select La Salle High School, enter your payment method and start shopping!
GREAT WAYS TO SUPPORT LA SALLE
When you shop directly at smile.amazon.com and designate La Salle High School as your charitable organization, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchases to La Salle. Bookmark smile.amazon.com, shop smile.amazon.com and help La Salle at no cost to you!
La Salle has earned over $150,000 through current and past programs! With no cost to families and friends, sign up today and support La Salle. Please visit the La Salle website under “Support LSHS” and “No Cost Fundraisers.” Any questions? Please email: Michele Hardy mlhardyconsulting@yahoo.com or Kari Helgeson khelgeson2002@ yahoo.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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NOVEMBER 2016
Alumni and Students Take a Homecoming Road Trip The theme for Homecoming 2016 was "Road Trip," so the Lancers enjoyed a day of "travel," a fashion show and a rally, topped-off with a "Tailgate Fun Zone" and of course, the exciting Homecoming game where the Lancers defeated the Swordsmen from St. Paul High School 16-14. TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS, GO TO LA SALLE HOME PAGE, LINK TO FLICKR AT Bottom Left
The Lancer Drumline prepares for a "Drum-off" against St Paul High School.
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Top, AJ Akobian #22. Above, the 10th Battalion honoree, Danielle Lao '09 with, from left, Dr. R. Gray, President, Mr. P. Bonacci, VP for Mission, A Harris, Athletic Director and C. Kassakhian, Principal.
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Top, Homecoming King and Queen, Tyrese Lee and Mia Baca. This page, Lancers enjoy pre-game activities. Right, the Lancer Armory "sales team."
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Lancers are Sierra Madre Rose Princesses Three La Salle girls were crowned Sierra Madre Rose Float Association Princesses, Sunday, October 23. The princesses are, from left, Sarah Adams '17, Ashley Conlon '18. Samantha Grijalva '19 and Camille Buckets from St. Lucy’s. "This is a very exciting opportunity and all three of us are looking forward to representing La Salle in such an awesome way!" said Samantha.
CHECK ALL RETREAT DATES
Upper Division Retreat Registration Registration for all upper division retreats is exclusively an online process. Please visit the Student Life Page on the La Salle Website, choose “Retreats” and follow the prompts. We are asking that all junior and senior students interested in attending one of our retreats sign up for their preferred retreat date by November 30th. Retreat spots are limited so please sign up soon. If you have any questions, email Paula Moore at pmoore@lasallehs.org.
La Salle High School Voted 2016 Beacon Media GOLD FAVORITE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
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SILVER FAVORITE COED HIGH SCHOOL
ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
Tiger Tiger at at the the Gates Gates
Students in the theatre arts department are in rehearsal for the upcoming fall play. Following on the heels of the successful spring musical, Nice Work if You can Get It, a group of actors, designers, musicians and technicians are working on Tiger at the Gates, also known as The Trojan War Will Not Take Place (La guerre de Troie n’aura pas lieu). Tiger at the Gates is a play written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. Within the framework of the Iliadic myth of the Trojan War, Giraudoux criticizes diplomacy and the behavior of the national leaders and intellectuals who brought about World War I and the lead-up to World War II. Written as an allegory while the French anxiously awaited Hitler’s march into Paris, the play which is set during the Trojan War, explores the conflict between pacifism and patriotism. Hector, Troy’s greatest hero, returns from war intent on keeping the peace. However, he soon learns that the Greeks, under Odysseus, are coming to try to force his brother, Paris, to release the abducted Helen. Tiger at the Gates opens on November 11. GOOD STUFF TO KNOW
The Lancer Armory Regular Armory Hours Tuesdays and Thursdays Regular Schedule (Day A) Regular Schedule (Day B) Special Schedules
12:15pm - 1:15pm 11:15am - 12:15pm 7:00am - 8:15am
Letterman Jackets Limited Quantity
$125
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V&PA Performance Dates
CHECK EVENT DATES AND TIMES
Fall theatre productionTiger at the Gates by Jean Giradoux November 11th at 7:00pm November 12th at 2:00 and 7:00pm November 13th at 4:00pm November 17th at 5:00pm (free student performance), November 18th at 7:00pm November 19th at 2:00 and 7:00pm at Porticos Arts Space, 2033 East Washington Blvd. in Pasadena. For further information and reservations please call 626.696.4415. December 2nd and 3rd - Dance Concert at 7:00pm - Porticos Arts Space Call 626.696.4415 for information and reservations December 3rd - Advanced Placement Art Show - 4:00pm - Blakeslee Library December 8th - Jazz Concert - 7:00pm - Grinstead Theatre Call 626.696.4415 for information and reservations December 9th - Band, Choir and Strings Concert - 7:00pm - Dining Hall Porticos Art Space, 2033 East Washington Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91104 Call 626.696.4415 for information and reservations
2016 Christmas Fundraiser Benefiting Visual & Performing Arts Programs!
Begin shopping now until November 23rd.
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Visit the La Salle Website View See’s Candies Banner Click on the link Start Shopping
ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
SoCal Drama Theatre Festival La Salle participated in the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) Fall Theatre Festival for high school students Saturday, October 22. This year we had seven students competing at James Monroe High School in North Hills, California. Participating in the “Large Group Comedy” category we had Elijah Reyes, Sebastian Beltran-Moeller, and Joshua Ng. In the “Scene from Women Playwrights” category we had Alice Guo and Sophie Ding. And finally, we had Anthony Kyriakakis and Evelyn Ogier both competing in the “Audition/Monologue” category. All of La Salle students made it through the first two rounds of competition without a hitch, and, Evelyn Ogier, a freshman at La Salle, made it to the semi-finals and finals, as well. She received an honorable mention plaque at the closing ceremonies. Also, special recognition and appreciation go to Seth Breen, Oliver Richards and Vincent Vazira who were “room chairs” (students who timed auditions, escorted judges to their venues, and ensured that students and judges complied with the rules, etc).
Speech & Debate Tournament Report The Lancer varsity debaters, juniors John Nahas and Jack Crawford entered a fierce pool of blood-thirsty competitors and won 2nd Place at the CSU Fullerton Tournament in mid October. In a pool of 106 Varsity Public Forum debaters, John and Jack ranked 1st place speaker and 3rd place speaker, respectively. Moreover, this 2nd place, coupled with their 1st place win at the Jack Howe Tournament in September, qualified them to attend the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in April in Kentucky. In the individual events, Junior Hunter Newell won 3rd place for his Dramatic Interpretation of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" among the Novice DI competitors. From a field of 56 JV Public Forum teams, Junior Cade Anderson and Freshman Ruobin Lan advanced to Octo-Finals. Sophomores Sebastian Dunbar and Will Murray advanced to Semi-Finals, and in a dramatic and appropriate twist of fate, beat the one team that had previously defeated them that weekend, snagging the 1st place in JV Public Forum trophy. Will was also ranked #8 (out of 102) Best Speaker for PF Debate.
Matching Gifts
If you are an employee of a matching gift company, we would love to work with you. This is an easy way to raise funds for La Salle. If you are not sure if your company participates, you can ask your employer or contact Tara Milton at: tmilton@lasallehs.org or call 626.696.4381.
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NOVEMBER 2016
ParentNewsletter
Convocation Celebrates Faculty and Staff Service The annual Faculty and Staff Convocation took place in the Grinstead Theatre on October 4. Dr. Richard Gray, President and Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian, Principal, presided. Mrs. Kassakhian made the following remarks about this year's honorees.
LOVE OF EDUCATION AND LA SALLE
25 Years
Jenné Hakanen
For 25 years Jenné has been the unfailing foundation of the Mathematics Department. She has served as Department Chair numerous times and for many years, she taught not just the standard five classes but six. She also made time to be a volleyball coach and for decades, the senior class moderator and senior graduation event director. All this being said, it is her classroom instruction that her students best love her for – they know she is always in her classroom during each break and lunch and that she will not turn them away. Jenné has attended many Lasallian retreats and leadership programs over the years and she certainly lives her Lasallian mission. She is also the proud mother of two recent La Salle graduates Taylor and Julia from the class of 2015.
15 Years
John Blackstock '67
We mostly see John at student, faculty, athletic, performing arts and alumni events with his camera in hand. But his work is far more reaching than just the taking of photographs. It is John who transformed our publication magazine – Lancer Magazine - into the premiere publication that it is. Schools across the District and Region have copied it; as they have copied our electronic monthly ParentNewsletter. I have not seen a monthly parent newsletter that is more informative and assessable than ours. I believe most of you know that John is a graduate of La Salle – did you know he was also a premiere athlete while he was here – earning numerous awards – mvp’s and Hall of Fame? He was also class, and Student Body President. He has been a Lancer since he was 14 and at heart, he still is.
Anthony Fernandes
Tony is the consummate educator – he puts hours of prep work into his lessons and he uses many methodologies and techniques to assist his students. He has been asked on numerous occasions to share his classroom techniques at various professional development workshops across the country because they are proven, doable and they work. He initiated our Science Outreach program that has been a huge hit with our feeder school over a decade ago.
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ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
Jude Lucas
Jude must be a “clone;” she often seems to be at everything. She is always willing to assist with a parent or a donor program by showcasing the talent of our students. With the assistance of the talented staff she hired, she has moved our Visual and Performing Arts program to heights that are the envy of other schools. And, knowing the great medical hill she recently had to climb for both herself and with Doug, I am in awe! By the way, she looks great in her red doctoral gown.
Kathy Medlock
Kathy is the school’s registrar – I am sure many of you were threatened; I know I was, by my teachers or parents not to mess up in school or it would end up, forever on your permanent file. While Kathy is the keeper of the sacred cumulative file and the safe and accurate keeping of that most important file,she also assists Associate Principal Salmingo and Mr. DesHarnais in a myriad of other duties – such as the creating of hundreds of award certificates that we hand out each year to the ordering and verifying our yearly diplomas. Thank you for your continual efforts on being exact and error free in all of these tasks.
Thomas O’Connor
Tom is the better looking of the O’Connor brothers we know; sorry Ed – Pat made me say that. Tom has taught in both our Religious Studies Department and now exclusively in the Social Studies Department. And, as our students know so well, he has for numerous years been the after school detention room moderator. Tom’s students know so well that he has a genuine passion for teaching and talking about Social Justice Issues. He even spent some of this summer attending a Social Justice in-service program. Thank you Tom for caring for those in our society most in need.
Jennifer Veling
LEARN SERVE LEAD
Jennifer teaches her students Spanish not only with her great expertise but with the caring heart of a mother. Ask her students, and you will hear the refrain - she cares for us - echoed by so many. Thank you Jenny for the extra level of love and caring you demonstrate to our students. She is also the Spanish Club moderator. 10 Years
Chija Bauer Science Department Chair Mentor Team, Astronomy Club Science NHS Co-Moderator Lisa Schulman Mathematics Teacher, Co-Director Mentor Program Coordinator
5 Years
Shari Baugh P'07 Associate Athletic Director Transportation Director Russell Gordon P'20 Associate Athletic Director PE / Health Department Chair Head Football Coach Anthony Harris Athletic Director
Nathan Housman ’03 Assistant Director of Admissions Student Ambassadors Randy Katz Director of Facilities, Assistant Football Coach Jon Keates Director of Institutional Advancement Timothy Rasmussen Athletic Team Trainer Tiare Tuitama Physical Education and Health Teacher, Boys and Girls Head Volleyball Coach
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ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
Visible Angel Award Presented to Irene Santucci By Dr. Richard Gray
Fifth Meditation: That those chosen by Providence for the education of children must fulfill the functions of Guardian Angels for them. AN ANGEL TO US ALL
Eighteenth Century French Spirituality was rooted in a belief in the influence of the supernatural in the lived world. We in the 21st Century might find this emphasis on the supernatural as quaint, even archaic; and so, be inclined to dismiss the notion that God is immanent. That having been said, we chose the name of this award from De La Salle’s Fifth Meditation for the Time of Retreat – his most important work, after the Rule – because of his vision for how his teachers should approach their responsibilities in the classroom. It can be said that children at birth are like a mass of flesh. Their minds do not emerge from the matter in them except with time, and become refined only little by little. As an unavoidable consequence, those who are ordinarily instructed in the schools are not yet able by themselves to understand easily the Christian truths and maxims. They need good guides and visible angels to help them learn these things. For this purpose the goodness of God has provided children with teachers who will instruct them in all these things. But since their minds are not yet sufficiently able to understand and practice these (truths and) maxims by themselves, you must serve as visible angels for them… Irene Santucci, P’95 has spent 26 years making sure that the Institutional Advancement Office “gets it right.” No thank you letter, no donor record, no accounting of funds received escapes Irene’s eagle eye for detail. Her ability to remember past practices has been monumentally significant for no less than three Directors of Institutional Advancement and a President who has spent the last 17 years pestering her for database inquiries which inevitably take her away from the mountain of paperwork that greets her each day. But it is the “can-do” attitude and commitment to help that, in particular, makes Irene a visible angel - and we will miss her angelic presence when she takes a well-deserved retirement at the end of this year.
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The Visible Angel Award was presented during the La Salle Convocation on October 4, 2016.
ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
All League Lancer Golfers
THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT From left, Sarah Day '18, Makenna Hicks '19, Annabel Lee '17 and Victoria Tong '20.
The La Salle Lancers Girls Golf Team saw four of its golfers place at the Camino Real League finals at Griffith Park earlier this month. Makenna Hicks, Sarah Day and Victoria Tong all placed and earned first-team spots on the All-League team, and Annabel Lee made the second team. Of particular note, the Lancers' captain, Makenna Hicks, finished off her sophomore season by earning first-team all-league honors as she regularly shot team-low scores all season, and she also boasts a 4.0 grade-point average. “They played well against the league’s best and more than held their own,” La Salle coach Steve Haderlein said. “I am very proud of this foursome and all the girls that competed this year.”
Celebrating 60 Years of Lasallian Educational Excellence 1956 - 2016
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ParentNewsletter
NOVEMBER 2016
Check your School calendar for event times and dates
November Highlights October 28 FOOTBALL vs Harvard-Westlake High School Varsity 7:00pm Kohorst Field
OPEN HOUSE NOVEMBER 6
Junior Leadership Ceremony November 14
MAC Christmas Luncheon & Boutique November 18
ADOPT-AFAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY DECEMBER 10
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October 31 Halloween
November 16 Huntington Hospital Blood Drive 7:00am - 2:00pm Dining Hall Financing Your Education with David Levy 9:00 - 11:00am Blakeslee Library
November 1 Liturgy Dress Uniform All Saints Day 9:15am Dining Hall
November 18 MAC Christmas Luncheon and Boutique 10:00am - 2:00pm Altadena Country Club
November 2 Winter Sports Parents Meeting 6:00 - 8:00pm Dining Hall
November 22 Liturgy Dress Uniform Thanksgiving Prayer Service 9:30am Dining Hall
November 6 Sunday Open House 12:00 - 2:30pm Campus November 11 School Holiday Veterans Day Tiger at the Gates Opening Night 7:30pm Porticos,* Pasadena
November 23-25 Thanksgiving Day Holidays
December 8 Liturgy Dress Uniform Feast of the Immaculate Conception 9:25am Dining Hall December 10 Saturday Adopt-A-Family Christmas Party Campus, Dining Hall 11:00am - 1:00pm December 13-16 Semester Final Exams December 16 SnowBall Dance 7:00 - 11:00pm Dining Hall December 17-January 9 Christmas Holiday
November 30 Application Deadline Cal State Universities and UCs December 1 2016 - 2017 Financial Aid Applications Available
November 14 Junior Leadership Ceremony Juniors Dress Up 7:00pm Dining Hall
December 2 Crystal Ball Christmas Holiday Gift Gathering Party 6:30 - 10:30 Pasadena
November 15 Parent Association Meeting 6:30pm Blakeslee Library Parent Boosters Meetings 7:30pm Campus Locations
December 3 Saturday Alumni Adopt-A-Family Gift Wrapping Party and Visit with Santa 10:00am - 12:00pm Grinstead Theatre
* Porticos Art Space, 2033 East Washington Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91104
Student Life Christmas Trees are Available for Order. See eOrder Form Attached.