The Lantern - March 2015 by Presentation High School

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March 2015 PRESENTATION HIGH SCHOOL PARENT NEWSLETTER

LANTERN

A Letter from the Principal Dear Parents, This month marks the end of the third quarter, which means we are about to embark on the beginning of the end of this school year. It is an exciting and chaotic time at Pres. As I said to all of you the first time we met, high school years fly by; so take full advantage of every opportunity to enjoy time with your daughter and participate in her life. We have a full calendar of events (especially for senior parents) to keep you busy and entertained. I hope to see you at many of them.

As I outlined in January, the State of the School is very sound. We have full enrollment and just accepted the Class of 2019, who appear to be every bright and are totally excited to wear the Pres plaid. We completed the 200 Building on time and under budget, and both students and teachers are enjoying classes in this brightly decorated, state-of-the-art learning environment. Our programs remain very competitive and Pres girls continue to excel in athletics, speech and debate, dance, robotics, theater productions, etc. It is indeed a great time to be a Panther. While reading applications last month, it became apparent that young women are attracted to Pres for all of the above---excellent academics, a robust co-curricular program, and an attractive setting. But the most common reason for choosing Pres was the sense of community they felt every time they stepped foot on this campus. Repeatedly we heard: it felt like home, the girls were so friendly and treated me like one of them, the teachers really care, I felt safe. As educators, we can improve test scores and get them into college; we can update facilities and distribute iPads. But if we do not create an environment that is both challenging and nurturing, we fail students. Of all the things I love about Pres, it is this sense of community – of family – that I am most proud; it is a pillar of our Catholic tradition.

Because we care so deeply about the safety and wellbeing of our students, we have been focusing our attention this year on student wellness. We will be rolling out a number of new initiatives that address this topic, and we look forward to more partnership with you as parents, Included in this edition is an article on our research and more suggested readings. You know how I love you to read! Have a great month! God Bless!

Mary Miller ’72 Principal

Inside this issue LETTERS From the Board of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 From the Parent Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 DEPARTMENT UPDATES Campus Ministry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Community Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Attendance Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . College Counseling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Department Spotlight: English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athletic Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dance Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 3 4 4 5 6 7 7

OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT Fashion Show 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Golf Tournament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 SPECIAL FEATURE Student Wellness Survey & Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 MARCH CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

March 2015

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From the Board of Trustees

From the Parent Board

Oftentimes, I am asked about the specifics of the work done by our Board of Trustees committees. As a result, I’ll highlight a diﬀerent committee in each of my articles over the next few months.

Dear parents,

What is the Finance Committee responsible for? The Finance Committee assists the school administration in the planning and financial operation of the school. Presentation is first and foremost a school, but it is also a business that entrusts dollars and donor gifts to the school to be managed in the most eﬃcient way possible. The committee is comprised of business professionals who have deep experience in accounting, planning and managing business operations. The committee develops and reviews both short-term and long-term plans to ensure Presentation is moving ahead with a solid financial foundation. Short-term plans center on budgets and managing investments. The budget is developed with input from every department in the school and board committees. Once approved by the board, budgets are reviewed at each Finance Committee meeting. Any excess operational dollars and donor gifts to the school are managed by the Investment Sub-Committee, which works to ensure money from endowments and other gifts grow to meet our future needs. The committee spends a great deal of time in long-range planning as well. The recent completion of the Stephens Family Building 200 classroom complex is the result of that type of long-range planning. Over the course of many years, we built up reserves to ensure we could move forward with the building without debt. The committee uses a long-range financial planning tool that allows us to analyze many “what if” scenarios and how they would impact operations. On a final note, rest assured that school administration does an outstanding job of managing the budget. Each department chair and the entire team works together to ensure every dollar spent makes Presentation better and stronger. Fred Crary, Chair, Board of Trustees

Like Pres on Facebook! www.facebook.com/presentationhs

My sincere thanks to all who attended the Crab Feed. I’m so glad it was such a fun evening. Who doesn’t love eating awesome crab and dancing the night away to some great tunes? I want to especially thank all the volunteers who put in many long hours preparing decorations, coordinating volunteers for serving, bartending, and all the little things that make this event come to life. Your hard work and dedication are what make this event so memorable. Thank you!

Spring is approaching and the fun at Presentation continues to blossom. The spring play, Stage Door, opens in March. The dance team heads to Nationals and spring sports provide an opportunity for many of us to watch our daughters take the field in the beautiful sunshine. The highlight for me will be the annual fashion show, “Vintage & Vogue,” held at the Santa Clara Convention Center on Friday, April 24. There are two shows (lunch and dinner) featuring our senior class as designers, hostesses and models. Helping out behind the scenes is a great experience and tremendously fulfilling and, as it turns out, the fashion show committee can use your help. Check out the opportunities at www.presentationhs.org/giving/fashionshow. Thank you to all who registered your credit and club cards on eScrip. Last year we raised more than $30,000 and with your support we are hoping to surpass that amount. This is an easy way to make a diﬀerence at Presentation. Signing up is simple. Just go to www.escrip.com to register your cards or contact Arlene Fukawa at arlenef1231@yahoo. com. Presentation parents are always welcome at our Parent Board meetings. Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 4, at 7 p.m. in the library. Lisa Allen Parent Board President lisaallen@pacbell.net

March 2015

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Campus Ministry

Community Involvement

Campus Ministry is recruiting for next year’s Peer Ministry Team. Any current freshman, sophomore or junior may apply for this yearlong internship in Campus Ministry. Opportunities include faith-sharing and faith formation, liturgical ministry, retreat leadership and more! Campus Ministry is open to students of all faith traditions. Recommitment forms for current peer ministers and applications for new peer ministers will be due Friday, March 20. Please encourage your daughters to apply!

This past month’s service spotlight was at Herman Health Care Center, a facility that serves as a rehabilitation center and nursing home to older patients in need. Because of the proximity of Herman Health Care Center to Presentation, this site serves as a rewarding and inspiring location not only for our students to build community ties with local residents, but also to enjoy one another’s company! During the visit, students helped the residents make Valentine’s Day cards full of glitter, stickers and lots of red, pink and white. This was a fun-filled afternoon for the residents as well as our students; we look forward to being back there again!

Lent began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18. This is a good time to reflect on our need for God’s forgiveness, mercy and compassion. Are you wondering how to engage your family in Lent? Consider praying with your family and making use of the daily readings (http://www.usccb.org/ bible/index.cfm) or an online daily prayer resource such as www.sacredspace.ie or www.pray-as-you-go.org. You can also check out the CRS Rice Bowl (www.crsricebowl. org/) resources on Twitter, Facebook or online for prayers, resources for simplicity and solidarity, and recipes for vegetarian meals. On Tuesday, March 31 we will conclude our Lenten observance with a Holy Week Prayer Service. All are welcome to join us at 11:05 a.m. in the gym.

Your Y o passport to dance!

Globetrotter Father-Daughter Dance Miller M er Athletic hhle Complex Friday, Frriday, day M March arcch 13, 1 7:30-10 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes for the annual

Father-Daughter dance competition. Or, if you're not the dancing type, join us for games, dessert, and refreshments.

We will have another Senior Retreat on March 26-27. We will take 67 seniors to the Jesuit Retreat Center in Los Altos. This overnight retreat is devoted to coming to know God’s call – in yourself, through others, in prayer, through challenge, and in acts of service. Seniors will enjoy this chance to build community and learn more about each other before they graduate.

The attire is semi-formal, but themed attire is welcome too! This year's theme is 'Globetrotters' so think travel and adventure! The cost is just $50 per er fa family.. uy your y tic icke etts no ets nnow w at Hope to see you there! Bu Buy tickets www.presentationhs.org/fatherdaughterdance. g/fath g/fatherdaughterdance atherda erdaugh htterrda h da d ance ncee PASSPORT << TO << DANCE

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< <<< < <<<< < << << <<<<<<<<<< < < << << < <

March 2015

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A Note from the Attendance Office:

College Counseling

Students need to stay home when they are not feeling well and/or have a fever or flu-like symptoms. Students may return to school when they are symptom-free for 24 hours. We recommend that students wash their hands, use hand sanitizers and do not share drinks or food. If a student becomes sick at school she must go to the Attendance Oﬃce. As a reminder, please inform the Attendance Oﬃce by 9 a.m. the day your daughter is home sick by calling 408266-1060.

The final whistle has not blown. The finish line is up ahead. The game is not over. Whatever metaphor you’d like to use, the message is the same: seniors need to finish their second semester with grades that are similar to the ones they have earned throughout high school. Spring semester grades are not used in the college admissions decision process, although the types of courses a student takes certainly are. However, “senioritis” can have repercussions: all colleges and universities reserve the right to rescind admissions decisions if they feel final grades show a diﬀerence in academic accomplishment. Sure, students may be tired (and they’re not the only ones) but how they finish their high school careers says and shows a lot about their preparation and motivation for college.

If your daughter is well enough to return the next day, please send her with a note to the Attendance Oﬃce before school. If your daughter needs to leave early for an appointment, please send her with a note to the Attendance Oﬃce before school, she will then be given an early dismissal slip which allows her to leave campus at the designated time.

A Note from the Registrar: If you are looking to order official or unofficial transcripts for your daughter please go to www.presentationhs.org and click on academics and transcript requests. Please read the instructions and submit the transcript request form online. Each official transcript is $2 and unofficial transcripts are free. Your request will not be honored until payment is made in full. If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Furtado at cfurtado@presentationhs.org.

March is a busy month on the College Counseling Department calendar with a number of evening information sessions for parents and students. For the junior class, there will be a College Information Night on Wednesday, March 11 at 7 p.m., which will feature admissions officers from different types of institutions. In addition, please watch for an invitation to participate in the South Bay College Admissions Case Studies program. This year, it will be held at Archbishop Mitty High school on Thursday, April 23; space is limited. Please respond quickly to the invitation. For the sophomores, we will host our Sophomore Information Night on Thursday, March 26 at 7 p.m., during which we will briefly discuss different admissions requirements and discuss the college process at Presentation. Students and parents are invited to this evening.

College Counseling Important Dates Presentation High School offers a full slate of summer courses for boys and girls of all ages. Presentation is the place to be this summer!

MONDAY TUESDAY

9 10 DNDAY WEDNESDAY

play swim

learn & explore act

11 11

DNDAY THURSDAY

11 26 Details and registration at www.presentationhs.org/summer

Tuesday, March 10: Invitation to South Bay College Admissions Case Studies mailed

Wednesday, March 11, 7 p.m. College Information Night for Juniors Marian Stuckey Center and classrooms

Thursday, March 26, 7 p.m. Sophomore College Information Night Marian Stuckey Center

March 2015

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Department Spotlight: English By Marcy Ray, English Department Chair The English Department welcomes two new teachers this semester. Malia Hernandez, a graduate of Santa Clara University, just returned to the U.S. from Paraguay, where she spent the last 3 ½ years teaching in an international bilingual high school. Laura Bruner, who substituted for Maggie Meyer last year, has returned to teach three sections of English 9 and 10 for the spring semester, while continuing her involvement in CrossFit. Maggie Meyer and Ann Ponikvar put together a twoweek student tour of England, upcoming this June, which will focus on both historical sites and locations related to literature taught in the English Department. All Presentation students have read Bronte and Shakespeare; the tour will include the Bronte parsonage on the moors at Haworth, many sites at Stratford-upon-Avon that relate to Shakespeare, and seeing a play at the reconstructed Globe Theater. Poetry and British Novel students will especially appreciate touring Wordsworth’s homes in the Lake District and Jane Austin’s home in Bath. Everyone will enjoy three days in London touring the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and many other landmarks. The literary works in Ann Ponikvar’s God in Literature class explore how we are all on a pilgrimage to discover God and create meaning in our lives. Currently, students are watching scenes from The Way about the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Marcy Ray’s Modern Novel students will be applying their study of ethical philosophy to the novels in the course. They are currently reading East of Eden and are encouraged to visit Salinas and the many sites related to Steinbeck. In Honors World Literature, Mary Miller and Andrea Cartwright will explore diﬀerent cultural perspectives through the literature of Africa, Britain, South America, Russia, and other countries. In Literary Analysis, Tara Komar’s students focus on a variety of creative writing forms; they are currently writing short stories from the point of view of someone totally diﬀerent from themselves. Journalism students just finished the semester’s first issue of The Voice; parents can get updates at www. presentationvoice.com.

Want a snapshot of life on campus? Pres is now on Instagram! Follow 'MyLifeIsPlaid' to see what our Pres girls are up to!

CROWDS4PRES 24 H O U R S M A R C H 24 24 D O L L A R S W W W . C R O W D S 4 P R ES . CO M

One O nee sm n ssmall mallll g gift iifft ccan an h hav have ave a major impact. See how far a $24 donation can go! We invite you to be a part of our second annual crowdfunding campaign. It begins at midnight on March 24 and lasts 24 hours! As the day unfolds, contributions roll in from hundreds - if not thousands of Pres alums, parents, students, faculty, and friends. Last year, those $24 donations added up to $63,803.97 for our Pres girls. This year, we want to top that number! For more information, check out www.crowds4pres.com

March 2015

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From the Athletic Department The Athletic Department fundraiser is coming up very soon! Make sure you sign up for Game of Throws, a baggo tournament that will be held in the Presentation Gym on Saturday, March 28. Game of Throws is $75 per person and includes entry into the baggo tournament, appetizers, dinner and beer/wine. Registration closes on Saturday, March 21; sign up before it's too late! All of the proceeds from Game of Throws go directly to the Athletic Department to provide our student-athletes with the resources (skilled coaches, equipment, uniforms) they need to be successful. The basketball program honored Presentation’s amazing faculty and staﬀ in the Teacher Appreciation game on Tuesday, Feb. 3 when we played (and beat!) Valley Christian. Our basketball players each asked one of their teachers to wear their jersey the day of the game; those teachers were then honored during the game. It was a big hit! The student-athletes really enjoyed being able to honor their teachers, and our teachers enjoyed cheering our Panthers to victory! It’s sure to be the start of a new tradition at Pres!

March Varsity Home Games Softball Tues. 3/3

vs. Westmont High School 3:30 p.m.

Weds. 3/4

vs. Hillsdale High School 4 p.m.

Thurs. 3/5

vs. Los Altos High School 4 p.m.

Mon. 3/9

vs. Homestead High School 4 p.m.

Friday, 3/13

vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral 4 p.m.

Tues. 3/24

vs. Archbishop Mitty 4 p.m.

Mon. 3/30

vs. Mountain View High School 4 p.m.

Tues. 3/31

vs. St. Francis High School 4 p.m.

Swim & Dive Sat. 3/7

vs. Notre Dame Belmont & Notre Dame San Jose 10 a.m.

Thurs. 3/18

vs. Archbishop Mitty 3 p.m.

Diving Tues. 3/31

Stay up-to-date on news and results of Presentation Athletics! Follow Presentation Athletics on Twitter and Instagram: @PresPanthers. Go Panthers!! Stacey Mallison, Athletic Director

vs. Valley Christian 3 p.m.

Your one-stop shop for Panthers on-the-go!

www.presentationhs.org/panthersden

March 2015

Presentation Dance Team Workshop Opportunities From March - April, middle school students have the opportunity to experience what it is like on the Presentation Dance Team. The team is hosting a 6-week dance program for kids in grades 6-8. Rehearsals take place from 4-6 p.m. in the Presentation dance studio on the following dates: March 12, 19, and 26; April 16, 23, and 30. Students will then have the opportunity to perform in the Spring Dance Concert on Wednesday, May 6. Dress rehearsals will be held Monday, May 4 from 6-7 p.m. in the Valenzuela Theater on campus. The cost for the entire workshop is just $15. Please contact Sara Fugate to register: sfugate@presentationhs.org.

The Presentation Dance Team will also be hosting a one-day Dance Audition Prep Workshop for students in grades 7-12 on Wednesday, April 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Presentation Dance Studio. Learn what you need to know before the audition is held on Friday, May 15. Please contact Sara Fugate to register. The cost is $25.

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Upcoming Theater Performances Spring Play: The lighthearted, nostalgic play Stage Door by George Kaufman and Edna Ferber will be performed in the Valenzuela Theater March 14-22. Following our soldout runs of Guys and Dolls and #HeadCase, we will continue our tradition of excellence in performing arts with this production. Stage Door deals with the struggles of young women as they strive for careers. The plot concerns a group of young women in NYC in the 1930s who live in a boarding house for would-be actresses. Seniors Ankita Bhanot, Courtney Baz and Kristen Martin head a cast of 22 gals and 7 boys with an all-girl set crew providing backstage support. As usual, our set, costume, lighting and sound designers will make this cultural event not only entertaining, but beautiful as well. Make your reservations to see Stage Door via the Pantherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den on the Presentation homepage. Bring It On! Our summer theater program, PresRep, is currently open for registration. PresRep is our fiveweek, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. summer theater camp for boys and girls ages 12-17. Beginning June 15 and running through July 19, this hands-on program provides students with a fun and productive way to spend the summer. Meeting new friends, brushing up self-presentation and musical theater skills and producing two shows, our participants form a working company and share in the success of a musical and a play. This year, we are excited to announce we will be one of the first local theater programs to produce the hit musical Bring It On!, a new Broadway show based on the hit movie about competitive cheerleading. Our second production is an original play by Mr. Houle: Kid Dinosaur, an environmentallythemed play about a trash problem in a fantastic Dinosaur Kingdom. Visit our webpage at www.presentationhs.org/ summer to register your student, but do it soon! This year should be pretty popular!

Kid Dinosaur

Visit www.presentationhs.org/boxoďŹ&#x192;ce to purchase your tickets for these performances.

March 2015

| WWW.PRESENTATIONHS.ORG Tickets for the lunch and dinner shows, along with chances to win spectacular benefit drawing packages, will go on sale Friday, March 13. Watch for your invitation in the mail or visit the Fashion Show website at www.presentationhs. org/fashionshow for all the details. Purchase prize drawing tickets from your favorite plaid-clad sweetheart March 20 April 17 and you both could win big!

Friday, April 24, 2015 Santa Clara Convention Center www.presentationhs.org/fashionshow

It’s time for Vintage & Vogue! The countdown is on to the Vintage & Vogue Fashion Show benefitting the endowment for financial aid! The event features members of the senior class, student designers, the Presentation Dance Team, alumnae and friends of Presentation. With a little more than a month to go, it’s time for everybody to get ‘in vogue’. Strike a pose as a volunteer, sponsor, or advertiser to help make this year’s show a big success!

A big shout out to our 11 fabulous student designers and retail store partners: Athleta, Banana Republic, Bella James, Brandy Melville, Cache, Details, Eli Thomas, Francesca’s, Free People, GAP, Ibiss, Johnny Was, Kitsch Couture, The North Face, and White House | Black Market. When you’re shopping, please be sure to stop in and thank them for their support of Presentation! Get ‘in vogue’ today, click on the Fashion Show button on the Pres website or visit www.presentationhs.org/ fashionshow. On with the show!

SAVE THE DATE! www.presentationhs.org/golf If you are interested in joining this year’s golf planning committee, please contact Johannah Baccaglio at jbaccaglio@presentationhs.org.

Friday, May 15 Cinnabar Hills Golf Club

March 2015

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Presentation Student Wellness Survey: Creating Balance & Coping With Stress Confronted with the growing concern of student stress, anxiety, and lack of coping skills, Presentation decided in the 2013-2014 school year to proactively address the nationwide issue of student wellness. Through research and partnering with Stanford University’s Challenge Success Program, we now have a better understanding of the research regarding the epidemic of student stress and anxiety, and the role our students, school, parents, and greater community play in both the issue and potential solutions.

Research & Recommended Reading Student wellness is a complex issue and it is unreasonable to simply blame parents or pretend this epidemic will disappear if schools reduce homework. Our children are suﬀering from the culture they live in, and all of us (parents, teachers, the media, business leaders, etc.) have played a role in creating that culture. All of us need to change for the long term health of this generation and those to come.

Some Alarming National Statistics: • The level of depression and anxiety among elementary school students is at an all time high. • Nearly one-third of high school students report feeling sad or hopeless. • 20% of our children have a diagnosable mental disorder. • One in five teens thinks about suicide; one in 12 attempt it. • Xanax (anti anxiety medication) is the new street drug of choice. • Children are more sedentary and obesity is a growing issue. • Empathy (the ability to emotionally walk in the shoes of another) has decreased alarmingly and, consequently, bullying is on the rise. • Many educators report a decrease in students’ coping skills, unhealthy reliance on others for support and direction, and a fear of failure in young people. • A greater percentage of young people report no religious aﬃliation/faith. • Children sleep on average one hour less each night than 30 years ago. • Kids ages 8-18 spend a minimum of 7 hrs and 38 min per day using entertainment media. • Kids under 12 have half as much free time as they did 30 years ago. • Girls especially are on a march towards perfectionism that creates anxiety, aversion to healthy risk taking and an almost phobic fear of failure. How Did We Get Here? • As a result of our 24/7 plugged-in environment, students are over stimulating their brains in ways the human brain was not designed to handle. • Students are over-scheduled and have no down time or free play.

• Stressed out parents pass their angst to their children. • Over-parenting. Parents push their children to grow up too fast but do not teach coping skills, persistence or resilience. • Studies indicate there may be too much homework in schools. • There exists a marketing culture that feeds anxiety. • Kids do not get enough sleep. • In a more secular culture the religious value of HOPE may be lacking.

Recommended Reading There will be a link in next week’s parent email to a paper summarizing the content of the suggested reading list.

The Shallows by Nicholas Carr

MindSet by Carol Dweck, Ph.D

Teach Your Children Well by Madeline Levine

Mindful Parenting by Kristen Race, Ph.D

The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got There by Amanda Ripley

March 2015

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Challenge Success Survey Results Presentation partnered with Stanford University’s Challenge Success Program to survey our entire student body in September to get a better understanding of our students’ experiences.

Homework 11th and 12th grade students report spending, on average, more than 4 hours a night on homework. 9th grade 3.15 hours 10th grade 3.85 hours 11th grade 4.19 hours 12th grade 4.28 hours • 78% of students reported they feel they have too much homework • 22% of students reported they feel they have the “right” amount of homework • Students multi-task while doing homework: – 73% listen to music – 48% are talking and texting – 31% are on Instagram/social networking sites • 33% felt many or all classes assign busywork Teacher Care and Support • Challenge Success cited this as an area for which we should be proud. • 9th graders reported 4.31 on a 5 point scale. Very impressive. • 10th graders reported 3.91 on a 5 point scale; while 11th and 12th graders reported 3.84. These response rates are typical and developmentally appropriate. • 70% of the students reported having an adult on campus they can go to with a problem.

Extracurricular Activities Time spent on activities is very similar to other schools:

30%

Sleep • Presentation students sleep < 6.5 hrs/night. • 9th and 10th graders get significantly more sleep compared to 11th and 12th graders. This is similar to the diﬀerences reported in homework time. 9th grade 6.78 hours 10th grade 6.52 hours 11th grade 6.03 hours 12th grade 6.07 hours

>10 hours per week 7-10 hours per week 4-6 hours per week

22%

23%

0-3 hours per week

• Stress from activities is comparatively low. School sports and club sports were cited as the most stressful activities. • Presentation has a larger variety of activities & higher service and club participation rates than comparative schools. • The number one reason students participate is enjoyment. Why students participate in extracurricular activities:

3% 2% “I can learn new things”

17%

Parents • Students believe parents prioritize mastery over performance. – 10th and 11th grade parents more mastery-oriented than 12th grade parents. Students’ Perception of Parents’ Goals (on a 5 point scale) 9th 10th 11th 12th Parent Mastery 4.14 4.18 4.23 3.99 Parent Performance 3.14 3.32 3.31 3.24 Ability to Meet Parent 3.65 3.44 3.24 3.36 Expectations

25%

“Because my parents/ guardians want me to”

73%

Resume Building Enjoyment

• 35% of students report that it is quite or extremely important to their parents that they are successful in extracurricular activities. • Students report having very little free time on a typical weekday:

17%

More than 2 hours

46% 27%

1-2 hours 0-40 minutes

March 2015

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Conclusions & Next Steps Stress and Worry • 89% of students reported they were often or always stressed by schoolwork. • 82% reported schoolwork often or always kept them from having time with family and friends. • 87% reported schoolwork often or always kept them from getting enough sleep. • 66% reported being forced to drop an activity because of the amount of schoolwork they have. Health and Well-Being • Presentation students cite stress and/or emotional problems are causing decreased attendance (32%) and participation (56%). • Most common symptoms students reported experiencing from stress: – Exhaustion – Headaches – Diﬃculty sleeping in past month Academic Integrity & Cheating • 86% of students have cheated in past year. The most common forms of cheating reported by students are working with others when individual work was assigned, copying homework, getting test answers/ questions from a peer, and copying content without citing the source. • Cheating typically occurs when a student experiences physical symptoms of stress, academic worry, less teacher support, less engagement, or less feeling like they can meet parents’ expectations. Academic Engagement • Students were asked how often they felt engaged in school. – 43% reported working hard on their schoolwork and found their schoolwork meaningful. – 36% of students find their work hard, but rarely find it interesting, fun, or valuable. – 17% of students often or always work hard, enjoy their work, and find it meaningful. – 2% of students reported no engagement in their schoolwork. • 9th graders reported high levels of behavioral, aﬀective, and cognitive engagement. • Engagement is significantly correlated with the following factors: cheating, physical stress, teacher care and support, sleep and parent expectations.

This is a complex issue, and the solutions are equally dynamic. They require our community as a whole to come together and challenge contemporary culture and norms for the best of our students. Specifically, we can empower Presentation students by: • Teaching coping skills: okay to make mistakes, fight their own battles, make decisions, take risks. • Encouraging prayer, meditation, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and exercise. • Building community and teaching empathy. • Building free time into students’ schedules and stop over-scheduling. • Monitoring technology consumption and daring to unplug. • Teaching soft skills like creativity, resilience, integrity, perseverance, self-motivation. These are the core skills that make you successful rather than simply making you LOOK successful. • Not promoting “perfectionism,” and instead promoting learning and giving it your best eﬀort. • Encouraging a healthy perspective on challenging situations. “Good stress” motivates us all. • Reducing homework, especially on the weekends. This fall, the Presentation faculty took steps to reduce students’ homework load and increase student engagement by ensuring homework is valuable and helps students learn. Research shows us that when homework is assigned and completed correctly, it is a valuable tool in helping high school students learn. The Challenge Success Survey results were shared with faculty in November and were followed by schoolwide homework logs, which students completed for each of their classes for one week. These helped to inform individual teachers of the amount of time students spend on work in their classes and whether students perceive that work to be valuable. Academic departments and teachers also reviewed historic student perception data on homework in December and developed action plans to address homework and busy work data as appropriate for their classes. We will continue to survey students to monitor their perceptions of homework. While this is a big issue, we are excited to partner with families, our greater community, and other schools to continue to better understand student wellness and develop sustainable solutions for our students.

March 2015

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March 2015 SUNDAY

For complete calendar visit www.presentationhs.org/calendar

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

3 TADA! 6:30 p.m., reception room

for Nuns, 4 Dunk 12:30 p.m. Miller Athletic Complex

Fashion Show General Meeting, 7 p.m., library

11 College Information Night for Juniors & Parents 7 p.m., center

Winter Sports Awards Night, 7 p.m. Miller Athletic Complex

15 Spring Play Stage Door 2 p.m. Valenzuela Theater

22 Spring Play Stage Door 2 p.m. Theater

16 School holiday for students

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Don't forget!

CROWDS4PRES 29

Parent Board Meeting, 7 p.m., library

24 HOURS - MARCH 24 - 24 DOLLARS

WWW.CROWDS4PRES.COM

Solidarity Dinner 5 p.m., Center

25 Fashion Show General Meeting 7 p.m., library

7th Grade Day 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Circle & Platinum Dinner, 6 p.m. center/courtyard

12 Booster Board Meeting 7 p.m., library

Father-Daughter Dance, 7:30 p.m., Miller Athletic Complex

Spring Play Stage Door Opening & Gala, 7 p.m. Valenzuela Theater

Spring Play Stage Door 7 p.m. Valenzuela Theater

26Quarter Grades

Available

College Info. Night for Sophomores 7 p.m., center Golf Tournament Meeting, 7 p.m., library

Athletic Fundraiser 4 p.m., Miller Athletic Complex

March 2015