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SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT NO. 663
Saints Scene May 2009
YOUR MONTHLY REPORT ON THE ST. AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
Photograph by John Gibbins, Union Tribune. Used with Permission.
St. Augustine High School 3266 Nutmeg Street San Diego, CA 92104-5199 619-282-2184
www.sahs.org
Vol 28 no. 5
...The Road Together
So Far So Good: Determined Community Rises in Off Times to Support the School By Edwin Hearn, President St. Augustine High School
Journey to Calvary—This photo of Saints and OLP students re-enacting Jesus’ walk to the Crucifixion was published last month in the San Diego Union-Tribune. That’s Felipe Hueso (’11) portraying Jesus with OLP’s Cassandra Gutierrez (middle) and Meghan Cummings. The 18th annual Walk with the Suffering Good Friday Stations of the Cross was sponsored by the Ecumenical Council of San Diego County.
Sweetwater “Red Devil” now a “Saint”
Welcome Richard Sanchez New Saints Varsity Football Coach
Unitas Veritas Caritas
P
rincipal James Horne announced today that after a nationwide search Sacramento State assistant coach and special teams coor-
Dear Parents and Friends
And on the 7th day, God rested Importance of the ABZzzzzzzzzzz’s
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s his final act of creation, God rested. And in that resting, God provides a model for us all. Rest happens in nature – in the animal world, in all of plant life, in the very nature of the earth itself. As any farmer will tell you, the land itself must lie fallow for a time if it is to remain fertile. We are meant to rest and rest is one of God’s great gifts to us. Principal James Horne Our students are, in many ways, overstretched. Their schedules can be packed: a full day of school, family commitments, extra-curricular activities and athletics, after-school jobs, and homework, not to mention social plans. This high level of engagement for our students can bring on both stress and exhaustion. The pressure of becoming a “successful” kid today sometimes comes at the expense of his or her own well-being. Teaching the ethics of responsibility and instilling the value of education needs to coincide with the importance of developing a balance in one’s life. Clearly there is still a month left in the school year. However, as we approach summer we want to encourage Saintsmen to seek the rest they need spiritually, physically, emotionally and intellectually. If we can help them find ways to unwind and share with them the importance of balance in their lives they will be ready to embrace their next set of challenges. Yours in the Spirit of Catholic Education
James Horne Principal
dinator, Richard Sanchez, has been selected from a group of highly qualified candidates to take over as head football coach at St. Augustine High School. He will be the 22nd head coach in the Saints’ 85-year tradition rich grid history. Sanchez is excited to lead the St. Augustine football program, which has advanced to the CIF San Diego Section playoffs 18 times in the last 20 years, winning back to back CIF titles in 2005 and 2006. As an area native and a graduate of Sweetwater High School (Red Devils), Sanchez has extensive San Diego ties. He was the head coach and athletic director at San Diego High in 1998 and 1999. Prior to that he was the head coach at Montclair High School, in the Southern Section, from 1994-1997. At SDHS, he took a program, which had lost 20 straight games and produced an 11-9 overall record. At Montclair, he was named the Mt. Baldy League Coach of the Year after leading the Mounties to a 9-3 record. Continued on page 6.
Don’t Miss Grad Night
Bowl-a-Thon May 29 Tickets Now On Sale See Page 3
T
he good news is the school’s financial health is excellent. In these uncertain times, we at the school wish to thank the Finance Committee of the Board Edwin J. Hearn, Jr. of Directors for their President rigorous work on our St. Augustine High School behalf. The Committee meets monthly to monitor the school’s financial health and to plan for the future. They are tasked to review the status of tuition collection; compliance with our loan covenants; analysis of monthly financial statements, including actual revenue and expenses compared with budget and our established financial plan, and review our investment portfolio. The Committee recently reported that the school’s current budget numbers closely mirror last year’s and have accurately matched our business plan. That tells us that Saints is valued and important in the lives of our parents, friends, alumni and community. Thanks go to so many, especially Saints parents for such good fiscal news. As noted, we continually evaluate our financial position and we are required to be prudent with our resources. However, because tuition is our largest revenue source, payment of it is critical to our continued good health. And, please be assured that Saints remains financially strong and is positioned to grow and prosper during the coming months. However, not all is bright. As the economy has worsened since the beginning of the school year, some are struggling with the loss of a job and/or home. The financial difficulties of this past year have forced many families to reevaluate what is normally taken for granted and re-prioritize what is really essential. At the school, we’ve seen the need for financial aid grow substantially to date. We’ve been asked to spread aid dollars across a much wider swath of the school population. As a result, a greater effort is being made to help our families who are in need. Given the global recession, some of us wondered if community support for the school might dip as well. Not so. The generosity of the Saints’ community has exceeded expectations and defied the fundraising conditions of most non-profits. The response from our alumni, friends and parents to all of our efforts – Parent Pledge, the Christmas Social Draw Down, the Annual Fund Drive Appeal and, most recently, the Big One – has been very strong. This support beyond tuition creates the “Margin of Excellence” that Continued on page 6.