The Cardinal Newsletter - Fall 2014

VOL. 5 • FALL 2014

the

CARDINAL The Official Launch of STEAM

by Dr. Michael Pratt, Head of School

technology and arts. In Beyond Technology every student is learning new technology skills and how to use those skills across the curriculum, and through Robotics, our students are learning coding and how to build devices to carry out specific tasks.

These new, engaging programs would not have been possible without the generosity of our parents, who funded the purchase of enhanced technology, robotics kits, musical instruments, and professional development for our teachers. Several donors also funded renovations this past summer that enabled the school to create a robotics lab, improve the technology lab, and renovate spaces for our music and dance programs.

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t our inaugural STEAM Day last spring, you were able to get the first glimpse of the potential of this innovative approach to teaching and learning. You saw our students working in teams to design and build creative solutions to practical problems. The excitement of that day is now being lived out daily in our classrooms.

It has been a daily joy to observe our students working enthusiastically with their teachers in new classes and on STEAM projects. This is what a state-of-the-art 21st century education should look like!

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Even though at times it seems that we moved at warp speed to implement STEAM, in reality the school devoted countless hours to research STEAM and to provide professional development for our teachers. They have enthusiastically embraced the idea and now regularly collaborate in planning interesting projects for their students.

For the most part, STEAM built on our existing strong curriculum.

Yet to enjoy the full promise of the approach, we strengthened

BAPTISM AT ALL SCHOOL EUCHARIST

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ccording to The Book Of Common Prayer of The Episcopal Church, “Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children and makes us members of Christ’s body, the Church, and inheritors of the kingdom of God.” In the waters of baptism we are lovingly adopted by God into God’s family, which we call the Church, and given God’s own life to share and reminded that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ.

St. John’s Church is pleased to offer the Sacrament of Holy Baptism to St. John’s School students and family members at our All-School Holy Eucharist service on Tuesday, November 18. Parents are always invited to attend Chapel services. n

ACADEMICS/STEAM Music Together

music environment throughout early childhood. Each class has two sessions of music per week in the classroom, with an additional at-home component. Involving the entire family at home is an emphasis of the program to improve musical literacy.

According to a recent Harris Poll, nearly three-quarters of parents (72%) believe you are born either with or without the ability to carry a tune. “It is not true that you are either born musical or not,” says Kenneth K. Guilmartin, leading international early childhood music expert and Founder/Director of Music Together. “Just as we are all born with the potential to speak our native language, we are all born with enough music ability to learn to sing in tune and move in time, as long as parents and other primary caregivers provide an adequate music environment during early childhood.”

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ur Early Childhood Division students have been enjoying music class with Mrs. Boyd! Music Together is a music and movement program rooted in the belief that we are all born with enough music ability to learn to sing in tune and move in time so long as we have an adequate

To help create this environment, every family has received their Music Together CD song collection along with a wealth of online tools to help parents bring the music to life. The Division will also be hosting activities to involve the whole family. The first Music Together Family Pizza Night will be held in November, and even grandparents will have the opportunity to join in the fun during Grandparents Day! n

LEARNING OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

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t. John’s students embark on learning adventures outside of the classroom through varied field study programs, and already this school year our students have traveled far and wide.

Our 6th Graders spent four fun-filled days at Outdoor Science School at Pali Institute near Lake Arrowhead. With an emphasis on science, students engaged in a variety of activities from constructing bottle rockets and earthquake simulations to taking an astronomy hike. Building leadership skills was another focus, and students took on different roles in the “balloon rescue.”

Students in 8th Grade enjoyed an experience of a lifetime on their eight-day trip to Williamsburg and Washington D.C., gaining direct knowledge of our Nation’s history and its political system outside the classroom. By walking the streets of Williamsburg, interviewing colonial crafts people, and participating in a reenactment of life as a soldier at the encampment at Yorktown, students gained first-hand experience of life in the 1600’s. A visit to the Capitol building and the White House helped students gain a greater appreciation of the three branches of government and how the democratic system works.

First Grade students stayed closer to home, venturing to Carlsbad to visit the Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland. The trip served as the culmination to their unit on tide pools and they all had a great time exploring the ocean’s animals and plants that they have been learning and writing about. n

Journalism Class

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his year, 8th Grade students are participating in the new Journalism elective led by Mrs. Beth Sarachman. The group of 15 students has been busy scouring the campus for hard news and have now published the Cardinal Times, the first edition of the online Middle Division newspaper. Go to http:// cardinalschoolnews.org and read all about the Family Fall Festival, tips on how to survive Middle Division, movie and restaurant reviews, and more! n

Character Counts Program

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he Elementary Division has adopted the Character Counts Program as part of its curriculum. Weekly lessons about the character Pillar of the Month are taught in the classroom, and students have the opportunity to discuss how to be a student of character. The Six Pillars include Caring, Respect, Fairness, Responsibility, Citizenship, and Trustworthiness.

A new monthly awards program recognizes students for outstanding character. Each month, Kindergarten-5th Grade students attend an assembly to recognize students with Cardinal Character Awards. Students, teachers, and parents have most enjoyed the personal examples of character that Mrs. Barnum reads aloud as each student receives their award.

Each Pillar of the Month is represented by a color, which all students wear on the assembly day to celebrate together. The ECC has embraced the Pillar of the Month as well, talking about character in the classroom and wearing the color of the month! n

Elementary Student Council

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his year, St. John’s has extended Student Council into Upper Elementary. This program allows our Elementary Division students to experience the election process, leadership opportunities, grade-level and school-wide communication, and collaborative school and service projects.

Our recent Upper Elementary Student Council elections were a smashing success! Students in 3rd and 4th Grade were able to campaign for their classroom representative positions, and our 5th Grade students campaigned for a variety of officer positions.

Our candidates accepted the election results with grace and dignity. It takes a great deal of courage to run for office, and we are so proud of them all. Congratulations to everyone who participated in the electoral process! n

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

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t. John’s is excited to announce two new partnerships with local educational institutions to expand the opportunities available to our students and further our STEAM initiative.

Chapman University, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in California, is well aligned with St. John’s values of character education and excellence in education; Chapman University was ranked #7 in the Western region by U.S. News and World Report and was also included in The Templeton Foundation’s Honor Roll for Character Building Colleges. Both St. John’s and Chapman respect and honor their rich traditions while embracing a spirit of innovation.

Through this newly-formed partnership, St. John’s students will benefit from the expertise of Chapman’s faculty as well as their students. College of Performing Arts students may teach master classes in Music and Dance, while Dodge College of Film and Media Arts students serve as advisors for our Video Production class, and faculty from Schmid College of Science & Technology act as facilitators and mentors for STEAM Day. Our own faculty may have professional development opportunities, and parents could benefit from a joint speaker series. The possibilities for cross-campus collaborations are endless, and we are excited to partner with such a prestigious university.

St. John’s has also partnered with Crean Lutheran High School’s Engineering Cohort to inspire future engineers.

Students in 8th grade are invited to participate in a series of events organized by Crean Lutheran designed to expose students to different professional fields of Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering. In turn, Crean Lutheran is excited to have St. John’s own Suzy Hardy at each event to facilitate an engineering challenge for the entire group. The first of four Engineering Cohort meetings was held in late October and attended by 13 of St. John’s students. The guest speakers on Electrical Engineering presented what an electrical engineer is, what they do all day, how they do their work, careers available in the field, professional organizations, and the future of electrical engineering. They also shared a video and brought a high powered microscope and circuit board for the students to experience hands-on.

St. John’s is always looking for new ways to provide our students with amazing opportunities through corporate and educational partnerships. If you, your employer, or someone you know, have a partnership prospect for St. John’s, please contact our Head of School, Dr. Michael Pratt, or come to a Monday morning Chat with Pratt to discuss.

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ANNUAL FUND

From STEAM that enriches our students’ experience, to teacher development to ensure that our teachers remain current in best practices, to technology, financial aid, and campus improvements — your generosity makes a real difference in taking these areas of the school from good to great.

This year, you can direct your donation to the category of your choice, or select “where the School needs it most” to empower St. John’s leadership to respond to new ideas, new opportunities, and address the most pressing needs as they arise. w Financial Aid

St. John’s is more than a school; it is a caring community, rooted in the Christian practices of The Episcopal Church. The Annual Fund allows the School the ability to offer financial assistance to families who otherwise would not be able to afford the excellent education offered at St. John’s. Financial Aid allows the school to add diversity to our student body, and also provides a safety net for members of our community who encounter unexpected hardship. Helping one another during trying times makes us the caring community that is St. John’s

al Fund allows us to offer teachers and staff opportunities for training to keep them on the cutting edge of educational practices.

Funds raised can also help retain great teachers by making the school an attractive professional environment through: • In-service trainings — today teachers are receiving Beyond Technology training!

• Professional conferences • Tuition remission for teacher’s children to attend St. John’s • Salaries • Insurance and benefits w Technology and Teaching Tools Even the best teachers are more effective with the right tools! From computers to iPads, pencils to books, the Annual Fund provides students with the tools they need to learn and thrive in today’s world including: • In-classroom technology, iPads/ laptop carts, SmartBoards, teacher laptops/tablets • Beyond Technology curriculum • Hardware and software maintenance and upgrades • Books and classroom supplies w STEAM Teaching our students valuable 21st century skills – communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking – requires an innovative and engaging approach to education! The Annual Fund supports St. John’s STEAM approach which empowers students and teachers to learn together through hands-on, project based experiences. Support for STEAM will help to fund: • VEX Robotics Kits • Arduino Kits

Masquerade Ball

w Teacher Development

Our teachers are the best in the business and we want to keep it that way! The Annu-

Saturday

March 28 • St. Regis Monarch Beach

ID LA IA C N

• STEAM lesson planning • Curriculum integration • 3D Printer • Garden Supplies • STEAM Consulting

w Campus Improvements

The St. John’s campus is beautiful and we want to ensure that it stays that way! With some facilities over 25 years old, regular maintenance and upgrades are necessary to provide a safe and welcoming learning environment for our students. The Annual Fund will also help to support several green initiatives to improve our energy efficiency and impact on the environment.

• Rubber mulch for ECC and Elementary playgrounds • Conversion to LED lighting • Roof maintenance • New carpet and flooring To make a gift or pledge to the Annual Fund, visit www.stjohns-es.org/giving or drop off your giving envelope at any school office. n

ST. JOHN’S GALA

SAVE THE DATE

nnual Fund provides St. John’s with its margin of excellence. This additional support enables us to do things that would otherwise not be possible.

TEAC H DEVELOP ER ME NT

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FIN A

2014-15 Annual Fund – Proud to be a Cardinal!

PROUD TO BE A CARDINAL Thanks For Giving

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hank you to the following families for your early and generous commitment to St. John’s through the Annual Fund. The list below reflects all gifts received as of November 1, 2014.

Anonymous The Aase Family Ruth & Rafael Acosta Susan & Tony Adame Scott Adams/Kathy Graham Family Trust Maureen Alva Andrew & Kristina Amante Applied Medical Toby Ellen Armstrong Shauna Atchley Chas & Caren Aufhammer Jace & Shelby Barbin Monica Barnum Joseph & Maria Barrera The Basford Family Erin Beranek The Biddiscombe Family Jenny Bochenek The Bonhall Family Jeremy & Brandy Born Mr. & Mrs. Bassem Boutros The Boyd Family Ann Buccola Gregg & Cindy Campbell The Carder Family The Cassaday Family Alberto Castro & Claudia Barragan-Castro Cervantes Family Shelley Chretin Melissa Christian Anthony & Sharon Christopher Georgia Clark Debby Cole Lawrence & Ann Cooke Sue Corbett Costanzo Family

Celia Coulter Austen Courter Jim & Gwen Croce Pete & Patty Cyr Phil & Kandi deCarion Greg & Janice Dennis Ninette Dimock The Doyle Family Cynthia A. Drennan The Echtenkamp Family Lisa Edwards Steve & Anna Ehrlich The Elniski Family The Flynn Family Bill & Carol Foudy The Freeman Family Nancy Freese Heidi Fries Dawn Gallis The Gardarian Family Connie Girolamo The Greenhalgh Family Ed Dryden & Ann Marie Griffith-Dryden Libby Grogan Sheryll Grogan Robert & Jennifer Grumet Sharri Guerrero The Hageman Family The Hagle Family Elizabeth Sue Hardy Kathleen Hawkins Dan & Monica Haydt The Hemphill Family Jack & Susan Hogan Mr. & Mrs. Hopshtein Anthony & Gillian Howcroft The Jara Family Julie Johnson Rachel Jones Joy & Matt Kemmerle Jim & Gerda Kilgore

Erin Kolk Meagan Kraszewski Sanjeev & Rhonda Kumar Gina L’amour The Lansing Family Tammy Leara Chris Leavell Dirksen & April Lehman Tracy LeSage The Lutterloh Family Crystal Huang & Sarah Ma The Madisetti Family Yvonne Maselli The McGovern Family The McNamee Family Paul & Martha McShane The Mendoza Family Eric & Wendy Miller & family Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Yvette Miller Lynne Murphy Vickie & Don Nickles Hillary Olson Mr. & Mrs. John O’Malley Pacheco Family Raj Patel Maria & Dave Pearson Scott & Patti Peebles Tom & Jodie Pellerin Patrick & Kellie Pendergest The Perucci Family Ann Petersen Su Plamondon Michael Pratt & Susan Key Yvonne Priore Cindy Putman The Ramezani Family John & Lisa Rydell

Brian & Jill Sampson Lauren Sanders The Sarachman Family Janine Scalleat The Scharf Family Lydia & Dan Schimmelpfenig Katie Scott Melissa Sexton Malina Shuy Catherine Sjostedt Geoffrey & Nicole Small Patty & Steve Stoecker Daniele Struppa & Lisa Sparks Amy Yi St. John’s Episcopal Church Kathleen A. Taylor Robert & Liz Terry The Thiessen Family The Timmons Family Townsend Family Megan Trexler Min & Peter Trist Greg & Darlene Tucker Kathy Urell Kimberly Valenzuela Michael & Debbie Vaughn Todd & Joan Vernon Sheri Wade Mr. & Mrs. Brock Ward Kathy Weber Kathy Wegner-Kwok Susan Welton The Wenk Family The Whitley Family The Wong Family Sabrina Jing Ed & Janie Yasher The Yurkovich Family Melissa Zakhar

w View the 2013-14 Annual Report online at www.stjohns-es.org/annual fund

WE’VE GOT SPIRIT

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eing a part of the St. John’s family means being a part of a community where students enrich their daily lives through faith, academics, athletics, the arts and so much more.

Our students are Proud to be a Cardinal and school spirit has swept the campus! Third Grade parents lead the way with organized Spirit Days once a month where students are invited to wear their spirit wear tops and crazy socks, indulge in the In-N-Out truck that comes directly to campus, and celebrate with a lunchtime ice cream sale.

Student Council and St. John’s Cheerleaders organize fun-filled pep rallies, PTF supports Cardinal sports teams with ice cream and cold drink sales before home games and our Student Store offers a wide range of spirit wear and SJES accessories. Cardinal Pride is souring to great heights! n

Refer a Friend to St. John’s

Do you know someone who would be interested in a STEAM education?

Refer a student who enrolls at St. John’s and receive a $500 tuition discount!

Learn more at www.stjohns-es.org/refer. Questions? Contact Beth Anderson at banderson@stjohns-es.org or ext. 212. Be sure to invite a friend to our Admissions Open House on January 10, 2015!

ST. JOHN’S COMMUNITY Family Festival

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n Sunday, September 28, hundreds of students, parents, faculty and staff, and community members gathered on a beautiful fall afternoon for St. John’s Episcopal School’s annual Family Festival to celebrate the start of another great school year. The playground and athletic field were transformed into a Western hoedown with exciting rides, carnival games, prizes, great BBQ, and more!

From a mechanical bull and the human wrecking ball to a goldfish toss, kids of all ages joined in on the fun. Performances from the St. John’s cheerleaders and Cal Elite aerial artists also provided lively entertainment for parents and kids alike.

All in all, the afternoon was a great success and raised over $10,000 for St. John’s.

A huge thank you to our event co-chairs, Tracy Fite and Lauren Sanders, and all our spirited volunteers and generous sponsors who helped make this event so successful. It certainly was the perfect way to kick-off the school year with great Cardinal Pride. n

ECC Fall Festival

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UPCOMING EVENTS w November 19

Grandparents Day 8:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. w No School

November 20-30 Parent-Teacher Conferences and Thanksgiving Break

Christmas Concerts w December 9-10

ECC Christmas Pageant w December 11

Elementary Christmas Concert w December 16

Middle Division Christmas Concert

he Early Childhood Center was filled with smiling faces as parents, grandparents, and children filled the ECC playground during our Fall Festival. Students played games, made crafts, and rode in fall decorated wagons. Our Middle Division PAL students also donated their time to do face painting! A huge thank you to all of our wonderful parents who volunteered their time and resources to help decorate, supply, and orchestrate each class activity. n

w January 10

Admissions Open House 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.

Invite a friend to come learn how St. John’s is preparing students for success in high school, college, and life with our unique blend of traditional values and innovative STEAM approach. w January 15

State of the School Meeting 7:00 p.m.

DR. PRATT’S INVESTITURE

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n October 23, the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, D.D. of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles officially instituted and inducted Dr. Pratt as St. John’s permanent Head of School. It was a community affair with more than 20 students, parents, church members, faculty, and staff involved in the ceremony. Prayers were offered, and Dr. Pratt was presented with gifts to symbolize the programs and people for which he has taken over leadership.

Dr. Pratt began his esteemed career as a teacher and Department Chair at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, VA. He went on to serve as a Program Officer for the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington, D.C.; Academic Dean of Menlo School in Atherton, CA; and most recently, Head of Brentwood School in Los Angeles before his retirement in 2011.

We are excited to have Dr. Pratt join our community and look forward to a strong future ahead. Be sure to stop by a Chat with Pratt, held in his office Monday mornings throughout the year, to get to know him and share your thoughts. n

ST. JOHN’S SUPERSTARS

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hile most Middle School students are counting down the days until summer break, Mai Griffith spent the final weeks of school preparing for an adventure of a lifetime. After a lengthy application and six months of classes and testing on Saturdays,

Mai was deemed a People to People Student Ambassador. The People to People Program provides students international experiences to increase their global awareness in study abroad programs. Mai embarked on a 19 day journey that took her to Italy, France and Spain. Highlights from her incredible trip include visiting the Vatican, discovering the glory of French macaroons, repelling down a castle, learning the history of Italy and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, eating gelato in three countries in one day, and a memorable three day homestay with a Spanish-only speaking family in Spain where she embraced the experience of living like a local. Daily travel logs and educational testing along the way enriched the unique opportunity

for educational growth. Mai looks forward to joining People to People again this summer!

enthused right along with her students to learn the possibilities that abound in this particular field of electronics.

Broadcom Corporation, notes “the idea behind Raspberry Pi is to give today’s youth a device to tinker with,” much like the build-it-yourself computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Alex confidently guided her group of MASTERS students to modify the game by experimenting with changes to the Python program creating a whole new Wormy game. Being her first foray into programming, Alex as mentor found herself

Lori Dunsmore, US National Team competitive water skier and 7 time Long Beach to Catalina ski race champ, Victoria decided that she too wanted to compete. Twice a month, Victoria travels to Lake Mead, Nevada for the weekend to train, putting in an average of 16 miles a day at speeds of 40-48 miles an hour.

She competed for the first time at the US Nationals on October 11-12 in Mission Bay, San Diego, successfully completing the 8-mile ocean water race and proudly taking home 3rd place and blistered hands! She has her sights set on being the youngest girl to compete and finish the Long Beach to Catalina Race on July 18, 2015. We look forward to cheering her on all the way! n

As her 8th grade classmates headed home from their field trip to Washington D.C., Alex Lansing stayed behind to join her father at the Broadcom MASTERS Jr. High Science Fair Competition Finals as a student mentor. In preparation, Alex spent several hours learning about the Raspberry Pi module, a simple credit card sized computer, the Python Computer language, and the Wormy game program. Raspberry Pi inventor Eben Upton, a chip designer at

Victoria Champine has been boating since she was 10 days old, waterskiing since she was 4, but it was this past spring when she started to ski slalom (on one ski) that her natural talent became evident. Inspired by family friend

Do you have a St. John’s superstar? Let us know at announcements@stjohns-es.org.

Snow White

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ur fabulous cast and crew of St. John’s students wowed audiences with delightful performances of Snow White. The cast and crew were comprised of nearly 40 students, ranging from 1st – 5th Grade. The gym was transformed into an enchanted forest, and audiences were taken into a fantastical world of fairytale romance and the Seven Dwarfs. n

The dedication culminated with a ceremonial “Releasing of the Worms,” where students released earthworms into their planter beds to both symbolize and encourage a prosperous harvest.

GARDEN DEDICATION

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n October 16, St. John’s was abuzz with students, faculty and staff, church members, and local community members who all gathered for the St. John’s Garden Dedication ceremony on a beautiful fall afternoon.

Constructing the garden was truly a community affair and would not have been possible without the generous support of St. John’s church member, Chuck Verburg, who designed the garden, Plantenders and the Teitleman family who donated various trees, Boy Scout Troop Number 1618 who offered a helping hand during the summer, and the National Association of Episcopal Schools who funded grant money for garden tools. n

Bishop Diane Bruce from the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles presided over the ceremony, leading a dedication prayer. Tony Beall, the former Mayor of Rancho Santa Margarita and current RSM Council Member, Mike Conte from the RSM Chamber of Commerce, and Andrew Fromm on behalf of Assemblywoman Diane Harkey, each made proclamations and presented the School with Certificates of Recognition for enriching the Rancho Santa Margarita community.

ST.JOHN’S Episcopal

Church

All are welcome!

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4 p.m. Family Service 10:30 p.m. Carols & Eucharist

10 a.m. Eucharist For more info call 949-888-4595

FEATURE YOUR BUSINESS HERE! CONTACT THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE AT (949) 858-5144 OR ADVANCEMENT@STJOHNS-ES.ORG FOR DETAILS.