The Cardinal - Summer 2015

the

VOL. 8 • SUMMER 2015

CARDINAL

St. John’s Music Teachers Attend Largest Music Educator Workshop in the U.S. | PAGE 12

St. John’s episcopal school leadership administration VICAR The Rev. Canon John H. Taylor

EARLY CHILDHOOD DIVISION PRINCIPAL Patty Stoecker ELEMENTARY DIVISION PRINCIPAL Monica Barnum MIDDLE DIVISION PRINCIPAL Cindy Campbell DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS Beth Anderson DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT Jennifer Miramontes DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Jon Achee

CONTENTS Year in Review

STEAM at St. John’s

New for 2015-16

2015-2016 School Committee Members

Jim Chiate | Senior Vice President - Wealth Management Advisor, Merrill Lynch Celia Coulter (Treasurer) | Executive Vice President, Consumer Lending for Union Bank

Patty Cyr (Chair) | Adjunct Professor, University of California, Irvine School of Law Andrew Flynn | Senior Vice President, TCI Leasing Inc. Kathy Graham | Principal, The Graham Group

Bill Hageman | Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase

Chad Hagle | CEO, Aventine Development Corporation

Michelle Johnson (Secretary) | Operations Director, Cisco Systems, Inc. Michael Vaughn | Attorney, Vaughn Law, Inc.

Allen McNamee | Associate General Counsel, In-N-Out Burger Pat Patterson | Sr. Vice President, Ledcor Properties Inc.

Geoffrey Small | Vice President of Marketing & Operations, Southland Pacific Properties, Inc. Dr. Daniele Struppa | Chancellor, Chapman University Liz Terry (Vice Chair) | Attorney

Michael Vaughn | Attorney, Vaughn Law, Inc.

2

|

www.stjohns-es.org

11

Music Educator Workshop

St. John’s Community

15

Page 18

Sean Basford | Director of Summer School, Assessment, and Online Learning, Santa Margarita Catholic High School

4

Page 12

ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS Melissa Christian

TABLE OF

Page 7

HEAD OF SCHOOL Michael Pratt

Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Class Notes

19

Dear Friends: In this beautiful edition of the Cardinal, you will read about many successes of this past school year as well as plans for next year. From the full implementation of STEAM, to the expanded performing arts program, much was accomplished in a very short time.

These exciting accomplishments were made possible by teachers who embraced innovative ideas, students who were eager to learn in new ways, and our parents who generously supported the program expansion. After a year of STEAM implementation, I am enormously proud of the School. By implementing these new initiatives the heart of the School was maintained and strengthened. Our core values were on display daily, as our students demonstrated kindness, compassion, and character regularly. For me, the highlight was the opportunity at Commencement to recognize each of our graduates for the ways in which they embodied what it means to show Cardinal Pride.

No great school stands still and neither will St. John’s.

We look forward to further implementing STEAM and building on our educational leadership in South Orange County. A significant component of this is expanding our use of technology. The parent gift from the Gala will provide our teachers and students the tools they need to research, explore, and creatively express new knowledge and interests.

Thank you for joining me in the School’s ongoing journey to offer the best possible education for our students.

Sincerely,

Michael Pratt Head of School

Dear St. John’s community: As we wrap up another exciting school year at St. John’s, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank our loyal and generous parent body for your role in the implementation of the STEAM program that our children enjoy. Our families took a leap of faith when Dr. Pratt committed to putting St. John’s at the forefront of the STEAM revolution in schools. Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of our faculty, the rollout was both smooth and transformative, and our children started reaping the benefits immediately. Now, other local schools are catching on and introducing STEAM concepts into their programs as well.

Our parent body’s generosity also facilitated the variety of STEAM-based programs we are able to offer our students from Preschool through 8th Grade. Last year, the 25th Anniversary Gala parent gift funded the new Robotics lab and an instrumental music program, including the training necessary to hit the ground running with both those programs on the first day of school. This year, our parents rose to the occasion again, donating enough at the Gala to provide laptops in the Middle Division, iPads in the Elementary Division, a Smart Table to engage our ECC children, and additional robotics kits for the Robotics Lab, all of which will be available for our students this fall.

The vision and passion of our faculty and staff, combined with our parents’ commitment to their children’s education, is a powerful combination that benefits each and every student directly. As St. John’s continues to innovate its program, while remaining committed to the traditional Episcopal values in which it is grounded, we look forward to continuing to gather together as a community to support the school we love.

Patty Cyr Chair, School Committee Parent, Classes of 2017, 2020, 2022 www.stjohns-es.org |

3

YEAR IN REVIEW

St. John’s Track Team Finishes 1st at the PAL Track Championships

I

t has been another exciting year for our Track Team! The team finished first at the Parochial Athletic League County Track Championships held on May 16 and 17 at Saddleback College. Over 120 St. John’s students in 1st through 8th Grades participated in this annual event, and schools from San Clemente to Long Beach were in attendance. The Elementary level team (1st-4th Grades) took first place in their division and with the combined junior high level points, St. John’s took first place overall. This is the second straight year St. John’s has been crowned overall champions. Way to go Cardinals! n

CARDINAL FIELD DAY

T

his year’s Cardinal Field Day featured some exciting activities and games. Students, faculty, and parents dressed head-to-toe in their best Cardinal spirit wear to

come together and enjoy a day of camaraderie and friendly competition. The event included swag bags and lunch from the In-N-Out Burger truck, as well as team games such as tug-o-war and relay races. Thank you to everyone who volunteered and sponsored this event. n 4

|

www.stjohns-es.org

YEAR IN REVIEW

St. John’s Teachers Are Top Notch!

A

ll of our teachers exhibit remarkable talent and hard work throughout the year, and two teachers in particular received special recognition. Science teacher, Erin Kolk, and math and technology teacher, Suzy Hardy, were named two of the Top 25 Teachers in Orange County by Parenting OC Magazine. This is a prestigious award given to the most dedicated teachers who go above and beyond for their students and school. Our School is proud to acknowledge their hard work and dedication. n

ST. JOHN’S GOES GREEN

C

onserving the environment and teaching our children to be consciously aware of their footprint are important goals at St. John’s. Our teachers work hard to teach our students the beauty of the world and prepare them to become global leaders and protectors of the Earth. This year we have taken several initiatives to ensure our students protect our environment and work towards creating a sustainable community. St. John’s has taken different measures to become energy efficient, conserve our resources, and reduce waste. Here are some of the ways St. John’s has created a more green campus: • Shut off outdoor fountains to conserve water (a savings of over 60 gallons of water a week!)

• Installed drinking fountains that measure how many water bottles have been saved • Transitioning to campus-wide LED lighting • Installed automatic occupancy sensor light switches • Recoated roofs to provide better waterproofing and heat retention • Performed maintenance of air conditioning units for energy efficiency • Placed recycling containers throughout the campus • choicelunch provides compostable utensils during lunch time

St. John’s is working towards showcasing our commitment to our children and their future, who in turn learn from an early age the importance and benefits of acting as responsible stewards of their communities and the larger world. n

5th Grade Students Lend a Hand

T

his year our 5th grade students had the opportunity to participate in various service learning projects. Giving importance to the sense of community, we aimed to develop in our students a sensitivity to the needs of the community, and to develop an awareness of what each of them can do as individuals. Students were encouraged to ask, “How can I make a difference?” One way they made a difference was through their support of the Rancho Santa Margarita Food Pantry. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are an estimated 400,000 people at risk of going hungry in Orange County. Our students spent an afternoon sorting and distributing food to those that are less fortunate. As reflection is the heart of service learning, upon returning to school, students completed a reflection in class to encourage them to share what they learned from this experience. n www.stjohns-es.org |

5

YEAR IN REVIEW

ST. JOHNS GALA

2015 Gala – Masquerade Ball

O

n Saturday, March 28, nearly 200 St. John’s parents gathered at the luxurious St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort for the St. John’s Gala – Masquerade Ball, our annual dinner and auction fundraiser. Guests donned beautiful masks and Venetian-style fashion, enjoying a night of camaraderie and fundraising. Guests bid on exceptional packages in both the Silent and Live Auctions, bidding to win items from trips to Acapulco and Maui to VIP access to sporting events and concerts.

A special portion of the event supported technology in the classroom and further enhancing St. John’s STEAM initiative. An interactive SMART table was on display to demonstrate how technology can be used in the classroom to impact and motivate student learning. Following this section of the program, guests enjoyed a spectacular performance from members of the Arthur Murray dance studio and even a surprise dance from St. John’s Head of School, Dr. Michael Pratt.

The evening was a great success and raised over $225,000 for St. John’s. A special thank you goes out to everyone who attended and supported St. John’s and to Jackie Abdi, Event Chair, and the entire Gala Committee for coordinating this spectacular night. n

YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

W

e would like to thank all of our parents who contributed to the Parent Gift and 100-Yard Dash. Your generosity allowed us to raise $71,562 towards our Technology and Athletics programs!

Parent Gift - $64,000

n n n

SMART Table Laptops iPads

100-yard Dash for Athletics - $7,562

6

|

n

Soccer Goals

www.stjohns-es.org

STEAM AT ST. JOHN’S

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING ARTS MATHEMATICS

www.stjohns-es.org |

7

STEAM AT ST. JOHN’S

St. John’s is Full STEAM Ahead

I

n just two short years, St. John’s has embraced STEAM with open arms, and our teachers understand the research behind an integrated approach to learning. The intentional integration of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math serves children well in their preparation for secondary school, college, and a global economy.

St. John’s faculty has been actively incorporating the STEAM philosophy in their classrooms. Students learn by doing, and the implementation of STEAM as a framework for teaching and learning complements the School’s core program. Students naturally work in collaborative groups while solving problems. Engineering and design opportunities at all grade levels require communication and creative thinking and are embraced as common practice. Students are engaged and actively participate in their learning through hands-on STEAM-related activities each week.

St. John’s understands that the brain enjoys making connections and children build a stronger knowledge base when they can identify relationships between things they are learning in various subject matters.

lly and g critica “Thinkin rnate ways to alte e devising lem will becom b o r s t p attack a r studen al for ou instinctu the process of through rs. McLennan –M STEAM.” In the year ahead, we will continue to refine STEAM and look for additional ways to integrate instructional materials. Melisa Collins, Curriculum Director from Beyond Technology, met with all grade level faculty before summer vacation began. She dialogued with teachers about their needs for additional lesson plans to further the STEAM initiative.

Melisa will be writing more plans for the grade levels which integrate core curriculum and technology.

8

|

www.stjohns-es.org

St. John’s will also collaborate with Jodi Marcheso, our consultant and STEAM coordinator from Pasadena Unified School District. Jodi will assist teachers in refining the integration of STEAM specifically targeted at preparing and organizing for STEAM Day 2016.

Further plans for next school year also include a dedicated space in the Early Childhood Center for STEAM-related activities. The new interactive SMART Table will be housed in the space where Mrs. Sjostedt and other ECC faculty will meet with students for STEAM activities and builds. We are looking forward to another successful year of STEAM programs and continued involvement in professional development opportunities to ensure we as adults continue to learn and grow as leaders in STEAM education. n

STEAM AT ST. JOHN’S

STEAM Day 2015 “Overall, I am enjoying STEAM as a natural extension of learning.

The children really take ownership of their project, from design to build.

They are definitely learning how to share in the responsibility of their builds.”

–Mrs. Girolamo

O

n March 5, St. John’s students worked in teams to design and build STEAM projects that integrated concepts from all educational disciplines as the culmination of weeks of study and research across subject areas. Local professional engineers, in addition to engineering students from Crean Lutheran High School, were on hand to encourage critical thinking and inspire students as they worked through the building process.

Students in the Early Childhood Division through 8th Grade discovered innovative ways of problem solving through real-life applications. Projects varied based upon the concepts studied in each grade. Children in Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and Junior Kindergarten explored buoyancy, force, and

motion, through the construction of their own boats, planes, and cars. Kindergarten students applied their knowledge of structure and function to build traps to catch and hold leprechauns. Fourth Grade students studied forces of motion by building load-bearing rolling vehicles that could withstand various terrains. Eighth Grade students constructed rockets through a strategic approach to problem solving using the steps: ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve.

After launching their rockets they then assessed their design, identified and made improvements, and re-launched to check for greater distances. The day concluded with a closing ceremony that celebrated students’ hard work and praised the support of faculty and staff. 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 $1,000 off your child’s tuition!

Contact Beth Anderson at banderson@stjohns-es.org or ext. 212 to learn more.

www.stjohns-es.org |

9

STEAM AT ST. JOHN’S

Exploring STEAM in the Library

T

his year the Early Childhood Division (ECD) received weekly visits from our Librarian, Mrs. Sjostedt. Libraries are places of exploration and a natural place to support STEAM. Mrs. Sjostedt supported weekly STEAM explorations with activities spanning many subject areas, focused on facilitating active hands-on learning, while encouraging meaningful connections with stories and informational books. When Early Childhood classrooms focused on the ocean, Mrs. Sjostedt introduced students to fossils, how they are created, and shared books on fossils. Students were then transformed into scientists, imprinting clay with ridged shells.

Although Mrs. Sjostedt says every lesson was engaging for students, her favorite lesson was on the different states of matter, during which students examined the properties of water, handled ice, and heated water to create water vapor. When a

10

|

parent was asked what her daughter did in STEAM that day, the child responded, “We made steam!”

In addition to science and engineering, students also participated in art and math lessons, such as investigating measurement using non-standard units to measure items in the classroom, and creating structures to hold several blocks using accordion folded paper. Tied to curricular activities on farms and farming, ECD students created farm animal art using potato prints and read about children living on family farms. Next year students will see more of Mrs. Sjostedt as she will be increasing her visits to twice a week and collaborating with teachers to create new and exciting STEAM activities. “I enjoy working with ECD students using STEAM and connecting early literacy and science activities,” Mrs. Sjostedt said. n

www.stjohns-es.org

NEW FOR 2015-2016

A New Mission Statement for St. John’s

S

t. John’s has educated students for more than 26 years and continues to strive to provide the most innovative and effective education to prepare students for the future.

As we now utilize a STEAM approach to learning and continue to update our programs, it is important to us that we also reflect on our mission statement, as this is a guiding message for our school community. As Dr. Pratt states, “A mission statement is

Mission Statement: Grounded in the rich history of diversity and excellence in Episcopal education, St. John’s fosters every child’s full intellectual, physical, and spiritual development.

A nurturing learning environment and programs built on an ideal balance of tradition and innovation encourage our students to pursue lives of service and purpose.

the North Star and should guide every decision.” Even though the words have changed, our core values have not. We

A New Addition to the Early Childhood Center Playground

T

he Early Childhood Center looks forward to a wonderful addition to its beautiful playground! Thanks to the generosity of St. John’s parents Bill and Jill Hageman, St. John’s Early Childhood Division students will have the privilege of enjoying a dramatic play stage to enhance outdoor learning!

Dramatic play is an essential type of play where children accept and assign roles, and then act them out. It is a time when they break through the walls of reality, pretend to be someone or something different from themselves, and dramatize situations and actions to go along with the roles they have chosen to play. This type of play is an integral part of the developmental learning process by allowing children to develop skills in such areas as abstract thinking, literacy, math, and social studies, in a timely, natural manner.

Our indoor classrooms have always had dramatic play areas available for the children which have traditionally been centered in “housekeeping”. However, with the addition of an outdoor dramatic play stage, children will be able to expand their dramatizations to include real-life situations and events. Through dramatic play, students are able to enhance their social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development. Additional benefits include the ability to role play, use props and materials, increase attention span, develop social skills, and foster peer communication.

With the generous support of our parents, the Early Childhood Center is able to enhance the playground with valuable outdoor learning areas to enrich students’ learning beyond the classroom. The dramatic play stage will be created from natural materials and construction will begin this fall. n

will still support our students in developing their fullest potential and God’s desire for them. n

St. John’s Website Gets a Face Lift

W

e are excited to debut a redesigned website at the start of the 2015-2016 school year! Although many of the features will remain the same, the overall look and color scheme will be updated to provide more seamless navigation. An extensive research and design process was conducted in order to ensure our website continues to represent St. John’s mission and philosophy, while ensuring our visitors receive a clear perspective of our School and its many innovative programs.

We hope you will spend some time perusing the site (www.stjohns-es.org) and enjoy our new look! n

ROBOTICS EXPANSION

W

e have relocated the Computer Lab to Sillers Hall to allow more growth for our Robotics Lab. We are excited to support the interest of our Robotics program and provide a place for students to engage in creative engineering projects that model our growing STEAM program. n

www.stjohns-es.org |

11

St. John’s Music Teachers Attend Largest Music Educator Workshop in the U.S.

“Elemental music is never just music. It is bound up with movement, dance, and speech, and so it is a form of music in which one must participate, in which one is involved not as a listener but as a co-performer.” –Carl Orff

M

usic at St. John’s continues to flourish through the highly trained and skillful instruction of music teachers Mrs. Boyd (‘00) and Ms. Courter (‘04). Both teachers have enhanced the music program through performances such as our first Kindergarten through 5th Grade “all sing” Spring Sing and the intro-

duction of a student accompaniment.

This summer both Mrs. Boyd and Ms. Courter spent time enriching their own teaching methods and traveled all the way to Dallas, Texas to attend the largest Orff-Schulwerk certification workshop in the country at the esteemed Southern Methodist University School of the Arts. Over 12

|

www.stjohns-es.org

150 music educators from 20 states and four countries came together to learn the valuable teaching methods of Orff-Schulwerk for Kindergarten through 6th Grades.

According to Southern Methodist University, the workshop was developed by the American Orff-Schulwerk

ment or interpreting dialogue, and they also take part in decision-making. They get to decide, for example, in what order pieces will be played in a performance or which measures in a composition to repeat.”

Association in 1976 to empower educators to “harness a blend of creative music, movement, speech, and drama as a way of musicianship, critical thinking, teamwork and more to their students.” It aims to develop the whole child and ensure that each child, no matter what type of learner (auditory, kinesthetic, etc.) is actively engaged in the learning process.

According to Dr. Julie Scott who leads the Orff-Schulwerk professional development workshops, “With Orff methods, the children are absorbed in playing instruments, physical move-

Mrs. Boyd and Ms. Courter have already begun to implement the Orff-Schulwerk approach in our music programs this year and are excited to apply the knowledge and techniques they accumulated at the conference to their classes and provide an even more engaging musical environment and experience for their students. When reflecting on the conference, Mrs. Boyd stated that, “Being around other music educators with creative minds who can collaborate and share a love of music is an invaluable experience and we feel fortunate and grateful to have been given this opportunity.”

Both teachers have always focused on making music accessible to all students and they strive to implement a love of the arts in their students at a young age, so they may grow into a future generation of arts supporters. According to Ms. Courter, “We want to continue to build

on the exciting new program we started last year, in which every student has the ability to read and decipher musical terminology and symbols by the time they enter middle school. I love how much autonomy the students have over their own learning. Orff validates students’ ideas and encourages them to explore new things.”

Plans for the upcoming year will include a continued cross-curricular approach to teaching where all disciplines are included in the musical process, such as literature books paired with vocal exploration. Lessons will include more movement and dancing, so that students are exposed to all aspects of music outside of vocal music and instruments. Students in Kindergarten will be encouraged to strengthen their “head voice”, so they may develop greater vocal technique and confidence as they progress through school. Additionally, Mrs. Boyd and Ms. Courter hope to increase student accompaniment throughout the year during various performances. n

To learn more about the Orff-Schulwerk Association visit http://aosa.org/.

www.stjohns-es.org |

13

NEW FOR 2015-2016 MIDDLE DIVISION ELECTIVES Publications

T

w Family Festival September 27, 2:00 p.m.

Enjoy an afternoon of family fun at our annual festival! This event will feature exciting rides, games, music, food, and beverages. All are welcome to attend!

his course is designed to develop students’ skills in newspaper and yearbook production. Students will be guided through editorials, columns, feature articles, reviews, captions, and headlines. In addition, students will compose, construct, and edit all elements of computerized text layout, graphic art, and digital photography. The goal of the class is to publish the online School newspaper (The Cardinal Times) and the School yearbook. n

World Drumming

W

orld drumming will give students an incredible hands-on musical experience. Students will play a variety of drums, and other percussion instruments, and experience the rhythms of Africa, Brazil, USA, and the Caribbean. After learning basic drumming techniques, students will learn how to improvise and communicate with their peers in a non-verbal manner. This class will build important communication and listening skills, cooperative teamwork, and respect for others while allowing students to “jam out” on some drums. n

ELEMENTARY DIVISION ELECTIVE Reading Wonders

W

e are excited to expand our 3rd and 4th Grade language arts curriculum with the adoption of Houghton Mifflin’s Reading Wonders Reading and Writing Program. Already utilized in our Kindergarten and 5th Grades, we look forward to sharing all that this program offers to our students. The literature anthologies will provide applications of close reading, encourage reading stamina, and connect reading with writing. The program also offers an excellent leveled reading opportunity so teachers will be able to support our readers at all levels. Designed for scaffolding, the program promotes students to stretch to the next level. Reading Wonders is further enhanced with the abundant on-line resources available to both the teachers and students. Thanks to our generous Gala Parent Gift of iPads for the classrooms, reading groups will be able to read selections on the iPads when working in small groups. Our 3rd and 4th grade teachers are receiving training this summer on its application and they are thrilled to have this resource available to them! n 14

SAVE THE DATE

|

www.stjohns-es.org

w Grandparents Day November 17 An annual tradition at St. John’s, Grandparents Day is a day set aside to celebrate the grandparents in our lives. w Golf Tournament December 4 Enjoy a day on the greens with fellow St. John’s community members during the annual St. John’s Golf Tournament at Tijeras Creek! All skill levels are encouraged and welcome to play!

w 2016 Gala May 7, 2016 Join us for a night of St. John’s fellowship at our annual dinner and auction fundraiser at Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club.

Be sure to stay connected with St. John’s by visiting us on social media.

ST. JOHN’S COMMUNITY

A FOND FAREWELL w Janine Scalleat Janine Scalleat has been with the math department for the last 10 years teaching 7th Grade pre-algebra and 8th Grade algebra.

When Janine came to St. John’s she helped our math department research a new math program for the School. She had experience teaching Saxon math and was instrumental in bringing the program to St. John’s. She always had her students’ best interest at heart, making sure they mastered difficult math concepts in preparation for secondary school. Janine also involved herself in opportunities to grow professionally and attended a math matriculation meeting at Santa Margarita Catholic High School and JSerra High School to collaborate on how to further improve the math program for St. John’s students.

In addition to her math accomplishments, Janine also helped organize and facilitate Operation Help a Hero for St. John’s. As the Operation Help a Hero teacher advisor, she held meetings in her room and organized supply drives for the marines. She went on many Operation Rack Pack trips to Camp Pendleton to help prepare the barracks for a warm homecoming for the marines.

We wish Janine all the best on her next adventure and will miss her tremendously! n

w Joy Boyd Extraordinary teaching is the hallmark of St. John’s.

Students’ academic successes are owed to the dedication of teachers and parents who are fully invested in our program. Joy Boyd is one very special individual who has effectively impacted the lives of students during her 22 years at St. John’s. While serving in the classroom and administratively, she has enjoyed bringing out the best in children and influencing the positive direction of the School. Her retirement from St. John’s, while disappointing, will give her more time to spend with her family. Although she will be greatly missed, we look forward to seeing Joy in the future on campus in a substitute capacity. We hope you will join us and share your appreciation with Joy for all of her exemplary work during her many years at St. John’s. n

www.stjohns-es.org |

15

SJES ALUMNI

CLASS

OF 2015

Congratulations to our Class of 2015! We are so proud of all your accomplishments and know that you are well prepared for the challenges and new adventures of high school!

Kareem Amer - SMCHS Amir Aryarad - SMCHS Jake Bartolucci - SMCHS Abdul-Malik Bdaiwi - SMCHS Brock Beamish - SMCHS William Belmont - SMCHS Zaid Boukai - SMCHS Devon Bowen - SMCHS

Taylor Hershorin - SMCHS Amanda Higgins - SMCHS Sidney Jankanish - SMCHS Megan Jones - Mater Dei Ashley Kao - SMCHS Jake Kim - OSHA Bailey Kotez - SMCHS Ian Kotez - SMCHS

Trevor Camp - SMCHS Dylan Chow - SMCHS Trevor Coulston - SMCHS Aubrey Davenport - SMCHS Grace Dennis - SMCHS Jon Dhani - SMCHS Emma Dickerson - Sage Hill Alex Doyle - SMCHS Isabella Elia - Francis Parker Zigann Fischer - Mater Dei Bobby Futrell - SMCHS Mai Griffith - SMCHS Caden Heppy - SMCHS

Alexander Lanham - St. Margaret’s Alexandra Lansing - SMCHS Nick Leavell – SMCHS Sonali Madisetti - SMCHS Ronny Mohtar - SMCHS MaKenna Morgan - SMCHS Davey Pearson - SMCHS Danny Policicchio - St. Margaret’s Kirk Popovich - SMCHS Jayden Price - SMCHS Lexie Pupil - JSerra Kiley Quan - Crean Lutheran Patrick Romero - SMCHS

16

|

www.stjohns-es.org

John Rydell - JSerra Ellie Shahriary - SMCHS Sydney Smith - SMCHS Meagan Speirs - SMCHS Dylan Stam - Army Navy Academy Cody Stokes - JSerra Sydney Stone - SMCHS Jake Taylor - Mater Dei Bryce Themm - SMCHS Chiara Thommarson - SMCHS Jake Thun - SMCHS Nick Turner - SMCHS Ella Walkey - SMCHS Riley Walters - SMCHS Blaze Whiting - OCSA Lauren Whitley - SMCHS Blake Wight - SMCHS Jack Wojcik - St. Margaret’s Max Yashar - SMCHS

SJES ALUMNI

CLASS OF 2011

Our Class of 2011 is off to college! Congratulations to all of our Cardinal alumni.

We wish you the best of luck as you enter this exciting phase of your lives!

Emily Alpert - University of California, Los Angeles Chasen Baumgardner - University of Hawaii at Manoa Emily Beamish - Loyola University of Chicago A.J. Belmont - Texas Christian University Isabella Bendix - Chapman University Spencer Bennett - The University of Texas Tom Blye - Oklahoma State University Cole Bowen - The Ohio State University Ryan Buononato - Irvine Valley College Anna Cannon - Southern Methodist University Kayleigh Cora - Point Loma Nazarene University Madison Davin - San Diego State University Shawn Dhani - The University of Arizona Deena Fatehi - University of Oregon Danielle Field - University of Oregon Jacob Fisher - California State University, Fullerton Michael Flint - Texas Christian University Christopher Giammanco - Saddleback College Alexander Granito - San Francisco Conservatory of Music Robert Grier - DePaul University Dilynn Hammond - Irvine Valley College Alexandra Hanna - Southern Methodist University Colin Jaros - Southern Methodist University Carter Jenkins - University of Southern California Shayan Khademi - Arizona State University Alex Koch - Point Loma Nazarene University Steven Krouse - Washington State University Richard Kurtz - Pepperdine University Christopher Lanham - Northwestern University Joshua Latham - Michigan State University

Bobby Levey - Texas Christian University Ryan Lupenski - Washington State University Kylie Lyall - The University of Alabama Aaron Magazine - Towson University Jerod Magazine - Providence College Sydney Mahl - The University of Texas Berit McLaughlin - University of Colorado Boulder Abigael McShane - Providence College Kaitlyn Merritt - Stanford University Bennett Miller - University of Colorado Boulder Caroline Miller - University of California, Santa Barbara Taylor Nen - Chapman University Brendan Peralez - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Sophia Perricone - Pace University Cheyenne Pinner - Saddleback College Scott Reese - University of California, Berkeley Delaney Rosenthal - University of Oregon Natalie Roy - Cornish College of the Arts Max Ruhnke - Arizona State University Sheridan Scifres - Chapman University Bradley Skenderian - Arizona State University Kennedy Solomon - University of Maryland, Baltimore County Quentin Talley - Georgia Institute of Technology William Trammell - Saddleback College Parker Vallis - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Jennifer Welsh - Sonoma State University Rachel Williams - University of St. Andrews Colin Wrightson - Irvine Valley College Alexandra Zintel - Georgetown University

www.stjohns-es.org |

17

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT BRITTANY MAYNARD ‘99

IN MEMORIAM

B

rittany Lauren Maynard attended St. John’s from 6th to 8th Grade.

She was an honor roll student throughout her time at St. John’s.

She supported St. John’s athletic program as a cheerleader and was also a wonderful singer, participating in the School plays, with her most accomplished role as Mother Superior in “The Sound of Music”.

Brittany did go on to climb mountains, both literally and figuratively.

Acceptance to the University of California Berkeley was a notable mountain to climb. Brittany graduated from Berkeley in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

Later, she traveled the world and climbed literal mountains such as Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Annaperna in Nepal. Seeing the plight of orphans in Nepal inspired Brittany to help. She spent three months working in orphanages and eventually instigated and facilitated the merging of a small, struggling orphanage with a larger well-managed NPO, Forget Me Not. Upon returning to the United States, she acquired a master’s

degree in Education from the University of California Irvine, where she went on to tutor non-English speaking adults. Brittany was employed as a tutor for children at risk when she was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor.

This terminal illness was Brittany’s last summit to climb here on Earth.

She and her family did copious amounts of research, reaching out to doctors all over the world. Facing her impending death with bravery and common sense, Brittany chose to travel while her health still allowed. She and her mother traveled to Alaska and listened to the Mendenhall Iceberg calving as it melted. They went dogsledding and helicoptered to the actual ice of the glacier, landing and taking a short trek across the ice. Brittany’s entire family went to the Grand Canyon as her final trip. The majestic beauty of the canyon was seen while on a helicopter ride provided through the kindness of a Las Vegas businessman who supported Brittany’s work for the right to die.

18

|

www.stjohns-es.org

Educating the public about death and dying became Brittany’s last work here on Earth. She saw a need for people to be able to talk about death without it being such a taboo subject.

She spoke about her own death and her choice to utilize Oregon’s aid in dying laws on a YouTube video that went viral. Speaking calmly and rationally she explained why she would not wait for cancer to slowly take away every skill and sense that she had. She explained that she wanted more say over her own impending death and would decide when she had suffered enough. Brittany fought up until her last breath for other terminally ill Americans to have the right to die in peace if they wished not to endure a long and excruciating death process.

On November 1, 2014 Brittany passed away just as she planned, listening to her mother, Deborah Ziegler, read poetry from her favorite poet. Brittany will forever remain a member of the St. John’s family and will be remembered for her beautiful smile, bravery, and commitment to help all those around her. n

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

1994

w Kelly (Kiker) McGovern ‘94

After attending St. John’s, Kelly graduated from Trabuco Hills High School, where she then went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Human Development with an

emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Hope International University. She started working at St. John’s eight years ago in the Cardinal Nest (it’s very first year) as the Operational Director. After two and a half years she moved into the ECD office as the Assistant Director, and two years ago moved back into the classroom. She is currently a preschool teacher in St. John’s Early Childhood Division.

In October of 2005, she married her husband, Michael McGovern and they now have three children. Fun fact: When you walk into the foyer of the gym, next to the student store you can see a collection of previous years chapel sweaters, pompoms, and cheerleading uniforms that all belonged to Kelly many years ago!

1997

w Laura (Bonhall) Breaux ‘97

After graduating from high school, Laura attended the University of Southern

California, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the Leventhal School of Accounting. Upon graduating from USC, she received her CPA and worked at Deloitte & Touche in External Audit for seven years, where she specialized in serving public and private Real Estate companies. After being a manager at Deloitte, she went to work in Financial Operations at Allergan, where she has been for the past three and a half years. She married her college sweetheart, Damien in 2006 and they live in Mission Viejo with their two children who attend St. John’s.

1998

w John Read ‘98

After graduating from St. John’s in 1998, John attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School and then Loyola Marymount.

He is currently entering his seventh season with the Oklahoma City Thunder where he serves as Manager of Basketball Communications. In his role with the team, he promotes the endeavors of Thunder players, coaches, and front office staff both on and off the court. Prior to joining the Thunder, John interned with the Los Angeles Lakers during his time at LMU and later, spent one season working in the Dallas Mavericks front office before joining the Thunder. In the summer of 2013, he married his wife, Heather and they currently reside in the Oklahoma suburb of Edmond along with their two dogs, Presley and Molly.

1999

w Vanessa (Rodriguez) Virjee ‘99

Vanessa was recently recruited to serve as press secretary to Los Angeles City Council President Herb J. Wesson, Jr. In her capacity she acts as spokesperson for the Council President on a variety of public policy issues, current events, and breaking news. She and her husband Braunson were recently married after reconnecting several years following their graduation from the University of Southern California, where they met.

Vanessa credits the quality education and unwavering values instilled in her at St. John’s as part of the foundation of who she is today. “While there are many fond memories I cherish, I am most thankful for the family environment St. John’s faculty and staff fostered, allowing me to be nurtured in my faith and successful in my academics.”

2000

w Michael Popliolek ‘00

Michael graduated from California State University Fullerton in 2009, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Finance. He then went on to receive a master’s degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University in 2012. He has been working for Hyundai Capital America for the last three years as a Manager of Sales Planning. His role supports Hyundai Motor America in setting interest rates on loans and pricing for leases on various vehicles. He was recently married on April 4, 2014 to Natasha Polanski and together they have a two-year-old Yellow Lab/Golden Mix dog, Apollo.

www.stjohns-es.org |

19

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

2001

w Bo DeHuff ‘02

w Breeana (Grogan) Anderson ‘01

After high school, Breeana graduated from Georgetown University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. After finishing, she entered a Ph.D. program at Johns Hopkins University.

In April of this year, she completed her Ph.D. in Chemical Biology. She currently works at the Institute for Defense Analyses doing independent research and analysis for the Department of Defense. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Brad whom she met her freshman year at Georgetown. In her free time she enjoys volunteering at the Smithsonian Museum for Natural History, playing softball on the National Mall with friends, and cheering on the Georgetown Hoya basketball team!

2002

Bo graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in 2006. Following graduation, he was recruited to play golf and went to the University of Southern California where he competed on the Men’s Golf Team. He was co-captain of the Men’s Golf Team his junior and senior years.

After graduating from USC in 2011, he now works for Wasserman Media Group in Los Angeles where he consults for companies that sponsor PGA Tour golf tournaments. w Stephanie Etow ‘02

w Eric Babbitt ‘02

After attending St. John’s, Eric went on to graduate from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in 2006.

He attended the College of Wooster and received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics in 2010.

Since January 2012, he has been working as a Project Controls Specialist for Burns & McDonnell in Wallingford, Connecticut. He currently resides in Manchester, Connecticut and is an avid swimmer.

After high school, Stephanie left Orange County and ventured out to the Midwest to study Art History and Italian at the University of Notre Dame, and later received a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago. Her professional background includes a medley of roles

w Christopher Campbell ‘02

After attending St. John’s, Chris went on to graduate from Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He then attended Arizona State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. He currently works as an Area Sales Manager for Chrysler Group, LLC in Denver, Colorado. He and his wife have a puppy named Cooper and just welcomed a new baby boy! Christopher’s hobbies include basketball, playing with his dog, and spending time with his son!

20

|

www.stjohns-es.org

across the arts, first working for prominent art museums in London and New York, one of the more influential architecture firms of Los Angeles, and a national media production organization in San Francisco.

She is currently based in San Francisco and along with two other young women, co-founded a company called Mumsy. The company has built a mobile app for improving communication between mothers and daughters, which was inspired by the close relationship each of the cofounders have with their own moms. w Christopher Lawson ‘02

After leaving St. John’s, Christopher went on to graduate from Tesoro High School in 2006. He received an Associate in Arts degree in Radio Broadcasting, Film, Television, and Post Production from Saddleback College in 2008. He then received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio, Television, and Film at California State University, Fullerton in 2010.

At the beginning of college he worked at St. John’s as IT support and video production under Mrs. Hardy. After college he worked for Apple, Inc. for two years as an adult educator for software and technology. After leaving Apple, he moved to Rakuten.com (formerly Buy.com) and became an Interactive Graphic Designer where he has worked for the last three and a half years. Christopher currently spends his time designing web graphics and emails for e-commerce sales and other business needs.

2004

Brytnee Grogan ‘04 After St. John’s, Brytnee attended St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. She then attended Boston College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Elementary

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She is currently living and working in a town north of Boston, Massachusetts. She has been teaching 5th Grade at a Catholic school for the past two years, after teaching 2nd Grade for two years at an independent school. She continues to enjoy exploring the Northeast with friends and pursuing her interest in photography.

Each June she has the pleasure of coming back to St. John’s Church to run the Vacation Bible School program.

2005

w Yasamin Mahallaty ‘04

After graduating from St. John’s Yasamin (Yasi) attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School and then graduated from the University of San

Diego. She is now working as the Director of Graduate Support for a Catholic high school in New York City that serves underprivileged students from all five boroughs of NYC. In her role, she supports alumni as they go off to college to ensure their transition is smooth. This is her third year in New York City and she loves what she does. w Lauren Doherty ‘05

Lauren graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School and then went on to California Polytechnic State University to receive a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration, with a concentration in Event Planning and Management.

Following college she served as the Account Manager with Allied PRA Destination Management Company, where she worked with Fortune 500 companies both domestically and internationally to create meeting and incentive planning trips in Los Angeles.

She is now currently the Special Events Manager for CITRUS Hospitality Management and works with social and corporate clients to host various types of public and private events at their two venues, Perch and Mrs. Fish, in downtown Los Angeles.

2006

w Lorraine (Bower) Jaenicke ‘06

After graduating high school, Lorraine went to Marymount California University (formerly Marymount College) from 2010-2012 and received an Associate in Arts degree in International Relations and Global Studies. She then transferred to the University of San Francisco and graduated in 2014 with a degree in International Studies and Economics, with a minor in Asian Studies and Chinese.

Upon graduation from USF, she joined the United States Army Reserve as an E-4 Specialist. Lorraine shipped off for basic training to Fort Jackson, South Carolina in November 2014 and graduated in February 2015. She completed AIT (Advanced Individual Training) at Fort Lee, Virginia and graduated in April 2015.

In the past 13 months, she has graduated from college, enlisted in the Army, got engaged, and married her husband, Tyler. She is currently attending gradu-

ate school at Concordia University Irvine and studying to receive a master’s degree in International Studies with an emphasis in business. w Johnny Whichard ‘06

Johnny is currently an Interactive Producer at a video/tech startup in Santa Monica, directly across the street from the pier. In his role with the company, he makes commercials interactive for some of the biggest brands on the planet including Microsoft, Dell, Victoria’s Secret, Calvin Klein, McDonald’s, and many others. He is especially excited to send his college masterpiece, a short film, to many festivals in Southern California!

2007

w Aria Bendix ‘07

After graduating high school, Aria went on to attend Harvard University and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English in May of this year. She also holds a Certificate in Spanish and a minor in Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality.

During her time at Harvard, she studied abroad in Spain and also held the role as Philanthropy Co-Chair for the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She speaks fluent Spanish and is currently working as an Editorial and Research Fellow at Atlantic Media Group in Washington, D.C.

www.stjohns-es.org |

21

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES w Brooke Grogan ‘07

Brooke will be starting her senior year at Chapman University in the fall. She is majoring in Health Sciences, with plans of becoming a Physician Assistant.

This June she travelled to Honduras with Global Medical Brigades, as a group of 40 Chapman students, where they treated over 800 patients in three days, providing them with medication and education. w Cortney Holloway ‘07

After St. John’s, Cortney attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School. After graduation, she then went on to attend Chapman University where she recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a minor in Leadership studies. While at Chapman, she was a four-year member of the Delta Gamma sorority and held the position of Vice President of Membership during her senior year. During her spring semester of her junior year, she was lucky enough to study abroad in Prague, Czech Republic. She lived there and traveled to countries such as Greece, Spain, Poland, and a few other amazing places. Since graduating, she traveled to Europe with three of her best friends and is planning on relocating to San Francisco to work for an amazing company that is yet to be determined!

2008

w Tyler Lievois ‘08

After attending St. John’s, Tyler graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School. While at SMCHS he played varsity baseball for three years and was captain of the team for two of those years. He graduated from there with a 3.7 GPA and went on to attend college at the University of Oregon. He is currently in his senior year at the University of Oregon and is majoring in Sports Business in the Lundquist College of Business where he aspires to work for a professional sports team.

This summer Tyler is working in New York for an advertising agency, Geometry Global, as an Account Management intern for their Heineken client. When reflecting on his time at St. John’s, Tyler says, “The surprising part about going to St. John’s is that I had no idea I was going to meet friends that I will love for the rest of my life. Going to St. John’s put me on the path that I am on today and I am forever thankful.”

(California Nurse Assistant) exam and passed, making her a certified nursing assistant in the state of California. This summer she will be taking a vacation to Greece. Some of her hobbies include hiking, reading, going to the beach, and finding new places to eat.

2009

w Andy Blye ‘09

Andy graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in 2013 and is now attending Oklahoma State University. In his first two years at Oklahoma State, he has maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.75. He and his brother Tom (SJES class of 2011) will be joining the Army ROTC at Oklahoma State this coming semester. This summer, he will begin an internship at Global Benefits Group, an international insurance provider based out of Foothill Ranch. When reflecting on his experience at St. John’s, Andy says, “I am so thankful to have been a “lifer” at St. John’s as it really prepared me for high school. I learned so many good values and lessons during my time there.”

2011

w Isabella Bendix ‘11

w Kiana Sohrt ‘08

Kiana is currently a senior at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego where she will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She aspires to go into pediatrics once she graduates in May 2016. The past two summers she has been working as a pediatric caregiver. She recently took the CNA 22

|

www.stjohns-es.org

Isabella graduated this year from Santa Margarita Catholic High School as an International Baccalaureate Certificate Candidate. During her time at SMCHS, she was president of the SMCHS Breath of Hope Club, a Unity Leader of the Dance Team, a member of the National Honor Society, a Lifetime Member of the California Scholarship Federation and won the Richard Hunsacker Scholarship

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES Award for two years. She has been an intern at the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia for the past three years and received the Fundraising Champion Award in March of this year. This fall Isabella will attend Chapman University where she plans on double majoring in Religious Studies and Psychology to prepare for a career as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

2012

w Emily Hardy ‘12

After attending St. John’s, Emily went on to graduate early from St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. She attends Saddleback College, with plans to one day transfer to the University of California San Diego to finish her education in medical studies and one day become a surgeon in cranial facial reconstruction. In her free time she enjoys art and is currently writing a book. w Alexandra Leara ‘12

Alexandra is entering her senior year at Santa Margarita Catholic High School.

During her time at SMCHS, Alexandra played soccer during her freshman and

sophomore year, was captain of the junior varsity team during her sophomore year, and ran the 100 meter for track her sophomore and junior year. She plays club soccer for West Coast Futbol Club and just recently verbally committed to playing soccer for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona where she will also be majoring in Forensic Biology. In her free time she enjoys drawing, dirt biking, camping, jeeping, and snowboarding.

2013

w Joe Fedden ‘13

After attending St. John’s, Joe went on to attend Santa Margarita Catholic High School and is currently in his junior year. He was the recipient of the 2015 Joseph E. Campbell scholarship and is a member of the Eagle Eye Newspaper. He even had an article published about Computer Science in schools. In his free time Joe enjoys computer programing, working in the IT/AV Department at SMCHS, web development, skim boarding, cars, guitar, and has been a member of the Guys Givin’ Back charity since 7th Grade.

w Jonathan Acosta ‘13

Jonathan will begin his junior year at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in the fall. He is currently captain of St. Margaret’s Debate Team, has participated in the Academic Decathlon, and was recently elected as managing editor of the newly created school newspaper. He also participates as an Admissions Ambassador throughout the year, was elected as Vice President of the Book Club, and is also part of the junior varsity basketball team.

WE LOVE OUR ALUMNI! If you are a St. John’s alumni member please send us an email at alumni@stjohns-es.org and tell us how St. John’s has impacted your life or let us know what’s going on in your life right now. You can also provide your most updated contact information by visiting our website at www.stjohns-es.org/alumni. We would love to hear from you!

www.stjohns-es.org |

23

30382 Via Con Dios Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

(949) 858-5144 • www.stjohns-es.org

STEAM Education for Tomorrow’s Leaders