New Directors Spark New Directions By Marrie Stone
On the Field
Athletic Director: Dustin Mittelsteadt Dustin Mittelsteadt embodies St. Mary’s spirit. From his Falcon’s baseball hat that caps his 6’8” frame to his oversized blue and gold jersey and matching shorts to his size 15 basketball shoes, Dustin is an athlete. That athleticism, combined with eleven years of teaching, coaching, and training, has made Mittelsteadt ideally suited to his new role as Athletic Director. While Mittelsteadt is a new director, he’s a seasoned Falcon, having taught for five years in St. Mary’s 5th grade program, and as lead 5th grade teacher. He brings this strong sense of school pride into his new position. He knows his students, he knows what an IB education requires, and he knows how to bring a competitive edge to a compassionate student body. “I want to build upon the already strong foundation of our athletics program, but infuse it with love, passion, and energy. Our students should play for their school name. They should wear their Falcon’s jersey with pride and take ownership for their school. Club sports are great,” he says. “But there’s no substitute for playing, winning, and succeeding for your own school.” Club sports are also limiting. Clubs can’t integrate IB values. And the coaches don’t always know the child outside the sport. At St. Mary’s, coaches are also teachers, and therefore know their students on a deeper level. A player comes to practice worried about an English test, or an issue with a friend or class—Mittelsteadt can help. He knows the school, faculty and students. It puts him in a unique position to coach students on a deeper level. Mittelsteadt grew up playing competitive sports, securing a full-ride basketball scholarship at Chaminade University of Honolulu. He’s coached high school and women’s college, as well as young children. He taught lower school for the past eleven years, the last five at St. Mary’s. And, all the while, he’s coached basketball and flag football. He also recently completed a Masters in Coaching and Athletics Administration from Concordia University in Irvine. His studies focused on leadership, and he intends to bring those critical skills to his students. “Sports are a lifetime commitment,” he says. “And the lessons go far beyond the field. We teach sportsmanship and integrity. Students learn about themselves, their teammates, and life.” Adversity, fairness, collaboration, self-discipline—these are values that will serve St. Mary’s students well into adulthood.
Mittelsteadt has a no-cut policy. “Middle school is not the time to cut,” he says. “Save that for high school. IB students are open-minded risk takers, and we encourage them to try different sports and events. This is the time for kids to try it all.” How does that commitment of inclusion affect success on the field? “A big aspect of our program is competition,” he says. “Every kid doesn’t deserve a trophy. Our students need to know what it takes to win, to strive, and to feel a deserved sense of accomplishment when they succeed.” There are a lot of valuable lessons in losing. But Mittelsteadt is mindful of success, and intends to recruit and retain players that can take their teams to the top of the league. There will be a team for everyone, from rookies to seasoned and skillful players. On his right wrist sit two rubber bracelets. One supports a nonprofit sports’ foundation and the other simply says, “Living on a Prayer,” honoring a St. Mary’s parent. “You gotta support your team,” he says. And Mittelsteadt’s team is big—students, parents, friends and family—from St. Mary’s and beyond. Not only does he talk like a coach, he lives like one. cont. on page 6
ST. MARY’S SUMMER 2016 NEWSLETTER
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Alumna Awarded the Gold Congressional Award Medal for Public Service St. Mary’s Alumna, Kayla Jahangiri ’12, recently received the Gold Congressional Award Medal for public service. Jahangiri was one of 326 students to receive the honor. To be eligible for the award, Jahangiri completed more than 400 hours of public service, 200 hours of personal development and 200 hours of physical fitness during 24 months. Summer intern Maddie Burchill ’10 had the opportunity to catch up with Kayla Jahangiri and learn more. 1. When did you graduate from St. Mary’s? I graduated from St. Mary’s in 2012 as Valedictorian and IB Scholar of my 8th grade class. During my years at St. Mary’s, I participated in ASB and was a finalist for the Legacy Leadership Award. 2. Where did you go to high school? (tell us a bit about your high school experience) I graduated in May from Santa Margarita Catholic High School and will attend the University of California, Los Angeles this fall in the Honors Program. For the past four years, I swam for the Santa Margarita Swim Team, participated in Model United Nations, founded my own club for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (in memory of my friend Keanna Sviland, former St. Mary’s student) and was involved with numerous clubs on campus. My studies were in the International Baccalaureate program and I was a member of the ASB executive board. 3. How did St. Mary’s prepare you and help you throughout your four years of high school? St. Mary’s definitely did an excellent job in preparing me for the rigors of high school. The IB program at St. Mary’s gave me a noticeable advantage as I entered Santa Margarita’s full IB program. This head start was crucial to my success of receiving my IB Diploma this May.
Kayla Jahangiri with local Congressman Darrel Issa
St. Mary’s instills a sense of leadership, creativity and engagement in each of its students, and these qualities were extremely helpful in navigating my way through high school. I believe that students at St. Mary’s embody the IB character traits, which stay with you for your whole life.
6. Where are you going to college this fall? This fall, I will attend the University of California, Los Angeles as part of the Honors program.
4. Tell us about your recent awards. My proudest accomplishment was this past June, when I was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal Award for public service. The award is judged by members of Congress in Washington, DC and recognizes the highest level of dedication in the areas of Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, as well as having to complete an expedition/exploration. I completed by exploration in Macchu Picchu, Peru, where I studied and served for 5 days.
7. What do you plan to study in college? I plan on pursuing a double major in International Relations and Biology, with a focus on global health.
At Santa Margarita I received the Presidential Service Award twice for over 100 hours of service earned in a year. I was nominated for and received the Prudential Spirit of Community Merit Award as well as the Coure de Coure Service award which was given by the school in recognition for exceptional service. My academic awards include the National Merit Commended Scholar, National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation and AP Scholar with distinction awards. 5. What is the foundation that you started? A few years ago, my sister and I began a service project at St. Mary’s called “Participate to Educate,” where we collect all the school supplies donated by the students and faculty and distribute them to less fortunate children. Over the past 5 years many children from Kinoshita Elementary and the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Juan Capistrano and Aliso Viejo have benefited from the generosity of St. Mary’s families. Since its creation, we have expanded this program internationally as well. We have traveled to various countries to donate school supplies, toys and hygienic products to children in orphanages and impoverished schools. Our family believes education is a right that every child is entitled to and we aim to help as many children as possible.
8. Do you plan on continuing your foundation/ community service in the future? Community service has always been an integral part of my life from service learning projects at St. Mary’s to serving at soup kitchens on Thanksgiving with my family. I have raised money for cancer research through PCRF and traveled around the world helping impoverished children. I have a passion for serving others, and hope to continue to do so my entire life. In college, I hope to help expand our foundation, “Participate to Educate,” by combining my interest in global health with a focus on education, as well as a further global expansion. In addition, I am always looking for new philanthropic projects to undertake, and I hope to discover many in the future at UCLA and beyond.
I believe that students at St. Mary’s embody the IB character traits, which stay with you for your whole life.
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International Field Studies St. Mary’s is pleased to announce the four international field study opportunities for the 2016-17 academic year: France, Costa Rica, Hong Kong and Italy. A critical aspect of the IB curriculum, we are continually enhancing the field study experiences offered to our students. These field studies support the aim of the IB Programme to “develop internationally-minded people” by providing the opportunity for overseas travel and short-term integration into intercultural communities. International field studies prepare students for positive interaction in a global setting through experiencing other perspectives.
ITALY
FRANCE
COSTA RICA
HONG KONG
Italy – Grades 7 & 8 students Trip Dates: March 31 – April 12, 2017 Lead Teacher: Arturo Valdez
France – Grades 7 & 8 students Trip Dates: April 5-14, 2017 Lead Teacher: Ludivine Forte’
Costa Rica – Grades 6, 7 & 8 students Trip Dates: February 13 -22, 2017 Lead Teacher: Arturo Valdez
Hong Kong – Grades 7 & 8 students Trip Dates: April 5 to 13, 2017 Lead Teacher: Olivia Chang
St. Mary’s partners with the International School of Milan (ISM) to provide an exchange program for both of our schools. ISM, a Kindergarten – Grade 12 World School, is the largest international school in Italy; and this dynamic exchange program helps students to develop internationally-minded attitudes, experience new perspectives, gain in-depth knowledge of Italian culture, and create friendships and memories that last a lifetime. This unique partnership offers St. Mary’s families the opportunity to host an ISM student in their home, helping the student learn about American culture and practice English. Later, our students journey to Milan where they reconnect with ISM students while staying in host family homes and attending ISM. St. Mary’s students and chaperones travel throughout Italy to delve further into Italy’s rich history and culture.
The France field study offers students a fun, enriching experience into the history and culture of France. Students embark on a journey throughout Paris’ famous landmarks: The Louvre, Champs Élysées, Arc de Triumph, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the unforgettable ascending of the Eiffel Tower. A visit to The Chateau of Versailles, Monet’s gardens in Giverny, and a trip to the countryside, the South of France and Monaco are also part of the itinerary. Students experience all the beauty France has to offer: the language, the picturesque scenery and the famous French cuisine, while walking in the footsteps of Louis XIV, Napoleon and Victor Hugo. C’est la vie!
Immersing students in the language and culture of this wonderful Spanish-speaking country, students are exposed to bio-dynamic farming, ecology, history, culture and language through two unique educational and travel philosophies: the Story Approach and Expedition Mentality. They meet local leaders and visionaries such as Juan Sostheim, owner of Rancho Margot. Nestled between a rain forest and cloud forest in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Rancho Margot offers outdoor classrooms where students feel inspired to treat their surroundings and those around them with respect. This attitude is later realized in authentic service learning, positively affecting the lives of indigenous people.
The Hong Kong field study offers students an opportunity to be immersed in Chinese history, culture, and language. Students will have guided tours to Victoria Peak for a truly breathtaking view of the city and harbor, Lantau Island which is home to the world’s largest Buddha, and Macau Island to tour the ruins of St. Paul’s and Macau Tower. Students will also learn about Hong Kong’s history as a British colony and tour the exhibit of one of Hong Kong’s most famous martial art and film stars, Bruce Lee. A visit to Ocean Park and a hands-on cooking experience are also part of the itinerary. This is a once in a lifetime experience your student will not want to miss!
This summer St. Mary’s hosted forty-eight Chinese students in grades five through eight at Summer Resort. The program brought students from throughout China to participate in a multi-week “Western” experience. The students participated in a variety of academic classes studying the US National Parks, US History and Pop Culture. In the afternoons the Chinese students participated in specialty camps and learned about cooking, Model United Nations and painting. The visit provided a great cultural experience for both the Chinese students and the St. Mary’s students.
ST. MARY’S SUMMER 2016 NEWSLETTER
The St. Mary’s 22nd Commencement Ceremony on June 15th honored the 86 members of the class of 2016. As graduates proudly stood before faculty, their families, and friends the celebration was filled with joyful achievements and scholarly accomplishments both for the students and the School.
CLASS OF 2016
St. Mary’s Graduation –
C L A S S
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The Impressive evening lineup opened with wonderful speeches delivered by the Class of 2016 Valedictorian Ella Kong, ASB Presidents Nick Fish, IB Scholar Nicole Ryu, and Legacy Award Winner and Salutatorian Angie Yogaratnam. Graduates Gabby Dalgaard and Nick Fish performed a beautiful rendition of “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac and in closing, the Head of School, Mrs. Sharon Taylor, gave a heartfelt address to the graduating scholars of 2016. We wish them every success in their future endeavors!
O F
Luke Malecka - Dana Hills High School Lucas Marcinkowski - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Jake Martin - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Steve Masson - Laguna Hills High School Sean McCalla - Sage Hill High School Chad McFadden - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Caden McMackin - JSerra Catholic High School Jackson McNamee - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Gordon McNeill - Sage Hill High School Andy Mitchell - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Amanda Newman - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Josette Odgers - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Henry O’Neill - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Keith Openshaw - Mater Dei High School Riley Orcutt - Mater Dei High School Matthew Orihuela - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Megan Pearce - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Maxx Principale - JSerra Catholic High School Sydney Querner - Dana Hills High School Connor Rees - Santa Margarita Catholic High School
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HIGH SCHOOL
EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
ST MARGARET’S
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CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL
SAGE HILL
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HIGH SCHOOL
MATER DEI
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Kiana Rees - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Ethan Richardson - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Nicole Ryu - St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Kyle Sakabe - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Cameron Shirangi - St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Taylor Silver - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Nicola Sliheet - Laguna Hills High School James Stanton - Mater Dei High School Jake Stewart - Sage Hill School Zoe Strickland - JSerra Catholic High School Christiana Tedesco - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Shelley Teichrow - JSerra Catholic High School Jared Tenney - Woodbridge High School Samuel Tullis - Laguna Hills High School Dylan Vanek - Portola High School Carter Vautrin - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Kaiya Whelan - Mater Dei High School Cameron Wingate - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Samuel Wolter - JSerra Catholic High School Emma Wray - JSerra Catholic High School Angie Yogaratnam - Sage Hill High School Sofia Zerza - Mater Dei High School
SANTA MARGARITA
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HIGH SCHOOLS BY THE NUMBERS:
Nick Fish - Sage Hill High School Izzy Floriani - Corona Del Mar High School Farrah Fuerst - Sage Hill High School Sarayna Gandhi - Orange County School of the Arts Jack Gannaway - Mater Dei High School Xiaobo Gonaver - Laguna Hills High School Lilly Goodyear - Mater Dei High School Genevieve Hilbert - Pacifica Christian High School Ciara Hunt - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Nathan Hwang - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Ryan Jacobin - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Ella Kang - St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Libby Katzman - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Aidan Kelly - Corona Del Mar High School Amelia Kitts - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Laila Klinsmann - St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Valerie Kramer - Mater Dei High School Rohun Krishnan - Sage Hill High School Cami Landreth - St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Alex Lindborg - JSerra Catholic High School Dylan Long - Sage Hill High School Elliott Maeding - Crean Lutheran
LAGUNA HILLS
CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
J SERRA
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Derrick Adams - Mater Dei High School Parker Alvarez - Laguna Hills High School Hayley Augustini - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Megan Beiswenger - Pacifica Christian High School Anastasia Bekis - Sage Hill High School Brian Byrd - JSerra Catholic High School Marco Caldarone - JSerra Catholic High School Joey Cha - Sage Hill High School Andrew Chang - Laguna Hills High School Ryan Christensen - JSerra Catholic High School Kalista Cowden - Sage Hill High School Suzie Cullen - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Ben Cunningham - JSerra Catholic High School Gabby Dalgaard - Dana Hills High School Andrew Deakin - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Jonathan DeBarro - Laguna Hills High School Jessie Elizalde-Rendon - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Briana Emerson - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Ethan Emes - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Cole Engleman - Santa Margarita Catholic High School Matthew Fanticola - JSerra Catholic High School
Will attend the following High Schools:
CLASS OF 2016
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NEW DIRECTORS SPARK NEW DIRECTIONS In the Classroom
The next time you’re on campus, look up. Is that a drone? Student designed and built. From scratch. Yet another example of the many ways St. Mary’s students are soaring into the future.
Director of Technology and Innovation: Glen Galarpe Imagine dropping your children off at morning carpool, and by the time you return they’ve toured the Louvre, scaled the Great Wall, or explored a Mayan tomb. Imagine your daughter in a book club with children from India. Imagine your son sick at home, but still able to participate in class. Virtual reality—among many other technological tools—is the future of education. At St. Mary’s, the future is coming faster than you might imagine. At the helm of St. Mary’s STEAM ship is Glen Galarpe. Galarpe is the new Director of Technology and Innovation, and he has an enormous job ahead as St. Mary’s expands its technology curriculum and implements new STEAM programs. What is the difference between STEM and STEAM? While STEM includes science, technology, engineering and math, STEAM incorporates the arts. A large component of the STEAM curriculum is design—web design, product design, application development and video gaming, to name a few. Galarpe believes there are a number of teachable IB moments within that field. In a programming class, for example, the goal is not simply programming. It’s teaching students how to organize their time, the importance of deadlines, defining milestones, and learning about dependencies (a student can’t do task 4 before he’s completed task 2). Students are given the ability to organize, at a top level, the entire process. “I tell students, ‘I’m your boss and I expect results,’” Galarpe says. “When they hit roadblocks, through trial and error, research or resourcefulness, they find answers on their own.” Galarpe teaches to the whole student operating in the real world. “St. Mary’s doesn’t use technology for technology’s sake. There’s always a purpose. Every application, process, piece of equipment, software and hardware is integrated for a specific educational reason.”
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Galarpe came to this philosophy after working in the IT department at Loyola Marymount University. “That was a larger scale position that demanded my expertise at the management end. Operating a big organization requires an organizational mindset our students won’t see day to day, but it’s critical they understand. These skills will serve them tomorrow.” The last four years spent at St. Mary’s has given Galarpe the IB foundation he needs to communicate those skills to students. “Everything we teach has real world value,” he says. “And often global application.” Even in his challenging new role as Director, Galarpe won’t entirely abandon teaching. “It’s important to maintain a connection with the students,” he says. “They help build my knowledge and understanding of academic technology and continue to be a source of new ideas. Students see things from a different perspective. That perspective is critical.” This willingness to adapt, to be open-minded about what students can teach him, to integrate that knowledge into his philosophy, and to give students a broad range of responsibilities is what makes Galarpe ideal for his new role. That mindset is at the heart of an IB education.
Class of 2012 Off to College Carissa Adams: University of Texas, Austin Madison Bourke: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Nicole Bourke: Boston University Lindsay Brenneman: Washington State University Andrew Burkhardt: University of California, Berkeley Eden Buttlar: University of California, Los Angeles Michaelle Cassidenti: Southern Methodist University Cole Cervantes: Arizona State University James Coker: Case Western Reserve University Jillian Coker: Gonzaga University Mia Coker: Gonzaga University Baylee Corona: Loyola University, Chicago Cooper Dolan: Bucknell University Allison Fellenzer: University of Arizona Cami Fenton: University of Southern California Zachary Fiedler: Southern Methodist University Spencer Firestone: University of Southern California Jacob Fish: Berklee College of Music Frances Gargano: Marymount Manhattan College Janet Gleason: University of California, San Diego
Cristina Gomez: University of Redlands Kristina Gonzales: Boston University Juliet Gonzalez: Loyola Marymount University Caitlin Goodbody: Central Seattle College Andrew Gwynn: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo William Henretta: Sonoma State University Tess Hezlep: American University, Paris Grant Hoffmann: University of California, Berkeley Abigail Jackson: University of Southern California Kayla Jahangiri: University of California, Los Angeles Brett Kelly: San Diego State University Jonathan King: University of California, Los Angeles John Kordich: University of Mississippi Anika Lieber: University of Oregon Ashley Martin: University of Arizona Alexandra Marx: Northern Arizona University Nicolas May: University of Colorado, Boulder Hunter McNenny: University of Arizona Ahrash Mehrtash: University of San Diego Kyle Moga: Gonzaga University Christopher O’Brien: College of Wooster, Ohio
Amanda Ong: Columbia University Brendan Pagani: University of San Diego Oliver Price: Berklee College of Music, Boston Kathryn Querner: University of San Diego Colin Rowe: University of Arizona Cole Schillne: Grand Canyon University Austin Simpson: University of Colorado, Boulder Skyler Stanton: Point Loma Nazarene University Katelyn Stoddard: University of Wisconsin, Madison Logan Sullivan: Columbia College Chicago Alexandra Thrash: University of Arizona Melanie Traylor: University of Colorado, Boulder Nicolas Valdez: Boston University Alexa Vandenburg: Southern Methodist University Brie Vandenburg: Southern Methodist University Alanna Verde: DePaul University Julianna Viale: Texas Christian University Lauren Walker: University of Southern California Samantha Warday: Cal State San Marcos Angelica Zdzienicki: University of Alabama Information from the rest of the Class was not available at the time of printing
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St. Mary’s Alumni Return St. Mary’s Summer Resort Program is a wonderful place to have our alumni visit and help out when they are home from college or on summer vacation from high school. We love having them all on campus to hear about their adventures and future plans! This year, we have several alumni working and volunteering in many areas around campus in athletics, summer classes, and camps. Colin Rowe ‘12 - Graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in 2016, Attending University of Arizona in the fall. Coaching the flag football camp this summer Isabella Kechejian ‘15 - Currently attends JSerra Catholic High School. Helping with the summer cooking classes. Kaylin Martin ‘14 - Currently attends Santa Margarita Catholic High School. Helping with the summer cooking classes. Suzie Cullen ’16 - Attending Santa Margarita in the Fall. Helping with the summer cooking classes. Matthew Orihuela ‘16 - Attending Santa Margarita in the Fall. Helping with the summer cooking classes. Catherine Orihuela ‘14 - Currently attends Santa Margarita Catholic High School. Helping with the summer cooking classes. Brianna Emerson ‘16 - Attending Santa Margarita in the Fall. Helping with the summer cooking classes. Angie Yogaratnam ‘16 - Attending Sage Hill High School in the Fall. Helping with Model United Nations. Maddie Burchill ‘10 - Graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in 2014. Currently attends University of Arizona, is a part of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and is going to be a Junior in the Fall. Advancement Intern at St. Mary’s this summer.
Alumni Photographed from left to right: Isabella Kechejian ’15, Brianna Emerson ‘16, Catherine Orihuela ‘14, (Mr. Valdez), Matthew Orihuela ’16, and Suzie Cullen ’16.
Alumni attending Graduation.
CONNECT WITH US! We love to hear from our alumni. Email your photos and updates to alum@smaa.org
Kaylin Martin ‘14 and Isabella Kechejian ‘15
ST. MARY’S SUMMER 2016 NEWSLETTER
FOR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, ALUMNI, AND SUPPORTERS OF ST. MARY’S SCHOOL
Contributors: Carole Blake, Madison Burchill ‘10, Virtue Byrd, Jim Cox, Arturo Valdez, Kayla Jahagiri ‘12, Dustin Mittlesteadt, Glen Galarpe, Marrie Stone and Christine Downie.
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SAVE THE DATE PTF Founder’s Family Fun Day! FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 FROM 1-3PM In honor of the birthday of our Founder, Father Ernest Sillers, our St. Mary’s PTF will be hosting a Family Fun Day. The goal of this Fun Day is to gather as a community, enjoy an afternoon together playing games, sharing laughs, a little competition and celebrating the birthday of our Founder, cake included! PTF is in the process of planning family-based games, activities and booths. Please email either Kathy Brandenberger at kathyb16@cox.net or Stacie Daniel at stacie.daniel@smaa.org to get involved. Please plan to join us for this festive and fun afternoon.
DON’T MISS THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITY EVENTS!
• St. Mary’s Golf Classic: Friday, November 4, 2016 at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Course • EEP and LS Silver Angels Day: Thursday, November 17, 2016 • Jog-A-Thon: Friday, January 27, 2017 • St. Mary’s Annual Gala: Saturday, April 1, 2017 at Balboa Bay Resort • Middle School Family and Grandparents Day: Friday, May 26, 2017