Falcon Family News - March 2023

FALCON FAMILY NEWS

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

I write this letter from a conference room, having just finished a phenomenal day of meetings as part of the Lasallian Association of Secondary School Chief Administrators’ annual gathering. Attendees include administrators from the 51 Christian Brothers secondary schools in the North American Region. Spending this time with these incredible Lasallian educators and many of the Christian Brothers is both uplifting and humbling.

I am inspired by our Lasallian Catholic mission and the transformative experiences and encounters unique to Christian Brothers schools. I truly believe in this mission and feel profoundly blessed to serve our incredible students, families, faculty, and staff. Families, we recognize that you make tremendous sacrifices to send your children to Christian Brothers. Recently, the Board of Trustees approved an operating budget that raises tuition and fees by a total of 3.75 percent. Tuition for 2023-24 school year will be $15,625, and the registration fee $750 for a total of $16,375. While our tuition remains below the average for Catholic high schools in Northern California, we are mindful of the pressures families face with rising costs and inflation. Our constant challenge is balancing mission-centered excellence with affordability. Please know that we work hard to invest your resources well in your children’s education and to improve efficiency, maintain distinction, and control costs.

We do understand that tuition represents a significant sacrifice for most families. We also recognize that it is prohibitive for some families. Our Lasallian Catholic mission calls for us to ensure that CB is accessible to families of low and modest income. We embrace this opportunity. In 2022-23, we distributed $3.4 million in need-based tuition assistance to approximately 500 students and we

expect these numbers to be similar in the coming year. Our funding for tuition assistance comes from three sources: endowment earnings, fundraising efforts, and the operating budget.

We are grateful to all families, alumni, and friends who support our fundraising activities. We hope to see many of you at the auction on Saturday, March 18, or join us online for silent auction item bidding. Your ongoing support is critical to our mission, and this event is our most important fundraising endeavor of the year!

Thank you for entrusting us with the “gift” of your children. We are working diligently to ensure that the sacrifices you are making for your children today – tuition, time, and example – will reap rewards long into the future.

Live Jesus in our hearts,

Crystal LeRoy, Ed.D. President

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

• Season of Lent Opportunities for Service

• Annual Auction

Sold Out: Ways to Still Get Involved!

• Wellness & College

Counseling

• Pre-Registration for ‘23-’24 school year

• Clothes Closet Shopping Dates

• Spring Play Tickets Now On Sale

• Signing Day Success

• Winter Sports Rock the Post Season

• CB Snapshots: Ash Wednesday, BSU Block Party & Alumni Dinner

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS HIGH SCHOOL ENTER TO LEARN, LEAVE TO SERVE

“Thank God for the grace he has given you in your work.” - St. John Baptist de La Salle Dear Families,

LASALLIAN STUDENT LIFE

Season of Lent Opportunities

During the Season of Lent, we celebrate Faith in the Presence of God with many opportunities for the community. Click here to see more on our website.

Liturgies will be celebrated every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 8 a.m. in the Chapel of St. Joseph.

Another opportunity to spend time with Jesus will be on Thursdays, March 2, 9, and 23 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The Chapel will be open for Eucharistic Adoration and a priest will be available to anyone in the community to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation or seek spiritual guidance.

CB Lent Service Project

The LSLO will be taking on a Lent Service Project where CB students will go to an elementary school and offer service. This will vary from tutoring kids to helping with a particular project that the school may lay out that day. This is the perfect opportunity to serve the community! We can only take 9 students per two-hour slot. Families, have your students sign up here

We are partnering with the following schools on these dates and times:

• Wednesday, March 1 (9 to 11 a.m.) St Patrick Academy, Sacramento & (1 to 3 p.m.): Our Lady of Grace, West Sac

• Wednesday, March 8 (9 to 11 a.m.) Language Academy Sacramento & (1 to 3 p.m.) Our Lady of Grace, West Sac

• Wednesday, March 15 (9 to 11 a.m.) St Robert School, Sacramento & (1 to 3 p.m.) Our Lady of Grace, West Sac

• Wednesday, March 22 (9 to 11 a.m.) Oak Ridge Elementary & (1 to 3 p.m.) St Patrick Academy, Sacramento

• Wednesday, March 29 (9 to 11 a.m. & 1 to 3 p.m.)

Keith B. Kenney

Junior Retreat

Families, please remind your Juniors to sign up for your Junior Retreat. This retreat is a great opportunity to build community and is highly encouraged for those who wish to apply for the Senior Retreat Leadership Team. Click the links below to sign up!

March 21-22 Junior Retreat in Applegate

April 24-25 Junior Retreat in Danville

Service Opportunities

• CAMP ReCreation is holding a mandatory virtual information session for volunteers on February 26

• UC Davis Health Project Adam on campus March 12. Click here to learn more.

• Credit Union SACTOWN Run on April 2

• Sports for Life! Soccer Tournament for athletes 50+ on April 22 to 23

• SMUD Camp Curiosity for the summer

• Christian Brothers University McLaughlin Social Justice Institute this summer!

Oak Park Community Service Opportunities:

• Oak Park Community Gardens - Every Tuesday 4:30 to 6 p.m.

• Oak Park Community Garden: Every 1st, 3rd and 4th Saturday of the month from 8:30 to 11 a.m.

• After School Tutoring at Saint Patrick’s Elementary, Oak Ridge Elementary, and HOPE Neighborhood Learning Center

Students, make sure you have an account with MobileServe to sign up for these events. You may also stop by the LSLO for more information.

Families, sign up via our online volunteer hub

Donation Opportunities

• February 22 through March 10: Donate to Oak Ridge Student Support Center. Donation bins are in the main hallway. Click here for more info.

• March 6: Register to be part of the CB Baldies Team for Keaton’s 21st Annual “Brave the Shave” fundraiser for pediatric cancer research in partnership with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Not ready to Brave the Shave? Donations are always needed to fund pediatric cancer research.

Kairos

Kairos 90 will take place from March 14-17. All spots are full, but students may email Mr. Jaldon to be put on a waiting list.

PHILANTHROPY: ANNUAL AUCTION AND DINNER

Event Sold Out!

Auction tickets have sold out in record time! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets to this critical fundraiser for our school. All the proceeds go directly to support our students through tuition assistance and other programs. Learn more about this upcoming event here and keep reading for ways you can still get involved.

Sponsorships

Thank you to our Presenting Platinum Sponsor: Capital Pediatrics- The Khaira Family! Thank you to all our generous sponsors, which can be found here

Silent Auction

Anyone (18 years or older) can still participate in the Silent Auction. You do not need a ticket or to be present to bid on items. Simply log on to the CB Auction Site to register in advance. Be sure to add your credit card to your profile so there is not a delay in your bidding. Keep an eye on your email for item release dates!

Golden Raffle

Your purchase of a Golden Raffle Ticket helps support excellence in education and puts you in a raffle to win your choice of a live auction item at the auction. Tickets are $100 and extremely limited. We are only selling 200! You do not need to be present to win. Call (916) 733-3647 or email Kim Villarreal to enter.

Volunteers Needed

We need you! Please consider joining us to make this critical CB fundraiser a success by volunteering! It’s also a great way to meet other parents and alumni. See volunteer opportunities here

Amazon Wishlist

We still need donations to complete live and silent auction packages, especially wine and experiences. Click here for donation ideas on our Amazon Wishlist.

Website: ParisCBAuction.givesmart.com

Text: ParisCBAuction to 76278

COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

Highlighting our Wellness and College Counseling Programs

Christian Brothers High School has the most robust Counseling Program of any private school in the region and our College Counseling and Wellness Programs are perfect examples of the excellent programs available to our students. In the Wellness Program, we are very fortunate to have two Wellness Counselors in our department to better serve the emotional needs of our students. Mrs. Emily McDougall is in her eighth year at CB and Mrs. Juanita Patterson ‘81 is in her first year at CB. Both wellness counselors see many students across all grade levels who seek out help in everything from anxiety and depression, to substance use and eating issues, to coping with stress and grief. They also go into the classrooms throughout the year and offer presentations about Wellness, which involve the whole person (physical, emotional, academic, social, intellectual, environmental, and of course, spiritual.) They offer small group support on the topics of Stress Management and Social Support. Mrs. McDougall sends out her insightful “Wellness Wednesday” message to our students and families via Schoology. They even offer virtual services via their “Virtual Calming Room” and their one-of-a-kind Virtual Wellness Center that offers meditations, visual relaxation, yoga, prayer, music, and creative activities along with the ability for students to sign up for in-person sessions via the website. They are truly invaluable to our entire school community and offer tremendous expertise and care for all students. Check out Wellness Counseling resources here

The CB College Counseling duo of Ms. Melissa McClellan and Mrs. April Melarkey are outstanding resources for any or all topics related to college advising. You would be hard-pressed to find two experts that know each other so well and work so tirelessly for our entire CB community. No stone goes unturned in their practice. They can be found in-person for one-on-one sessions, on the stage giving packed-house presentations, in the classroom giving college advising sessions, virtually in Morning Coffee Meetups, and on the lawn for college fairs. They have years-long relationships with representatives of colleges all over the country and stay up to date in all topics related to college advising. Our reputation as the “Place to Be” stays intact under their watchful eyes in college counseling! Please join our entire community in our shared gratitude for these outstanding programs and everything they do to make the CB Counseling Program the premier program in the region.

Pre-Registration for 2023-2024 School Year

The Counseling Department requests that families please go over their student’s future courses with them before the registration period closes on March 7 at 11 p.m. This will ensure everyone is on the same page and there will be fewer changes over the summer. Counselors have finished meeting with students in the classroom and they have received a Class Registration Planning Sheet. All students will be completing pre-registration through PowerSchool and students may log-in to make changes as many times as necessary over this period. Please have your student log into PowerSchool via the CB website, not through the iPad app.

To assist with this pre-registration process, students should reference the 2023-24 Course Catalog that is available on the CB website under the “Academics” section as well as view the 2023-24 Summer School information and registration links also available on the CB website under “Academics”. Counselors will be available to students at lunch outside of the Learning Commons to answer Pre-Registration questions or complete on the spot registration in PowerSchool during this time. Additional questions may be directed to your student’s grade-level counselor or any of the CB college counselors.

UPCOMING COUNSELING DATES

March 1: Mini-College Fair (Main Lawn, both lunches)

March 9: Exploring College Night for Juniors and their Families

March 20: Coffee for Freshman Parents and Guardians. (Virtual)

The Clothes Closet will be open during lunch in the Main Hallway on March 7 and 21 and April 18. Families can make shopping appointments by calling the main office.

Senior families, please consider donating your student’s CB dress code appropriate clothing.

SHOP THE CLOTHES CLOSET!

MEDIA, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

Lenaea Theatre Festival Success

In February, CB rocked the Lenaea High School Theatre Festival. Seven of our students took eight performances and two original scripts to the festival, putting their work up against submissions from over 60 schools. CB medaled in nine of ten submissions, with Alexxa Riley ‘23 (pictured first) winning Gold and a Command Performance for her Shakespeare monologue. Congratulations to all of CB’s award winners, including (second left to right, top to bottom) Abigail Vandepol ‘23, Aubriana Line ‘23, Madelyn Whitnell ‘24, Caroline Kramer ‘23, Iliana Demas ‘25, and Natasha Reese ‘25 and everyone who participated in this festival held at Folsom Lake College.

Spring Play Tickets Now Available!

Tickets for “The Importance of Being Earnest”, by Oscar Wilde are now available on our website!

The production will feature an advanced group of seniors taking their final bow in a CB production. Josiah Foster will portray Jack/Earnest, Tycho Fong will play Algernon, Alexxa Riley will take on the role of the formidable Lady Bracknell, Caroline Kramer will play Gwendolen, Abigail Vandepol will be Cecily, Tanner Meade will play Chasuble, and Aubriana Lene will play Merriman. Two juniors will round out this talented cast. Madelyn Whitnell will play Prism and Aneil Harmon will play Lane.

Summer Education Grant

Friends of the Arts (FOTA) wants to help students pursue their passions with a Summer Education Grant! Current freshmen through juniors who plan to return to CB in the fall and who have yet to receive a grant are eligible. Applications are available from art teachers and are due by Friday, March 24. Students can use these funds for lessons, arts camps, and art equipment.

La Salle Art Show Submissions

This annual art show features artwork from students and faculty. Anyone can submit work, even if they are not in an art class. If students have work they’d like to submit, contact Ms. Hohlwien or any art teacher. Artwork is due by March 31. The La Salle Art Show is Friday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m.

Student Television Network Conference

Media Arts will shortly be headed to the Student Television Network Conference in Long Beach. Students will compete with work they have already created, as well as in categories like the Crazy 8s which challenges students to create, shoot, and edit material in an eight hour window. Good luck to all our filmmakers!

Michael D. Jackson, CB’s Artistic Director of the Theatre Arts, will direct this production. Jackson also designed the costumes. Heather Christianson, CB’s Technical Director of the George Cunningham ’40 Performing Arts Center, designed the set and lighting.

Evening performances will be at 7 p.m. on March 17, 18, 24, 25. Matinees will be at 2 p.m. March 19 and 26.

MORE UPCOMING ARTS EVENTS

Virtual FOTA Meeting: Tuesday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. Email cbfota@gmail.com for meeting link.

Choral Concert: Saturday, April 22, performances at 5 and 7 p.m.

Instrumental Concert: Thursday, April 27 at 7 p.m.

La Salle Art Show: Friday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m.

Signing Day

Our first letter of intent signing day of the 2022-2023 school year took place Tuesday, February 14 in the George Cunningham ‘40 Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to the following athletes:

(Pictured left to right) Josh Ryan: Lewis, Golf; Nick Goldberg: Tufts, Baseball; Kellen Martinez: Concordia, Baseball; Tiana Johnson: Chico State, Softball; Elizabeth Ledesma: Sacramento State, Soccer; Lily Jensen: San Marcos, Soccer, Peyton McDonald: Pacific University Oregon, Soccer; Keilee Hall: Arizona University, Track; Maya Hilger : Harvard, Rugby

Winter Sports Playoffs

Winter sports playoffs began in the last two weeks of February. The women’s basketball team was the number one seed in the division two playoffs. The men’s soccer team was the fourth seed in division three playoffs and the women’s soccer team was the number one seed in division three playoffs. Congratulations to the women’s varsity soccer team and women’s varsity basketball team who were both CAL League Champions!

Men’s basketball made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 as the tenth seed in division three.

All fall and winter teams qualified for the post season with 5 fall teams taking 2nd place in the CIF SJS Section Playoffs. Go Falcons!

CB Football Player to be Honored

Congratulations to CB football player, Landon Howard ’23 (see below) who will be honored at our National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Banquet on Sunday, March 5, 2023. The honor is for grades, community service, and overall performance on the football field.

ASH WEDNESDAY LITURGY

CB ALUMNI DINNER

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THE FUN AT CB!

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SNAPSHOTS | FEBRUARY 2023

BSU MARDIS GRAS BLOCK PARTY

VALENTINE’S DAY