SALLA
Union DE LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
“Les Hommes de Foi...Men of Faith” Celebrating 300 Years of the Lasallian Mission • Respect for All Persons: Dogfight Spring 2019
Challenge Success Results • Honoring the Brothers Community 2019 Distinguished Alumnus L The Brotherhood of the Spartan Is Like No Other L
Message from the President
Dear Friends of De La Salle,
Mark DeMarco ’78 President
We are a school because of the foundation they laid for us...
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The end of 2018 did not bring great news to De La Salle High School. On Wednesday, December 19 at 3:00 p.m., we received official notice from the District of San Francisco New Orleans that the Brothers’ Community will be closed effective July 1, 2019, and both Brother Lawrence Haley and Brother Anthony Lenz will be assigned to other communities in the District. Brother Lawrence will be moving to Napa to be the Director of the Holy Family Community (where our retired Brothers live) and Brother Anthony will be moving to Saint Mary’s College. As many of you know, Brother Michael Saggau moved to Napa last September. In his letter to the Brothers and Lasallian Partners, Brother Donald Johanson said, "Because of the declining number of Brothers at De La Salle High School in Concord, the community will be closed effective July 1, 2019. This was a difficult decision and I thank the many Brothers who have served at De La Salle since its founding in 1965.” This is an end of an era since the founding of the school. It was a vibrant group of Brothers who served our community so well. The Brothers will be missed. I know we all have wonderful memories of the men who served us on a daily basis, both past and present. We are a school because of the foundation they laid for us, and we are in a strong place to continue the Lasallian Mission at 1130 Winton Drive. We will celebrate Brother Lawrence and Brother Anthony at our Founder’s Day Liturgy.
I leave you with the following Vocation Prayer from Pope Francis.
LORD of the Harvest,
BLESS young people with the gift of courage to respond to your call. Open their hearts to great ideals, to great things.
INSPIRE all of your disciples to mutual love and giving—for vocations blossom in the good soil of faithful people. INSTILL those in religious life, parish ministries, and families with the confidence and grace to invite others to embrace the bold and noble path of a life consecrated to you.
UNITE us to Jesus through prayer and sacrament, so that we may cooperate with you in building your reign of mercy and truth, of justice and peace. Amen. — Pope Francis Adapted from the Message on the 51st World Day of Prayer for Vocations
In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,
Mark DeMarco ’78 President
Union PRESIDENT’S CABINET
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE
Mark DeMarco ’78 President
Dr. Heather Alumbaugh Vice President for Academic Life
Mark Chiarucci Vice President for Advancement Jack Dyer Vice President for Campus Life Lynne Jones Vice President for Finance
Leo Lopoz ’94 Vice President for Athletics
Joe Aliotti Senior Staff for the Office of the President Produced by the Office of Advancement
De La Salle High School 1130 Winton Drive Concord, CA 94518 Tel: (925) 288-8100 Fax: (925) 686-3474 www.dlshs.org
Comments, questions, news? Contact Karla Wiese at wiesek@dlshs.org Editor: Karla Wiese
Layout and design: Jack Farage Design, Email: farage4art@yahoo.com
Text: Bay Scholars, Andrew Berkes, Mark Chiarucci, Rich Davi, Mark DeMarco, Lasallian District of San Francisco, Lloyd Schine, Ida Tolentino, Karla Wiese
Photos: Bay Scholars, De La Salle Photo Library, Brother Lawrence Haley, FSC, Lloyd Schine, Studio One
Read the Union online at www.dlshs.org
The De La Salle “Union” is a bond of unity for the extended De La Salle family — alumni, parents, alumni parents and the many friends who make up our school’s growing family.
The School Seal
The school seal is an important part of the identity of De La Salle High School. The symbols used to make up the seal have particular meanings that reflect the values and purpose of the school. In the center of the seal is the Chi Rho (Kye Row). This is the Greek abbreviation of the title “Christ.” The first two letters of the word Christos or “Christ” are “Chi” and “Rho,” represented in the Greek alphabet as a capital “X” and “P.” The fleur-de-lis, with “lis” meaning lily in French, reminds us of our French origins with Saint John Baptist de La Salle. The lamp is a symbol of knowledge, reminding us of our primary purpose as a school — education. The section of broken chain represents freedom — freedom from ignorance. The chain surrounding the seal signifies strength and unity. “Les Hommes de Foi” is French for “Men of Faith.”
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campus news
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Celebrating 300 Years of the Lasallian Mission Respect for All Persons with Dogfight
Stanford’s Challenge Success Program
21st Century Curriculum, Curricular Innovation One Night Only Showcases the Arts
A New View for Professional Development The Perfect Effort
Bay Scholars Partnership Brothers Tribute
advancement
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2017-2018 Annual Report De La Salle Giving Day
alumni news
22 23 25 27 28
De La Salle Alumnus of the Year Spotlight on Scott Drain ’94
Staying In Touch In Memoriam Reunions
spartan sports
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Summer Camps
About the cover: Since its founding in 1965, the Brothers of the Christian Schools have been a steadfast part of the Lasallian, Catholic experience at De La Salle High School. They are the epitome of “Les Homes de Foi...Men of Faith,” who serve where God calls them. Our resident Brothers have been called by God, and as Men of Faith, they will leave us in July to serve others in need. Their presence on campus will be missed, and we honor them with this cover and a tribute within this issue of the Union. SPRING 2019 UNION
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o kick off the Jubilee Year celebration, this past December, De La Salle High School was host to a special piece of artwork – its mission to tie the Lasallian District of San Francisco and New Orleans together with “Brothers on Tour”. The painting by Oakland, California artist, Bill Weber, depicts figures significant to the spiritual and historical heritage of the District of San Francisco New Orleans. The top three images represent the two major District Anniversaries (left to right):
Celebrating 300 Years of
the Lasallian Mission
To recognize the 300th anniversary of the death of Saint John Baptist de La Salle (April 30, 1719), the Vatican has declared 2019 as a Jubilee Year (November 17, 2018 - December 31, 2019) “A Jubilee Year offers the opportunity to express our faith through concrete actions in favor of those most in need. I invite all of you to celebrate the jubilee through practical acts of kindness and service to young people yearning for mercy and compassion,” says Brother Robert Schieler, FSC, Superior General of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Christian Brothers). Let us joyfully celebrate the Jubilee Year as an expression of our Commitment to live the Gospel and the Lasallian Mission, united as Lasallians with one heart, one commitment, one life. 2
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1. St. Paul: representing St. Paul’s School in Covington, CA which the Brothers assumed responsibility for in 1918. 2. Our Lady of the Star (an Institute Patroness): representing Saint Mary’s College of California (in Moraga) which the Brothers assumed responsibility for in San Francisco in 1868. 3. St. Peter: representing St. Peter’s College (now called “Catholic High School,” opened by the Brothers in New Iberia, LA in 1918. The Brothers are no longer there. The middle row of Brothers are four of the first Brothers Saints (left to Right):
4.
5.
6.
7.
San Miguel Febres Cordero: He was born at Cuenca, Ecuador November 7, 1854, entered the Brothers’ novitiate March 24, 1868, and died February 9, 1910. He was beatified October 30, 1977 and canonized October 21, 1984. His feast day is February 9. St. John Baptist de La Salle: He was born at Reims, France April 30, 1651, ordained priest April 9, 1678, and died April 7, 1719. He was beatified February 19, 1888 and canonized on May 24, 1900. He was proclaimed Patron of Christian Teachers May 15, 1950. His feast day is April 7, but most Lasallians celebrate him on May 15. St. Mutien-Marie Wiaux: He was born at Mellet, Belgium March 20, 1841, entered the Brothers’ novitiate April 7, 1856, and died January 30, 1917. He was beatified October 30, 1977 and canonized December 10, 1989. His feast day is January 30. St. Benilde Romancon: He was born at Thuret, France June 14, 1805, entered the Brothers’ novitiate February 10, 1820, and died August 13,1862. He was beatified April 4, 1948 and canonized October 29, 1967. His feast day is August 13.
The two Brothers at the bottom are the “founders” of the District entities that are being celebrated and still operated by the Brothers: 8. 9.
Br. Nilammon Laurent, the first Director at St. Paul’s. Br. Justin McMahon, the first Director of Saint Mary’s College.
campus news The other components of the piece are all historically significant:
10. The four circles hold relics of the four Brother Saints depicted. 11. The metal cross in the center is made of two nails welded together that were taken from the ruins of the fire that destroyed Dixon Hall, the centerpiece building on the original campus of St. Paul’s School. One of the Brothers gathered up the nails to reuse them, but eventually they were made into crosses. 12. The framing of the piece is made of the legs of an altar that is from the Brother’s former community at “Magnolia” in Lafayette, LA. The altar had been made by Br. Ephrem Hebert, and the use of the wood in this piece is a tribute to his handiwork on behalf of the community of retired Brothers who lived there. 13. The wooden cross is an end piece of an original cross (circa 1872) that was on the building at Martinez, CA the novitiate of the Brothers before they moved, with the cross, to Mont La Salle in Napa, CA in 1932.
A note of appreciation for the components of the piece:
Framing and Wood Cross: Holy Family Community, Lafayette, LA; Mont La Salle, Napa, CA; Br. James Joost, FSC Nail Crosses: Br. Bill Ray, FSC; Br. David Sinitiere, FSC Saint Relics: Camp La Salle, CA; Mullen Community, CO; Br. Ronald Roggenbach, FSC; Br. Louis Welker, FSC
De La Salle High School and the De La Salle Academy were honored to host this treasured piece of history on campus. To learn more about the Lasallian District’s 300 Year Celebration, please visit the Lasallian District’s website at www.delasalle.org.
Anniversary Year Art Piece 2018-2019
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Company Shares in School Theme of “RESPECT FOR
ALL PERSONS” with
Dogfight
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n theater or the arts, one can examine difficult topics and create dialog through the presentation of a play, movie, comedy, or song. This past fall (and upcoming in the spring), the De La Salle/Carondelet Theatre Company used the stage to open the minds of its audience to the topics of empathy, creative leadership, and compassion for others through the performance of Dogfight. “One person on stage is telling a story, giving a speech, or possessing truth through authority. Two people exchanging dialogue on stage is just two people with opinions and we, the audience, get to exercise our empathy while imagining both points of view. We lean forward and truly conceptualize one character’s life and then we mentally switch to the other’s perspective,” said Ms. Meredith Barnidge, Director of Theatre Arts at De La Salle.
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The De La Salle/Carondelet Theatre Company actively joined campus efforts, alongside Student Coalition on Respectful Education (SCORE), Mentors in Violence Prevention, and Respect for All Persons, in looking for ways to increase empathy, creative leadership, and antidotes that speak to the anxieties and disconnect felt by so many young people each day. Company, wants students to have a voice and explore through art. “It is a workout to try to understand the actions and motives of a character, especially one with whom we share nothing in common,” Barnidge added. “The higher the stakes are for the characters, the more we must dive into our mind’s eye to seek and make sense of the point-of-view presented to us. This goes back and forth until finally we get to discover a personal truth out of that fictional conflict.”
When selecting the plays for the 2018-19 De La Salle and Carondelet theatrical season, Barnidge had those thoughts in mind. She considered the idea of allowing the students the opportunity to witness conflict that deals with the tough realities in their daily lives. Thoughts like; what does it mean to be a man? How do girls find confidence in themselves? Can I stand up to my friends? When is strength born in vulnerability? Can we take ownership of the opposing sides and express it so that our student community could derive their own truths from these opposing views? With those questions at the forefront of her thoughts, Dogfight was selected for the fall musical, while Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion became the choice for the spring. Dogfight questions the ethical ground young adults trample through daily, and Pygmalion closes the loop as it responds to them. Dogfight has a storyline where a number of Marines are set to deploy to Vietnam for the war. On their final night, they decide to have a contest to see who can bring the “ugliest” girl to their farewell party. But in getting to know each other, main characters Eddie and Rose struggle with societal expectations, and ultimately develop real feelings for each other. So why did the schools select Dogfight for its fall musical? Because the stakes are incredibly high for the main characters, Eddie and Rose. Who are they as human beings on this planet? How should they see each other—and expect to be seen? This is a conversation happening all over the De La Salle campus. How are servant leaders created to see the world and choose to treat others with compassion? Can empathy be made into an exercise? “By choosing this production we are exposing a very ugly truth about the world we share,” Barnidge said. “Both of the main characters struggle under the immense weight of societal expectations. In Dogfight, the character roles are toxic and each character is trapped by that rigidity.” Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion tells the story of a poor, young flower girl who has been disrespected and overlooked
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because of her appearance and the dialect she speaks. While living in poverty and struggling from day-to-day can be a difficult way to live your life, most of us, if given the opportunity, would try to make changes to our lives and our situation. When given the opportunity, Pygmalion’s lead character, Eliza, decides to get language lessons in order to gain respect and improve her overall status. The outcome of her training is not what she expected, and she not only changed her appearance and speech, but she gains confidence in her own abilities. “As director, it is my hope that understanding can be gained when these kids get an early (high school) chance to confront scary questions and discover amazing new possibilities,” Barnidge added. “The stakes are high, not just for characters in our plays, they are high for the students we love.” By the end of this 2018-19 theatrical season for the DLS/CHS Company, we hope to see that harsh experiences help lead to increased wisdom to shed the “man-woman thing”. Through the plays Dogfight and Pygmalion, the hope is that both De La Salle and Carondelet students are exposed to societal expectations and create open and honest dialog between our young men and women. Barnidge stated, “It is my hope that these plays will help our students become human beings who understand the possibilities and freedoms that walk alongside compassion.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to see Pygmalion this spring! Alumni Preview: April 3, 2019 at 5 p.m.
Show Dates: April 4, 5 & 6 at 7 p.m. April 7 at 2 p.m. April 11 & 13 at 7 p.m.
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Stanford’s Challenge Success Program Provides Insider’s Look into Student Life at Home and School
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“In a rapidly changing world, schools need to create policies and practices that foster interpersonal and collaborative skills, adaptability and resilience, and the critical thinking and creativity to solve complex problems.” - Stanford’s Challenge Success
ince 2013, De La Salle High School has partnered with Stanford University’s Challenge Success program to gain a better perspective and understanding of both the student and parent experiences while at De La Salle. The program collaborates with schools and communities to embrace a broad definition of success and to implement research-based strategies that promote student well-being and engagement with learning. “Challenge Success believes that our society has become too focused on grades, test scores, and performance,” shares Dr. Heather Alumbaugh, Vice President for Academic Life, “leaving little time for kids to develop the necessary skills to become resilient, ethical, and motivated learners.” De La Salle originally decided to pursue this partnership to gain a deeper understanding of students’ health and well-being in regard to dealing with everyday stress and anxieties, with a goal of allowing for a better life-balance. The studies have brought about some significant changes on campus, including a new bell schedule, highlighted with two late starts, and an overall reduction in homework load. As part of the program, this past April, the Stanford Survey of Adolescent School Experiences was administered to the entire school population, and 840 students responded to the
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various questions. In addition, De La Salle and Challenge Success partnered to pilot a new survey for parents, with more than 270 taking part in the exercise. The surveys were completely anonymous and all individual responses were kept private and confidential. The pilot program enabled De La Salle administration to give the Challenge Success program feedback on questions being asked, as well as receive valuable insights into school life for both students and parents. The survey results from this past year will help enhance the school’s professional development over the course of the coming years. “The survey results have helped us frame how we think about student engagement, how we think about parent education, and how we think about counseling,” Dr. Alumbaugh explains. “A main focus is to help students understand and implement time management skills. Our teachers have done an amazing job streamlining homework and cutting down on the time our students spend completing tasks.” Dr. Alumbaugh also shares that, per Challenge Success’s research done on other campuses across the country, De La Salle has established an amazing foundation within our community, which many schools do not possess. “Because our students and parents experience us as warm, nurturing, and
Key Findings in the Stanford Survey of Adolescent School Experiences
cohesive, we have the ability and trust to implement new strategies. From the study, one of the results that might seem simple, but makes a huge impact, is that our families tend to spend more time together than families at peer institutions. It may seem insignificant, but it is actually extraordinary that a high percentage of our families share meals together, and it is a huge benefit to the development of the student.” Dr. Alumbaugh continues, “our families are so good at spending time together, which then goes a long way in them choosing to stay at a school where they feel loved.” This sentiment is reflected in the fact that 82% of the student body knows that they can go to an adult on campus for help. Students are also acutely aware about the academic rigors of the school. Eighty-five percent of students agree or strongly agree that the school culture is highly competitive; however, the word "competitive" is not the language they used to describe De La Salle. The most frequent categories of words students used to describe their experiences at De La Salle are “Family and Community”, “Religious”, and “Caring and Welcoming”. As De La Salle continues to implement changes based on the study for the future, Dr. Alumbaugh knows that the school needs to continue to foster brotherhood, inclusiveness, and community on campus to help students not just go through the motions of “doing” school. “We also need to help educate our parents in regard to the relationship between technology and sleep, and help develop the tools to identify and prioritize that dedicated time for our young men. As a faculty and staff, we have to continue to monitor our student’s homework as well as the grading assessment, while further tightening our calendars, and continuing to honor our late starts.”
De La Salle Student Findings: • 192 students (25%) used "Family or Community” as one of their main school descriptors. • “Family and Community”, “Religious”, and “Caring and Welcoming” are the three most common categories of words used by students to describe De La Salle. • 85% of students agree or strongly agree that the school culture is highly competitive. • Students average 2.3 hours of homework per weeknight. 11th graders report the most homework, at 2.8 hours per night. • Students participate in an average of 12.9 hours of co-curriculars per week. • Students report getting an average of 6.7 (median: 7) hours of sleep per night, and 11 PM is the most common bedtime. Sleep researchers recommend at least nine hours of sleep per night for teenagers. • 81.9% of students feel they have an adult they can go to at school if they have a problem. Among seniors, a remarkable 91.4% of students feel this way. • 81.1% of students report experiencing a stress related health symptom in the last month. Exhaustion, difficulty sleeping, and headaches are the most commonly reported symptoms, each reported by over 50% of students. De La Salle Parent Findings: • “Brotherhood", "Challenging", and "Academic" were the most common words parents used to describe De La Salle. • Maintaining a high GPA/grades was the most common family rule that is consistently enforced (60% of parents). • Parents rated being ethical and having a sense of well-being as the most common attributes that define success for their children. • Parents report their children getting an average of 7.3 hours of sleep per week-night and 8.6 on weekends. • The most common family rule about technology is no phones at dinner time. • 43% of parents reported that they eat a meal together as a family at least five times a week. • Spending time as a family is the most important activity parents prefer their children do over the summer. SPRING 2019 UNION
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21st CENTURY CURRICULUM. A new term buzzing around
academia. But what does it really mean? For our students?
For our faculty? How is it shaping our current curriculum
and how will it impact the next generation of Spartans?
Andrew Berkes
Religious Studies Department Chair
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n the fall of 2017, a group of faculty and staff formed the school’s 21st Century Curriculum Committee. The committee—which includes not only Dr. Heather Alumbaugh and Dr. Elizabeth Berkes, but also multiple academic department chairs, volunteer faculty members from multiple disciplines, and the Directors of Technology and the Library—met to define what 21st century skills are to De La Salle and how they will inform the everyday curriculum of the school. In the 2017-2018 school year, the committee spent an entire semester researching widely. They looked at the globally lauded Finnish education system, interviewed thought makers in educational philanthropy, and read exten-
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sively, including key reports about the skills that future employers expect of a quickly changing workforce. The 2013, “21st Century Skills and the Workplace” jointly published by Gallup, Microsoft Partners in Learning, and the Pearson Foundation, helped the committee hone in on “skills that prepare and equip our youth for the challenges and demands of the workplace in the 21st century” namely, “collaboration, knowledge construction, problem solving and innovation, self-regulation, the use of technology for learning, and skilled communication.” Since that fruitful semester, the committee took important next steps. Dr. Berkes and Dr. Alumbaugh frequently visit other schools to evaluate educational best practices and
innovations in their curriculums. The committee members together crafted a set of proficiencies that all De La Salle students should have upon graduation that echo those articulated in the Gallup Report, and they asked, “how can we get students where we want them to be?” The committee recommended that the future of De La Salle curriculum be increasingly interdisciplinary, be committed to teaching respectful masculinity, and be one that gives students real life experiences. Since the committee’s beginning, the school has added a Computer Science curriculum and has partnered with Jackson Katz’s Mentors in Violence Prevention. Every teacher has filled out an “Interdisciplinary Catalogue” that documents interdisciplinary units/assignments. Most recently, the revision of the Religious Studies curriculum has been accepted by the Academic Affairs Committee, and the freshman year will roll out in 2019-2020. Mr. Andrew Berkes, the chair of Religious Studies, shares his thoughts on how 21st Century thinking has changed his department’s coursework.
Q In thinking about the process, why do you feel it was important to make these changes and incorporate some of the identified skills?
Mr. Berkes: As we are teaching students in the 21st century, we recognize that they bring many different questions and skills that students previously may not have possessed. Students no longer are searching for answers to simple questions--they can simply Google any fact-based question and find a quick, fact-based answer. Our students are a lot more curious and through the technology that is at their fingertips, they have the ability to search for answers to bigger, deeper, "wicked" problems. We need to prepare these students to learn how to search for these answers (after having taught them how to ask the right questions). We also need to encourage our students to make more connections between their different subjects. Students learn best and their learning can go deeper if they are able to look at a problem through multiple lenses. For example, if our students are studying in their Religious Studies classes the Catholic Social Teaching of a Preferential Option for the Poor, they can also look through the lens of their Social Studies class to see how the poor and marginalized have historically been treated in our country. They can also look through a lens from their English class at literature that reflected the struggles of a marginalized population in our country. It is important for our students to see the connections between the different subjects, and thus an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning.
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Q What are you most excited about and what
opportunities do you see for the students?
Mr. Berkes: I am most excited about this updated curriculum primarily for three reasons: First, this new curriculum gives a real focus to each year of study. Instead of simply calling our courses "Religious Studies 1, Religious Studies 2, Religious Studies 3,” etc., we will have actual coherent themes that will run throughout every year. (Foundations of Catholic Christianity, Sacred Scripture, Living the Gospel) Secondly, this new curriculum, because it has a coherent theme throughout the year, will allow the students to do a lot more project-based learning. Students will be able to have more time studying the material in a deeper way, and teachers will be able to design more project-based and inquiry-based learning. Finally, the new curriculum will allow more opportunities for interdisciplinary work. Religious Studies teachers will be able to collaborate more with teachers from other departments on projects, units, etc.
Q From your own course work, are there opportuni-
ties that you have identified to collaborate with another faculty member or department?
Mr. Berkes: I will give just a couple examples off the top of my head: First, by moving our study of Sacred Scripture to sophomore year, our students will have had an entire year of our awesome English teachers instructing them on literary analysis. By sophomore year, we can build off the concepts that our English teachers have taught them to do real exegesis of passages from Scripture. We may even be able to collaborate with them on a joint written assignment that assesses not only their theological insights but also their literary knowledge. A second opportunity is by dedicating our new junior year to "Living the Gospel," as we will be studying Morality and Social Justice and how it is lived out. Our juniors take U.S. History that year and will be able to look at and analyze some of our country's experiences with social injustice. They may be able to do, for example, an interdisciplinary project analyzing segregation in the South through an historical and theological lens. This is just one example of what is occurring on our campus. Look for future communication on the ever-changing scope of learning and teaching at De La Salle High School. SPRING 2019 UNION
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One Night Only Showcases the Arts for Prospective Students
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e La Salle High School has revamped its admissions process, which now includes complete online registration, the school’s annual Open House, the Spartan for a Day shadow program, and the newest addition—One Night Only. Through De La Salle’s One Night Only evening, prospective students now get the opportunity to preview the many options available in the school’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Department, as they are exposed to music, theater, and visual arts—all in a single evening. “We want to give prospective students a chance to see what the Visual and Performing Arts Department at De La Salle has to offer,” said Rebecca DeWeese, Department Chair, Visual and Performing Arts. “We felt like many students were not realizing what we have here until they were sophomores. For students interested in the arts, this ends up being too late and we want to get them started their freshman year. Also, many students might not even realize they would like the classes until they experience them.” When One Night Only was introduced at De La Salle in 2017, members of the Visual and Performing Arts Department utilized church pamphlets and word of mouth to let families know of the new opportunity. The result, less than 20 prospective students attended the evening’s
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activities. “One Night Only began with a small reach out to the community and the students in attendance were already interested in the arts,” said Meredith Barnidge, Director of Theatre Arts. “This past year, One Night Only became part of the admissions process as an option for all families interested in De La Salle to take a peek inside our art offerings.” In year two, when De La Salle included One Night Only as part of its admissions information, the number of participants grew significantly. There were more than 100 prospective students registered for the evening of October 24, 2018. “Our teachers take great pride in the One Night Only event,” said Justin Argenal, Associate Enrollment Officer. “We thought it was paramount that all people inquiring about our school get a chance to be there, so we included One Night Only in our admissions information. We offer programs for everyone, with all different interests. At the One Night Only event, people get a chance to see this firsthand.” While on campus, One Night Only participants go through three 20-minute rotations, one for visual arts, one for music, and one for theater. During the rotations, students are involved in discipline-specific activities designed to give
them a sense of what it would be like to be involved in the school’s VAPA program. Every student is exposed to all three areas, regardless of their specific interest. Activities are 100 percent hands on, and prospective students have the opportunity to ask questions and meet new friends. Parents of prospective students are also invited to attend the event and encouraged to ask questions about the arts programs, which can be difficult to do at a concert or theatre performance. De La Salle graduates speak to parents, sharing their experiences and how participating in the arts benefitted their lives. School administrators and teachers are also available to answer any questions about the VAPA program and overall school curriculum. “This collaboration helps begin the community building they will hopefully experience when they come to De La Salle,” DeWeese said. “It also allows us to showcase the art at our Open House in November, and the prospective students leave One Night Only as part of the De La Salle community.” Participants’ individual art creations are displayed by the De La Salle VAPA Department studio, as a sculpture displayed at Open House. After Open House, the individual art pieces are combined to create one collective piece of art. The first year One Night Only participants made a paper quilt square, focusing on rhythm and unity, inspired by the artist Libs Elliott. In year two, the creative experience explored the chemical reaction of rubbing alcohol and ink to create fluid pieces of art inspired by Jackson Pollock and Wassily Kandinsky. The individual quilt squares were merged together to create one larger quilt that was displayed in the Old Cafeteria, while the artwork from the 2018 One Night Only will be turned into a chandelier that will hang in
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the Student Services building stairwell. The De La Salle Visual and Performing Arts Department is a huge part of the school’s educational community, and One Night Only provides the opportunity to showcase the program’s significant role on campus. As the admissions process at De La Salle evolves, so will the exposure of the arts program at the school. DeWeese added, “We have a really strong program, largely in part to our fantastic teachers and newly renovated studios.” So what can the One Night Only experience at De La Salle bring to future Spartans? Only time will tell, but Ms. Meredith Barnidge believes, “young aspiring artists in the Bay Area can come to De La Salle and continue their growth in the arts as musicians, actors, graphic designers, sculptors, architects, and designers. In this world of instafind answers, creativity and innovation will be the true keys that open doors for students. Those skills are discovered in art.”
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H TEAC cease to Who dares to
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
De La Salle and Carondelet Partner on a New View for Professional Development Faculty Development Days...
What do they mean? Why are they vital to the school? What goes on behind the scenes?
The faculty leadership at both De La Salle and ight times per year, De La Salle faculty take part in Carondelet saw an opportunity to make the joint sessions Professional Development days. The meetings are a more inspiring. As a result, Dr. Heather Alumbaugh, Vice time for the faculty and staff to gather as a communiPresident for Academic Life (DLS), Dr. Elizabeth Berkes, ty and to discuss topics that impact the school and students. Director of Faculty Development (DLS), Dr. Elizabeth For example, the last professional day comprised of prayer Chaponot, Vice Principal for Academics and Educational breakfast, general faculty and staff business meeting, a Technology (CHS), and Jennifer Reinwald, Vice Principal presentation by the students of the Student Coalition on for Student Life (CHS), began brainstorming and devised a Respectful Education (SCORE) program, a retirement ‘big idea’. The group concluded, “Wouldn’t it be great if our committee presentation, and a meeting regarding High teachers could see what other School Placement Testing “It was wonderful that the teachers on teachers are doing in the completed the morning session. In both sides of the street were able to classrooms, and vice-versa?” the afternoon, every faculty see each other in a new way” Dr. Alumbaugh remembers, “The member participated in a peer challenge was creating a framework that models the very learning group or online professional development course. engagement, learning, and collaboration that we expect from Then, each of the departments convened for section specific our students as 21st Century Learners. Our goal was then to meetings to discuss topics in their own areas. create an apparatus where teachers could get an immersive In addition to the De La Salle Professional Days, once experience without having to spend a lot of time to get it.” each semester, the faculty from De La Salle and Carondelet A new view that by all means is not necessarily new, but High Schools also gathers for a joint professional day. something different, was to host the first ever joint innovaHistorically, many of these meetings were very granular and more transactional. They typically did not provide opportution conference. The two schools began working together to nities for learning or for further development of faculty develop the schedule for the sessions. The desire for someskills or resources. thing more brought administrators and faculty from both
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sides of the street together to develop a day that would foster innovative ideas and opportunities to enhance learning for our students. “After evaluating the earlier meetings, it was determined that what teachers really want is a way to share learning and teaching experiences from each other and learn about pioneering strategies that are being implemented in the classroom,” said Dr. Berkes. At the end of the day, the administrators from both schools knew that they were onto something. “Going to this new model really allowed a very valuable way to share experiences,” recalled Dr. Berkes. At the completion of the day, a survey was given to all attendees. Berkes was blown away by the results as nearly all of the participants felt that it was a valuable way to share experiences. “Ninety-five percent of the feedback was positive, which was very exciting.” The conference has ancillary benefits as well. “It was wonderful that the teachers on both sides of the street were able to see each other in a new way,” said Dr. Berkes. “Not only were the sessions enjoyable for the attendees, but they were also very exciting from the presenters’ side of things, as they were able to talk about something they are very passionate about.” Overall, 19 different presentations were offered and each faculty member was able to choose three to attend over the course of the day. When our faculty is excited about learning and utilizing innovative tools and strategies for teaching, our students feel the excitement and are the direct beneficiaries. Thank you, faculty and staff for your passion for teaching!
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Listed below is a sampling of the sessions offered by De La Salle Faculty: HyperDoc Your Lessons
Do you have a goal to lecture less and have more class time for group work, projects, and labs? A HyperDoc is a way to focus your students on the essential question of the unit, incorporate online activities, online research, and assessments in a self-paced and visually simple way.
The Math We Need for Science
Math is an integral part of science, yet many students enter science courses lacking important mathematical skills. Chemistry students may have no idea what a logarithm is. Biology students may cruise along using a microscope, only to find they need a calculator to multiply by 10 for the total magnification. Physics students may not be able to solve for mass because they don’t understand basic algebra when looking at the equation F=M*A. How can we collaborate to help our students succeed?
Six Degrees of Star Wars: The Use of Cultural Iconography to Deepen Thematic Purpose and Foster Relevancy
This workshop focuses on the use of pop culture, media, music, and cultural iconography as a means of enriching English curriculum and enlivening the student experience. The instructor will present material from various artistic, historical, and societal contexts to demonstrate how strategic curricular planning can generate stronger relevancy for the student and encourage inter-disciplinary engagement.
De La Salle Capstone
All De La Salle students complete a capstone project in their Senior Religious Studies class—either Spiritual Journey or Senior Synthesis. This project uses 21st Century Skills and asks students to systematically reflect on their academic and spiritual journey over their high school years.
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The Perfect Effort Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center
1 Mission. 1 Team. 1 Million
As of January 2019, our fundraising efforts reached a pivotal point for the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center – UNDER $1 MILLION TO GO! Together with 1 Mission as 1 Team, we will reach this $1 Million goal and make this new facility a reality for the 2019-2020 school year.
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onstruction continues! Crews have demolished the interior of the old cafeteria and the breezeway. A new roof has been placed on the facility. Thanks to a generous $500,000 Challenge Gift and the generosity of our community this past November and December, our fundraising efforts are on track to meet our $5,750,000 goal to see this facility through to completion. We are excited to announce that we have under $1 million left to raise and know that our community will rally behind our school and students to reach this goal. Every gift matters. Every gift gets us closer to the finish line.
Athletics: The Extension of the Classroom The De La Salle Athletic Program offers inherent educational components that include life-long skills—sportsmanship, teamwork, commitment and dedication, hard work, persistence, sacrifice, leadership, healthy competition, and how to win or lose with grace and dignity. It teaches young men the importance of Brotherhood and love. Students come to De La Salle for the comprehensive education the school provides: mind, body, and spirit. With 80% of our student population participating in our Athletic programs or health and wellness courses, De La Salle will rise to the challenge and provide space for these students to practice, compete, and learn. In addition, De La Salle students are encouraged to address physical fitness and wellness through opportunities available in health curriculum, intramural and interscholastic athletic programs, and interaction with athletic trainers.
Highlights of the new Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center: Modernized Weight and Training Center The new 5,000-square-foot weight room will allow for an increase in cardio and weight room equipment. Currently at just over 2,000-square feet, the original weight room was built to support 400 student-athletes. That number now stands at more than 800 student-athletes.
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Participate and Leave a Legacy at De La Salle
Celebrate your lifelong connection to De La Salle or honor a special family member by leaving a lasting legacy through one of our many naming opportunities for the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center. We are pleased to accept campaign pledges over three to five years.
Athletic Named Family Fund Gift Amount: $50,000
Hall of Fame Lobby and Reception Area The lobby will welcome fans to De La Salle High School. Images in the lobby will feature the storied history of Spartan Athletics, recognizing the many great accomplishments of individuals and teams. A new ticket booth, concession stand, video display, and renovated restrooms will also enhance the fan experience. The Hall of Fame Lobby will also serve as a gathering space for smaller group functions.
Large Flex Space/Team Room The new design will provide additional space for team meetings, visiting teams, as well as provide additional locker space for physical education classes and sports teams.
New Coaches Office and Conference Room A new work space for the head coaches will not only assist with the cohesiveness of the staff, but will also lead to better collaboration and shared knowledge between all of the sports. The conference room will allow for a private break out room when needed.
Be a part of our 1 Mission as 1 Team and help us reach our final $1 Million goal. Your support will see The Perfect Effort to completion as we welcome our students to the 2019-2020 school year!
Donors who pledge $50,000 or more may choose to establish an Athletic Named Family Fund. Athletic Named Family Funds provide you with the ability to support a student in need each school year based upon your interests. The school will in turn provide you with a wonderful opportunity to personally connect with a current student benefitting from your donation.
Weight Platforms Gift Amount: $25,000
Donors who pledge $25,000 or more can choose to have a plaque placed on an available Weight Platform.
Locker Room Bench Gift Amount: $15,000
Donors who pledge $15,000 or more can choose to have a plaque placed on a Locker Room Bench in the new locker room within the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center.
Donor Wall of Fame Gift Amount: $5,000
Gifts of $5,000 or more will be recognized through a donor listing to be displayed in the Hall of Fame Lobby.
Locker Gift Amounts: $2,000
Donors to the locker program will have a name plate with their inscription placed on a locker in the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center.
Hall of Fame Tile Gift Amount: $1,000
Donors to the Hall of Fame Tile program will receive an inscribed tile within the Hall of Fame Lobby in the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center. Tiles will have the ability to be personalized with a name and class year or with your own personal message.
Naming Opportunities are limited, so make your gift today!
Fill out the enclosed pledge envelope or contact Mark Chiarucci in the Advancement Office at (925) 288-8106 or email chiaruccim@dlshs.org for further details. SPRING 2019 UNION
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De La Salle High School and Bay Scholars:
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Partners in Mission, to Serve Students in Need
De La Salle High School is proud to announce its new partnership in mission with Bay Scholars, to serve and embrace students with varied academic needs and diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds.
ay Scholars promotes a life-altering experience connecting promising youth with transformative educational opportunities at Bay Area Catholic college prep high schools. Through financial and programmatic support, Bay Scholars makes it possible for promising low-income students across the Bay Area to have access to and flourish at successful college prep high schools. As the Western educational movement has recently focused on “cradle to career� development, high school can be viewed as the
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mid-point. Supporting students at this key time is crucial to their success in college and the workplace. In the 2018-2019 school year, Bay Scholars is supporting 425 students through scholarships, and they look to increase that number to over 500 by the 2019-2020 school year. Through the commitment of their sponsor, the Janet and Clint Reilly Family Foundation, and the outreach to donors who believe in their mission, Bay Scholars has awarded over $4 million in scholarships since its founding and plans to distribute over $1 million per school year moving forward.
De La Salle High School with its aligning mission, tradition, and successful implementation of educational programming for students from low-income families, was a sound fit for a new and promising partnership. Together De La Salle and Bay Scholars will open up a gateway to college and beyond for inner-city Bay Area students. “It was evident from our very first visit to De La Salle that this is a community Bay Scholars wants to partner with,” Bay Scholars Executive Director Caitlin Curran Kavanagh shares. “There is a natural alignment with Bay Scholars' focus on education equity and De La Salle's commitment to serving a diverse student population. We look forward to welcoming our inaugural class of Scholars in the fall.” Each incoming De La Salle, Bay Scholar recipient will receive a $14,000 scholarship paid over four years of high school ($3,500 per year). In addition to tuition assistance, the Bay Scholars team will work together with De La Salle faculty and staff to actively accompany its scholars from freshman through senior year, providing programming to make the ultimate goal of matriculating to a four-year university a reality. “We are hoping to serve an average of 10 Scholars per grade, per year at De La Salle,” says Mrs. Kavanagh. “By the 2022-2023 school year we hope to have about 40 or so Bay Scholars students at De La Salle.” Bay Scholars partners with 14 college prep high schools in five counties across the Bay Area, each of whom, within their unique community, is dedicated to holistically preparing
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students for four-year colleges and universities. Bay Scholars partner schools: Archbishop Riordan High School (San Francisco), Carondelet High School (Concord), De La Salle High School (Concord), ICA Cristo Rey (San Francisco), Junipero Serra High School (San Mateo), Mercy High School (San Francisco), Mercy High School (Burlingame), Moreau High School (Hayward), Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco), Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland), Salesian College Prep (Richmond), St. Francis High School (Mountain View), St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda), and St. Mary’s College High School (Berkeley) provide Bay Scholars with an education that prepares them for college and to flourish and fly while there. On average, Bay Scholars partnering schools have a 99% college enrollment rate and a 1% gap year rate. Each of Bay Scholars’ partner schools provides a necessary advantage; they have developed academic support structures and best practices that specifically address the needs of socio-economically disadvantaged communities. They provide the structure and community that keeps young people accountable and holds them close in positive ways. As Bay Scholars continues to grow, the heart of its mission remains focused on partnering with local college prep high schools to create pathways to colleges and universities for underserved and low-income students across the Bay Area. De La Salle High School is honored to share in this mission with Bay Scholars and looks forward to working together in the 2019-2020 school year. “Bay Scholars is excited to partner with the leadership team at De La Salle to establish our inaugural class of Scholars in the Fall. We know that the Bay Scholars students at De La Salle will both benefit from and contribute to the strength of De La Salle's community.” To learn more about Bay Scholars, visit www.bayscholars.org. SPRING 2019 UNION
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De La Salle Brothers
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The End of an Era, the Celebration
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edicated with love to the Christian Brothers who have served De La Salle High School with faith and zeal since the school’s founding in 1965. For the past 54 years, more than 100 Christian Brothers have inspired and impacted every member of the De La Salle community; students, faculty, staff, family, and friends alike. Most recently, Brother Lawrence Haley ’72, Brother Anthony Lenz, Brother Patrick Martin, Brother Michael Saggau, and Brother Robert Wickman whom have guided and educated the students at De La Salle. Their legacy will stay with our community for decades to come.
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Community:
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of Service to our Coummunity
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De La Salle 2017 - 2018 Fiscal Year
Annual Financial Report
De La Salle High School had a strong year fiscally, with operations finishing on budget and continued fundraising progress on the 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign for the STREAM Innovation Center and the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center.
Operating Income
Investment Income
Contributions & Net Fundraising
Other Income
Release of Restricted Income
Net Tuition & Fees 86%
Net Tuition and Fees $ 16,356,620 Contributions and Net Fundraising 834,692 Investment Income 248,025 Other Income 1,181,731 Release of Restricted Income 513,132 $ 19,134,132
Administration
Fundraising
Transfer to Operating Reserve
Instruction 76%
86% 4% 1% 6% 3%
100%
Gross Tuition and Financial Aid
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Operating Expenses
Instruction $ 14,590,555 Administration 3,283,604 Fundraising 1,065,121 Transfer to Operating Reserve 194,920 $ 19,134,200
76% 17% 6% 1%
100%
Tuition increased 4.5% to $19,380 for 2018-19. Our goal to keep Lasallian, Catholic education affordable is always at the top of our budget priorities, as is providing high quality programs and compensating our faculty and staff fairly in this expensive Bay Area economy. Financial aid has increased at a higher rate than tuition, another indicator of the high cost of living in our area. Enrollment was on target through 2018, and is near capacity for the 2018-19 school year. The 2019-20 Admissions season is looking very promising with approximately 400 very strong candidates for the freshman class. Our endowment has grown significantly since its 2005 inception, but growth was minimal in 2017-18 due to low market performance and scheduled endowment draw of $333,400, $280,000 of which funded financial aid.
De La Salle High School is counting on the generous support of all of our donors to keep improving De La Salle’s campus and to allow us to keep excellent, Lasallian, Catholic education affordable for our young men and their families. Thank you for your continued support! UNION SPRING 2019
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De La Salle Giving Day Success
n Tuesday, October 23, 2018, the school celebrat-
ed a day dedicated to giving and brotherhood— our very own De La Salle Giving Day. This day kicked of the year’s fundraising efforts in support of the Annual Fund benefiting all students. Alumni who are proud of their Spartan association, shared on social media how De La Salle impacted their lives, and why they feel it is so very important to give back to the
school that set them up for success. Current students also shared why De La Salle is so important to them and gave thanks to the many parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends who make their education possible. De La Salle was blessed to have three wonderful alumni step up with a challenge match to get giving rolling—J. Scott Roberts ’93, Tony Binswanger ’03, and Rick Koch ’73. With their wonderful matches, our community rallied and gave generously on De La Salle Giving Day—raising $89,391 from 369 alumni, parents, and friends of De La Salle! De La Salle is able to continue to make the gift of a Lasallian, Catholic education available to our students thanks to our community who make investing in the school and our young men a philanthropic priority on De La Salle Giving Day and throughout the year. Thank you for joining De La Salle in this effort!
De La Salle Jerseys and Jeans
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March 30, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.
Kenneth H. Hofmann Student Center at De La Salle, 1130 Winton Drive, Concord, CA
5:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception and Games 6:30 p.m. Dinner and Auction 9:00 p.m. Live Entertainment
Our 2019 Jerseys and Jeans...a De La Salle Tailgate, will continue the tradition of featuring the essentials for a great “fun”draiser!
The evening will feature: hosted cocktails and fun games, flavorful food, live and silent auctions, and the return of De La Salle Alumni Bray Gurnari '90 and Neon Velvet to close the evening with lively music and dancing. We have a lot in the works to ensure a fun and memorable time for all this year.
Proceeds from this event benefit co-curricular activities at De La Salle. Tickets are $100 per person and include dinner, drinks, and our live entertainment for the evening. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Visit www.dlshs.org/events for more information and tickets or contact Gina Longmire at (925) 288-8184 or longmireg@dlshs.org. SPRING 2019 UNION
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De La Salle 2019 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year:
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Rick Koch, Class of 1973
he De La Salle Alumni Association and the entire De La Salle community is proud to honor Rick Koch as our 2019 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year at our Senior Awards Presentation on Monday, May 20, 2019. Rick Koch, Spartan Class of 1973, is the owner of All City Fence Company in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from De La Salle, Rick attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, graduating with a degree in Business Administration. Rick then went on to spend 32 years in the Coin Operated Machine Industry in distribution, operations, and manufacturing. He worked for a division of both Bally Manufacturing and Crane before retiring from the industry in 2007. After retiring, Rick purchased All City Fence in 2008 and has been the owner ever since. All City Fence is proud to serve the local Washington communities of Seattle, Everett, and Tacoma and the business communities on the Eastside including Redmond, Bellevue, and Kirkland, with fences for protection, privacy, and ornamentation. De La Salle played such an important role in Rick’s life during his formative years, which is why he continues stay involved in school life and gives back through his philanthropy for almost 40 years. He enjoys seeing the young men grow and achieve beyond their dreams, as he did from humble beginnings. Rick flies to California regularly to join De La Salle for events and gatherings, where he can meet some of students who are beneficiaries of his generosity and stay informed of the latest happenings and initiatives at the school. During those trips though, he does not miss the opportunity to stay connected with his classmates; Louis Zocchi ’74, Dave Gerard ’74, Dan O’Malley ’74, Chuck Enea ’74, and Sal Aiello ’73! If Rick could provide our students with a pearl of wisdom to take with them throughout their time at De La Salle and beyond, he shares, “Learn the art of giving back to your fellow man with philanthropy. It’s better to go through life as a giver, and not a taker, regardless of your economic background.” A great piece of advice for our students and future leaders in the community.
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Your Nominations are Needed:
Each year De La Salle recognizes a Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for outstanding achievement in his vocation, in service to his community, and in service to De La Salle. We welcome your nominations for this award. Please tell us about a Spartan alumnus who has kept our core values of Faith, Integrity, and Scholarship at the center of his life, and who exemplifies the spirit of this school. For more information or to submit nominations for the De La Salle High School Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, please contact Lloyd Schine ’94, Director of Alumni Relations at schinel@dlshs.org or 925-288-8171.
A Glimpse into the Life of a De La Salle Alumnus and Devoted Lasalian
After attending the Brother John Johnston Institute of Contemporary Lasallian Practice, a two-year program for Brothers and Lasallian Partners who exercise mission influence and/or show potential for such in the future, and includes reading La Salle’s original writings and gaining a deeper understanding of the Founder’s story and vision; Scott Drain from the class of 1994, summed up his journey over the past 25 years.
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“This is who I want to be and this is what I want to do.” - Scott Drain ’94
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cott Drain, De La Salle’s Director of Student Support Services, has had an immeasurable impact on the young men at De La Salle since returning to his alma mater in 2005. As a counselor, Service Learning Coordinator, and as the moderator for SCORE (The Student Coalition on Respectful Education), Scott believes that La Salle’s original workings are still vital and valid in our society today. “To assent to intentionally put ourselves in service to those in poverty, and to do that as an intentional choice—not as an excess—and to choose that is a central part of who we are; I don’t think many other schools can say that. I love being able to say that as a Lasallian, we are here to support the young and the poor.” Scott, who first attended De La Salle in the fall of 1990, remembers his initial few months as being a little lonely, as he was one of only three that attended from his middle school, Pine Valley. It wasn’t until soccer season started when he ‘found his crew’. Still his closest friends to this day are classmates that he played soccer with that freshman year. He was also inspired by a number of teachers along the way. Early on, his favorite teacher was Rudy Shultz. “The energy walking into that classroom for the first time and his big personality; he was incredible. The funny part of the story was that I first met him when I was an altar server in grammar school, and at that time, he was a Jesuit priest. I knew him as Father Rudy, I didn’t know who Mr. Shultz was when I first walked into his classroom. He had a love of poetry and loved laughing every day. He was the first teacher that led me to my love for literature and thinking about books as something more than homework. Books can inspire you.” Other teachers had an important impact on him, as he shares, “I wanted to be a combination of Brother Jack Henderson ’80, Bob Zorad, and Anne Koch. It was pretty clear to me that education was going to be my passion. I was in the contact program, for students that were considering life in the Christian Brothers. I was getting very interested in my faith. I didn’t want to be a lone warrior, or parish priest, I wanted to be part of a community and involved with education, which drew me to the Brothers. My mom was also a teacher so it was in my blood.” Receiving the Loyalty and Service Award at graduation only helped to solidify his desire to serve at his alma mater. His Ven A Ver experience his senior year had an incredible impact on his life as well. “Looking back I see that this SPRING 2019 UNION
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experience changed the direction of my life. One morning for prayer, we had reviewed the words from Mother Theresa about finding Christ in the eyes of the poor before spending the day at Casa de los Pobres. I thought to myself ‘let me try this’ and I put myself in that mindset. That morning, a woman came around the corner to pick up a bag of food. We instantly connected, and it was one of those moments for me where I still get goose-bumps; I had never connected with someone on that level before. I loved the Mexican culture, and the people I was drawn to were along the border. Once I experienced Ven A Ver, I knew that the responsibility and the calling of that work was going to stay with me the rest of my life.” Scott attended Santa Clara after graduating from De La Salle and after finishing at SCU, he followed his passion and moved to El Paso to work in a shelter serving undocumented immigrants on the US/Mexico border. “After a year, I moved across the border and lived in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua in a community called Anapra; I was doing border awareness trips for high school and college students and adult groups. When I was in Mexico, I lived by myself, was living in a simple little house built of straw bale. I had pirated electricity and dirt floors. Despite the poverty in my community, I met the most amazing and influential people in my life. I felt as if I was truly living the mission of St. John Baptist de La Salle.” After a few years, he moved on to a position at the University of San Diego, working in the campus ministry department before his life took another turn in 2005. “My wife was taking a job in the Bay Area, and I thought, I’ll call up to De La Salle and see if there were any openings.” After speaking with Mary Ann Mattos, initially there was nothing open. The next morning, Lou Ascatigno ’74 emailed Scott back and informed him that Brother John Achen announced that he was leaving. “I called Mary Ann back immediately and said that I heard that there might be a change.” Scott
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ended up getting the job as a counselor and the coach of the freshman soccer team. Once at De La Salle, Scott immediately got involved in SCORE and led a Kairos retreat his first year without ever attending one. He remembers long-time counselor Mike Otterstedt always ‘getting on me’. Mr. Otterstedt told him, “you can’t take on 17 things,” but Scott wanted to be involved and loved getting to know the kids. “I loved it, and I still do to this day.” Over the years, he has also taught religion and an upper division service immersion class. In thinking about the students he has interacted with over the past 13 years, Scott has witnessed a change in the students that attend De La Salle. “I think it is much harder to be a teenager now than when I was a student here. They are on display 24 hours a day - their grades with their parents, their lives on social media, etc. Before that, if you did something wrong, you didn’t really need to worry about it being sent out to 500 people. It makes me sound a little old, but I respect the amount of struggle that kids have these days and the amount of temptation we didn’t have. This all compounds and has an impact on who they are, how they grow up, how they present themselves and think about their lives.” Scott also feels the pressures of attending college are very different. “I don’t even think we thought about where
we were going to college. We just were. There was no fear that we had to apply to 15 schools to hope to get into one of them.” In other ways, he sees students being very much the same. “They still get in fights with their parents or friends, they are frustrated because they don’t get enough playing time, or they are angry and don’t know how to express it. It is sort of universal, and that doesn’t change; that is where I think I can connect with it too. I do think that it helps being an alumnus of the school working in the counseling office and knowing what the culture is like on campus and understanding the area we live in.” In his time at De La Salle, what has given him much satisfaction is the work being done in SCORE. “I think the SCORE program has the ability to create real positive
change in the world. I don’t mean that flippantly, but when students who have gone off to college come back and mention readings and materials they were already exposed to in SCORE, or they were leaders of the conversations around equity and inclusion in their collegiate classrooms, that gives me a lot of joy. SCORE students are challenged to question their perspectives and grow more fully into the Lasallian core principles of respect for all people and inclusive community. It’s not easy and when they come back and tell me about discussions that they have been in and tried to navigate those in a new way, I am immensely proud of the men they have become.” Over the years, the SCORE program has created great traction and is now at a point where school leaders are starting to share it with other institutions. “A few years ago we realized it is pretty well established, we know what we are doing and it is time to share it. It was a good day when I
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presented the model to fellow Lasallian Educators at the National Huether Conference.” Scott is also a big believer in giving back to his alma mater and assists the Advancement Office in many ways. “If you work at a nonprofit, you need to be supportive of that entity. I have been blessed that I am the counselor for the Bishop Cummins Program, and have the opportunity to work with a diverse population of students. I see the opportunities that are created that wouldn’t have been possible if not for the donations the school receives. I see firsthand how those funds directly impact our students. This is not to sound preachy, but that is one of the reasons why I have been more involved with alumni and the Advancement Office. I want to help share the impact that all friends of De La Salle can make on the lives of our students. And in return, I want our students to understand that there is a responsibility in this…that they have to do this for each other.”
Staying in Touch: What’s Happening?
Robert Manning ’70: Robert received a degree from Occidental College in 1974. He then went on to earn a degree at the Universität des Saarlandes in 1978. Robert currently works at CJ Automotive AB.
Don DeRosa ’75: After De La Salle, Don attended Saint Mary’s College of California for his BS in Psychology and then went on to CSU Sacramento for a Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology and Chapman University for his PE/Health Credential. In 2002, Don was the Director of California PE Workshop. He also is a winner of the Genivie Dexter Award, and in 2018, he was the GSL Coach of the Year. Don’s oldest son joined the Army after high school, while his two younger sons played football in college. This year Don and his wife of 35 years are traveling to France and taking a tour for the 75th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. Currently, Don teaches PE and is the Head Football Coach at Natomas High School. He is also the Assistant Track & Field Coach there.
Michael DeBettencourt ’77: After De La Salle, Michael earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York in 1989. He earned a Master of Science from the University of Houston in 1991. Michael retired from the United States Coast Guard in 1997 as a Lieutenant Commander. Michael most recently retired from AECOM as Vice President for Safety Health and Environment in 2019. Michael has three children and two grandchildren.
Michael Maxfield ’78: Michael finished a communication program at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga after De La Salle. He currently works in Tech Data and Goods in Slotter.
Greg Mellema ’81: Greg attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University after De La Salle. He then continued on to earn his Ph.D. in Aviation in 2018 at Embry-Riddle University. After 10 years, he left his position with the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center to take a post as an Assistant Professor at Embry-Riddle in Prescott, AZ.
Michael McGrath ’89: Michael earned his Eagle Scout designation from the Boy Scouts of America in 1989. He earned his (AA) degree from Diablo Valley College after De La Salle. He then went on to earn a degree from UC Davis in Design (Interior Architecture, Graphics) in 1994. Michael currently is an Account Executive for MadeToOrder. Over the past 16 years, he has sourced and sold lots of cool De La Salle swag, including awards, name badges, umbrellas, poker chips, bags, magnets, bumper stickers, bottle openers, caps, and polo shirts...all MadeToOrder!
Casey Rhodes '89: Casey recently took a trip with his two boys, Cade and Cody, to visit his brother Jack Rhodes '98, in New Orleans. They enjoyed a day on an air-boat learning about alligators as well as SPRING 2019 UNION
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alumni news
catching the Alabama/LSU game in Baton Rouge. Casey and his wife Kristi live in Diablo with their three children Kylie (15), Cade (14), and Cody (12). Casey is the Founding Principal of The ABD Team, an insurance brokerage firm.
Jim Bowes ’90: Jim received a degree from University of California, Berkeley in 1994. He is currently a partner at Accenture. Jim is married to Teresa Peinado (Carondelet Class of 1990). They have five daughters, and the oldest two are Carondelet freshmen.
Jeffrey Andal ’91: Jeffrey earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of San Diego in 1995. He earned his Masters in Public Health in 1998 from Boston University and went on to Far Eastern University to obtain his Medical Doctor Degree in 2002. Jeffrey works for the Permanente Medical Group where he is a Hospital Based Physician, and Assistant Chief of Hospital Based Medicine. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Jason Alexander ’94: Jason is a Division Order Analyst in Houston, TX. He has been married eight years to his wife Amanda. They have a little girl, Emily Grace, who just turned eight and is in second grade.
Mike Fullmore ’94: After college, Mike got a job at National Semiconductor. There he met Ann-Marie Lerone and they married in 2003. Mike moved into an engineering position at Salesforce.com while Ann-Marie earned her Master's degree. In 2006, they welcomed their son Parker, followed by a daughter Payton, two years later. Mike started a position at Facebook and Ann-Marie is a stay at home mom. In 2015, Mike joined Pinterest. Mike enjoys mountain bike riding in his spare time while Ann-Marie loves tap dancing. As the kids grew, so did their interest in performing. Parker began dancing at a very early age and started dancing competitively by age six. Payton loves art, baking and gymnastics. She competed for the LA School of Gymnastics last year and starred alongside her brother in commercials for Mattel, Magic Jump and even one production of Billy Elliot. The Fullmore family currently lives in San Jose and loves to travel, play games together, and attend theatrical productions.
Brett Anderson ’97: We have a new Spartanette! Brett and Delise Anderson welcomed another daughter to their family! Charlotte Grace was born this past September and was 8 lbs., 6 ounces. The picture featured is Charlotte with big sister Emma, whose face expresses her feelings about being a big sister.
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UNION SPRING 2019
Anthony Kinyon ’97: Anthony currently works at Cenlar Federal Savings Bank as a Senior PC/LAN Technician. He is also currently attending Paradise Valley Community College, in Phoenix, AZ, where he began in fall 2017. He also took classes at Glendale Community College in spring 2018 in Glendale, AZ. Anthony is a 4th Degree, Sir Knight for the Knights of Columbus. Anthony attended De La Salle his freshman year. He loved the school and faculty. He then moved away due to his father's employment changing. He later graduated from Chandler High School in Chandler, AZ with the class of 1997. He attended De La Salle in 1993 and wants to stay connected with his classmates.
Jerrid Vannelli ’97: Jerrid attended the University of Phoenix after De La Salle. He holds the professional designation of Certified Public Manager (CPM). He currently works at Woodmont Real Estate Services as Vice President of Multifamily Operations. Jerrid’s first born son graduated from De La Salle in 2018 and now attends Texas Christian University.
Chris Muyo ’06: Chris graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 2010. He then went on to earn a Master of Education from Providence College in 2012. In 2015, Chris earned a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University. Chris is currently the Chief Financial Officer for the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center.
Kenneth Egu ’10: Ken Egu, De La Salle alumnus and an African American immigrant to the United States, reflects on racism through the lens of the Trump presidency and the actions of Colin Kaepernick through his new short animated film “Land of the Free?” The animated short film was produced by 13 student directors in USC’s Documentary Animation Production class in 2018. The film received a number of special nominations and awards.
Amiel Capinpin ’13: Amiel graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Visual Arts-Media; Video & Digital Cinema and a minor in Visual Arts; Studio in 2017. Amiel received a Special Congressional Recognition for a term served as an Americorps LISC Member. Amiel currently works at Outside the Lens as a Media Educator.
Daniel O'Connell ’18: Daniel graduated from De La Salle in 2018. He is currently attending University of California, Berkeley, where he is a Division 1 swimming athlete for Cal.
What’s Happening? Send your news and photos to Lloyd Schine III ’94, Director of Alumni Relations, at SchineL@dlshs.org. — Log on at www.dlshs.org/alumni.
In Memoriam
alumni news
May they rest in peace…with God forever.
Clinton Riggs
August 8, 1975 – January 12, 2019
For 14 years, our friend and fellow colleague Clinton Riggs served in our community behind the scenes in our
Information Technology Department. Our thoughts and
prayers are with his family and our IT Department as he will be greatly missed.
Bruce Bode father of Brent Bode '09 Betty Bowen mother of former faculty member Thomas Bowen and grandmother of Daniel J. Bowen '13 Robert D. Byrne '00 Cecilia Colon grandmother of faculty member Larry Colon Otto Edor grandfather of Kyle Johnson '09 and Jake Butler '16 Angelyn Fahey grandmother of William D. Birka-White ‘16 Jean Fitzsimmons mother of Donald J. Fitzsimmons '71 Alice Fottrell mother of Michael Fottrell '83 and Sean Fottrell '85 Paula Frumenti mother of Armand Frumenti '78, Joseph Frumenti '79, and Christopher Frumenti '82 Andy Gaglione '90 brother of Joseph Gaglione '87 Harold Gillette father of staff member Keith Gilette and grandfather of Marshall Gillette '19 Penelope Rose grandmother of Thomas Grant '87 Robert W. Gray grandfather of Stephen A. Llevano '08
Thomas Hardey father of Ian Hardey '03 Roger Harless father of Martin Harless '04 Amanda Cecil Hawkins mother of Joseph Hawkins '78 Dolores Herigstad grandmother of Michael Marcotte '13 Ronald Karpowicz former De La Salle chemistry teacher Raymond Lambert father of Alan Lambert ’69 and Douglas Lambert ‘70 James Lauer grandfather of Daniel J. Costanza ’06, Nicholas M. Costanza ’08, Christopher S. Costanza ’11, and Brady S. Lauer ‘17 Arnold Lund father of Arne Lund '76 Jeanne Majesky mother of Mark W. Majesky '72 Rita McCabe mother of faculty member Mary Hassett and grandmother of Dominic Hassett '11 and Daniel Hassett '16 Marvin James McKean grandfather of Jensen M. McKean '08 Orval Millett father of Timothy Millette '77 Michelle Paonessa mother of Sampson Paonessa '20 and Vincent Paonessa '22 Virginia Marie Rarig mother of Stephen Rarig '69
Jimmie Reno grandfather of Christopher Fornaci '12 Clinton Riggs De La Salle High School Senior Systems Administrator, Technology Department Joan Roemer grandmother of Kyle P. Roemer '04 and Paul J. Roemer '06 Catherine Ryan mother of John D. Ryan ’91 and Laurence F. Ryan ‘86 Kathryn Shields mother of Jason Shields '95 Owen Shively father of faculty member Spencer Shively Joseph H. Siino M.D. father of Gregory M. Siino '82 Joseph Spinola father of Joseph R. Spinola '06 Ed Stokes grandfather of Daniel K. Collier '00 John (Jack) Ryan Walsh father of John R. Walsh ’84, Michael A. Walsh ’86, Kevin M. Walsh ’90, and Brendan R. Walsh ‘93 Eugene Henry Whittle father of Brian Whittle '82 Patricia Wiesner mother of Mark Wiesner '81 and David Wiesner '85 Lucille Willett grandmother of Wade H. Willet ‘17 SPRING 2019 UNION
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alumni news
De La Salle and Carondelet Fall Reunions
We had a very busy reunion season this past fall. Over 400 De La Salle and Carondelet alumni and guests came back to celebrate with their classmates, while also reconnecting with our schools. In addition to class reunions, we also held athletic reunions with a variety of sports welcoming alumni back to campus, either in competition between alumni and varsity players or joining in pre-game events. Planning is under way for this year’s reunions and we wanted to keep you in the loop! Besides a number of athletic reunions being scheduled; including volleyball, swimming, and baseball, we are also beginning the planning process for joint class reunions with Carondelet this summer and fall.
CLASS 1973
CLASS 1978
CLASS 1983
CLASS 2013
TENNIS Save the Dates:
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HOCKEY Class of 2009 Reunion (10 years): Saturday, July 27 • Sauced, Walnut Creek Class of 1993 and 1994 Reunion (25 years): Saturday, August 3 • Blackhawk Museum, Danville Class of 1999 Reunion (20 years): Saturday, August 10 • Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Class of 1989 Reunion (30 years): Saturday, October 5 • Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Class of 1979 Reunion (40 years): Saturday, October 5 • Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Class of 1974 Reunion (45 years): Saturday, October 5• Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Class of 2014 Reunion (5 years): Saturday, November 30 • Skipolini’s, Walnut Creek
Visit www.dlshs.org for more information or contact Director of Alumni Relations, Lloyd Schine '94 at (925) 288-8171 or schineL@dlshs.org if you are interested in helping plan your reunion or you would like to reach out to classmates. UNION SPRING 2019
Brother Maris Is May 13, 2019: Come Join the Fun
alumni news
The 34th Annual Brother Maris Golf Tournament sold out and raised more than $45,000 in support dedicated for De La Salle student financial aid last year. Special thanks to Anthony Viscia ’90 and Pacific Funding Group for their title sponsorship and numerous years of support, making this event a success. The 35th Annual Brother Maris Golf Tournament, hosted by the De La Salle Alumni Association, will take place on Monday, May 13, 2019 at Round Hill Country Club in Alamo. This event honors Brother Maris Spillane, FSC, a teacher and golf coach in De La Salle’s early years, and will feature a shotgun start, great contests, and special hole-in-one prizes. The fun will include tee prizes, refreshments, lunch, and end-of-day cocktail reception with a raffle and silent auction. Join us in helping to raise funds to support our Spartans of the future. For information or if you are interested in getting involved or sponsoring, please call Lloyd Schine ’94 at 925-288-8171 or email schineL@dlshs.org.
SPRING 2019 UNION
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1130 Winton Drive Concord, California 94518
DE LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
The Perfect Effort Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center
DAT ES TO REMEMB ER Saturday, March 30 Sunday, April 7 Monday, May 13 Friday, May 24 Saturday, May 25 Sunday, May 26 Saturday, July 27 Saturday, August 3 Saturday, August 10 Saturday, October 5 Saturday, October 5 Saturday, October 5 Saturday, November 30
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2019
Spring Auction “Jerseys and Jeans” Dads and Grads Brother Maris Golf Tournament Baccalaureate Mass and Reception Class of 1969 Reunion (50 Years) Graduation of Class of 2019 Class of 2009 Reunion (10 years) Class of 1993 and 1994 Reunion (25 years) Class of 1999 Reunion (20 years) Class of 1989 Reunion (30 years) Class of 1979 Reunion (40 years) Class of 1974 Reunion (45 years) Class of 2014 Reunion (5 years)
De La Salle Campus De La Salle Campus Round Hill Country Club De La Salle Campus De La Salle Campus De La Salle Campus Sauced, Walnut Creek Blackhawk Auto Museum, Danville Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Scott’s Seafood, Walnut Creek Skipolini’s, Walnut Creek
2019