ParentNewsletter The La Salle
FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CALIFORNIA • FEBRUARY 2016
Principal Ideas Learn•Serve•Lead
The month of January has come and gone already. I have an inkling that this upcoming month of February will disappear just as fast. I wish to thank the parents who were able to be present at Backto-School Night on January 12 as teachers outlined their academic expectations and requirements. I also want to thank the parents of our seniors for meeting with Mrs. Jenné Hakanen (Graduation Coordinator) who was able to cover all of the important information regarding the approaching graduation activities for the Class of 2016. Later this semester, I will be sending a follow-up letter to all parents of seniors that will include updates and forms regarding the various graduation events that were spoken about at the senior parent meeting. I am also grateful that Ms. Kate Williams (Senior Class Moderator) was present to speak about the prom and grad night trip.
Honors Assembly On January 26, we held our Honors Assembly in which we acknowledged outstanding academic success for the past semester. This is a wonderful event with students where we celebrate their outstanding achievement in academic work! With 421 students meriting Honor Roll status, it is a tribute to them for the importance they place on taking care of their academic responsibilities. Well done!
The Challenge of Stress In my closing remarks to the student body at the Honors Assembly, I briefly spoke about the everyday challenge of stress. Stress is part of our life and we need to manage it. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burdens become increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on. The longer I hold my burdens, the heavier they become. One of the best ways to manage stress is by learning to let go and to lay our burdens down. We have to learn to put them down for a while and rest with them. When we are refreshed, we can carry on with the burdens holding stress longer and better each time. I concluded by saying that Smokey Bear says, “Only you can prevent forest fires!” Brother Christopher says, “Only you can manage your stress!” Continued on page 2
More About The De La Salle Christian Brothers John Baptist de La Salle was one of the great practical pioneers of education for ordinary people. During the latter part of the 1600s, he completely changed the education system by teaching the poor and working-class in their own language, (rather than Latin), grouped students according to ability and achievement, integrated religious instruction with secular subjects and involved parents in the education of their children.
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Principal Ideas Continued from page 1
As the month of February begins, it traditionally means that our cold and flu season is here. So far we have escaped it. When it comes knocking at your door, we ask you to keep your son/daughter at home if they are exhibiting any symptoms associated with a cold or the flu. While many students try to “grin-n-bear it,” the best place to battle the flu is in the privacy of your warm home and not on a school campus. Additionally, we will be most grateful that they won’t pass those unfriendly germs to the rest of us. Thanks for your understanding.
Updates Please PLEASE UPDATE YOUR PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES
With the second semester clearly underway, it is appropriate to remind you to please notify our Registrar, Mrs. Kathy Medlock, if you have a change in home address, home or emergency phone number or email addresses. You can contact her at 626.696.4309 or at kmedlock@lasallehs.org. In particular, it appears that email addresses are often changed without notification being given to us. As you know, one of the ways we communicate with you is through our automated (SchoolMessenger) phone and email communication system. For this important system to function efficiently, we must have your accurate and updated information.
Catholic Schools Week This Sunday, January 31, marks the beginning of National Catholic Schools Week, which is an annual celebration in this country. As a Catholic school in the Lasallian tradition, we are rightfully proud of our role in developing men and women of faith who will be contributing members of society because of their intellectual development. During this week at La Salle, our students (by class level) will be given various choices and opportunities to serve others. In collaboration with eight different service organizations, we will continue to instill in our students the importance and duty of helping others.
WCES/WASC Accreditation At the end of February and the very beginning of March we will be involved in our accreditation visit with the Western Catholic Educational Association(WCEA) and the Western Association of School and Colleges(WASC). In mid-January, we presented them with our written report which is the result of 16 months of work. The four day visit of five professional educators will involve meetings and discussions wherein they are invited to affirm our findings and proposed Action Plan. While the process has been time consuming, it clearly was a concerted effort on the part of many, many individuals to strategically plan for our growth and improvement. I am proud of what we accomplished together! With the month of February upon us, Ash Wednesday is just a few days off with the beginning of Lent and Valentine's Day follows on February 14. May Valentine’s Day bring you a favorite memory and the good fortune to be able to share your love with many.
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Brother Christopher Brady, FSC Principal
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From the Parent Association
Let us Remember... “Let us remember, we are in the holy presence of God.” At La Salle High School, our children start every school day with this phrase. It is the way parents and volunteers start every meeting, and when our community gathers, it is the way we begin every event. We remind ourselves that God is present with us always, and that the work we do, is in His name. These words, whether you are religious or not, are also a call to put life’s other cares and worries away for a time, be at one with your surroundings and focus completely on the purpose with which you are tasked. For our students it’s an exhortation to stop thinking about text messages or tomorrow’s test. For us as parents, it’s a reminder to set aside myriad distractions, and be present in the moment. Challenging, certainly, but to quote another, more temporal figure, Ferris Bueller, ”Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” As a senior, our daughter Emily is touching the heart of the Lasallian tradition. Her religion class offers, once a cycle, a community service opportunity at a grammar school, a retirement home, or working with special needs adults. This is not an extra-curricular activity; this is the curriculum. Every senior offers time and talents to the community. They become the presence of God and represent their high school in the wider world. Parent Association Meeting In the headlong rush to “Study! Compete! Apply! Repeat!” This service experience has been an incredible gift, allowing her to stop, reflect, February 9, 2016 and, most of all, give thanks for her life. We are thankful for the positive 6:30pm future that we see before her.
Blakeslee Library
As I reflect on my own high school days, I recall with gratitude that “added grace” a Catholic education brought me. I am the person I am now because of those deep and moving moments: the prayers held before theatre performances, a particularly moving experience with confession at retreat, Sunday evening student masses, and the presence of inspiring nuns and priests in those formative years. I’m not sure how much I remember about the Russian Revolution or “Moby Dick,” but I am a ball of mush when I hear church music that brings me back to those four years. I am grateful that Emily is also able to experience that added grace at La Salle. We are all blessed to be members of the La Salle community, which shows us the many ways that God is present in all we do. The school year has passed the half way mark and I want to make sure I acknowledge those who chaired the fall’s Parent Association activities. Many thanks to Christine Marez, New Parent Orientation; Kristina Speakman, Adopt a Family; Josie Beringer and Emma Ayala, Lancer PALS; Angela Bohanec and Ariana Lingenfelser, Faculty Appreciation Day; Angela Beddawi and Esmeralda Garcia, Faculty Staff Christmas Gifts; and Lisa Rico, Laura Vargas, Diane Cina and Jacky Samartin for our fabulous Crystal Ball Gift Gathering Parties.
Thank you to Parent Association chairs whose jobs run all year: Ellen Radle and Suzy Rettig, Remember Continued on page 6
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La Salle Matters EDUCATION IS MEANT TO MAKE YOU THINK
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I have to admit it never occurred to me that I would agree with pundit, George Will, on anything; but a column he authored just before Christmas (I read him, I just don’t agree with him) caused me to take a second look. Will’s column focused on the current hot-button issue raging across college and university campuses: whether to define (or not) the limits of free speech. In it he applauded the leadership of Purdue University for its efforts to receive the top ranking from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) which opposes campus restrictions on speech. This is a particularly thorny issue, in part, because understandable concerns about how to handle hate speech in the Academy have evolved to include “microagressions” (conversational messages that - intentionally or not - denigrate a member of a minority group) and “trigger warnings” (alerting students that an upcoming classroom discussion topic could “trigger” in them painful memories of previously experienced trauma). In support of his frustration with this galloping trend, Will cites Emerita University of Chicago President Hanna Holburn Gray, who summarized the “Chicago Principle” (supporting free speech on campus) this way: “Education should not be intended to make people comfortable, it is meant to make them think.” What caused me to give Will’s column a second look was his reference to an amazing turn of events that took place on Yale’s campus last Halloween. Erika Christakis and her husband, Nicholas, are faculty members and “Masters” of one of Yale’s residential colleges. In response to some student concerns regarding a series of instructions by Yale’s Intercultural Affairs Committee encouraging students to be culturally sensitive in their selection of Halloween costumes (think Prince Harry and the swastika debacle), Christakis sent an email to her students encouraging them to question the rationale for these instructions - largely along the lines of this notion: shouldn’t college-age students be allowed to make their own mistakes? The final sentence of her email summarized her position:
“Whose business is it to control the forms of costumes of young1 people? It’s not mine, I know that.” That rather innocuous statement set off a fire-storm of protest by students who were outraged at Christakis’ “insensitivity” to their felt victimization at the hands of “oppressive” attitudes seemingly prevalent throughout the University Now, if you have hung in with me this long, I want to assure you that this isn’t an academic version of “inside baseball.” What alarmed me - and what caused me to agree with George Will - was what happened next. In an attempt to mediate the firestorm of protest, Christakis’ husband - and coMaster - Nicholas, a tenured Sociologist and Physician, voluntarily met with concerned students on a nearby quad. It should not be surprising that, given the emotionally charged atmosphere, nothing Dr. Christakis said was going to make a dent in the students’ anger (ignoring whether their anger was, in fact,
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righteous). What was surprising - indeed astonishing - was the debased quality of their interaction with him. (Check out this link for a brief view of the outrageous interchange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsgc0k594Js). (See above, Christakis in blue). I will just quote a few statements made by one student - who persistently shouted at Professor Christakis throughout her interaction with him:
“Be quiet! … “Why the f… did you accept the position”… “It is not about creating an intellectual space here” … “You are disgusting.” After which, she stormed off, leaving the professor without an opportunity to respond…a professor with quite a pedigree - here is a snippet of his Yale Curriculum Vitae:
Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, is co-author of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, which has been translated into nearly 20 foreign languages. He is a sociologist and physician who conducts research in the area of biosocial science, investigating the biological predicates and consequences of social phenomena. He directs the Human Nature Lab at Yale University, where he is appointed as the Sol Goldman Family La Salle Matters Continued on page 6
3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, California 91107-1996 • Telephone 626.351.8951 Facsimile 626.351.0275 www.lasallehs.org • The La Salle ParentNewsletter is published monthly except January and July by La Salle High School of Pasadena, Incorporated
© 2016
• Editor, Designer John Blackstock ’67 Director of Communications Telephone: 626.696.4316 • email: jblackstock @ lasallehs . org
Transforming Lives Since 1680
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La Salle Matters Continued from page 5
Professor of Social and Natural Science, and he is the Co-Director of the Yale Institute for Network Science. WE ANCHOR INTELLECTUAL DEBATES IN LASALLIAN VALUES
So - here’s my issue - assuming that these students (and the one quoted here) have a righteous complaint how did it come to pass that young people eligible to vote, intellectually gifted college students, individuals attending one of the most elite universities in the United States - found it acceptable to shout, curse and disrespect an accomplished, renowned professor who took the time to engage in a conversation about their concerns regarding an email sent by his wife? As I watched the video of this young woman shouting at Professor Christakis, I wondered what her parents’ reaction was (the video went viral, so I assume they saw it). I know what my parents’ reaction would have been - get on the next plane home - we’re not paying tuition for you to allow people to think we didn’t raise you to speak respectfully to your elders. I worry about trends like this playing out at colleges and universities across the nation (University of Missouri, Wesleyan, University of Illinois, Claremont McKenna College and the University of Michigan, to name a few) which lead to shouting matches, self-censorship and forced resignations - and here’s why - because we here at La Salle devote a great deal of time and energy shaping an intellectual environment in which students not only feel safe to articulate opposing, controversial and even unpopular positions, but - as importantly - to do so with respect for those engaged in the conversation, regardless of their placement on the ideological spectrum. I don’t know where this trend of anger-fueled political discourse will take the Academy, but I do know this: we expect our students - and our graduates - to anchor their intellectual debates in the Lasallian values of respect for the individual and a commitment to nurturing a community atmosphere in which no one has the right to shout at another simply because they disagree. In support of that principle, George Will and I are on the same page.
Richard Gray, Ph.D President
Remember
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Crystal Ball; Michele Hardy and Beckie Holmes, No-Cost Fundraiser; Kavita Stanek and Geri Payne, Service Hours Coordinators; Angela Beddawi, PA Pantry; Cherry Agapito, PA Hospitality; and of course our PA Officers - Jacky Samartin, Vice President; Karen Yuen, Treasurer; and Connie Mimura, Secretary. Please be sure to join us for the next Parent Association meeting, Tuesday, February 9, at 6:30 pm. La Salle Arts will be highlighted as our feature presentation.
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Marianne K. Wright P'16 President, Parent Association
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A FUN NIGHT to Support La Salle
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College Scholarship SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL JUNIORS
Class of 2017 Application and Information www.lancernetwork.com/AlumniScholar All members of the Class of 2017 are invited to apply for the Alumni College Scholarship sponsored by the La Salle High School Alumni Association. Application deadline is:
Wednesday, February 17 at 5:00pm Questions about the Alumni Scholarship should be directed to the Alumni Office at 626.696.4362 or alumni@lasallehs.org.
Attendance Hotline 626.696.4406
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A parent or guardian must call before 8:00am the day of the absence to notify the School if a student will be absent or tardy, or if the student needs to leave school early for an appointment. Please state student's name, date, time, and reason for the absence. On return to School, the student must stop by the reception desk prior to 8:00am with a note from the parents or guardians stating the reason for the absence. Notification of any planned absences, (college visits, etc.), must be in writing prior to the absence, given to the attendance office and approved by Mr. Brandon Birr, Dean of Students.
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The Crystal Ball Needs Baskets! Are you not sure what to do with that empty gift basket you
received this holiday season? The Crystal Ball Committee would like to help you put those empty baskets to good use. We need medium to large baskets for our auction. You can drop them off to Irene Santucci in the Institutional Advancement Office. We hope to see you at the 17th Annual Crystal Ball, to be held Friday, May 6, 2016.
Be sure to save the date!
Programs that are free to you earn money for La Salle and earn you a service hour! If you shop through Amazon you could be making money for La Salle at NO COST TO YOU. Go to: smile.amazon.com and register to support La Salle. After registering, shop at smile.amazon, instead of Amazon and every purchase will benefit La Salle! And don’t forget to register your Ralphs grocery card in support of La Salle as well. There is always grocery shopping and with Easter Vacation on the horizon, there is sure to be more grocery shopping! The program restarted in September, so please sign-up or re-register. Go to the La Salle website under Support LSHS, “No Cost Fundraisers” for more details.
Thank you so much for your support!
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From the Athletic Boosters
New Beginnings in 2016 The New Year begins with the passing of the Booster torch. As the new Athletic Booster President, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve La Salle and am excited to play a bigger part in our athletics program. I have been involved at La Salle since my oldest daughter Alexandra attended from 2010-14 and played JV and Varsity Soccer. My youngest, Isabella (Bella) Marez is currently a sophomore and on the Varsity Softball team. Athletics has always been a passion in my family and as Booster President I am committed to enhance the over-all athletic experience for our student-athletes and their families who participate in over 20 sports programs here at La Salle. PLEASE SUPPORT WINTER ATHLETICS
Former Booster President, John Cina will thankfully, continue his service as Booster Vice President, along with Brent Schoenbaum, Treasurer, and our new Booster Secretary, Debbie Stone. We are looking for people who want to be more involved in La Salle Boosters and fill committee chair positions for merchandising and other committees. The Boosters support La Salle Athletics by providing financial support to teams and organizing volunteers to manage sports operations such as snack bars, ticket sales, merchandise sales, and the publishing of media guides. One of the first actions by the Athletic Booster Board in New Year is the approval of funds to support our Cheer Team’s trip to the Nationals. Good luck to our cheerleaders and their coaches who work extremely hard! La Salle has also hired several new coaches and coaching staff in 2015-16. Our new head Basketball Coach, Mike Lynch, has led our Boys Varsity Basketball team to an impressive second place in league standings early in the season. La Salle recently hired a new softball coach, Randy Kirker, who has started working with our players through daily practices and conditioning to get ready for the 2016 softball season opener in the San Dimas Tournament. Our new baseball coach, Mike Parisi, has the pre-season well in hand winning our exhibition game against Pasadena High School. Our other winter sports teams, Girls Basketball, Water Polo, and Soccer, have all started their seasons well. I encourage parents and students to attend our winter sports team games and enthusiastically spread that Lancer Spirit!
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I want to thank Dr. Gray, Brother Christopher, Anthony Harris, Athletic Director and Associate Athletic Directors, Russell Gordon and Shari Baugh, my fellow board members, and many others for their help and support as I transition into this new role. The Athletic Boosters have many exciting plans so stay tuned for more information. Please do not hesitate to contact me for more informa-
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Lancer Softball Signs New Head Coach Randy Kirker has joined the Lancer coaching staff as the new varsity softball head coach. Randy began his coaching career working with his daughter Baillie for five years in recreation softball and then six years in competitive travel ball (American Pastime). During those five years, Randy's team went to Nationals every year where they finished 4th, 7th, 19th, and 25th twice. Coach Kirker’s daughter went on to a stellar high school career where she graduated with the all-time career CIF home run record, all-time CIF RBI leader, tied for 1st in home runs in a season and 4th all-time in runs scored. Baillie went on to play for the University of Arizona Wildcats where she played in the 2010 World Series Final against UCLA.
FOLLOW LANCER Athletics ON TWITTER
Coach Kirker has spent the last seven years coaching softball at La Canada High School (two years varsity, five years freshman). His main focus the last 5 year was to develop the freshman to become varsity ready. Coach Kirker was a part of the La Canada staff that won two CIF Championships in his seven year tenure at La Canada High. Coach Kirker is also currently coaching the 16 and under team for Hey Bucket.
New Beginnings Continued from page 10
tion on open committee positions or any other any matters at christinemarez@me.com. The Athletic Booster meetings are held every month in the Band Room immediately following the Parent Association meeting Here’s to a prosperous and successful new year! Respectfully,
Christine Marez Athletic Boosters President P'14,'18
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From the College Counseling Center
College Center News
By Owen Hou ’90 and Tina Bonacci '94, College Counselors
Seniors – Class of 2016 Transcripts with first semester senior grades were submitted to colleges on the Common Application at the end of January. Other colleges may contact students requesting their 1st semester senior grades. If so, please contact your college counselor or our registrar, Mrs. Medlock and we will send your transcripts as requested. SEE DATES TO SEND SAT AND ACT SCORES TO COLLEGES
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Students: Please update Naviance – My Colleges with your application decisions. Parents: For those of you who will be applying for financial aid, you must send in the FAFSA as soon as possible. FAFSA worksheets are available in the College Center or you can download it at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Also, many of you have had questions regarding filling out the GPA verification form for the Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) program. La Salle will be submitting GPAs electronically for the entire senior class. In order to do so, seniors will have to first verify their Social Security Numbers. Since we are submitting GPAs electronically, please disregard the GPA Verification form. To be eligible for the Cal Grant, students MUST submit the FAFSA. If you and your student are interested in applying for private scholarships, this is the time to do so. Numerous private organizations (Elks, Kiwanis, Rotary, etc.) and companies (Target, Wal-Mart, JC Penney, Edison, Best Buy, etc.) offer scholarships. Some send applications to the college counseling office. Information on scholarships can be found on Naviance under ‘Scholarship List.’ Many more can be found at www.fastweb.com and other scholarship websites. Check out the ‘Money for College’ link on Naviance.
Please note that there are plenty of scholarship scams out there. Beware of having to pay any money to qualify for a scholarship.
Juniors - Class of 2017 Some Junior students have completed their Planning for College Survey (for Juniors) on Naviance and have scheduled an appointment to meet with their College Counselor. Those who have not, please take a few moments to complete the Junior. Survey as soon as possible. Ms. Bonacci and Mr. Hou want to make sure they meet with a large majority of Juniors before Spring Break. Juniors will be given an “Initial College Planning Meeting” form at the end of their individual meeting. Students are then asked to share the form with their parents as it will have notes regarding the college admissions process. The College Counselor will then post colleges on the student’s Naviance account to research. Students should research the list of colleges using the web (check out Naviance ‘Resources’ for a list of websites), college guide books (i.e. Fiske Guide to Colleges and many others available at all bookstores and libraries) and most importantly, visit colleges in person. Student holidays in February and Easter Break (3/24-4/3) are great times to visit colleges. You can find local college tour information in the junior packet.
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams The AP exams will take place during the period of May 2nd to May 13th. Students taking AP courses have the opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for college level work. They may also earn college credits for AP courses successfully completed in high school. As noted in the La Salle Course Catalog, students enrolled in AP courses are required to
ParentNewsletter take the AP Exam at the end of the semester. The exam fee is $92.00 per course and will be added to the student’s tuition in March.
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University of San Diego
Detailed information will be provided to the students during classroom visits from 01/25 to 02/10. If you have any questions after reviewing all the information, please contact Marcia Yu, AP Coordinator, at the College Center.
Summer Programs While there are still quite a few months until summer, it will be here before you know it. Now is the time to start thinking about possible summer programs because some have application deadlines. Many college representatives speak about the importance of attending a summer program where a student can learn more about an area of interest or learn more about a major for college. A student who attends a summer program stands out to an admissions officer as one who has foresight and one who is committed to their education. The Westridge School Summer Opportunities Fair (on Saturday, 2/6), http:// summerprogramfinder.com, and www.teenlife. com are three good places to start your research. Please check Naviance – ‘Summer & Gap Year’ link for additional details to the Summer Opportunities Fair and other summer program presentations.
College Tours We will be visiting the San Diego colleges (UC San Diego, San Diego State, and University of San Diego) on Monday, April 25. This one-day trip is a great opportunity for sophomores and juniors to see a variety of campuses as they begin their research and build their college list. Registration forms and full itinerary will be available on the online School Calendar by late February.
Meanwhile, all junior families should
have received information for the East Coast College Tour, to be held over Easter Break (March 28-April 2, 2016). Please contact Mr. Hou if you are interested but have not registered.
PSAT and ACT Aspire Results PSAT and ACT Aspire Results (taken in October) were distributed back to students during Mentor Period on January 21. Please check with your students regarding them and feel free to contact your student’s counselor if you have any questions.
February 6 ACT for all Juniors Reminder: All Juniors are required and registered to take the ACT on Saturday, February 6 at La Salle. All juniors MUST bring the following:
COLLEGE TOURS ITINERARIES
1. Registration Ticket (students print out their ACT Registration Ticket from their actstudent.org account). 2. Student ID 3. #2 pencils 4. calculator 5. snack (almonds are considered brain food!) Remind your student to have plenty of sleep prior to the test and eat breakfast the morning of the test to give them energy for the 4-hour exam.
College Forum (9-11th grade parents and students) Save the date to attend our College Forum on Thursday, April 7, at 6:00pm.
College Center
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College Center Continued from page 13
program and other scholarships College admission representatives from many colleges will present important information to our families (see tentative sessions below). The College Forum is a great opportunity for students to learn about the College admission process and learn how to research and identify the right college for them. So highlight the College Forum on your calendar. COLLEGE FORUM APRIL 7
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Tentative Presentations: • Words of Advice from Veteran Parents • How to Pay for College • Tips for Admission to Highly Selective Colleges • The Visual Arts: The Application Process and Portfolios • Navigating Naviance: Family Connection, • Admission Stats, and More • The NCAA, the Student Athlete & Admission • Studying the Sciences and Engineering • Searching for the Best Opportunity: Parents’ Advice to Out-of-State Colleges • Understand Need and Merit Based Discounting • Studying Business • Studying Nursing and the Health Sciences • Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
Mock SAT
The La Salle parent boosters will be offering a practice SAT exam with SAT Strategy Session. This is a good opportunity for sophomores and juniors to become more familiar with the standardized test. Mock SAT – Saturday, 2/20 at 9:00am The price for the Mock SAT test is $25. The fee includes a follow-up SAT Strategy Session workshop offered to both parents and students to review the test and answer any test-related questions. The workshop will be held Thursday, March 3 at 7:00pm, Blakeslee Library. To register, please submit a check to the College Center, made payable to La Salle High School.
Sophomores – Class of 2018
We are planning Career Days for March 8 and 10 during Mentor Period. The College Counselors work with the Alumni office to secure 8-10 La Salle alumni speakers each day. Sophomore students will complete a survey to identify the Career Presentations they want to attend in late February.
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From Institutional Advancement
Help Yourself and La Salle High School The dawn of 2016 is upon us! The start of a new year brings with it the multitude of our resolutions to make 2016 even better than 2015. It also marks the onset of tax return filing season (ugh!). Though this can be a cumbersome, tedious and frustrating time, it also provides us a chance to take inventory of certain financial and planning issues that tend to get ignored throughout the year.
FINANCIAL CHECK LIST FOR END OF YEAR STRATEGIES
As part of the tax planning and return preparation process, it is advantageous to consider the variety of opportunities within the realm of charitable giving that can enhance one’s financial position and at the same time assist La Salle High School in achieving its Mission through this financial support. Examples of effective strategies that involve charitable giving include the following:
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Donating appreciated securities. Though the stock market has taken some hits since the middle of 2015, it is still at a very high level from an historic perspective. The donation of stocks/ securities that have appreciated can be done to generate a tax deduction to the donor and to avoid any capital gains tax that would otherwise be due by the donor.
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IRA Charitable Rollover. This strategy has been available for some time, but it was never a permanent part of the Internal Revenue Code. On December 18, 2015, legislation was passed that included a permanent extension of the rollover. This allows taxpayers/donors age 70 ½ or older to make tax advantaged gifts of up to $100,000 per year directly from their IRAs to eligible charities such as La Salle High School. For many taxpayers, there are additional tax benefits inuring as a result of this now permanent strategy.
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Funding a Charitable Gift Annuity. This enables a donor to receive not only a tax deduction but also a stream of income at a very competitive rate of return, part of which is received free of income tax. With interest rates hovering at or below 1% over the past few years, the Annuity program is a great alternative to safely increase one’s rate of return on invested cash.
It’s never a bad time to review the status of one’s financial and tax composition. But with income tax “season” looming, now is an opportune time to consider charitable giving opportunities that can enhance one’s financial position while also being of great assistance to our School! Please review the Planned Giving articles in future publications of both the Parent Newsletter and Lancer Magazine for ongoing updates in the Planned Giving Program.
In Summary La Salle High School can provide more information, both generically and specifically, regarding the benefits available through Planned Giving. For more information, please contact Mr. Jon Keates, Director of Institutional Advancement at 626.696.4344.
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Alcorn and Thomas Junior Class Scholarships Awarded The Spring Academic Awards and Scholarship Assembly took place in the La Salle Dining Hall the morning of January 26. Mr. Patrick Bonnaci, AFSC, Vice President for Mission delivered the following remarks: "It is my pleasure to present the Bob Alcorn Scholarship in Humanities (which includes English, Social Studies and World Language) and the Bob Thomas Scholarship in Math and Science. "Bob Alcorn and Bob Thomas were highly regarded members of the La Salle faculty during the decade of the nineteen sixties. They Krings Ho And Daughters Honored
Eleni Daughters
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had an enormous impact on the intellectual development of their students in the early years of La Salle. "To honor the remarkable achievements of Bob Alcorn, the Class of 1962 established a permanent scholarship to be awarded to a La Salle Junior at the time of the Spring Academic Awards Ceremony. They established as the criteria academic excellence in the fields in which Mr. Alcorn exercised such a profound influence: languages and language arts. The faculties of
social studies, English, and world languages were asked to nominate candidates from each of their disciplines to be considered for this award. The $1,000 scholarship is to be applied to the student’s senior year tuition. "To honor the contributions of her late husband, Bob Thomas, Jayne Thomas established a math and science scholarship. "It is a great honor for La Salle to acknowledge the tradition of excellence established by Robert Alcorn and acknowledged by the Class of 1962 by presenting Eleni Daughters for recognition as the 2016 Robert Alcorn Scholar. "Eleni’s academic accomplishments are not limited to the fields of English, social studies and world languages. In fact, she has earned an “A” in every single subject each of the last five semesters with a GPA of 4.3 or better. In addition to her being a quality academic student, Eleni is a Student Ambassador and participates in the athletic program as a member of the varsity track team holding the school record as a freshman and sophomore in the 400 meter individual. Outside of school, she volunteers with the Special Olympics and participates in her church basketball program. "The Bob Thomas Award in math and science is being given to two extremely talented juniors: First is Phillip Krings. Phillip has amassed only A’s on his semester report cards during his five semesters of high school work. His GPA is above 4.3. "Outside of the classroom Phillip is an active participant in our Robotics program as a builder and assisting with the programming. He is involved in the Science Outreach program and is a member of the Science National Honor Society. Phillip participates with our wellrespected Jazz Band with his instrument of choice being the piano. Away from the School campus, Phillip has worked with the Audubon Society at the Arboretum and Chantry Flats.
ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2016
Matching Gifts Phillip Krings
"The second recipient is Howard Ho. Away from school, Howard serves on the Teen Advisory Board at the Temple City Library. His work includes helping plan events and activities designed specifically for teens that are sponsored by the library. "As an “A� student, Howard is carrying four AP classes which includes AP Calculus, and AP Chemistry. Similar to Eleni and Phillip, his GPA is above 4.3 for his five semesters of high school work. He is a member of CSF, National Honor Society, and the Science National Honor Society. Most notable is that he earned the highest possible ACT Composite score of 36. This achievement is significant and rare, on average, less than one-tenth of 1% of all test takers earns the top score. Among ACT-tested US high school graduates in the class of 2015, only 1598 out of the 1.9 million students who took the test earned an ACT Composite score of 36."
Howard Ho
MATCHING DOLLARS IS AN EASY WAY TO HELP LA SALLE
If you are an employee of a matching gift company, we would love to work with you. This is an easy way to raise funds for La Salle. If you are not sure if your company participates, you can ask your employer or contact Tara Milton at: tmilton@lasallehs.org or call 626.696.4381.
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2016
A GREAT CHANCE FOR A FUN VACATION
The Crystal Ball
Opportunity Drawing Opportunity Drawing tickets are on sale now! The prizes are as follows: A Pleasant Holidays Vacation for 2 to Maui* 8 days, 7 nights at the Royal Lahaina Resort Includes round-trip airfare from LAX $300 food and beverage credit at select resort restaurants Plus two complimentary Luau tickets
• Apple iPad
•
Disneyland Family Park Hopper 4-pack Opportunity Drawing takes place on May 6, 2016 during the Crystal Ball For tickets, contact Robyn Tapert at 626.357.3588
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or thetaperts@gmail.com *Maui Vacation made possible by a grant from the William H. Hannon Foundation
ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2016
UNIFORM DISCOUNTS AND CLEARANCE ITEMS
Summer Physicals The Athletic Department is looking for parent volunteers to help with the 2016
summer physicals. We are in need of the following parent volunteers: nurses, optometrists, doctors and general volunteers. Without the volunteers’ help this event would not be possible. Join us and help support Lancer Athletics and earn parent volunteer hours. Please contact the athletic trainer, Tim Rasmussen if interested in volunteering. Email: trasmussen@lasallehs.org
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ParentNewsletter
IMPORTANT YEAR END
FEBRUARY 2016
FEBRUARY 2016
SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2016
AN EVENT FOR THE TASTEBUDS FEATURING UNLIMITED TASTES FROM
• Stone Brewery • Paco’s Mexican Restaurant • Poppy Cake Baking Company • Merengue • Jones Coffee Roaster • Pasadena Sandwich Company • Altadena Town & Country Club • San Antonio Winery • Alonda Hot Wings • ARGAUX Sommelier Guided Experiences • The Eatery/ Bacchus Kitchen/Claud & Co. Catering • Nothing Bunt Cakes • B NUTRITIOUS LLC • SMP Catering • Fosselman’s Ice Cream Co. • CHOZA 96 • Anheuser-Busch • Brother Timothy Wine • Corner Bakery Café • Pick Up Stix • Domenico’s Italian Restaurant • El Portal • Stonefire Grill • Jersey Mike’s • City Café • MacLeod Ale Brewing Co. • Yogurtland Old Town Pasadena • White Horse Lounge and many more!
Buy your Opportunity Drawing tickets NOW for a chance to win a fabulous prize like
· Grand Prize: “Eat Out for a Year” featuring gift cards to local eateries. $1,500 value · • “Stock Your Bar” featuring premium libations · • Chef Prepared Private Dinner for Two • Local Staycation • Wine Tasting Basket · · And Much More! Opportunity Drawing tickets are discounted until January 31. 2 for $10, 10 for $25, 25 for $50, 60 for $100. Winners will be drawn at the event and do not need to be present to win.
www.lancernetwork.com/Draw2016 Sponsorships and Event Tickets are available online at www.lancernetwork.com/Taste2016
ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2016
Thank You for Your Service Ms. Pam Wagner, Religious Studies Department Chair, recently received the letter below from the Director of Activities at Monte Vista, a Pasadena retirement home. Ms. Wagner sent these comments to the faculty and I wanted to share them with you. - The Editor.
"Sometimes it’s nice to remember that we teach a lot of great kids. All the department teachers see so much good coming from our seniors going out into the community and stretching their empathy and compassion in service. "We send a team of seniors to Monte Vista nearly every day. (One patient, Dean, was a stockbroker and is giving a lot of free advice on stocks and bonds). Many of the residents have dementia and/or are wheelchair bound. Our students take them for walks, play games with them or just sit and visit. So it was great when we got this feedback from Kathya."
LEARN SERVE LEAD
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January 15, 20 Hello Pam,
return, and the ts n e d u st e th g to havin . looking forward re a e h our residents it W w s ip sh d u. I n ie and write to yo e and build fr n m w o o c d t to s si e n to o e new tely d the tim nts were absolu e y I have not ha d u rr st so f o m r I’ e st e They st sem and wonderful. now that this la k g u in o z y a t m le a to re a e v y ha them. ow the uinely care for nt to let you kn n a e g w I d n t. a n , se m e d o th G y are a talented nd walk with e a h T lk . e ta v to lo e e m ik ti hrist-l took the efforts to reach mpassion and C o c ry a d in te rd ra o st a n tr o x e m aking is They de emselves and m cause this class e th b , g u in o y ss k re n p a x e th group, want to e sites, it also ic deeper level. I rv a se n t o a ts r e n e te d n si e volu the re g students com in v a h t u o b a st ve. not ju ional try of God’s lo is in m God’s uncondit a f o m l e e th ss r e v fo a s e e b id prov them to ou for allowing y k n a h T love, o Kathya Climac nt Dept. Life Engageme rove Homes Monte Vista G ual St. 2889 San Pasq 1107 Pasadena, Ca 9
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ParentNewsletter
Sixty-four Percent of the Student Body Honored at Academic Awards Ceremony The spring Academic Honors Ceremony was held on January 26 acknowledging outstanding academic performance for the past semester. At the conclusion of that semester, 421 students (64.4% of student body) earned La Salle Honor Roll status.
Gold Awards: 158 Students (3.96 to 4.0 and above GPA) First Honors: 118 Students (3.70 to 3.95 GPA) Honors: 145 Students (3.30 to 3.69 GPA)
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2016
TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS, GO TO LA SALLE HOME PAGE, LINK TO FLICKR AT Bottom Left
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2016
Check your School calendar for event times and dates
February Highlights February 1 - February 5 National Catholic Schools Week
SPRING SPORTS PARENT MEETING FEBRUARY 3
ASH WEDNESDAY LITURGY FEBRUARY 10
PRESIDENTS' DAY HOLIDAY FEBRUARY 15
PARENT TEACHER MEETINGS FEBRUARY 17
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February 3 Spring Sports Parents Meeting 6:00-7:30pm Dining Hall February 5 Catholic Schools Week Service Assembly 9:20am Dining Hall February 6 Saturday Junior Class ACT Exam 8:00am Southern California Private School Academic Decathlon February 9 Parent Association Meeting 6:30pm Blakeslee Library Parent Boosters Meetings 7:30pm Campus Locations February 10 Liturgy Schedule Dress up Day Ash Wednesday Liturgy 9:15am Dining Hall
February 12 Student Holiday Returning Students Financial Aid Applications Due to PSAS/LSHS Bay Area College Tour Begins February 15 School Holiday Presidents’ Day February 17 Parent /Teacher Conferences 12:45 to 2:30pm and 4:30 to 6:00pm Classrooms
March 4 School Holiday WCEA/WASC Accreditation Review March 5 Saturday Opening Night Theatre Production "Nice work if you can get it" 7:00pm Pasadena Porticos March 7 School Holiday Faculty: Faith Formation Workshop. 8:00am Dining Hall
February 21 Sunday San Miguel Gift Gathering Party: Gifts from the Heart 5:00 - 8:00pm Arcadia February 22-24 Senior Retreat February 29 WCEA/WASC Accreditation Visit Begins
TO GO RE HE
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March 2 Wednesday No Early Dismissal
For specific Lancer game dates, times and locations log on to lasallelancers.org or lasallehs.org Athletics. Please visit the La Salle Athletics Boosters page at www.lasallelancers.org under Boosters for volunteer opportunities. * Porticos Art Space, 2033 East Washington Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91104