ParentNewsletter THE LA SALLE
FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CALIFORNIA • FEBRUARY 2017
Principal Ideas Learn•Serve•Lead
We have arrived at February. As this is the first issue of ParentNewsletter of 2017, I hope that all of you enjoyed the Christmas break with your children and that your 2017 has gotten off to a wonderful start.
Academic Awards The new semester has started with a bang. In January we had our first senior retreat of the year, a winter rally, lots of athletic games, and our Academic Awards Assembly. We honored 477 students for achieving a first semester GPA of 3.3 or higher. Wow! Additionally, we had 29 students earn Academic Achievement Awards in recognition of improving their GPA by 0.5 from the previous semester. We also inducted 75 students into the National Honor Society, 76 students into the California Scholarship Federation, 17 students into the Science National Honor Society, and 18 students into the Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica. It was a proud day for La Salle.
Presidential Scholar Aside from the recognition we are able to give students here at La Salle, it is always wonderful when our students are recognized beyond our school. As such, I am very proud to share with the community that senior Howard Ho has been named as a candidate in the 2017 United States Presidential Scholars Program. His candidacy is based on his outstanding performance on the ACT assessment. (Howard scored the highest possible composite score on his ACT last year, a feat that less than 1/10 of 1% of test takers accomplish.) Howard is one of only 4,000 students nationwide to receive this honor out of the nearly 3.5 million high school seniors graduating this year. Congratulations Howard!
Selecting Courses I always have a difficult time deciding which semester seems to go the fastest. Fall, Principal Ideas Continued on page 2
In the Words of Saint John Baptist de La Salle "Ask Almighty God for the grace to touch souls. It is the grace of your state. Do not forget to thank God for all his blessing he bestows upon you in this new year." Saint John Baptist de La Salle
Patron Saint of Teachers, Meditations 81.2 and Letter 76, 1718
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Principal Ideas Continued from page 1
with all of its activities like homecoming, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, always flies by. But I think the Winter/Spring semester might move even faster because while we are completing one year, we are already planning and preparing for the next. A big part of planning for the upcoming year is course selection for our returning students. The 2017-2018 course catalog has been published on our website. You can find it under the Academics tab. The course catalog has all the information you and your student need in order to select courses for the upcoming school year, including prerequisites for honors and AP classes. These prerequisites are in place with the intention of helping set students up for success. However, if students do not meet the prerequisites as stated in the course catalog, they may sit for a placement exam or appeal to the department chair. Students have been informed of dates and times for placement exams via daily announcements, LTV and announcements on Schoology. I encourage you to look through the course catalogue carefully and especially pay attention to new course offerings. We are very excited about the new courses that students will have the opportunity to enroll in for next year. These include: Digital Game Design, Literature of Hip Hop, Science of STEAM, Sports Medicine, and Women in the Arts. As always, courses that actually run will depend on student interest. Students will be receiving their course request forms on February 15. They should use these forms to help prepare them to input their course requests into PowerSchool by Friday, March 3. Each student will meet with their academic advisor individually to review their course selections and make sure they are meeting all college and graduation requirements.
NOTE GRADUATION INFO
Bell Schedule Survey Looking forward to next year, we will also be sending out surveys this month asking for feedback on the current bell schedule. As I said when we began the school year, we are taking this year to look at what is working and what can work better with the change to the A/B schedule. Surveys will go out to students, parents, and faculty this month. Please be sure to take time to thoughtfully respond when the link arrives in your in-box. Your feedback is important to us.
Graduation Information As our returning students prepare for next year here at La Salle, I know our seniors are looking forward to graduation and college. Parents of seniors will be receiving a mailing this month outlining all of the information you need to know about prom, senior exams, Grad Nite at Disneyland, and graduation activities. If you have any questions about the materials, administrators will be available to answer your questions during Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, February 23. You are also, of course, welcomed to call the school with questions at any time.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
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With Parent-Teacher Conferences in mind, (February 23) we will be using the same format we did in October. Sign-up sheets will be placed outside of each classroom so that parents can sign up for a spot with the teachers they would like to speak to and not be stuck waiting outside a classroom for an extended amount of time.
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Grade Reporting System Change While our conference format is staying the same, we are making a change to our grade reporting system this semester. We have heard from many parents and students their frustration over having two gradebooks and discrepancies between those gradebooks. To address those concerns we will be using only PowerSchool to report grades from now on. Schoology will still be used for announcements and to inform students of homework assignments, but all grades will now be entered directly into PowerSchool. This will eliminate the inconsistencies that arose from grades being entered into Schoology and then being synced over to PowerSchool. We know many of you have asked for this and we are happy to be able to eliminate confusion and increase clarity when it comes to grades.
Catholic Schools Week Lastly, Sunday, January 29, marked the beginning of National Catholic Schools Week. Some of you may have heard me say that I will at times get asked by people why I work in private schools. I always respond by correcting them that I work in Catholic schools. They may not know or understand the difference, but it is a huge one to me and probably to many of you as well. I work in Catholic schools because my faith is important to me and I believe that, as much as we want our children to be good students, we want them to be good people. Our Catholic schools give our students the opportunity to grow in faith with their peers by participating in service and retreats, praying in class every day and as a school at our monthly liturgies, and being able to have class discussions around morality and Gospel values, not just in religious studies courses, but across the curriculum. 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 Catholic Schools Week, our students live that by going out into the community to perform service and coming together in prayer. It is a wonderful celebration of what makes The La Salle Difference.
SEE CATHOLIC SCHOOL WEEK PHOTOS IN OUR FLICKR GALLERY
So thank you for entrusting your students to La Salle. I hope that the experiences they have during Catholic Schools Week are a reminder of why you and your student chose La Salle and that they are truly able to Learn, Serve, and Lead. Sincerely,
Mrs. Courtney R. Kassakhian Principal
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La Salle Matters I am a big fan of Reverend Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, currently, the President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas and a prolific writer and columnist. He has been writing a weekly column in the Archdiocesan newspaper, The Tidings (now called Angelus) since before I arrived at La Salle in 1999. His columns tend to focus on the challenge individuals have in connecting with institutions – church, state, social organizations and business, to name just a few. One of his October, 2016 columns caught my attention because it sought to reclaim the stereotypical notion of Prophet (one who shouts in the wilderness to a disbelieving world – think, John the Baptist) for a more nuanced understanding in which the prophetic voice understands the complexity of the audience listening to his/her message. Here is how Father Rolheiser positions this dichotomy: Anyone can be angry. Anyone can be one-sided. Anyone can be in somebody else’s face. Prophecy requires more. It requires the capacity to listen, to respect, to have critical balance, to carry complexity, to walk in unresolved tension and to empathize with those who do not agree with us. Unfortunately, that’s not the current vision.
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The recently concluded presidential election cycle has troubled me for some time, precisely because, echoing Father Rolheiser’s observation: it has focused on anger and being in somebody else’s face. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, I think we can all agree this election hasn’t been about balance, the ability “to carry complexity, to
walk in unresolved tension and to empathize with those who do not agree with us.” Rather, as Father Rolheiser goes on to note: Today we pride ourselves instead on being one-sided, on being so on fire about something that we refuse to consider anything else. This is true on both sides of the ideological spectrum. Everyone, it seems, is a warrior for truth, and few seem to recognize that one person’s freedom fighter is another person’s fanatic. The line between prophecy and militant fundamentalism can be very thin. I don’t know if the American political experience has ever veered towards balance and empathy, but I do believe the current moment is a toxic one that will entail long-lasting reverberations, not only for “Millennials” but also for the young people entrusted to our care here at La Salle. Over the course of the last year, our young people have been exposed to a steady diet of anger, intolerance for alternative world views and an inexorable drive to castigate those who disagree as wrong-headed fanatics. This has not been an easy time for anyone – students, teachers and parents. I am reminded of Yeats’ poetic commentary at the end of World War I: Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world … The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. These sentiments aren’t a function of who won the presidential election; rather they are a commentary on the process which produced this outcome. How did our politics become so toxic? How did left and right ideology become so polarized that no one is listening? How did name calling and reputation bashing become normative in our society? How, in the words of Rolheiser, did one person’s freedom fighter become another person’s fanatic?
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These are rhetorical questions, but they must inform how we work with the young people entrusted to our care. Our charge is to equip them to be responsible citizens when it is their turn to take ownership of civic, religious and social structures. How we heal the national fault line that this election cycle rammed into place is a crucial responsibility for all of us who hope our young people will be better able to manage the world we will leave behind. If Father Rolheiser is correct that prophecy is about balance and empathy, then the Acts of the Apostles got it right when Saint Peter quoted the Prophet Joel: …your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions; and your old men shall dream dreams… Let’s help those entrusted to our care to prophesy, envision and dream of a future which fosters the ability to listen, to respect, to have critical balance, to carry complexity, to walk in unresolved tension and to empathize with those who do not agree with us.
La Salle High School
3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, California 91107-1996 • Telephone 626.351.8951 Facsimile 626.351.0275 www.lasallehs.org • The La Salle ParentNewsletter
Richard Gray, Ph.D. President
is published monthly except January and July by La Salle High School of Pasadena, Incorporated
© 2017
• Editor, Designer John Blackstock ’67 Director of Communications Telephone: 626.696.4316 • email: jblackstock @ lasallehs . org
Transforming Lives Since 1680
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EVEN ParentNewsletter
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From the Parent Association
Happy New Year - 2017!
A BUSY SPRING IS AHEAD
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Welcome back to a New Year. I trust that everyone had an enjoyable holiday and a restful three weeks. At first, when I found out we had a three-week break, I was worried about how to fill the time with all of my kids home, but it turned out to be a wonderful, relaxing time. Thank you to La Salle for giving us a much appreciated and needed break. We welcomed two new puppies into our family. As I wrote before, our oldest son, Jack, had a philanthropy project with Pima Arizona SPCA for “Adopt-A-Pet.” So we adopted two rescue dogs. Dewey is a Dalmatian - Jack Russell and Sunny is a Pomeranian mix. They have settled in nicely with our two cats and five fish! Jack, was excited to work on this philanthropy project. He said much of his experience came from work he had done at La Salle. In December we had a wonderful Adopt-A-Family event. We served more than 200 people. You should be proud of your children. The dining hall was decorated with Christmas trees and poinsettias and Santa’s workshop looked like it could have been at Nordstrom. This was all done by the students. The kids got gifts and pictures with Santa and all of the families enjoyed a wonderful lunch from Stonefire Grill. I have to say, I have participated at this event for six years now and it never ceases to amaze how kind and loving all of our kids are. Also in December, we had our Christmas gift gathering party for the Crystal ball. A big thanks to the Vagim family for hosting and for Cherry Agapito for organizing the event. It was a lovely evening and one of our most successful yet. I feel as though we have hit the ground running in 2017. It will prove to be a busy spring. Testing for Parent Association our prospective students has already begun and registration will be Meeting right around the corner in March. The Seniors went on their first FEBRUARY 7, 2017 retreat and had a wonderful dinner with their parents upon their return. There are two more retreats to go so be sure to sign your 6:30pm senior up. It is an important bonding time for them before they go Blakeslee Library off to college. We had our first Parent Association meeting of the New Year on January 10 where we had questions answered from our Mission support committee. A big “Thank You” to Pat Bonacci and Pete Godfrey for facilitating the discussion. The evening generated much needed information for our Mission support team. We received parent input on homework, the new schedule and college counseling along with several other topics. Our next meeting will be on February 7th 6:30pm in Blakeslee Library. Dr. Gray will be our featured speaker giving us all of the updated information on the Master Plan. Please plan to attend. On Sunday, February 12 is the “Gifts From the Heart” Gift Gathering party. Unlike the other two, the proceeds from this party go directly to the San Miguel Scholarship Program. This is a beautiful event hosted by the Clarizio family. We hope you will join us for great food, wine and entertainment. A couple of housekeeping notes. Please renew your Ralphs eScrip cards for La Salle. Currently, there are only 39 of our families signed up. Remember, you get one service hour for registering your card. Also, The Armory is open everyday now at lunch and one hour after school. We have lots of new products and our online store will launch in March. In closing, I wish you the happiest of New Years. Open up your heart, make a new friend and
Jacky Samartin P'15,'19 Parent Association President
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Gifts From the Heart A FINE EVENING TO BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS
San Miguel Scholarship Social Sunday, February 12, 2017 5:00 to 8:00pm at the beautiful home of Dr. and Mrs. Dino Clarizio '75, P'06 1412 Orlando Drive, Arcadia
a Enjoy an evening of Musical Delight by Dr. Adam Kendall RSVP by February 7 Cherry Agapito - cherrya77@gmail.com or 626.720.3697
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From the Athletic Boosters
Fall, Winter Record Year Fall 2016 was a record-making year for Lancer Athletics! Highlights of our fall sports program includes our Varsity Football team's advancement to the CIF playoffs with a win over Mayfair, and then a heartbreaking quarterfinal loss to Silverado High School. Our Lancers held the Silverado Hawks to 27 points for the first three quarters with Our tremendous defensive line until a last-minute TD run ended the game 41-46. We are so proud of our Lancer Football players and coaching staff who exemplified heart, talent and sportsmanship throughout the season. CHECK OUT OUR GREAT SPORTS GEAR ONLINE
Our Girls Volleyball team went undefeated 8-0 in conference play and advanced to CIF playoffs and were champions to the end in an early playoff loss to Foothill High School. Although the loss came too early in the playoffs for our talented team, Coach Tui and our players were a force to be reckoned with all season and will continue to lead La Salle to future championships. The Girls Golf team advanced to playoffs and our girls doubles tennis team advanced to the CIF finals. Heading toward the end of our winter season with basketball, soccer, and girls water polo, we have already seen several wining streaks. Our Girls Basketball team, (ranked #5 in Division 3), started the season with an impressive 9-4 run and as of February 1, is 17-8. The Boys Varsity Basketball team did well in pre-season tournaments and currently has a 15-8 record and is tied for the league title. The Varsity Girls Water Polo team is 3-13 and girls soccer is 13-5-2 as we go into to the CIF playoffs. The Boys Soccer team had a 7-0 win streak and is fighting for a share of the league title with a 11-11-1 record.* And our Cheer Squad qualified for the GameTime championships. The La Salle athletic merchandise shop is sporting some new designs for the winter season and is selling them at all of the boys' home basketball games. A reminder to all fans is that you can go online to our Fan Sideline Store (accessible through the Athletic website; click Boosters) in order to see a larger variety of items that can be customized. The Fan Sideline Store is available year round. The Boosters meet after each Parent Association Meeting so please join us and get involved so we can continually improve our organization. If you would like to participate in a booster committee or volunteer for service hours, please contact the boosters at christinemarez@me.com. Respectfully,
Christine Marez P'14,'18 President
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*All records are as of February 1. For the most up-to-date scores please go to Athletics on our website.
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Myles Cecil Signs NLI with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Senior Myles Cecil, considered by many to be the best defensive player in the area, signed a National Letter of Intent to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Wednesday. The Pasadena Now Sports Defensive Player of the Year had 60-plus schools interested in his services. But Cecil liked both the D-1 football program, and equally, the academics at Cal Poly. Cecil led the Lancers with nearly 90 tackles. Two weeks ago, he earned the Defensive MVP award at the Blue-Grey All-American game at the Oakland Coliseum. “My senior year was a blessing,” Cecil said. “Just being accepted, as a transfer, meant a lot. I grew here as a player and as a person. I couldn’t have done any of this without my coaches and teammates.” Head Coach Russell Gordon said Cecil is a man of great character and his academics
are second-to-none. "I know you’ll flourish and the sky’s the limit. I can’t wait to see you play for the Mustangs on Saturday’s,” continued Gordon. Cecil elaborated on his choice of Cal Poly. “I really love the educational atmosphere and being right on the beach,” he said with a smile. “It’s a beautiful place. The coaches are top-of-the-line, and so is the math and engineering programs. And that's what I was looking for in a university." Myles was the La Salle Pat Tillman award recipient, 1st team all Angelus League and Most Valuable Lineman of the year for the Angelus League. Some of Cecils' stats include 35 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery in 2015 and in 2016, 88 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 1 caused fumble and 1 recovered fumble. His total stats for La Salle are 123 tackles, and a whopping 17 sacks!
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La Salle i.d.LAB set to Launch in February FROM STEM TO STEAM: THE ISSUE OF CREATIVITY The global economy has “flattened” the world in every aspect of our lives, especially with skills and technology. There is a direct correlation between STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) field majors and national economies. Despite this relation, many countries find students are less interested in science and engineering careers, i.e., what is now commonly called STEM. This seems to be a question of motivation. STEAM LAB SET TO NURTURE SCIENCE AND CREATIVITY
Labor statisticians forecast that the U.S. economy will call for millions of new professionals in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) disciplines within the next 10 years. Children are our future, so it is vital to foster engineering and technological literacy into their daily learning. Watch children and you’ll see their natural engineering tendencies, fascinated with taking things apart and putting things together. By teaching and learning with a STEAM focus, children’s natural curiosity can be harnessed to promote the learning of engineering and technology concepts. During the Summer of 2012, the study “What Space can contribute to global STEM education” was conducted at the 63rd International Astronautical Congress. The study identified that creativity cannot be treated separately from STEM, and Arts should be an integrating part of a novel approach called STEAM. This study was conducted and supported by academia, government, research and industry, as well as experts in Space and Education. The findings of the study team identified three educational attributes: cognition, innovation and risk taking. Innovation is about creativity and creativity is about human needs, out-of-the-box thinking, and breaking the standards; it is about purpose. It is fun to create! It is healthy to create! Creativity is a critical element in the nurturing of curiosity and our love of life and learning.
La Salle High School is launching its STEAM lab this spring.
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The i.d. LAB ( i- for innovation and d- for design) will involve students in a project based format that will embrace science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics as students authentically learn to solve problems. The i.d. LAB is currently awaiting UC approval and will be available as such in fall of 2017. Any parent or student who may be interested in participating in this ground breaking program may contact Dr. Douglas Rynerson drynerson@ lasallehs.org or Mr. Roy Chang rchang@lasallehs.org.
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Speech & Debate Tournament Report
SUCCESFUL FALL AND WINTER CAMPAIGN Jack Crawford '17, seated, and John Nahas '17 present at California State University, Long Beach.
The Lancer varsity debaters, juniors John Nahas and Jack Crawford entered a fierce pool of blood-thirsty competitors and won 2nd Place at the CSU Fullerton Tournament in mid October. In a pool of 106 Varsity Public Forum debaters, John and Jack ranked 1st place speaker and 3rd place speaker, respectively. Moreover, this 2nd place, coupled with their 1st place win at the CSULB Jack Howe Tournament in September, qualified them to attend the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in April in Kentucky. In the individual events, Junior Hunter Newell won 3rd place for his Dramatic Interpretation of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” among the Novice D1 competitors. From a field of 56 JV Public Forum teams, Junior Cade Anderson and Freshman Ruobin Lan advanced to Octo-Finals. Sophomores Sebastian Dunbar and Will Murray advanced to Semi-Finals, and in a dramatic and appropriate twist of fate, beat the one team that had previously defeated them that weekend, snagging the 1st place in JV Public Forum trophy. Will was also ranked #8 (out of 102) Best Speaker for PF Debate. In December, John Nahas and Jack Crawford competed in and won the La Costa Canyon Tournament in Carlsbad.
Will Murray '18
The Speech and Debate team then traveled to Tempe, Arizona for the Arizona State Invitatonal. The Lancers competed with students from all over California and four other states as a tune-up for the UC Berkeley Speech and Debate Invitational. Our team will travel to this tournament and compete over Presidents' Day weekend.
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From the College Counseling Center
College Center News By Owen Hou ’90, Tina Bonacci '94 and Marcia Yu, College Counselors
Seniors – Class of 2017
NOTE AP EXAM DATES
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. Students: Please update Naviance – My Colleges with your application decisions. If you 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 2018
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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 Jr. Survey as soon as possible. Ms. Bonacci, Mrs. Yu and Mr. Hou want to make sure we 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 (4/13-23) 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 1st to May 12th. 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 Catalog, students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the AP Exam at the end of the semester. The exam fee is $93.00 per course and will be added to the student’s tuition in March. Detailed information was provided to the students during classroom visits in January. 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 an academic discipline. A student who attends a summer program can stand out to an admissions officer as one who has foresight and one who is committed to their education. T h e We s t r i d g e S c h o o l S u m m e r Opportunities Fair http://summerprogramfinder. com, and www.teenlife.com are three good places to start your research. Please check Naviance –
ParentNewsletter ‘Summer & Gap Year’ link for additional details to the Summer Opportunities Fair and other summer program presentations.
College Tours We have had a great response regarding the Greater Los Angeles and the Bay Area College Tours. The Greater Los Angeles Tour is full, but we are accepting students to our waiting list. Meanwhile, there are only a handful of spots left for the Bay Area Tour. Bay Area College Tour Monday, March 6 to Tuesday, March 7, 2017.
FEBRUARY 2017
All juniors MUST bring the following: 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.
The College Forum
College Forum (9-11th grade parents and students) Save the date to attend our College Forum on Thursday, March 30, at 6:00 pm. 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 Saint Mary’s College learn how to research and identify the right college for them. So highlight the We will be visiting: UC Davis, University of College Forum on your calendar. the Pacific, Saint Mary’s College, UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco and San Francisco Tentative Presentations: State University. • Words of Advice from Veteran Parents • How to Pay for College Cost: $475 • Tips for Admission to Highly Selective Colleges Registration forms and additional • The Visual Arts: The Application Process and Portfolios information can be found on the lasallehs. org website, under “Academics” and “College • Navigating Naviance: Family Connection, Admission Stats, and more Counseling”. • The NCAA, the Student Athlete & Admission • Studying the Sciences and Engineering PSAT and PreACT Results PSAT and PreACT Results (taken in • Searching for the Best Opportunity: Parents’ Advice to Out-of-State Colleges October) were distributed back to students during Mentor Period in January. Please check with your • Understand Need and Merit Based Discounting students regarding them and feel free to contact • Studying Business your student’s counselor if you have any questions. • Studying Nursing and the Health Sciences • Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program and other scholarships February 11 ACT for all Juniors Reminder: All Juniors are required and registered to take the ACT on Saturday, February 11 at La Salle. College Continued on page 14
COLLEGE FORUM MARCH 30
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College Center Continued from page 13
Mock SAT
MOCK SAT FOR JUNIORS FEBRUARY 18
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, February 18 at 9:00am. The price for the Mock SAT test is $20. The fee includes a Standardized Testing Workshop offered to both parents and students to provide Standardized Testing related information and answer any test-related questions. The workshop will be held Thursday, February 16 at 7:00pm., Blakeslee Library. To register, please submit a check to the College Center, made payable to La Salle High School.
Matching Gifts
Sophomores – Class of 2019 We are planning Career Days for March 14 and 16 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.
The Lancer Armory Regular Armory Hours
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Tuesdays and Thursdays Regular Schedule (Day A) 12:15pm - 1:15pm Regular Schedule (Day B) 11:15am - 12:15pm Special Schedules 7:00am - 8:15am
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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La Salle's No-Cost Fundraisers Free to you, La Salle makes money, and you earn a service hour! Register ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 1st by signing onto your Ralphs.com account and selecting La Salle High School (81179) under “Account Summary” and “Community Rewards.” Ralphs gives back a percentage to La Salle on each purchase! Please ask family, friends and neighbors to participate.
1) Register your Credit/Debit/Grocery cards for shopping in stores, restaurants and on line at www.escrip.com. Use the registered cards and eScrip gives money directly to La Salle! 2) For on line shopping, please download the Forget Me Not Toolbar or shop directly at shopping.escrip.com to find hundreds of vendors. The tool bar will alert you if it’s a participating vendor, you shop and La Salle gets money! Virtual gift cards are purchased and delivered within seconds to the mobile app for immediate in-store redemption. While shopping at stores like Wal-mart, Home Depot, Target or Whole Foods, you can download a gift card to your phone and use it at check out. La Salle gets a percentage of the sale at no cost to you! You can also send gift cards directly from your phone to family and friends! Download the Benefit App, select La Salle High School, enter your payment method and start shopping!
GREAT WAYS TO SUPPORT LA SALLE
When you shop directly at smile.amazon.com and designate La Salle High School as your charitable organization, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchases to La Salle. Bookmark smile.amazon.com, shop smile.amazon.com and help La Salle at no cost to you!
La Salle has earned over $150,000 through current and past programs! With no cost to families and friends, sign up today and support La Salle. Please visit the La Salle website under “Support LSHS” and “No Cost Fundraisers.” Any questions? Please email: Michele Hardy mlhardyconsulting@yahoo.com or Kari Helgeson khelgeson2002@ yahoo.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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Alcorn and Thomas Junior C OUR AMAZING LANCERS
Sam Christopher
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The Spring 2017 Academic Awards and Scholarship Assembly took place in the La Salle Dining Hall the morning of January 24. Dr. Richard Gray, President, 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 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.
ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
Class Scholarships Awarded
Raphael Navarro
TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS, GO TO LA SALLE HOME PAGE, LINK TO FLICKR AT BOTTOM LEFT
“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 Sam Christopher for recognition as the 2017 Robert Alcorn Scholar." “In addition to earning a better than 4.0 GPA in each of the last five semesters, Sam is a three-year member of the Advanced Band and has been enrolled in honors-level classes throughout his time here at La Salle. As a Sophomore, Sam not only earned an “A” in AP European History, but also passed the exam. Currently, Sam is enrolled in four AP courses: Biology, Calculus, Language and Composition and US History.” “To honor the contributions of her late husband, Bob Thomas, Jayne Thomas established a math and science scholarship. It is my pleasure to present the Bob Thomas Award in math and science to Raphael Navarro." “In addition to participating in Cross Country, Men’s Volleyball and Academic Decathlon, Raphael has also been enrolled in honors-level classes each of the last five semesters. As a Sophomore, Raphael earned an “A” in AP Calculus A/B as well as a perfect score of “5” on the AP exam. He is currently enrolled in AP Calculus B/C and AP Chemistry.
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
60 Seconds of Service During lunch-time, a hundred Lancers made bagged lunches for those in need. It only took one minute for each student to create a much appreciated meal for someone less fortunate. Each turkey and cheese sandwich was accompanied by fruit, a granola bar and a bottle of water. These sack lunches are delivered to Union Station in Pasadena once each month. The lunches go out with students and working adults who are temporarily housed at the shelter. Victoria Saldivar '17, Troy Worley '17, Raquel Ruiz '17, Christopher Dinkle '17.
Candice Bragg '18, Miles Gelinas '17.
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Natalie Gohrick '18.
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FEBRUARY 2017
Kinsley Washington '17, Ravin Rhodes '17.
Cameryn Brown '18, Hallie Milton '18, Elizabeth Ayala '17.
Jaice Gardner'17.
Carlos Rico '17.
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
LEARN SERVE LEAD
We Need 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 in the Institutional Advancement Office. We hope to see you at the 18th Annual Crystal Ball, to be held Friday, May 5, 2017.
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Save the Date! May 5th!
ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
The Crystal Ball
Opportunity Drawing
WE ARE ALWAYS THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Opportunity Drawing tickets are on sale now! Here are our great prizes: 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 5, 2017 during the Crystal Ball Contact Suzi Rettig for more information at suzy.rettig@bankofamerica.com *Maui Vacation made possible by a grant from the William H. Hannon Foundation
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FEBRUARY 2017
ParentNewsletter From the Arts Boosters
ARTS Boosters Spring Update Spring is a very exciting time for the Visual and Performing Arts Department. Not only are students preparing for their many performances, concerts and presentations, arts faculty is also involved in the development of the STEAM initiative ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) at La Salle also known as the i.d.LAB. Students are encouraged to sign up for this innovative and exciting learning experience. Please see Dr. Rynerson.
A TIMELY NEW PLAY OPENS FEBRUARY 18
“Thy Mother’s Glass”
Thou art thy mother’s glass, and she in
thee calls back the lovely April of her prime. - William Shakespeare
Opening February 18th, and running for only five performances, (February 18,
19, 24, 25, 26), students in the Theatre Arts department will be presenting an examination of parent and child relationships in the plays of William Shakespeare. The piece is entitled Thy Mother's Glass. Reservations and information can be obtained by calling 626.696.4415. Arts Boosters are looking for parents who would be interested in serving in leadership positions within the Arts Booster organization. We welcome all to attend our meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm in the Grinstead Theatre. See you there.
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
CALL TODAY FOR TICKET RESERVATIONS
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ParentNewsletter
Catholic Schools Week Catholic Schools Week took place at the end of January/beginning of February this year. In observance, La Salle students and staff went to various Southern California locations to participate in community service. The week concluded with a prayer service where the Lancer Family gathered to reflect on their service experiences and the importance of our Lasallian core principals. MORE PHOTOS IN THE LA SALLE FLICKR GALLERY
Top, Sophomores at Ability First. Right, Freshmen at Santa Teresita.
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FEBRUARY 2017
A GREAT WEEK OF SERVICE
Top, Juniors at Hope Gardens. Right, Seniors at Santa Teresita Manor.
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
Academic Decathlon Brings Home the Medals
The first weekend in February held major excitement as the Lancer Academic Decathlon team, along with several other local schools, participated in the Southern California Private Schools Competition. The event boasts 11 different events, all of which focus on a singular overlying theme. This year’s theme was “World War II.” The Lancers faced stiff competition and emerged victorious across many of the events (medal counts below). This performance is truly a triumph considering that 31 of the 36 students on the team have never participated in Academic Decathlon before. La Salle students won the most medals by a single school. Coaches Edgar Salmingo and John Erb indicated that “We have never coached a team so large nor have we seen or coached a school that placed within the top two in three different divisions!” Coach Salmingo went on to say “What our students have accomplished is truly remarkable!” DIVISION II - SECOND PLACE OVERALL: Cristina De La Cruz, Gregory Jasper, Phillip Krings, Julian Malaby, Raphael Navarro, John Paris, Izcalli Rios-Aguirre, Gwyneth Schoenbaum
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DIVISION III - SECOND PLACE OVERALL: Kriztina Espinosa, Elijah Griffin, Howard Kuo, Kevin Liu, Joshua Ng, Abby Siracusa, Kevin Tian, Liam Zanteson DIVISION IV - FIRST PLACE OVERALL AND SUPER QUIZ CHAMPIONS: Elizabeth Ayala, Cam-
eron Agapito, Aaron Escamilla, Lizette Gallegos, Melody Griffith, Samantha Grijalva, Kate Mena, Jennifer Payne
TOTAL MEDAL COUNT 42 Gold 35 Silver 29 Bronze 106 Total Medals
ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
JOIN US FOR THE BIG EVENT MAY 5
18th Annual Crystal Ball Friday, May 5th, 2017 • Noor, Pasadena The Crystal Ball is La Salle’s single largest annual fundraising event and one of La Salle’s most fun social events. An evening spent enjoying friends and families of La Salle while dining, socializing, and being swept up in the excitement of live and silent auctions. The funds raised through the Crystal Ball enable La Salle to offer state-of-the-art programs in Academics, Visual and Performing Arts, Athletics and Technology. Contact Suzi Rettig, Chair, for more information at suzy.rettig@bankofamerica.com
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ParentNewsletter
FEBRUARY 2017
Check your School calendar for event times and dates
February Highlights February 4 Saturday Southern California Private School Academic Decathlon
CATHOLIC EDUCATION CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 6
GIFTS FROM THE HEART FEBRUARY 12
PRESIDENTS' DAY FEBRUARY 20
PARENT TEACHER CONF FEBRUARY 23
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February 6 Student Holiday Faculty In-Service, Los Angeles Archdiocesan Catholic Education Conference February 7 Spring Sports Parents Meeting 6:00-7:30pm Dining Hall Parent Association Meeting 6:30pm Blakeslee Library Parent Boosters Meetings 7:30pm Campus Locations February 10 Mentor Schedule 1:25pm Dismissal February 11 Saturday Junior Class ACT Test 8:00am -1:00pm Campus February 12 Sunday Returning Students Financial Aid Applications Due to FACTS
February 12 continued Gifts from the Heart San Miguel Scholarship Gift Gathering Party 5:00 - 8:00pm Arcadia February 13-15 Senior Retreat February 16 Mentor Schedule 1:25pm Dismissal Standardized Testing Parent Workshop 7:00-8:30pm Blakeslee Library February 18 Saturday Opening Night Theatre Production "Thy Mother's Glass" 7:00pm Pasadena Porticos February 20 School Holiday Presidents' Day February 23 Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:00 to 2:45pm and 4:30 to 6:00pm Classrooms
March 1 Dress Uniforms Ash Wednesday Liturgy 9:15am Dining Hall March 3 Rally Schedule Spring Rally 1:35pm Duffy Lewis Gymnasium March 6 School Holiday Faculty In-Service 8:00am Dining Hall March 11 Saturday Class of 2021 Registration 8:00am Dining Hall Duffy Lewis Gymnasium
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Celebrating 60 Years of Lasallian Educational Excellence 1956 - 2016