ParentNewsletter The La Salle
FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CALIFORNIA • MARCH 2016
Principal Ideas Learn•Serve•Lead
And another month is upon us…already! Welcome to March and the almost season of spring. It is a month of hope and optimism as the flowers in the garden get ready to bloom and the trees begin to sprout with leaves. Mother Nature is coming alive in all her array.
The Lenten Season On Wednesday, February 10, the liturgical season of Lent began with our distribution of ashes at a student body liturgy. This 40 day period (which culminates at Easter) is a wonderful opportunity for each of us to examine our lives by reflecting on the many things that prevent us from being the better, more caring and loving person we aspire to be. I invite you to find a few moments each day wherein you can consider and make positive adjustments to your life that will help you grow and mature as individuals on our life journey. My hope and prayer is that each one of us will make a concerted effort to improve not only our own life but also the life of another during this Lenten Season.
As this month begins we are in the midst of our WCEA/WASC accreditation visit. The “visit” is a process wherein six educators from other Catholic secondary schools in southern California spend four days on campus examining our self-study report and proposed Educational Improvement Plan (EIP). During their time on campus they will meet with representatives from various constituencies – students, faculty, administrators, parents, alums, regents and trustees. Our preparation for this visit has been an 18 month process that included data collection, analysis, meetings, discussions, document revisions and more meetings. I believe we have created an EIP that is both practical and attainable. In a few days the full document will be made available online to our larger community.
Admission Season As you may recall from your own admission experiences, February and March are key months Continued on page 2
More About The De La Salle Christian Brothers As a pioneer of education for local people, Saint John Baptist de La Salle established weekend school for workers. In Paris, De La Salle opened a school which met on Sunday afternoon, where young men, who had to work all week, could learn reading, writing, math, and religion, as well as some technical training. This school proved to be quite popular and is another example of the effort by De La Salle and the Brothers to fulfill the real educational needs of their time and society.
1
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
Principal Ideas Continued from page 1
in the school’s admission season. The members of our Admission Committee have been scrutinizing test scores, transcripts, evaluation forms, interview worksheets and recommendation letters for approximately 403 applicants. On Friday, March 4 we will be mailing our decision letters to waiting 8th graders and parents. As in the past years, we will be enrolling a new 9th grade class of approximately 155 students. It is most gratifying to see that many of the applications continue to come from families having either a past or current relationship with the school.
College Acceptance Season To the parents of our seniors, your sons/daughters education is beginning to wind down at La Salle. While many of our seniors have already received their letters from various colleges and universities, some are still awaiting decisions. This is a most anxious time for them as many have to make a decision on which offer to accept. To have such choices is a tribute to their life as a student and their hard work. Later this month I will be sending you a letter outlining the various events that surround our graduation activities in May. ENJOY THE EASTER SEASON
Towards the end of this month and the beginning of April, we will get a “short” Easter break. As people of hope and belief in the Risen Lord, I extend my best wishes for a joyous and meaningful Easter. Happy Easter!
Brother Christopher Brady, FSC Principal
2
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
From the Parent Association
"The La Salle Difference"
What Does the Parent Association do Anyway? We all grew up in the shadow of our school’s Parent Teacher Association – you know, the P.T.A., with all those meetings, barbecues, carnivals and endless Jello salads. When our own kids went though grammar school, we probably participated in some version of the classic P.T.A. And now – we automatically belong to the La Salle Parent Association.
But what does the Parent Association do – and how does it add to “The La Salle Difference?”
The Parent Association encompasses four main activities. We educate our parent body, raise funds for the school, provide volunteers for the many “extra” activities, and directly support a number of events throughout the year that add to that “La Salle Difference.” None of these activities are mutually exclusive, and all are essential to the success of the School and the added value our kids get by attending La Salle. Let’s take a brief look:
Parent Association Meeting March 8, 2016 6:30pm Blakeslee Library
Fundraising
Most importantly, the La Salle Parent Association raises funds. The Crystal Ball and our “No Cost Fundraiser” raise over $400,000 for the School. In addition, our “Texas Hold ’em” event in January raised funds for the new strength and conditioning pavilion, and “Gifts from the Heart,” held in February, raised funds specifically for our San Miguel Scholars program, a wonderful endeavor that benefits students who receive a full scholarship to La Salle including extras like books, uniforms, and student activities. The funds raised by the Crystal Ball support the activities of the three booster groups (Academic, Arts and Athletics) in addition to special projects that the School has identified. The “No Cost Fundraiser” specifically supports the work of the Parent Association.
Special Events The Parent Association underwrites and coordinates many of the special events that go on at the school. Our fall activities are packed with New Parent Orientation, Crystal Ball Gift Gathering parties, Open House, Faculty Appreciation Luncheon with Holiday Gifts, and our Christmas Adopt-a-Family. The Faculty Appreciation Luncheon with Holiday Gifts gives the parent body the chance to thank our dedicated faculty and staff at La Salle, with a breakfast and lunch buffet and handmade thank you gifts, with Starbucks gift cards. Adopt a Family, is a new event for the PA. While the Adopt-a-Family event has a 20 year history at La Salle, only in the last Christmas Adopt a Family
Difference Continued on page 17
3
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
La Salle Matters THE WCEA/WASC SNAPSHOT IS PRETTY GOOD
By the time you read this, we will be starting our accreditation visit by WCEA/WASC (Western Catholic Educational Association/Western Association of Schools & Colleges). Some might not be aware of the fact that La Salle belongs to two accrediting associations – one is for Catholic schools (WCEA) and one is for private and public schools (WASC). Because we are, first and foremost, a Catholic school, we care deeply about “measuring up” to the standards of WCEA; but, because we also care deeply about meeting the standards of area private schools with whom we compete for Mission-appropriate students, we belong to WASC as well. Fortunately for us, both agencies cooperate with each other when it comes to accrediting schools like La Salle who have a foot in more than one educational world. As such, we want to make sure that we are authentically Catholic and authentically collegepreparatory. Accreditation by WCEA and WASC assures the community we serve that we can deliver on both counts. What does that look like? As Brother Christopher recently explained to our students, the process involved spending the last 18 months seeking the opinions of all La Salle constituents (Employees, Parents, Students, Alums, Trustees, Regents and Community representatives) via online surveys and various in-person opportunities (such as Parent Association meetings, Governance meetings, Student assemblies and Alumni gatherings) to learn from the people we serve what we do well and what we can do better. These encounters produced hundreds of pages of data which we then examined and synthesized to produce a “snapshot” of what La Salle looks like right now and what it should look like in the next five to ten years. What is unique about the process we are experiencing now is that over the course of roughly the same time frame we also underwent a strategic planning process which focused on six broad initiatives we believe will position La Salle for long-term success in the highly competitive educational marketplace that surrounds the City of Pasadena. While the two processes are not necessarily in alignment – one seeks to produce a “snapshot” of the current situation; the other makes claims about what the future will look like – they happily overlapped in one particular area: the development of an educational improvement plan designed to ensure that La Salle continues to provide a quality product for the students entrusted to our care. To that end, four of the six strategic goals: 1. Expand and deepen Lasallian formation programs to better articulate the School’s Catholic and Lasallian identity.
4
2. Ensure the delivery of a relevant and challenging college preparatory curriculum to address the diverse learning needs of all students. 3. Strengthen the recruitment of a diverse faculty and staff to better align with a diverse student population.
ParentNewsletter 4.
MARCH 2016
Strengthen the quality of the student experience outside of the classroom in: • Athletics • Guidance & Counseling • Student Life
became the basis of the WCEA/WASC educational improvement plan, while the last two goals: 5.
Ensure campus facilities effectively support the implementation of the Mission
6.
Ensure sustainability of the Mission through efficient and effective leveraging of Finance, Development and Marketing functions
anchor the Master Plan that is slowly wending its way through the Pasadena city approval process. We are proud of the synergy created by the alignment of the accreditation, strategic and master planning processes at this particular moment in the School’s history. This alignment tells us that we have “got it right” when it comes to understanding what our community expects of La Salle in terms of delivering a high-quality college preparatory education to the largest and most ethnically and economically diverse student population in the Greater Pasadena area. A fundamental component of the strategic planning process and, implicit in the accreditation process, has been the promotion of this value proposition: What distinguishes La Salle from the other college-preparatory high schools in the greater Pasadena area is the opportunity for students to nurture their individual passion in academics, the arts, athletics and/or the spiritual life. Because it is the largest private high school in Pasadena, La Salle is able to offer a diversity of opportunities both in and out of the classroom that is unparalleled among its peers.
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 is published monthly except January and July by La Salle High School of Pasadena, Incorporated
© 2016
• Editor, Designer John Blackstock ’67 Director of Communications
If one views the four goals of the EIP through the lens of this value proposition, I think it becomes obvious that the “snapshot” we have provided for the WCEA/WASC Visiting Committee and the future we envision for La Salle are not only in alignment, but offer an exciting opportunity to cement our vision of being “the school of choice in the San Gabriel Valley.”
Telephone: 626.696.4316 • email: jblackstock @ lasallehs . org
Transforming Lives Since 1680 Richard Gray, Ph.D President
5
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
Gifts from the Heart On the evening of Sunday, February 21, La Salle High School hosted the annual Gifts from the Heart Social supporting the San Miguel Scholarship program. The event took place at the beautiful residence of Hope and Dr. Dino Clarizio ’75 in Arcadia. (See photo below, top left). It was an evening of music and magic, courtesy of master magician, Chef Anton. All had a wonderful evening and we thank everyone for their generous donations and for your support. We look forward to seeing you at the Crystal Ball in May.
6
MARCH 2016
A FUN NIGHT to Support La Salle
7
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
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
8
or thetaperts@gmail.com *Maui Vacation made possible by a grant from the William H. Hannon Foundation
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
TEAM Quadruples LAST YEARS' MEDAL COUNT
Academic Decathlon Team Wins 88 Medals La Salle High School scored big in the Southern California Private Schools Academic Decathlon. The Lancers placed in three divisions, 3rd place overall in Division 2, 2nd place overall in Division 3 and winning FIRST PLACE OVERALL in Division 4! In 11 events, whose theme this year was India, 30 La Salle students won 88 medals, more than quadrupling the amount La Salle won last year. Team mentor and coach, Edgar Salmingo, expressed his thanks to their families, the faculty, whose commitment to developing these students academically has brought them this success. DIVISION 2 THIRD PLACE OVERALL: Alex Camargo, Cristina DeLaCruz, Tad Wanatabe, Japhet Quitzon, Brandon Perez, Jordan Regalado, Sebastian Schiff, Geroge Siberell.
Steven Luyapan, 1 medal: Silver (Economics) Emari McClellan, 3 medals: 3 Gold (Economics, Interview, Social Science) Erin McFaul, 1 medal: Bronze (Speech) Bhav Patel, 4 medals: 2 Silver (Art, Math), 2 Bronze (Economics, Music)
DIVISION 2 INDIVIDUAL MEDAL WINNERS Alex Camargo, 1 medal: Silver (Essay) Japhet Quitzon, 3 medals: Gold (Science), Silver (Interview), Bronze (Speech) Brandon Perez, 1 medal: Bronze (Essay) Jordan Regalado, 3 medals: 2 Silver (Economics, Literature), Bronze (Math) George Siberell, 2 medals: Gold (Essay, Social Science)
DIVISION 4 FIRST PLACE OVERALL: Mark Camarena, Zachary Damir, Samantha Hardy, Reilly Milton, Brandon Nguyen, JD Ramirez, Spencer Schoenbaum, Noah Sisson, Jacqueline Torrez
DIVISION 3 SECOND PLACE OVERALL: Michelle Cervantes, Max Dier, Kriztina Espinosa, Elijah Griffin, Steven Luyapan, Emari McClellan, Erin McFaul, Bhav Patel DIVISION 3 INDIVIDUAL MEDAL WINNERS Max Dier, 1 medal: Silver (Interview) Elijah Griffin, 2 medals: Silver (Literature), Bronze (Science)
DIVISION 4 INDIVIDUAL MEDAL WINNERS Christian Billings, 1 medal: Silver (Social Science)Zachary Damir, 9 medals: 2 Gold (Art, Literature), 5 Silver (Essay, Interview, Speech, Music, Science), 2 Bronze (Economics, Social Science) Samantha Hardy, 2 medals: Silver (Interview), Bronze (Speech) Bettina Lee, 3 medals: Gold (Interview), Silver (Literature), Bronze (Essay) Reilly Milton, 3 medals: 3 Bronze (Art, Economics, Interview) Brandon Nguyen, 3 medals: Gold (Art), 2 Silver (Music, Literature) Spencer Schoenbaum, 6 medals: 4
Silver (Economics, Essay, Math, Speech, Social Science), 2 Bronze (Science, Social Science) Noah Sisson,4 medals: 1 Gold (Art), 2 Silver (Math, Social Science), Bronze (Science) Robert Sweeney, 7 medals: 6 Gold (Economics, Essay, Literature, Math, Music, Social Studies), 1 Silver (Art) Kevin Tian, 1 medal: Silver (Social Science) Jackie Torrez, 2 medals: 2 Gold (Interview, Speech) ALTERNATE Garien Agapito TOTAL MEDAL COUNT 29 Gold 34 Silver 25 Bronze Total Medals: 88 TOP INDIVIDUAL MEDAL WINNERS Zachary Damir, 9 Robert Sweeney, 7 Spencer Schoenbaum, 6
9
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
From the Athletic Boosters
Winter/Spring Sports Report Lancer spirit is alive and reinvigorated at La Salle High School. As you approach the Lancer Gymnasium on a home game night, you will hear the roar from a packed house and the chanting of “Defense, Defense” from a student body that has filled the gym to support their boys basketball team. PLEASE SUPPORT Spring ATHLETICS
La Salle’s Boys Basketball team went 8-2 in conference play and has advanced to the CIF Semi-final round. Congratulations to our players and new head Basketball Coach Mike Lynch. Join us for a “White-Out” Friday night basketball game on February 26th as the Lancers take on Campbell Hall. Go Lancers! It has been a winning winter sports season as our boys and girls varsity soccer teams and girls varsity basketball team advanced to the CIF playoffs. Let’s continue our Lancer Spirit as we support our spring season teams: baseball, softball, swimming, golf, tennis, boys volleyball, and track and field. Our Athletic community also experienced great sadness this week. As many of you may know, Chris Nelson, the father of sophomore Savannah Nelson and her three siblings, was tragically killed on Sunday, February 21st. Reflective of the generous spirit of our students and La Salle families, there has been an outpouring of love and support for the Nelson family. Chris was one of La Salle’s biggest supporters and never missed a game to watch Savannah on the varsity softball team. Our softball team had its first scrimmage on the 24th and Savannah was back on the field with a smile on her face knowing her dad was proud of her. In tribute to our “Softball Dad,” the team will be wearing #21 on their helmets this season, Chris’s favorite number. If you would like to make a difference, a GoFundMe account has been set up to receive donations to help the Nelson Family at www.gofundme.com/haqag7gk. Please contact the boosters at christinemarez@me.com if you would like to participate on a booster committee. Our next Athletic Booster meeting will be on Tuesday, March 8th after the Parent Association meeting. Respectfully,
Christine Marez Athletic Boosters President P'14,'18
10
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016 MARCH 2016
La Salle High School Student Calendar* 2016 – 2017 August 16 (Tuesday) New Student Welcome
January 9 (Monday) Second Semester Begins
August 17 (Wednesday) Student Information and Planning Day (All Students)
January 16 (Monday) Martin Luther King, Jr. – Holiday
August 18 (Thursday) First Day of Classes (All classes meet / Dismissal 12:20) September 5 (Monday) Labor Day – Holiday
February 6 (Monday) Faculty In-service February 20 (Monday) Presidents’ Day – Holiday March 6 (Monday) Faculty In-Service
October 7 (Friday) Faculty In-service
March 20 (Monday) School Holiday
October 10 (Monday) Columbus Day – Holiday October 19 Tentative (Wednesday) Faith Formation Day (To be determined by Archdiocese)
April 13 – 23 Easter Break May 24 (Wednesday) Baccalaureatte
November 11(Friday) Veteran’s Day Observed – Holiday
May 26 (Friday) School Holiday - Graduation
November 23 – 27 (Wed – Sun) Thanksgiving Break
May 29 (Monday) Memorial Day – Holiday
December 13 – 16 (Tues – Fri) Fall Semester Examinations December 17 – January 8, Christmas Break
PLAN AND ORGANIZE FUTURE SCHEDULES
June 2 – 7 (Fri – Wed) Spring Semester Examinations
*Tentative Calendar. All dates subject to change 2017
11
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
Catholic Schools Week HUNDREDS OF STUDENT VOLUNTEERS SPENT A WEEK SERVING THE NEEDY
La Salle celebrated Catholic Schools Week from February 1st through the 5th. During that week, the La Salle community participated at the following service sites: Ability First employs mentally challenged adults to do various tasks mostly around packaging. Students assist with packaging and shipping. Hope Gardens Family Center is an oasis of hope on 77 acres in the foothills of Sylmar, California. This transitional housing campus offers sanctuary to single women and children who are experiencing homelessness. It is part of Union Rescue Mission, one of the missions on Skid Row. Our work at Hope Gardens included painting, refurbishing, and cleaning the flood control channels of debris. Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The food bank relies heavily on La Salle volunteers to sort and prepare food staples in order to be distributed to the various food pantries throughout Los Angeles County. We have partnered with them for over 12 years now. Project Angel Food. Project Angel Food prepares frozen meals for people who are sick and confined to their home. Originally, they made food for people who had AIDS, but their ministry has changed over the years. Santa Teresita Manor is associated with Santa Teresita Hospital. Volunteers engaged with elderly patients through a variety of activities, such as playing games, reading, baking and art projects. St. Francis Center. Volunteers play a vital role in supporting every aspect of SFC’s daily operations, from working directly with homeless and extremely low-income program guests, to helping organize donations of food and clothing, and even providing administrative assistance. Union Rescue Mission Thrift Store. Student volunteers sorted, re-stocked and assisted the employees at the thrift store. Union Station Pasadena. Volunteers assisted in preparing and serving breakfast and lunch. They also cleaned and restocked the kitchen. “It is the Jubilee Year of Mercy for CSW,” said Ed O’Connor, coordinator of the week's activities and Director of Student Life. "It was a very satisfying, worthwhile and rewarding week.” Ability First
12
Santa Teresita Manor
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
Project Angel Food Ability First
Catholic Schools Week Assembly
Union Rescue Mission Thrift Store
Santa Teresita Manor
Top left, Project Angel Food. Top right, Ability First. Middle left, Union Rescue Mission Thrift Store Middle right, Sister Catherine Marie, a Carmelite nun from Santa Teresita, was the keynote speaker at the at the CSW Assembly on February 5th. Left, Santa Teresita. See many more photos from CSW in the La Salle Flickr Gallery. www.lasallehs.org.
13
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
From the College Counseling Center
College Center News
By Owen Hou ’90, Tina Bonacci '94 and Marcia Yu, College Counselors
Senior News College acceptances are continuing to come in. Seniors have been offered admission to many colleges throughout California and the United States. Remember to add your admissions decisions on Naviance. We need to know all the news, both good and not so good, in order to get a complete picture.
Junior News COLLEGE FORUM APRIL 7
Ms. Bonacci, Mr. Hou and Mrs. Yu are now meeting with juniors and talking to them about college options. Some Junior College Planning Surveys are still outstanding. If your student has not submitted his/her survey, please remind them to do so as soon as possible. We will meet with every junior who submits the survey by the end of May. We are also glad to meet with parents after your student has met with his/her College Counselor. Please feel free to call and schedule an appointment.
Sophomore News Career Days will take place on March 8 and March 10 during Mentor Period. Alumni of La Salle will talk about their career with your student. Ask your student what careers they learned about.
May 7 and June 4; the ACT test dates are April 9 and June 11. If your student is planning to apply to a University of California campus in a science or engineering major, then he/she is encouraged to take two SAT Subject Tests from different disciplines. The best time to take SAT Subject Tests is in June after the student has completed the course. There is time to re-test for SAT, SAT Subject Tests, and ACT during the senior year, and all colleges will take the highest scores. In addition to the UC's, some colleges* require or highly recommend applicants to submit two or three SAT Subject Tests. The College Center advises Freshmen to consider taking the Biology test and Sophomores, the Chemistry and/or World History test on June 6 if they are receiving a A- or higher in the course. Students should talk with their teacher about the material covered in the test or consider taking a practice Subject Test exam (see details at the end of this article). Please contact Ms. Bonacci, Mr. Hou or Mrs. Yu if you have any questions. *A list of colleges that require/recommend Subject Tests can be found at www.compassprep. com/admissions_req_subjects.aspx.
All Students Standardized Testing News We would like to thank all juniors who took the ACT at La Salle in February. Some students have already reported seeing their scores on the ACT student website. We expect all the results will be available by early to mid-March.
14
We hope that all juniors have already registered for a spring SAT and/or another ACT. If not, they should register as soon as possible. Registration information and forms are available in the College Center. The next SAT test dates are
Mock SAT Subject Tests The La Salle parent boosters will be offering practice SAT Subject Tests on March 19. This is a good opportunity for students to become more familiar with these standardized tests and to see whether they are ready for the real thing in June. Mock SAT Subject Test(s) – Saturday, 3/19 at 9:00am, Room 205
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
The price for the mock SAT Subject Tests is $10 per test or $25 for three subject tests. The fee includes a follow-up workshop offered to both parents and students to review the test and answer any test-related questions during the College Form on Thursday, April 7.
To register, please submit a check to the College Center, made payable to La Salle High School.
Plan to Visit Colleges Over Easter Vacation Plan a college tour locally or out-of-state with your son or daughter over the Easter break (3/24 - 4/04). Touring a college, this time of year, will allow your student to experience a true college setting with college students attending classes and club activity in the campus center. Seeing a college campus first-hand will help your son or daughter find the right college campus for them. San Diego College Tour – Friday, March 4 We’ve had a terrific response for the San Diego College Tour. Currently, the tour is at capacity. Please contact Mrs. Teresa Elmslie-Britt at telmsliebritt@lasallehs.org if you would like your student to be placed on the waiting list.
College Forum –Thursday, April, 7 Our largest college-planning event of the year will take place on Thursday, April 7 at 6:00pm. We are planning the following presentations for 9, 10 and 11 grade students and parents: •Dollars & Sense • Understanding UC Admission • Studying the Physical Sciences and Engineering • The Arts: Application Process, Auditions & Portfolios • Considering College Out-of-State, Creating Options in Your College Search • WUE and Other Scholarships • Will Your Student Bring Diversity to Campus? • Enrollment Management 101 • Getting a Liberal Arts Education on a State School Budget
• Life as a Collegiate Student-Athlete • SAT Subject Test Scoreback • Getting In: Tips for Admission to Highly Selective Colleges • Parent Forum • Navigating Naviance: Family Connection, Admission Stats, and More • Successful Transition to College for Students with Learning Differences • Preparing for Health Related Careers • A Critical Student Guide, for Both the Athlete and Non-Athlete, to Successfully Find the Best Fit
We are finalizing the speaker list and should have all of them confirmed by the beginning of March. Once that is done, we will send parents a copy via email and distribute programs to students in their Mentor period. Please contact Ms. Bonacci, Mr. Hou or Mrs. Yu if you have questions.
CHECK COLLEGE TOUR DATES
Advanced Placement (AP) exams (5/2-5/13) All students received their AP Exams Information Package including the Bulletin for AP Students and Parents, student checklist and schedule. The AP exams will be administered on the following dates (all dates are printed in the school calendar): Monday, 5/2 - Chemistry Tuesday, 5/3 – Spanish Language and Culture Wednesday, 5/4 - English Literature Thursday, 5/5 – Calculus AB and BC Friday, 5/6 - U.S. History, Studio Art, European History Monday, 5/09 – Biology, Physics C Tuesday, 5/10 - U.S. Government & Politics Wednesday, 5/11- English Language, Macroeconomics Thursday, 5/12 - Statistics Friday, 5/13 – Microeconomics Please contact Mrs. Yu, AP Coordinator, if you have questions.
15
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
Robotics' Score Big at VEX This is the eighth season of VEX competition for our Robo-Lancers. The VEX Robotics Competition Season is structured in the following manner. Teams/Schools compete with each other to earn qualification/s to State Finals. All qualified team gather at State Finals and the top 30-33 teams from California then qualify for competition at the World Championship event. Only Texas has more VEX Robotics teams than California and that is only by a few. (California is likely the most competitive pool from which to vie for qualification to Worlds.) Our season starts in May and ends in April. This year, we have earned the following awards: Mt. Sac: Tournament Champions, Tournament Finalists. San Ysidro High School: Excellence (highest award at any tournament), Build Award (most professionally built robot, Amaze Award (most consistent robot-performance on the field), Programming Award. Northridge: Tournament Finalists Robo-Lancers have qualified two robots (teams 8888X and 8888Y) to the California State Championship Tournament at the Pasadena Convention Center on March 12, 2016. This is an all day event starting at roughly 9:00am and concluding at 5:30pm. The event is free for all who would like to attend. A strong showing at this event will qualify one or both teams for the VEX World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky on April 21, 22, 23. On April 9th we will be heading to La Reina High School in Thousand Oaks for an “All Girls� tournament that highlights skills and accomplishments of girls in STEAM related activities. Our Representatives are Lauren Rogez '17, Ursula Marshall '17, and Ahtziri Rios-Aguirre '19. ROBOTICS TEAM AIMS FOR NATIONALS
16
Lancer Robotic Team, from left, Lauren Rogez, Steven Luyapon, Izcalli Rios-Aguirre, Brandon Nguyen, Elijah Reyes, Jason Ding, Philip Krings and James Qian.
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
Difference
Continue from page 3
two years has the Parent Association hosted the luncheon portion of the day, feeding over 200 attendees and La Salle students and faculty. Our spring events include Grandparents Day and Senior Retreat dinners. In addition, our “pantry” provides supplies for back-to-school night, new parent registration, 8th grade test taking days, and any number of events that La Salle hosts.
Volunteers Volunteers are the backbone of any organization, and La Salle High School is no exception. From baking cookies for our “Cookie Club” to directing traffic at Open House, we depend on our many parent volunteers. While 20 service hours are required of each family at La Salle, most parents do many more. We are blessed here at our school to have an engaged parent body. Many thanks to our La Salle Service Hour Coordinators Kavita Staneck and Geri Payne who keep our volunteer calendar and help coordinate the many activities on campus that need volunteers to help make events and activities successful. We’ll recognize our “Senior” volunteer parents whose only or last child is graduating this year from La Salle at our April Parent Association meeting. Please plan to join us for this very special meeting.
Education
Through the monthly ParentNewsletter article and seven Parent Association meetings, the Parent Association reaches out to the parent body, enabling communication between the administration, the booster groups, and the many on-going activities at La Salle. The Parent Association also hosts the New Parent Orientation in the fall and the two Back-to-School nights at the start of each semester. There are two more Parent Association meetings this year, so please plan to join us on March 8th and again on April 12th at 6:30pm in the Blakeslee Library.
Marianne K. Wright P'16 President, Parent Association
Grandparents' Day
Save the Date • March 23 Lunch and entertainment. Go to La Salle's Flickr Gallery to see photos after March 24.
Matching Gifts 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.
17
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
From Institutional Advancement
Planning Your Gifts to La Salle to Help Achieve Your Fincncial Goals A “Planned Gift” (as opposed to an “annual gift”) is a donation to La Salle High School made in one’s lifetime or at death that is a part of a donor’s overall financial and/ or estate plan. Such gifts enhance the endowment of our School by supporting and ensuring the commitment to its Mission. A Planned Gift can be beneficial to the donor in a number of ways, some of which include the following: PLANNED GIFTS ARE IMPORTANT
3
Providing a stream of income either immediately or in the future along with a current tax deduction (Charitable Gift Annuity)
3
Using appreciated assets (real estate and securities as examples) to avoid federal and state capital gains taxes while creating a tax deduction
3
Gifts payable at death (a bequest or designating our School as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement fund) are exempt from estate taxation
3
Donating an asset to a charitable trust such that our School receives it when the trust terminates in the future; in the meantime, the donor receives either fixed or fluctuating payments of income at a rate that exceeds that which can be conservatively attained in the open market
These are but a few of the opportunities available in the world of Planned Giving. Determining what type of Planned Gift is appropriate for you depends on your personal financial goals and the circumstances that encompass your personal situation. 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
18
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.
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
Lent Begins with Ash Wednesday Liturgy Wednesday, February 10, the La Salle community celebrated Ash Wednesday. This liturgy takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday and opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us. As the priest applies the ashes to a person’s forehead, he speaks the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Ashes also symbolize grief, in this case, grief that we have sinned and caused division from God. Writings from the Second-century Church refer to the wearing of ashes as a sign of penance. Lent is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption.
Solemn Season Precedes the Holiest Feast Day of the Year
The Crystal Ball Needs Baskets! Are you not sure what to do with that empty gift basket you
received last 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!
19
IM-
SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2016 6:30pm-9:00pm La Salle High School Dining Hall & Atrium
Featuring unlimited food & beverage tastes from over
30 eateries and beverage companies •
Plus the Amazing Opportunity Drawing featuring several tasty prizes including:
Grand Prize “Eat Out for a Year” Basket Featuring Gift Cards Totaling Over $1,800 to local eateries Winners of the Opportunity Drawing items need not be present. Sponsorships and Tickets available online at
www.lancernetwork.com/Taste2016
Tickets in advance are $45 or $60 at the door. For more information contact the Alumni Office at 626.696.4362 or alumni@lasallehs.org
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
Spring Play Opens March 5 The La Salle High School Performing Arts Department is proud to announce the opening of “Nice Work If You Can Get It”, a musical comedy with a score by George and Ira Gershwin and book by Tony Award winning Joe Dipietro. The production features seniors Spencer Raines ’16, Sky Garcilasodelavega ’16, Emily Coolidge ’16, Lexi Dyer ’16, Emilio Garcia-Corona ’16, Emily Wright ’16, Amell Bishara ’16, Reilly Milton ’16, Emari McClellan ’16 as well as an additional 25 student performers and technicians. Set in the 1920s, it is the rip-roaring tale of bootleggers, chorus girls, playboys and politicians gone wild in a “’S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous” Long Island mansion. Bursting with great songs, including “But Not For Me,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “I’ve Got a Crush on You” and “Someone to Watch Over Me,” this witty production combines laughter, romance and high-stepping amusement for all.
ENJOY A WONDERFUL PRODUCTION WITH A CAST AND CREW OF OVER 30
“Nice Work If You Can Get It” is a new Gershwin musical about all the good things in life — music and laughter and falling in love. Every character in the show learns to find his or her joy, and we hope audiences will do the same. The lighthearted musical is directed by Dr. Jude Lucas and David Needles and choreographed by Ashleigh Doede with musical direction by Christopher Rolontz. All performances are at Porticos Art Space 2033 E. Washington Blvd. Pasadena CA 91104. Tickets: Adults $15, Students $9. For reservations and information call 626-696-4415 or email dneedles@lasallehs.org
Performance Dates and Times: . March 5 7:00pm March 6 4:00pm March 11 7:00pm March 12 2:00pm & 7:00pm March 13 4:00pm
March 18 7:00pm March 19 2:00 & 7:00pm March 20 4:00pm March 20 4:00
21
ParentNewsletter
Texas Hold’em Grabs Some Big Fun
The La Salle Dining Hall was full of excited anticipation as the Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament dealt the first cards. After a tasty pasta and chicken dinner (followed by tri-tip sandwiches and mac and cheese at the break) the nearly 120 players adjourned to the tournament tables where, after hours of poker panache, good food and drinks the final poker hands were dealt and Coach Russ Gordon was the $2,000 tournament winner. George Moran won the $1,000 second place prize. Willie Tuitama won the $500 third prize and Josh Yee was fourth. The Crystal Ball co-chairs, Ellen Radle and Suzy Rettig were pleased with this first-time event that was sponsored by the Crystal Ball. “Clive Kelly and Steven Yee were the tournament co-chairs and did a fantastic job,” Ellen said. “We generated nearly $22,000 for our new strength and conditioning pavilion. It’s a great new facility that will benefit the health of the entire student body.”
“We want to thank our generous tournament sponsors, (see photo) and the La Salle community for their support,” said Suzy Rettig. “The food was amazing and all the volunteers were wonderful. We think next year will be even better.”
22
Don't bet against these gals. Texas Hold'em committee volunteers included, from left, Caron Encinas, Laura Vargas, Joni Conlon, Toya Bailey, Jacky Samartin and Yvonne Waggoner.
ParentNewsletter
Crystal Ball Co-Chair Suzy Rettig, right, with Cindy Amerio.
MARCH 2016
Board of Trustees, Chair, Tamara Flowers, with husband Steve Cobb, far left, and Brother Christopher with Dennis Jebbia, Board of Regents, Chair.
TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS, GO TO LA SALLE HOME PAGE, LINK TO FLICKR AT Bottom Left
Texas Hold'em Co-Chairs, Steven Yee, left and Clive Kelly with Crystal all Co-Chair Ellen Radle.
23
ParentNewsletter
MARCH 2016
Check your School calendar for event times and dates
March Highlights February 28 March 2 WCEA/WASCAccreditation Visit
SPRING PLAY OPENING NIGHT MARCH 5
TASTE OF LA SALLE MARCH 16
GRANDPARENTS DAY MARCH 23
COLLEGE FORUM APRIL 7
March 4 School Holiday WCEA/WASC Accreditation Review San Diego College Tour March 5 Saturday Opening Night Theater Production "Nice work if you can get it" 7:00pm Pasadena Porticos* (See website for additional performance information) March 7 Student Holiday Faculty: Faith Formation Workshop 8:00am Dining Hall March 8 Parent Association Meeting 6:30pm Blakeslee Library Parent Boosters Meetings 7:30pm Campus Locations March 8 and 10 Career Day Alumni Presentations Mentor Period
March 12 Saturday Registration Class of 2020 9:00am - 12:30pm Dining Hall Gymnasium March 13 Sunday Daylight-Saving Time Begins March 17 Saint Patrick’s Day March 18 Rally Schedule Spring Sports Rally 1:45pm Gymnasium March 19 Saturday Taste of La Salle 6:00pm Dining Hall
March 24 - April 4 Easter Break March 25 Good Friday No athletic practices or games April 4 Student Holiday Faculty InService 8:00am Dining Hall April 5 Tuesday Classes Resume 8:00am April 7 College Forum 6:00pm Dining Hall
March 21 Dress Uniforms Lenten Prayer Service 9:15am Dining Hall March 23 Dress Uniforms Grandparents Day Friday Schedule 9:00am Dining Hall and Gymnasium
eléonore Fashion magazine now online Summer Physicals
24
www.lasallehs.org / Student Life
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 * Porticos Art Space, 2033 East Washington Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91104