September 2013 Parent Newsletter

ParentNewsletter The La Salle

FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CALIFORNIA • SEPTEMBER 2013

Principal Ideas Learn•Serve•Lead

We are well underway and just completing our first full week of classes. From my conversations with the teachers and my glances into all the classrooms, I am pleased to report that all is very positive. The teachers have gone right to work with their students and homework assignments are being given.

Our grading periods move quickly so I never pass up an opportunity to remind students and parents to avail themselves of PowerSchool.

This tool is accessible around the clock and can help answer many questions about a student’s progress.

Power School Tips

I do offer a few tips (based upon my experience) when questions arise regarding grades. First, your son/daughter is the first one to question. They most likely will have the answer(s). Second, after you have spoken with your student and your question is still not answered, then contact the teacher directly either by email or phone. Teachers should respond to you within one school day (usually within 24 hours – weekend time exempt). Should you not get the required timely

response, then contact the Director of Academic Advising, Mr. Donald DesHarnais. The sooner we can address issues and concerns, the quicker we can return our focus to the instruction and learning mode.

Online Calendar In my summer mailing to you, I noted that we have migrated to an online school calendar that can be accessed at our school website. The purpose for this change was necessitated by our desire to provide accurate and timely calendared events to the school community.

The previously printed annual calendar was not able to reflect the many adjustments that occurred throughout the school year. While we believe the online calendar is a step in the right direction, it is not the only way for us to share dates and information with you. This monthly ParentNewsletter you are reading should be a regular resource for you and your family. The last page of this document will continue to list various scheduled events and activities. While we strive to provide timely and accurate communication we do not always hit the mark – but rest assured we are Continued on page 2

The words of St. John Baptist de La Salle to the first Brothers “Facility in imparting knowledge can only be the result of superior talents joined with years of experience. They are not the inheritance of the majority.”

Saint John Baptist de La Salle c.1703 From: Conduct in Forming a Master

PAGE 1

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

Principal Ideas Continued from page 1

in the process of trying to make it better! Note: to access the School Calendar from our website (www.lasallehs.org), look for the red “Quick Links” tab in the upper right corner of the home page and click on it. Go to the far left and click on the tab that says “Calendar”. Once the calendar is visible to you – in the upper right corner look for the words – Week, Month, Agenda and the down arrow – and click on them. The first three will give you a different view of the calendar. By clicking on the arrow, you will then be able to see the different filters that are available to you. Happy exploring!

New Faculty and Staff Additions

During the summer months we welcomed two talented individuals to La Salle. As I shared with you last spring, Mr. Patrick Henry asked to return to the classroom after 15 years as the schools’ Admissions Director. So, in mid-June, after a five month national search process, Ms. Ronée McLaughlin was chosen as our new Director of Admissions. Most recently she worked in the Washington DC area advising families on admissions strategies and placement. She has an impressive résumé of working for some top-flight schools on the east coast and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge with her to our school community. While she is currently waiting for her home in the Pasadena area to be readied, her daughter has enrolled in our Junior Class. Ronée's parents reside in southern California and are most pleased to have her back in the “neighborhood.”

In addition to Ms. McLaughlin, we welcomed Mrs. Kate Williams. Mrs. Williams

will be joining the Visual and Performing Arts Department with a teaching specialty in the visual arts. Having taught for three years in a Catholic school back east, she is very happy to again be working in a Catholic school community after a one year hiatus of working with an educational foundation. While she gained valuable insight with the foundation, she told me that her real joy is found with students in the classroom. Her husband is a professional illustrator and they reside in a neighboring community.

Director of Classroom Supervision

Let me mention two internal personnel changes to you. In March it appeared that Mr. Frank Laurenzello, the Associate Principal for Curriculum and Instruction would be leaving La Salle. Fortunately, as we began to refine some job descriptions and work assignments, it became clear that we should make use of his talents in the area of classroom supervision (It did not hurt his cause with me that he is a lifelong S.F. Giants fan – my type of guy!) So, Mr. Laurenzello will now be the Director of Classroom Supervision. The remaining Associate Principal responsibilities have moved to Mr. Donald DesHarnais, Mr. John Ring and myself. As a general guide for you, if the academic issue is about your son/daughter, Mr. DesHarnais is the one to contact. My focus is with the teachers and our academic program.

Excellent Orientation

On the evening of August 21, PALS along with many other volunteers, hosted an outstanding Continued on page 14

Parent Association Monthly Meeting Topics September - Brother Christopher Brady, FSC. Principal October - Brandon Birr, Dean of Students November - Holiday Hospitality - Tablet Technology Project Update January - Student Technology Implementation Plan for 2014-2015 February - Mission Effectiveness Committee Presentation March - College Counselors Year-End Report April - Thank You Celebration PAGE 2

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

From the Parent Association

Wecome and Welcome Back for a Great Year at La Salle

It does not seem all that long ago that our All parents are encouraged to attend Backoldest son, Andrew, returned home in early May to-School Night on August 29th. It is a wonderful having just finished his first year at OU, and his opportunity to learn about the classes your son younger brother, Matthew, was wrapping up his or daughter is taking, and meet their teachers or junior year at La Salle and anxiously awaiting the college counselors. For many parents it is one of start of summer. But in what seems like a blink of the most enjoyable and informative evenings of the an eye, Andrew is already back in Oklahoma for the year. start of his second year and Matthew, now a proud Please join us NEXT senior, is totally immersed in everything having to Tuesday, September 10 th Parent Association do with La Salle Student Life and the start of the for our monthly Parent football season.

Association and Booster Meeting: Tuesday,

While the “end” of summer is signified by meetings. This year the September 10, 2013, the start of school, it also represents the beginning general Parent Association 6:30pm of yet another chapter in our lives at home and meeting will begin at school. With an eye to the upcoming 2013/2014 6:30pm in the Blakeslee Blakeslee Library academic year, the parents and students of our Library. Individual Booster Lasallian Community have much to look forward meetings will follow; these to and every reason to celebrate the “La Salle meetings will begin at 7:30pm. As part of our Experience” as we enter the school’s 57th year of “featured presentation” this month, Brother making a difference in the San Gabriel Valley. Christopher will share some of the new and Welcome back! exciting changes for the upcoming school year. We

We want to take this opportunity to once hope you will join us for what promises to be an again welcome the parents of the Class of 2017 extremely informative first meeting. As a reminder; and to those families who are here at La Salle for all parents are given credit for one service hour for the first time. In connection with the new student each meeting attended. orientation that took place on August 21st, the As we begin the start of a new school year, Parent Association and the various booster groups we cannot help but think about our school and hosted the Freshman Parent and New Parent the impact that it has on every family that calls Orientation program that evening. We’d like to take La Salle their home. As parents, we’ve come to a moment to thank everyone who helped make this realize that La Salle truly holds something special a success, especially Co-Chairs Craig Snodgrass and for each and every student here. We invite you to Hilary Scofield, for what continues to be nothing come explore the opportunities that abound, share short of an extraordinary event. A huge thank you the experience with your children and discover the to our wonderful PALS as well, you are invaluable. infinite possibilities that are within our student’s With the introduction of the Parent Orientation grasp!

With best wishes for an exciting and Happy program eight years ago, we should be extremely proud of what we as a school have accomplished. As New Year! a community of parents, faculty and administrators, we have clearly worked in unison in creating a standard of excellence given the fact that such a program is offered nowhere else in any of the Tess Crabtree P’12, '14 President surrounding area's high school programs!

Parent Association

PAGE 3

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

La Salle Matters A MESSAGE OF LOVE AND HOPE

PAGE 4

Recently, I was asked to deliver the eulogy for a very dear friend and colleague whose life was cut short by pancreatic cancer. It is only the second time that I have been asked to perform this service, but it was the first time where the task of saying good-bye cut to the quick. This was a friend, slightly older than me, but light years ahead of me in his understanding of how to deal with a world that grows increasingly more nonsensical as we age. He had one of those irrepressible personalities which draw you in through humor and grace, only to remind you that high expectations for perfection in others will only lead to tears (yours).

The stereotypical phrase “so-and-so is larger than life” actually applied to him (though he would never have accepted that mantle of responsibility).

He is the second of two close friends (my colleague Annie Johnston was the first) to leave a gaping hole in my heart. Unfortunately for me, I was raised by a stereotypical Irish-American family who assumed that men don't cry (unless, that is, your 13 year old son inadvertently knocks his father’s 20 year old bottle of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey off the coffee table onto a slate floor at Christmas, 1968). So, when his wife asked me to do the eulogy, I knew that it was pointless to dodge that bullet.

The task of writing a eulogy is never an easy one. One frequent writer of eulogies eloquently observed that “The writing and reading of a eulogy is, above all, the simple and elegant search for small truths.” But, whose truths? The deceased? The immediate family? The friends who have been gathered together, each with a different characterization of the friendship? The writing of a eulogy does not seem intimidating until one is asked to be the author.

Having buried both parents, I have been known to observe that, if there is a choice between

a fast death and a slow death, fast is much easier to handle. My friend’s death was fast - less than twelve months from the time of diagnosis. In retrospect, I now realize that, when one is asked to write a eulogy, it does not matter if the death is fast or slow, the charge generally comes in the final days; leaving the author with precious little time to craft the perfect good-bye. It took me a week to write his eulogy. What I learned in that week is remarkably simple: pay attention. The death of a friend or a loved one forces us to pay attention…to the gap left in one’s heart; to the loss of comfort generated by the assumption that the deceased will always be there; to the fraternal correction that is easier to take from someone who has earned our trust.

Thomas Merton, the Catholic convert, Trappist monk and memoirist, had this to say about the premature death of the great Southern Catholic writer, Flannery O’Connor:

“But respect had to be maintained.

Flannery maintained it ironically and relentlessly with a kind of innocent passion long after it had died of contempt - as if she were the only one left who took this thing seriously.”

The last line - “as if she were the only one left who took this thing seriously” - strikes me as the epitome of what we want from those who have left us too soon. We want the deceased to take us, our lives, the lives of intimate others, seriously - only we have no way of knowing whether that was ever true. So, we search the “small truths” for glimmers of what we now know, retrospectively, we didn’t realize we wanted all along - to rest secure in the knowledge that at least one person understood us in ways that defy conscious description. Oscar Wilde got that dynamic right when he penned, two generations ago, “the truth is never pure and never simple.”

It is this dynamic which confounds us - we want truth to be pure and simple - and, of course, death continually reminds us that neither is true. The American poet, Emily Dickinson, once described what the living have after the death of a loved one as “an awful leisure.” The living are left

ParentNewsletter with “an awful leisure” that is too much with us when the sorrow is as fresh and painful as a paper cut. And yet, grief has its purpose. It is the bridge between the pain and anger of the premature loss of one whose footprints are all over the lives of family and friends and the recognition that, in the words of New York Times columnist, Anna Quindlen, “we are defined by whom we have lost.”

Readers of this column may find it odd that I have chosen to focus on the eulogy of a friend to launch the first ParentNewsletter of the 2013-2014 school year; and yet, I think school is always about the end-game. The present moment is merely a tool to prepare the students entrusted to our care for a future they (and we) can only dimly perceive. I cannot think of a better way to start a new school year than to consider the proposition that others will have the final say on the life we lived.

I do not expect teenagers to acquire an appreciation for the legacy they leave behind; but I think it is useful for the adults who surround them with a web of personal and professional support to consider what needs to be in place now, so that when the endgame is played out, those who have the last word will say: “This was a life well lived.”

One of my favorite American plays, one that is annually tricked out for every high school speech tournament in America, is Robert Anderson’s "I never sang for my father."

During both the opening and closing monologues of the play, Gene, the protagonist, tries to describe his complicated relationship with his father:

“Death ends a life, but it does not end a relationship, which struggles on in the survivor’s mind...towards some resolution it never finds.”

Isn’t that the challenge we all face, albeit, often too late, when it comes to our responsibility for the children entrusted to our care? Shouldn’t we take the opportunity, now, to cement the message of love and hope that we assume these young people take for granted so that we can emulate the words attributed to Oscar Romero the martyred Archbishop of El Salvador: “We are prophets of a future not our own.”

SEPTEMBER 2013

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

© 2013

• Editor, Designer John Blackstock ’67 Director of Communications Telephone: 626.696.4316 • email: jblackstock@lasallehs.org

Happy New Year!

Richard Gray, Ph.D

Transforming Lives Since 1680

President

PAGE 5

ParentNewsletter

First Day of School Nearly 700 Students Band Together for a Great New YEAR

MORE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL PHOTOS ON THE LA SALLE WEBSITE PAGE 6

SEPTEMBER 2013

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

PAGE 7

ParentNewslett

BIG GOLF BIG PRIZES BIG AUCTION BIG FUN

SEPTEMBER 2013

21st Annual Lancer Golf Classic and Banquet Monday, September 23, 2013 Glendora Country Club

Four-Person Scramble Calloway Scoring System Player Package Includes:

Green Fee and Cart, Hot Lunch On Course, Banquet Dinner, Lancer Golf Gift, Complimentary Beverages on the Course (Beer, Soda, Water), Range Balls, Bag Tag, $25,000 Hole In One, Longest Drive and Putting Contest

$125 Special Young Alumni (’99-’13) $195 Early Bird discount if you register by August 31st! $225 registration fee after August 31 ALL LEVELS WELCOME Proceeds to benefit La Salle’s Academic, Arts, Athletic and Financial Aid Programs PAGE 8

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

Sponsor and Underwriting Opportunities TITLE SPONSOR - $10,000

Includes 3 foursomes, name on Tournament Banner, Tee Sign, Full Page Ad in Program.

VIP SPONSOR - $5,000

Includes 2 foursomes, name on Tournament Banner, Tee Sign, Full Page Ad in Program.

GOLD SPONSOR - $1,750

Includes 1 foursome, name on Tournament Banner, Tee Sign, Half Page Ad in Program.

GAME HOLE SPONSOR - $200 Sign displayed at one of the exclusive Game Holes.

A great way to promote your business or recognize someone special.

TEE SPONSOR - $150

Sign displayed at one of 18 holes.

A great way to promote yourself or your business.

UNDERWRITING OPPORTUNITIES* Dinner $3,000 Golf Tee Prize $1,750 Tee Signs & Banner $1,750 On Course Lunch $1,250 On Course Beverages $1,000 $25,000 Hole-In-One $750 Awards $750 $1,000,000 Shootout $200 $5,000 Putt $200

GREAT DAY OF GOLF FOR PARENTS ALUMNI FAMILY FRIENDS

PROGRAM ADS

Full Page Ad (8” x 10”) $200 Half Page Ad (8” x 5”) $150 Quarter Page Ad (4” x 5”) $100 Business Card Ad (2” x 3.5”) $75 *All underwriters receive a Tee Sign and regognition in the program.

For more information, please contact: Kristin Donahue 626.696.4381 or kdonahue@lasallehs.org PAGE 9

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

From the Athletic Boosters

An Exciting Year Ahead

JOIN THE ATHLETIC BOOSTERS AND SUPPORT THE LANCERS

Academics and athletics will be just getting started when this ParentNewsletter arrives. To our new parents we say "welcome," and to our veterans we say "welcome back," as we wonder where the summer went. However, if you have an athlete you know where the summer went. Our school is academically demanding and to see how our student-athletes handle it, on and off the field, is truly amazing.

This year, we will bring you the highlights of our sports teams, and let you know what is going on throughout the year. If there is anything you think would be interesting for our parents to know, just contact me and we can get it out to the masses.

I might get a little sentimental this year as my second child is a senior and getting ready to graduate. I cannot believe almost four years have gone by. Take a good look at that freshman picture, because by the time they graduate, you will see a completely different person. They will be confident, mature and ready to take the next step to college.

I expect this year will be very exciting and very sad at the same time for all the senior parents.

Exciting to see the culmination of four years of high school and sports and how it has shaped your child.

Sad because this phase of your life with them is ending and a new college phase is begining. Senior parents should enjoy and take it all in.

Parents who have heard me speak probably think I am a broken record, but I will say to you what I say to them; “high school is a contact sport.”

This means get involved. Be part of your child's life at La Salle. Be part of the school, and when it comes to an end, you won’t have any regrets. You and your child/ren will always remember your times together here at La Salle.

The Athletic Boosters offer lots of activities and ways for you to earn your volunteer hours.

Whether you have a child in sports or not, we appreciate the help. We always need volunteers for the football games on Fridays and this year, with all the big games, we will need even more volunteers.

Come to the Friday night games, meet other parents and enjoy the game.

The Athletic Boosters will be offering sports packages for these events.

Gold Package Includes two stadium chairs, two hats, two shirts, admission for two to all La Salle home games, two meals at each event (sandwich, chips, drink) and one precious VIP parking space on the top level next to the field entrance.

Price $550.00

Silver Package Admission for two to all La Salle home games, two meals at each event (sandwich, chips, drink) and one precious parking space on top level near the field entrance.

Price $400.00

Season Pass Package Prepaid admission to all La Salle home games and reserved parking on top level near the field entrance.

Price $200.00

For Specific Game Dates, Times and Locations Log on to lasallelancers.org or lasallehs.org Athletics.

Please visit the La Salle Athletics page at www.lasallelancers.org under Boosters for volunteer opportunities.

PAGE 10

ParentNewsletter

If you are interested in any of these packages please contact me at my email address below.

O n o ur S eptemb er 20th game we will be hosting the Wounded Warriors Project sponsored, in part, by our official athletics supplier Under Armour.

We are one of just six high schools nationwide to receive the honor of hosting this game. Our school was selected over many other high profile programs and if all goes well, it will be televised on Fox Sports West. See our athletic website for additional details.

We are always looking for people who want to become more involved in La Salle Athletic Boosters, so please do not hesitate to contact me for more information on how to join or volunteer. It is truly a fun way to experience Lancer athletics and fullfill your volunteer hours commitment.

Please feel free to contact me at jdcina@sbcglobal.net.

Welcome back for an exciting year in Lancer Athletics God Bless,

John D. Cina P'13, '14 Athletic Boosters President

SEPTEMBER 2013

SPECIAL KICK-OFF EVENT SEPTEMBER 4

Wounded Warrior Project Game

The La Salle Lancer Football program has been selected to host the Wounded Warrior Project game sponsored

by Under Armour. This is an enormous honor as there are only six high schools across the country who have been selected to host this game. The game will be on September 20, when the Lancers take on cross-town rival Maranatha in the Showdown for the Crown.

In honor of the Wounded Warrior Project the School is proud to welcome Retired Sergeant First Class Norbie Lara to campus on Wednesday, September 4th to speak of his experience as a Wounded Warrior.

We invite the entire La Salle Community to join the football team, the coaches, the cheer squad and all their parents at this very special onehour event as we kick-off the promotion for the Wounded Warrior Project Game. This is a genuine teachable moment for our student-athletes and others who lack knowledge about this truly important cause.

The project Mission is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors, while the Vision is to foster the most successful, welladjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s history. The purpose of the Wounded Warrior Project is to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.

For more see www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.

PAGE 11

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

From the Crystal Ball Committee

The La Salle High School Academic, Arts, and Athletic Boosters Invite you to

Havana Nights Crystal Ball Gift Gathering Party

Come Enjoy a Night of Cuban Dining & Drinks

Saturday, September 28, 2013 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

La Salle High School Dining Hall Admission to Havana Nights is a $25 Minimum Cash or Auction Item Donation per Person (see below for preferred donations) Please R.S.V.P. by September 23rd to Angela McLaren 626-446-6292 or angeandmac@yahoo.com *A special guest from Mursuli Cigar Shop will be providing handrolled and previously rolled cigars for a nominal fee to be enjoyed at the party or taken home for later.

The following is a list of preferred donations: Cash or Check Gift Cards: Restaurants, Movie Theaters, Retail Stores, Spas, Salons, American Express, Visa, Master Card PAGE 12

Tickets to: Sporting Events, Concerts, Theme Parks, PlaysVacation Condos/Homes or Time-Share GetawaysGolf Rounds, Snow Ski Passes, Fitness Memberships Gift Baskets

SEPTEMBER2013 2013 SEPTEMBER

ParentNewsletter From the Academic Boosters

PARENTS: YOU NEED HOURS! These events are now available for sign-ups AND HERE IS HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THEM: Go to the La Salle Website.

Click on “Parents” at the top of the screen.

Click on “PA volunteer website” on the left side of the screen.

Click on “member log in.”

Enter your user name, this is your firstname_lastname (lower case).

Your password is your last name (lower case).

Once you are in the La Salle Parent website, click «calendar» at the top of the screen.

Now you can look through the calendar year and click on the events that you are interested in volunteering for.

ENJOY THE WORK ENJOY THE FRIENDSHIP

Please check to see how many volunteers are needed, and how many have already signed up.

ACADEMIC BOOSTERS EVENTS 2013 - 2014 DATE

ACADEMIC BOOSTER EVENT

START TIME*

11/3/13

Open House

11:30 AM

5

11/18/13

Junior Leadership Ceremony

6:00 PM

3

1/9/14

Back to School Night Semester 2

5:30 PM

2

1/16/14

Junior “Planning for College” Night

5:30 PM

3

1/16/14

FAFSA Workshop

6:30 PM

2

1/25/14

Entrance Exams & Interviews

7:30 AM

5

2/1/14

Entrance Exams & Interviews

7:30 AM

5

3/15/14

Registration & Freshman Pledge

7:30 AM

5

4/9/14

College Forum

6:00 PM

3

5/21/14

Senior Uniform Buyback

11:30 AM

3

5/23/14

Commencement Exercises

6:00 PM

3

5/27/14

Academic Awards Night

5:30 PM

4

6/4/14

Used Uniform Buyback

9:00 AM

3

7/10/14

Used Uniform Sale Set-Up

7/11/14

Used Uniform Sale

HOURS*

TBA 11:00 AM

8

*Start time and number of service hours is approximate. Credit will be based on actual hours served.

Volunteers will be advised of exact start time prior to the event.

Volunteer Coordinators: Ellen Hoffman: ehoffman929@gmail.com Diane Taylor: dtaylorfamilyof5@gmail.com Cookies are needed for most of these events.

Earn one service hour for each two dozen HOME-BAKED cookies.

Please sign up on the calendar where you see “Cookie Club.”

PAGE 13

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

Mass of the Holy Spirit

The first liturgy of the year was celebrated by Father Mark Strader from St. Luke Parish, on August 28. The entire student body joined with Father Mark and Deacon Steve Marsh P'11,’15 in the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Music for the Masses, composed of student and faculty musicians and singers, led the community in song. Father Mark's homily was centered on our School theme for the year; Inclusive Community.

Father Mark will be celebrating our School masses the rest of the year begining with our Family Communion Mass and Breakfast on Sunday, September 22 at 9:30am on campus.

Principal Ideas Continued from page 13

Welcome to the Lasallian Educational Community

orientation program for parents who are new to this school community. It was designed to be informative and helpful for our new network of parents. I was again impressed by the tremendous amount of organization and pride our current parents displayed as they welcomed a new batch of “recruits” to their ranks. I can attest to the importance of involving parents in what we do as a Lasallian educational community and I welcome your participation. As this school year moves forward, I hope I have the opportunity to meet many of our new families (and returning ones) as we work together in educating your gift from God

Back-to-School Night

PAGE 14

to-School Night and our Senior Parent College meeting. Both activities generated a great deal of participation and information sharing. Thank you to all the parents who attended these events.

Should you have any follow-up questions or concerns, I invite you to contact the appropriate educator here at School. It is always my hope that we can provide you the necessary support and resources for making the experience for your student here at La Salle the best.

Brother Christopher Brady, FSC Last evening, we hosted our annual Back- Principal

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

NO COST FUNDRAISERS is an Easy way to help la salle

Download the No Cost Fundraiser Flyer attached to this ParentNewsletter.

Then simply take it to Ralphs, scan it with your Ralphs Card number and you are enrolled in our program.

PAGE 15

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

From the College Counseling Center

College Center News

By M. Teresa Baldonado and Owen Hou ’90 College Counselors

College Admission Counselors are on the road visiting high schools and attending college fairs. Around 70 college visits will take place at La Salle. You can find the up-to-date schedule for college visits and college information sessions on Family Connection under College Visits.

College Fair

All La Salle students are invited to attend Saint Francis High School’s College Fair on Thursday, September 26 from 7:00 to 9:00pm. It is one of the largest fairs in the San Gabriel Valley with over 70 colleges present and attracts close to a thousand students each year. Plan to arrive early as parking will be scarce.

NHS AND SCIENCE NHS APPLICATION DEADLINE September 6

PAGE 16

In addition to the tours listed, we will also run two tours for juniors over Easter Break: an East Coast tour and a Mid-West tour. Tentative dates are Monday, April 21 through Saturday April 26. Additional information for these tours will be announced in the October ParentNewsletter.

If you have questions about our college tours, please contact Ms. Baldonado or Mr. Hou.

Dollars & Sense Wednesday, October 2, 7:00–9:00pm, Library

It is never too soon to start planning financially for college. David Levy, Assoicate Editor, Edvisors Network will provide an overview of financing your student’s college education.

College Tours

Mock SAT

This fall, La Salle will again offer an opportunity for our students to participate in an organized college visitation tour to the colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a wonderful chance for your student to see a variety of campuses before they begin their college application process.

The Bay Area Tour will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 11-12. The tour will leave from the airport (most likely LAX) on early Friday morning, October 11 and fly to San Jose. From there, students will board a bus and begin a two day tour. They will tour UC Berkeley, Saint Mary’s College of California, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, Stanford, and UC Santa Cruz. They will return the following evening, Saturday, October 12.

The registration deadline for the Bay Area tour was on August 23. Please contact Mr. Hou or Ms. Baldonado if you are still interested.

Future tours: February 14 (UCLA, Loyola Marymount and Cal State Long Beach); March 17 (UC San Diego, University of San Diego, and San Diego State). More information on these two tours will be provided in the November and December newsletters.

The La Salle Academic 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, September 28 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 Wednesday, October 2 at 6:00pm, Blakeslee Library.

To register, submit a check to the College Center, made payable to La Salle High School.

News for Seniors and Parents

As requested in the August Parent Newsletter, Senior students and parents should complete the College Planning Survey located on Naviance/Family Connection (both were due August 30). The Parent College Planning Survey helps the College Counselor learn about your student from another point of view and is helpful when we write your student’s recommendation.

ParentNewsletter If you do not have or misplaced your login to Naviance/Family Connection, please contact your student’s College Counselor. Also note that the individual senior college meeting will be sched­ uled according to the receipt date of the student’s Senior College Planning Survey. In other words, first come-first served.

Standardized Testing

Registration is open for the Fall SAT and ACT. If your student would like to take these standardized test(s) and has not registered yet, please do so as soon as possible. We encourage you to register online, for the SAT at www.col­legeboard. com, and for the ACT at www.act.org. If you prefer to register by paper, registration forms are available at the College Center.

SAT Test Date (Register by) October 5, 2013 (September 6) November 2, 2013 (October 3) December 7, 2013 (November 8) ACT Test Date (Register by) September 21, 2013 (Late registration deadline– September 6) October 26, 2013 (September 27) December 14, 2013 (November 8)

Fall SAT Prep Course

We are proud to partner with the Princeton Review for this upcoming school year.

They will be offering two SAT prep courses a year, one for the Fall and one for the Spring. The Fall course prepares students for the October 5 SAT. It starts with a practice test on Saturday, September 7 and runs to Wednesday, October 2. Classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays, with practice tests on Saturdays. Additional information, including a full course schedule and cost can be found on the Princeton Review website at www.princetonreview. com, first click on ‘SAT’ and then the link next to ‘Classroom Courses’.

While the Classroom Course is usually 18 hours long, we were able to get the Princeton Review to add an additional six hours for no additional cost. Families can also receive a $100 discount with the promocode: LASALLE2013OCT.

SEPTEMBER 2013

“A Black and White Affair” a The 15th annual Crystal Ball will be held Friday, May 2, 2014 at the Langham, Huntington in Pasadena.

Please join us for what promises to be a wonderful event.

Proceeds from this event support La Salle’s Academic, Arts, Athletic and Financial Aid programs.

15th ANNUAL CRYSTAL BALL May 2

We are putting together committees and invite you to become a part of this special evening by helping plan the 2014 Crystal Ball. If you are interested in helping, please contact Liz Kwong at lizwardley@gmail.com or 626.826.1411.

Joining the Crystal Ball team is a great way to meet other parents and, while having a great time, satisfy your service hours.

d PAGE 17

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

From Guidance and Counseling

The First Day for Students and Parents

By Susan E. Keens, Ph.D. Clinical and School Psychologist, Department of Guidance and Counseling

We hope that this ParentNewsletter finds you well, and that your students are adjusting to the new school year. We welcome our new freshman students and parents and encourage you to become involved in the life and community of La Salle High School.

IMPORTANT PARENT MEETING OCTOBER 23

This October, our drug and alcohol education and prevention program, Miles To Go, is scheduled for October 21, 22 and 23. This program is a sequential curriculum for freshman, sophomore and senior students. Freshman and sophomore students will attend the program during one block on Monday or Wednesday. Seniors will attend the program on Tuesday, October 22. Mr. Jonathan Scott, the cofounder of this program, will speak with La Salle High School parents on Wednesday evening, October 23. He will provide the most current information about adolescent drug and alcohol use and abuse.

He will also have some current publications from Miles To Go which parents may choose to purchase. One of the most important topics that he addresses and is contained in the books is how to speak with your adolescent about drug and alcohol use and establish your family rules in this serious matter. Please mark your calendars for this Parent Education Series meeting in October. We ask that you reschedule any non-emergency medical and dental appointments for your student during the days that she or he is scheduled to attend the presentation. The schedule can be found in your La Salle High School Handbook and on the online school calendar.

I will end this column with a poem that I think captures the hopes and dreams of all parents as their students return to school. Please see opposite page.

PAGE 18

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

September, The First Day of School

By Howard Nemerov

My child and I hold hands on the way to school, And when I leave him at the first grade door He cries a little but is brave; he does Let go. My selfish tears remind me how I cried before that door a life ago.

I may have had a hard time letting go.

Each fall the children must endure together What every child also endures alone: Learning the alphabet, the integers, Three dozen bits and pieces of a stuff So arbitrary, so peremptory, That worlds invisible and visible Bow down before it, as in Joseph’s dream The sheaves bowed down and then the stars bowed down Before the dreaming of a little boy.

That dream got him such hatred of his brothers As cost the greater part of life to mend, And yet, great kindness came of it in the end.

II A school is where they grind the grain of thought, And grind the children who must mind the thought.

It may be those two grindings are but one, As from the alphabet come Shakespeare’s Plays, As from the integers comes Euler’s Law, As from the whole inseparably the lives, The shrunken lives that have not been set free By law or by poetic phantasy.

But may they be. My child has disappeared Behind the schoolroom door. And should I live To see his coming forth, a life away, I know my hope, but do not know its form Nor hope to know it. May the fathers he finds Among his teachers have a care for him More than his father could. How that will look I do not know, I do not need to know.

Even our tears belong to ritual.

But may great kindness come of it in the end.

From: Howard Nemerov. gnomes & occasions:Poems by Howard Nemerov.

University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1973.

Alumni Family Mass Alumni, families and friends are invited to come home to La Salle to celebrate a special Mass together as the La Salle Family.

Saturday, September 14 5:00pm La Salle High School Dining Pavilion

Reception to follow in the Atrium

ALUMNI FAMILY MASS SEPTEMBER 14

The Mass will also honor the memory of those members of our community who have passed away over the last school year.

We are looking for Eucharistic Ministers, Gift Bearers and Readers for Mass.

If you are available to volunteer, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@lasallehs.org.

Reservations and Memorial Gifts may be made online at

www.lancernetwork.com/Mass2013

PAGE 19

ParentNewsletter

Mind the Mission

By Patrick Bonacci, AFSC, Vice President for Mission

OUR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

Let me join the chorus of those welcoming all of you to the new school year. I have always enjoyed this time – a new beginning for our 9th graders and transfer students as well as a fresh start for our returning students. This is also a time to create new friendships and to rekindle old ones. This is equally true for our fantastic faculty as well as for our students and parents. I look forward to meeting my 9th grade Religious Studies students and to rekindle the relationship with my 12th grade Mentor class. There are very few institutions that basically have a 25% turnover of clients each year; but in a four year high school, that is the norm.

In my role as Vice-President for Mission, I will periodically share with you information about specific school projects/ events and reflection material that I hope you will find interesting. An example of this is my thoughts on the beginning of the year retreat that all faculty, support staff and administrators attended at the Mater Dolorosa Retreat House a few weeks ago. The theme for this retreat was how we can best sustain and strengthen one of La Salle High School’s core principles – Inclusive Community. The best way for me to give you some insight into what was accomplished is for me to share with you one of the major prayers we used and reflected on during the retreat day: Creator of all races and ethnicities, help us see that a diverse community is the way to deepen our lives and to know you more deeply.

Guide us to see that entering into a vital and just relationship with others who are different from us is the way to make ourselves whole.

Guard us from fear of the other, from the fear that our own security is threatened.

Open us to live out what we profess to believe: That our true security is in You and in your call to justice and peace, That we are a part of your global family, That, because of your Incarnation, the human dignity of everyone is sacred, And that we are constantly called to conversion and inclusive community.

We pray that you help us recognize any forms of racism in our hearts, And in our legal systems and social structures.

Forgive us our sins of exclusion.

Heal our souls and spirits.

Ground us in compassion for all through your grace.

Help us take the steps you call us to take To build a more just community, Where difference is respected And where we can all join hands And rejoice in the common good.

Through the mercy of God, we pray.

Amen.

(Adapted from: Prayer for a Diverse Community by Education for Justice)

It was exhilarating to be part of discussions and strategizing around this theme with so many gifted and dedicated colleagues – colleagues who live our Lasallian Heritage. I also want you to know that this theme of sustaining and strengthening the principle of Inclusive Community will be part of the work our wonderful Student Life team will be involved with all year. The theme was part of our opening school-wide Liturgy last month; it was incorporated by Father Mark Strader into his homily and comments, and it will be woven into numerous other student events all year. We are privileged to be part of a very diverse school community and it is essential that we do not become complacent and begin to take things for granted. Instead, we must constantly strive to be even more mindful and thoughtful when it comes to our relationships with others and the manner in which we show respect and honor the dignity of all. Again, welcome to all of you to this new school year and “Live Jesus in Our Hearts…Forever!”

PAGE 20

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

City of Pasadena and La Salle Parking Laws The following rules and guidelines have been established by the administration and the Pasadena Police Department for the safety of your children.

Parents may drop off students in front of school and by driving into the school parking lot on Sierra Madre Boulevard.

Enter the parking lot using the second gate west of the gym and exit as indicated. The City has provided an additional dropoff zone going south on Michillinda Avenue, just north of the School’s driveway. This is for immediate drop-off only and is indicated as such. Both La Salle and the City are very concerned by the ongoing double, (and at times, triple) parking by parents during drop-off on Sierra Madre Boulevard. This is not only illegal, but extremely unsafe. The City will continue to enforce a no-left-turn policy for northbound Michillinda Avenue traffic onto Canfield Road and Landfair Road, as well as a no-right-turn policy for southbound traffic on Michillinda Avenue onto Canfield and Landfair. This policy is in effect from 7:00am to 8:00am, Monday through Friday.

Parents are also reminded that there is absolutely no student drop-off in the lower faculty parking lot. This creates a very dangerous back-up of cars in the oncoming traffic lanes.

The School also reminds our driving students that they should not park their cars on residential streets such as Canfield Road. The School will continue to work with the City in providing a process for safe and efficient drop-off of students. Parents should make use of the Sierra Madre Boulevard lot to pick up students at the end of the school day.

We expect our parents and students to adhere to these policies and regulations. They will be enforced by the Pasadena Police Department.

Contact Mr Brandon Birr, Dean of Students at 626.696.4360 if you have any concerns about these procedures.

YOU MUST FOLLOW PARKING DIRECTIONS

Attendance Hotline 626.696.4406

A parent or guardian must call before 9:00am 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. Birr, Dean of Students.

PAGE 21

ParentNewsletter

FIRST TIME IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SINCE 2003

Page 22

SEPTEMBER 2013

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

Student Life Sets its Sights on a Great Year

By Ed O'Connor, Director, Student Life

As the school year ended last June and most students headed off to summer adventures, the Student Life Council began its work. On Monday, June 10, the 35 members of the newly formed Student Life Council gathered for its first of nine three-hour meetings to start planning events for the 2013-14 school-year. Creating themes for Homecoming and Snowball; brainstorming ideas for rallies and lunch-time activities; and planning liturgies and service projects were only a piece of the work this group would do.

The new members of the council quickly discovered that this group never votes on anything.

Every decision is made by consensus. This can be tough to do when you need 35 students and an old advisor to come to agreement. In so doing, members of the council learned how to better communicate and negotiate with others. They also learned the important steps of planning, implementing and evaluating an event. Finally, they learned important facilitation skills for working in both small and large groups.

A highlight of the summer was that 25 members of the Student Life Council were able to go to St. Mary’s College in Moraga for the annual Lasallian Student Leaders Conference. It was a fantastic week for learning more skills and swapping event ideas with students from other schools. The students really enjoyed meeting with over 150 other students from Lasallian schools up and down the west coast, as well as New Orleans and Denver. They created friendships that will last a long time.

With that said, it is time for them to step up and put into practice what they learned this summer. If the New Student Orientation is any indication of the year La Salle’s Student Life President, Ben Dalgarn, is flanked by Matthew Crabtree, to come, the students at La Salle are in Rallies, far left, with Jamie Kwong, Communications and Robbie McAlister, for a great year.

Intramurals, far right.

From the Blakeslee Library

Library Volunteer Opportunities

The Blakeslee Library is in need of after-school monitor volunteers each school day afternoon from 3:00-5:00pm. This is a good way to fulfill your Parent Volunteer Hours obligation.

Also, donations of snacks and drinks will be appreciated for the Café Bibliothèque events in the library. The dates for events are: September 12, October 24, November 14, December 5, January 23, February 13, March 20, and April 10, 2014.

Please call Delia Swanner at 626.696.4313 or Janet Hagen at 626.696.4332 to sign up.

PAGE 23

SEPTEMBER 2013

ParentNewsletter

SEPTEMBER 2013

Check your School calendar for event times and dates SEPTEMBER 2013

September Highlights WELCOME DANCE SEPTEMBER 7 ACADEMIC AWARDS SEPTEMBER 19 WOUNDED WARRIOR FOOTBALL GAME SEPTEMBER 20 GIFT GATHERING PARTY SEPTEMBER 28

September 2 Labor Day School Holiday September 6 Spirit Day NHS, SNHS Applications Due FOOTBALL vs Pasadena High School 7:00pm Kohorst Field September 7 Saturday Welcome Dance 8:00-11:00pm Dining Hall September 9 Short Schedule Noon dismissal SAT Prep Class 12:45 - 3:45pm September 10 Parent Association Meeting 6:30pm Blakeslee Library Parent Boosters Meetings 7:30pm Campus Locations

September 17 Visual & Performing Arts Parent Meeting 6:30pm Grinstead Theatre September 19 Special Schedule Dress Up Day Academic Awards 9:20am Dining Hall

Note: Dress Up Day Ties

All students are required to wear the La Salle Tie on Dress Up Days.

September 20 Student Holiday UnderArmour Wounded Warrior Project Game FOOTBALL vs Maranatha High School Varsity 7:00pm Kohorst Field

September 13 Lancer Club Day Lunchtime

September 23 Monday Lancer Golf Classic and Banquet 11:00am Shotgun Start Glendora Country Club

September 14 Saturday Alumni and Friends Memorial Mass 10:00am Dinning Hall

September 27 Spirit Day Senior Non-Uniform Day FOOTBALL at St. Bernard High School Varsity 7:00pm September 28 Saturday Havana Nights Gift Gathering Party 7:00-10:00pm Dining Hall

La Salle Family Communion Breakfast Sunday, September 22, 2013 9:30 Mass Followed by Fabulous Catered Brunch See eFlyer Attached for RESERVATIONS PAGE 24