January 2012 Volume Twenty-One Number 5
Dear Parents and Guardians, Happy New Year! May the New Year bless you and our Nation with gifts of peace, joy and success. Over 525 8th grade boys came to La Salle on December 3, 2011, to take our Entrance/Scholarship Exam. We are grateful to Mr. Kevin Dougherty, the Admissions Office staff, our faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni whose efforts made this day such a success. I ask that you continue to encourage friends, family, and neighbors to consider La Salle College High School. You are our best cheerleaders and can make the difference in registration for the Class of 2016.
On January 4, 2012, as part of the NHL Winter Classic, our Hockey team will face-off against Malvern Prep at Citizens Bank Park. This is a once in-a-lifetime opportunity for our players and coaches to participate in the activities of the NHL Winter Classic and compete outdoors in a baseball stadium. I would encourage the La Salle community to come out and support La Salle in this historic event. The First Semester will come to an end with exams from January 17-23, 2012. Please encourage your son(s) to begin preparing early. Reviewing for exams which cover an entire semester are key parts of a college preparatory
Congratulations to our football team for repeating as Philadelphia Catholic League and District 12 (City) Champions and coming within yards of returning to Hershey. Despite a tough loss to North Penn High School, our team won several difficult contests and finished the season as one of the top teams in the State of Pennsylvania.
We at La Salle College High School wish you all the best in 2012! May your lives be filled with faith, hope, and love and May Jesus Live In Our Hearts…Forever! Sincerely yours,
Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 President
Leave to Serve Enter to Learn
We are grateful to the La Salle community for its commitment to service and extraordinary support of Secret Santa and Operation Santa Claus. The two Christmas service projects raised more money than ever before and collected over 2,200 gifts for patients of Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children along with families identified by Catholic Social Services. La Salle’s contribution to the efforts of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia – in terms of both gifts and volunteers – was more than any other school, parish, or organization. More than 15% of our student body could be found delivering presents on Christmas Eve.
program. Reviewing, studying, answering practice questions and even some old-fashioned “drill work” should begin as early as possible. January 16, 2012 is a federal holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. La Salle joins the rest of the nation in honoring this great American. His message of non-violence during one of our country’s most critical moments did much to spur us to action, awareness, and service.
TO SERVICE
The two Christmas concerts – Band Concert on December 12, 2011 and Choral Concert on December 19, 2011 – were performed to packed houses. Many thanks to our Band Directors Mr. Joseph Ciccimaro and Mr. Joseph Vettori, and to Mr. Mark Norman, our Choral Director, for bringing the beauty of Christmas and the magic of its music into our lives.
Commitment
We are grateful to the La Salle community for its commitment to service and extraordinary support of Secret Santa and Operation Santa Claus.
S a v e Th e D a t e La Salle College High School
Dinner Dance 2012 Mardi Gras Festival
February 11, 2012 Normandy Farms Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
Cocktails 6:00 pm Dinner and Dancing 7:00 pm
Brand Ed Christopher M. Carabello ’82 D i r e c t o r o f M a rk e t i n g C o mm u n i c a t i o n s , a n d P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s
For the past two years the Lasallian Association of Secondary School Chief Administrators, the Lasallian Association of College and University Presidents, and the District of Eastern North America of the Christian Brothers have undertaken an initiative to develop a brand and language for Lasallian schools to shape a common identity. They rightly saw the need for a common language to articulate a common and shared educational experience based on the vision of Saint
Lasallian Education centers on Catholic values and personal relationships, emphasizing academic excellence, faith formation, inclusion, respect for the individual, service and social justice. A Lasallian Education strives to enrich each student’s cultural, intellectual, physical, social and spiritual development. Today, the De La Salle Christian Brothers and their Lasallian Partners continue to respond to students through advancements in teaching, technology and scholarship. In Lasallian communities, educators touch hearts, stimulate minds and cultivate leadership to prepare students for life, work, and service to society and the Church.
John Baptist de La Salle. To assist in this process, they
Brand Promise
engaged the services of the BrandED Consultants
The brand promise states what a Lasallian Education experience will deliver to its constituents. This message provides the foundation for communicating the essence of Lasallian Education. Our brand promise starts a compelling conversation about Lasallian Education. Our brand promise is: The Lasallian educational mission provides transformative experiences that are innovative and holistic.
Group LLC, a recognized educational brand consultancy that advocates an academic enterprise approach to branding. Never before have so many constituents been involved in a two-year national conversation about the fundamentals of our Lasallian identity. Over 3,500 individuals and 45 schools and institutions participated in engagement sessions and surveys. Through the creation of the narrative, a consensus was achieved on those elements that help distinguish a Lasallian school from other quality Catholic educational schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, and San Miguel schools, has been strengthened. Many participants have grown in their knowledge and appreciation for our vast network not only in the United States and Canada but around the globe. I have provided a summary of this branding initiative, which will be integrated into the recent efforts of La Salle College High School to brand itself and the benefits of our education, facilities, and unique community.
Narrative The narrative provides the opportunity to expand a conversation and effectively tell our story to internal and external audiences. Whether in advertisements, brochures, emails, letters, social media, text messages or websites, the narrative is the framework for telling the story of Lasallian Education. Our narrative is:
Belief Statement The reasons to believe are the overarching motives that drive people to support Lasallian Education. They are the pillars of the brand promise and answer basic questions about what distinguishes Lasallian Education from other choices. The reasons to believe give credibility to our brand and differentiate us from our competition. Our reasons to believe are: • Teaching based on the vision and spirituality of Saint John Baptist de La Salle • Living the Institute’s mission for more than three centuries • Centering on Catholic values and personal relationships • Leading with De La Salle Christian Brothers and Lasallian Partners • Advancing innovations in teaching, technology and scholarship
Since 1680 educational institutions in more than 80 countries have been influenced by the vision and innovative spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, the Founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and the patron saint of teachers. De La Salle transformed education by forming a community of educators with whom he developed a spirituality of teaching and learning, to give a human and Christian education to young people, especially the poor. La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 3
Office of Academic Affairs THO M A S L . B A R NA A S S I S TANT P R IN C I P AL F O R A C A D E M I C A F F AI R S
Semester Examinations and Schedule
Some Important Dates
As identified on the school calendar, examinations for the first semester will begin after the Martin Luther King holiday weekend on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 and finish on Monday, January 23, 2012. The midterm exam schedule, although not developed for this submission, will be posted during the second week of January both in school and on the website under the Academic Life tab. Please encourage your son to begin preparing for exams as soon as possible.
Classes resume for 2012 on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. The first semester ends at the end of the day on Friday, January 13, 2012. First semester exams begin after the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. There are no classes on Monday, January 16, 2012. Midterms will start on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 and end on Monday, January 23, 2012.
A Note Regarding Weather In the event that inclement weather forces a school closing on an examination day, students will take the previously untaken exams in sequence the next day that school is open. For example, if the exams scheduled for Tuesday January 17, 2012 should be cancelled due to snow, these exams would be given on January 18, 2012 and the January 18th exams would move to the next school day which in this case is Thursday, January 19, 2012. Changes such as these that alter the exam schedule while it is going on will be posted on the website. Examination attendance is compulsory.
Attendance Reminder With cold and flu season arriving there may be days when your son in unable to attend school. La Salle understands this. Please remember an excused absence is one that is due to illness or family emergency. If your son is absent he should be proactive. Contacting a reliable classmate the night of the absence and/or communicating with the teacher at the earliest convenient time is expected. Absent students are responsible for missed work. On a related note, it is important to clarify that outside of illness or emergency, school attendance is compulsory. A family vacation does not qualify as an excused absence. School holidays and breaks are published well in advance so as to offer parents an opportunity to plan their vacations at a time that does not interfere with attendance policies. Families and their sons cannot expect teachers to accommodate missed work/opportunities for any unexcused absence. Unexcused absences during midterm or final examinations are strictly prohibited. Please keep in mind that attendance throughout the school year is vital to a student’s academic success. There is no doubt that the correlation between absences and grades is extraordinary. As a rule of thumb, students who miss school have grades that reflect their gaps in learning. Please support our efforts to have your son in school daily and on time. Remember, the school’s main number should NOT be used to report any student absence. All attendance matters are expected to be reported to the Attendance Line at (215) 233-4140 before 9:00 am. A note is required upon returning to school. Thank you for your help in
The second semester begins on Wednesday, January 24, 2012 with an “A” day schedule. Please be advised that Tuesday, January 24, 2012 is a school holiday. New schedules for the second semester will be issued to all students in homeroom on that day. Remember that both semester rosters are always viewable through a student’s MyBackPack account. As a reminder, Academic Affairs does not entertain roster changes at the midyear mark. Please Note: Freshmen who had gym in semester one, will have pool (aquatics) in semester two; students who had pool in semester one, will have gym in semester two.
Report Cards Report cards for the second semester will be handed out in homeroom on Monday, January 30, 2012 as indicated in the school calendar.
Final Failures Please Note: Any student who fails a semester course, must remove the failure in order to return to La Salle in the fall. Seniors who earn a final failure in a semester course are ineligible for graduation unless the failure is made up. First semester grades of seniors will be sent to the colleges to which they have applied in the first week of February.
Upperclass Registration La Salle families can expect to receive a letter and return envelope announcing upcoming registration. As it has been in the past, there will continue to be a non-refundable registration fee. The deadline for registration fees is Friday, February 10, 2012. Please return the registration envelope even if your son does not plan to continue at La Salle. Enrollment confirmation for 2012-2013 is the first step toward a successful course selection process. It is extremely important that the Office of Academic Affairs receive this information so that educational resources can be secured as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Expect to read more about course registration in next month’s issue of The Belcroft.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 4
Office of Information Technology P ETE R R . S I G M UN D , J R . , M C S E , M C IT P , M C T S ’ 8 5 C HIE F IN F O R M ATION O F F I C E R
La Salle’s Microsoft IT Academy Featured by Certiport The La Salle College High School Office of Information Technology was profiled by Certiport and Microsoft Learning for La Salle’s nationally recognized Microsoft IT Academy on Thursday, December 8, 2011. A video production team from Salt Lake City arrived on campus to produce a 5-minute feature about the La Salle College High School Microsoft IT Academy – featuring interviews with Chief Information Officer Peter Sigmund ’85, MCSE, MCITP, MCTS; Network Administrator Braden Bonner ’07, MCP, MTA; and leaders from the Lab Manager Program Craig Burdulis ’12, MCTS, MTA; Anthony Silvestri ’13, MCTS, MTA; Samuel French ’14, MTA; Jeremy Puntel ’15, MTA.
Amy Fadool Speaks to Multimedia Production Students The La Salle College High School Advanced Multimedia Production Course welcomed Comcast SportsNet’s Amy Fadool as a guest speaker on Friday, December 16, 2011.
Peter Sigmund ’85 Interviewed by Certiport
Braden Bonner ’07 Interviewed by Certiport
La Salle offers Microsoft Certifications on campus as part of our Computer and Information Sciences Curriculum as well as during our Summer IT Academy Program. La Salle certifies more students than any school in the world. Since 1999 over 120 students in the Lab Manager Program have received Microsoft Information Technology Certifications. The Lab Manager Program is a unique technology team at La Salle that gives students the chance to have hands on experience running a real network. These elite students work hand in hand with the Chief Information Officer, Mr. Sigmund and Mr. Bonner, to maintain, upgrade, and manage the network throughout the entire school. The members learn about computers by working with faculty and their laptops and students in the labs throughout the school. It is this experiential learning that sparked Microsoft’s interest in La Salle for this video. The 5-minute feature video will be shared throughout the world by Microsoft and Certiport to show other schools how to successfully implement Microsoft’s MTA (Microsoft Technical Associate) Certification Program at the high school level. The video will also be on the La Salle Web Site when it is completed.
Miss Fadool spoke with the students about the television industry, offered advice on getting into the field of video production and shared stories about her career and experience working with the Philadelphia sports teams. In addition to speaking with the class, she guest anchored on the WEXP Morning show by reading the La Salle Sports Update for the day. Amy Fadool is a 2004 graduate of the University of Kentucky where she majored in Broadcast Journalism. She started her broadcasting career as an intern at WKYT in Lexington, KY while still in college and worked her way up to full-time anchor/reporter after graduation. She also anchored the sports desk at Fox56’s news while at WKYT. After WKYT she spent two years at WZTV in Nashville, TN before making her way to WBFF in Baltimore. She currently reports and anchors for SportsNite for Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia.
Computer Club Needs Computers See Santa and his reindeer fly to snow and cold And abandoned PCs nearby sit yearly growing old. No longer lighting up the desk dare these dusty dreams, We right these wrongs: repair, upgrade, laptops and machines. We boot and scrub for Mr. Nick the bits and bytes are great The Computer Club! That’s the trick! And rightly you donate! If you can donate any used equipment, please contact: Geoff Nicoletti Computer Club Moderator (215) 402-4180 nicolettig@lschs.org
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 5
College Counseling Center M A R Y K A Y M ULLEN D I R E C TO R O F C OLLE G E C OUN S ELIN G
SENIORS Financial Aid
Standardized Testing
Be aware of the deadlines for filing the FAFSA, CSS/ Financial Aid Profile, and colleges’ own financial aid forms. Each college will have its own deadline for filing these forms. Since the forms are sent to a central site to be processed you must meet the earliest deadline from the student’s list of schools. Keep in mind that the demand for financial aid is increased because of the increased cost of a college education and the state of the economy. Meeting deadlines is imperative. Check our website, for financial aid and scholarship information and links.
First Semester GPA Study for semester exams. College admissions will look very closely at these senior grades and interim GPA. Midyear grades for seniors will be sent after the end of the first semester to all of the colleges to which the seniors have applied.
Acceptances and Awards Seniors are reminded to inform Mrs. O’Connell in the College Counseling Center about any acceptances and scholarships or grants by bringing in the letters of acceptance and awards. Keep in mind the importance of informing teachers who have taken the time to write letters of recommendation on the student’s behalf about these outcomes.
JUNIORS The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) latest survey regarding the state of college admission again measured the top factors in admission decisions. The top three are: • grades in college preparatory courses • scores in standardized admission tests • grades in all courses The application essay, counselor and teacher recommendations, and extracurricular activities were reported as “tip factors” – factors not considered as baselines for admission but could figure prominently in differentiating similarly qualified candidates. Please keep these factors in mind as the students prepare to take their first semester exams, begin second semester courses, and register in March for courses for senior year.
During first semester advisory class, juniors were introduced to the Test Preparation component in Naviance, available through the student portal. It contains a sample electronic SAT and ACT that allows the students to experience both formats. Electronic test prep packets are available for each type of test along with practice tests and tutorials for each section of the tests. Having experience with both types of standardized testing (SAT and ACT) will allow the students to determine the format where they will be most successful in follow-up testing. Each junior should have taken two of the same test – either the ACT with writing component or SAT – by the end of second semester junior year. Create a timeline for registering and taking standardized tests keeping in mind any academic, extracurricular, or personal commitments, e.g. athletic schedules. The complete schedule of test and registration dates and information about the tests is available at www. collegeboard.org (SAT), and www.actstudent.org (ACT). Students are responsible for reporting their scores from the testing services to the colleges to which they are going to apply. TEST
DATE REGISTRATION
DEADLINE
SAT
January 28, 2012
December 30, 2011
SAT
March 10, 2012
February 10, 2012
SAT
May 5, 2012
April 6, 2012
SAT
June 2, 2012
May 8, 2012
ACT
February 11, 2012
January 13, 2012
ACT
April 14, 2012
March 9, 2012
ACT
June 9, 2012
May 4, 2012
For a list of late registration deadlines and additional late fees see College Board and ACT websites listed above. When registering for the SAT or ACT, the student is reminded to use his legal name, the name that is on his transcript, to avoid confusion in the college application process. Also, we recommend that students use suitable email addresses when corresponding with colleges keeping in mind the impressions they are creating. Our school code – 393370 – should be entered on the registration so the college counselors receive the test scores.
The college counselors – Mr. Gerard M. Brett, Brother William DiPasquale, and Mrs. Mary Kay Mullen – will begin to meet with the juniors once a cycle in advisory classes beginning second semester. The purpose of the advisories is to prepare the students for the college search and application process. Students are encouraged to visit the Junior Monthly Planning Calendar to help them see where they should be at this time in the process. La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 6
College Counseling Center
Office of Student Affairs
C ONTINUE D
S TU D ENT A F F AI R S
Athletes Students interested in participating in Division I (and II) athletics at the collegiate level must be aware of the NCAA Clearinghouse requirements listed on the last page of our school calendar and at www.eligibilitycenter.org
College Counseling Website In preparing for the college search and application process we invite you to become familiar with our website – www.lschs.org/college. You will find general and specific information and links to many useful sites.
College Information Nights College Information Nights for parents of juniors conducted by the college counselors will be held on February 7, 2012 and February 8, 2012 at 7:15 pm in the auditorium. February 7, 2012 Parents of students whose last names begin with A through K February 8, 2012 Parents of students whose last names begin with L through Z If you are not able to attend on the designated night and prefer the alternate night, please notify Mrs. Kathleen O’Connell in the College Counseling Center at oconnell@ lschs.org or (215) 402-4849. These College Information Nights are for parents only. Students will receive this information and more in their advisory classes. The information given those nights will explain the college search and application process in general and specifically here at La Salle College High School. It will include the step-by-step processes covered in your sons’ advisory classes and the required homework assignments. We strongly encourage you to attend one of these evenings.
J ULIA K . M AHE R A S S I S TANT P R IN C I P AL F O R
School Closings For Inclement Weather An ALERT NOW message will be sent out as soon as a decision has been made to close school. A reminder to all parents to update your information (email and telephone contact information) if it has changed recently. You can do so by emailing Carol Haggerty at haggerty@lschs.org La Salle’s website is another source for such announcements (www.lschs.org). KYW 1060AM, and television broadcasts are also another source for information. La Salle College High School is No. 333. In case of snow during a school day, any early dismissal will be announced via ALERT NOW, KYW radio and the television stations as soon as a decision has been reached. We would appreciate your cooperation in NOT calling the school on these days. You have received information in the past about our policies for early dismissals in inclement weather. Here are a few reminders: When school districts send their buses, we announce that those students may leave; however, students who drove to school from that same school district are expected to remain at school until the school day ends or classes are dismissed. In light of the above, it is prudent to check weather forecasts in the morning before deciding to allow your son to drive to school. A safe alternative is to have your son take school district busing. The school cannot deliver messages to students unless it is an emergency. If you need to contact your son, please leave him a message on his cell phone. Students may check for messages with the permission of a teacher or an administrator.
Holiday Date Dance The Winter Date Dance will be held on Friday, February 10, 2012. This event usually brings many students and their dates. The cost for the dance will be $15 per person and includes music and refreshments. Tickets will go on sale the week before the dance. Male students are expected to wear a sports coat or suit along with a shirt and tie.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 7
A Confluence of Factors by JoAnn Cohen, PhD
From the time my son was able to put sentences together, he loved words. He liked to listen as I dictated reports. Even though he couldn’t understand the complexity of what I was saying, he would pick out words he didn’t know and ask me about them. One day, I dictated, “There is a confluence of cortical factors affecting functioning.” He interrupted my dictation, “Mom, what does confluence mean?”I looked at my seven year-old son, “It means things go together to influence something.” He looked at me again, “How do I remember it?” Helping students remember the meaning of words can take creativity. Psychologists use memory techniques to help students with both long and short term memory. Memory techniques vary, depending on the age and ability of the individual, but most use a form of association. In Stephen’s case, the technique would have to be simple enough for a young child to remember. I looked at him. “Let’s take ’con.’ Do you know what happens when I conduct a chorus?” Stephen grinned, “Yup, you make everyone sing together!” I smiled, “The end of this word is ’fluence.’ Think of it like a lot of birds flew in to a birdhouse together.” Stephen smiled again, “Got a new word!” he said, dancing around my office waving his arms in the air. “Listen, Steve, it’s probably not a word everyone understands – just grown-ups.” Stephen’s love of words served him well in school because of the significant role vocabulary plays in academic performance. Statistical analysis has shown that students’ knowledge of vocabulary in a subject correlates to how well they do on tests. Surprisingly, this is true regardless of the subject content. Studying vocabulary is an easy way to raise grades and improve scores on standardized and class tests. The more words an individual masters, the more flexible he can become with language. The more words an individual can use, the greater the chances of finding the one that will perfectly communicate his thoughts. Johnson O’Connor was an American psychometrician, researcher, and educator. Psychometricians gather information and use statistical analysis to understand how specific factors are related. O’Connor is best remembered as a pioneer in documenting the importance of vocabulary. He examined how knowledge of vocabulary relates to occupation. No matter what aspect of vocabulary he investigated, no matter how he analyzed the data, he always found the same results: a person’s knowledge of vocabulary is the best single predictor of occupational success.
Johnson O’Connor’s studies on vocabulary and occupation always showed strong correlations between knowledge of vocabulary and occupation.
Vocabulary may be an indication of intelligence, but when a person uses unfamiliar words just to impress others he may appear pretentious. In this respect, Stephen’s love of words often proved as embarrassing as it was delightful. Our electricity went off one stormy night, and we woke up to an assortment of problems. As a result, Stephen was late for school. I drove him in and explained to the principal what had happened, while Stephen stood by. I had hardly finished before he piped in, “Yeah, it was a confluence of factors.” I slowly turned and glared at him. He squinted. “Well? She’s a grown up!” He turned to the principal, “You know what that means? It means all these things flew in together like birds flew into a birdhouse, and our electricity went out, and I ended up late for school!” Our next vocabulary word was ostentatious.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 8
Ministry and Service LE W I S C LA R K D I R E C TO R O F C A M P U S M INI S T R Y
Freshmen Retreats (Theme: Lasallian Identity) October 25, 2011 (1A-5A) October 26, 2011 (6A-10A) Sophomore Retreats (Theme: The Road to Emmaus) December 6, 2011 (1B, 2B, ½ 3B) December 8, 2011 ( ½ 3B, 4B, 5B) December 13, 2011 (6B, 7B, ½ 8B) December 14, 2011 ( ½ 8B, 9B, 10B) Junior Retreats (Theme: Choices) February 9, 2012 (1C/2C), February 10, 2012 (3C/4C) February 14, 2012 (5C/6C), February 15, 2012 (7C/8C) February 23, 2012 (9C/10C) Senior Retreats Kairos 37-81 Kairos 37-82 Kairos 37-83 Kairos 37-84 Kairos 37-85 Kaiors 37-86 One Day Retreat
October 4- 7, 2011 November 8- 11, 2011 December 13- 16, 2011 January 31- February 3, 2012 February 28- March 2, 2012 April 24- 27, 2012 December 5, 2011
School Wide Liturgies and Prayer Services Opening of School Liturgy September 16, 2011 All Saints Day Liturgy November 1, 2011 Thanksgiving Prayer Service November 22, 2011 Immaculate Conception Liturgy December 8, 2011 Christmas Liturgy December 22, 2011 Ash Wednesday Prayer Service February 22, 2012 Lenten Liturgy April 3, 2012 Founder’s Day Prayer Service May 10, 2012 Ascension Thursday Liturgy May 17, 2012 Student Led Prayer Services (7:35 am in Marian Chapel) Peace.Light. Hope. in HIS footsteps
Fridays During Advent Fridays During Lent
Sacrament of Reconciliation November 15, 2011 and February 28-29, 2012 Eucharistic Adoration and Daily Mass Varies On- Going Service Projects Monday Elder Share Tuesday La Salle Academy Tutoring, Triest House, and Human Rights Forum Wednesday Providence Center Tutoring Thursday Street Outreach and Sarnelli House Friday Lasallian Service Corps Saturday Saint Vincent’s Dining Room Sunday Saint Vincent’s Dining Room, Saint Francis Inn Sandwich Making
Seasonal Drives Magazine Drive for Grade Schools Thanksgiving Food Drive Operation Santa Claus Secret Santa La Salle Responds Initiative
September 26-30, 2011 November 14-22, 2011 November 28, 2011 – December 24, 2011 November 28, 2011 – December 24, 2011 Ongoing
Grade Level Opportunities Freshmen Branch Out-Day Sophomore Branch Out-Day Junior Urban Challenge
October 18, 2011 March 28, 2012 October 26-27, 2011, December 6-7, 2011, and February 1-2, 2012
Summer Service Opportunities Urban Immersion (Philadelphia) June 3-8, 2012 and June 10-15, 2012 Project Appalachia (Kentucky) June 3-9, 2012 Navajo Experience (Arizona) June 17-23, 2012 and June 24-30, 2012 Building Bridges of Solidarity (Bolivia) July 8-21, 2012 Lasallian Youth Assembly July 2012 Blackfeet Immersion (Montana) July 29-August 4, 2012 and August 5-11, 2012 Gulf Coast Immersion June 3-9, 2012 and (Louisiana) August 5-11, 2012
For additional information, please contact Campus Ministry: Lew Clark Director of Campus Ministry clarkl@lschs.org Mark Chesnik Assistant Director of Campus Ministry chesnikm@lschs.org Micky Dominick Assistant Director of Campus Ministry dominickm@lschs.org www.lschs.org/ministry
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 9
Men of Service O Holy Night
La Salle College High School students will once again play a significant role in making Christmas a reality this year for thousands of sick and under-privileged children in the Philadelphia Area through the Operation Santa Claus and Secret Santa programs. In total, more than 1,900 gifts were collected and more than $8,000 in donations were raised to purchase additional gifts. Over 20% of the students at La Salle College High School spent their Christmas Eve delivering presents through one of the two Christmas Service Projects.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft November 2011 10
Operation Santa Claus
Secret Santa
The Lasallian Service Corps (LSC) collected over 1,100 gifts from the La Salle Community for the Operation Santa Claus (OSC) program. Now in its 45th year, OSC is coordinated by the Archdiocesan Office of Youth and Young Adults and provides gifts for over 3,000 under-privileged children throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. OSC relies on the efforts and resources of students from high schools and parishes across the diocese and this year, La Salle gifts represent more than 10% of the gifts that were collected. After Thanksgiving break, over 75 La Salle students cut out 1,200 tags for the annual giving tree and then for two weeks students collected and sorted over 1,100 toys brought in by students, faculty, staff, and members of the La Salle Community. Additionally, 40 students traveled to the OSC wrapping center in downtown Philadelphia to help with the sorting, wrapping, tagging, and bagging of the gifts collected throughout the Archdiocese. Finally on Christmas Eve, 210 students, 11 faculty members, and 42 parents distributed gifts. Dressed as Santa and his elves, they traveled in groups of four with one adult driver to visit with the children in their homes.
Now in its 10th year as a service initiative sponsored by the Lasallian Service Corps, raised over $8,200 from the La Salle Community including donations from the Mothers’ Club, Men of La Salle, Alumni Association, La Salle Responds, Christian Brothers’ Community, and a collection at the PIAA Semifinal Football Game against North Penn. In early December, students bought and collected gifts, which were wrapped and tagged by the Mothers’ Club for delivery on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, 70 members of the La Salle community (59 Boys, 1 Faculty/Staff, 6 Alumni, and 14 Fathers) delivered gifts to the homes of pediatric oncology and hematology patients of Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children. A total of 58 homes were visited on Christmas Eve with presents for all of the children in the house, not just the sick child.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft November 2011 11
Pa re n t s St i l l Ma k e T h e Di f f e re n c e P R A C TI C AL I D EA S F O R P A R ENT S TO HEL P THEI R C HIL D R EN .
Review your son’s schedule to make sure it’s reasonable.
Three New Year’s resolutions that will lead to success in school.
Colleges and employers look for “well-rounded” students. So it’s important that your son be involved in some extracurricular activities; however, if he’s running from club meetings to basketball practice to a debate tournament, without any time for dinner (let alone homework!), your son may have too many commitments. To determine if your son may be overscheduled:
It’s the start of a new year, and that’s a good time to take stock. Are your son’s grades where he – and you – would like them to be? If not, it may be time to make some learning resolutions. Here are a few:
• Look for signs of stress. Is your son more irritable or tired than usual? Has he lost his appetite? Does he seem to have trouble concentrating? • Review his habits. Does he constantly stay up late to finish homework? Does he often forget where he’s supposed to be? • Discuss his schedule. Does he feel like he has too much going on? Does he have any “free time” during the week to relax? If you and your son agree that he’s overscheduled, it’s time to take action: • Help your son set priorities. Ask him to rank his activities in order of “most important” to “least important.” Remember that “homework” should be at the top of that list! • Have a discussion about which of the “least important” activities he’d be willing to take a break from or drop completely.
• Get to class, on time, every day. Teachers can’t teach students who aren’t in class. And if teens consistently miss a class, or if they arrive late, they’re going to miss something important. • Read. A study by the National Endowment for the Arts found that on average teens spent exactly seven minutes a day reading outside of school. Not surprisingly, reading scores also fell. So encourage your son to spend time reading something he likes – a story about sports, a thriller or a magazine. It doesn’t matter what he reads, just that he reads. • Cut down on screen time. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that most teens spend seven or more hours a day on media use. Not surprisingly, those with the highest media usage had the lowest grades. So get your son to turn off the TV and put the phone on a shelf for an hour or two. Instead, use that time to read, be active or just daydream. Reprinted with permission from the January issue of Parents Still Make The Difference! ® (High School Edition). Copyright © 2012 The Parent Institute ®, a Division of NIS, Inc.
• Remind your son that his health – and school – come first. Reprinted with permission from the January issue of Parents Still Make The Difference!® (High School Edition). Copyright ©2012 The Parent Institute ®, a Division of NIS, Inc.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 12
Pa re n t s St i l l Ma k e T h e Di f f e re n c e P R A C TI C AL I D EA S F O R P A R ENT S TO HEL P THEI R C HIL D R EN .
Help your son make a world of difference right at home.
Ask your son questions to build his critical thinking skills.
Many teens seem to think that they have to be famous in order to make a difference in today’s world. However, the small actions teens take every day can change the world – by affecting one person at a time. To help your son make a difference, encourage him to:
To survive today’s world, teens need to have and use critical thinking skills. Teens need to make important decisions about drinking, driving and their relationships with other teens. They need to consider the effects of what they do.
• Volunteer. Giving back to the community will help your son feel like he’s making a difference. Your son can check with Campus Ministry for opportunities in the community.
The only way for teens to gain those important critical thinking skills is to practice thinking critically. You encourage your son to think critically when you:
• Be kind. If your son treats others politely, he will feel better about himself. Something as simple as a smile could brighten someone else’s day. • Become politically active. Even if your son isn’t old enough to vote, he can stay informed on issues that affect teens. He can even write letters to government officials about ideas he has to improve the community. Reprinted with permission from the January issue of Parents Still Make The Difference!® (High School Edition). Copyright ©2012 The Parent Institute ®, a Division of NIS, Inc.
Your teen’s motivation starts with you. Whether he acts like it or not, your son wants to know that you love him and that you think he is important. Knowing this will motivate your teen to succeed in school and in life. To show that you care: • Talk to him. Simply asking your son about his day tells him that he matters to you. Ask what the most interesting thing he learned was, or who he sat with at lunch, or even just what he thinks about the TV show you’re both watching. • Spend time with him. Try to carve out a little bit of one-on-one time with your teen – just you and him. Avoid distractions. Don’t allow phone calls, email, or text messages to interrupt your time together. Consider turning something you already do into “together time” – like exercising or preparing dinner.
• Ask questions. Talk about hypothetical situations or things you see on television. What would your son do in that situation? Why? What other plans of action can he think of? Discuss the pros and cons of each. This helps your son learn to think critically about his actions and the consequences of those actions. • Ask for advice. Planning to plant a garden this spring? Ask your son what plants he thinks you should choose. Having a problem with a coworker at work? Tell your teen about it, and ask him what he would do in your shoes. And keep in mind that you’re still the parent – you don’t have to do what your son suggests. Asking his advice just gets his mind working, and encourages him to contribute to your life. • Ask about his political ideas and spiritual beliefs. This can be a sensitive topic in some families. If you choose to discuss these issues, remember that your son is trying to form his own ideas. Avoid attacking his thoughts or telling him why you think he’s wrong. Question calmly why he chooses to hold those beliefs. Reprinted with permission from the January issue of Parents Still Make The Difference!® (High School Edition). Copyright ©2012 The Parent Institute ®, a Division of NIS, Inc.
• Say “I love you” or “I’m proud of you.” Just try not to embarrass him in front of his friends! Reprinted with permission from the January issue of Parents Still Make The Difference!® (High School Edition). Copyright ©2012 The Parent Institute ®, a Division of NIS, Inc.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 13
Mothers’ Club S UE M I S C HLE R P R E S I D ENT
Dear Mothers and Guardians,
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
On behalf of the Mothers’ Club Board, I want to extend my warmest wishes for a happy and healthy New Year. We hope that you enjoyed a Christmas season filled with family time and treasured traditions, and that you step into 2012 feeling refreshed.
Volunteer help is welcome and appreciated at upcoming Mothers’ Club events. Please e-mail the contact listed for each event with your availability.
While we have already closed the book on the Mothers’ Club’s Fall events, we are looking forward to a wonderful assortment of events coming up in the second semester, all of which will provide opportunities for you to become involved, support our sons’ school, and enjoy getting to know other women whose boys are also “Explorers.” It is easy to keep abreast of the many opportunities to participate in the Mothers’ Club activities, as you will readily find the full calendar of Mothers’ Club activities posted in the Parents Portal section of La Salle’s website. So please be sure to mark your calendars, and to also check our Mothers’ Club calendar for our monthly meeting schedule! It has been wonderful meeting so many of you so far this school year, and I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events. We are so grateful for your continued support in making the La Salle Mothers’ Club such a vibrant part of the La Salle family. Sincerely,
Senior Mother Tree Trimming A special time was had by over 200 Senior mothers who joined in for the Senior Tree trimming event on November 30, 2011. Right before the Christmas break, all ornaments were carefully boxed and given back to your sons to bring home. Haven’t seen it? Please check those backpacks and back seats!
Christmas Shopping Spectacular A wonderful group of shoppers were on hand for the 6th Annual Christmas Shopping Spectacular. It was once again a wonderful day for all of those who attended. With fabulous vendors offering a wide variety of products, wonderful food and friendship, the day was a great way to start the Holiday season. Special congratulations go to Julia Rose Pollino, this year’s lucky raffle winner of a $500 Visa Card. Thanks to all our volunteers and those who brought their friends and family, purchased raffle tickets, and supported the vendors. All of you helped to make the day a huge success! Many thanks to this year’s Christmas Shopping Spectacular Committee: Joanne Quinn, Dana Worthington, Jackie Toner, Lisa Denton, Micki McShane, Donna Marzullo, Rosanne Campanella, and Diana Driscoll.
Mother/Son Service Project Sue Mischler President
12::00 pm (January 2, 2012) 10:00 am (February 5, 2012) Cafeteria
Upcoming Calendar of Events
February 5, 2012 Mother/Son Service Project Cafeteria
10:00 am
The Mothers’ Club is partnering with Mr. Chuck Cirelli, Ms. Lisa Agnew, Ms. Carol Haggerty, Mr. Joseph Parisi, and Campus Ministry on service projects for mothers and their sons to make sandwiches for the homeless and poor served by St. Francis Inn and to help prepare meals for Street Outreach’s weekly trip to Philadelphia to serve dinner to the homeless. We meet on Sundays before the first Monday of the month, with the exception of January 2012. Due to the holiday, we will meet at Noon on Monday, January 2, 2012.
February 26, 2012 Mother/Son Communion Brunch Williamson’s
10:00am
If you and your son would like to participate in this project, please contact:
January 2, 2012 Mother/Son Service Project Cafeteria
12:00 pm
January 5, 2012
9:15 am
Mothers’ Club Meeting Auditorium – All Welcome
January 26, 2012 Winter Blues Social Auditorium
7:00 pm
February 2, 2012
9:15 am
Mothers’ Club Meeting Auditorium – All Welcome
Maureen Fillenwarth phlfilly@comcast.net (215) 997-2778
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 14
Mothers’ Club ( C ONTINUE D )
Winter Blues Social
Mothers’ Club New York Trip
Thursday, January 26, 2012 7:00 to 10:00 pm Auditorium
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
All LaSalle Mothers and Guardians are invited to a fun, casual night out with friends, food and cheer. The event is $20 per person and promises a great night to catch up with friends, old and new. Please see the flyer included in this issue of The Belcroft or check the school’s website for details. For more information, contact the committee at:winterblues2012@gmail.com
Mother/Son Communion Brunch Sunday, February 26, 2012 Registration Mass 9:30 am 10:00 am
The Mother/Son Communion Brunch will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 10:00 am at Williamson Restaurant in Horsham. The guest speaker will be Drew Morrisroe ’92, President and CEO of CNT Solutions, Inc. Please see the flyer included in this issue of The Belcroft or check the school’s website for details.
Annual Fashion Show and Dinner Thursday, March 15, 2012 Cocktails and Tombola 5:00 to 7:00 pm Dinner and Fashion Show 7:00 to 9:30 pm
Spring Mill Manor Come join us for a “Fashion Voyage,” which promises to be a night of fun, friendship and fashion at the annual Spring Fashion Show! The Tombola tables once again will be filled with fantastic gifts for which you will want to buy chances to take home that night! Invitations will be mailed in February, but in the meantime mark your calendars for Thursday, March 15, 2012. Tickets are limited, so buy them early. As always, your financial support is sincerely appreciated and cash donations are welcome. If you have any questions, are interested in volunteering or would like to donate an item, please contact: Amy Worster aarothwell@aol.com
Norma Spiteri normas64@comcast.net
There are a few tickets remaining for this fantastic trip to the Big Apple to see “Sister Act.” Tickets are $175 per person, but are limited and going fast! Mary Chandler mary.chandler@aol.com (610) 287-3264
Mothers’ Club Alumnae Committee News Kathy Caramenico, Donnamaria Dolan, Roseanne Duzinski, Lynn Gates, Pam Grady, Karen Guerra, Barbara Houldin, Janet McBride and Terry Millet
January Is “Bag Sale” Month At Shared Treasures Our fantastic values get even better in January, when customers can fill a bag with gently used (and even some new!) men’s, women’s and children’s clothing for only $5.00. We have also restocked our shelves with beautiful home décor items, so be sure to stop by often. Shared Treasures, your source for fabulous finds and fantastic values is open each Wednesday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Dunleavy Center, as well as the first Saturday of the month from 9:00 am to Noon. Tax-deductible donations of gently used items are also gratefully accepted and can be left on the covered porch on the side of Dunleavy Center. Please consider helping out in the shop, too, if you have a few free hours during the month; volunteers work either 9:30 AM to 12:30 pm or 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. For information, call Barbara Houldin at (215) 990-2843 or e-mail her at bag553@aol.com.
Upcoming Events January 4, 7, 14, 21, 28 Shared Treasures Open April 12, 2012 Mothers’ Club Alumnae Committee Luncheon for all Mothers of Alumni
New Date For Mothers Of Alumni Luncheon Please help us get the word out that, due to scheduling conflicts, the date for the 2012 Luncheon for mothers of alumni has been changed to April 12, 2012. Mothers of current students who also have sons who have graduated are warmly welcomed at this event, which will be held at the beautiful Whitemarsh Valley Country Club in Lafayette Hill.
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 15
Mother/Son Communion Brunch Sunday, February 26, 2012 9:30 am – Check-In 10:00 am – Mass and Brunch Williamson Restaurant Easton Road (Route 611) and Blair Mill Road Horsham, PA 19044 Guest Speaker Drew Morrisroe ’92 President and CEO CTN Solutions, Inc.
$25 per person $60 per family (for those with two or more sons attending La Salle)
Reservations are required. No tickets will be issued. Your cancelled check or credit card statement is your receipt. Given the large number of expected guests, all reservations must be received by February 17, 2012. To make your reservation, please complete the reservation form and mail with a check. You may indicate a seating preference or your son’s graduation year, and we will do our best to seat you with his fellow classmates. Seating will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis as reservations are received. Please be advised that the Mass will be offered and our speaker will present in the Elkins dining room. If we reach full capacity in that room, subsequent responding guests will enjoy Mass, breakfast, and a full audio-visual feed in the Adams room. This event could sell out completely, so please respond promptly. If you would like to sit with a specific group of friends, please enclose one check for the total amount and list names of all guests on the reservation form. Tables seat a maximum of ten guests. Please arrive by 9:45 am to allow time for seating before Mass. In the event that you have any questions, please contact: Mary Frances Kelly mfkelly@lschs.org
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 16
Andrew J. Morrisroe III ’92 President and CEO CTN Solutions, Inc.
Drew Morrisroe began his information technology career in 1991 while a student at La Salle College High School. He was offered a part time assistant position by an alum who was the director of information systems at InterDigital Communications Corporation, an international wireless digital research and manufacturing firm. In 1994, as an undergraduate college student, he started providing computer and networking consulting services to small businesses in the Philadelphia area.
Drew attributes much of his business and personal success to the involvement in a number of non-profit and charitable organizations although the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Foundation has been a special focus of his efforts. Among his accomplishments, he involved HOBY with the 1997 Presidents’ Summit for Volunteerism and has traveled with Hugh O’Brian, HOBY’s founder, to him help establish programs in Europe and the Middle East.
In 1997 he founded CTN Solutions, Inc., which today is a leading provider of IT managed services to companies with 20 to 1000 computer users in the tri-state area. CTN services include network management, helpdesk support, application hosting, data protection disaster recovery, and IT strategic planning. CTN has experienced phenomenal growth as the need for reliable and skilled IT providers remains strong.
Through his board service with HOBY and other foundations, he has traveled extensively to countries such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, and Guatemala working with youth afflicted by poverty and victims of war and genocide. He is frequent speaker to audiences young and old about his experiences overseas and on topics such as leadership and entrepreneurship.
CTN has been listed four times in the Philadelphia 100 Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies sponsored by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the Wharton School Small Business Development Center. Among CTN’s clients are Walters Homes, DiBruno Brothers, The GfK Companies, D.M. Sabia Construction, and TD Bank.
In 2006, Drew was presented HOBY’s Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of his work to serve youth throughout the world. In 2005, he received the distinction of “Top 40 Under 40” in the Philadelphia region from the Philadelphia Business Journal, which recognizes annually a group of forty young professionals for their roles in the business and civic community. In 2007, Drew was presented the Philip Elkin leadership award by Philadelphia University for his success as an entrepreneur and business leader.
CUT HERE
Please return with your check made payable to the Payment must be made prior to the event. Please mail your check La Salle Mothers’ Club and form or register online via a secure server at No refunds will be given for cancellations received after and mail no later than February 17, 2012 to February 24, 2012. Mary Frances Kelly 1541 Temple Drive Maple Glen, PA 19002 RESERVATION CONTACT PHONE NUMBER E-MAIL TOTAL ENCLOSED $
Please list the names of all parties attending and the graduation year of the son(s) attending. All names must be listed on a single reservation form and payment for all must accompany the reservation in order to reserve a table for ten. NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR NAME CIRCLE ONE Mother/Son YEAR
FOR INTERNAL USE RESERVATION NUMBER TABLE NUMBER
Take a Break from the Winter Blues
Join La Salle Moms Past, Present and Future for a Fun, Casual Night Out! Thursday, January 26, 2012 7:00 – 10:00 pm La Salle College High School Auditorium $20 per person (includes light food and beverages) Register online at www.lschs.org/winterblues or complete the attached form with a check for $20 made payable to LSCHS MC and mail to:
Anne Flynn, 779 Glen Road, Jenkintown, PA, 19046 Please email any questions to winterblues2012@gmail.com
The Winter Blues Night at La Salle College High School January 26, 2012
Name Email
Men of La Salle K E V IN R . C ONNO R ’ 8 2 P R E S I D ENT
Mission Statement
Sophomore Branch-Out Day
To provide financial assistance and support for the continuing education of LaSalle College High School students who have lost a primary wage earning parent, through Fundraising events that help connect Fathers and Sons.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Upcoming Calendar of Events Thursday, January 5, 2012 Monthly Meeting 6:30 pm Study Commons Guest Speaker: Chris Carabello ’82 Director of Communications and Public Relations Thursday, February 2, 2012 6:30 pm Study Commons Guest Speaker: TBD
Monthly Meeting
Sunday, February 12th, 2012
Comedy Night
Thursday, March 1, 2012 Monthly Meeting 6:30 pm Study Commons Guest Speaker: Julia Maher Assistant Principal for Student Affairs Sunday, March 13, 2012 Father/Son Bowling 2:30 pm Facenda-Whitaker Lanes
Comedy Night February 12, 2012 The Men of La Salle are pairing an evening of great food with terrific comedy for all of your family members and friends, high school age and above. Each ticket purchased entitles you to a Philly famous Schmitter sandwich with a drink and chips and entrance to our comedy event featuring three comedians put together for their ability to make everyone laugh. You’ll have a great memory of fun and laughs and the chance to enjoy it with your son.
Father/Son Bowling Sunday, March 13, 2012 Come and join other La Salle dads with your son for an afternoon of fun and camaraderie at Facenda-Whitaker Lanes in East Norriton. The event includes bowling, food/ drink, and prizes. Please stay tuned to future editions of The Belcroft and the Men of La Salle web page, www. lschs.org/mol, for more details.
This day of service is a great opportunity for both sophomore students and their dads to spend time together contributing to Philadelphia area communities and organizations needing a little help. This is a tremendous opportunity to put the “leave to serve” motto to work and to let your son know you’re with him by his side in taking this message out into the world.
Father/Son Baseball Outing Sunday, April 29, 2012 Join a host of other fathers and sons as we board a bus bound for Baltimore to watch the Baltimore Orioles take on the Oakland Athletics. We’ll enjoy great seats, a good game and the camaraderie of friends both old and new in the stadium around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. After the game, a visit to Dick’s Last Resort, http://www.dickslastresort.com/domains/baltimore/index. htm, and their “unique” style of service will surely have you both laughing and enjoying yourselves for days to come.
Happy New Year I’d like to thank everyone who helped make our fall events successful and well attended. From our new fathers welcome barbecue in September, Freshman Branch-Out Day and our Father/Son Golf outing in October, and the Auction and Father/ Son banquet in November, we were able to offer fathers and sons activities together and continue to support the mission of our organization. As we advance the calendar to a new year, I’d encourage you to consider our upcoming events and look to remember that time with your son can go by so quick. For senior families, they will be finalizing graduation plans and college selections. For junior families, the college selection process will likely shift into high-gear as the boys become student leaders in the school community. For the underclass families, they will continue to solidify their place in the academic, athletic, and social aspects of the school. If you have not had a chance to attend a Men of La Salle event, I encourage you to come out to one of our winter events with your son. It is not only a great opportunity to spend time with your son, but you will definitely have a great time connecting with the other dads that are part of the La Salle family. I look forward to seeing you soon. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at mol@lschs.org. Sincerely yours,
Kevin Connor President
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 16
Speech and Debate Update
Speaking Their Minds by Raymond T. Shay ‘00
The La Salle Speech and Debate Team – affectionately referred to as “The Forum” – had a strong start to the 2011-12 school year. Over Halloween weekend, some members of the team traveled to the inaugural Brother Rene Sterner Invitational Tournament at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh. Junior Joseph Heidt ’13 and senior Joseph Vasoli ‘12 took first and second place respectively in Congressional Debate while Junior Arthur Bailin ’13 was elected as Presiding Officer. Junior Robert Gormisky ’13 placed second in Lincoln Douglas Debate at PCC. Just before Thanksgiving, some members of the team competed at the annual Villiger Tournament at Saint Joseph’s University. Sophomore Tim McAuliffe ’14 advanced to the Quarterfinals in Oratorical Declamation, one of the largest events at the tournament.
One of the largest tournaments on the East Coast, the Patriot Games Invitational Tournament was held at George Mason University the first weekend in December. Sophomore Daniel Spinelli ’14 advanced to the Quarterfinal Round (Top 8) in Lincoln Douglas Debate, losing to the eventual tournament champion, on a split decision. Dan was the highest placing sophomore in the Varsity division of Lincoln Douglas Debate which had more than 120 students entered in the event from around the country. Junior Connor Lavelle ’13 advanced to the Double-Octofinal Round (Top 32) also in Lincoln Douglas Debate. The second Saturday in December, La Salle hosted the annual Forum Invitational Tournament. About 400 students from 30 schools competed in 18 events using almost every inch of campus. In the Varsity Division, Dan Spinelli ’14 had another strong performance advancing to the Semifinals in Lincoln Douglas Debate and Joe Vasoli ‘12 placed fifth in Extemporaneous Commentary. In the Junior Varsity Division, some of the newest members of the team had some breakout performances. The sophomore team of Kevin Gay ’14 and Charles Newel ’14 won JV Policy Debate and in Congressional Debate
freshmen Jack Grogan ’15 and Eric Kindelan ’15 placed second and sixth respectively. Junior James Princivalle ’13 placed third in Oral Interpretation of Poetry and freshman Ryan Sax ’15 advanced to the Semifinals in Oratorical Declamation. As we move into the second half of the year and prepare for the City, State, and National Tournaments, we are still looking for new students to join the team. Any student still interested in joining the La Salle Speech and Debate Team should contact Mr. Raymond Shay at shayr@lschs.org La Salle Speech and Debate Recent Accomplishments • Recognized as a Debate School of Excellence by the National Forensics League (NFL) and the National Catholic Forensics League (NCFL) • Won the 2010 NCFL National Championship in Policy Debate and placed second in 2008 • Won PHSSL State Championships in Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, and Poetry in the last 5 years • Won the PHSSL District #11 Team Championship for the past seven years
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 20
Basketball Preview 2011-2012
The Game Is Played Away From The Ball by Bill Donohoe ’96 The La Salle Explorers varsity basketball team is
All-Catholic selection last year; will be counted on for his
coming off a very successful 2010-11 campaign in which
leadership and game experience. This year’s seniors will
Coach Joe Dempsey’s Explorers lost to Chester in the
also compensate for the lack of experience with their
PIAA State Quarterfinals after an amazing comeback
strong leadership. The senior Explorers are P.J. Acierno,
victory over Allentown Allen High School. Last year’s team
Sean Dougherty, Darnell Artis, Colin Buckley and Matt
included current college basketball players: Eddie Mitchell
Murphy. Along with Stukes, underclassmen expected to
(Rider University), Joe Brown (Arcadia University), and
be contributors are juniors Steven Smith, Matt Rodden,
Steven Collins (Dickinson College), so this year’s team will
Pat Cooney, Alex Cuoci, Malik Janifer, Ryan Winslow, and
be young and will need to gain needed experience in a
sophomore Aaron Burton.
very ambitious preseason schedule. La Salle will face area powers such as Plymouth Whitemarsh , Imhotep Charter
Alumni Game – January 29, 2012
High School (PIAA AA State Champions),and Malvern Prep.
This year there will be two alumni basketball games at
Catholic League play will open up on January 5, 2012
11:30 and 12:30 on January 29th. The first slot will be for
at home versus defending PIAA AAA State Champions
the older alums and the second for the younger alums.
Neumann-Goretti High School. The 2011-2012 Basketball
Following the game there will be a light reception
schedule can be found on La Salle’s website.
before the Explorers take on Bishop McDevitt High School
This year’s Explorers are young and have only one returning varsity starter and only a few players with varsity experience. Junior Amar Stukes, a third team
at 2:30 pm. Please email assistant coach Bill Donohoe ’96 at donohoe@lschs.org to RSVP regarding attendance at the game
La Salle College High School – The Belcroft January 2012 21
Varsity Sports Schedules TON Y R E S C H ATHLETI C D I R E C TO R
January Basketball
Hockey
Joe Dempsey Head Coach 5 Neumann-Goretti 8 Archbishop Ryan 9 New Media Charter School 13 West Catholic 15 Roman Catholic 18 Cardinal O’Hara 20 Lansdale Catholic 22 Saint Joseph’s Prep 27 Archbishop Carroll 29 Bishop McDevitt
Wally Muehlbronner Head Coach 4 Malvern Prep 5:00 pm 9 Princeton Day School 6:15 pm 11 Saint Peter’s Prep 4:00 pm 25 Hill School 4:30 pm 27 Lawrenceville School 6:45 pm
7:00 pm 2:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:00 pm 2:30 pm 7:00 pm 7:00 pm 3:00 pm 7:00 pm 2:30 pm
Home Away Home Home Away Away Away Away Home Home
Citizens Bank Park Princeton Day School Prudential Center Hill School Lawrenceville School
Indoor Track and Field
Bowling Steve Faunce Head Coach 3 Cardinal O’Hara 3:30 pm 5 Archbishop Wood 3:30 pm 10 Neumann-Goretti 3:30 pm 16 Snowball Classic 7:30 am 17 Roman Catholic 3:30 pm 19 Conwell Egan 3:30 pm 24 Father Judge 3:30 pm 26 Bonner-Prendergast 3:30 pm 31 Archbishop Ryan 3:30 pm
Thunderbird Lanes Willow Grove Thunderbird Lanes Warminster Thunderbird Lanes Willow Grove Laurel Lanes Hi Spot Lanes Bristol Pike Lanes Thunderbird Lanes Holme Avenue Thunderbird Lanes Willow Grove Thunderbird Lanes Willow Grove
Greg Bielecki ’99 Head Coach 4 Holiday Invitational 3:30 pm Haverford College 7 TFCA of GP Meet No. 4 8:00 am Haverford College 13 PCL Regular Season Meet 5:00 pm Haverford College 14 TFCA of GP Meet No. 5 12:30 pm Lehigh University 28 TFCA of GP Meet No. 6 7:00 am Glen Mills School
Swimming Frank Lichtner Head Coach 5 Malvern Prep 3:45 pm Away 10 Father Judge 3:30 pm Home 14 Wilson Relays 11:00 am Wilson-West Lawn 27 Archbishop Wood 6:00 pm Kilinger Middle School 29 Salesianum TBD La Salle University
Wrestling Richie Gebauer Anthony Panzarella Head Coaches 3 Conwell-Egan 7:00 pm 7 Zephyr Duals TBD 13-14 Escape From The Rock TBD 21 Catholic Duals 9:00 am AW, BMcD, CO, FJ, MB 25 Roman Catholic 5:00 pm 27 Saint Joseph’s Prep 5:30 pm La Salle College High School – The Belcroft September 2011 22
Home Whitehall Concil Rock South Home Away Home
La Salle College High School Music Department Celebrates Movie Music Parents Social Saturday, February 11, 2012 7:30 to 11:0 pm Auditorium $40 per ticket Casual Attire
Please make checks payable to: La Salle College High School Music Department Please return your check and the attached form to: Terry and Greg Hildebrandt 2940 Carnation Avenue Willow Grove, PA 19090
Food, soft drinks, beer, and set-ups will be provided. Wine and Spirits are BYOB. Please bring a dessert. Entertainment by the La Salle Music Department Raffles and Theme Gift Baskets!
FAMILY NAME
SON(S) GRADUATION YEAR
PHONE
NUMBER OF TICKETS @ $40 EACH
Please make checks payable to: La Salle College High School Music Department
AMOUNT ENCLOSED $
ALL TABLES OF EIGHT MUST BE PAID FOR IN ADVANCE.
8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038
First Class Mail
www.lschs.org
January 2012
Volume Twenty-One Number 5
The Belcroft is named in honor of the mansion that first occupied the campus of La Salle College High School. Built in 1927, the home of Clarence M. Brown now serves as the residence of the Christian Brothers Community.
The Official Newsletter of La Salle College High School President Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 Principal Joseph L. Marchese Vice President of Institutional Advancement Daniel L. McGowan Director of Communications and Public Relations Christopher M. Carabello ’82 The Belcroft La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor , PA 19038 215 233 2911 phone 215 233 1418 fax www.lschs.org
The Belcroft is published by La Salle College High School during the months of September through May.
Calendar of Events January 2012
First Class Mail 1
New Year’s Day
2
Mother/Son Service Project
The Belcroft welcomes articles and submissions from the entire La Salle Community. The deadline for submissions is the fifteenth day of the month prior to the date of publication. All submissions received after the fifteenth of the month will not be included in the upcoming issue; rather, will be considered for inclusion in a future issue.
3
Classes Resume
4
Holiday Classic
5:00 pm
5
Mothers’ Club Meeting
9:15 am
Men of La Salle Meeting
6:30 pm
10
Alumni Board Meeting
7:30 pm
12
Scholarship Reception
13
End of Second Marking Period
16
Martin Luther King Day
The Editor of the The Belcroft reserves the right to make all decisions regarding the content and layout of the newsletter.
Holiday Classic
La Salle vs. Malvern Prep Wednesday, January 4, 2012 5:00 pm Citizens Bank Park $10 The La Salle College High School Varsity Hockey Team will face Malvern Prep at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 5:00 pm NHL’s Annual Winter Classic Festivities. The game, being dubbed the first annual High School Holiday Classic, will take place on the outdoor rink constructed in the ballpark home to the Philadelphia Phillies. Tickets for the High School Holiday Classic are on sale at La Salle College High School for $10. Students will be able to purchase tickets in the Dean of Students Office. Parents, Alumni, and Friends can request tickets online through the La Salle Hockey Website. Tickets at the gate will cost $15.
12:00 pm
No Classes
17-23 First Semester Exams 24
School Holiday
25
Beginning of Third Marking Period
26
Jazz Band Assembly
Winter Blues Social
28
SAT I and II
30
Report Cards Issued
31-3
Kairos 37-84
No Classes
7:00 pm