PRII RITIES A Magazine of Woodside Priory School
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Issue #43
ome All to the Auc C , e n o tion ome
April 2009
Woodside Priory School Celebrating 51 Years of Benedictine Education In This Issue A Winter concert, a world-class Taiko performance, a trip to Washington D.C and more in Winter-at-a-Glance. Pages 4-5
Winter at a Glance - pgs 4-5
The Circus is coming to town! Read all about the amazing circus performers, sneak preview of auction items and more! Pages 6-11 Find out who is doing what in Class Notes. Pages 13-15 Access program at the Priory: It works! Page 16 From Priory student to Doctor; an interview with ACCESS graduate Janette Maldonado ’99. Page 17
Auction Circus! - pgs 6-11
Dean of Faculty and Assistant Head of School Brian Schlaak: Former Navy Pilot, Educator Extraordinaire, and General all-around Great Guy. Page 18 Father Maurus and the Hungarian Catholic Mission: helping children and the elderly live better lives. Page 19
Class Notes - pgs 13-15
Board of Directors Abbott Matthew Leavy, OSB Father Mark Cooper, OSB Brother Edward Englund, OSB Father Martin Mager, OSB Father William Sullivan, OSB Board of Trustees Kristin Brew Janet Brownstone Peter Campagna Lisa Carlos Quenner Monica Corman Hugh Cornish Wayne Davison Babak Dehnad ‘84 Kathy Feldman Chris Galli ‘84 Hilary Giles Betsy Haehl George Hohnsbeen Father Eric Hollas, OSB David Jim ‘74 Peter Kasenchak Indu Khanna Rick Magnuson Jami Nachtsheim Father Maurus Nemeth, OSB Dale Pfau Hank Plain Patti Plummer Ray Rothrock Kari Rust Ken Tehaney ‘66 Paul Titterton ‘82 Dan Turner Lisa Wan Mark Wilson Andrea Zulberti Priorities magazine is published in March/ April, June/July, and November/December by Woodside Priory School for its alumni, parents, students, neighbors and friends. Contact the Communications Office at 650-851-6193 or the school at 650-851-8221.
Brian Schlaak interview - pg 18
Monastary News - pg 19
On the cover: Chi-Chi the Auction gorilla and Father Martin pose with the as yet unfinished 25th grandfather clock Father crafts each year.
Editor: Sean Mclain Brown Design/Production: Jim Kirkland, Copperline Multimedia Photos: Sean Mclain Brown, Father Martin, Jim Kirkland, Priory Parents Printing: Communications on the Mark, Mark W. Allen Chapel Services Masses at 7:15 a.m. Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday Hungarian service All are welcome.
Dear Priory Community,
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From the Head of School
recently was looking for something in my wallet when I came across my copy of the Priory’s Mission statement. They are the size of business cards and we give them to students when they enter the school. As I read it over, I was once again struck by its tone and some of the powerful words and phrases that it contains. It continues to be the guiding force in the decisions we make, whether they be curricular, financial or spiritual in nature. Our current students are well versed in the five Benedictine values which are the underpinnings for living a well-balanced and productive life both now and in the future. Our Mission speaks of “students of promise”, who “serve a world in need of their gifts” and “values being made real in a community in which every student is known and loved” – it challenges our past and present students to reflect, renew and reach out to those in need. This Mission is at the heart of what we do on a daily basis to make our school one that is good for kids. This month marks the 1st anniversary of Father Egon’s death. We had a special Mass in his honor and are thankful for the many who turned out to celebrate and remember him. Father Egon referred to the Priory as “an American Miracle” – he was right, and we see the fruits of his vision in the students who leave here as well-prepared graduates. In mid-March, we had a festive gathering to officially throw the switch on our solar installation. Mayor of Portola Valley Ann Wengert, Town Manager Angela Howard, and Jonathan Allen from Representative Anna Eshoo’s office were on-hand to help us celebrate. You can monitor the system’s production and environmental impacts such as carbon offset, pollution reduction, and cost savings, on the Web at www.prioryca.org/solar.
Our girls’ soccer team battled #1 ranked Santa Cruz for 4 overtimes before losing on penalty kicks 4-2. The Seniors completed the best four-year record in Priory soccer history and won two league championships. The boys’ basketball team was CCS runnerup and lost to #1 ranked Saint Joseph/ Notre Dame of Alameda in the first round of Nor Cals. The Seniors won two league championships and at one point won 37 straight league games. Our class of 2009 has received early acceptances to a number of outstanding local and national universities, and there were eight members of the class who were honored by National Merit as commended, semi-finalists or finalists. Our admissions Open Houses this year were very well attended. Mr. Zappelli and his staff, as well as the numerous faculty, staff, and students who gave their time, need to be complimented for their fine, conscientious work. At this point, we are confident we will meet our enrollment goals. The Circus is coming to town! On Saturday May 2nd, the Cabana Hotel and Resort in Palo Alto will host the 2009 Priory Auction. Please join us for dinner, dancing and, of course, bidding on an array of fantastic auction items. If you cannot attend, please support the auction by underwriting. Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” I’m excited to see this in action all around me every day at the Priory. Whether it’s a senior mentoring a middle school student, a maintenance staff person keeping our grounds and open spaces manicured and clean, or a parent volunteering to put fresh flowers in Founder’s Hall, everywhere I look people are serving each other. It’s a blessing to witness this, and as always, to serve you and our Monastic community. Sincerely, Tim Molak Head of School
Our current students are well versed in the five Benedictine values which are the underpinnings for living a well balanced and productive life, both now and in the future.
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Winter
(Right): Priory students put on a great J-Pop show coordinating dance and lip-sync as an opening act for the San Francisco Taiko Dojo.
(Top): Head of School Tim Molak holding his birthday cake fashioned after an old photo when he was Dean of Students. (Below): Jonathan Allen from Rep. Anna Eshoo’s office (center) presented a flag that flew over the Capitol in Washington D.C. in honor of the Priory’s committment to sustainability and our 135kw solar installation. (Top L-R): Tim Molak, Jonathan Bass, Solar City Representative, Mayor of Portola Valley Ann Wengert, Jonathan Allen from Rep. Anna Eshoo’s office, Portola Valley City Manager Angela Howard, Parent Association Chair Laura Cornish, and Environmental Science faculty Hovey Clark.
(Right Top-Bottom): Lauren Barkman, Lauren Allen, and Molly Simpson help the girls soccer team battle #1 Santa Cruz in CCS.
(Left): Ignas Pavilonis dominates as he shoots and scores to help the team beat long time rivals Sacred Heart Prep. Go Panthers!
(L-R): Eleanor Oates as Elizabeth Bennett and Will Alvarez as Mr. Darcy, in The Priory School’s staging of “Pride and Prejudice.”
4 Students in Sport Medicine guru Ellen Payne’s class learn first aid from the Portola Valley Fire Deparment. (L-R): Caroline Pillsbury, Kayla Patterson, Blake Weber, and Teddy Tseng.
at a Glance Drew Yoxsimer, Servando Barriga, and Teagan Corkerey in action. Go Panthers!
Class of 2013 in front of the capitol in Washington D.C. Highlights of the trip included: a tour of the White House, laying a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a snow-covered Arlington cemetery, the White House lawn, Williamsburg and more!
Grandparents Day was a grand time! More than 100 attended! (Far right L-R): Chris Willhite, Brandon Willhite grandmother Deloris Brown, (Center L-R): Tyler Woods and his grandfather Scott Carey, (Far left L-R): John Lewis, Anne DeRosa, Jackie Lewis, Kylie Lewis, and Dick DeRosa.
Freshman physics classes, Physics AP students, and 6 teachers went indoor skydiving at “iFly� in Union City. It consists of a ground level wind tunnel that safely simulates skydiving.
Priory received the 2008 Golden Apple Award from Second Harvest Food Bank. This award goes to the school that collected the most food or funds with the highest per capita points. (Above): Lauren Allen (L) and Molly Buccola (R) accepted the award on behalf of the Priory.
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Meet the
Sledge Gang That’s circus slang for the crew that shows up first, to start pounding in the tent poles for the Big Top. The Priory’s big event, CIRCUS! on May 2nd would not be possible without the volunteers that come forward to Help. It takes and army of clowns to pull off the Big Show and this year’s CIRCUS! is no exception. A heartfelt thanks, to all who have stepped inside the tent early to help hoist the rigging. From parent volunteers to faculty, staff and administration, the show couldn’t go on without you! (L-R) Back Row: Bruce Yoxsimer, Colleen Kosling, Gene Becker, Virginia Taylor, Linda Bader, Cindy Shove. Michelle Rapp, Alice Valentine, Cheryl Neckowitz, Laura Cornish, Hugh Cornish. (l-r) Front Row: Jill Caskey, Alison Poetsch, Carrie Caballero, Patty Turnquist, Roberta Landers. Chairs Not in Photo: Martha Dannis and Joan Harlem
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And do we have a show for YOU…
Meet some of the Performers who have been working hard behind the scenes to get that circus train moving down the tracks This quintet of astonishing acrobats, Virginia Taylor, Carrie Caballero, Colleen Kosling, Cheryl Neckowitz, and Alison Poetsch, have been working around the clock to bring to the auction awe-inspiring items for you to bid on. An extra somersault salute to Hugh Cornish (who refused to wear the costume in the group photo) for “working the carnie booth” and bringing in advertising dollars for this wonderful and worthy cause. Look to the pages that follow for a sneak peak of what will be under the Big Top May 2nd at the CIRCUS!
Solicitations
Webmaster In a never before seen act of heroic magnificence, Gene Becker with assistance from Virginia Taylor, Alison Poetsch, and Robert Finney created The Giving Arcade. The illustrious Giving Arcade is a spectacular addition to the auction’s webpages, making donating to our beloved school astonishingly easy! As you look upon the veritable vision he’s created, you will see that Gene’s brilliance is without compare. Haven’t visited the auction online yet? Please do! You won’t believe your eyes! www.woodsidepriory.com/auction.
Auction Co-Chairs
Jill Caskey
This amazing husband and wife act (displaying remarkable intelligence in entirely new performances) has the pleasure of being surrounded by truly great performers, helping them fly through the air with the greatest of ease. With this daring duo in center ring, it’s a fearless frolic with Fate!
xsimer o Y e c Bru
The opening act of the spectacular event will be performed by Michelle Rapp, Roberta Landers, and Joan Harlem. With their clever contortions, they bring to you all you could imagine in circus delight. A lavish display of color and light! A miraculous menagerie of parading animals! A breathtaking wonderland of circus fun! Be sure to bring your camera, as the stories of such beauty will not be believed!
Data Entry
In her tireless pursuit of perfection, Data Chair Martha Dannis has made her “high wire act”, of adopting entirely new auction software, appear to be an effortless thing of beauty! Bravo to Martha and her team of volunteers. Martha has been boldly joined in this terrifying act by Rhonda Hyver, Francine Roy, Jeannie Bickell, Sally Souders and Eileen DiGiorgio.
Communications
Dec
orations
The brawn behind the beauty are two gracious and giving gentlemen. Sean Mclain Brown (to the right in the photo) is the mysterious mastermind turning many of the auction dreams into reality! With a twinkle in his eye, he expertly juggles each ball that is thrown to him. Sean is the Director of Communications at the Priory and the ingenious originator behind the beloved Chi Chi videos! Roars of “Oscar! Oscar!” can be heard from the crowd. Jim Kirkland (to the left in photo) has been working patiently, persistently and prolifically on the auction’s thrilling designs The spellbinding auction logo, the spectacular auction insert (in the last issue of Priorities magazine) and the electrifying invitation are all the result of his creative cranium.
In The circus The Midway
Stroll down the Midway for an amazing collection of wonderfully priced donations!
A set of 10 hand made cards have been lovingly crafted by Virginia Taylor’s aunt in Lithuania. One of the only women-owned and run companies in Lithuania, her cards are small works of art using delicate pressed flowers. A truly unique item.
A whimsical home for your fine feathered friends! Donated by friend of the Priory Andy Cresci. Recycled wine boxes are cleverly crafted into this oneof-a-kind birdhouse.
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Christmas in May! Why not get a jump on the holiday season and go home with this beautiful gift basket, put together by Priory parent Kerry Perez. 19 ornaments, cards, cocktail napkins and lots of other goodies create this one of a kind gift basket.
Head off to Windy Hill, the Santa Cruz Mountains or Half Moon Bay with this complete picnic backpack. This backpack, one donated by Priory parents Diane Hailey and Ross Brown, has everything you’ll need to have a civilized lunch for four in the great outdoors! (two available).
spotlight Silent Auction
Join in the sideshow shopping extravaganza
H An amazing opportunity to get on the field with the San Francisco 49’ers. Two lower
box level tickets including pre-game VIP field passes, A 49er tailgate party with Niner alumni and cheerleaders and a great barbecue! Don’t miss it! Donated by Ralph and Rhonda Hyver. Spend a great day flyfishing with two seasoned veterans. Let Hovey Clark and Scott Parker show you how to land a whopper! And they’re not talking Burger King!
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H Experience the Dream! A fabulous gift certificate toward your stay at the famous
Bernardus Lodge in beautiful Carmel Valley. Donated by Priory parents Stephan Dolozalek and Carrie Caballero. Grab twenty-nine friends and head to the beautiful Santa Cruz mountains. The Byington Winery and Vineyard has donated a fantastic tasting and tour package for thirty!
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Online Auction
The online auction will kick off Monday, March 30th. Join the fun and bid on one of the fabulous parties or something that catches your eye
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Back by popular demand, ladies! It’s Bunko Time with Lisa Wan, Virginia Taylor and Alison Poetsch. Mark your calendars for Friday, October 23rd and let the good times roll. Grab a friend and sign up! Donated by Priory’s own dynamic duo, Doug and Kelly Sargent. Enjoy 3 hours of paint-flying fun at Santa Clara Paintball. Food, drinks, group photos and video clips are all included!
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Get a little taste of our wine selection. We’ve put a handful of our fabulous selections. online for you to sample. Grab your apron and your friends because Virginia Taylor is back with her famous cooking class! On April 30th you’ll learn to make three simple but delicious appetizers, then watch Virginia demonstrate additional recipes. All will be enjoyed with the perfect wines selected by David Taylor from his wine cellar. Yummmm!
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Live Auction
Get Ready for the big show with ringmaster Tim Molak! Art Lover’s Dream
Generously donated by an anonymous alum parent, we present Bonfire Baskets by world renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. Recognized as the most important living artist working in the medium of glass, Mr. Chihuly first exhibited this piece as one of a series in 1977 at the Seattle Museum of Art. Bonfire Baskets evokes the organic shapes recognized in woven Indian baskets, exquisitely interpreted in delicate glass. Placing the winning bid on this item will be an exceptional opportunity for the art lovers in our audience.
Fashion week in NYC
Encore! Encore! Priory parent and fashion designer Francesca Purvin has graciously agreed to once again lead the lucky winner on a New York City fashion extravaganza for two. Airfare, accommodations in the Purvin’s own East Side Penthouse, tickets to Carmen Marc Valvo’s Spring fashion show and exclusive afterparty are just the start of this fantastic package. Dinner for two at Floyd Cardoz’a Tabla restaurant that includes personal kitchen and wine cellar tours. Tours of the Museum at FIT and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Collection, and personalized fashion advice and shopping with Francesca add to the magic of this extraordinary trip. Fashionistas, get your bidding paddles ready!
Learn to Ride!
Four-time Vintage Roadracing National Champion ( 2004,2005,2007,2008), life-long motorcycle enthusiast and current Vintage Motocross racer Bruce Yoxsimer wants to teach you to ride! Priory parent Karl Kosling, ex-flat track and motocross racer, current vintage roadracer and lifelong motorcycle rider will join Bruce. They want to make your dream of safely learning to ride come true. A three day, two night private session for four lucky enthusiasts. All you need to do is show up and ride. Includes one on one instruction for four, your own motor home accommodations, all meals expertly prepared by Bruce and Karl, use of motorcycles of all sizes, and a complete gear bag that is yours to keep. The gear bag includes helmet, gloves, boots, riding outfits etc… Don’t miss this once-in-a-life time chance!
5 Night stay in Deer Valley
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Bob and Elisha Finney have once again opened their fabulous Deer Valley home to the lucky winner of this amazing donation. Make your way to Deer Valley and Park City, Utah for a five-night stay during the Sundance Film Festival! The Finney’s home is available January 20 through 25, 2010. Dodge the Hollywood circus atmosphere in a private 6 bedroom / 6.5 bath home that includes 3 fireplaces; gourmet kitchen; an outdoor hot tub; pool table; sauna; and a large game room with ping-pong, air hockey and video games. If you need a break from the winter sport acrobatics, shop and dine on historic Main Street while you watch for your favorite celebs. The home comfortably sleeps 4 couples and 6-8 kids, so grab your friends and bid on this fun-filled week!
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For the Audience
lease let us know if you are joining the Circus. RSVP by April 9th for the big show and best seats at center ring. Circus monkeys make off with your invitation? Want to add more clowns to your party? No problem! Invitations and response cards are also available online to print and mail in. You can find them at www.woodsidepriory.com/auction The beautiful Cabaña Hotel once again plays host to the Priory auction. This year, complimentary valet parking will be provided. Special room rates are available to guests who desire to spend the night after the big show. Please log on to www.cppaloalto.crowneplaza.com and enter WPS as your group code. Subject to availability. Catch up with friends, see all there is to see and still place that winning bid! The Silent Auction will be in the spotlight longer this year. Enjoy the smooth sounds of Take 2 while sipping a cocktail and perusing the bid sheets. Take 2 is a five piece jazz combo featuring the evergreen and Priory grandparent Robert Smith, that has generously donated its time and talent to this year’s auction. See our Ring Master, Tim Molak, in his spectacular costume Take 2 performing. as he takes the microphone to kick off the Live Auction. Our fabulous centerpieces will be available to buy! Find your bid sheet on your table for these one of a kind mini-masterpieces. Last, but not least, a special treat awaits with a guest performance…… shhhh, it’s a secret! After the incredible desserts by Satura Cakes of Los Altos, get ready to cut the rug! The Big City Revue is coming to the Circus! If you haven’t heard, Big City Revue is San Francisco’s #1 party band. A 12 piece non-stop, soul injected musical party extravaganza! WOW! The Big City Revue. We hope you come, one and all, to this wonderful end of the year celebration with The Priory community. See you there! Jill and Bruce
See you under the Big Top…
From Development
Dear Friends of the Priory: As we near the end of the 2008-2009 school year and prepare to graduate another outstanding senior class, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have made the Priory the unique community it is today. Since I arrived here in the summer of 2007, I have been continually amazed at the extent to which so many people – faculty, staff, parents, alumni, students and friends – give of their time, talents and treasure to this school. I especially wish to acknowledge the efforts of the development staff (Gail Kimball, George Mears, Siobhan Lawlor and Casey Wynn) for the terrific work they have done in this very challenging year. Of course my specific focus is on Development, so I would like to mention a couple of related items that are covered in this issue of Priorities: alumni relations and fund raising for the 2008-2009 school year. Last fall we welcomed more than 100 alumni, alumni parents and friends to a weekend of events for the newly structured reunion weekend. We have held a number of very-well attended regional after-work socials for alumni, and recently hosted Alumni Night at the Giants at AT&T Park. We now have more than one-third of our alumni signed up for the Priory’s Facebook group. All of these efforts have added significantly to the school’s efforts to re-engage alumni. For you alumni out there who would like to be involved in these efforts, you can contact Casey at alumni@prioryca.org. In this current economic climate, the last several months have made for some interesting challenges in regard to fund raising for the Priory. Thus far, we have 100 percent giving to the Annual Fund from the Board of trustees and faculty/staff. Current parents are moving steadily toward the 100 percent mark as well, with 88 percent of families participating as of March 24. As difficult as this fund raising year has been, I remain confident that, as a community, we will be successful in reaching our Annual Fund goal. If you have not yet made your Annual Fund gift, please consider doing so now by using the envelope enclosed in this issue of Priorities. In addition, I look forward to seeing everyone at the Auction on May 2nd. This year’s event will be, more than ever, absolutely crucial in achieving our fund raising goal for the year. The Auction Committee has been working tirelessly to secure terrific items for this year’s event. And, the Fund-A-Need items for this year are: Athletics, Faculty Professional Development, and the ACCESS program (see related articles on pages 16-17). All 2009 Auction proceeds will underwrite current operations in the annual budget. Once again, thank you for all you do. Sincerely,
John Baldwin Director of Development
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CLASS NOTES Upcoming Alumni Events 2009 Los Angeles Reception Napa Valley Grille, Westwood April 29, 2009 Priory Auction May 2, 2009 Reunion Weekend September 11-13, 2009
Note: Class Agents’ names appear at the beginning of each Reunion class year. If your year is not represented, or if you would like to become a Class Agent, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@prioryca.org or (650) 851-6146. And don’t forget to check out http://community. wspriory.com for additional photos and class notes! REUNION YEARS: 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004 REUNION CLASS AGENTS NEEDED: 1974, 1979, and 1984
1974
35th Reunion Year
1979
30th Reunion Year
1981
Rupert Hall and his family visited the Priory in February.
1964
45th Reunion Year
Class Agent: András Csaplar
1967
Father Piers Lahey gave a Chapel talk to the students about Hospitality, one of the Benedictine Values of the Priory, in March.
1984
25th Reunion Year
1988
1969
40th Reunion Year
Class Agent: Andrew Fecskes
In November 2008, Steve Sanders and his wife, Nicole, welcomed their second child, Curtis James Sanders, to the family. Older daughter, Paige (born May 2006), could not be more excited about her new brother. Steve is currently employed at a software start-up in the San Francisco Bay Area and lives in San Francisco.
1989
20th Reunion Year
Class Agent: Chris deSibert
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CLASS NOTES
1994
1999
Class Agent: Simon Wong
Class Agents: Danielle Holquin, Joan Lando and Kevin Yost.
15th Reunion Year
Mark Li, currently resides in Manila, Philippines and is happily married with a 3 year old son. He is now running his family business. The company is an importer and distributor of all types of bearings which serves the industrial market of the Philippines. To learn more about Mark’s company, please visit http://www.bearing.ph.
1995
Elaine Middleman and her new baby visited the Priory in January.
10th Reunion Year
Andrew Leahy and his wife Karissa, welcomed Michael Collin Leahy into the world on December 12, 2008. Andrew is currently working as a designer for Fisker Automotive, in Irvine, CA. The Leahy family now resides in Laguna Niguel.
2000
Emily Cohen just recently became a State Farm Insurance Agent and got engaged to Tyler Chapman. They are planning to get married in October.
2002
Chrissy Spanoghe graduated from SJSU with a BS in Geology two years ago. She moved to the Big Island of Hawaii last year and is working as an Environmental Consultant remotely for a national firm. She is going to be renovating a 1930s plantation house and will turn it into a cafe.
1998
Luigi Quisumbing with Father Martin during a visit to the Priory in January from the Phillipines.
2003
Devon Davis married Clayton Vaught on December 8, 2008. Tara Scarioni and Brother, Marc Scarioni ’07, went on a family trip to Asia in November 2008.
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Above: Tara and Marc elephant trekking in Laos and with their dad (right) showing off his “got monks?” shirt while they are in Phuket, Thailand at a Fantasea show. .
2004
5th Reunion Year
Young Alumni Reunion December 2008
Class Agent: Brigitte Bradford Julie Henderson graduated from the University of San Francisco last May where she was a cast member for three years in productions of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.” This year, she returned to USF as the producer and host of “The Vagina Monologues,” and the cast raised $6,052 for the Vday movement and the San Francisco Women’s Building.
Father Martin’s pizza was a big hit again! Over 30 alumni from the class of 2005-08, came back to campus over Winter break for a “Home for the Holiday” party and homemade pizza.
San Francisco “After Work Social” February 2009
2007
Laura Hohnsbeen came back to the Priory to perform in the PAC, with the “Princeton Roaring 20” a capella group from Princeton University.
Alumni all agreed that the MarketBar was a great place to meet in the city. The location was perfect, the food was abundant, and the company was grand! Our second alumni reception was a success, and we are happy that 20 alumni joined us for a fun evening in the city. Please watch for other alumni regional events happening near you. If you are interested in helping organize an alumni reception in your area, please contact Casey Wynn at alumni@prioryca.org.
100% of Priory’s ACCESS graduates are accepted into universities.
Bucknell Claremont-McKenna Dartmouth Duke Harvard NYU Rice Santa Clara University St. Mary’s Stanford Tulane UC Berkeley University of Chicago UC Davis UC San Diego UC Santa Barbara USC Yale
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Why ACCESS? IT WORKS! St. Benedict once said, “We must prefer nothing to the art of caring for
others.” ACCESS Program at the Priory is one of these quiet happenings that has been an integral part of our mission from the very beginning. In 1993, Priory made a commitment to work with other community-based organizations to support the education of ethnically diverse students who were economically-challenged. Since then, Priory has graduated 30 of these students (or 86% of those who entered the program), all of whom have been accepted to four-year colleges, including schools like Stanford, Dartmouth, and Yale. Throughout East Palo Alto and parts of Redwood City, trees are scarce, concrete dominates the landscape, classrooms are crowded, and school districts are notoriously underfunded. Students struggle to be challenged in crowded classrooms, alongside peers who are often severely lacking in English and Mathematics skills. ACCESS provides hope to high-achieving economically-challenged students and their parents from these areas. It provides them with scholarships for both tuition and non-tuition costs of a Priory education such as tutors, books, translators for parent-teacher conferences, mentorship through the college application process, and much more. It gives students the support and the opportunity to fully embrace a spiritually and academically enriching education that will stay with them all their lives, allowing students to create their own thoughtful paths. But ACCESS does more than just help these deserving students; it provides crucial diversity to our Priory community. ACCESS brings diverse perspectives on life that make our entire student body better and more aware citizens. In this ever-connecting world, understanding our inherent plurality is at the root of the gift that is ACCESS. As we prepare our students for their world after high school, their understanding of people from diverse backgrounds will no doubt be an incredible asset for their futures. At Priory’s Auction this year on May 2nd, ACCESS will be one of three Priory programs that will be highlighted during Fund-A-Need. We hope you will join the effort to support this very important program. For more information please contact Dan Polk, ACCESS Program Coordinator, at dpolk@prioryca.org or 650.815.6382.
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Janette Maldonado Interview With Access Graduate
by Dan Polk, ACCESS Coordinator
’99
Janette Maldonado, along with her sister and brother, Nellie ‘97 and Arturo ‘06, attended the Priory as part of the Access program. Janette was the first female student to take AP Calculus. In her senior year, Janette also earned a $20,000 Pre-med scholarship from the Palo Alto Medical Clinic. Recently, she took time out of her busy school schedule to speak with me. Here’s what she had to say: What are you up to these days? I am currently a 4th year medical student at the University of Illinois in Chicago. I will be graduating this May.
Top: Janette at Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital as a Priory student. Below: Janette as a student at University of Illinois Medical School.
What life lessons did you take away from your experience at Priory? I remember when I was at Priory that the teachers were so dedicated to us as students. They would always be available for help and would even spend time in the classroom after the school day was over to go over concepts that we had talked about in class or explain any homework questions we didn’t understand. Through their actions, they taught me to be dedicated and hardworking in all aspects of life. How did you discover your interest in Medicine? I was always interested in Medicine. Even as a young girl, I wanted to learn how to heal people who were sick. How did Priory prepare you for Stanford? Between schoolwork and after-school sports, the Priory taught me how to prioritize my time and not procrastinate when it came to studying. This definitely helped me when I went to Stanford, because I quickly had to adjust to juggling between challenging courses and extracurricular activities. What advice do you have for young Latina students? Always make goals for yourself and never give up trying to achieve them. Why is it important for Priory to continue offering scholarships for the ACCESS program? This program helps bring young motivated students closer to fulfilling their dreams who might otherwise not have the means to achieve them.
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Schlaak A Conversation With
Brian
Former Peace Corps Volunteer and Navy Pilot, Assistant Head-of-School and Academic Dean, Brian Schlaak is one extraordinary all-around great guy. Priory senior David Calbert said, “He [Mr. Schlaak] is always there when you need a good word…above all else, he’s always fair and he’s real.” Ask around, you’ll likely hear the same thing. Recently we had a chance to ask him a few questions. Here’s what he had to say: From Peace Corps, to Navy pilot, to the Priory, how did that happen? I’ve always been fascinated by teenagers, teaching and the broader realm of education. Following a stint in the Navy, I went into teaching and found a home. My role in the Peace Corps was that of Teacher Trainer and HIV Awareness educator in Paraguay. After 13 years in a wide array of classrooms, I became attracted to school administration generally, and school reform specifically. I went to graduate school for an M.A. in Education Administration at Stanford University. For several years, I worked in the San Mateo County school district working to breakup large comprehensive public high schools into small ones. All the empirical evidence strongly suggests that smaller schools—200-400 population—are the best environments for students, and that’s where I wanted to be. It wasn’t long before this position opened up, and here I am.
What do you love about being at the Priory? Besides the extraordinary students, families, faculty and staff; the fresh air, great food and beautiful campus? Everything. No seriously, Priory is great for kids, and its a great place to work. It is a privilege to educate in an environment where I can stand in front of a few hundred parents and say with absolute conviction that our school will be good for their children. The teachers here are just superb, the kids are bright, tolerant and enthusiastic, and the parents are caring and deeply involved in the day
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to day community of the school. Recently, a fellow administrator was visiting our campus from San Francisco, and she said, ‘Is something special going on today?’ I said, ‘No, why?’ She told me that all the kids seemed so happy. I told her, it’s like that everyday around here. I mean, it’s real and genuine.
The Priory partnered with Stressed Out Students (S.O.S.) at Stanford a few years ago. Can you tell us a little about the program? We do one-on-one senior exit surveys with every graduating senior as a way of monitoring what is and isn’t working for our students here at Priory. In my first year, we saw a trend in many of the seniors’ comments. A significant percentage of the kids said that there was too much academic stress. We immediately signed on to the S.O.S. program with Dr. Denise Pope, Senior Lecturer at Stanford and co-founder of S.O.S. to learn ways we could implement changes to reduce student anxiety, while still allowing our kids the flexibility to take the rigorous course loads necessary for college and university requirements. Research strongly suggested that the organization of the daily schedule was a significant contributor to student stress. Now, we have a longer mid-morning break, 30-minutes, for students to adequately decompress and relax before moving on to their next classes. We instituted a Wednesday Late Start to allow the sleep-deprived kids one morning per week to catch up on their sleep. We replaced all the junk food on campus with healthy alternatives. We eliminated bells and now hold students and teachers accountable for managing their own time. We asked teachers to reflect upon the homework that they were assigning in relation to its educational efficacy. We changed the graduation requirements to allow the students more choice in their courses, as kids love to work hard in classes that they are passionate about. We’ve seen the number of complaints, in senior exit surveys, virtually disappear. I say with confidence that this new program is working well.
Monastery News
The Hungarian Catholic Mission:
Helping those in need Deva orphanage
an interview with Father Maurus
Can you tell me a little about the Hungarian Catholic Mission? The Hungarian Catholic Mission wasn’t so named until 1994. In the late 60s, it was led by Hungarian priest Father Joseph Jaszovszky. They were operating at St. Patrick’s seminary. After Fr. Jaszovszky retired, Fr. Christopher Hites Students at the newly refurbished dorm led the Hungarian Catholic Misson. Upon his rehouse in Deva. tirement, in 1994, I was asked by the Archbishop of San Francisco to become the new pastor of the Hungarian Catholic Mission. The Hungarian Catholic Mission is governed by three purposes: first and most important, to gather the Hungarian Catholic community every Sunday to worship,to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in our mother tongue. Second is to cultivate and cherish our Hungarian language and culture. Each Sunday after Sunday’s Eucharist, the Father Maurus. community gathers in the Student Dining Hall for a Hungarian social. We also organize and celebrate our national holidays in cooperation with a larger Hungarian Community in the San Francisco Bay Area. And finally, the third purpose is to help the needy and the poor. We support several orphanages; an orphanage, started and operated by the Franciscan order in Deva, (part of present day Romania where Students at Deva school and orphanage Hungarian minorities live) and another one at Meperform a Hungarian traditional dance zokeresztes in Hungary, operated by Szervita nuns. as part of the end of school ceremony. After the fall of Communism in 1989, the Franciscan fathers and brothers reclaimed some of their monasteries and immediately opened an orphanage. By 2008, the Franciscans were taking care of more than
2000 children. The Hungarian Catholic Mission has been supporting them for the last nine years, and the orphanage in Hungary for the last four years. How does the Hungarian Catholic Mission raise funds for the orphanages and elderly homes? First, I must say, the Hungarian Catholic Mission and the Hungarian community are extremely grateful to the Woodside Priory community for their support. If we did not have use of these facilities, we would not be able to give so much back to the needy. Every year we have two major fund-raising events; a picnic connected with the feast of St. Stephen in August, and a benefit dinner usually held the first weekend of November. Each event raises almost $6$10,000. I should also mention that the Hungarian Boy and Girl Scouts operate out of Woodside Priory and has done so for decades under the auspices of the Hungarian Catholic mission. So, you see, the Hungarian Catholic Mission and Woodside Priory are about reaching out to others to help them, but also to provide a home to cultivate our Hungarian language and culture. Have you gone back to Hungary and visited the orphanages? We don’t just send the money to the bank, we personally deliver the money we raise to the orphanages. We visit these places not only for personal edification as a spiritual experience, but also so that we can foster a personal relationship with the people we are supporting. To find out more about helping the Hungarian Catholic Mission, contact Father Maurus at mnemeth@prioryca.org or call (650) 851-8221.
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Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA 94028 (650) 851-8221 fax (650) 851-2839
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Celebrating Our 51st Year
Mark Your Calendar! Woodside Priory School Alumni Reunion Weekend 2009 September 11-13, 2009 Join your classmates and teachers for a weekend of activities: class receptions, Alumni Parents coffee, campus tours, dinner, Sunday mass and brunch and more! Alumni Reunion Classes 1964 • 1969 • 1974 • 1979 • 1984 • 1989 • 1994 • 1999 • 2004