The Lantern - December 2017 by Presentation High School

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LANTERN Dear parents and friends of Presentation, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and felt (as I did) that you had an abundance of things for which to be grateful. I love Thanksgiving because it is all about family and friends, football and feasting. It is simply a time to recognize just how fortunate we are as individuals and as a nation. We certainly do not need to look far to see the real human tragedy that befalls so many of our brothers and sisters—starvation, poverty, homelessness, chronic illness, debilitating emotional turmoil, violence and bloodshed. On a global scale, our concerns often pale in comparison. Now we enter the official Christmas season which is, sadly, overwhelmed at times by Black Friday, mailboxes stuffed with consumer catalogues, online shopping days and a constant barrage of ads telling us what we must have to be happy. Too often we focus on the wrong things! A little book came out about a decade ago that stated simply: The Best Things in Life Aren’t Things. Here’s an excerpt: While the business of the country may be business, there is surely a better place to put our deepest aspirations than in a shopping cart. There is a spiritual economy that needs to

Presentation High School Parent Newsletter | December 2017

be recognized, valued and nurtured. The capital in this economy is love, caring, friendship, faith and family… The spiritual economy savors the experiences that bind us together; its’ focus is on lending a helping hand and being neighborly, on practicing generosity and extending forgiveness. It’s about showing compassion, offering comfort to those in distress and having the courage of our convictions. It’s about acknowledging the less fortunate and knowing that the end does not justify the means. It’s about recognizing the gift of simple abundance and making a “declaration of enough.” The true magic of Christmas—the waiting for and celebration of the birth of Christ—cannot be overshadowed unless we let it. We wait, not just for the birth of a child, but the birth of a new spirit—the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. May you have a blessed Christmas filled with the gifts of peace, hope and love. Blessings, Mary Miller '72 Principal

Parent Board

By Matt Sunseri | Parent Board President |matt.sunseri1@yahoo.com Dear Pres parents and supporters, December is here and the halls of Presentation are ringing with excitement as our students prepare for the end of the first semester, finals and a well deserved two week break! Rest assured, enjoy this holiday break because 2018 is filled with a huge array of fun activities for students and parents alike. Mark your 2018 calendar because two big events will help ring in the New Year. The Principal’s State of the School Address on Tuesday, January 30 and Crab Feed on Saturday, February 10. Both of these great events are sure to lighten your Presentation spirit and leave you with a renewed spring in your step. Mary Miller’s State of the School Address is an amazing opportunity to hear how our school is excelling academically, financially and what plans are underway for growth in the future. This presentation is open to current and prospective students and families alike; so, please feel free to invite others to this very informative evening. The Crab Feed is another signature event- for current and prospective families as well as alumni! I’m sure you’ll have the same reaction I always do after attending the Crab Feed- “Wow, that was one amazing party with friends”! Fantastic food, theme drinks, creative decorations and this year we have dancing to a live band, what’s not to love! Visit the Presentation web site at: www.prentationhs.org for more information on these events and much more in the new year. On behalf of all the members of the Parent Board, I would like to wish you and your family all the best in a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Yours in Pres, Matt Sunseri

Club Spotlight: Robotics By Gurmehr Klair '20

The Robotics team started the year off strong with an enthusiastic response to Club Day and welcomed many new members. Interested members attended our annual Open Shop, where they learned about the team’s workshop and robots. Through our recruiting efforts, the team has doubled in size to 50 members, ready and motivated to learn new skills and build robots! In September, the team competed with the previous year’s robot at Chezy Champs, a pre-season competition at Bellarmine. Competing against the Best in the West, including several World Champion and Hall of Fame teams, our team performed very well, earning a spot on the 5th seeded alliance, and advanced to the semifinals. The team went on to compete at another pre-season competition, Capital City Classic, in Elk Grove. This was a great training opportunity and many members were able to try out new competition roles to learn new skills and experience. The team secured a spot on the 4th seeded alliance, advancing to the quarterfinals. At the time this article was written, the team was preparing to go to their third pre-season competition, Madtown Throwdown, held in Madera. The team competed with two robots in order to provide more team members with handson experience in the fast-paced competitive environment. The new build season will begin January 6, with the 2018 FIRST Robotics Competition Kickoff, when the new challenge will be unveiled. The team is excited to start designing, building, and programming a new robot during the allotted six weeks! In March, the team will compete at two Regional events. One of these is Silicon Valley Regional, held locally at SJSU in late March. The Robotics workshop, located in the Jenvey House across the street from the school, is always open to visitors. Students are happy to give tours and talk about what they have learned and accomplished. The team is looking for volunteer adult mentors who are interested in working with the girls in various engineering capacities.

The Lantern | December 2017

Attendance Office

Presentation Fashion Show

It’s hard to believe the semester is almost over. Finals are approaching and it is important for your daughter to be in class. Please remember to schedule appointments after school. Ensure she is getting plenty of rest so that she can stay healthy between now and the end of the semester.

Help Support the Endowment for Financial Aid!

Here are a few reminders from the Attendance Office

Lighting the Way is looking for donations to help build our benefit raffle packages. These packages are a considerable part of our fashion show fundraising efforts. Any donation made before Dec. 31 will be deductible for 2017 and will support Fashion Show 2018, which benefits the Endowment for Financial Aid.

By Catherine Furtado | Attendance Secretary and Registrar

If your daughter is absent or late: • Please call the Attendance Office at (408) 266-1060 no later than 9 a.m. • Your daughter is considered absent if she arrives after 8 a.m. (unless she has a free period) and will need a parent note when she checks into the Attendance Office. • All absences require a written note signed by the parent the day she returns to school. Faxes and emails are not accepted. If your daughter needs to leave early: In the rare instance when your daughter needs to leave school for an appointment, please send her to the Attendance Office before school begins with a note from you stating the reason she needs to leave school and the time of her dismissal. She will be given an early dismissal notice from the Attendance Secretary. When she returns to school from the appointment she must check back into school with the Attendance Office. For further information, please review the detailed attendance policy in your daughter’s academic planner. If you have any other questions, please contact the Attendance Office at (408) 266-1060 or by email at cfurtado@presentationhs.org.

If you are looking for a last-minute tax deduction as the year comes to a close, please consider making a donation to help fulfill our wish list for the upcoming Presentation Fashion Show 2018.

Wish list items include: • Hotel or Bed & Breakfast certificates to Napa other exciting destinations! • Jewelry • Dinner certificates to Los Gatos • Shopping spree gift cards • Lift tickets to ski resorts • Sporting event tickets: Sharks, 49ers, Raiders, Warriors, A’s and Giants • Golf certificates, limo, yacht or private plane excursions The sky is the limit on donation options, so please feel free to make another suggestion or provide a business contact. Sponsorships for Lighting the Way are another great way to show your Presentation spirit and help your bottom line in the process. To learn more, visit www.presentationhs.org/fashionshow. Please consider a donation or sponsorship before the end of the year. Lighting the Way is Saturday, April 21 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Contact the Office of Advancement at (408) 264-5110 for more information.

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College Counseling

Campus Ministry

Here in the College Counseling Department, my colleagues and I arrive at work each morning with a sense of gratitude for the profession we have chosen at the high school we call home. As College Counselors, we get to enjoy a distinct seasonality to our career. From the fall rush of seeing seniors through their college applications, hosting workshops, meeting with college representatives, and dealing with daily questions and concerns, to the Spring season when we are working with Juniors to create a potential college list, we certainly feel a sense of fulfillment when we close our office door for the day. Easing stress, worry, and anxiety are the Department’s top priorities. With misinformation readily available in the form of peer discussion, web “experts” and well-intentioned adults, we certainly have a great deal of work to do. Through our monthly College Counseling bulletin, student workshops, and complete four-year scope and sequence, we encourage families to utilize reputable sources of information that we readily provide for your consumption. Parents of juniors and seniors are welcome to schedule an appointment whenever needed, and if there is a particular misconception about college that a freshman or sophomore family needs clarification on, I certainly welcome you to contact me. We enjoy serving in our roles as College Counselors, and are grateful to be a witness to this very important time in their lives. As the month of December is underway, we take pause to recognize what a wonderful gift we have received as professionals, working with wonderful young women, ready to begin their next step towards achieving their goals and dreams.

Although this semester is quickly coming to a close, Campus Ministry is busy organizing several events to reflect on the joy and peace of Advent and prepare for Christmas.

By MaryLynne Rodriguez | Director of College Counseling

The Lantern | December 2017

By Claire Hansen| Director of Campus Ministry

• On December 4, faculty will lead students in a morning prayer to celebrate the Advent Season. • On December 6, the peer ministers will celebrate the end of a busy semester with a Christmas prayer reflection and party. • On December 8, the Presentation Community will gather for the Immaculate Conception Liturgy. • On December 14, the Presentation Community will gather for a Christmas Prayer Service to celebrate the final week of classes and prepare for the Christmas season. Campus Ministry also has begun the Confirmation Program and we are proud to share that 66 juniors and seniors will prepare to receive the sacrament of Confirmation during this school year. Many of our students choose a sponsor from their peers and it’s with joy that we see so many friends who are putting faith at the center of their relationships. Please pray for our Confirmation candidates as they begin this journey!

Community Involvement

Dance Team

Last month eight students and two teachers traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. Below, junior Marley Whaler, reflects on how the trip impacted her and inspired her to continue to fight for social justice.

Support Presentationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dance program at the annual Dance Cabaret on Friday, December 1. Come and witness spectacular performances from Presentations Dance Team, Dance Company, 3rd and 4th period classes, Cantabile, Bella Voce, and introducing the Chamber Choir. Along with the show there will be a basket raffle, and complimentary desserts with hot chocolate. Tickets are now on sale on the school's website: www.presentationhs.org/ boxoffice. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss out on the amazing talent that Presentation students have to offer!

By Lindsay Swoboda | Director of Community Involvement

I had the honor and the privilege to Attend the Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice in Washington DC. We spent five days touring monuments and museums, communally praying for justice, attending keynote speakers, and advocacy training workshops. The teach-in culminated to lobbying to our representatives and senators with our peers from many Catholic and Jesuit schools from all over the country for immigration reform, anti-racism and reversing mass incarceration. People from all walks of life and all different backgrounds filled the Washington DC hotel where the conference took place and congregated for their love of justice and advocacy. On Sunday night we had a mass, where I had the opportunity to perform in the liturgical band. It was there while I was singing in front of over 2000 passionate and dedicated Catholics that I realized Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not alone in the fight for human rights. It was evident to me that each and every person was elated to be there trying to make the world a better place through God. The powerful energy of my brothers and sisters set a fire in my heart for my future in advocacy. This trip inspired me further because I know that together we will row into the deep waters that are ahead in the fight for justice.

By Sara Fugate

January marks the start of the competition season for the Presentation Dance Team. January, 20 will be the first competition at Valley Christian High School. Please come out and support your fellow panthers!

To find out more information on CI immersion trips please visit our Presentation website. Applications for next year's immersion trips will be available in the Spring. www.presentationhs.org 5

Counseling By Yvette Frojelin | Counselor

Tips for parents with adolescents preparing for college and tips for letting go Going to college is a big step in the lives of young adults, whether they remain home, close to home, or move far away. Although there is much excitement and eagerness, symptoms of anxiety as well as depression can arise with the looming possibility of loss or change. Your child may be feeling some or all of these feelings at the same time. It is important to be aware of the concerns your teen may have about this upcoming transition, which will have an impact on everyone in the family. Being available to listen to and talk with your teen about her fears as well as her excitement can be very important. Also be sure to educate your daughter on the increased social pressures in college, with less adult supervision. Create a safety plan in case of emergency. Talk to them about sex, drugs, and alcohol. Assure your daughter that she will be greatly missed and that you and your family will be okay. 6

The Lantern | December 2017

Here are some tips for letting go: Recognize this is a time of ambivalence for all parents. Talk with other parents who are going through the same thing. Recognize that the foundation you have provided over the past 17 or 18 years will accompany your child across the miles and throughout the years. Try to focus more on the Senior year festivities as opposed to the impending departure...and enjoy. Allow your teen to spend extra time with their friends over summer. Make a financial plan and discuss expectations with your child. Develop a tentative budget and be clear about who will pay for what. Discuss academic goals and expectations ahead of time. Be a coach rather than trying to solve your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems yourself. Remind your daughter of the on campus resources (i.e. health or career center, advisor, dean, counselor or tutor). Be an anchor. Keep your child informed about changes at home. Your daughter will be off on an adventure! Remember, enjoy and that she will still always need you and your support!

Athletics

By Stacey Mallison | Athletic Director Greetings Presentation community! Our Fall Athletic teams have had fantastic seasons! Our Cross Country team won WCAL this season – they are the 2017 WCAL Champions! And not only are they the league champions, they were undefeated this season! They are competing the CCS Championship meet on November 11 – good luck Panthers! Also, our Frosh-Soph Cross Country team are the 2017 WCAL FroshSoph Cross Country champions! Well done and congratulations to the entire Cross Country program! The field hockey team finished in fourth place in league and qualified for the CCS tournament, where they won their first-round game over Cupertino and then lost in the quarter-finals. Also, for the second consecutive year, the field hockey team earned a team GPA of 3.7, which earned them a CCS Scholastic Award. I’m so proud of the varsity field hockey team for their great accomplishments academically and athletically! Way to go! Our golf team had a great season and had solid wins over Sacred Heart Cathedral this season. They showed great improvement and everyone improved their score this season. The tennis team had one of our best seasons of recent years, led by senior Kim Krtolica and freshmen Raquel Miller and Angela Gill. The Gill sisters, Jacqueline and Angela, played doubles in the WCAL tournament and advanced to the quarter-finals of the WCAL tournament held at Cuesta Park. Our water polo team earned the number eight seed in the Open Division of the CCS tournament, which qualifies them as one of the best eight teams in CCS! The water polo team also had a great overtime win against Valley Christian in the WCAL tournament game, in which they finished in third place. The volleyball team earned the number seven seed in the CCS tournament and beat Westmoor, Branham and Aragon high schools on their way to their third consecutive CCS finals. The volleyball program ran the annual Kill for a Cure event in October and they raised $7,500 for the Sideout Foundation, which raises money for Breast Cancer Research. Thank you to JV volleyball coach, Sarah Esquivel, who organized the event and thank you to all who contributed towards this great organization. Presentation Alum Danielle Slaton ’98 was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame on November 9. She joins fellow Presentation Alum Aly Wagner ’98 and former Presentation soccer coach Mani Hernandez as members of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame. Slaton went on to play soccer at Santa Clara University, where she captained the team the year they won the national title in 2001. She was also named as the country’s Defender of the Year due to her consistent defensive performances in 2001. Slaton went on to play for the United States national team and won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in Australia and taking third place in the 2003 World Cup. She went on to become a number one draft pick for the women’s professional soccer team, Carolina Courage. Slaton is currently the Director of Santa Clara University’s Jerry Smith Coaching for Life Academy; she also is an analyst for NBC, Fox Sports and the Pac 12 networks. Slaton also serves on the Board of Directors for the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative and the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

Varsity Home Games Soccer Friday, Dec. 1 vs. Scotts Valley | 3:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4 vs. Soquel | 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6 vs. Los Gatos High School | 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12 vs. Aptos High School | 3:15 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 vs. Leland High School | 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 vs. Santa Clara High School | 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 vs. Live Oak | 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 30 Alumnae Game | 11:30 a.m.

basketball Tuesday, Dec. 5 vs. Sobrato High School | 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 vs. Aptos High School | 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12 vs. Sacred Heart Prep | 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 Varsity Shootout vs. S. San Francisco | TBD Tuesday, Dec. 19 vs. Notre Dame San Jose | 7 p.m.

Thank you all for your continued support of the Presentation Athletic program.

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December 2017 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Fashion Show Executive Mtg., 8-11 a.m., Basile House

For complete calendar visit www.presentationhs.org/calendar

Lantern League 5Steering 6 Committee Mtg., 12-1:30 p.m., Basile House

Toy Drive Begins LAMP Meeting, 6-9 p.m., Jenvey House

TADA! Board Mtg., 6:307:30 p.m., Reception Room Volleyball Awards, 7-9 p.m., MS Center Semester End Recital, 7-9 p.m., Theater

L'Arche Immersion Parent Mtg., 6-7 p.m., CLC Chapel Frosh Snip-ITS & Improv Show, 7-9:30 p.m., Theater

Dead Day

Soccer's Pajama Drive, 4-6 p.m., MS Center French Exchange Travel Meeting, 6:30-8 p.m., Room 31

Finals 1 & 2, 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

24 Christmas Vacation 25 31 Christmas Vacation

Christmas Vacation

3 & 4, 198:30Finals a.m. - 12 p.m. School buildings close at 12 p.m.

26 Christmas Vacation

Finals 5 & 6, 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

27 Christmas Vacation

SATURDAY

Dance Cabaret, 7-9 p.m., MAC

8 8th Grade Christmas Social, 3:30-5:30 p.m., MS Center

Parent Board Mtg., 7-9 p.m., MS Center

FRIDAY

9 Feast of Mary Liturgy, 11:05 a.m. 12:30 p.m., MAC

Winter Choir Concert, 7-9:30 p.m., Theater

Dead Day, 14 15 B567C, 1 p.m. dismissal

Booster Board Mtg., 7-9 p.m., Library

Finals 7, 8:30-10 a.m.

Christmas Vacation

JV Basketball Tournament, 9 a.m. 7 p.m., MAC

Black and White Charity Ball, 7:45-11 p.m., MAC

A/B Modified Schedule Christmas Prayer Service, (Periods 1-7), 12:30-1 p.m., MAC 2:40 p.m. dismissal

Winter Choir Concert, 5:30-7 p.m., St. Joseph's Cathedral

Varsity Basketball Tournament, 12-9 p.m., MAC

Dead Day

Christmas Vacation

JV Basketball Tournament, 9 a.m. 3 p.m., MAC

Christmas Vacation

30 Christmas Vacation

DECEMBER 2017 Presentation High School The Lantern 2281 Plummer Avenue San Jose, CA 95125