Feb 2015 Lantern by Presentation High School

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LANTERN Dear Parents and Friends of Presentation, On Thursday, Feb. 25, Pres will be hosting a very exciting evening featuring Julie Lythcott-Haims--author of How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid For Success. This speaker is part of our Student Wellness Initiative, launched this year to focus on the underlying causes of the alarming increase in student mental health issues that we see in Silicon Valley and across the nation. I have read numerous books on this subject and found Lythcott-Haims’ book to be most helpful. As a parent raising kids in the high-pressure environment of Palo Alto and the former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford, Julie LythcottHaims knows the problem all too well. Both at Stanford and in her personal friendship circles, she noticed a startling rise of parental involvement in student lives. In a well-meaning effort to save their children from disappointment and protect them from the “dangers” in life, Lythcott-Haims believes parents have exerted too much control over their children's lives--beginning when they are very young and continuing into adulthood. The unintended consequence of this over-parenting is a generation of young adults who lack a strong sense of self and basic coping skills. As a result, they are poorly equipped to handle the demands of adult life.

Presentation High School Parent Newsletter | February 2016

At Presentation, it is our mission to work in partnership with you, our parents, because we believe the family is the primary educator. Like you, we want what is best for your daughters. To us, that means raising adults, not children. As soon as our students arrive on campus, they are given age-appropriate responsibilities, encouraged to communicate directly with teachers, fight their own battles and be resilient when the inevitable disappointments of life occur. Sadly, we are noticing a decline in our students’ ability to cope. It is our hope that this event featuring Lythcott-Haims will offer you a new set of tools in our shared goal of raising responsible, self-reliant, resilient young women. Lythcott-Haims’ book does not offer one magic solution, but it does give practical strategies to help young people grow up and become independent, resourceful and successful. I hope you mark your calendar and join us for this very important lecture and provocative discussion. The evening will begin in the gym at 7 p.m. Hope to see you there! Sincerely, Mary Miller | Principal

What's Inside DEPARTMENTS Attendance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . College Counseling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Community Involvement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Campus Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tees of Pres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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ATHLETICS Athletics/Home Games Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT Golf Tournament. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Board of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parent Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fashion Show 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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FEBRUARY CALENDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Board of Trustees

From the Parent Board

By Marc Parkinson | President, Board of Trustees

By Lisa Matthews | Parent Board President lmatthews@spsinc.biz

This month I would like to highlight the great work that our Advancement Committee is doing. Led by John Hoffman, the committee is taking a more active role in developing a sustainable long-term plan for the financial aid needs of the school. Specifically, the committee is looking at ways to build the endowment as a benefit that ensures Presentation can be resilient, even during possible economic downturns.

It’s February and love is in the air. With a full heart, I’d like to thank all the attendees and the tireless parent volunteers who came out in force to help make this year’s Crab Feed a success! To all who worked weekdays and weeknights covered with glitter and paint and sacrificed a precious Saturday to prep food, hang decorations, herd student volunteers and then return Sunday morning to clean it all up – thank you!

In order to strengthen our endowment, Presentation is building stronger relationships with several corporations. Many groups have already agreed to donate to Presentation and provide opportunities for our students. Anyone with ideas or suggestions regarding potential corporate partners should contact the Advancement Office: (408) 264-5110.

Event chairs Chris Kelly and Teresa McCarthy, both past Presentation parents, returned this year to take this event way above expectations – creating dazzling props and decorations on a shoe-string budget- making sure the dollars raised go where they are needed most.

Additionally, the committee is working on a planned giving stategy. Planned giving includes several types of gifts, including: • Appreciated stocks • Wills and bequests • Gifts of real estate • Charitable lead trusts • Life insurance and retirement plans This year, the committee is offering grandparents the opportunity to purchase bricks in the gym foyer to honor their granddaughters. These bricks make wonderful graduation gifts. If you are interested in purchasing a brick, please call the Advancement Office. As you can see, this committee is creative and tireless in doing its part to make Pres a better place! Until next month, Marc Parkinson President | Board of Trustees

Each year, Parent Board sets out to raise funds through special events – such as Crab Feed – to cover student supplies not covered by tuition. Last year this included everything from a second robot for the robotics team to perception goggles to use in Psychology class. In total, Parent Board was able to fund 15 special requests from teachers, clubs and sporting teams. One item always funded are scholarships. This year, two deserving students are able to use this money to fulfill their dreams by taking more challenging courses and signing up for extracurricular activities like the swim team. Parent Board couldn’t fulfill these special requests without the dedication of Presentation parents, past and present. Together with generous hearts, talent and boundless energy we have been able to make Presentation an extraordinary place. If you are still on the fence about joining the Presentation Volunteer Crew, now is the time to make the commitment! I guarantee you will have a great time, and more importantly, you will leave with a heart more full than you could ever have imagined. Happy Valentine’s Day! Lisa Matthews | Parent Board President

Golf Tournament By Johannah Baccaglio

The Presentation Annual Golf Tournament will be held at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club on Friday, May 13. This event features a delicious banquet dinner. We are looking for more parents to be part of our planning crew. Even if you are not a golfer, we encourage you to join our crew. This is probably the most laid-back and fun group to join. Plus, there are only four meetings! The first meeting is Wednesday, Feb 24 at 7 p.m. in the Presentation Library. Please join us! If you have any questions, contact Johannah Baccaglio at jbaccaglio@presentationhs.org. And don’t forget to mark your calendar for Friday, May 13! 2

The Lantern | February 2016

College Counseling

Attendance Office

During the last week of January, students were provided with recommendations and guidelines regarding AP exams in their AP courses. Students were also given an AP Bulletin which provides exam details so that each student can make a decision as to whether or not registering for an AP exam is in her best interest. Students need to carefully consider if they will be prepared for the exam and confident in the subject matter. The AP teacher is the best resource in regards to determining whether or not a student is in a position to potentially be successful on their AP exam. There are also a variety of colleges and universities that will waive introductory courses of similar subject matter and offer college credit if a student receives a pre-established score on her exam. Students in their senior year are encouraged to look at their prospective colleges’ AP Credit Policies to determine if taking a specific AP exam could be worthwhile.

It is important to keep your daughter at home when she is sick with a fever or any flu-like symptoms. She may return to school when she is symptomfree for at least 24 hours. We strongly recommend that students wash their hands, use hand sanitizers and not share drinks or food. Students must go to the Attendance Office if they are not feeling well and want to go home.

During the first week of February, registration forms will be made available to students in mentoring. Students should look at their calendars to ensure that they will be present on the school day and time of their exam, as make-up exams could have additional costs. The due date for the registration form and payment is Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, at 3 p.m. Please return these items to MaryLynne Rodriguez, College Counselor and AP Coordinator. College Counseling Dates: Feb. 10, 7 p.m.- Joint Sophomore College Information Night, Liccardo Center, Bellarmine.

Please inform the Attendance Office if you are traveling and your daughter is in the care of someone else. Provide information on how to contact you, who is in charge of your daughter and the date you will return.This is especially important if the person in charge is not on her emergency card. When your daughter must leave early for an appointment, to go out of town, or for any other reason, please send her to the Attendance Office before school with a note from you stating the time of her dismissal and the reason. Ms. Furtado will give her an “Early Dismissal” note that informs her teacher she will be leaving class early. Your daughter keeps the dismissal as her pass to leave campus. This procedure is less disruptive to teachers and other students. Please follow the above procedure. Lastly, in the event your daughter is not coming to school or coming to school late, please remember to call the Attendance Office at (408) 266-1060 by 9 a.m. Also, please be sure to send your daughter with an absent note to the Attendance Office before school the day she returns.and global communities.

Technology By Gene Tognetti | Professional Development Director

We are well into year two of our 1:1 iPad program and it’s a good opportunity to highlight some of the ways our students use technology to augment learning. • In Eric Buell’s Intro to Narnia class, students used iMovie to create spiritual autobiographies in the style of Flannery O'Connor, helping to break the mold from “pencil and scantron” exams. Students had classroom time to explore a topic in an interactive, personal, and creative way, while developing communication and critical thinking skills. • In Carrie Murray’s Spanish III Honors class, students used the SnapGuide app to create how-to guides, utilizing the unit’s grammar and vocabulary. • Clara Bohorquez uses the Notability app in Spanish classes while marking up a presentation projected through Apple TV. She brings concepts together and ties new information to prior knowledge. Students rely on Notability to work on vocabulary and develop second language reading skills. Students also used Puppet Edu, a simple multimedia creation tool, presenting information via image, text and voice. • In Megan Twiddy’s Science classes, students use Socrative to answer “Questions of the Day” and ensure concepts discussed previously have been internalized by each student. The immediate feedback helps Megan quickly target reteaching. Students practice critical thinking and other “21st Century” skills when using Socrative. • In Diane Lagana’s Wellness and Prevention classes, student learning is augmented by the interactive drugfreeworld.org website, a comprehensive resource with timely and relevant information for our students. • For Kellen Lee’s Women on Weights class, Kellen videotaped himself demonstrating the major exercises and movements that the students will execute throughout the semester. Students can practice these proper techniques anytime and anywhere. • Google Docs is a primary student learning platform. In Andrea Duwel’s Social Studies classes students collaborate to create study “tools” for the unit and final exams. This is an excellent example of technology supporting students as they take responsibility for their own learning. These are just a few examples of the many ways students engage with technology at Pres. I’m looking forward to seeing our edtech integration continue to grow and deepen student learning! www.presentationhs.org 3

Tees of Pres

Campus Ministry

By Mallory Menne '17

By Claire Foley | Director of Campus Ministry

Tees Of Pres (TOPs) is a new club on campus. TOPs was created for students interested in all aspects of fashion, including design, merchandising and financing. The concept was hatched by juniors Bridget and Mallory Menne with the help of their moderator, Mr. Case. We create shirts and sweatshirts for clubs on campus to wear with the iconic Pres plaid uniform as well as waist-up attire for the entire student body.

After he had finished speaking, Jesus said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply,“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (Luke 5:4-11)

The original idea behind TOPs was to create an environment for girls to get hands-on experience with fashion merchandising on a small scale. We hope to have our 115 members learn about more than just the design components of fashion; the business side of creating clothing is equally important. We decided to achieve this goal by dividing into groups based on student interest. We are composed of three branches: business & marketing, design, and production & distribution.

In the annual Sunday Prayer for Teens, which offers brief discussion points for each Sunday’s gospel, we are invited to reflect on this passage in the context of becoming aware of the presence of God, just as Peter did in this incident. Peter’s reaction is one of humility and he recognizes his own brokenness. Jesus doesn’t reject him, but invites Peter (and all of us) into a deeper way of following him.

Our completed projects so far have included shirts for Spontaneous Combustion, the Panther Puff Football game, Red Cross Club, WICS and International Cultures Club. Moving forward, TOPs hopes to use the experience gained from the first year to make shirts better, faster, and trendier!

Community Involvement By Lindsay Swoboda

As Lent approaches, we prepare for Presentation's annual Mission Drive. During the six weeks of Lent, students, faculty and staff will bake, craft, eat, sell and attend fun events to raise money for our Presentation missionaries in Guatemala and Nicaragua. Events include a sumo wrestling match between students' favorite teachers, Dunk 4 Nuns (a teacher vs. student basketball game), movie screenings, treats sold in the foyer before school and during lunch and our 5k race, Run 4 Nuns. The proceeds of these events benefit health clinics in Guatemala and rural schools in Nicaragua. Given the severe poverty in these countries, our donations provide items that we take for granted, such as shoes, books, vaccines and simple over-the-counter medications. These small, yet essential, items make a large impact on the individuals who receive them, allowing them to focus on more important matters such as education and living a healthy lifestyle. For more information on these Mission Drive events, check out the weekly Parent Blast or contact Lindsay Swoboda at lswoboda@presentationhs.org. Donation checks can be made out to Presentation High School with Mission Drive in the memo line. As always, thank you for your support of our Presentation Community, the Sisters, and our global brothers and sisters in need.

The Lantern | February 2016

In the same manner, Campus Ministry is eager to support your daughter in her call to walk with God and deepen her spirituality. We believe, as 20th century French Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin wrote, that "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." To that end, we invite you to register your daughter for her class level retreat. Check out the Campus Ministry webpage for more information and to download a registration form. We are also currently recruiting for next year’s Peer Ministry team. Students of all faith traditions are welcome to join this group which is designed to deepen the spiritual experience of its members. Peer Ministers are empowered to develop and share their unique gifts and faith interests through prayer, small group sharing, retreats, and participation in various forms of ministry. Campus Ministers will be recruiting in freshmen, sophomore, and junior religious studies classes. Please encourage your daughter to apply! Contact cfoley@presentationhs.org with any questions.

Choir

Theater

By Ankitha neelavar '17

By Jim Houle | Performing Arts Director

The Presentation Music Department is preparing for a busy spring season! On Jan. 8 and 9, freshmen Raven Barbarian and Heather Jacobson took part in the CMEA Bay Section Junior High Honor Choir under the direction of Mr. Lou Dela Rosa. The girls spent two full days rehearsing with more than 100 students from across the Bay Area and presented a beautiful concert at Chabot College.

Another Musical Success! Congratulations to director Heather Kenyon and to the cast and crew of our winter musical Bring It On who, by all accounts, created an entertaining and celebratory evening of theater for our community. Special thanks go out to the hardworking student actors and technicians who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life, as well as our TADA! volunteers who support every one of our productions in countless ways. Thanks to all for a great show.

From Feb. 11-14, juniors Swathi Ramprasad and Swati Swaminathan will be taking part in the CASMEC Choral Leadership Academy. The girls will attend workshops and learn from some of California's best collegiate music educators. Bella Voce’s spring repertoire contains a diverse range of music from Brahms to modern folk! Bella Voce will perform in the annual Presentation High School Talent Show on Feb. 4. Then, on Mar. 4, Bella Voce will kick off the spring season at the prestigious SJSU Invitational. On Mar. 5 you can catch the girls singing the National Anthem at the Barracudas game in the SAP Center! The game begins at 1:15 p.m. and tickets are available for $20 from Bella Voce members. A portion of the proceeds from the ticket sales go to funding the Bella Voce’s trip to Ireland in June. Finally, the girls will take part in the CMEA Solo Festival on Mar. 19. Many of our students will perform solos to be critiqued by an adjudicator. We are honing our skills and preparing for this exciting season! We hope to see you at one of upcoming performances!

Romeo, Romeo! The student cast of our spring drama, Romeo and Juliet, is hard at work learning lines and creating exciting swordfight choreography in anticipation of our opening day. Performances are Mar. 12-20 and tickets are currently on sale on the Presentation website. Don’t miss this steampunk-inspired production of this classic play! I.T.S. presents Musical Snip-ITS! On Feb. 11 and 12, senior I.T.S. officers Orla Hannon, Lexy Catipon, Paige Trevisan, Aradhna Bulchand-Ashrani and Lydia Savelli will direct a large cast in an evening of fully- realized musical numbers from Broadway shows turned movie musicals. The bill includes numbers from Les Miserables, Little Mermaid, High School Musical, Hairspray and Heathers. This is a night of musical talent for audiences with short attention spans--totally produced and directed by our students. See you at the theater!

Dance Team By Sara Cuddie-Fugate

The Presentation Dance Team has been hard at work preparing for its upcoming competitions. The team practices three times during the week and also on weekends. At each practice, the team focuses on synchronizing its dances and working on “esprit décor” or “spirit of the team” in order to look unified on the floor. Next month the team will take on four different competitions. We would love to hear your hoots and hollers of support from the bleachers! Season Schedule (Times TBA): • Homestead Competition: Jan. 30 • Bella Vista Competition: Feb. 6 • Monta Vista Competition: Feb. 13 • West Coast Elite at Valley Christian: Feb. 20 • Nationals: Mar. 4-6 In March, our team competes in the highlight of the competition season: the Dance Team Nationals held in Orlando, Florida. Last year, the Presentation Dance Team took home national championship titles in both of its divisions. Here’s to a successful season! www.presentationhs.org 5

The Lantern | February 2016

Greetings Panther supporters! Our soccer team is off to a great 2015-2016 season! They are 10-0-1 and have logged shutout wins over Mitty, St. Ignatius and Carlmont. So far, they have scored 42 goals and have allowed only five thanks to a stellar back line led by goalkeeper Taylor Farley. Two of our players have earned recognition for their superior play. Senior captain Emma Chivers was named the Mercury News Athlete of the Week and Stevens Creek Lexus named senior captain Daniela as its Volunteer of the Week on Cal Hi Sports. Our basketball team is also off to a fantastic start with a 14-1 record. They traveled to the West Coast Jamboree over the Christmas Break and went 3-0 to earn the Topaz bracket championship. They also had huge wins over St. Ignatius and Notre Dame Belmont. On Jan. 13, the basketball team hosted its second annual Faculty Appreciation Game. The evening was an opportunity for our basketball team (and the Athletic Department) to say thank you to the very talented and dedicated teachers who educate our student-athletes on our campus. Spring tryouts begin on Feb. 1. If your daughter is planning on doing a spring sport she needs to complete and turn in the Athletic Participation packet. Contact Athletic Trainer Heather Terbeek for more information. Also, if you are the parent of a spring athlete, make sure to attend our pre-season meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Miller Athletic Complex. Go Panthers!! Stacey Mallison | Athletic Director @PresPanthers

Varsity Home Games Soccer

Basketball

Saturday, Feb. 6 vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral | 11 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 6 vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral | 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 20 vs. Notre Dame Belmon | 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 13 vs. Notre Dame Belmont | 11 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 13 vs. St. Francis High School | 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 23 CCS Playoffs, 1st Round

www.presentationhs.org 7

February 2016 SUNDAY

MONDAY

Alumnae Hall Judging 6:30-7:30 p.m.

TADA! Reception Room 6:30-7:30 p.m.

LAMP Jenvey Conference Room 7-8 p.m.

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Parent Board Meeting Library, 7-9 p.m.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

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

13 Bring It On: The Musical, Valenzuela Theater, 7 p.m.

16 Winter Break

Winter Break

18 Winter Break

Crowds4Pres

Golf Tournament Mtg. Library, 7-9 p.m.

Spring Sports Parent Meeting, Miller Athletic Complex, 7-9 p.m.

19 Winter Break

25 How to Raise an Adult, Miller Athletic Complex, 7-9 p.m.

20 Winter Break

29 Junior Ring Liturgy Miller Athletic Complex 1-2:15 p.m.

For complete calendar visit www.presentationhs.org/calendar

FEBRUARY 2016 The Lantern | January 2016

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