the
LANTERN Presentation High School Parent Newsletter | February 2018
Dear Parents and Friends of Pres, I was standing at the curb in front of school one morning last week—monitoring traffic. As far as mornings go, all was relatively quiet and people were generally on their best behavior. I thought back on an article by David Brooks I had read over Christmas break that talked about the New Year’s Eve homily given by Pope Francis. Francis stated that the people who have the most influence on on society are the “normal folks;” through their normal, everyday gestures of kindness and empathy they are “the artisans of the common good.” The Holy Father used the metaphor driving in his homily. Brooks shared these thoughts in “How would Jesus drive?” If you speed up so I can’t merge into your lane, you’re teaching me that the society around here is basically competitive not cooperative. If, on the other hand, you give me a friendly wave after I let you in, you are teaching me that this is a place where a kindness is recognized and gratitude expressed. If you feel perfectly fine doing a three-point turn in the middle of a busy street, blocking everybody else going both ways, you teach me that people here are selfish and feel entitled. But if you get over to the right and wait your turn in a crowded highway exit lane, rather than cutting in at the last moment, that teaches me that
there’s a sense of and fairness and equality, and that people feel embedded in the group. Driving is governed by law, but it’s also shaped by norms. If enough people adopt the same driving style, then that behavior hardens into a communal disposition. Once people understand what is normal around here, more people tend to drive that way too, and you get this amplified, snowball effect. Kindness breeds kindness. Aggression breeds aggression. In short, driving puts you into social situations in which you have to co-construct a shared culture of civility, and go against you own primeval selfishness, and does it so while you are encased in what is potentially a 4,000-pound metal weapon. See you next time on Plummer where, hopefully, we can all practice being “artisans of the common good.” Take care, Mary Miller ’72 Principal
Parent Board
By Matt Sunseri | Parent Board President |matt.sunseri1@yahoo.com Hello Pres families and supporters, To begin, the annual Presentation Crab Feed is Saturday, Feb. 10. This years theme “Under the Sea” is sure to create a memorable and fun evening for all attending. This event is my personal favorite and should not be missed, especially this year as we are having a live band! I’d like to thank all the tireless parent volunteers who have been coming out in force to help make this years Crab Feed the best ever! From working weekdays and week nights covered in glitter and paint, to all those who will sacrifice a precious Saturday to help prep food, hang decorations, herd student volunteers and then return Sunday to clean it all up….THANK YOU!
Parent Board could not 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..
Each year Parent Board sets out to raise funds through special events, such as Crab Feed, that cover items not covered by tuition. Last year, we were able to fund several special requests from teachers, clubs and sporting teams.
Yours in Pres, Matt Sunseri
One item always on the top of our list is a scholarship, and this year two deserving upper class students were able to use it to fulfill their dreams. These students have turned this opportunity into a chance to expand their scholastic reach by taking more challenging courses and even signing up for extracurricular activities.
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The Lantern | February 2018
If you are still on the fence, now is the time to join the Presentation volunteer crew. I promise you will have a great time, and most importantly, you will leave with a heart fuller that could have ever imagined. Happy Valentines Day!
Attendance Office
By Catherine Furtado | Attendance Secretary and Registrar Here are a few reminders from the Attendance Office 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.
Speech & Debate
It has been an outstanding season for Speech and Debate so far as they continued their winning ways in November and December at the CFL IE Tournaments, Santa Clara Tournament, Glenbrooks Invitational, Alta Invitational, and Arizona State Invitational Tournaments. Congrats to all of the students who placed, advanced to elimination rounds, and earned individual and team awards! CFL IE Tournament Semi-Finalists: Shloka Janapty (IX), Mitra Rezvany (Expos), Shachi Prasad (NX), Aarushi Sahejpal (Imp), Shachi Prasad (Imp), Shannon Miranda (OI), Meghan Bedi (OI), Jessica Wei (Duo), and Simone Rittenhouse (Duo). CFL IE Tournament Finalists (earning wild-cards to the State Qualifier): Aarushi Sahejpal (IX), Nikitha Kalahasti (IX), Shannon Miranda (Champion - Expos), Meghan Bedi (OI), and Anisha Reimert (DI). Santa Clara Invitational Elimination Round Participants: Monica Shneck (2nd - Novice Expos), Shachi Prasad (3rd - Novice Extemp), Maya Bal (Finalists - Novice Expos), Saahiti Vankayalapti (Semis - Novice OO), Gurmehr Klair (Semis - Congress), Shannon Miranda (Finalists - Expos), Regina Ta (3rd - OO, Finalist - OI), Lakshmi Ramesh (3rd Speaker - Novice Policy), Ria and Tanaya Nawathe (Octos - Public Forum), & Esha Kapoor and Nidhi Gowda (2x Octos - Public Forum). Glenbrooks Invitational Elimination Round Participants Chicago, IL: Anisha Reimert (Quarters - HI) & Nikhita Vasan (29th speaker in LD - out of 183). CFL IE Tournament Semi-Finalists: Aarushi Sahejpal (IX), Elise Buellesbach (Imp).
The New Face of Business at Presentation By Katherine Georgiev | Vice Principal of Academics
The Presentation Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs Club began the school-year, and its first year as a club, empowering Presentation students to explore their interest in business and learn about the many roles within a company. The club meets once a month at lunch. In October, the club hosted guest speaker Julie Choi, who is the head of marketing for Nerana, an artificial intelligence startup that was acquired by Intel. Ms. Choi spoke to club members about her academic and professional experiences, particularly how she prepared for a career in marketing and what she does on a daily basis in her job. Club members also put their knowledge and skills to the test by participating in the DECA Idea Challenge. Presented with the challenge of finding an innovative use for rubber bands, students handmade a life-sized, lightweight, portable hammock and “pitched” their invention in a video submission. Club officers are excited for the spring. The club’s plans include a semester-long stock market game, learning about and practicing interviewing skills from experienced professionals, and hearing from a panel of business school alumni about their experiences applying for and attending business school.
Alta Invitational Elimination Round Participants - Sandy, Utah: Megan Munce (1st Overall Speaker) and Laurenn Vives (2nd Overall Speaker - 2nd place overall - Public Forum), Tanaya Nawathe (8th Overall Speaker) and Ria Nawathe (2x Octos - Public Forum), Nikhita Vasan (20th Overall Speaker - Semi-Finalist - LD). Arizona State University Elimination Round Participants: Monica Schneck (Tournament Champion in Novice LD), Megan Munce and Laurenn Vives (Semi-Finalists - Public Forum), Niki Vasan and Nina Ramchandani (2x Octos - Policy Debate), Hannah Ni and Amanda Page (3x Octos - Public Forum), Izabel Cardoso and Shreya Jaldu (Octos - Novice Public Forum), Ria Khera (Quarters - OO), Natalia Feinberg (Quarters - HI), Anisha Reimert (Quarters - DI and 5th place HI), & Aarushi Sahejpal (6th Place - Congress). Congrats to Lauren and Megan for qualifying to the Tournament of Champions!
Math Contests
Congratulations to Gurmehr Klair and Rithu Paramesh who received the highest scores and were the winners of the November and December CML math contests.
www.presentationhs.org 3
College Counseling
By MaryLynne Rodriguez | Director of College Counseling Reflecting upon the faculty retreat held at Presentation High School in January, one of the topics for discussion were gifts. Those we recognize in ourselves and each other. The enthusiasm, patience, and knowledge that my fellow College Counselors bring to their students each day is inspiring, and it is certainly a gift to work with these wonderful professionals each day. As fortunate as I feel to work with these talented individuals, I feel the same excitement at being able to have daily conversations with our students about their futures. The gifts that I witness daily in each of our young woman, from the talented coder, to the inspiring artist, to the passionate athlete and everything in between is quite amazing. Here in the College Counseling Department, we each work to have students recognize these gifts they possess, some of which are known to them, and to others, a new talent to further discover. Our Spring meetings with Juniors and Seniors are my favorite. We are just beginning the journey with our Juniors, interviewing each student about the qualities they would like their college to possess, and creating a list of college recommendations tailored to their responses, with a few outliers for them to further explore. For some students, the questions posed are easily answered, and for others, it may take several follow-up meetings to tease out their preferences. For either scenario, we are certainly aware that today’s likes may turn in tomorrow’s dislikes and so forth. This is one of the great gifts that our students bring to us. Nothing is set nor 4
The Lantern | February 2018
determined, and like the semi permanence of adulthood we experience, there is a completely new and open world that each of our students is on the brink of exploring. Our senior meetings begin in late March, and from there, we have a front row seat to witnessing the complete cycle of what the college application process brings; surprise, relief, disappointment, joy, and sadness. All emotions we learn to deal with as new life experiences come our way. Sitting with students in their various states of response, and finding that things will work out in the end as they select the college they will be attending is one of the most rewarding experiences of all; a wonderful gift that my colleagues and I are fortunate to bear witness to.
Campus Ministry
By Claire Hansen | Director of Campus Ministry O Holy Spirit, give me stillness of soul in you. Calm the turmoil within, with the gentleness of your peace. Quiet the anxiety within, with a deep trust in you… Be to me a source of light, strength and courage so that I may hear your call ever more clearly and follow you more generously.” Campus Ministry is eager to support your daughter’s desire for a deeper, more personal spirituality. To that end, we look forward to many retreats, masses and prayer experiences this semester. Freshmen Retreat will be Monday, Feb. 29. Students will meet at Presentation at 7:45 a.m. and take buses to the Mount Herman Retreat Center, which is off of Highway 17 on the way to Santa Cruz. On retreats students consider how prayer and spirituality could help them remain centered through the challenging and celebratory times in their life. The day is led by a team of Peer Ministers and includes small group activities, class bonding, faith sharing, and a talk written by an older student. It is a mandatory event for the freshmen class.
for these retreats. Feel free to contact chansen@presentationhs. org with any questions or scheduling concerns. We will soon begin recruiting for next year’s Peer Ministry team. Students of all faith traditions are welcome to join Peer Ministry, which is designed to deepen the spiritual experience of its members, as well as that of the school. We meet once a month during an open collaboration period. Under the guidance of the Campus Ministers, the program includes the participation of next year’s rising sophomore, junior, and senior students. These students are invited and empowered to develop and share their unique gifts and faith interests through prayer, small group sharing, retreats, and participation in various forms of ministry. Please encourage your daughter to apply!
There are still quite a few spots avilable on our March 6 Sophomore Retreat and our April 9-10 Junior Retreat. Retreats are free and open to students of all faith backgrounds. Check the Faith and Service Pages of the Pres website to find the registration packets
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Community Involvement
Math Department
“Kinship—not serving the other, but being one with the other. Jesus was not “a man for others”; he was one with them. There is a world of difference in that.” Father Greg Boyle, S.J.
Herakleitos of Ephesus, a Greek philosopher, was known for his doctrine of change being the center of the universe. Plato once quoted Herakleitos in his translation of Herakleitos’s works as “Change is the only constant”. In mathematics we deal with constants and constant functions, in the mathematics department we have a few changes in the school year for 2017-2018.
By Lindsay Swoboda | Director of Community Involvement
This semester students will be heading out on our immersion trips into different communities to practice the act of kinship that Father Boyle references. They will be challenged to interact with people who might be drastically different than them in the way they live their lives, their values, or their social status. Yet, after building relationships with these people, who could be deemed the other, they will discover that the differences are not so great between them. Our students will truly become brothers and sisters with the marginalized and the forgotten. Over February Break students will be in Los Angeles providing food and other basic necessities to people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row and teaching English to recent immigrants who are working tirelessly to better their families lives. At the same time, other students will be in Tacoma, Washington creating relationships with people with developmental disabilities at a L'arche community. Locally, students will travel to San Francisco in March to learn more about urban poverty and how the quickly changing city is or is not considering all of its citizens in the process. In April students will travel down to Nogales, Arizona, and Mexico to learn more about immigration and the injustices taking place at the border. Across the country, another group of students will be working at Nazareth Farm in West Virginia fixing up dilapidated houses in one of the poorest areas in America. Finally, over summer students will travel to Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the western hemisphere, to help bring water to rural communities. While each of our trips is very different, they all have one thing in common, solidarity. We do not go on these trips to fix these communities, or make a drastic change in the people's lives we are serving, but we go to be with them and to celebrate their joys and stand with them in their pain. We are looking forward to a semester where we put Pope Francis' words into action.
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The Lantern | September 2015
By Sharon Goldau | Math Department Chair
Among those changes we are excited to bring our students a double section Algebra 1 course. Taught by teachers, Mrs. Olson and Mrs. Hoelzer, this year long course is designed to provide students the opportunity to polish their skills through meeting for math every day. This enables the students to have more practice and reach a better mastery of Algebra 1 topics so important in moving forward in their math career. More meeting times enable students to have the opportunity to perform more project based learning such as Barbie doll bungee jumping and tricycle races. Change in our department also means change in our personnel. We welcome two new teachers to our staff with the addition of Mr. Goodman and Ms. Hoelzer as a long term sub. Both experienced teachers bring with them their own backgrounds, insights and enthusiasm to the classroom. In other news from the math department: Flipbook projects were completed by Honors Algebra 2 students. In AP Calculus BC students applied calculus to economics problems. In statistics and AP statistics students conducted original research projects on the Presentation school population. Looking forward to a great year in math, Sharon Goldau Math Department Chair
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Dance Team
Performing Arts
Dance Team Workshop Opportunities If you are looking to experiencing what it is like to be on the dance team, the team will be hosting a six-week dance program for students that are in grades 6-8. Rehearsals will be from 4-6 p.m. in the dance studio on the following dates: March 20 and 27, April 10, 17 and 24. These students will then have the opportunity to perform in our Spring Dance Concert on May 9-11 at 7 p.m. in the Valenzuela Theater. Dress Rehearsals will be May 8 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the theater. Please contact Sara Fugate to register at sfugate@presentationhs.org.
Another Musical Success Congratulations to director Kris Heiser and to the cast and crew of our winter musical: High School Musical. By all accounts, this show was an entertaining and celebratory evening of theater for our community. Special thanks must 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 supported this musical— and every one of our productions--in countless ways. Thanks to all for a great show.
By Sara Fugate | Dance Team Coach
Dance Team Competitions Dance Team has now started on their road to Nationals competing at the West Coast Elite Dance Competition and the Forte Dance Competition in January. There are three more opportunities to see the team in action before they head to the Contest of Champions National Competition in Orlando Florida March 3-4. They will be competing at the following competitions: • USA Regional Competition at Bella Vista High School February 3 • USA NorCal State Dance Classic at Monta Vista High School on February 10 • Cupertino Dance Competition at Cupertino High School on February 24 8
The Lantern | September 2015
By Jim Houle | Director of Performing Arts
Big Brother is Watching The student cast of our spring drama, George Orwell’s 1984, are hard at work preparing this intense, thought-provoking drama in anticipation of our opening day. Performances are March 17-25 and tickets are currently on sale on our home page. Don’t miss this show! I.T.S. presents Musical Snip-ITS On February 15 and 16, our I.T.S. officers will direct their fellow students in an evening of fully-realized musical numbers from Broadway shows. It is a night where our Pres student talent is fully on display as our students perform stand-alone musical numbers from popular shows for audiences with short attention spans. Don’t miss this cultural event, totally produced, choreographed and directed by our students. See you at the theater!
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Athletics
By Stacey Mallison | Athletic Director Greetings Panther supporters! The basketball team had a great pre-season! Their pre-season success has clinched them a berth into the CCS tournament. One of their highlights thus far was traveling to the West Coast Jamboree and winning the coral division. The varsity basketball team has earned a 13-2 record and are now in the grueling WCAL season and will be facing some fierce competition. The basketball team has been excelling on and off the court as they prepared an epic dance and even sang acapella to win the dance competition at the winter sports rally.
Feb. 15. Check the spring sports tryout information sheet for more information. If your daughter is planning on participating in a spring sport, she must complete and turn in the athletic participation packet. Contact Presentation’s athletic trainer, Heather Terbeek, for more information. The spring sports parent’s meeting (for softball, swimming & diving, track & field) will be held on Monday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Miller Athletic Complex. The Lacrosse parent meeting will be held after the team has been formed and the date will be announced to the Lacrosse team.
The soccer team is having a great season and has earned a 10-2-1 overall record and have posted big wins over Soquel, Los Gatos and Valley Christian. The soccer team also held their annual Alumnae game on Saturday, Dec. 30. It was great to see so many alums back on the pitch and enjoying themselves on their field. The soccer program held a BBQ lunch after the game so that current and former players could re-charge together after a great and competitive game. The soccer team is striving to defend their CCS title and also qualify for the first-ever NorCal high school tournament that will be held the week after CCS. Good luck, Panthers!
We are scheduled to volunteer with BAWSI again this Spring at Blackford Elementary School. Our first day volunteering is Thursday, Feb. 8. If your daughter would like to participate, contact the Athletic Department for more information.
Spring sports (softball, swimming & diving, track & field) begin on Monday, Jan. 29. The Lacrosse tryouts will begin on Thursday,
The 4th Annual Athletic fundraiser, Game of Throws, is on Saturday, March 24! Registration is now open for the event— please plan on attending and register early! All proceeds from this fundraiser directly benefit the student-athletes at Presentation. Please support our amazing Panthers! Contact the Athletic Office for more information about Game of Throws!
Soccer Wednesday, Feb. 7 vs. St. Francis High School | 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 vs. St. Ignatius College Prep | 3:15 p.m.
basketball
Varsity Home Games 10
The Lantern | February 2018
Wednesday, Feb. 7 vs. Valley Christian | 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral | 6:30 p.m.
February 2018 SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
1 Vintage '62 Dinner,
6-9 p.m., St. Claire Club
4
5
6 OLG Dinner, 5-7:30 p.m., MSC
LAMP Meeting, 6-9 p.m., Jenvey House
11
12
Jr. Ring Liturgy, 1-2:15 p.m., MAC
Golf Tournament Mtg., 6:30-8:30 p.m., Library TADA! Board Mtg., 6:30-7:30 p.m., Reception Room
13
Alum Board, 76-8Young 8 p.m., Jenvey House College Info Night: Junior Parents, 7-8:30 p.m., Theater
7:30-10 p.m., MSC
19
25
26
School Holiday: Presidents Day
Nicaragua Immersion Parent Mtg., 6-7 p.m., CLC Chapel
20
School Holiday: Winter Break
27 Mission Drive
Prayer Service, 11:05-11:50 a.m., MAC Dunk for Nuns, 2-3:30 p.m., MAC
Board of Trustees Mtg., 3:30-5 p.m., Library
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Booster Board Mtg., 7-9 p.m., Library
Crab Feed, 6:30-11 p.m., MAC
15 Snip-ITS Show, 7-9 p.m., Theater
Scholarship Luncheon, 12:30-1:10 p.m., CLC
21
School Holiday: Winter Break
22
17
16 Fashion Show Executive Mtg., 8-11 a.m., Basile House Snip-ITS Show, 7-9 p.m., Theater
Math & Science Colloquium, 7-8:30 p.m., MSC
18
Deewane, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Theater
Parent Board Mtg., 7-9 p.m., Library Ash Wednesday 14Liturgy, 11:05 a.m. -
Confirmation Mtg., 6:45-8:30 p.m., MSC
SATURDAY
2 ASB Winter Mixer, 3 9
12:30 p.m., MAC
Spring Sports Parent Mtg., 7-9 p.m., MAC
FRIDAY
School Holiday: Winter Break
23
School Holiday: Winter Break
24
28 Alumnae Council, 6-8 p.m., Jenvey House Mission Drive Phone-a-thon, 6-8 p.m., MSC
For complete calendar visit www.presentationhs.org/calendar
Counseling Night for Parents, 7-8:30 p.m., Theater
FEBRUARY 2018 Presentation High School The Lantern 2281 Plummer Avenue San Jose, CA 95125