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Volume 6, Number 4
PROVIDENCE HIGH SCHOOL 2011-2012 Message from the Head of School Dear Providence Families, It is amazing how quickly the first semester has gone by. It seems like just last week we were having auditions for “Rumors”, cheering on our girls’ volleyball and our cross country teams, and getting ready for Theme Night. We’re now already having auditions for our spring musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” our basketball and soccer teams have begun playing games, and Christmas is upon us! Like all school communities, Providence is a busy, bustling place. There is a tremendous spirit in this community, and I thank God every day that I am a part of it. It’s already time to start thinking about the 2012-‐2013 school year. I want to bring to your early attention some key calendar dates for the 2012-‐2013 school year. We have changed our original Summer School 2012 dates, and we will be starting the school year about a week earlier next year. The reason that we are starting the school year a bit earlier is for us to be more in line with our local feeder schools, other local Catholic high schools, and Burbank Unified School District. Also, it is my hope that we will, in the 2013-‐2014 school year, move to a calendar that will allow us to have first semester final exams before the Christmas break. This will allow students and their families to have a true Christmas break free from the
stress of preparing for final exams. Of course, the 2012-‐2013 school year will end a bit earlier as well. Here are a few key dates for the 2012-‐2013 school year: • Summer School 2012 will begin on JUNE 25th and will end on JULY 20th. • Discovery on Stage will have 2 drama sessions – Session 1 will run from June 18th-‐ July 6th and Session 2 will run from July 9th-‐July 27th , 2012 • The first day of school will be MONDAY, AUGUST 20th, 2012 • Thanksgiving Break 2012 will be Wed., Nov. 21st-‐ Mon., Nov. 26th • Christmas Vacation 2012 will be Dec. 22nd – Jan. 6th • Graduation will be on June 1, 2013 I hope that these early dates are helpful for your family planning, although they are subject to change. We will fill you in on other specific calendar dates for 2012-‐2013 as this year progresses. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Joe Sciuto Head of School YOU BELONG HERE.
DECEMber 2011 Save the Date: Providence’s Annual Gala April 28, 2012 Lakeside Golf Course Honoring Susan and Victor Georgino
CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE Friday, Dec.2nd 12-‐7pm
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Volume 6, Number 4
Letter from Dean of Students, Mr. Dennis Bullock As we enter December, the 2011-‐2012 school year can hardly be called new any longer. The almost frenetic activity that defined September, October and much of November abated a bit for Thanksgiving Break, but we are now shifting toward our traditional activities surrounding the Advent Season leading to our community’s celebration of Christmas. Once we get to it, Christmas Break will be a welcomed one indeed—but it marks only a respite in the course of the first semester, which will continue in earnest upon our return in early January. Beware: Your son or daughter may indeed have some work to do over the vacation! We want to advise you that morning drop-‐off and afternoon pick-‐up are about to become a bit challenging. As we prepare the campus and
its landscape for the arrival of the new Science Building, the driveway leading to the parking lot and egress to Bob Hope Drive will be altered over the coming months, starting after Christmas Break. Indeed, the school driveway may even be reduced to one lane for certain periods of time. Thus, it will be imperative that all parents pull as far forward as possible before dropping off your students. Further, certain portions of the parking lot itself will be temporarily lost to the construction, reducing existing parking and forcing a redistribution of assigned spots for both faculty as well as some students. More detailed information and instructions will be forthcoming as the work commences. It seems, then, there’s never a dull moment at Providence High School. For now let’s just get through the many activities that accompany the month of December!
Campus Ministry wishes all a blessed Second week of Advent! Nov. 28-Dec. 14 --Advent Drive: Homerooms adopt families to serve Christmas cheer. Dec. 6-9—KAIROS: St. Mary’s Seminary Retreat Center in Santa Barbara Dec. 8—Mass for Feasts of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe 10:45 A.M.
Parent Service Hours Opportunities
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Winter Formal Volunteers and Donations. Please contact Ms. Paolone for details Marisa.Paolone@ProvidenceHigh.org or ext. 107
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Winter Formal Chaperones needed. Contact Mr. Bullock at Dennis.Bullock@ProvidenceHigh.org or ext.204
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Ms. Paolone is need of help with the Senior Lunch & Break time Prom Fundraisers, as well as Senior TShirts
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Advancement is need of volunteers and donations for the April 2012 Gala. Details on Page 3.
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Donation of Cases of Water (36 Bottles/16 oz.) are always accepted for our various events on campus. Please deliver the water to the front office with your receipt attached. Remember to write your student’s name at the top so we may record your hours. Please contact Mrs. Bordey x100 if you have any questions. Thank you for your support!
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Volume 6, Number 4
FROM THE OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT Advancement is looking for parents to be on our sponsorship committee for our annual Gala. Please contact Paul Kaminski. Paul.Kaminski@providencehigh.org Volunteers needed for Silent Auction committee for our annual Gala. Please contact Vickie Bagwell Vickie.Bagwell@providencehigh.org Advancement is looking for auction items for our April GALA. These can include gift cards, vacation opportunities (time shares), services, unique items, and the list goes on. It’s a great way to get your service hours. Contact Vickie.Bagwell@providencehigh.org It’s not too late to make a tax-deductible donation for the 2011 tax year. Contributions towards the scholarship fund would make an excellent Christmas gift for the many students still in need of financial aid. Providence Spirit Wear makes great Christmas presents! You can buy on-line at http://www.providencehighstore.com/ or contact Paul Kaminski in the Advancement office at x402. We have jackets, sweatshirts, hats, travel mugs, t-shirts, and more!
Letter from the Dean of Studies, Mrs. Claire Hickey We enter this Advent season with renewed energy and new hope. As students come to the end of their First Semester of studies, vacation days should include some study time, not only for Honors and Advanced Placement students, but particularly for those currently posting C’s or D’s. January 17, 18, & 19 will be the Semester Final Exams. Elective course exams are the week of January 9th. IF any student receives an “F” or “D” in a course, he/she MUST go to summer school and make-up this course before returning in the Fall next year. Providence is a college preparatory school and the colleges and universities do not accept a grade of “D” or “F”. Therefore, vacations must be planned accordingly, in order to accommodate your student’s academic needs. Semester Exams are completed by 12:00 noon each of the exam days. For any student who is absent on an exam day, make-up exams are Friday, January 20th beginning at 8 a.m. in the PHS library. Aeries Grade Book will be closed to parents and students while grades are being processed, from January 13th -26th. Report cards will be mailed January 27th. The Second Semester begins on Wednesday, January 25, 2012. There are essential General Parent Meetings in January and February for parents of freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The January meeting will review critical information related to the PSAT taken by Sophomores and Juniors in October (parents of 9th or 12th graders need not attend). This test ultimately prepares students for the SAT test required for college acceptance. The February 21st meeting covers information related to the Course Selection process for the coming year, particularly recommendations for Honors and Advanced Placement classes. Parents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities that benefit the students. Parent hours are given for meeting attendance. Parents of seniors need not attend either of these meetings. Lastly, please pay special attention to your student’s attendance in school. Grades are generally impacted by tardies and by being absent from class, including for illness or for medical appointments. For students who did well, PHS congratulates them on their hard work and good grades!
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PHS at USC’s QuikScience Challenge Eight students visited USC to represent PHS in our first appearance at the QuikScience Challenge sponsored by QuikSilver Corporation in association with USC's Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies. It is based on "Surfing Onto Solutions for Our Ocean Planet," a project designed to raise awareness among high school students about the need for raising interest in science and the environment. The team consisted of juniors Phylizia Carrillo, Nicole Ramirez, Alex Avanzado, Caitlin Markey, Charles Schaefer, Samantha Granados, Kaylin Reyna, and Genna Amado. Our team will return to USC December 10th to create a plan for our selected projects and receive assistance from USC mentors. Teams of up to 4 students are allowed to participate and I am hoping to get more interested students involved. Dr. Harjani
Thanks for Making the Blood Drive a Success!
We are proud to announce that our Fall blood drive resulted in 40 units of life saving blood collected, thanks to the bravery of our Pioneers! A total of 64 students offered to donate. For our spring drive, we invite parents to come out & support our students in this noble endeavor as we strive to reach the 100 donations goal.
Students Run LA Update We are nine weeks into the Students Run LA marathon training and our amazing PHS runners have together logged 1,076 miles on their Sunday runs alone! That’s an average of almost 45 miles per runner or the distance between PHS and Camarillo! It’s a testament to the level of commitment our runners have devoted to this challenge and that’s what SRLA is all about. Two weeks ago the team completed the Universal Studio’s Backlot 10k. It was a very hilly and challenging course that took them through some of Hollywood's most famous sets. They also ran the La Puente Main Street 10K. They’re preparing for the Holiday Half Marathon on December 11th in Pomona. Our team is blessed by the devoted & generous parents giving their time, talent and treasure as they help man water stations during the long practice runs, carpooling, and donating water, Gatorade, food and supplies . It’s a labor of love as well as a fun and great way to earn service hours. We are in need of Gatorade, Cliff Shot Bloks and water. You can drop off donations for SRLA at the school office or contact Mrs. Parodi or Lilia Deligio (ldbox@sbcglobal.net).
From the College Counselor, Claire Gaitan Now that most of the college applications are in, it’s time to start working on financial aid! • • • •
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The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step in the financial aid process. Apply for your pin number in order to complete the FAFSA online at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ The Cal Grant GPA verification form will be submitted electronically for all seniors by Providence High School. The Financial Aid Workshop for senior parents will be on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. It will begin at 7pm and it will be hosted at Bellarmine Jefferson High School (465 E Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91501).
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Volume 6, Number 4
Department of Choral Activities December 1 : Second Competition Installment Due Pioneer chorus, Les Dames, and Los Caballeros $150.00, Providence Singers $350.00 nd rd December 2 -‐3 : Annual Choir Retreat This event takes place on campus, Friday at 4:00pm through Saturday at 11:00 am. All choir members are expected to attend. There will be a $5.00 charge for food. Parent hours are available if you would like to chaperone. st
“A Child is Born” Christmas Choir Concert
December 13th @ 7:30 pm Saint Finbar Church -2010 W Olive Ave. Burbank, CA 91506 $12.00 Student * $15.00 Adult We will be having a reception during intermission with auction items and Holiday goodies. If you would like to donate to the auction, please contact Marisa Bradfield. ATTN: SOPHOMORE & JUNIOR PARENTS: Your sons and daughters PSAT test scores will be coming out this month. They will be distributed to you (the parents/guardians) on January 4th, in the MPR from 7-‐8p.m. A presentation will be given to explain how to interpret these scores, and to inform you about college entrance exams. The College Handbook will also be distributed to you at this time provided by the Counseling Department. Parent hours will be given out for your attendance. Please mark this date on your calendar.
NOW: PAY TUITION ONLINE Join hundreds of other parents in paying your tuition bill online! The quickest and most accurate credit to your account happens when you make your payments on-‐line by check or credit card. No additional fees are ever charged for this service. Please check the portal and website to access this service.
Consectetuer: IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER: Dec.2nd Christmas Boutique, MPR, 12-7pm Dec. 6th- 9th Kairos I Retreat Dec. 8th Feast of the Immaculate Conception School Mass, 10:45am Dec. 13th Christmas Choral Concert, St. Finbars, 7:30pm
Dec.16th Noon Dismissal Dec 19th -Jan. 2nd Christmas Vacation (School Office Closed) Jan 3rd Classes Resumes For complete calendar of events, please check the school calendar at www.providencehigh.org
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