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Volume 6, Number 9
PROVIDENCE HIGH SCHOOL 2011-2012 Message from Head of School, Mr. Joe Sciuto Dear Providence Families, A day in May is traditionally set aside in the U.S to honor faculty and staff members in a school community. Every school produces successful students, and every school is enriched by the talents of the student performers, athletes, and leaders. Providence High School has had such a fantastic year because we have such talented and dedicated students. But these students have prospered so well in academics, the arts, athletics, leadership, and in Christian Service because we have an incredibly talented and dedicated faculty and staff at PHS! May 8, 2012 is the official Faculty/Staff Appreciation day across the country. At PHS, we feel like one day is not enough to honor our wonderful faculty and staff, so we will be celebrating them each day of the week of May 7th! On May 7th, our boys’ and girls’ basketball programs will be providing and serving lunch to our faculty and staff. On May 8th, our Key Club will be serving breakfast. On May 9th, the Administration will be providing a coffee cart, “Lattes on Location” and also will be giving out PHS coffee mugs. On May 10th, our Board of Regents will be providing gift cards for our faculty and staff. And on May 11th, our wonderful Parent Board will be providing a BBQ lunch for our faculty and staff. This will truly be a celebratory week for our faculty and staff! Please take a moment during the week of May 7th to reflect on the faculty and staff members at PHS who have positively influenced your child. Also, consider the faculty and staff members in your life who meant so much to you when you were in school. Perhaps it’s a good time to reconnect with one of these people. Send a former teacher or staff member a letter or an email, give them a call, or stop by and thank them. You’ll make their day! Yours in Providence, Joe Sciuto Head of School YOU BELONG HERE.
MAy 2012 CONGRATULATIONS! To Mathematics Department Chair, Mr. David Rufus, and the entire Math Department! The final results are in for the 2011-2012 Catholic Math League, and Providence H.S. students performed very well! There were four different competitions, and PHS competed nationally in Division 1.PHS finished in 5th place in Algebra 1,3rd place in Algebra 2, 4th place in Geometry , and PHS students dominated the top 50 spots! To Coach Andrew Bencze who has been named high school girls’ basketball COACH OF THE YEAR by the Glendale News Press! To Freshman Marcus Lovett named State Boys Player of the Year by ESPN
YOU BELONG HERE.
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Volume 6, Number 9
Letter from Dean of Students, Mr. Dennis Bullock Welcome to the maelstrom we call May! Much is going on, and though a lot of focus is placed upon seniors, there is a ton going on with the underclassmen as well. Since the senior parents are getting quite a bit of personalized communication, I thought it prudent to touch upon an issue that pertains to new and returning students: our new uniform policy. What we’d like to announce is an amendment to the new uniform policy. As currently advertised, students next year are restricted to khaki/tan pants, shorts, skirts and skorts only for new purchases. However, a great many people expressed concern over this. Mr. Sciuto and I agreed that the concerns were valid and warranted a modification to the policy. Thus, we have contacted Crown Uniforms and have requested that they make available for both boys and girls black pants and black shorts. The reason we have requested black is that we are continuing to transition away from navy. We thank everyone for their feedback. Here once again is the uniform overview, now amended.
Logo: O We will transition our logo from the present blue logo on the polos and cardigans to PHS’ more traditional green and white official seal. Polos: O We will now offer gray, white and green polos with our new logo to all, and a black variety to the seniors as a privilege (thus, only seniors can purchase black). O We will phase-out the polos we have now—thus, this year’s polos will be permitted next year as we transition. o All new polos must be purchased from Crown Uniforms. No substitutes will be accepted. Pants/Shorts & Skorts/Skirts: O All of these will be offered in tan/khaki. We are eliminating navy. Pants and shorts will also be available in black. O Girls will be able to wear shorts, pants, skorts or skirts, but if skirts are too short, we may transition to skorts only (the skorts have gym-short material on the inside, and have been well-received by those who have tested them for us). o All of these must be purchased from Crown Uniforms. No substitutes will be accepted. V-Neck Cardigans: O We will shift the color of these from navy to black. We will phase-out the navy we have now—those who have them in navy may still wear them this coming school year. O All new cardigans must be purchased from Crown Uniforms. No substitutes will be accepted. Zip-Up Fleece & Hooded Jackets: O Those available from Crown will be green only. However, the online store outerwear will still be sold in various colors (green, white, black or gray) and be permissible on campus (pink excluded). Oxford Blouses: o These will remain available for young ladies through Crown Uniforms only.
Of course, you can contact me anytime with questions at either Dennis.Bullock@providencehigh,org or at 818-846-8141 ext. 204. And, as always, God bless us all as we make our way to the end of a very active school year! 2
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Volume 6, Number 9
A Touch of Armenia Arjan Harjani, PHS Faculty PHS has a notable number of faculty and students of Armenian heritage. Our modern language department celebrates modern languages cultural week with a prayer in Armenian along with other languages like French, Tagalog, Spanish, Latin, and German. We proudly acknowledge all faiths and religious communities at our school and a part of this celebration of diversity is to honor all events of historical significance in the different cultures and religions we represent. Last week, we commemorated Armenian Genocide Day on Tuesday, April 24th. We opened with a prayer in Armenian followed by a summary of the history of the genocide and how it affected the Armenian population from then on. Their expression of freedom is clearly expressed in a poem by William Saroyan, a U.S. writer who made his initial impact during the Depression with stories celebrating the joy of living in spite of poverty, hunger, and insecurity. The son of an Armenian immigrant, Saroyan left school at 15 and educated himself by reading and writing. A number of parents expressed interest and willingness in making a significant contribution to this remembrance and honor those who sacrificed for the greater good. Mrs. Sona Ashjian coordinated the Armenian lunch sale for Wednesday, April 25th along with parents, Mrs. Odabachian (parent of Berdj) ,Mrs. Margossian (parent of Pateel and Hagop), and Mrs. Boghokian (parent of Anto and Karni). A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Odabachian for assisting with the catering and coordinating the food service in the MPR. They served a wonderful lunch filled with pride and love. Our students enjoyed the serving of rice, kebab, hummus, and salad. Other parents also participated in different ways. For their financial contribution, we acknowledge the generosity of the following: Odabachian, Margossian and Thomas (parent of Gianni) families. They all have expressed interest in continuing this tradition as proud parents of the PHS community and we truly appreciate their varied contributions. Proceeds from the sale benefited the Medical Focus Program. I firmly believe that the Armenian faith and culture has impacted the US in a big way. The Armenian people are found in walks of life, academia and all major industries of commerce, law, and politics. They believe in freedom as well as creating a compassionate and just society. We proudly salute all the Armenian families of our community and wish them well as we stand together with them to honor those before us who paved the way to celebrate life!
Textbook Buyback & Rental Check-in Event Senior Book Buyback- Auditorium patio May 31, 2012 12:00p to 3:30p Jun 5, 2012 2:00p to 4:00p Jun 14, 2012 12:00p to 3:00p Jun 15, 2012 9:00a to 12:00p Providence Book Buyback-Quad Jun 14, 2012 12:00p to 3:00p Jun 15, 2012 9:00a to 12:00p Books have the most value when they will be used again next year at our school or at schools across the country. This is the best time of year to sell textbooks because demand is highest. Let the bookstore keep an eye on the calendar for you over the summer! Sign up for a email reminder when the booklist is posted and available for purchase at: www.providencehigh.bkstr.com/email If you have questions, or need help, contact Follett at 877827-2665 or email K12CustomerService@fvb.follett.com Follett Virtual Bookstores www.providencehigh.bkstr.com
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From the Desk of the Dean of Studies, Claire Hickey Advanced Placement (AP) Testing runs from May 7-17 here on campus. All AP students have received a letter regarding expectations for the test and should have completed the pre-registration paperwork occurring at lunch the last full week of April. Senior class Elective Final Exams follow AP testing and Core Subject Exams begin May 29th. Underclassmen Exams begin in June, completing by June 14th. This is a reminder that Summer School begins here on campus June 25th. Several camps are also being offered, some of which begin as early as June 18th. Information is available on the PHS website and in the front office. Before the end of May, students will have received a list of the courses in which they are enrolled 2012-13. This way, all students and parents can review the courses in preparation for ordering textbooks. When official schedules are mailed in mid-July, the online “textbook store” (Follett) link on the PHS website will become activated, and there will be a two-week period for which shipping will be free. Directions for this process will be included in the mid-July mailing of the schedules. The textbook Buy-back process with Follett Publishers is included in this newsletter as well as in the weekly newsletter. 1st Buy-back event on campus for seniors follows their last exam May 31st from noon to 3 pm. In addition to summer reading, all students enrolled in 2012-2013 Honors, AP or advanced courses of Modern Language, Math, or Science will be assigned a “summer work packet” in order to be adequately prepared for those courses in the Fall. This information is also posted on the PHS public website, Providencehigh.org. Important clarification about Progress Reports and the Grading Process: Often when semester grades are sent out, there are questions from parents. The most frequent misunderstanding is the “progressive” nature of the grades. Throughout the semester the grades “progress”, in that they continue to add up as additional assignments are given. What is sent out in the Progress Report is a “snapshot in time” of the grades as they exist at that point. By the completion of the semester, the points are all totaled, along with the semester exam, and the final grade is given. This is not like a “quarter-type” system, in which grades are distinct and separate and are then averaged at the end in order to get the semester grade. If you have questions or would like further clarification about grades, please contact claire.hickey@providencehigh.org.
PARENT SERVICE HOURS Ms. Paolone is need of your help. Contact her at Marisa.Paolone@ProvidenceHigh.org : •
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The Seniors have their final Prom fundraiser lunch sale on May 11th. Ms. Paolone is looking for a parent to donate pizza or any other food. Hours will go towards next year. She is also in need of baked items for the Seniors to sell for the last two Prom Fundraisers.
The Parent Board Needs YOU! If you are interested in participating on the 20122013 Parent Board, please contact Marla L'Angelle (mangelle@sbcglobal.net). Many positions are open and we'd LOVE to have you. The Parent Board is a working Board; you earn your 40 service hours for the year.
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Volume 6, Number 9
Media Showcase Essential Info Saturday, May 12th •
It’s time once again for the Providence Media Showcase. This year, the showcase will be held in Theaters Two and Three in the heart of the actual Universal Studio lot, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. (and not to be confused with the amphitheatre, ride attractions, City Walk, etc. at the top of the hill) The date to remember is Saturday, May 12th.
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There will be two showings. The first will take place simultaneously in both theaters beginning at 1:30PM. This will be for freshmen and sophomore students and their guests. The evening showing will begin at 5:30PM. This showing will be for junior and senior media students, their guests, faculty and administrators. Following the evening showing, attendees will adjourn to the studio commissary reception room while the judges complete their deliberation.
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Tickets will go on sale beginning Wednesday, April 18th. Ticket prices will be $10.00 for the afternoon show and $15.00 for the evening show. Don’t delay. Get your tickets early. Parking for the afternoon and evening shows is available in the 1320 Building opposite the studio restaurant. Enter through Auto Gate # 1 off of Lankershim Blvd. The parking entrance is to the right just before the security kiosk. All admissions to the studio lot will require a photo identification and inclusion of guest names on the studio security list. It will be necessary for all guests to afternoon or evening shows to purchase or reserve tickets in advance and to indicate the names of all attending
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Media department families with students who are freshmen or sophomores are asked to donate at least 12 sodas or bottled waters for the event. In addition, we are asking that families donate their favorite appetizer to serve 20-30 people (easy to transport) to supplement the catered fare. A cash donation in lieu of food is fine as well. Please email media parents, Denise White-Odimo (dwhite4240@yahoo.com) or Fatima Josephine Kasturiraj (fattyraj@yahoo.com)(cell818/922-5399) for details about foods or to volunteer for the countless other tasks on the day that make the Showcase a success every year.
From the Desk of the College Counselor, Clara Gaitan Senior Parents: Congratulations! As your student’s time at Providence comes to an end, I want to tell you what a joy it has been to be their college counselor. They are remarkable as a class and as individuals. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the transition between high school and college, please do not hesitate to contact me. Reminder to Juniors: Now is the perfect time for you to seriously begin investigating and visiting colleges. Get a head start on choosing colleges and making your college application process less stressful by:
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From the Desk of the College Counselor, Clara Gaitan, Continued 1. 2. 3.
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Spending some time this summer researching colleges. Be sure to include a variety of colleges - UC, Cal State, private, and out-of state schools. There is no substitute for visiting a college. Try to build that into your summer vacation if you can. Call the admissions office to make a reservation for a conducted tour or ask about taking a self-guided tour. Have a list of questions and take a notebook to write answers and note your impressions of the college. If you can't visit, at least read about the colleges. Visit links to all the UC and Cal State schools private universities and colleges, and other valuable website links. Some additional helpful websites are: www.ucop.edu (University of California), www.calstate.edu and www.csumentor.edu (California State University) and our new program Naviance at http://connection.naviance.com/providencehs Start thinking about and possibly begin writing your personal statement - this year's choices for the UC schools were:
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How have you taken advantage of the educational opportunities you have had to prepare for college? Tell us about a talent, experience, contribution or personal quality you will bring to the Is there anything you would like us to know about you or your academic record that you have not had the opportunity to describe elsewhere in this application?
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And, by the way…HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!! Clara Gaitan 818-846-8141 x405
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
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May 3rd Grades Mailed Senior BBQ@ at Lunch
May 22nd Spring Choral Concert, 7:30pm Alex Theatre
May 4th Pioneer Farewell Dance, 7:30pm
May 23rd Final Christian Service Hours Due
May 7th - 17th AP Testing
May 25th Grad Night
May 12th Media Showcase Awards
May 28th Memorial Day, No School
May 14th-18th Prom Bids for Sale
May 29th-31st Senior Final Exams
May 18th- 24th Senior Elective Course Exams
June 1st Prom