www.providencehigh.org
Volume 6, Number 2
PROVIDENCE HIGH SCHOOL 2011-2012 YOU BELONG HERE.
OCTOber 2011
Message from Head of School, Mr. Joe Sciuto I began my career in education
as a coach. While in college, I coached high school basketball at Harvard-Westlake School. I was hired as a young teacher at Campbell Hall School to teach English, but I’m certain that my coaching skills in basketball and baseball also helped make me an attractive candidate. I coached youth, high school and college baseball players for more than 20 years. In fact, last year was the first year that I did not coach a team in over 20 years. As you can imagine, sports are really important to me as a Head of School. Sports are important to a school community. Playing sports teaches a young person about dedication, perseverance, and teamwork. The great soccer player, Mia Hamm, says, "Sports can do so much. They've given me a framework: meeting new people, confidence, selfesteem, discipline, motivation.
All these things I learned, whether I knew I was learning them or not, through sports." Sports also help to form community and school spirit. I have enjoyed watching our cross country and girls’ volleyball teams compete during this fall season, and I am looking forward to the upcoming basketball and soccer seasons. We have recently established our new school spirit club. I received name ideas from students, and the ASB Executive Committee voted on their favorite. The Pioneer Spiriteers will be rooting on Providence athletic teams, supporting Arts events, and raising overall school spirit. We are now in the process of designing club t-shirts. I hope that many students and faculty and staff members will join the club! Come out and watch your child or their friends compete for Providence High School. You will enjoy the athletic competitions, and you will enjoy the camaraderie. Go Pioneers!
ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER NOW OPEN! The Academic Support Center is open for peer tutoring every week Monday-‐Thursday, from 7:15-‐7:55am , during lunch, and after school until 4:30pm. Questions? Contact Academic Counselors Clara Gaitan or Maribel Kuklish Learn more about the family pledge program! http://www.diamondmindinc.com/providence.html
Support the Parent Board’s Wine Tasting Fundraiser! Saturday, Oct. 22nd 3-7pm @ D’Argenzio Wine Tasting Room in Burbank $40 ($45/door) + Service Hours
Please check out our updated Pioneer Pathway to College on the parent portal site.
www.providencehigh.org
Volume 6, Number 2
GENERAL PARENT MEETING October 25th, 7:00p.m. Freshmen and Sophomore parents will hear a presentation on CyberSafety / Harassment Prevention in the AUD. Junior and Senior parents will hear a presentation given by our College Counselor, Ms. Gaitan, on the College Application process in the MPR. Three (3) parent hours are given to those for attending.
SERVICE HOUR OPPORTUNITIES • Donations are needed (hours earned) for doughnuts & croissants for the Senior Prom fundraiser Tues. Oct. 18th (and all future dates). Contact Ms. Paolone. • Ms. Paolone, English Dept. & Senior Class Moderator, ALWAYS needs assistance. In addition, the club Rock and Roll A to Z is in need of some new/updated items for this school year. Feel free to email her at Marisa.Paolone@ProvidenceHigh.org or (818) 846-‐8141x 107. • Volunteers are needed to join the annual Gala committee. The Advancement Dept. needs help on the Sponsorship & Silent Auction Committees. Please contact Paul Kaminski (Paul.Kaminski@providencehigh.org) or Vickie Bagwell (Vickie.Bagwell@providencehigh.org) to help. • Volunteers are needed for the Halloween Dance October 28th, from 7pm-‐ 11:15pm. Please contact Kimberlee Kirsch at ext. 213 or Kimberlee.Kirsch@providencehigh.org
Pioneer Connections Magazine- Latest Edition: http://www.providencehigh.org/pioneer_connect/issues/Summer_2011.pdf
2
www.providencehigh.org
Volume 6, Number 2
Attention Senior Parents: SAT Reasoning and SAT subject exams need to be taken by December if required for admission. •
• • • •
SAT Reasoning and SAT subject scores must be submitted to universities through COLLEGEBOARD - www.collegeboard.org. ACT scores can be sent through www.actstudent.org. The Cal State and UC deadline is November 30th Teachers and Ms. Gaitan must be given at least two weeks notice to complete letters of recommendation. To be considered for financial aid (merit and need based) students applying to USC must submit their application by December 1 It is a student’s responsibility to make sure their application is complete at each university they are considering.
Attention Junior Parents: Junior Case Studies is just around the corner! For those of you not familiar with the Case Studies program, it is a night that gives juniors and parents a great opportunity to become more familiar with the college admissions process and what the admissions officers are looking for when reviewing an application. Each parent and student alongside the university representative will get to review college applications and decide who gets in, who gets denied and who gets waitlisted. This year, it is being held at Louisville High School in Woodland Hills on Wednesday, November 2, 2011. The evening begins at 6:45 p.m. with a mini college fair. The cost to attend is $5 per person. If you would like to sign up or have any questions, please contact Ms. Gaitan at 818-846-8141 x405.
Below is the itinerary for the Case Study event for our junior parents and students: 6:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Mini-college fair 7:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. Case Studies sessions: students and parents will meet in classrooms with an assigned college admissions professional to discuss four different college application cases. 8:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Wrap-up session
Now Make Tuition Payments On-Line 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. For more info, click here: http://diamondmindinc.com/clients/PROVIDENCEHIGHSCHOOL/tuition_portal.html 3
Message from Claire Hickey, Dean of Studies School at PHS is now in full swing. It has been a busy and energetic start of the new academic school year. Progress Reports, as well as the Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences are behind us. If you missed conferences, expect communication in the mail. If your student is receiving a D or an F at any time, it is imperative that you contact the teacher. Parents are encouraged to check Aeries Gradebook on a weekly basis. Attendance is an important aspect of students’ academic achievement. When a student is absent, it is important to contact the teacher and to follow up with work that is missing. Again, the Aeries Gradebook can serve as a reminder of what the student needs to make up. The teachers’ e-‐mail link in the Gradebook affords instant accessibility in communication. Encourage your son/daughter to get plenty of sleep, as studies show adequate sleep is directly related to academic success. In communicating with your student, openers to conversation may include asking about the highlights of the day or a couple challenges experienced that day. We adults cannot underestimate our role in giving young people tools for adulthood—how to celebrate even the smallest of victories/blessings and how to navigate through difficulties. Let us not miss any opportunity to encourage healthy growth in the next generation. In this partnership on behalf of your student, we look forward to greater academic success.
The MAGIC of Christmas Comes to Providence High School! J o i n u s f o r o u r 9 th A n n u a l
CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE
Friday, December 2 nd 12 to 7 pm. Christmas Gifts for everyone on your list, from our many specialty vendors. Homemade baked goods for purchase and a raffle for great gift baskets.
4
From the Desk of Dennis Bullock, Dean of Students Well, the year is in full swing and, as I write this, students all around me are practicing for the next big event: Theme Night. Activity on campus has been frenetic since the beginning of the year. The recently completed Broadway Review Fundraiser for the choir (a big hit) was very time-‐consuming for the over 150 choir members, but their work paid off in the best of ways at the performance. These two performances are only the most conspicuous of your children’s activities; add to these activities such as Mock Trial and Drama, and extra-‐curriculars such as Volleyball, Cross Country, Flags, Cheerleading, and various clubs, and many of your kids have a full plate. Now, figure in their active social lives both on-‐ and off-‐line, which permeates their entire day (and often night)—and, finally, top this all off with their studies, which for many is a quite substantial load, and it is a wonder your kids have time to sleep at all! That’s where you come in: Now more than ever, your kids need you to be involved and ask questions. You may be able to help them cope with their load, and you may want to help your kids plan into their schedules something quite novel: sleep! Their rest is vitally important, and, it seems, extremely scarce nowadays. By staying involved you can gauge how much is too much for your kids. Bottom line—no matter how much they tell you they don’t want you asking, or think you’re nosey, deep down now, and certainly in the future, they do and will appreciate it. As always, we want to make sure your kids do not “suffer in silence.” If there is a problem or concern, my door is always open to both your child as well as to you. Please never hesitate to contact me. We at Providence should always count our blessings. The problems we face at PHS—as teachers, students or parents—are quite often the very best kinds of problems to have. We have many positive activities going on, and your kids are eager to do them all. Sometimes that is feasible; sometimes it is not. As parents and teachers, it is our job to work as a team to make sure your kids can cope. Be engaged, and together we will help your kids navigate through what is proving to be a very active school year.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER Oct. 17th-20th
Nov.10th
Theme Night Prep after school
Christian Service Hours Due
Oct.21st
Nov. 11th
Theme Night!
Veterans’ Day-No School
Oct.24th
Nov. 16th
Independent Study- No Classes
End of 2nd Grading Period
Oct. 25th
Nov. 23rd-25th
General Parent Meeting, 7:00pm
Thanksgiving Vacation-No School
Oct. 28th
Please check the school calendar at http://www.providencehigh.org
Halloween Dance
5