VOL. 30 / NO. 2 / SPRING 2014
Science Matters: SJND is on the Leading Edge of Learning Spring Musical Debuts at New Theater Pilot Pride Sports Roundup The Legacy of Botanist Dennis Breedlove ’57 Alumni News
principal’s Message
Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends, One of the most vivid memories I have of my first year here at SJND is stepping into the newly completed Anthony V. Aiello Science Center for the first time. It looked like no other science building I had ever seen at a high school. The rooms were spacious, the building was beautifully designed and the equipment was all brand new (and, in some cases, unfamiliar to this former English teacher). Over the past seven years, the building has served our students well and science continues to be a signature part of our academic program, which grew this year to include the new Biomedical Sciences program at SJND. In this issue’s cover story, “Science Matters,” you’ll learn more about the latest advances in our science program and how science at SJND represents the leading edge of learning at a time when educators are proposing sweeping changes to the way science is taught in schools. The science center at SJND, together with the school’s science curriculum, has also helped to advance science education in the Diocese of Oakland. Four years ago, SJND was asked to sponsor the annual diocesan science fair for 7th and 8th grade students. Prior to SJND sponsorship, it had been many years since there was a diocese-wide science fair. In recognition of our program and facilities, the diocese proposed that SJND sponsor this annual event, which typically gathers more than 130 of the top science students in the East Bay on our campus. The display of science projects has helped to raise the level of expectations for science education in our diocese, and we are proud to partner in this ongoing growth and development of science education. Another of our academic initiatives that we undertook last year was to beef up SJND’s college counseling program. Since hiring a full-time college counselor at the beginning of last school year, students have already seen the benefits of our investment. A series of senior class meetings this fall, during which our college counselor, Dr. Angelica Bailon, worked with every single member of our senior class on the application process, along with the numerous
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college visits she has made on our behalf has resulted in some impressive early admissions for members of the Class of 2014. This year, Dr. Bailon is launching a new initiative with the Class of 2016. She has arranged to take the sophomores on college visits, so that they will be prepared to ask questions and evaluate each college in order to make the best choice by the time they are seniors. Half the class will visit Santa Clara University, and the other half will visit Saint Mary’s College, and they will learn how to get the most out of their college visits. This school year has been such a positive and exciting one for so many reasons: The success of our fall sports, the great support for our student fundraiser and the important work our faculty continues to do with students in the classroom. And, with spring, we are looking forward to more soccer, basketball, swimming, lacrosse, softball, baseball and track, and we applaud as our thespians prepare to bring the spring musical to the stage. Finally, we look forward to the time when all of our seniors have chosen their top colleges and prepare to move onto university. Thank you for the support you give to SJND that allows all of this great work to happen.
Simon Chiu
VOL . 30 / NO. 2 / SPRING 2014
Simon Chiu Principal Rebecca Bischoff Assistant Principal of Institutional Advancement Mary McInerney Director of Communications Marci Stewart ’91 Graphic Design Chris Duffey, Mary McInerney, Tomas Pineda Photography Update magazine is published twice a year by the Institutional Advancement Office at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School.
FEATURES 4 Early College Admissions News
is Very Encouraging
“I won’t be hearing from my last two colleges for a few more months,” said Alexa Martinez ’14. “But this was a great Christmas present!”
9 Math is Life: A Look at the Renewed
Math Program at SJND
Faculty member Sean Rhatigan explores what’s behind the increases in students taking higher math.
10 Science Matters
SJND is on the leading edge of science learning and has in place many of the new Next Generation Science Standards.
Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School 1011 Chestnut Street Alameda, CA 94501 www.sjnd.org • (510) 523-1526
DEPARTMENTS Saint Joseph Notre Dame is a dynamic, Catholic parish high school that offers a rigorous college preparatory education. We are a faith-filled, diverse and welcoming community that embraces the teachings of Jesus Christ. We develop confident, open-minded, generous leaders who are ready to live joyful lives of faith, scholarship and service.
6 Campus News
Pilot Pride Sports Roundup Spring Musical Debuts at Michaan Theater A New Deacon at SJND
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Alumni News Marielle Heller ’97 Returns to San Francisco to Direct First Film Spring 2014 Update 3
update Feature
Exciting Early College News for the Class of 2014
“We are so proud that our students are receiving recognition from the colleges for their potential, hard work, and many contributions to the community.”
T
he early college news for the Class of 2014 at SJND is very encouraging, with seniors getting into their first choice top-tier colleges and universities, along with generous offers of merit scholarships. “In a year when many colleges and universities are already seeing significant increases in their applications for admission, it is a thrill that our students are not only being admitted, but receiving substantial merit-based scholarships,” said Dr. Angelica Bailon, head of college counseling at SJND. “We are so proud that our students are receiving recognition from the colleges for their potential, hard work, and many contributions to the community.” Seniors were encouraged in the fall to apply early action to their top colleges, and many received happy Christmas news over the holidays, including:
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• Lena Jennings (above center) was accepted to: Willamette University, which offered her a scholarship totaling $92,000 over four years; University of Vermont, which offered her a scholarship totaling $88,000 over four years; California Lutheran University, which offered her a scholarship totaling $88,000 over four years and Drexel University, which offered her a scholarship totaling $44,000 over four years. She was also accepted to Purdue University, Fordham University, Hope College and Loyola Marymount University. She is waiting to hear from the University of Pennsylvania, Duke University and the University of San Diego. • Alexa Martinez was accepted to Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, ranked one of the top undergraduate business programs in the nation, and received the Dean’s Scholarship, worth $20,000 annually. She also was accepted to: Boston College; Elon University, which offered her the Presidential Scholarship totaling $72,000; St. Edward’s University, which offered her the President’s Excellence Scholarship, worth $80,000 over four years; Chapman University, which offered her the Chancellor’s Scholarship, worth $80,000 over four years; and, Loyal Marymount University. • Will Keane was accepted to: Tulane University honors program and received the Founders Scholarship totaling
$88,000 over four years; the honors program at St. Edward’s University and received the President’s Excellence Scholarship totaling $80,000 over four years; and, the honors college at Drexel University, where he received the A.J. Drexel Scholarship, totaling $64,000 over four years.
From last year’s class, 99 percent went onto college, and 85 percent are attending a four-year institution. The national average for college attendance by high school graduates is 64 percent. • Kim Gonzalez was accepted to the University of Portland and was offered the Presidential Scholarship totaling $88,000 over four years.
Scene On Campus A Warrior at Play Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors is an honorary Pilot these days, after visiting SJND twice to film videos in the Kelly Gym. Most recently, Curry invited students to play basketball with him for an NBA Fit video. He was also at SJND in September to shoot a cover for Slam magazine and to film a video for Under Armour. The photo session was set up by Kris Stone ’91, director of basketball marketing for Under Armour. “This gym is a great place to film,” said Stone, who played on the 1991 state championship team with friend Jason Kidd ’92. “It looks amazing, and it holds a lot of great memories.”
• Kevin Pardo was accepted to Fordham University and Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, which offered him the Honors at Entrance Merit Scholarship, worth $52,000 over four years. • Lydia Hall, who is interested in studying animal sciences in a pre-veterinary curriculum in college, was admitted to Purdue University and was also admitted to and offered scholarships to attend the University of Vermont, Saint Mary’s College and Mississippi State University. • Melanie Shojinaga was accepted to Saint Mary’s College and received the Honors at Entrance Merit Scholarship ($13,000 renewable for four years) and qualifies to compete for their Presidential Scholarship (an additional $11,000 per year). • Janelle De Dios was accepted to Dominican University and was offered the Trustee Scholarship worth $21,000 per year. • Giulia Marinos was admitted to Seattle University and was offered the Trustee Scholarship, worth $80,000 over four years. The UCs will send out admittances in February and March, while the Cal State Universities are informing seniors now of their admittance. Seniors have until May 1 to inform the college of their choice that they will be attending. From last year’s class, 99 percent went onto college, and 85 percent are attending a four-year institution. The national average for college attendance by high school graduates is 64 percent. The Class of 2013, earned more than 100 college scholarships, honors and awards, worth $3.6 million, a 15 percent increase over 2012. “I won’t be hearing from my last two colleges for a few more months,” said Alexa Martinez. “But this was a great Christmas present!” n
An Ambassador on a Mission Kobi Allston ’17 was an Ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk at the Oakland Zoo in October, and she spoke out at the Bay Area event in support of other teens and children with diabetes. “It makes it easier to cope with being diabetic,” she said. “It helps you to forget it if you can be there for other people.” Kobi, of San Leandro, was profiled on the Cal-Hi Sports TV program for her commitment to the juvenile diabetes cause. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 9, but today is healthy and competes on the SJND women’s varsity volleyball team.
A Runaway Roller Coaster Students rocked Chestnut Street with an enthusiastic and incredibly spirited Spirit Rally in November that featured all four classes vying for bragging rights to the best version of the school’s popular “roller coaster” cheer. Go Pilots! For video of these scenes on campus and more, visit SJND.org.
Spring 2014 Update 5
campus News
PILOT PRIDE Coach Lippi: What Motivates Us to Win As the men’s basketball team builds a winning season for 2014, you might be surprised by what inspires them. Coach Don Lippi said he and the team are motivated by last year’s heartbreaking state championship loss, which was decided at the final buzzer.
Temidayo Yussuf Makes Official Commitment to Long Beach
Temidayo Yussuf ’14 thanked his parents, his coaches and his teachers—everyone who has helped him over the years to achieve his dream of playing college basketball. On Nov. 17, he signed his NCAA letter of intent to play for Long Beach State next year. The 6’ 7” power forward has gone to the state championship three times with SJND. “Just to know that it’s finally done with, and that my next four years are settled is great,” he said. “Besides going to Long Beach State, I’m most excited knowing that I’m basically going to college for free and playing the sport I love,” he said.
“It was right in the palm of our hand,” Lippi said. “But when you have it taken away from you like that, you really appreciate the beauty of winning.” Specifically, they are motivated by a large photo (above) of the moment they loss, which is mounted in Lippi’s office. Every day as they head out to practice in Kelly Gym, they pass it. The photo captures the stunning moment after SJND lost the Div. V boys basketball state championship game last March to Horizon Christian Academy of San Diego, when a 30-foot shot at the buzzer handed the Pilots a 47-46 loss. “It was right in the palm of our hand,” Lippi said in an interview with the Oakland Tribune. “But when you have it taken away from you like that, you really appreciate the beauty of winning.” For up-to-date information on the basketball team and playoffs, go to SJND.org n 6 Saint Joseph Notre Dame
Yussuf has had an amazing season as a senior, leading the team with an average of 18 points a game and dominating the Pilots’ defense. Video of his 80-foot shot to tie a Jan. 24 game with El Cerrito went viral and was chosen as a Top10 Play by SportsCenter. n
Cross Country Wins Second Straight State Championship Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School won its second straight California Div. V boys state cross country team title on Nov. 30 with 64 points, a huge 55 points ahead of second-place Marin Academy. The Pilots also produced the third-fastest team time in CIF state Div. V boys’ history (1 hour, 21 minutes, 47 seconds). The championship is in sharp contrast to last year’s state title, which the Pilots won by one point. The Pilots, who had only two seniors on their seven-man state championship team this season, also won their fourth straight North Coast Section
Div. V team title with a time of 1:17.41, which ranked second in all divisions that day. SJND also won its second straight Tri-County Athletic League championship.
Women’s Volleyball Advances to NorCal Finals
The cross country team proved their depth and team commitment were a winning combination, ensuring that even the fifth place runner for SJND, Chris Melendez ’14, who placed 32nd with a time of 16:56 earned important points for the team.
The Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School women’s volleyball team for the first time in school history made it to the NorCal finals, with a chance to represent Northern California in the state championships.
“Playing in a big match like this, you’ve got to get used to it,” SJND Coach Edwin Chen said. “You’ve got to get in a rhythm and we were finally able to get into one in the end there.” The team played the Branson School at the College of Marin Dec. 2 in the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) Northern California Div. V finals. For the fifth year in a row, Branson won the NorCal finals, following a 25-16, 25-16, 25-20 sweep of SJND.
The Pilots were paced by a fourth-place finish from Gabe Arias-Sheridan ’14 (15:42), who was named one of the season’s top runners by the Bay Area News Group. Other Pilots scorers included Michael Murphy ’15 (ninth, 16:10), Matthew Murphy ’15 (16th, 16:29) and Cooper Teare ’17 (17th, 16:30). Arias-Sheridan passed the one-mile mark in third (5:00) and the two-mile mark in fourth (10:05). “I followed my strategy and I had something to kick in,” Arias-Sheridan told the Bay Area News Group, adding that he kicked to pass Marin Academy’s James Kinney in the final meters of the race. “I just tried to run a smart race.”
In the third game, the Pilots (32-10) started to string together points and had a 17-15 lead. “Playing in a big match like this, you’ve got to get used to it,” SJND Coach Edwin Chen said. “You’ve got to get in a rhythm and we were finally able to get into one in the end there.” Rebecca Langowski ’15 led the way with 12 kills. She was followed by Emma Doud ’16 with eight kills, and Dana Pineda ’15 and Allie Oilar ’15 each had 11 assists. In January, Max Preps named Rebecca, Maddie and Alexa to the 2013 All-State Volleyball Team for Div. V. n
Michael Murphy passed the one-mile mark in 5:03 and was eighth at the two-mile mark (10:22). “I was just sort of trying to get into the top 10 early and stay there,” he said. n
Check the SJND.org Athletics page for all team schedules and complete rosters for each team. Go Pilots!
Spring 2014 Update 7
campus News
SJND Campus Minister Ordained as a Deacon Director of Campus Ministry Jimmy Macalinao, who serves our school so capably by running our liturgies and retreat program, was ordained a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church by Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland on November 16. As a Deacon, he is able to perform weddings and funerals, perform baptisms and preach the Gospel and homily at Masses. He will also work in hospital and other outreach ministries to the sick and poor here in the diocese. The Bishop has assigned him to serve in the St. Joseph parish, where he can continue his valuable work with SJND students. “Congratulations to Deacon Macalinao upon his ordination, a culmination of five years of academic and spiritual preparation,” said Principal Simon Chiu. “We are blessed to have a religious on our faculty here at SJND and look forward to his ministry to our school and our parish.” n
33nd Annual Crab Feed
The Old Hollywood Crab Feed and Auction on Feb. 1 was a resounding success, enjoyed by all of the parents, alumni, faculty and friends who attended. The event featured a special performance by SJND’s musical theatre students that captivated the audience. Thanks to all for the outstanding volunteer support. Looking forward to seeing you at the Crab Feed next year!
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Spring Musical to Debut at Michaan’s Auction House Theater More than 30 of SJND’s students were cast in the spring musical, In the Heights, the Tony Awardwinning story set in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, and dozens more students will help stage the production at Michaan’s Auction House Theater in Alameda.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT SJND.BPT.ME FOR PERFORMANCES MARCH 7 THROUGH 15 Lauren Rosi, the musical theatre teacher at SJND and director of In the Heights, came away from auditions impressed by the level of talent students presented. “This casting process was incredibly challenging as there is so much talent to choose from,” she said. “Thank you to all who auditioned. I wish I could cast all of you! I am proud of the bravery and talent you shared with us.” The cast includes: Alexa Martinez as Nina Rosario; Erik Castillo as Benny; Carlos Rodriguez as Piragua Guy; Chloe Cunningham as Carla; Daniela Chaparro as Daniela; Vanessa Palacios as Connie; Austine de los Santos and Laurence Atkins as the graffiti artist; Karina Leon as Abuela Claudia; Kevin Dyer as Sonny; Ruben Souza as Usnavi; Emilio Sanchez as Kevin Rosario; Bianca de la Cruz as Camila Rosario; and, Diana Robles as Vanessa. The ensemble includes: Kerri Hare, Chloe Baquiran, Meredith McMurray, Joanna Fontillas, Janely Gomez, Jalia Robertson, Elijah Fisher, Jordan Dyson, Haile Wayne, Stephanie McAdams, Temiadyo Yussuf, Adriana Morales, Alyssa Gable, Jhsiri Emerson, Grace Norris and Javia Anderson. n
Math Is Life: Teaching and Learning Math at SJND By Sean Rhatigan SJND students embrace a challenge. The SJND math department provides that challenge in the form of college preparatory math classes with a math curriculum culminating in college-level, Advanced Placement classes in calculus and statistics. We expect our students to attend college, and we expect many of them to continue to study math, science, engineering and other related fields. We want them to be prepared to succeed in those fields of study, and our math teachers and students work very hard to ensure that success. We have come a long way in the past six years. During my first year at SJND, 13 students took AP Calculus. Candidly, the students’ expectations for the class were modest. Many of the students were not confident in their ability or in the preparation they had received. Over the past six years, we have been able to build our students’ confidence and expectations. Last year, 23 students took AP Calculus exams, and 21 of those students passed the exam, with an average score just under 4 (out of a possible 5). This year, 41 students are taking AP Calculus classes and 15 more students are taking our new AP Statistics class—an increase of more than 400 percent since 2008. Nearly 50 percent of seniors are taking an AP math class. Many different factors contribute to this growing interest and success in advanced math classes. Members of the Math Department welcome students before school, at lunch and after school, meeting to talk about math, homework or exams. We’re more than glad to meet with students in classes other than our own, and we collaborate well as a faculty to coordinate curriculum and identify students’ individual needs, including those who need a bigger challenge. Student surveys consistently show that math classes are among the most popular classes at SJND, and 98 percent of our students take the equivalent of four or more years of math at SJND, with very few students discontinuing their studies after meeting the minimum math requirements. SJND attracts excellent students from a wide range of middle schools. About half of our students begin their high school math careers in either Algebra 2 Trigonometry or Geometry, which sets them up to take AP Calculus as juniors or seniors. For students who start in Algebra 1, we provide opportunities to accelerate by studying Geometry, or occasionally PreCalculus, in an intensive summer course. We know our students and their abilities well, and we are flexible enough to recognize when a student is ready to take on a bigger challenge. We are enthusiastic about teaching math, and we convey that enthusiasm to our students. After all, math is life. We work
... we have been able to build our students’ confidence and expectations. Last year, 23 students took AP Calculus exams, and 21 of those students passed the exam... very hard to explain the relationship between the seemingly abstract concepts of math and the physical and financial realities of the world. Exponential and logarithmic concepts underlie population concepts in biology, as well as rates of return in banking and investments. Rate of change and accumulation of change, the fundamental concepts addressed by calculus, are everywhere—from rates of decay of radioactive material to inventory control programs for retailers and speedometer and odometer readings on cars. SJND and the Math Department continue to build on the success our students have enjoyed during recent years. We are considering adding a one-semester class in Trigonometry to supplement the material covered in our Honors Algebra 2 Trigonometry and Honors Pre-Calculus classes. We have also discussed introducing an AP Calculus class paced to cover material from both the AB and BC curriculums in one year. We are proud of the accomplishments of our students. We continue to work hard developing our course offerings, providing challenges for our students that will prepare them well for success in their college careers. Sean Rhatigan has taught at SJND for six years. He teaches AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC, in addition to Honors Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. n Spring 2014 Update 9
UpdateFeature
Science Matters
SJND is on the Leading Edge of Science Learning In Room 44, a crime is taking place, and there are 20 crime solvers scrutinizing blood spatters and discussing whether the victim was beaten, shot or fell and hit her head during a drug overdose.
I
t’s a lot to absorb—talk of internal body temperatures, gaping wounds and bloody crime scenes—but the freshman students in Principles of Biomedical Sciences are completely engaged as they recreate blood spatters with eye droppers and measure the distance between drops. “Nasty,” one girl whispers, as she and a small group of her classmates gather around a lab table, turning to their laptops to note their data and then questioning their research in a group discussion. These students are working on collegelevel concepts: finding the scientific proof behind the blood spatters, as well as learning how to type blood and how time of death is calculated using internal body temperatures. “If she got hit while she was standing up, then the blood would look like this,” said Morgan Griffith ’14, as he pointed with a metric stick to a spattering on newspaper he had created with his group. The class represents the leading edge of science learning, not just at SJND but across the country. The nation’s future is increasingly tied to schools that teach science well, and educators are proposing sweeping changes —known as the Next Generation Science Standards—to the way science is taught in schools, emphasizing hands-on learning and teaching students how to collect and understand scientific evidence. The good news? SJND already meets many of the Next Generation Science Standards, developed by teachers, scientists and business leaders along with the National Research Council, the American Association for the
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“We’re going to go from teaching kids how to memorize terms to giving kids hands-on 21st century learning,” said Muhammed Chaudry, president and CEO for the Silicon Valley Education Foundation Advancement of Science and the National Science Teacher Association and published in April 2013. At SJND, for example, these proposals are being met daily: • Students should learn to construct scientific models. Mr. Fong’s Honors Chemistry class created a drug to treat radiation exposure in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. • Schools will be called upon to introduce the science of climate change. This is a topic that students in the AP Environmental Science and AP Biology classes are researching, more specifically, humans’ affect overall on the planet, including deforestation, ecology and global warming. Marine Biology students, meanwhile, participate in coastal cleanups at the San Francisco Bay, a few blocks away. • Teachers should move away from simply presenting scientific facts in a classroom and asking students to memorize them. Perhaps the best example of this is what is happening inside Room 44, but it is also happening in other science classrooms, including AP Physics, where students are figuring out how to calculate the measurements of a skateboard ramp so that a skateboarder can jump precisely off the ramp with the best chance of landing on the skateboard. “There’s physics everywhere, and students create their own physics problems, where they take data, measure it and present it,”
Students collaborate with teachers and with each other while working on labs at SJND.
said teacher Ed Chen. “What’s interesting is applying it to everyday life.” With the new standards, the focus is learning how science is done—something SJND students work on in the Science Center’s labs, developing and testing ideas, learning what accounts for strong or weak scientific evidence and figuring out insights from the scientific fields (biology, chemistry, physics) and seeing how it all fits together in the world. “We’re going to go from teaching kids how to memorize terms to giving kids hands-on 21st century learning,” Muhammed Chaudry, president and
CEO for the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for more and better education in math and science, said in a New York Times article about the Next Generation Science Standards.
New Biomedical Sciences Curriculum In Room 44, the freshman students are the first class enrolled in SJND’s new Biomedical Sciences program. They are in their first class, too, taking Principles of Biomedical Sciences, which the students can follow with three more years
Spring 2014 Update 11
update Feature
Teacher Heida Shaw pauses to encourage Biomedical Science students to collect more evidence.
“In the next decade, the number of jobs requiring highly technical skills is expected to outpace other occupations,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, in a statement. “The Next Generation Science Standards will help students achieve real-world practical skills so they can help maintain California’s economic and technological leadership in the world.” of biomedical science courses. The new program has one of the most innovative and rigorous STEM curricula in the nation and inspires students to explore human physiology, medicine, research processes and bioinformatics, preparing them well for college and careers in science. The courses in the four-year curriculum at SJND are developed by Project Lead The Way, a leading non-profit provider of Science, Technology, Engineering and
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Math curricula in the United States. The PLTW biomedical sciences curriculum is aligned with both Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. According to SJND Science Chair Kristina Taylor, STEM education is at the heart of the today’s highly skilled tech and science-based global economy, and the Biomedical Sciences program was developed to give students an opportunity to excel in a growing field. SJND sought out the PLTW curriculum, because the organization has created a
powerful relationship with colleges and universities across the nation to provide the best opportunities for students who graduate with a certificate from the Biomedical Sciences program at SJND. “Our school works closely with PLTW to ensure that the Biomedical Sciences program prepares students well for college and for careers in science,” said Taylor. SJND teachers receive additional professional development so they are able to keep current with the curriculum. The Biomedical Sciences program is the next step at SJND, which has top-level science facilities and where all but two of the valedictorians over the past decade have gone into the sciences at the college level. By adding the program, SJND is in tune with the new Next Generation Science Standards. The science faculty at SJND will consider formally adopting the Next Generation Science Standards at the end of this school year, Taylor said. Currently, SJND follows
the National Science Education Standards to inform the school’s curriculum. That places SJND ahead of the state’s adoption of the new guidelines, which California is expected to give serious consideration for its public schools in the next several years. “In the next decade, the number of jobs requiring highly technical skills is expected to outpace other occupations,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, in a statement. “The Next Generation Science Standards will help students achieve real-world practical skills so they can help maintain California’s economic and technological leadership in the world.”
The Why of Science Teacher Heida Shaw, who leads the Principles of Biomedical Sciences class, is a big fan of scientist Carl Sagan, who once said, “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.”
STEM STEM Works
• STEM jobs are expected to grow 17 percent between 2008 and 2018, compared to 9.8 percent for non-STEM occupations • People with STEM careers earn 26 percent more than their non-STEM colleagues • More than two-thirds of STEM workers have at least a college degree, compared to less than one-third of non-STEM workers • In 2010, 7.6 million people –or 1 in 18 U.S. workers – held STEM jobs
Source: U.S. Commerce Department, 2011
In Room 44, Shaw walks among the lab tables, at times encouraging students to ask more questions and other times urging them to collect small pieces of data, by saying, “These are little puzzle pieces we’re putting together.” The techniques work, as the students take on the responsibility of coming up with fingerprint tests and study a database of information regarding their victim. Katherine Carino ’17 is taking the Principles of Biomedical Sciences to explore whether she wants to pursue the sciences in college and as a career. It is not what she expected. “It’s more hands-on than I thought it would be,” she said. “It’s interesting.” As for the teacher, Shaw says the biomedical science class fits the perfect definition of how science should be taught. “I love this class,” she said. “This taps into the why of science.” n
Spring 2014 Update 13
alumni News
REUNION ROUNDUP A LOOK AT THE 2013 REUNIONS
SJND Class of 1993 - 20th Reunion Class of 1993 celebrated their 20-year reunion at Rockwall Winery on November 23. The planning committee included Christina Margate, Christina (Hall) Ramos, Michelle Bautista, Erika Perez, Cathy Gacad and Aimee (Abellar) Feraren, and they did a wonderful job setting the scene for reuniting with SJND friends.
The Class of 1993 got together for dancing, wine and appetizers at a winery on the former Navy base in Alameda, with amazing views of the San Francisco skyline.
The Rockwall Winery event dome is located at the tip of the former Navy base in Alameda and has an amazing view of the San Francisco skyline. There was dancing and delicious wine and appetizers. Christina (Hall) Ramos designed table displays and candles from old yearbook clippings which added to the nostalgic setting. A great time was had by all.
Saint Joseph and Notre Dame Classes of 1978 35th Reunion
SJND Class of 2008 - 5 Year Reunion
Several members of the Class of 1978 who were unable to attend their 35th reunion in August at 1400 Club in Alameda got together for lunch to mark the anniversary. “As friends and members of the Class of 78, we wanted to acknowledge our fellow classmates on our 35th year since graduating from SJND,� said Shirley Orille Brazis, who was joined by Janice Espanto Gomez and Terri Porcuna Quinones.
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Class of 2008 held their five-year reunion the weekend of the SJND Alumni Homecoming celebration. About 28 alums were able to make it, some of them from out of town who were in the Bay Area visiting their families for Thanksgiving. The class gathered at the newest Italian restaurant in town, Trabocco Kitchen and Cocktails at the South Shore Center. The restaurant made their outdoor patio available, and the class reminisced and caught up on the last five years. Thanks to Anna Kittitanphan and Angela de Mesa for planning such a successful reunion.
Saint Joseph and Notre Dame Classes of 1949 65th Reunion Class of 1949, led by Jack Veasy ’49 and wife Teresa, hosted a reunion luncheon October 26 at Pier 29 Restaurant in Alameda. The Veasys plan an annual luncheon for the class, and this year, 14 alumnae attended with spouses. Following the reunion, Director of Annual Fund and Alumni Relations Mollie McFarland gave the group a tour of the school. Many of the folks had not been to SJND since they graduated in 1949. The group had a chance to see the Anthony V. Aiello Science Center, the Kelly Gymnasium and the newly renovated Marianist Hall. A few of them took a trip back in time when they saw their younger selves staring back at them from the archival class photos hanging in the halls of Marianist Hall. “It was enjoyed by all who attended,” said Teresa Veasy, “and we were amazed at the updates.”
Many of the folks had not been to SJND since they graduated in 1949. “We were amazed at the updates,” said Teresa Veasy
SJND Class of 1983 - 30 Year Reunion Class of 1983 celebrated their 30 year reunion on October 25 at Otaez Restaurant in Alameda. A wonderful time was had by all. Folks danced the night away to Rock Lobster and other Eighties hits and remembered the good times at SJND. Some of the cheerleaders reunited, classmates looked through old year books and there were even Pilots raffle prizes given away.
Spring 2014 2010 Update 15 21
update Feature
San Francisco’s Mesoamerican Cloud Forest
The Legacy of Botanist Dennis Breedlove ’57 Today, a rare cloud forest is alive and well and living in San Francisco because of the work of Dr. Dennis Breedlove, who graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1957. In the 1960s and early 1970s, Dr. Breedlove, a botanist and curator at the California Academy of Sciences, began studying the plants and flowers of Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state. He collected specimens, drawing the curiosity of the local Mayans, whom he towered over at 6‘ 6.” He brought back cuttings and seeds to San Francisco because he recognized the similarities in climate with Chiapas. Among the cuttings he brought back were samples from a large bush with red and gold flowers. Botanists named it
Deppea splendens. When Breedlove went back in 1986 to the site in Chiapas where he found it, the shrubs were gone and a cornfield had been planted. The plant has never again been seen in the wild, although it survives in San Francisco, due to Breedlove’s effort. In Chiapas today, 90 percent of the cloud forest has been lost. Breedlove’s collection is the foundation of the Cloud Forest at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. It thrives, as plants he started in 1984 now tower outdoors in the Botanical Gardens. Breedlove, for whom a genus of moss is named (Breedlovea), died last year. “There are vey few gardens on the planet that grow these plants,” said Botanical Garden Curator Don Mahoney, who worked with Breedlove. The landscape attempts to re-create the feeling of an actual cloud forest, employing trees, shrubs, groundcovers, ferns, vines and epiphytes to create masses of dense vegetation. The collection has matured into a realistic representation of cloud forest habitat. Oaks, pines, alders and other trees are now 20 or more feet tall, providing shade and shelter for a host of shrubs and flowers. Vines grow around some of the larger trunks and branches, creating a wild and jungle-like effect.
In Chiapas today, 90 percent of the cloud forest has been lost. Breedlove’s collection is the foundation of the Cloud Forest at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. It thrives, as plants he started in 1984 now tower outdoors in the Botanical Gardens. Breedlove, for whom a genus of moss is named (Breedlovea), died last year. To view a video of the Cloud Forest at the San Francisco Botanical Garden and learn more about Dennis Breedlove’s work, visit SJND.org. n
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Marielle Heller ’97 Makes Film Directing Debut Mari Heller returned to the San Francisco area recently to direct her first film, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, starring Kristin Wiig, Alexander Skarsgard and Bel Powley. Heller, who graduated from UCLA and lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., is a writer, director and actor. She wrote the screenplay for The Diary of a Teenage Girl and brought it to stage, starring in the lead role. The screenplay and film are based on a graphic novel by Phoebe Gloeckner and centers on a teenage artist living in San Francisco in the 1970s as she attempts to navigate her way through an affair with her mother’s boyfriend. According to Variety, Heller developed the project at the Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs. Some of Marielle’s credits include being selected as a 2012 Sundance Screenwriting Fellow and 2012 Sundance Directing Fellow, as well as being honored with the Lynn Auerbach Screenwriting Fellowship and The Maryland Film Festival Fellowship. Her writing credits include pilots for ABC and 20th Century Fox, and multiple screenplays and theatrical plays. n
2014 REUNIONS Looking ahead: Learn How to Plan Your Reunion Does your graduation year end in a 4 or a 9? Congratulations, 2014 is your reunion year! We can help get you started by spreading the word, by getting you contacts and by offering fun and memorable reunion ideas. If you’re interested in serving as your class representative and want to lead the planning of your celebration, let us know.
Kevin Kelly ’79 carries on family tradition, wins top business award Packaging executive Kevin Kelly, CEO of flexible packaging manufacturer Emerald Packaging Inc. in Union City, recently received the Western Plastics Association’s highest honor, its 2013 Leo Shluker Award. WPA represents the broad interests of the plastics industry in the western U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Since 1998, Kelly has served two terms as president of the association and three terms as vice president.
also has a history of personal philanthropy and charity, which leads him to be charitable in his business life as well,” sharing information, knowledge and advice “to help other business executives be successful.” Kelly graduated from Santa Clara University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and the London School of Economics with a master’s degree in economics. He worked for nine years as a journalist with McGraw-Hill’s BusinessWeek in the magazine’s Los Angeles, Dallas and Chicago bureaus.
He joined Emerald Packaging in 1996, held various positions in the company and became CEO in 2002, following his father, James P. Kelly, who is married to Rosaleen Kelly ’51. Kevin Kelly’s “Kevin is highly intelligent and has a brother, James M. Kelly ’76, is execuglobal perspective,” Catherine Browne, tive vice president for key accounts and general manager of Crown Poly Inc. in their sister, Maura Kelly ’80 Koberlein, Huntington Park, Calif., said in an aris executive vice president in charge of ticle profiling Kelly in Plastics News. “He production scheduling. n
For all those interested in helping plan your 2014 class reunion, please attend an informational gathering on March 18, 6:30 to 7 p.m., in San Jose Hall on the SJND campus. Hear tips from other alumni and SJND staff about how to plan a fun, well-attended and memorable reunion. RSVP to Mollie McFarland at mmcfarland@sjnd.org, (510) 995-9456. It’s also traditional to make a class gift in a reunion year. As a part of your planning process, please consider how your class might make a gift to Saint Joseph Notre Dame’s students today so that they too will benefit from the same quality high school education that you did. Funds raised trough reunions support everything from tuition assistance to campus upgrades.
Spring 2014 Update 17
alumni News
Where Our Pilots Are Flying Now and went on to pursue her master’s in social work at Washington University in St. Louis. After five years of intensive postgraduate training to become a psychoanalyst, Vanessa opened her private practice in New York City. She worked in psychiatric settings and on staff at NYU as a psychotherapist with students for a number of years prior to opening her practice. “I have positive memories of my time at SJND and see that some of my former teachers are still there (including Mr. Ritter and Mr. Fong).” Remember us? Join us at Alumni Homecoming next November!
1950s
Robert B. Thompson ’53, of Yountville, is a successful visual artist who shows his work throughout the Bay Area. Most recently his work has been featured at the Napa County Library and at the Marines’ Memorial Club in San Francisco. He taught at SJND in 1964 and for several years lived in Alameda, showing his work at the Frank Bette Center for the Arts. Between 1986 and 2010, Robert’s work was also displayed at the California State Fair and the Allied Artists’ show in New York.
1960s Nancy Lawson ’64, of Loudon, Tenn., and her husband, Joseph, retired and moved from California in 2005 to Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains and live on 4.5 acres, where they built their retirement home on the Tennessee River. They have 13 grandchildren, a dog and a cat. They travel a lot, especially cruises with a great group of folks from their church.
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1970s
Antonio LaRosa ’74, of Oakland, is a retired automotive and equipment worker for the Bay Area Transit Agency, as well as a heavy duty diesel mechanic and 31 Army Reserve Warrant Officer. Loretta Ferro Gravelle ’78, of Alameda, celebrated her 21st wedding anniversary to her husband Allen Gravelle. They met when they were ages 9 and 11, through Eagle Scouts in Alameda, where Loretta’s brother, Mark Ferro ’73, was also an Eagle Scout. Loretta and Allen’s son Travis, 18, recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop 2, the oldest scout troop in Alameda. They also have two daughters, Amanda, 16, and Brandy, 14, and are proud of all their children and their accomplishments. Ana Ruiz Lail ’79, of Fairfield, and her husband David Lail are retired and currently live in Angola, Africa.
1990s
Vanessa Jackson ’94, of Brooklyn, N.Y., graduated from UC Berkeley
Robert Jang ’99, of Hayward, and his wife, Anna Hernandez, have been happily married for five years and have been traveling the world. They’ve been to Europe twice, gone zip-lining in Costa Rica, and travelled to the Hawaiian Islands four times. Robert has been working in IT at the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco for the past eight years.
2000s
Christopher Aria ’08, of Alameda, attended UC Davis on a four-year tennis scholarship and, upon graduation, competed on the U.S. Tennis Association’s NorCal Men’s Open Circuit. He achieved the No. 1 ranking
on the circuit in March 2013, having reached the finals of nine tournaments, winning four, and earning nearly $2,000 in prize money. Chris took a break from tennis to take the LSAT in October and he plans to go to law school. Christopher L. Aldous ’09, of Lafayette, works in San Leandro as a warehouse worker. He finished school at Diablo Valley College and has an associate’s degree in Geographic Information Systems. Chris also volunteered for the East Bay Regional Park District in the Redwood forest, Mount Diablo State Park and the Martinez Wildlife Preserve. Angelica Alleyne ’09, of Oakland, is a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. She is a graduate of Dominican University and attended the Air Born School. Angelica is one of the first female officers assigned to the field artillery as an Intelligence Officer. Jomar Martinez ’09, of San Jose, is a senior at San Jose State University, pursuing a degree in musical theater. This past November and December he performed in the production of “The Snow Queen,” adapted as a rock musical, at San Jose Repertory Theater. Joseph Vacca ’09, of San Leandro, graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last year with a degree in biochemistry. He is now working toward a graduate degree in biology with a stem cell specialization. In July, he will begin a nine-month internship in San Diego.
Join Us on Facebook! Like Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School on Facebook, and you will automatically receive updates on the school, announcements and invitations to events. The school’s Facebook fan page is also a great way to get in touch with classmates and find out about reunion groups. Find us at: http://www.facebook.com/ pages/Saint-Joseph-Notre-Dame-High-School n
2010s Casey Greer ’12, of Union City, is currently a biology major at Ohlone College and will be continuing on to medical school to pursue a career as a pediatric surgeon. Casey was an MVP on the SJND’s cheer squad her senior year, and she took part in cheering on the Pilots with other alumni at the Alumni Homecoming games in November. Crystal Lee ’12, of Oakland, is having an active sophomore year at UC Berkeley. She is a chemistry tutor and is two belts away from earning her first-degree black belt in tae kwan do, and she also works for the University of California Martial Arts Program. Phoebe Grunt ’13, of Alameda, was selected as an All-Big West Honorable Mention for her outstanding play on the UC Santa Barbara women’s volleyball team, which was a co-winner of the Big West conference and went on to the NCAA playoffs. She was also named All-Freshman in the Big West.
Correction Rachel-Anne Palacios ’92, of Oakland, was inadvertently included in SJND’s 30 Under 30 feature in the last issue of Update.
•••
To submit alumni news, please contact Molly McFarland at mmcfarland@sjnd.org or 510-995-9456.
Your gift makes a difference. All gifts, no matter what size, help us take Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School and its students to new heights. Learn more and make your gift today at www.sjnd.org or call 510-995-9456.
ANNUAL FUND
REUNION CLASS GIVING
ENDOWMENT FUND
Spring 2013 Update 19
AlumniNews
Homecoming 2013:
Welcoming Hundreds Back to SJND
Mollie McFarland is SJND’s new alumni relations director, and here she talks about her first SJND Homecoming, which included soccer and basketball games and a big party on the Quad.
M
y recollection of high school homecomings is that they typically consist of high school students participating in a variety of activities including a key sporting event, the coronation of a king and queen, an awkward dance in a poorly lit gymnasium, and more awkward freshman initiation activities. So as the new Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Fund at SJND, when I was tasked with planning the 2013 SJND Homecoming celebration, I was a little nervous. I am thrilled to report however, that Homecoming at SJND is vastly different than my own experience. It was so much better! Upon reflecting on the week of sporting
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events and the big barbeque in the Quad, I realized the reason it was so much better is because SJND truly values and prioritizes community. They invite community. And by community, I mean everyone—current students, alumni, parents, family, parishioners and friends. The resulting event is a Homecoming focused on building and reconnecting with our SJND community. It’s about SJND alumni remembering where they came from, as well as looking ahead to the promising futures of current SJND students. It’s about fostering those relationships between our students and the thousands of alumni who came before. It’s about celebrating the Pilots and our long history of sporting success.
More than anything, it’s gathering during Thanksgiving week to give thanks to one another and to God for blessing us with this amazing network of friends and family. So, thank you SJND for showing me the true meaning and purpose of Homecoming. The celebration kicked off the evening before Thanksgiving, when about 100 people came to play and to watch the Pilots vs. Alumni women’s and men’s soccer teams at Hornet Field. Alumnae women who returned included: Adriana Diaz ’02, Alessandra Zambrano ’13, Erica Jasso ’08, Elizabeth Avalos ’12, Amanda Edwards ’12, Regina Hurley ’12, Alyssa Sibal ’09, Elyse Pearata ’07, Noelle Perata ’10, Jenna Vacca ’13, Natalie DeLeon ’07, Karina Meyers ’13, Elsa Seiwald ’07, Michelle Seiwald ’13, Mado Seiwald ’09, Brittany McClintock ’13, Arianna Borsoni ’09, Domineh Sohrabi ’13, Claudia Rocha ’08 and Kimberly Avalos ’13. Alumni who turned out for the men’s game included: David Sheehan ’02,
I am thrilled to report that Homecoming at SJND is vastly different than my own experience. It was so much better! Jonathan Sheehan ’97, Derricke Brown ’96, Gus Perez ’91, Joseph Vacca ’09, Rafael Perez ’87, Gabe Silvers ’07, Scott Fowler ’08, Felipe Castillo ’80, Michael Molinari ’08, Robert Cate ’06, Reinhard Cate ’03, Boris Grogg ’07, Paul Perez ’08, Brian Hughes ’08, Alberto Salinas ’12, Angelo Sibal ’13, Angel Hernandez ’12, Justin Deierling ’13, Isidro Enriquez ’13, Antonio Ramirez ’12, Luis Alvarez ’08, Alejandro Alvarez ’12, Jesus Alvarez ’10, Alex Mason ’99, Loren Urtula ’11, James Mason ’98, Tavis Mason ’02, Javier Alvarez ’03, Jon Gordon ’96, Martin Franco ’08 and David Gordon ’02. Then, the night after Thanksgiving, Kelly Gymnasium was packed with parents, friends, alumni and student players and fans for the alumni basketball games. The games were fast-paced and exciting, and the alumni cheer squad reunited to cheer the players on, including a spirited performance of the favorite cheer, “We Tell a Story,” led by Cerise Pecoraro ’12. After the games, several hundred Pilots crossed Chestnut Street to the Quad, where folks warmed their hands around fire pits and gathered under Christmas
lights for hotdogs and beer. It was a lovely and spirited evening, as friends and families reunited on the SJND campus. Alumni players for the men’s JV basketball game included: Joe Nelson ’93, Marc Voisenat ’13, D.J. Oster ’13, Konig Johnson ’90, Jon Musson ’99, Jon Gordon ’96, Rene Jacques ’98, Luigi DiRuocco ’94, Nate Murase ’98, Victor Harris ’95, Deonte Mims ’09, Bobby Giron ’78 and Martin Bond ’91. The Alums won, 48-47. Coached by Julie Guevarra, the alumnae players for the women’s basketball game included: Fiona Kanady ’13, Meghann Kanady ’05, Rose Lassalle-Klein ’13, Katie O’Loughlin ’13, Akaela MagnoOrdinario ’13, Jessica de Mesa ’12, Stefanie Shephard ’09, Sara Borelli ’91, Princess Tacorda ’04, Monina Cuyugan ’11, Geena Serles ’10 and Ashlee Wood ’11. The Pilots beat the alumnae, 33-29. Coached by former Pilots assistant coach Gordie Johnson and Jon Musson ’99, alumni players for the men’s varsity basketball game included: Allan Hester ’05, Deonte Mims ’09, Joshua Norman ’13,
A group of recent alums arrive at the Quad for their first Homecoming. Go Pilots!
Adrian McCollough ’97, Marc Voisenat ’13, Joe Mitchell ’05, James LaFollette ’13, Sean Harding ’11, Joel Siapnio ’10, Ari Warmerdam ’02 and Marcel Williams ’02. The Alums won, 57-42. A special thank you to the Alumni Council, parents and other volunteers who helped make this year’s Homecoming celebration possible: Harold Boscovich ’59, Jamila Casimere-Smith, Veronica Conroy, Bill Crittondon ’63, Mila dela Resma, Cynthia La Croix ’67, James Lee ’64, Steve Mullin, Ken Rodrigues, Kerry Plain ’70, Phil Sandri ’83, Sue and Glenn Yajko, Deana Karch, Nilda Voisenat and Ari Warmerdam ’02. n
Spring 2014 Update 21
alumni News
On Schedule March—May May—June Graduation Class of 2014
May 31, 2014, 10 a.m Kelly Gym Tickets available for graduates and families
Alumni Career Day
March 20, 8:30 a.m. to Noon A terrific opportunity for alums to come back to campus and speak to the senior class about career paths, education and possibilities.
For more information on upcoming events at SJND visit SJND.org
Seventh Annual Ray Freitas Memorial Alumni Baseball Game
April 26, 2014
College of Alameda Former SJND baseball players take on current Pilot player, and the Booster Club hosts a barbeque after the game. Contact Athletic Director Chris Pondok, 510-995-9434.
Golden Anniversary, Class of 1964 June 14, 1 to 5:30 p.m.
June —August
Save the Date
Saint Joseph Basilica, SJND Campus
Summer Discovery at SJND
Alumni Homecoming Returns
The Class of 1964 will be honored at a 50-year reunion celebration and prayer service. Call 510-995-9456 for more information.
Grades 3 through 8 Think Summer. Think SJND!
Alumni basketball and soccer games, alumni homecoming celebration on the Quad, reunions and more are part of this exciting Thanksgiving weekend. Find out more: 510995-9456 or SJND.org.
June — August
For the summer of 2014, Summer Discovery at SJND has a new selection of academic, athletic and fun activities. Find out more and register at SJND.org.
22 Saint Joseph Notre Dame
November 26 –28, 2014
In Memoriam Phyllis Heritage Auran ’38
Mother of Michael Auran, Tim Auran ’63, Theresa Auran ’65, Kathy Auran Wetzel ’67, Mary Auran Foye ’73.
Jerry Birkhimer
Father of Dennis Birkhimer ’67 and Deborah Birkhimer ’69 Anderson
Sonya Rosas ’55 Cooper Wife of Donald Cooper ’54
Dorene Cosgrove
Mother of Daniel Cosgrove ’87
Elton Davies ’63 Maria Rodriguez DeGuzman
Mother of Cindy DeGuzman ’69, Sarah DeGuzman ’74. Gerald DeGuzman ’78, Greg DeGuzman ’80 and Grace DeGuzman ’82
Evelyn Sally Eyen
Always in our hearts William McInerney ’42 1924 – 2013
Born in Los Angeles, Bill moved to Oakland in the seventh grade to live with his four aunts after both parents passed away. He graduated from St. Joseph’s High School and went on to Santa Clara University, serving as student body president and graduating cum laude in 1947 with a degree in political science. He graduated from the UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law in 1950. He was a founding member of the Oakland law firm, McInerney and Dillon, and he concentrated his practice on construction law, becoming a national leader in the field. Committed to Catholic education, he served on the boards of: Santa Clara University, Holy Names University and St. Ignatius College Preparatory. Bill was a Knight of Malta, serving as secretary and vice president, as well as a board member. He and his wife, Mary, lead the effort to open, staff and operate a free medical clinic for the poor at Oakland’s Cathedral of Christ the Light.
William Kenneth Heide
He is survived by Mary, to whom he was married 64 years; their four children, Bill Jr., Bridget, Timothy and Michael; and, his 15 grandchildren, including Michael Riley McInerney ’13.
John Kavanaugh ’66
George James Spahn
Mother of James Eyen ’74 Father of Marie Heide ’96 and Lesa Heide ’99 Brother of Mary Jo Kavanaugh ’69 Kent, Kathryn Kavanaugh ’74 and Patrice Kavanaugh ’75
Sister Carol Mary Matthew Kenning, S.N.D. Jose Lizama
Father of Patrick Lizama ’85
Henry “Buck” Maritzen
Father of Michael Maritzen ’83. Grandfather of Matthew Maritzen ’10 and Samantha Maritzen ’12.
William McInerney ’42
Grandfather of Michael McInerney ’13
Robert McPeak ’47
Father of James McPeak ’76 and Matthew McPeak ’82. Grandfather of Mackenzie Whitton ’09, Matthew Whitton ’10 and Madison Whitton ’13
1916 – 2013
One of St. Joseph’s oldest and most beloved teachers, George Spahn died September 2 in Bushnell, Fla. Formerly known as Brother Spahn, he taught chemistry, physics and math at St. Joseph from 1939 to 1942. He was a Marianist brother during his time here and also coached the basketball, baseball and track teams. In 2005, Spahn published a book of memoirs titled At Last! about his long teaching and coaching career, as well as his time as chair of the civil engineering department at the University of Dayton. “I had the privilege of having him as a young, dynamic science teacher in the 1940s,” said Ernest Avellar ’45. Mr. Spahn was actively involved in his church and community outreach programs. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sue, as well as his daughter, Marie Cucchiaro; his granddaughters, Alexia and Samantha Cucchiaro; and his sisters Betty McClintock and Janet O’Brien.
Mary Rose Borello ’59 Ogletree Eddie Scurry ’70 George Spahn Tom Stelzner
Husband of Mary Watty ’41 Stelzner. Father of Janet Stelzner Rose ’77 and Gregory Stelzner ’79
Kenneth Vales ’61
Brother of Denis Vales ’66
Spring 2014 Update 23
Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School 1011 Chestnut Street Alameda, CA 94501 www.sjnd.org • 510-523-1526
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••• you and I, we’re notes scribbled on a page. the “ands” in common time (one and two and three and four and –) you and i, we waltz across dissonant chords and watch them dissolve into resolution like ice cubes in hot water, leaping from aria to aria, navigating the cold, rocky waters of five four time and modulation in the middle of a piece. you and i, we’re the curves of bass clefs and the way the treble clef wraps itself around the staff eighth notes held together by a common beam – together or not at all you and i
Meet Amelia Khoo ’14, Poet Laureate Amelia is SJND’s poet laureate this year, and she is also editor of Prisms, the literary magazine at school. Here is her poem “You and I.”
Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA