Troubadour Tribune
St. Francis
5900 Elvas Avenue Sacramento, CA 95819 Phone: 916.452.3461 Fax: 916.452.1591 www.stfrancishs.org
Catholic High School
December 2011 - January 2012
From
the
President
Dear Parents and Friends of St. Francis High School, In recent days, there has been notable attention given to the language changes that are currently being implemented at all Catholic Masses. The focus of the media seems to have been on those who like the new wordings and those who don’t, as if highlighting dissonance among believers is newsworthy. In truth, most people resist any kind of change, preferring instead to rest in the nest of the familiar. The truth is we Catholics will eventually become accustomed to the new language and recite the new prayer forms as a matter of course. That the changes were instituted on the first Sunday of Advent is significant. It is then that we begin to focus on the deep meaning of Advent that is so filled with hope, longing, and anticipation. The changes point to the constant renewal of the ancient cycle of the Church, with its rich practices and traditions. During Advent, the cycle of Christian beliefs begin anew. Just as we move indoors as the trees shed their leaves and the weather turns cold, so during Advent we turn inward to examine our hearts to see if they are suitable dwellings for the Savior.
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And then we prepare. Yes, we pull out all the trimmings for Christmas and decorate our homes, but we also put on a new self that shows itself in kindness, thoughtfulness, generosity and love. Then we can say with the whole Church, Come Lord Jesus, Come. We are ready. My best wishes for a rich and holy Advent season and a blessed Christmas!
Marion L. Bishop President
Mission Statement St. Francis High School is a Catholic diocesan college preparatory school dedicated to serving young women and their families who seek spiritual growth and academic excellence. We are committed to integrating faith into the learning process, promoting the gospel values of Jesus Christ, building community, and providing opportunities for worship. We strive to help each student develop her gifts and talents to become a model of Pax et Bonum (peace and goodness) through leadership and service.
S.W.A.P. DAY Parents are welcome to join in our prayer community
January 25
Please plan ahead for S.W.A.P. (Switch With A Parent) Day on Wednesday, January 25, 2012. On S.W.A.P. Day, parents have the opportunity to spend the morning at St. Francis High School in their daughter’s classes. Either a parent or a student must be in attendance for S.W.A.P. Day. If the parent is unable to attend, the student must be in school, in uniform. The schedule is listed with the special schedules on the back of the school calendar and on the SF website.
• Adoration, every second Tuesday of the month from 7:30am to 3:00pm in our school chapel. • Immaculate Conception Mass on December 8 at 10:30am in our gym. • Advent Prayer Service on December 13 at 10:30am in our gym. • We will also be offering the Sacramento of Reconciliation every Tuesday in Advent.
Don’t miss the great food and grand time!
Booster Club Crab Feed
Saturday, February 4 St. Francis Gymnasium $50 Per Person • Tables of 8: $360 5:30PM • Cocktails 7:00PM • Dinner Purchase Tickets Online: Crab Feed Tickets RSVP By Wednesday, January 25, 2012 Questions: czilaff@stfrancishs.org Sign up to help with the event! Chair Mark Richey: mark.richey@comcast.net 2
Community of Prayer and Support As a faith community, St. Francis High School shares in the prayers and concerns of all our members. Please support and pray for the many families in our community who are struggling with health and hardship. We wish to thank everyone for their heartfelt and continual support of Katie Chappelle (’13) and her family. Feel free to contact Campus Ministry if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.
Advent Giving This year for our Advent Charity Drive we are turning our attention to two wonderful agencies that serve mothers and their children in need in the Sacramento area. Both St. John’s Shelter (www.stjohnsshelter.org) and Wellspring Women’s Center (www.wellspringwomen.org) need help in order to continue and further this very important ministry. Our Advent theme is “Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel” as we prepare liturgically for the coming of the Child Jesus and eagerly await his return in glory. We hope that this year’s Advent Giving will help our SFHS community recognize the great gift of God who humbled himself to come to us a helpless infant. By helping mothers and their babies we are able to participate in God’s great love for us by sharing it with others. Below is a list of items that we will be collecting for Wellspring and St. John’s Shelter: Diapers: sizes 1-6 Pull-up Diapers Diaper Wipes 0-6 month Onesies (boy and girl) 0-3 month Clothes (boy and girl) Baby Toiletries: powder, shampoo, lotion, diaper rash ointment Baby Pajamas
Mother Daughter Retreat It’s time to register for this year’s Mother Daughter Retreat, to be held February 23-24, 2012 at the beautiful San Damiano Retreat Center in Danville, CA. This retreat is a great time for mothers and daughters to spend some quality time together sharing in ways that only they can. The theme of “Formed in the Spirit, United in Justice and Peace” will be explored through the relationships of mothers and daughters. The retreat team will use a variety of activities, prayers and learning styles to keep the time interesting and engaging. It is open to students and families of all faiths. Attendance is an excused absence from school, and missed work follows retreat guidelines found in the student handbook. The cost is $220 per pair ($100 per additional child). Space is limited and sign-ups come quickly. Access the registration form at Mother-Daughter Retreat.
Baby Socks Children’s DVDs Children’s CDs Baby Bottles, bottle brushes and nipples Sippy Cups New fold-up playpens* New toddler, booster and newborn car seats* New High Chairs* New Porta-Cribs*
Walk for Life in San Francisco, January 21 SFHS Campus Ministry and the Mini-Lifesavers club will be sponsoring a bus to the 8th Annual West Coast Walk for Life! The Walk is a fun way to show support for the Church’s call to support life in all its forms. The Walk for Life happens Saturday, January 21, 2012 in San Francisco. This all-day event begins at SF at 8:30am. Fifty seats are available on the SF bus at $20 per ticket (checks payable to SFHS). Purchase tickets from Campus Minister for Service Miles Foley in the CLC by Friday, January 6th. The form is accessible at SFHS Walk for Life. Questions? Contact Mr. Foley at mfoley@stfrancishs.org or 916-737-5053.
*By law, Wellspring and St. John’s cannot accept these types of items if they are used. Student Service in our Community We are nearing the end of our first semester and already our students have put in many hours serving those most vulnerable in the Sacramento area as well as in other parts of the country and the world. In fact, St. Francis students have already logged a combined 10,508 hours into our TroubieServe database since June 2011! That is an astonishing amount of time, talents and gifts that our students have shared with others in order to spread the good news of Christ. If your student still needs some assistance in finding the right service experience this year, please have her get in contact with Miles Foley in the Campus Ministry office. 3
1st Semester 2011-12 Finals Schedule Wednesday, December 14th Theology: 8:30-10:00 a.m. Science: 10:30-12:00 p.m. Thursday, December 15th Foreign Language: 8:30-10:00 a.m. Social Studies: 10:30-12:00 p.m.
Friday, December 16th English: 8:30-10:00 a.m. Math: 10:30-12:00 p.m. AP/Honors Finals start at 8:00 a.m. or end at 12:30 p.m.
Placement Test for Prospective Students • January 21
The Placement Test for the St. Francis Class of 2016 is Saturday, January 21, 2012, 8:00am-12:15pm. Register online at Placement_Test_Registration. Testing fee is $35 (non-refundable). Those who wish to attend St. Francis should test here. Please encourage eighth graders who you believe will benefit from a St. Francis High School educational experience to contact the school. We rely upon our current and past families to spread the word! Call Admissions Director Moira O’Brien with questions: 916-737-5095. Parent Service Hours can be earned by providing snacks, assembling snack bags, set-up and clean up. Items Needed for Snack Bags – all items must be individually wrapped. granola bars, fruit roll-ups or fruit snacks, juice boxes, Gold Fish crackers (Earn 1 volunteer hour per $5 spent.) All snack bags items MUST be delivered on Wednesday, January 18 and Thursday, January 19, between 7:00am and 3:00pm. Volunteers Needed: • Assembling snack bags on Friday, January 20 from 8:30 -11:00am. • Set-up and clean-up Saturday, January 21 from 9:00 to 11:30am. Please email Ora Emmerich at oaemmerich@aol.com if you can contribute items or time. Please specify what items you will be bringing and how many.
Spirit Week 2011 Homecoming was as spirit-filled as ever with activities ranging from the Nonperishable Food Drive and Penny War on November 9 and 10 to Sports Day, the Spirit Rally, and Dance the following week. This year’s Food Drive, benefitting Elk Grove Food Bank, smashed all records with a whopping 100,300 items donated, including 47,000 boxes of Mac and Cheese (thanks to John Foraker, CEO of Annie’s Inc. and father of Mary Kate ’13); 25,000 jars of baby food (thank you, Safeway), 11,780 cans of fruit, 11,520 cans of soup (thank you, Campbell’s), and 1200 cans of tuna. Penny War raised $9,000.00 for Cristo Rey High School. Due to the large amount of money collected, the school implemented a new system this year, using yellow and red beads to represent the positive and negative values formerly represented by pennies and silver coins. John and Brenda Musilli, parents of Megan ’12, helped build a contraption through which the beads swirled and landed into tall clear vases to reveal the winners.
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International Night February 3, 2012 Mark your calendars for SFHS’s International Night on Friday, February 3, at 5:00pm for dinner and 7:00pm for the show. Make plans to see your daughter and friends present many dances and songs from their foreign language classes as they broaden their knowledge and appreciation of the cultures they are learning. An international dinner featuring foods from around the world will take place prior to the evening’s performance. Tickets will be available through TicketGuys. Parents help is needed for several hours on the afternoon and evening of the event. Hours are also available for water donations. To offer your help, please visit our Volunteer Spot signup site or contact Jenn Kennedy 916412-4727 or Carol Frank 916-765-4566.
South Pacific Tour Summer 2012 There will be two Sign-Up and Information Meetings for those interested and those who have already enrolled: December 7 at 3:00 pm and January 12 at 6:00 pm; both in Room 321. ALOHA! Bring a Friend or your entire family and come join our South Pacific Tour “down under” this summer. Catch the wave to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and the Fiji Islands. All-incluisive airfare, fantastic resort-style hotels with delicious breakfasts, adventurous tours, full-time guides and special celebration feasts. Departing Sacramento July 5, 2012 and returning July 18, 2012. All-inclusive Price $4,105 for students and $4,560 for adults for TWO full weeks! Click here for the itinerary. for more info: rbuck@stfrancishs.org.
Guidance Department COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID NEWS
JUST FOR JUNIORS
Although colleges, the government, and private organizations provide billions of dollars in college financial aid each year, to get the money, you need to take several steps. The most important primary steps are to submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and Grade Point Average verification. The FAFSA should be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov as early in the year after January 1 as possible. You do not have to wait until you have completed and filed your 2011 tax return; in fact, by the time you have filed your tax return you may have missed some deadlines. Simply complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1, based on your approximated tax claim, making any corrections after your taxes are filed. You should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) within two weeks after filing online. The SAR will show how much your family is expected to contribute to the first year of your child’s college education. The difference between this number (the EFC or expected family contribution) and the actual cost of attendance at a particular school is the “established need.” Students will receive a financial aid package that will be prepared by the college(s) based on meeting this need. Note: the SAR should be carefully reviewed and any changes or corrections submitted as soon as possible after receiving it. As with all documents concerning the college application and financial aid process, keep a copy of all forms for your own records.
The Guidance Department offers a series of Community Lunch presentations designed to provide St. Francis H.S. Juniors and their parents with college readiness information. The presentations will be held in the Guidance Center on the following dates (Thursdays at Community Lunch). Students are encouraged to bring their lunch and parents are also welcome to attend. • January 19 : ACT & SAT Testing • January 26 : California Colleges • February 16: Majors & Careers • March 1: NCAA and the Student Athlete • March 15: Scholarships • March 22: College Admissions Timeline • April 19: Essay/Personal Statement
To be considered for a Cal Grant (money that does not need to be paid back) students must submit GPA verification in addition to the FAFSA. Instead of having the girls submit individual GPA verification forms, St. Francis High School asks that all students sign a release allowing us to submit their social security number and GPA information to the California Student Aid Commission electronically. We encourage all students to sign and return the Cal Grant GPA Information Release Form so that they can be considered for a Cal Grant. The release forms will be distributed in homeroom and also can be found on our website (Cal Grant Form). A parent must also sign this release form if the student is not yet 18 years old. Many private colleges have additional funds available to help offset college costs. To distribute these funds fairly, they rely on information from the FAFSA and may also ask that your family complete the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile may be found at www.collegeboard.com and can be completed now. Some colleges may also ask you to complete their own institutional aid form if you require need-based aid. Paging through a scholarship book or searching for scholarships at sites like www.fastweb.com, you’ll quickly see that millions of dollars of college aid is awarded each year. To receive some of this money, however, you’ll need to complete the award organization’s scholarship form, and your daughter may also be required to write an essay or otherwise qualify for the scholarship or grant. Other helpful sites include: www.csac.ca.gov Cal Grant Website www.finaid.org Financial Aid www.scholarships.com Scholarships Finally, be sure to check our extensive scholarship listing in Naviance Family Connection, and plan on attending our Paying for College Workshop (financial aid night for parents) on December 7, 2011 at 7:00 pm in the theatre. We have an excellent consultant who will go over all aspects of the financial aid process. 5
SAT and ACT TESTING: Juniors are advised to take the ACT with Writing, SAT Reasoning and/or SAT Subject Tests in the spring. Students may register online at www. actstudent.org for the ACT or www.collegeboard.com for SAT tests. Freshmen and Sophomores finishing Honors Biology or Honors Chemistry should consider taking the SAT Subject Test in that subject in June, unless they are planning on taking AP Biology or AP Chemistry as a junior. Consult with your counselor regarding these tests. Student should take advantage of the free online SAT test preparation (Method Test Prep) offered through Naviance.
Academic and College Counseling for FRESHMEN and SOPHOMORES Parents are encouraged to attend their daughter’s in-class Academic & College Counseling on the following dates (students will attend with their English classes): • Freshman: Monday & Tuesday, January 23-24, 2012. In the Guidance Center • Sophomore: Monday & Tuesday, February 2-4, 2012. In the Guidance Center Check your email for an exact listing of the blocks when sessions will be presented. Please feel free to attend during any block that you are available. You do not need to attend during the exact block your daughter has her English class.
Guidance, continued... From the Wellness Counselor Please mark your calendars for January 17, 2012. Jason Evert, a nationally acclaimed speaker for the Catholic Church on the topic of chastity, will be hosting an evening presentation for the parents of St. Francis High School and Christian Brothers High School at 7pm on January 17, 2012. This will be held at Christian Brothers: 4315 Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95820. Your daughters will hear Jason speak the next day, January 18, 2012, at a school-wide assembly. At this parent evening you will receive talking points to review with your daughter after she experiences Jason’s presentation the next day. Additionally, your daughter will be processing Jason’s presentation in her theology class in the days following the assembly. To receive 1 parent volunteer hour and to RSVP for the parent night on January 17th at Christian Brothers please click here: Workshop RSVP Jason Evert earned a master’s degree in theology, and undergraduate degrees in counseling and theology with a minor in philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is the author of more than ten books, including If You Really Loved Me, How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul, and Theology of the Body for Teens, which challenge young people to be pure. Jason speaks at seminars, participates in debates, and responds to thousands of questions about chastity and Catholicism from people around the world. Here is his website: http://www.chastity.com/ For Wellness this month we are focusing on Rest and Renewal. The month of December flies by at the school and it is important to take pause before gearing up for finals and, most importantly, celebrating Christ’s birth. Thursday, December 8th, students are welcome to the chapel during their free block or lunch block to experience a meditation by one of our staff members, Mrs. Kristin Carpio. She will be offering guided meditations throughout the entire day, before and after the school liturgy to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Please encourage your daughters to take this pause in their day to rest and renew. Since optimal sleep is a large part of rest here are some helpful hints from Dr. Oz Mehmet (Click here for website.) • Deepest sleep occurs from 10pm-2am. • Don’t watch TV or work on a computer at least 1 hour before bed. • Turn off lights and electronics. • Room temperature should be about 65 degrees. • Meditation or yoga before sleep can ease this process. Doze off and keep your metabolism burning through the night with this delicious smoothie courtesy of Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, The Sleep Doctor. Cherries are one of the richest known sources of melatonin, the sleep hormone that recent studies have shown can also help reverse the effects of aging, while bananas contain loads of magnesium, a calming mineral. Lastly, soy milk is high in tryptophan, the sleepinducing amino acid. Smoothie Recipe Ingredients 1 cup tart cherry juice 1/2 banana 1/2 cup soy milk or 4-6 oz soy yogurt (if using soy yogurt, add an additional 1/2 cup fat-free milk) 5 ice cubes 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract Directions Combine the cherry juice, banana, milk or yogurt with fat-free milk, ice and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth. Sweet Dreams! Mrs. Kasey (Henrickson) Cardinale, LMFT Wellness Counselor 6
Wellness Team by Anne Smith Harty ’93 The St. Francis High School Parent Health and Wellness Team is made up of an impressive and diverse group of nurses, doctors, social workers, counselors, community leaders, concerned parents, and school faculty. We are parents of current and past students, alumnae, and faculty members of St. Francis. We all share a common passion for the health and wellness of the students and their families. Last year, the committee adopted the Six Dimensions of Wellness; Environmental, Spiritual, Physical, Social, Emotional, and Intellectual. Under the guidelines of the Six Dimensions, the team has chosen monthly themes for the year; The Six Dimension of Wellness, Drug and Alcohol Awareness, Care for Others, Rest and Renewal for Body and Soul, Your Future, Healthy Hearts, Girls’ Health, and Personal Safety. Committee members have each taken a month to plan campus wide activities to help educate the community regarding these very important health topics. For example, in October, the committee chose a three-pronged approach of teaching the students, faculty, and parents about drug and alcohol abuse. During homeroom, students were presented with facts about the dangers of underage alcohol use. Parents heard from Sharon Justice, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who lead a discussion about teenagers at risk for experimenting with and abusing drugs and alcohol. John Daley, a chemical dependency counselor, spoke with the faculty about students at highest risk for abusing drugs and alcohol. The committee has some exciting activities planned for December regarding Rest and Renewal for Body and Soul. On December 8th, students will have the opportunity to meditate in the chapel lead by Kristin Carpio. The committee has gift bags for students that will include a candle, tea, and a bookmark listing facts about the importance of proper sleep. An article will also be published for parents about the need for sleep and rest in the teenage population. This dynamic, well-rounded committee is looking forward to the monthly themes of the second semester. We are excited to do our best to educate the St. Francis community about such important health and wellness topics.
Academic Teams
Model United Nations
Robotics
SFMUN1: Our First Middle School Conference!
“Varsity Sport for the Mind”
2012 will see St. Francis High School hosting its first Model United Nations conference. Entitled SFMUN1, this one-day workshop and simulated U.N. General Assembly runs from 9:00am to 2:00pm (lunch included) and is open to 7th and 8th graders who wish to have a ton of fun honing public speaking, research and debate skills! Cost is $10 per student (checks payable to SFHS). Please include payment with registration form, which is available at www. stfrancishs.org/mun. Student attire is business professional. Check the event Facebook page for updates: facebook.com/sfmun12012. Email questions to mun@stfrancishs.org.
On December 4, the St. Francis High School Robotics Team 692, called the Fembots, is hosting a tournament for FIRST LEGO League (FLL) middle school children. Sixteen teams, over 125 students, their coaches, school principals, teachers, families and friends will gather all day for this extraordinary display of creativity and innovation. The robots that the 9-14 year olds built and programmed will be playing a game on a special 8x4 foot mat with 21 different activities to accomplish from removing bacteria from a food source to bringing fish to market safely using the robot design and sensors to guide their robot around the mat. Equally important to the completion are three other areas with three separate judging panels. In the Design presentation, these young scientists demonstrate their mechanical design, programming and automation, strategy and innovation. In the Project presentation, the team identifies their research on food safety, their solution to a safety problem and how they implemented it in the community. In Core Values, students discuss their inspiration, teamwork, and “Gracious Professionalism,” the guiding value system for all FIRST robotics endeavors.
• SFHS MUN Teacher-Coach: Mr. Brian Dodson, bdodson@stfrancishs.org • SFMUN1 SecretaryGeneral: Hannah Gonzales ’12 • SFMUN1 UnderSecretaries General of Outreach: Emily Cornett ’14 & Athena Nguyen ’14
Guests are always welcome at all FIRST Competitions. All events are free for observers. FRC, FLL, JrFLL: What do these offer to children in our schools?
Speech Team The Fact Squad and the Fiction Squad (known collectively as the St. Francis Speech Team) competed at a speech tournament on November 19 at Ponderosa High School. 17 other Northern California high schools (nearly 200 students in all) were also in attendance. Roughly 60% of our St. Francis entries reached the Finals in their events - an outstanding showing in a wide range of events!
The international organization, FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is the parent organization for high school teams (FRC) including our FIRST Team 692, for middle school robotics teams (FLL) and more recently, for children ages 6-9 who form teams (JrFLL) to build and program robotics with LEGOs and demonstrate their robot and poster on food safety, but do not compete in a game. Beginning in 1992, two innovative scientists, Woody Flowers, MIT professor, and Dean Kamen, inventor, turned their concern about the lack of interest in science and mathematics among young people and what that portended for the future of the United States into a worldwide phenomenon called FIRST Robotics. FIRST now has over 250,000 students participating in FIRST Robotics throughout the world. (USFIRST.org)
Pictured, left to right: Tooka Zokaie (1st Place in Humorous Interpretation, 2nd Place in Dramatic Interpretation); Laura Farris (5th Place in Thematic Interpretation, 6th Place in Original Advocacy); Aspen Bonini (2nd Place in Original Advocacy, 4th Place in Thematic Interpretation); Briana Teresi (1st Place in Original Oratory, 5th Place in International Extemporaneous Speaking); Nida Ahmed (7th Place in Impromptu Speaking); Mariel Benigno (6th Place in Thematic Interpretation, 9th Place in Oratorical Interpretation); Karenna Pullen (3rd Place in Thematic Interpretation, 7th Place in Oratorical Interpretation)
The FLL Tournament on December 4 is one of the major outreach efforts of the Fembots. All members will be engaged in making sure the competition goes well for all middle school children and that it’s a fun, exciting, and rewarding day for all. Come any time between 10:30am - 4:00pm to watch the robots perform. Join SFHS Fembots on March 17, 2012 at their FRC competition at UC Davis. On January 7, the game plan for the high school teams is released world-wide. Then the Fembots will have six weeks to design, CAD, build and program a 130 lb robot to play this year’s game. If you would like to inspire children, bring them on March 17, 2012, to the FIRST Regional Competition at UC Davis to watch six robots at a time compete on the gymnasium floor. Bring your voice, your pom poms, your favorite team’s colors and experience the excitement.
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Robotics, continued... Looking for that perfect Christmas Gift?
• Vibrant color touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle - same as an iPad • Fast, powerful dual-core processor • Favorite children’s books, graphic novels, and magazines in rich color
The Fembots, the SFHS Robotics team, have suggestions for you. KINDLE FIRE for your favorite reader or techie.
Win it in the Robotics Team Raffle! Raffle tickets ($5 each) available from any Fembot or from Kay Gaines in the front office. The drawing will be held at noon on December 13.
Value: Kindle Fire, Full Color 7” Multi-touch Display, We-Fi $199.00 Kindle Fire Anti-Glare Screen Protector 2-Pack with Cleaning Cloth by Marware $14.99 Kindle Fire MicroShell Folio Cover by Marware, Graphite $39.99 Total: $253.98
Kindle Fire Features: Movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, plus Amazon’s revolutionary, cloud-accelerated web browser • 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books • Thousands of popular apps and games, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and more • Ultra-fast web browsing - Amazon Silk • Free cloud storage for all your Amazon content
EARRINGS: The cutest ones you’ll own, made with tiny gears, tools, screws. Feminine but with an implied statement that women can do anything! (That’s what the girls in robotics believe!). See examples in the office. There are several designs. $10 a pair.
SFHS BOOSTER CLUB & Sports News St. Francis Athletic Program Makes History The Sac-Joaquin Section has been in existence for 70 years. There are currently 195 schools in the section and no female sports program has ever accomplished what the fall sports did this year.
This makes 81 Section Titles for St. Francis High school, the most of any female sports program in the Section and one of the top programs in the state. In the last 10 years from 2001-2002 school year to 2010-2011 St. Francis has won the most section titles out of any high school in the Sac-Joaquin Section if you look at just one gender. St. Francis girls (48), Jesuit-boys (40), Davis-girls (27), Oakridge-girls (21). If you add both genders, only Davis has as many as SFHS. St. Francis-girls (48), Davis-both genders (48), Granite Bay-both genders (35), Oakridgeboth genders (29).
All 5 sports made it to section finals and finished with one Runner-up finish and 4 Sac-Joaquin Section Titles. St. Francis is the first female sports program to win 4 section titles in the fall. Highlights from the season: • Water Polo: Won the Norcal Championship Tournament and finished 2nd in Division I Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs.
The student athletes at St. Francis have represented their school with class, dignity, strength, grace and great sportsmanship - which is the most important thing. We are proud of the Troubies!
• Cross Country: Fr/So, JV and Varsity teams swept the Delta River League, Subsections and Division I Sac -Joaquin Sections. They won their 8th Section title overall. The team placed 4th in the State meet. • Golf: Won the Division I North Section Championship for their 19th Sac-Joaquin Section Title. They finished 4th in Norcals. • Tennis: Won The Santa Catalina Tournament and their 7th Division I Section Championship in a row and 9th overall. Tennis made it to the Northern California semifinals. • Volleyball: Won the Super 8 Tournament and Division I Section Championship for their 11th section title overall. The team made it to the NorCal semi-finals. 8
Concussion Management Protocol
Basketball
St. Francis High School prides itself on meeting the needs of the whole student. With research mounting on the dangers of student-athlete concussions, St. Francis has decided to take a proactive approach in taking care of our athletes. We are in the process of implementing a software tool called ImPACT (Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing). This assessment proves to be safe, reliable, and valid. It enables many professional, collegiate, and high school sports programs across the country to successfully diagnose and mange concussions. If an athlete is believed to have suffered a head injury during competition, ImPACT assists in the determination of the severity of the head injury and when the injury has fully healed.
The Troubadours have set their rosters for all 3 levels of the basketball program. The Varsity played an exciting game versus the Alumnae, hanging on for a 39-34 victory. Also, the Varsity defeated Franklin of Elk Grove in the Foundation Game 61-31. The varsity opens the regular season on Thursday, December 1 at St. Francis at 7:00pm versus Davis. The Frosh and JV also begin their respective seasons on Thursday as well. The Frosh play in the Kennedy tournament, and the JV play in the Rio Linda tournament.
The ImPACT concussion assessment has undergone stringent evaluations by various departments on campus. After thorough investigation, it has been decided to administer the computerized test to students in high risk sports. These teams include: volleyball, cheer, waterpolo, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball and diving. Each athlete receives a baseline assessment administered by a member of our Athletic department. The baseline exam consists of a non-evasive test that is set-up in “video-game” type format and takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. It is simple, poses no risks to the student-athlete, and many athletes enjoy the challenge of taking the test. Essentially, the ImPACT test is a preseason physical of the brain. It tracks information such as memory, reaction time, speed and concentration; it is not an IQ test.
Varsity: Seniors - Kristin Anderson, Gabby Blanchette, Mackenzie Conarro, Nicole Crane, Corinne Friend, Olivia Molodanof, Natalie Ochoa, Rachel Patron. Juniors - Marisa Boras, Rachel Frank, Beverly Kyalwazi, Lizzie Mannering, Makena Strand. Sophomores - Caroline Boals, Najah Queenland. JV: Sophomores - Gillian Balbierz, Makayla Beavers, Lyndsay Carpenter, Margaret Chavez, Amanda Davenport, Abby Dow, Alex Ellison, Sarah England, Maddy Gonzales, Ashley Kyalwazi, Kristen Lau, Cherie Murbach, Martina Penalosa, Raven Robinson, Erin Stone. Freshman - Susie Rogers.
In addition, if a concussion is suspected, the athlete will be required to re-take the exam. Both the preseason and post-injury test data is given to the athlete’s physician for evaluation. The assessment data assists the health professional to determine whether or not it is safe for the student-athlete to return to play. In compliance with our concussion protocol, it is necessary that the athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider and receives written clearance to return to play. The St. Francis High School community is excited to implement this program. It provides us the best available information for managing concussions and preventing potential brain damage that can occur with multiple concussions. Our administration, coaching and athletic training staff strive to keep your daughters health and safety at the forefront of the student athlete experience. We’ve created a Slideshow Presentation with further information about the testing procedures. Ann Marie Faires Assistant Principal of Student Affairs
Frosh: Katie Anderson, Bailey Boone, Catie Brown, Maureen Cobile, Samanthe Collins, Anna Dahl, Sophia Deiro, Kristy Edrosolan, Katie Glime, Emma Granner, Sydney Lewis, Andrea Martinez, Caila Pedroncelli, Claire Perez, Rachel Schaeffer, Isabelle Soloaga, Katie Vrame. Thanks for all your support! Coach Vic
Troubie Store The logo wear and uniform store is open each Tuesday from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Order forms for uniform items and other Troubie Store merchandise are available in the school office or on the SF website: www.stfrancishs.org. Think of the Troubie Store for your gift-giving! From key chains and Christmas ornaments to flannel pants and insulated lunch bags, there is something for every Troubie, future Troubie, Troubie mom, dad or alum on your list.
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Music
News
Christmas Concert A Wonderful Holiday Tradition
Friday, December 2 • 7:30 pm Saturday, December 3 2:30 pm Adults: $10 Under 19: $5 Tickets are available at Ticket Guys or at the Box Office while they last. Every person must have a ticket and a seat. No babies or strollers, please. This program includes the Chamber Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, and A Cappella Group and includes a mixture of classical and traditional Christmas selections, concluding with an audience sing-along. Guest harpist Carol Kihm will appear with the choirs. Orchestra Director Horatio Edens, Choral Director Tina Harris, and Accompanist David Blanchard have been rehearsing diligently to prepare a great show for all!
Save the Date!
Winterfest Dance Concert Thursday, February 9 • 4:30 pm* Friday, February 10 • 7:30pm Saturday, February 11 • 7:30pm
Tickets: $5 for 18 and under • $10 for adults This beautiful performance is wonderful for all ages. Tickets available at Ticket Guys or at the Box office the evening of the event. *Thursday show is “student rush” for students and staff; tickets sold only at the door. The theme this year is “Emotions” and will feature new and exciting works by director Christy Costales. Guest performances will include ERA, the St. Francis Hip Hop Company, and the St. Francis Hula Company.
Kerry Marsh, vocal instructor at CSUS, and Grammy-nominated composer/arranger, will be giving a vocal workshop with our Jazz Ensemble in January 26. Anyone interested in this presentation should contact Horatio Edens in the S.F. music department.
Theatre
Calling all Troubies to audition for ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, our spring play. Parent/Student Informational Meeting on Monday, December 5 at 5:306:15pm in the theatre. Learn about the schedule, time commitment, meet the teachers involved, ask questions, etc. Please come to this meeting if you are interested in being a part of this show--tech or cast member. Please let boys from any school who are interested in auditioning, and their parents, know about this meeting. Auditions Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7, starting at 3:30pm. Sign-ups are on the Call Board next to the drama classroom. Callbacks, Thursday, December 8 at 3:30pm in the theatre. About the play: Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert are unmarried siblings who live on their farm, Green Gables, in Canada. Matthew is 60, and needs help on the farm so they decide to adopt a boy. The orphanage sends a girl orphan, Anne, instead of a boy. Anne is a happy girl despite living an impoverished life as an orphan. Though she lacks social graces and education, she has a rich and sophisticated fantasy life and an optimistic and generous spirit. Because Anne acts according to her instincts and not according to a code of manners, she unintentionally defies expectations of proper ladylike behavior. Anne tries hard to oblige Marilla and follow her rules of social conduct, but she makes many mistakes. As Anne grows up, she loses some of her childish flare for the melodramatic and romantic, and turns her spirited attentions to academics. Anne devotes herself to her studies and earns a scholarship for college. Thrilled by her future prospects, Anne goes home to Green Gables. Matthew, who has been having heart trouble, dies of a heart attack. When Anne learns that Marilla is likely to go blind, she decides to stay at Green Gables and teach nearby so that she can care for Marilla, giving up her aspirations for a four-year degree. Shows March16, 17, 22, 23, and 24. Tickets are available at Ticket Guys. School Outreach Show March 20. Please spread the word to all grade school and middle school teachers to call 916-737-5002 for fieldtrip information.
Dance Master class from Mondavi Center: On November 14th the Mondavi Center brought dancers from the Trey McIntyre Project to give a dance master class to students from the St. Francis Dance and Apprentice Companies. This was an amazing opportunity for our students to take a modern class and learn repertory from the company. Our own David Blanchard provided live piano accompaniment for the class. The Arts continued on next page... 10
Visual Arts
photographers to inspire their poetry; these poems and images will be displayed at both schools in January.
Dia de Los Muertos Altares, A Collaborative Exhibition, produced by students and instructors from the Spanish classes, Library, Campus Ministry and Art Departments, will be on display until December 4 in the Arts Building Foyer Gallery and Library. Also on display until December 4: Women’s Social Justice Exhibition.
Mr. Patrick Hollingsworth (father of Grace Hollingsworth’13) will be a guest lecturer in the realm of macro, microscopic, and HDR photography on November 21. He will be introducing Photography One students to ‘panoramic stitching techniques’ for their digital images.
Honor the Stars in Your Life
St. Francis alumna Carmen Salazar ’95, owner of Carmen Salazar Photography, discussed her work as an artist and businesswoman with Photography 1 students in November. Carmen created a hands-on lighting workshop, focusing on the use of reflective light for our fifty photography students. Thank you, Carmen!
A gift of $500 to the St. Francis Fund for the Arts Complex will allow you to have a brass star plaque engraved with a name (or names) affixed to the back of a theatre seat in the SFHS Arts Complex - a unique Christmas gift! Theatre Seat Star dedication forms are available to download at Theatre Star Tribute. For more information, call Elizabeth Danielson at 737-5002.
Photography 1 students will be collaborating with 6th grade students from Will Rogers Middle School to create The Ekphrastic Poetry Project. Poetry students will use the work of St. Francis
Annual Stewardship for St. Francis The Stewardship for St. Francis Program is a vital component of the annual operating budget of the school. Our thanks to all the parents who signed up with their registration form to donate through a monthy EFT pledge payment.Information and pledge forms will be sent to remaining households. Meanwhile, if you would prefer to make a tax-deductible, 2011 year-end gift, you are encouraged to access the response form or the secure online donation site at Annual Stewardship for St. Francis Program. For 2011 tax advantage, gifts must be postmarked or charged by December 31. An online donation by credit card may be made during the holidays while school offices are closed. A gift of cash, appreciated securities, or major items such as personal property or real estate can reduce your tax liability. Please consult your tax advisor. Thank you for your support of St. Francis High School!
St. Francis High School thanks Chair Tracy Beckwith and the entire Revelry 2011 Committee for investing their time and talent in producing this grand event that netted $400,000 for St. Francis High School - nearly twice last year’s proceeds! We are grateful to the extended St. Francis community, alumnae, and many area businesses for showing their support by donating items or services to the live and silent auction, attending the event, and/or volunteering to work on the event. Please take some time to check out the Revelry 2011 photo gallery, the event program which includes a list of sponsors and other information on the Revelry Web Page. One of the many highlights of the event was the “Hands Up for Troubies” appeal to provide Tablet Technology to students. During the excitement of the evening, Mistress of Ceremonies Julissa Ortiz ’95, shared an email from SFHS alumna Sandra Geary Cook ’54 (sent via her iPad from Hawaii, where she was vacationing with her husband, John) stating, “We send you $25,000 Kona wishes to fund #1 Tablet Technology Lab. We challenge the guests at Revelry to join forces and match this amount to provide for the 2nd lab! Let’s send our Troubies into the future with the best training possible!” The Revelry guests came through with a total of $75,650. Donations continue to come in online (an additional $3,450 to date). It’s not too late to add your support: Tablet Technology Fund. Look for more about Revelry 2011 in the spring issue of the SFHS Pax et Bonum magazine.
Save the Dates! 2011 St. Francis High School Annual
Thursday, March 29 • Preview Show Friday, March 30 • Dinner Gala Saturday, March 31 • Luncheon
Mother-Daughter Fashion Show On the SFHS Campus 11