February 2010

From the Administration
Principal's Message

Featured Stories
Students Pilot One-to-One Netbook Program in the Classrooms
Update from the Office of Academics
Students Benefit from Faculty Development Program at SJND
We Want Your Feedback-SJND Parent Survey

Parent Articles/Upcoming Events
Parent Association News
Parent Volunteers Needed for Science Fair
Students Raise Funds for Sojourn Trip
PRISMS Honors
Crab Feed Is Feb. 6
Fame!
Students of the Month
SJES Celebrates a “Taste of Tuscany”

Principal's Message

Tuition

February is budget time for most schools. Later this month, you will receive a letter from me announcing the tuition rate for the 2010-11 school year. We have continued for several years to hold steady the cost of our registration fee and technology fee, and we are in the process of determining next year’s tuition based on a number of factors. Tuition is determined based on projected enrollment, program needs and the state of the current economy. I ask for your prayers as our Finance Committee forges ahead with this hard work.

Spring Musical

Under the direction of Ms. Kubicek and Ms. Dlugosh, SJND is pleased to present “Fame­–The Musical” in March. The cast and crew have begun rehearsals for the show and are excited to be presenting this high-energy show. To stay updated on how rehearsals and preparations for the show are going, you can follow the musical on Twitter.

Parent Survey

Last month, you received an email from the school asking you to take our online parent survey. This is an important step for the school as we continually work to improve how we serve our students and parents. If you have already taken the survey, thanks for taking the time to share your opinions with SJND. If you have not, please take the time to do so as every opinion is important to us. Click here to access the survey.

Crab Feed

I hope you have made plans to join us at our annual Crab Feed Dinner and Auction on Saturday, Feb. 6. It will be a great evening of crab and pasta as well as a night to support SJND Athletics through your participation in our auction. Many great items will be up for bid in both a silent and a live auction. See you there!

Board of Trustees

As SJND enters its third year with a Board of Trustees governing the school, I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to the members of our current Board. Moving forward, the Board and the school will communicate more regularly with you about what the Board does and how it works in support of the school and our students. Board of Trustees members for the 2009-10 school year are:

Abe Hitti, Chair
Manager, Internal Audit, Kaiser Permanente
St. Joseph Parishioner

Rich Davis, Vice Chair
Technical Instructor, AT&T
St. Joseph Parishioner

Kevin Milroy, Secretary
Owner /VP, BayRisk Insurance Brokers, Inc.
St. Joseph Parishioner, St. Joseph Elementary School parent

Gina Edwards
Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
SJND alumni parent

David Campbell
Principal, Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough, LLC
SJND alumni parent   

Armond Seishas
Principal, St. Joachim Elementary School

Richard Crevani
Retired CPA
SJND alumni parent   

Chuck Johnson
Retired, Manager, SBC
St. Joseph Parishioner

Michael Pola
National Accounts Director, SterilMed, Inc
SJND Alum, Class of 1982   

Anne Washmera
Owner /Graphic Designer, AMC Designs
St. Joseph Parishioner

Father Fred Riccio, ex officio member
Pastor, Saint Joseph Community

Simon Chiu, ex officio member
Principal, SJND

Students Pilot One-to-One Netbook Program in the Classrooms

Netbooks, the smaller, sleeker cousins of the laptop computer, have arrived on campus at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School as part of a pilot program for two groups of students to try out the new technology before it’s rolled out for the entire school.

About two dozen students in sophomore English and AP physics classes are using the netbooks this semester as part of their classroom curriculum. 

“It’s very compact, not heavy at all,” says Emily Walters ‘12, who totes the netbook with her to English class. “The keyboard is a good size, though.”

The administration chose the Asus Eee PC netbook because it has a long battery life of more than 10 hours and it is only 10.3 inches wide. It weighs 2.8 pounds – about the same as a kitten. The netbook is equipped with a wireless LAN antenna as well as stereo speakers, extra memory, a waterproof neoprene carrying case and an extended warranty.

SJND hopes to have the one-to-one netbook program instituted for the entire school in 18 months. The cost to families will be about $400, said Michael Loring, technology coordinator. Currently, the students in the pilot program are using the netbooks at no cost.

“What we’re going to find out is how these things hold up in a backpack and what happens when they fall off a desk,” said Loring. “And we’ll be relying on feedback from teachers about the impact on curriculum.”

Ed Chen, who teaches AP Physics, said his class will be able to provide hard data on how useful the netbooks are in class. “The reason you do a pilot is because you can work with issues with a small number of students. That way, when we roll it out on a large scale, we won’t have problems.”

All of the netbooks are blocked from social networking programs like Facebook, but they are loaded with Microsoft Office and a browser for Internet access. Most students said they also have computers or laptops at home, but they use their netbooks for homework and class work.

The students in the pilot program are overwhelmingly in favor of the netbooks. They are a good tool for doing school work and may have the effect of keeping more students engaged in class discussions.

“It’s really helpful,” said Nick DeGrano ‘12, who reviews his notes onscreen or sometimes prints them out on paper. “I use it in all of my classes for note taking, and I’m definitely taking more notes.”

Update from the Office of Academics

We are excited to announce the following academic changes for the 2010-11 school year:

Physical Education Department

The PE graduation requirement has been increased from one year of required PE, to three semesters of required PE. Rather than designate PE and Health as separate classes, we are now integrating the Health component on a consistent basis, interspersed with the cardio and movement elements of the classes. Sincere thanks to Dan Curry and members of the PE Department for their hard work and excellent research to strengthen the dynamic PE program designed to instill lifelong lessons for student health and well being. Freshmen will take a full year of PE, and sophomores will take one semester.  Students can also continue to enroll in upper level PE electives.

The incoming freshman class will be participating in co-ed PE. Classes will be joined together so that boys and girls may have the benefit of learning from their peers during the health component as well as participating together in other elements of the classes. This change is consistent with the predominant model of offering physical education and health at the vast majority of co-educational high schools.

Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)           

The VAPA graduation requirement has been increased from one year to three semesters. Students will take a full year in ninth grade, and one semester in tenth grade.  The University of California will likely increase their requirements for VAPA classes in the future, so we are anticipating this change and ensuring that all students remain on track to complete their A-G requirements in preparation for a four-year college experience. Eighty percent of our sophomores were already enrolled in some form of VAPA class in their sophomore year, so this is more of a formal change than a change in practice. Those students who may have opted instead for a Social Studies elective in tenth grade may enroll in a VAPA elective junior or senior year.

ASL (American Sign Language)           

Incoming freshmen, as well as our current students, will have the opportunity to enroll in an American Sign Language class for the first time through our Modern Language Department. In fall 2010, students can enroll in a year-long American Sign Language class taught by a certified ASL instructor. In the 2011-12 school year, we will offer American Sign Language II so that students may complete the two year language requirement established by the University of California.

This unique opportunity will allow students to learn in very different ways, including being aware of movement components, experiencing metaphorical means of communication, and gaining insight into deaf culture. 

We believe the addition of ASL will strengthen our Modern Language Department not only by increasing the number of languages offered but also by providing a unique course that is available in very few high schools in the surrounding areas. We hope this will enable all of our students to choose a language they feel a strong connection to.

If you have any questions about these changes please contact Catherine Cook, Assistant Principal of Academics, at ccook@sjnd.org or 510-995-9459.

Students Benefit from Faculty Development Program at SJND

Denise Fleming (pictured), an associate professor at the California State University, East Bay, is coordinator of assessment and accreditation for the education department there. She is working with the SJND faculty to create ways to give students clearer expectations of the work required in each class of the high school’s curriculum.

Recently, Fleming was on campus to work with Math Department faculty members.

What are the benefits to SJND students from your work with the faculty here?

Your school’s administration has shown a lot of interest in supporting the teachers’ professional development. It seems like a lot of the teachers, too, have shown a lot of interest in assessment. We believe assessment is important to instruction, which is, in turn, important to students.

What exactly is assessment?

Really, it’s lining up the evaluation of student work, using rubrics that are criteria-based so they match the assignments that students are getting. Those rubrics are also aligned with state standards.

That way, if teachers understand where their students are at and what they can do, they can tailor education to their needs.

How can students expect it to help them?

Rubrics can break down all of the criteria in an assignment and help the student’s ability to understand the problem.

It works well on assignments where students need to take apart an assignment, like a challenging word problem in geometry where they need to show their work and explain what they’re doing. Rubrics can break down all of those criteria and benefit the student’s ability to understand the problem,

By giving that information out to the student ahead of time, the student gets a sense of what the teacher is looking for. It takes the mystery out of it.

How can assessment help teachers?

For a lot of teachers, the assessment piece is a natural thing to work on. They do a lot of work on their curriculum, but really understanding ways of looking at student work that are reliable and informative is important, too. It helps teachers because it informs the instruction they do.

What are the benefits for parents?

Parents have all experienced a time when they are trying to help their children, and they don’t know what the teacher wants. This takes the personality out of it and it really focuses on what the assignment is asking of the student.

Finally, what are the benefits to our school?

This is very exciting work if you’re passionate about how students learn. It’s given me so much pleasure to work with the teachers at SJND. The teachers have such an openness to learning and that bodes well for your students and for your school.

We Want Your Feedback

As SJND continues to provide the best learning environment and experience for your child, it’s important that we get your feedback on how we are doing. We have put together an online parent survey that we are asking all parents to fill out. Data from this survey will be used by school leadership to assess programs and services as well as inform our current work on creating a school-wide strategic plan. The survey will take about 20-25 minutes. You are encouraged to set aside some time to complete it in one sitting. We will keep the survey online until Feb. 26.

This is your chance to let us know how we are doing. We look forward to seeing this data and using it to plan for the future. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Click here to access the survey.

Parent Association News

They Still Need You, But…Please, Not in Public!

The SJND Parent Association is proud to announce their next Parent Education Night, set for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 9 in Notre Dame Hall. This presentation will feature Thelma Farley, nationally recognized child development expert and parenting education consultant, and founder of the Beacon Day School in Oakland.

This presentation will cover topics like: How much should a parent do for a teen? Where is the line between letting them figure it out for themselves and failing to give them enough guidance and protection? It speaks directly and concretely about how to manage what is initially perceived to be a widening gulf between parents and teens. Come and participate in the discussion to find ways to take care of yourself and your teen during this challenging stage.

Click here to read an article from the Alameda Journal about Thelma Farley.

Save the Date:

Parent Association Meeting Tuesday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m.with guest Julie Berry, SJND Director of Admissions

Parent Education Night on teen health Tuesday, April 13.

Parent Volunteers Needed for Science Fair

SJND is proud to host the inaugural Oakland Diocese Science Fair for middle school students on Saturday, March 6. We are looking for enthusiastic parents to help with this event. Parents are needed to help welcome participants and judges, register students, organize our food service, serve as docents and tally votes. Parents are needed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Though we would love parents to be able to cover the entire shift, any time you can give that day is appreciated. Please contact Jean Kuznik at jkuznik@sjnd.org or 510-995-9442.

Students Raise Funds for Sojourn Trip

During Spring Break, Social Studies Department Chair Meg Honey will be taking a group of SJND students and parents on a trip to the American South to learn about the Civil Rights movement. The group is traveling with Sojourn to the Past, a non-profit educational project.

To help offset the cost of $2,600 per student, the Sojourn students are hosting a fundraiser at Linguini's Restaurant, 1508 Park Street, Alameda, on Thursday, Feb. 4, from 5 to 10 p.m. For every meal, whether take-out or dine-in, purchased, Linguini's will donate 15% of the tab to the Sojourn students. This is going to be a great SJND event with parents, faculty, and alumni welcome. Click here to download the fundraiser flier

On the 10-day trip, the students will meet and travel with Minnijean Brown Trickey. Minnijean was one of the first African American students to integrate Little Rock, Arkansas’ Central High School in 1957.They will also meet Congressman John D. Lewis, a Freedom Rider and the Chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He led the infamous Bloody Sunday march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965 and continues to work for human rights as he enters his 23rd year in Congress.Other speakers include: Elizabeth Eckford (Little Rock Nine); Chris McNair and family (the father of Denise McNair, one of the four little girls killed in the 1963 Birmingham church bombing); Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth (led the struggle to desegregate Birmingham, Alabama); Reverend Billy Kyles (an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) and many other heroes of the Civil Rights movement.

Among the sites the group will visit include: Ebenezer Baptist Church, Little Rock Central High School, the Civil Rights Memorial, the Tolerance Museum, the National Voting Rights Museum, and the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was assassinated. The students will also attend classes and complete assigned readings about the Freedom Movement.They will learn how organizations like the NAACP and the SNCC used non-violent methods to achieve their goals of equality and freedom. Students will also discuss individuals who opposed these groups and closely examine the lives of ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things in the struggle for civil rights.

PRISMS Honors

Congratulations to Ariana Braga ‘10, Jesse Swatling-Holcomb ‘09, and Kelley Villa ‘10 for being accepted for publication in the anthology A Celebration of Poets. Braga and Villa will be inducted into the Star Society of Creative Writers in May. Swatling-Holcomb is already a member.

Crab Feed Is Feb. 6

A Big Thank You to Our Crab Feed Volunteers

The SJND 29th Annual Crab Feed Dinner and Auction on Feb. 6 is going to be the party of the year! We would like to send a special thank you to the amazing Crab Feed Committee and all of the wonderful volunteers who are working to make this evening possible. Dozens of parents and volunteers have helped out, and we thank them and the organizers of the event:

Julie Pond, Rex and Jan Meins, Crab Feed Co Chairs

Mary Riley, Solicitations Chair

Karen Perez and Sharon Perez, Operations Chairs

Gia DeGrano, Event Chair

Volunteers: Steve Ratto, Flo Lopez, Beth Ratto, Carol Basket, Dede Cunningham, Tammy Villa, Carolyn LaFollette, Claudio Chaparro, Maria Cunich, and Silvia Rodriguez

Still haven’t gotten your crab feed tickets? Call Abbigail Cote at 510-995-9452 to check availability.

Fame!

SJND is proud to present “Fame–The Musical” in March. The hit show is about the successes and challenges facing students as they make their way through four years of acting, dancing and singing at the New York School for the Performing Arts.

Opening night is March 19.

For more information, call 510-995-9551. Click here for more information and to order tickets.

Check us out on Twitter.

 

 

Students of the Month

Congratulations to Garrett Rich '11, Fernando Barragan ‘12, James LaFolette ‘13, Nkeiruka Umeh ‘10, and Christopher McClintock ‘10 (not pictured) for being selected in the Pilot Recognition Program for the month of January. These students were nominated by their teachers for going above and beyond as students. They will receive a “Front of the Line” lunch pass good for the month of February. Click here to read why these students were nominated.

 

SJES Celebrates a “Taste of Tuscany”

The St. Joseph Elementary School Auction “Taste of Tuscany” will be Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Albert H. DeWitt Officer's Club in Alameda.The event will feature a performance by Eileen Meredith, soprano, of the San Francisco Opera. The evening will also include cocktails, a buffet dinner, music, dancing, live and silent auctions.Tickets are $50. All proceeds will benefit the elementary school. For more information, to purchase tickets or to make a donation, contact Linda Republicano at 510-697-2573 or Lrepublicano@gmail.com.