January 2010

From the Administration
Principal's Message

Featured Stories
College Counseling With a Personal Touch at SJND
SJND Student is Alameda’s First High School Poet Laureate
Season Kicks Off for SJND Basketball
Students Create Centerpieces for Bishop
We Want Your Feedback
NHS Leads Service Projects at SJND

Parent Articles/Upcoming Events
College Jump Start Night is Jan. 25
Parent Association News
Crab Feed Tickets On Sale NOW
Parents Weigh in on Possible SJND Football Program
Tuition Assistance for Returning Students
Parent Volunteers Needed for Spring Musical

Principal's Message

I hope that all of you had a blessed and joyous Christmas holiday. As we settle into winter and return to school for our second semester, we have lots on the horizon this month.

Campus Ministry

Our Campus Ministry program continues its retreat program with an upcoming junior retreat and our senior's final Kairos Retreat. Please hold these students in your thoughts and prayers as they spend time deepening their relationships with God, family and each other. Our retreats enable our students to discover their faith in age-appropriate ways and I am proud of the work that our faculty and administrators put in to support this program.

Personnel Change

Mr. Damian Duran, our Theology teacher and Associate Campus Minister, left SJND at the end of the year. We thank him for the service he has given to SJND over the past year and a half and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors.

I am pleased to announce that Mr. Rene Sanchez will be our full-time Theology teacher and Associate Campus Minister, taking over all of Mr. Duran’s former duties. Mr. Sanchez has an MA in Theology from the University of Notre Dame and is currently completing a Ph.D. in Theology at Boston College. He taught previously at Moreau Catholic High School and Holy Names University. Currently, he is also teaching one class in theology at the University of San Francisco. We are pleased to welcome Mr. Sanchez to SJND, who brings with him a wealth of experience in Catholic high schools as well as working with young people.

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week, the annual celebration of Catholic schools and their contribution to their communities and the nation, is set for Jan. 31-Feb. 6. Catholic Schools Week (CSW) celebrates education that goes beyond preparation for a secular life ─ it is education that prepares students for a Christian life. CSW also celebrates the high standards of excellence and the quality of the education available to all students in Catholic elementary and secondary schools across the U.S.

The 2010 theme is “Dividends for Life.” Marie Powell, executive director of the Secretariat of Catholic Education of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, noted: “We realize that in most parts of the country a Catholic education is not without some cost. But I can't think of a better investment in the future than to invest in the education of a child.”

SJND will celebrate Catholic Schools Week with activities that will highlight the Catholic nature of our school as well activities which will build community and strengthen our ties to each other as Catholic students and educators.

This year, activities include Catholic School Uniform day on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Students are invited to celebrate and remember their Catholic elementary school by wearing their old Catholic elementary school uniform to school.

On Friday, Feb. 5, we will host our annual “Old School” 3 on 3 basketball tournament during lunch time. Students are encouraged to form teams of three based on elementary school attendance. The mini-tournament will be held during lunch in the gym.

Athletics

Winter sports get into full swing in January. Our basketball and soccer teams begin league competition this week. Come out and support our student athletes as they compete in the Bay Shore Athletic League. Both our men’s and women’s basketball teams are returning after playoff seasons last year and are looking forward to repeating their success. Check the school website for schedule information for all our teams. Go Pilots!

College Counseling With a Personal Touch at SJND

While her daughter, Allison, was trying to figure out which colleges to apply to last year, Jan Meins felt secure knowing deadlines were going to be met and Allison would find the right school.

The family relied on Allison’s counselor, John Gunty, director of counseling at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School, to give them direction and support.  Allison was admitted to several schools and is now a freshman at University of California at Santa Barbara.

“He was the one who really helped,” said Jan. “He listened to Allison and helped her, all in the direction she wanted to go. He was awesome in the ability to provide her with the tools she needed.”

SJND’s college admission efforts within the Counseling Department are an important service to parents like Jan Meins. The application process can be stressful, and it’s important for students and families to feel like they have support. At SJND, the process of college counseling begins freshman year and continues throughout the four years a student is here.

“College guidance counselors must have the knowledge of the process and the time in which to execute every detailed aspect of it in order for it to be a successful for each student,” says Gunty.  “If the student wants to go to college, the opportunity and support is here.”

On average over the past five years, 99 percent of SJND graduates have gone on to college. SJND is able to provide individual counseling attention with a low overall ratio of 141 students to one counselor. During the important senior year, each counselor has no more than 35 seniors, so that seniors get even more personal attention.

Most high school counselors carry a roster of anywhere from 250 students at the smaller high schools to 600 students per counselor at the larger institutions, according to a report by the Early Academic Outreach Program at the University of California, San Diego. In fact, the national average of K-12 students to counselor ratio is 477 to one.

“From the beginning we strategize with the students and their families in order to target the appropriate school,” says Gunty. SJND’s three counselors, including Nick Martin and Frances Romero, have the expertise to guide students through the often complicated process of compiling application materials, letters of recommendation, transcripts and even assistance with financial aid.

Jan Meins said electronic communication, like email, has helped students and families keep in contact with the counseling department. It helps ensure deadlines are met.

“He was always available and on top of it, reminding Allison what she needed to do,” said Jan. “Not just face-to-face, but emails, too. He would shoot her an email, and she would feel comfortable sending him an email, too.”

And the experience Allison had at SJND is not unusual.

“We are a medium-sized school which allows for individual attention and a personal touch,” says Principal Simon Chiu.

The personal touch has its benefits.  According to a 2009 University of California report, 98% of SJND students who applied to UC schools were accepted. In addition to the UC schools, SJND students are accepted at the California state schools, and private liberal arts colleges, like Mills, Santa Clara and Willamette, as well as top-ranking universities like Stanford, University of California at Berkeley, UCLA, Harvard and Yale. Click here for SJND's full college matriculation list.

The goal is to match the student with the best college. Counselors help each student make the best decisions for college according to their specific skills, abilities and interests.

The success of the Counseling Department however, is best manifested in the stories of SJND alumni.

 “A couple of weeks ago we read one of the stories from Don Juan Manuel and discussed the exact material we did in Honors Spanish III at SJND,” said Sophia Chaparro ‘09, now in her first year at University of California, Berkeley, in an email to her SJND Spanish teacher, Betsy Norris.

“I felt like I could have practically taught that lecture myself,” wrote Chaparro. “Anyway, the point of my email is to thank you for all that you taught me because it is extremely useful in college, so tell your students to study hard and pay attention.”  

The coming months are an exciting time for the students of the class of 2010, as well as for their parents, teachers and counselors. Letters of acceptance will begin to appear in the mail shortly.  The last four years of hard work will begin to open new and exciting doors.

SJND Student is Alameda’s First High School Poet Laureate

Sarah Su ‘10 was timid as a child, finding it difficult sometimes to show the world who she really was. She began to write poetry and slowly, over time, she gained confidence and self assurance.

“Face it,” she wrote in her poem by that name in 2008. “A mirror is a piece of glass. Nothing that can tell the past. Nothing that can make people see what it is like to be you or me.”

Now, Sarah is being recognized as the first high school poet laureate in Alameda. She will be honored Jan. 16 at Alameda Museum, where she will give a reading of her work.

“Her themes are reflective,” says Elizabeth Norris, who is faculty advisor for Prisms, the literary and art magazine at SJND. “Her work celebrates who she is.”

Mary Rudge, the poet laureate for Alameda, will introduce Sarah at the museum Gala, which honors Jack London’s birthday and will feature poetry, dance and art.

“It will be an honor to present the Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School Poet Laureate,” said Rudge. “Your school and your poet laureate will be making history in Alameda as the 2010 High School Poet Laureate and will be first high school student to hold this title in the city.”

The event is open to the public and is noon to 3:30 p.m. at the museum, 2323 Alameda Ave. For more information, call (510) 235-0361.

Season Kicks Off for SJND Basketball

This is expected to be a thrilling season for both teams, with the men’s team ranked 9th in the East Bay this week, and the women ranked 14th by the Bay Area Newspaper Group’s Prep Corner.

Both teams are expected to make a run for the playoffs in the Bay Shore Athletic League, the North Coast Section and the NorCal finals.

Last season, the men’s team advanced to the California Div. V state championship after being dubbed the “miracle team” for pulling out a last-minute victory over defending champion Branson. The victory earned the SJND Pilots the top sports story of the year for 2009.

Click here for the teams' schedules and rosters.

Over winter break, Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School’s basketball teams were everywhere during the winter break, from the Kelly Gym to San Diego, playing tough opponents and establishing their pre-season reputations on the court.

The  women’s varsity basketball team, 12-1, won the Lady Cougar Classic at Newark Memorial High School, defeating Notre Dame-Belmont and Castro Valley. Carmen Lockhart ’11 was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, and Monina Cuyugan ’11 and Gina Serles ’10 were named All-Tournament players.

“This was a good challenge, and they played hard,” said women’s varsity Coach Julianne Berry. “This was a good way to end pre-season, because all of the games were competitive.”

The women’s team last season made it to the North Coast Section playoffs.

The men’s varsity Pilots, 13-3, won a third place trophy in the Max Preps Holiday Classic, which attracted some 75 teams to the San Diego area. SJND beat Simi Valley, Los Alamitos and Foothills Christian. They lost by two points to La Costa Canyon, a Div. I school that went on to win the division.

“A lot of good things came from this tournament,” said men’s varsity Coach Don Lippi. “We got to play some good competition, and when you’re together for five days, you get to know each other better.”

At home, the JV women’s team hosted the second annual JV Pilot Classic. They beat Kennedy-Fremont and Mercy, San Francisco and placed second to Salesian in the tournament, which featured eight teams.

The freshman men’s basketball team traveled to the Cardinal Newman Tournament in Santa Rosa, and finished with a 3-1 record, taking fifth place. Closer to home, the JV men played in the De La Salle High School holiday tourney.

For more highlights, visit our Pilots in the News page.

Students Create Centerpieces for Bishop

This year, SJND was invited to provide the centerpieces that will be used at the Bishop’s Christmas party. Each center piece featured two pieces of student art, a handmade frame and hard wood base. Fifteen centerpieces were provided with a photograph on one side and a drawing on the other. Our students created images to illustrate passages from the biblical Christmas story.  

The following students provided artwork or photography: Jared Alokozai ‘11, Elizabeth Avalos '12, Alem Belay '12, Jean Eisenman '10, Melisa Fernando '10, Caitlin Flores '10, Shelby Graves '12, Kelsey Johnson '11, Amanda Khoo ‘12, Kate Lassalle-Klein ‘12, Christina Mally '10, Jaelin McCreary '12, and Nkeiruka Umeh '10.

The following students also assisted making the frames: Tatiana Herren ‘10, Ashley Herrera ‘11, Kristen Inouye ‘1, Lea Irlanda ‘11, Ira Juntilla ‘10, and Jaymar Martinez '10.

Click here to see the students’ artwork

We Want Your Feedback

As SJND continues to provide the best learning environment and experience for your child, it is important that we get your feedback on how we are doing. We have put together an online survey that we ask all parents to complete.

The link to the survey will be sent to parents in the coming days. 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. Thank you in advance for your participation.

NHS Leads Service Projects at SJND

SJND collected and donated 1,350 pounds of food during its canned food drive this past holiday season. According to the Alameda Food Bank, this translates to 1,055 meals to people in need. Thank you to all of the students, parents, and community members for making a contribution and for assisting those in our community who are less fortunate.

The National Honor Society (NHS) eachcontributed to the drive and brought in new toys to give to the Davis Street Resource Center for the Christmas season.

Next month, NHS will hold its annual fundraiser for Smile Train, an organization that provides
free cleft surgeries for babies and children around the world.Students may buy casual dress passes for $3 and the proceeds will go to Smile Train. "As soon as the students see the video about these children who can't go to school and have trouble eating because of their condition, they are eager to help," said Ms. Micheli, NHS moderator.

If you would like to help, please contact Ms. Micheli at cmicheli@sjnd.org.

College Jump Start Night is Jan. 25

Sophomores, juniors, and their parents are invited to attend SJND's College Jump Start Night on Jan. 25. College Jumpstart helps students and their parents to start planning for the college admissions process.

The event features three separate workshops with speakers from the Cal State University system, the University of California system, and a speaker from a private college. A fourth workshop will feature a representative from Revolution Prep who will speak about the SAT preparation course offered to our students at a discounted rate. All the counselors will be available to assist and answer questions. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Costa at 510-995-9458 or jcosta@sjnd.org.

Parent Association News

The next Parent Association meeting is Tuesday, Jan  12 in Room 1. Our special guest will be John Gunty, Director of Counseling.  Come meet Mr. Gunty and bring your questions.

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

The SJND Parent Association is proud to announce their next Parent Education Night, set for Feb. 9. 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.

Crab Feed Tickets On Sale NOW

Tickets to the 2010 Crab Feed are now available online. This event will sell out fast, so click here to get your tickets early and online.

This event is the school's primary fundraising event and we hope all of our parents can attend. A delicious crab dinner, live and silent auctions, fantastic desserts and live performances by the SJND Pep Band are just a few things that await you!

The Crab Feed Committee is still in need of Silent Auction donation items and volunteers. Contact Julie Pond at juliepond@aol.com or Jan Meins at jan3711@comcast.net for more information.

 

Parents Weigh in on Possible SJND Football Program

The SJND Athletic Department will be hosting an open forum for parents Thursday, Jan. 21 for parents who are interested in discussing the possibility of starting a football program here at SJND. The program will begin at 7 p.m. in Notre Dame Hall and is part of a year-long feasibility study being undertaken by the school and the Athletic Department. The intent of this evening is to gain feedback from the parent community. Please consider the following questions when forming an opinion. They are intended to help stimulate thinking on the issue, but are not intended to be the sole criteria for evaluating the issue:

Guiding Questions

• Is a football program consistent with the mission of the school as articulated in the school’s Mission Statement?
• Does a football program help our students to make progress towards the school’s Expected Student Learning Results (ESLRs)?
• Is football consistent with the values and spirit of the SJND community?
• What are the benefits of a football program? What are the costs (other than financial) of a football program?
• Will a football program bring more benefits to the school than potential costs to the school?
• Are there factors concerning resources that are so insurmountable so as to make the adoption of a football program an extreme hardship for the school?
• Would the adoption of the football program harm other current school programs in a way in which these harms would outweigh any potential benefits of a football program?
• Is there enough school and community support to build and sustain a football program?

Whether you are in support of adding a football program or not, we encourage you to come and participate in this discussion. If you have any additional questions, please contact Dan Curry, Athletic Director at 510-995-9434 or dcurry@sjnd.org.

Tuition Assistance for Returning Students

Applications for tuition assistance for the 2010-11 school year are now available. If you are currently receiving tuition assistance at SJND, both your SJND and PSAS applications have been mailed to you.

For those that are not currently receiving tuition assistance, but are interested in applying, you can download the applications here.

Both applications should be submitted to SJND and are due no later than Feb. 5. If you need assistance filling out your applications, please attend the Tuition Assistance Workshop on Jan. 30. Please RSVP by calling 510-995-9453.

For more information please contact the Business Office at 510-995-9419 or 510-995-9417.

Parent Volunteers Needed for Spring Musical

Volunteers are needed in preparation for the spring musical, FAME!  These tasks will need to be performed in January, February, and March. Please contact Mrs. Kubicek at dkubicek@sjnd.org for questions or to volunteer.

Publicity:     

• Contact newspapers for calendar listings and a photo shoot
• Contact local papers for a reporter to do a review
• Organize a group of people to post posters and fliers to local organizations, businesses and schools
• Organize students to sell tickets after Masses
• Contact a youth group to offer group rates or a donated block of tickets

Costuming:     

• Minor sewing such as hems, buttons, and repairs
• Purchase items as needed

Sets and Props:               

• Build and paint walls, steps, platforms, and other items
• Help locate, and borrow or purchase various items and return items at the end of the show                     

Misc:              

• Run errands, make purchases
• Supervise rehearsals
• Create the program
• Organize and provide food for the cast, crews, and orchestra for dress rehearsal and performance nights
• Purchase and organize refreshments for intermissions
• Take photographs of cast, crews, and orchestra
• Loan a drumset