Principal's Message

Every year, faculty and staff decide to continue their life journey by departing SJND and moving on to their next station. Join me in thanking the following people for their dedicated service to SJND.

Jennifer Costa works as an Administrative Assistant to our Admissions, Counseling and Athletics offices. As an alum of SJND and now as an employee to the school, Jennifer has brought a unique energy and perspective to her daily work that has benefitted the school in numerous ways. She will leave SJND to pursue an internship opportunity at UC Berkeley.

Abbigail Cote has worked as an Administrative Assistant to our Institutional Advancement Department. She has distinguished herself in being the staff liaison for the SJND Crab Feed and helping our parent volunteer Crab Feed Committee put on wonderful events that have raised money to benefit our athletic department as well as tuition assistance. She will be leaving to pursue graduate studies in music and opera direction at Florida State University.

Maureen Ord has been a member of our Science Department for the last three years. She has distinguished herself as a teacher in the life sciences as well as having served as out sophomore division moderator and Link Crew moderator. She will leave to return to her native Nebraska to teach science at Millard North High School.

Tom Riley leaves SJND after 11 years in our English Department. His impact upon our students is legendary, not only for his ability to help our students to write clearly and read critically but also for his high expectations when it came to conduct and comportment. He leaves SJND to pursue his next career in wine studies.

Strategic Plan

The current draft of the strategic plan will be presented to our Board of Trustees for review at their next meeting on May 20. The Board will then vote on the plan at their June meeting. After eight months of work by many members of the school community, SJND has crafted a plan that will help guide our work over the course of the next three years. This plan is the result of feedback  we have received from many people in our community, including parents, students, faculty and staff, alumni, Board members, donors, and parishioners. We will roll out the plan at the beginning of the school year so you can look forward to seeing it in this newsletter and on our school website in the fall.

Senior Activities

This is an exciting time for our seniors as they prepare to graduate. May is filled with so many wonderful senior activities, including our Senior Recognition Night, Grad Night, Baccalaureate Liturgy and, of course, Graduation. I look forward to celebrating with our seniors as well as their parents and extended family!

Outstanding Musicians

Congratulations to Chris McClintock, Mitchell Mein, Haialani Enos and Terryck Carter for receiving Outstanding Musician Awards at the CSUEB Jazz Festival in April.

The SJND concert and advanced bands attended the Jazz Festival, where they performed for evaluators and attended clinics conducted by professional musicians.

The musicians who received Outstanding Musician Awards were chosen by the adjudicators for excellence in musicianship and soloing.From Concert Band, which consists of the SJND Jazz Band, Terryck Carter '12, received the award on drums and Haialani Enos '12, received the award on bass.

 In Advanced Band, which consists of the SJND Jazz Ensemble, Chris McClintock '10 received the award for outstanding soloist. He played a solo in the "Sesame Street Theme,” with Mitchell Mein '11, on drums.

The student musicians had a positive, enriching and educational experience at the Festival at the Cal State University, East Bay. The Festival's main goal is to promote jazz education and help students realize their full potential as musicians.

Students Travel to the South to Experience Civil Rights History

A group of students from Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School spent spring break on a trip to the South to visit some of the storied places of the civil rights movement and meet people who were involved in this divisive period of U.S.  history.

“We all feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to travel through the South, visiting the major Civil Rights landmarks, and, most importantly, meeting with some of the brave men and women of the movement,” said Meg Honey, chair of the Social Studies Department at the high school, who went with the group.

 “Taking this trip made us all realize how much further we need to go to truly achieve liberty and justice for all, and we are ready to construct a direct action plan for our school community,” she said.

Evander Woods, a junior, said his favorite moment came when Congressman John Lewis, who led the infamous Bloody Sunday march for voting rights in Selma, Ala., on March 7, 1965, crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge again with SJND’s students.

“We walked across that bridge with John Lewis,” said Woods. “The first time he had crossed it, it was Bloody Sunday. He was a real inspiration.”

Honey was also moved by the visit with Lewis in Selma. In 1965, he led 600 civil rights marchers headed east out of Selma. They got only as far as the bridge, six blocks away, where state and local lawmen attacked them with billy clubs and tear gas and drove them back into Selma.

“Our time in Selma ended with the most amazing surprise,” she said. “Representative John Lewis arrived in Selma to lead our march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, just like he did in 1965 during the March for Voting Rights. We all screamed, cried, and just could not believe how amazing the moment was.”

On the 10-day trip, the students also met and traveled with Minnijean Brown Trickey. Minnijean was one of the first African American students to integrate Little Rock, Arkansas’ Central High School in 1957.

The also visited with Elizabeth Eckford of the 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, who led the struggle to desegregate Birmingham, Ala.; and, Reverend Billy Kyles, an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Traveling with Sojourn to the Past, a non-profit educational organization, the group visited sites that are part of American history: 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.

To read more about SJND’s trip to the South, visit the blog Honey created to chronicle their travels through the south, http://www.sojourntrip.blogspot.com/.

Becerra Part of Grammy-Winning Choir

SJND has a Grammy Award-winning singer on campus, thanks to the fine pipes of Amado Becerra ‘13.

Becerra began singing with San Francisco Boys Chorus in 2003 and moved to Pacific Boychoir Academy (PBA) in 2006 to attend their middle school. He has traveled and sung with PBA across the United States and in Argentina, Hungary, and South Africa. This summer, he will be traveling with PBA to the People's Republic of China.

As a member of the choir, Becerra performed and recorded Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with The San Francisco Symphony. The recording won both the PBA and the San Francisco Symphony two Grammy Awards in 2010.

Becerra is part of a large, talented, hard-working, and well-directed team. Last month, the group became the first boys choir in America to perform Rachmaninoff's Vespers. Though he enjoys his participation in PBA, Amado is most excited about playing guitar, singing, and song writing with his rock group, The Critical Darlings.

picture: Becerra (1st row, 4th from left.) with the PBA Tenors and Basses

 

Auditions for As You Like It Are This Month

SJND is happy to announce that its Fall 2011 drama production will be As You Like It. Auditions for this Shakespearean show will take place this month. Current students and incoming freshmen are encouraged to audition for the show. Auditions are May 17 and 18 in room 201, Marianist Hall from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Click here for a synopsis of the show. Rehearsals begin August 2010 and “As You Like It” runs October 7-10. Click here for audition details. All are welcome. If you are interested in doing sets, lights, props, costumes, or make-up, or if you have additional questions, please email Joyce Henderson at jhenderson@sjnd.org.

Academic Council Honors High Achieving Seniors

At a luncheon on campus last month, the Academic Council honored seniors who have excelled throughout their four years at SJND. The Academic Council consists of all of the Department Heads, the Director of Studies and the Assistant Principal of Academics. In addition, Bank of America recognized SJND’s high-achieving students. The honorees for the Class of 2010 are:

 

 

Academic Council Honorees

Liberal Arts: Katie Riley
Math and Science: Oliver Dam
Music: Christopher McClintock
Drama: Matthew Hagins-Perry

Bank of America Honorees

English:  Jonathan Kachiu, Kelley Villa
History: Gabriel Flores
Math: Adaure Amuzie, Nkeiruka Umeh
French: Noelle Perata
Spanish: Ariana Braga, Gabriel Flores
Religious Studies: Jesus Alvarez , Jean Eisenman,
Social Studies: Natalie Espinoza
Science: Emily Dobrzanowski, Jean Eisenman
Art: Jean Eisenman
Chorus: Helen Romero
Drama: Sofia Fernandez, Tiffany Spriggs

An Opportunity to Meet with Colleges

Sophomores and juniors should mark their calendars for two college fairs in May.

On May 7, the East Bay College Fair will be held at Cal State University, East Bay. The next day, May 8, the East Bay College Connection is hosting a college fair at St. Mary’s College in Moraga.

Both of these events are free to students and are important resources in the college search. They provide the opportunity to meet representatives from more than a hundred colleges, and there are workshops on admissions and the financial aid process.

Advanced registration is highly recommended. To register for these college fairs or for more information, please visit the College Fair page on the SJND website or see your counselor for more details.

Juniors Aboard the USS Hornet

Last month, the junior class had the opportunity to explore history right in their own backyard aboard the USS Hornet. Students spent time in all areas of the ship and learned about its importance in World War II, and its role in the space race and with developments in military technology. In addition, students learned about the demographic changes in the Bay Area during WWII, the escalation of the Cold War, and the internment of Japanese American citizens during the war.

 

Senior Breeanna Decker Featured on CBS News Program

Breeanna Decker was interviewed for a feature on the CBS 5 News about a pioneering organization that inspires women and girls in the Bay Area.

The TV news story was broadcast April 28 and was about the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, founded by Cathy Adams. She was the recent recipient of the Jefferson Award, a prestigious national recognition honoring community and public volunteerism in America.

Breeanna, who will be attending Santa Clara University in the fall, participates in the coalition’s Positive Steps mentoring program. Her mentor is a retired police captain, perfect for her prospective career path.

“I don’t see many African American women in Law enforcement,” Breanna explains. “It’s rare, so it’s nice to know somebody in the demographic who’s in it.”

To see the entire news story, visit: http://cbs5.com/jeffersonawards/Jefferson.Awards.Adams.2.1660316.html

Glee comes to SJND!

 

Taking a page from the songbook of  the popular TV show “Glee,” the  12-member Praise and Worship Choir at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School put on a concert featuring the songs made popular on the hit show, including some Alicia Keys, Celion Dion and, of course, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey.

The free concert was at the St. Joseph Basilica on campus in late April. Several alumni of the school returned to sing along with the students.

 

 

Update on School Calendar for Next Year

The school calendar for the 2010-11 school year has been updated. Please note changes in the dates for the opening of school in August.

Student Orientation Grades 10, 11, 12	August 18
Student Orientation Grade 9	August 19
First Day of Classes	August 23
Thanksgiving Holiday	November 24-26
First Semester Exams	December 13-16
Christmas Holiday	December 17-January 3
Second Semester Begins	January 4
President’s Holiday	February 18 and 21
St. Joseph Holiday	March 18 and 21
Easter Holiday	April 18-25
Second Semester Exams	May 23-26
Baccalaureate Mass	May 27
Graduation	May 28

 

Semester Exam Policy

Please keep in mind the school’s policy regarding semester exams. No student may miss final exams due to a family vacation. A student may request to reschedule a final exam only for a medical emergency as verified by a doctor's note or an extraordinary family emergency such as a death in the family. All other requests to reschedule final exams, such as a family vacation, will be denied. If a student misses a final exam due to an unexcused absence, the student will receive a zero on the exam.

Semester Exam Schedule

Monday, May 24: Period 1, 8:30 to 10 a.m. Period 7, 10:20 to 11:50 a.m.
Tuesday, May 25: Period 4, 8:30 to 10 a.m. Period 5, 10:20 to 11:50 a.m.
Wednesday, May 26: Period 2, 8:30 to 10 a.m. Period 3, 10:20 to 11:50 a.m.
Thursday, May 27: Period 6, 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Semester Failures

Students who may have semester D or F grades this year should meet with their counselor soon to plan a summer school remedial plan to clear those grades.

All students who earned a semester failure (F) on their January report card, regardless of the class, must clear that failure before returning to SJND in the fall.

Semester F grades must be made up through attendance at a recognized summer school, community college, or university extension program, including online options offered through SJND’s remedial summer school. Work from private tutors is not acceptable, nor may the work be postponed until a later date. The school’s policy is stated in the Parent-Student Handbook.

Make plans now to enroll in a class over the summer to clear semester F grades. The student must first obtain permission from their counselor and the Assistant Principal of Academics to attend a course, because not all courses taken in a summer setting are considered valid to meet our graduation requirements.   

In addition, any semester D grade earned must be cleared in summer school. Most D grades are not considered acceptable grades to colleges, even if the D grade is earned in freshman year.  Students will not be permitted to advance to the next level of a class unless they have a C or higher. Please check the course prerequisites in the SJND Course Catalog and meet with your counselor for clarification if you have any semester D’s or F’s.

Parents: Join Us for a Work Weekend on Campus

In anticipation of the new Smart Classrooms renovations to modernize classrooms on campus, SJND is asking for parent volunteers to help move desks, tables and boxes out of classrooms and Notre Dame Hall on Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30.

There is a short window of time between the last day of school and the day contractors start the renovations. We’re excited to get the new classrooms ready for our students, and we’re asking parents to do what they can to pitch in. Thank you!

Volunteers need to be able to lift 30 pounds without assistance. There is some activity up and down stairs. Volunteers are asked to call Andrew Reed at 510-995-9412.

Announcement for Sophomores

Sophomores that are interested in ordering the junior class ring should pick up an order packet from Mrs. Kuznik in the Student Life office. A small deposit is required when the order is placed. Josten’s is the official class ring provider to SJND. The blessing of the rings and celebration of the Junior class will be in November 2010.

Student Literary Magazine Celebrates Two Decades at SJND

The 20th anniversary issue of the PRISMS literary magazine is available and features more than 80 pages of poetry, art and musical scores, all composed by students.

This year’s edition was published by a student staff of 16, led by Kelley Villa ‘10, editor-in-chief. “Writing outside lines was far more exhilarating than adhering to rules,” Villa wrote in her forward to the magazine.

If you have not yet received your family’s copy, please contact Betsy Norris, faculty adviser for PRISMS, at enorris@sjnd.org.

 “Fame, The Musical” is a Big Hit

Following on the heels of the recent popular film by the same name and the original 1980 movie, students at SJND performed “Fame, The Musical” this spring.

The story about a group of students at the High School for the Performing Arts in New York City was a popular spring musical at SJND, virtually selling out each of the five performances at the end of March.

Click here to view photos on flickr

Gardens Galore XVI

On Sunday May 16, the St. Joseph Garden Club of Alameda will host the 16th Annual “Gardens Galore” Garden Tour. This self-guided tour (rain or shine) consists of six Alameda gardens and will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Reservations are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the tour. An optional boxed lunch is available for an additional $10. There will also be a boutique with a large selection of handcrafted items from local vendors. Items for sale include gifts and items for your home and garden. The boutique will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the SJND quad.

Proceeds benefit Saint Joseph Elementary School and Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School.

For more information or to make reservations, please call 510-995-9544.