Principal's Message

 

I hope all of you had a blessed and joyous Christmas holiday. During the holiday, I had an opportunity to reflect upon this past semester. By all accounts, it was a tremendous first half of the school year at SJND.

Our students are achieving great things both in and out of the classroom, faculty and staff morale is very positive and the entire community seems buoyed by the increase in enrollment we experienced this year. The energy of our students this year has been so positive, and nowhere was it most clearly visible than the last day of final exams when the Kelly Gymnasium was transformed magically into an ice rink for our students, complete with cookies, cocoa and a movie on the big screen.

We now take this enthusiasm and positive spirit into the second half of our school year, which will begin, as it always does, with the start of our basketball and soccer seasons as well as the beginning of a new set of semester classes for many of our students. I look forward to seeing many of you on campus, in the gym or on the soccer pitch.

The beginning of a new calendar year also marks the beginning of our final preparation for our WASC/WCEA school accreditation process. This process, which occurs every six years, is a process of self study which ensures that our school continues to improve and make the changes needed to continue to serve our students in the best possible way.

A visiting committee of educators from other Catholic high schools will visit SJND February 12 to 15. In anticipation of their visit, we have spent the last 12 months preparing a Self Study Report, which describes our school program, how we have changed since our last accreditation visit in 2006 and how we plan to improve our programs over the course of the next six years. We are looking forward to an affirming and supportive visit in February.

Join Us for Thursday's "Back From College Night"

Questions about college? Now is your chance to ask all those questions and get real answers from college students who you may know from their days at SJND.

A group of recent SJND alums who are in college and are home for break have been invited to share their college stories with students and parents at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School on Jan. 5. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. in Notre Dame Hall. All SJND students and parents are invited.

"The idea is to gather recent SJND alums to speak to our students and parents about life at specific colleges and important issues regarding college life in general," said John Gunty, director of counseling at SJND.

For more information, contact Mr. Gunty at 510-995-9450.

SJND's Fong Named Cross Country Coach of the Year

Tony Fong, SJND's cross country coach for the past 16 years, was named Coach of the Year by the Oakland Tribune for his commitment to the school and to the team he coached to third in the state this year.

"I think he is the ideal coach," said Nick Ratto '12 in the article. "He makes you want to run, and he makes running fun."

Fong's reputation is known far and wide, and he puts in untold hours supporting SJND's cross country runners.

An off-campus coach who works in the bio-tech industry, Fong goes to work at 6 a.m. during the season so that he can arrive on campus to coach runners in the afternoon.

When his father Stanley Chan Fong died on Oct. 14, Fong said he was touched by the response of the SJND runners.

"The kids were awesome in the way they supported my family by coming to the funeral service. It was something that meant a lot not only to myself, but also to my family and my mom," Fong said.

On Jan. 7, Fong will be a featured speaker at the fourth annual Northern California cross country coaches' meeting. The group is gathering at Crystal Springs -Upland High School, and Fong was invited to make a presentation.

"I'm pretty excited to be asked to speak to this group," he said. "They are the coaches of the top schools in Northern California."

Learn to Communicate Well With Your Teen

Don't miss the Parents Association's next evening enrichment get-together on Jan. 10 with Dr. Michael Torres, PsyD, who will return to SJND to talk about how to better know your teens and communicate with them.

Dr. Torres will address the following issues:

• Brain Development
• Communicating effectively with your teenager
• Coping with anger
• Signs and symptoms of depression
• Sexuality
• Eating habits and the consequences of a poor diet

Dr. Torres spoke at SJND last year, and he brings a sincere and enthusiastic approach to the topic. The evening will begin at 7 p.m. in Notre Dame Hall. This event is open to all, so please spread the word and invite other parents who may benefit from hearing this worthwhile presentation.

Students Design Winning T Shirt to Benefit Shelter

Sophomores Guilia Marinos and Jill Taylor designed the winning logo for this year's Midway Shelter Run T shirt.

Runners in the December race, which benefits the shelter in Alameda for women and children, were all given the pink shirts featuring the students' design.

"We will also have an assignment to design logos in digital arts class for next year's race, as well as the Fourth of July race," said Andy McKee, who teaches the class.

The July 4 race is a popular run through Alameda before the storied Fourth of July parade. Each year, Principal Simon Chiu and members of the cross country and track teams join hundreds of runners in the race, which also raises money for the Midway Shelter for women and children.

Crab Feed Goal to Add to SJND's Fleet

Parents, alumni and friends will all be part of an effort to add to SJND's fleet of large passenger vans, used to transport the school's athletes and students to sporting events, field trips and retreats, at the 31st annual Crab Feed at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School on Jan. 28.

"Participation in nearly every sport has grown over the past year," said Gia DeGrano '83, event coordinator for the Crab Feed and an SJND parent.

"In the fall, golf and tennis teams doubled in size, and cross country had 35 runners, up from about 20 last year," she said. "We've added men's and women's junior varsity soccer for winter. Last spring, we had 50 students participating in track.It's a happy problem to have, and we want to respond to the need."

Guests at the event will be invited at the end of the live auction to raise a paddle and make a donation to add to the SJND fleet. Last year, the Booster Club purchased two new 15-passenger vans, and the school currently has five.

So be part of the effort to add to the SJND fleet! Now is a great time to get your tickets to the Crab Feed, because this event always sells out. Tickets are $65 each and $800 for a Pilot Table.

Parents of freshman and sophomore students are asked to donate a dessert for the event, and families of juniors and seniors are asked to donate a bottle of wine. For more information, please contact Nicole Catania at 510-995-9452.

Tickets for Prom at Treasure Island and Grad Night

This year's prom on April 28 will be a very special evening featuring a masquerade ball on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay.

Tickets are available online for "Unmask the Night," held at the Oasis on Treasure Island. Students will enjoy amazing views of San Francisco as they arrive for the ball hosted by the senior class.

Appetizers and mocktails will be served on arrival while students take photographs and socialize in the lounge. A gourmet dinner will follow, and the evening will be spent dancing. Prom is from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Prom Tickets are $85 per person if purchased by March 15. After this date, the price goes up to $95 per person. No tickets will be sold after April 17. Please direct all questions to Ms. Jennifer Dlugosh or Nikki Roco '12, Prom Committee Chair.

Grad Night tickets are also available for the May 24 celebration at Roseville Golfland Sunsplash. The entire water park will be closed down for SJND's exclusive grad night celebration, and students will arrive by bus from SJND to enjoy all-night access tominiaturegolf, laser tag, water slides, DJ dancing, arcade games, a rock wall and a mechanical bull. Tickets to Grad Night are $250 per student. A deposit of $125 will be due Feb 15, and full payment is due April 2.

More detailed information will be sent home with students. If you have questions about Grad Night, please contact Ms. Dlugosh or Amanda Edwards '12, Grad Night Committee Chair.

 

HSPT on Saturday for Prospective SJND Students

Eighth graders will take the High School Placement Test on Saturday, Jan. 7, at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School.

Nearly 200 students have registered to take the test at SJND, and students are required to have applied to take the test. Students should arrive at 8:15 a.m., and the test begins at 8:30 a.m. Students will receive their room assignment, and pencils will be provided.

After the test, a pizza lunch will be provided to all students on campus. Pick-up is at noon.

Women's Golf Team Honored

The varsity women's golf team at SJND attained one of the highest team grade point averages among all women's golf teams in the North Coast Section, earning them the NCS Scholastic Girls' Golf Championship Team Award for 2011.

The team members had a combined 3.65 unweighted GPA, and SJND was awarded a pennant for their accomplishment.

"Recognizing that there are 165 schools in the NCS, this is indeed an outstanding achievement," said Gil Lemmon, commissioner of athletics for the NCS. "Congratulations to your team members, coaches, parents, faculty and staff who contributed to this worthy accomplishment."

 

Registering for Next Year's AP and Honors Courses

Beginning in mid-January, all teachers will begin informing their students about AP and honors-level courses for the 2012-2013 school year.

There will be an AP/Honors Placement Assembly on Jan. 23 during Collaboration for students who wish to be considered for those courses in 2012-13. To be considered for placement into an AP/Honors-level course, students must meet minimum grade requirements and department approval is given to each student based on a subject placement exam. Dates for the exams are:

• Jan. 25, Honors English 2, Honors English 3, and AP English Literature
• Jan. 27, Honors World History, AP U.S. History, and AP Government
• Jan. 31, Honors Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics, and AP Environmental Science
• Feb. 3, Honors Spanish 2, Honors Spanish 3, and AP Spanish Language
• Feb. 7, Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2, Honors Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus

Students who wish to take AP Studio Art must make an individual appointment with Mr. Mark Ritter no later than February 7to have their work reviewed for admission into AP Studio Art.

 

Student Trip Planned to Ecuador and the Galapagos

SJND students have the rare opportunity to tour Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands next year, spending 11 days in the biological marine reserve and national park known for its vast endemic species and for Charles Darwin's studies of evolution.

Next Easter break, in March 2013, Mrs. Taylor, chair of the science department at SJND, will lead the trip, which begins with a trip to cultural sites in Ecuador. From there, the SJND group will spend three nights on an island in the Galapagos, traveling each day to a different island to study the flora and fauna of the Galapagos.

Finally, the group will return to Ecuador to participate in cultural immersion service learning project.The total cost of the trip is $3,900, and there is a monthly payment plan available. For more information, contact Mrs. Taylor.

SAT Prep Course at SJND

For those students who registered for the SAT Prep Course being offered on campus this semester, the sessions take place every Tuesday and Thursday night from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Classes begin Jan. 10 and conclude March 15. The first class will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 in Room 7. Questions about the SAT Prep program should be directed to Dr. Kristopher White.

Parents Association News

Our next Parent Association meeting is Jan. 10. We're fortunate to have Dr. Michael Torres make a return visit to talk to us on "What Makes Your Teen Tick and What Makes Them So Moody."

This might be a useful topic to many of us. We'll have our regular Parent Association meeting at 6:30 p.m., followed by Dr. Torres at 7 p.m. This is open to the public, so feel free to invite friends.

While you have your calendars out, mark Tuesdays Feb. 14 and March 13 and plan to attend the Parent Association meetings. The March meeting will be another Parent Ed event, and one of our SJND parents, Susan Lockwood, will help teach us how to get our homes disaster preparedness-ready. If you can't make the meetings, be sure to check out the agendas, minutes and the recent Parent Association budget report on the SJND Parents Association webpage. We know you can't make every meeting, but you can stay informed this way.

Thanks to Kriste Falkner and so many other parents who helped prepare, serve and clean up a tasty lunch for the SJND faculty and staff on Dec. 8. Our well-deserving teachers and staff very much enjoyed the wonderful home-cooked meal.

You can always contact us at parentsassociation@sjnd.org.

Kris Venturini and Leslie Gomez, SJND Parents Association Co-Presidents