December 2009

Featured Stories
Flores ‘10 and Villa ‘10 Given College Board Honors
Alumni Come Back for Thanksgiving Tradition
SJND Students Showcased in Alum’s Cultural Art Exhibit

Parent Articles/Upcoming Events
Stanford University Rep Presenting at SJND Financial Aid Night
AASA Celebrates With Holiday Potluck
PRISMS Takes First Place
SJND Students Contribute to Habitat for Humanity
Cross Country Team Runs to State Championships
Band Members Perform at Instrumental Music Festival
New Peer Tutoring Program Available to Students
Spring Musical Will Be FAME!
Parent Association News
Crab Feed Tickets On Sale NOW

From the Administration
Principal's Message
Student Life News
Professional Development–The Work of Wonderful Teachers
First Semester Exam Dates and Policies

Principal's Message

New SJND Mission Statement:

I am happy to report to you that the Board of Trustees approved a new school mission statement at their November meeting. The new mission statement reads:

Saint Joseph Notre Dame is a dynamic, Catholic parish high school that offers a rigorous college preparatory education. We are a faith-filled, diverse, and welcoming community that embraces the teachings of Jesus Christ. We develop confident, open minded, generous leaders who are ready to live joyful lives of faith, scholarship and service.

I am thrilled about our new mission statement. It is an accurate reflection of who we are today and compels us to act boldly in order to accomplish our mission for the students of tomorrow. It clearly defines who we are, what we do and what we hope to be. It challenges our school community in all the right ways. I am especially grateful for the work on our Mission Statement Committee, under the direction of our Theology Department Chair Doug Evans, as well as committee members Bob Williams, Jan Meins ‘82, Matt Naclerio and Father William Jenkins. Their work was assisted by the Chair of the Mission Effectiveness Committee of the Board of Trustees, Kevin Milroy.

Over the course of the remainder of the school year, faculty and staff will work on fully understanding this new mission statement and finding ways to make it real within the everyday life of the school. The school will launch a more formal effort at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year to widely publicize it to the broader school community of support schools, alumni and other supporters of the school.

Athletics:

Congratulations to our Men’s Varsity Cross Country team who advanced to the State Championships. Run like the wind!

In basketball, all of our teams are set and pre-season play has already begun. Mark your calendar for the Island Classic on Dec. 11-12 at SJND. On Saturday, Dec. 12, SJND plays Branson at home at 7 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s thrilling NorCal Championship game.

My best wishes to you and your family for a blessed and joyous Christmas!

Flores ‘10 and Villa ‘10 Given College Board Honors

Gabe Flores ‘10 and Kelley Villa ‘10 have both been named as National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) Scholars for the 09-10 school year. The NHRP was initiated in 1983 to identify outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students. This year, the NHRP is recognizing nearly 5,000 students selected from a pool of over 200,000 students who took the 2008 PSAT and identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino. Students recognized by the NHRP are at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino (based on the program’s definition) and have achieved a minimum PSAT score for their region. Students with GPA’s of 3.5 or higher are designated as Scholars. SJND is proud of its NHRP Scholars.

 

 

Alumni Come Back for Thanksgiving Tradition

It’s a tradition. Every Thanksgiving weekend, SJND’s alumni basketball players come back to where it all started for them.

Many of the alums went on from SJND to become Div. I college basketball players, and so the alumni games at SJND are usually quite a show, filled with fast-paced plays and slamming dunks. The games are not your typical alumni games. In other words, the alums usually win. The last time the men’s varsity team won was in 2003. They went on that season to win the state championship.

This year, more than 40 alumni came back to campus on Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, to play some hoop and regain some glory. The gym was packed with alumni, parents, teachers and students who came to watch the popular alumni games.

In the first game, the junior varsity boys’ team squared off against the Alumni Legends. The JV was soundly defeated, 74-32, by the alumni, who were clearly happy to be back in the Kelly Gymnasium.  

Next, the women’s varsity team played the women alumni and beat them, 62-26. That left the overall score even, with both the students and the alumni each winning one game. The women alumni who played included: Michelle Mino ‘97, Shelley Roxas ‘04, Olivia Overtone ‘09, Olivia Stean ‘09, Yuki Jitosho ‘06, Leilani Wagner ‘02, Jezeca Melgar ‘09, and Princess Tacorda ‘04.

The final game featured the young alumni against the men’s varsity. Skilled players like Allen Hester ‘05, Lorenzo Hutton ‘03, Cameron Quick ‘03, Brandon Quick ‘01, Martin Bond ‘91, D’Angelo Hutton ‘09, Rashawn Fulcher ‘97, Damion McMiller ‘88, Eugene Felise ‘80, Bobby Giron ‘78, Jon Gordon ‘96, Victor Harris ‘95, D.J. Oster ‘93, Anthony Harris ‘02, and Jon Musson ‘99, the SJND JV coach, played for the alumni.

The game came down to the final minutes, with the men’s varsity, a contender for the Div. V state championship in March, hitting their shots and playing aggressive defense. The final score was close, with the alumni squeaking out the win, 53-48.

Alumni Homecoming

After the games, some 400 alumni, parents, students, teachers – and most of the alumni basketball players -- crossed Chestnut Street to enjoy the annual Alumni Homecoming celebration in the quad. The heart of the SJND campus was lighted with Christmas lights and there was a blazing fire pit and music to welcome everyone back to SJND.

Groups of alumni gathered to share a beer and catch up on their memories. Parents of SJND’s basketball players cooked food and handed out hot dogs and chips to the crowd. Tony Aiello, now retired as principal of SJND, along with Principal Simon Chiu, both attended Homecoming.

Which classes were best represented? Based on an unofficial tally at the bar, the winner appears, for the second year in a row, to be the Class of 2002.  

“It’s a great night,” said David Sheehan ‘02. “Great to come back and see everyone.”

SJND Students Showcased in Alum’s Cultural Art Exhibit

SJND alumna, Rachel-Anne Palacios ‘92 is a local artist and curator. This year, Palacios and the Craft and Cultural Arts Gallery present “Ofrendas Para los Muertos-From Oakland, With Love.” This exhibit showcases mixed media homages in honor of Dia de los Muertos. “Dia de los Muertos is a momentous holiday in the Mexican culture,” said Palacios. “It has taken on new adaptations and transformations of its traditions over the years. With this display, we invite you to behold our offerings created in reverence of our ancestors.”

In addition to managing this project, Palacios also wanted to extend this educational and cultural experience to the students at her alma mater. “In September and November, Palacios held Dia de los Muertos craft workshops for my Honors Spanish 2 students and the Latino Club during collaboration,” said Mrs. Norris, Palacios’ former teacher and mentor. “The items the students made are now on display on the SJND altar on exhibit.”

Two of Mrs. Norris Honors Spanish 2 students decided to get even more involved in the project. Chris Owens ‘12 and Andrew Lee ‘12 both volunteered to help set up the community altar with Palacios. When asked about his experience, Lee said, “I have a new respect for the Day of the Dead. I learned why they do what they do. For example, the flowers we made show that the dead are being welcomed in a happy way.”  Owens enjoyed the personal tour he received from Palacios. “The coolest part was when she showed us the Aztec mural. It was fun to set up the altar. Rachel-Anne was really fun to work with.”

Ofrendas Para los Muertos is on display at the Craft and Cultural Arts Gallery in the State of California Office Building Atrium at 1515 Clay Street in Oakland until Dec. 31. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be a Closing Reception and Gallery Talk on Thursday, Dec. 17 from 5-8 p.m. The exhibit is free to the public and is accessible by public transportation. Click here for more information.

Stanford University Rep Presenting at SJND Financial Aid Night

Senior Financial Aid Night will be on Tuesday, Dec.8 at 7 p.m. in Notre Dame Hall. Please note that this is the corrected date from what is printed in the Student Handbook schedule. This program is designed specifically for seniors and their parents. The Director of Financial Aid at Stanford University will be here to discuss filling out the FAFSA and searching for other financial aid options. For more information, please contact Ms. Costa at jcosta@sjnd.org

AASA Celebrates With Holiday Potluck

The African American Student Association celebrated the holidays at a lunchtime potluck in November. Homemade specialties meant no one went hungry!

This was the second luncheon this school year for members. They recently were treated to lunch as the prize for best Student Ambassadors at Open House. Officers and members served sweet potato pie to visitors at Open House to go along with their theme "The Recipe for Success."

Club members are not taking it easy after their win.  They are already planning their assembly for Black History Month in February. The AASA has been under the direction of new moderator Mr. Kwasi Reed since he started at SJND in September as Dean of Students. "The numbers are up and the members are very enthusiastic under Mr. Reed's direction," said club assistant moderator, Ms. Chris Micheli.

PRISMS Takes First Place

PRISMS, SJND’s literary publication, has once again won First Place with Special Merit from the American Scholastic Press Association. It received 980 out of a possible 1000 points, one of the highest scores in the contest this year, according to Dr. Richard Plass, Director. Congratulations to the 2009 PRISMS staff and contributors.

The contest deadline for the 09-10 edition of PRISMS is Friday, Dec. 4. Art work, poetry, and short stories can be submitted to this annual literary contest. However, entries are accepted year round. For more information, please contact Mrs. Norris.

SJND Students Contribute to Habitat for Humanity

The Environmental Awareness Club and Club MTL (Musical Theater Lovers) put together a day of service to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, a worldwide housing organization that builds homes for families in need. On Nov. 14, ten SJND students made their way to the build site at Edes Avenue in Oakland for an eight-hour build day alongside over one hundred other first time and long-term volunteers. “It was amazing to see how much progress had been made at Edes Avenue, where an entire neighborhood had been established by Habitat volunteers alone,” said Environmental Awareness Club moderator, Ms. Jessica Kim.

The Habitat crew assigned the SJND group the task of painting wood for shelving and fencing. After painting for hours during the morning shift, the Habitat for Humanity crew leader took the group on a tour through some of the homes, both unfinished and finished. She pointed out several of the “green” features of the new homes; including the dual-flush toilets, recycled material used for insulation, and the low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint that is used throughout the homes.

The group had a tough, productive day of work and left the build site feeling both exhausted and satisfied. “The students really enjoyed their experiences, and it was an amazing feeling to know that we had contributed to helping families reach their dreams of one day owning a home,” said Ms. Jennifer Dlugosh, moderator of Club MTL. The Environmental Awareness Club and Club MTL hope to continue their volunteer service at Habitat for Humanity next year.

Click here for more pictures of the students working at the Habitat for Humanity worksite.

Cross Country Team Runs to State Championships

Race day for the California Div. V state cross country championships in Fresno was run in near perfect conditions, overcast and temperatures in the mid 50s with a slight breeze. The course was mostly packed dirt with one challenging hill at mile 2. The race started promptly at 11:15 a.m.

Nick Ratto ‘12 led the Pilots with a strong finish and a time of 17:18 in the 5K (3.1 miles) placing 50th overall out of 184 runners. Louis Rodrigues ‘13 ran slightly behind finishing at 17:37 placing 66th.  Next up was Cameron Braband ‘10 with a time of 18:22, placing 117th, and close behind him was Michael Mein ‘10 also with a time 18:22, placing 118th. Rounding out SJND’s top five was Brendan Chai ‘11 with a time of 18:40 and 125th place.

The next two runners were Mitchell Mein ‘11 at 18:45 who placed 129th and Sam Levy-Wendt ‘13 at 18:49 who placed 134th.

Overall, SJND placed 15th this year in the Div. V state championships. This is the 12th time in the past 14 years that SJND has qualified for the State Championships in Cross Country.

“It was fantastic day for the Pilots finishing as well as they did,” said Cross Country Coach Tony Fong. “The team is already looking forward to next year.”

Band Members Perform at Instrumental Music Festival

Three top music students from SJND traveled to CSU East Bay on Nov. 4 for the 2009 Instrumental Music Festival. Joseph Eusebio ‘10 (alto sax), Christopher McClintock ‘10 (trumpet) and Jeronimo Mora ‘11 (trumpet) joined approximately 80 other Bay Area high school students in an all-day rehearsal and an evening performance.These students represented 13 different high schools and were all nominated by their respective music directors.According to SJND Band Director Ms. Paula Cekola, "These were the top music students from major high schools throughout the East Bay. Joseph, Chris and Jeronimo, the only students from an East Bay parochial high school, were challenged and rewarded by playing with students of top caliber."The evening concert featured music by Henry Fillmore (His Honor), Mark Camphouse (Three London Miniatures), and Frank Ticheli (Wild Nights!). The CSUEB Symphonic Band also performed in the evening concert.

New Peer Tutoring Program Available to Students

We are happy to announce that a new dynamic group of students has been assembled to offer peer tutoring to all SJND students, under the guidance of our new Assistant Principal of Academics, Catherine Cook. This program is a fantastic addition to our campus and is in keeping with our dedication to excellence in the classroom.  

Our peer tutors were hand selected based upon their personable demeanor, serious approach to education, demonstrated commitment to SJND, and their genuine dedication to their community. All of our tutors understand the benefit of working alongside a friend to overcome challenges, and they have received three hours of formal tutor training to prepare them for their new role. Our vision of tutoring does not provide answers to questions, but rather, a Socratic path to success. In addition to questions about specific academic classes, areas of support include study strategies, time management, Cornell note-taking, effective reading strategies, and much more to ensure that all students have the necessary skills to succeed in college and beyond.    

It should be made clear that this opportunity is not simply designed for students who are struggling in their academic program or in a specific class. If your student is finding it challenging to go from above average to excellent, please encourage them to join us. Our vision is that this will become another living element at our school, an expression of who we are.

Peer tutors are available in room 3 at 7:30 a.m., at lunch, and up to 45 minutes after school every day. If you would like more information, please have your student contact Mr. Shelton directly or by e-mail at jshelton@sjnd.org.

Spring Musical Will Be FAME!

SJND is proud to announce that this year’s spring musical will be FAME! The setting is New York City and follows a group of students attending the High School for the Performing Arts. Watch them make music, drama, and dance as they struggle to reach their goals. Audiences will rejoice with them when they succeed, and cry with them when they fall short. Every moment on their four-year journey is filled with hope and optimism. Auditions for FAME! are Dec. 7 and 8. The show opens March 19, 2010.

The spring musical is also looking for student and parent volunteers.We need set builders, painters, seamstresses, food preparers, prop gatherers, and people to help with publicity. Contact Mrs. Kubicek dkubicek@sjnd.org if you are interested in helping.

The Drama Department is also in need of plastic hangers. If you have extra hangers, please consider donating them. They can be dropped off at the front office or brought to the SJND Library.

Parent Association News

The next Parent Association meeting is Tuesday, Dec 8. It will be a potluck celebration in the Faculty Lounge at 6:30 p.m. Our guest speaker for the evening is Mr. Kwasi Reed. Come and share the food and meet our new dean.

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.

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.

Student Life News

Junior Retreats Add Service Component

The first of the 2009-10 junior retreats started off on a new foot. The Student Life Team and Campus ministry office decided to add a service component to the junior retreats. The decision brought the junior retreat program in alignment with the goals of both the freshman and sophomore retreats becoming days of service, reflection, team building and prayer. The students gathered at school, then walked to the Alameda shoreline. While the recent oil spill required some modification of the original plan, the students still managed to remove several bags of trash from the pedestrian walkway and Washington Park. Many neighbors stopped the students to commend them on caring for their hometown. The students added the connection between the random carelessness of littering to the larger impact on our natural resources. After our morning of sharing and servicing, Mr. Shelton, Ms. Dlugosh, Mr. McKee and Mr. Duran headed to the Lafayette Retreat Center for the rest of the retreat. The senior retreat leaders and Mr. Macalinao greeted them with an emotional program focused on trust and decision making. Junior Tia Gangopadhyay summarized the experience as “fantastic.” Thank you to both our hard-working student and adult retreat team leaders. Look for the next group of juniors walking the shoreline on Jan. 20.

International Food Fest Raises Funds for Angel Tree

Building on our love of crepes, brie, lumpia, and enchiladas, our culture clubs offered traditional foods as a fundraiser for the parish Angel Tree. It was so well-received that we are looking to schedule as second Food Fest in the spring. Ole!

Freshmen Elect Officers

Congratulations to the newly elected Freshman campus life team members: Eric Baskett, Juan Pamplona, Jada Hodge, Emily Stott, Sierra Harper, Akaela Magno–Ordinario, Matthew Republicano, Rose Lasalle-Klein and Khalia Burton-Hom. Their first responsibility is the Immaculate Conception Liturgy, Dec. 8. Welcome Class of 2013 officers.

898 is the Record!

Thank you to all members of the St. Joseph Parish Community. Working as one unified body, the parish, high school, and elementary school communities gathered 898 coats, sweaters and sweatshirts for the needy in the area. Coats and sweaters were given to the Women’s Shelter of St. Vincent de Paul, the Oakland Day Laborers center, and the Emancipation Project members. Next time we think how cold it is, please remember how many neighbors are staying warmer because of your generosity. Thank you. We look forward to scheduling this again next year.

From the Assistant Principal of Academics

Professional Development – The Work of Wonderful Teachers

This fall, our teachers have been engaged in implementing standards-based practice into the curriculum. This means that teachers are revising their curriculum to ensure that all content meets or exceeds state standards. Some departments, like Foreign Language, are also incorporating national standards of excellence. 

We invited Dr. Denise Fleming to lead our staff in creating standards based assessments for our students. Dr. Fleming is a professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Cal State East Bay. She is a specialist in literacy and teacher professional development, and she also chaired the state task force on Secondary Literacy Instruction. We are delighted and very fortunate to have such a prominent Bay Area educational leader working as a consultant with our faculty, both as a whole group and in individual departments.

I continue to be deeply impressed with the incredible teachers at SJND and their ongoing commitment to our students.  The love and care that the faculty holds for students is evident every day, and the desire to hold students to high standards in the classroom truly denotes their belief that with the right support and engagement, all students can learn and achieve at very high levels. 

I wish you and your family a very happy and blessed holiday season.

Sincerely,
Catherine Cook
Assistant Principal of Academics

First Semester Exam Dates and Policies

December marks the end of the first semester. Please be sure to log onto PowerSchool and regularly review your son or daughter’s progress in their classes. Your son or daughter should also be checking grades and assignments on a regular basis, as well as contacting his or her teachers with questions.  As we get closer to semester exams, please continue to remind your son or daughter that tutoring is available every day before school, at lunchtime, during collaboration period, and after school in room 3. Students may also meet with their teachers if they need extra help.

Semester Exams will be held Dec. 15-18.  Each exam is counted as 20% of the total semester grade, with the first and second quarter grades counted as 40% each. Each exam is 90 minutes, and must be taken during the time scheduled. Per school policy, 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.

The following is the semester exam schedule:

Tues., Dec. 15:           
First Period  8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Third Period 10:20 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Wed., Dec. 16:           
Fifth Period  8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Sixth Period 10:20 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Thurs., Dec. 17:          
Second Period  8:30 a.m.– 10 a.m.
Fourth Period    10:20 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Fri., Dec. 18:              
Seventh Period  8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.