ParentNewsletter The La Salle

FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CALIFORNIA • DECEMBER / JANUARY

Principal Ideas Dear Parents, Learn•Serve•Lead

Last June, I began to seriously reflect on the next stage of my life’s journey. My reflection was prompted by two observations: first, in looking at the school calendar for this year I am going to turn 64 in January; and second; it is literally taking me more time (and energy) to accomplish tasks and projects that in previous years would have been signed, sealed and delivered in a matter of hours or days. In December, 2011, Dr. Gray invited me to take on the position of Principal at La Salle beginning July 2012. I was of the mind that I could fulfill the responsibilities and duties for years to come. Getting older, in my mind, has never been a concern for me so why would it be in the future. Unfortunately, I’ve come to find out that life doesn’t always work that way. While aging may bring wisdom (one hopes!), it also brings a fresh set of realities into one’s life. Recently, I met with Brother Donald, Visitor of the San Francisco New Orleans District and discussed my thoughts and concerns with him. Since 1979, with the exception of a few years, I have had the privilege of serving in high school administration in six different Lasallian schools. I have been honored to have been a principal for almost 27 of those 36 years. As a result of my reflections and conversations, I spoke with Dr. Gray and informed him that I will be ending my time and responsibilities at La Salle this coming June. I will be stepping away from school administration and being a Principal. My heart is telling me that it’s time to let go! Being a school leader in today’s educational setting requires more than I can realistically give it. If I had the power to add three or four more hours to each day and a body that didn’t Continued on page 2

More About The De La Salle Christian Brothers The Christian Brothers, whose reputation for excellence in education extends back to 1680, are members of a worldwide educational order comprised of over 1,000 schools within which 1,700 Brothers and 84,500 Lasallian Partners teach nearly 1,000,000 students in 84 countries.

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Principal Ideas Continued from page 1

I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR MY TIME AT LA SALLE

require more sleep than I can give it…I might possibility survive. But that’s not how it works. This decision is not the result of an issue, a concern or a person. It’s just time to let go and move forward with my life. In my opinion, La Salle deserves more from me than I am able to give it. As for what comes next for me, I honestly do not know. I will continue my conversations with Brother Donald and we’ll arrive at something at a future date and time. This is my second stint at La Salle, Pasadena. I am most grateful for having been given this opportunity to return and work with some very talented individuals. My respect for this community of educators has deepened and I will always be grateful for having been blessed to help nurture and guide the young men and women who comprise this student body. They are what this school is about and the reason for its existence. I believe Saint La Salle is gratified by our daily work here in Pasadena. I want to thank Dr. Gray for his invitation to help direct this school for these four years. He has been most supportive of my efforts and vision as I’ve tried to move us forward. It has been a privilege for me to be a part of his leadership cabinet as we focus our energies on providing a human and Christian education to the young. Over the course of these next months, I’ll have the opportunity to individually thank the many, many individuals who have impacted me by their kindness and support. As a Brother and as an educator, I could not have asked for more. Please don’t think that I’m “throwing in the towel” today. I’m not! I’ve assured Dr. Gray that my service to La Salle is not complete and won’t end until late June. It’s time for me to end this note and get back to the business at hand...working to help this school community be even better. With Thanksgiving having just occurred and Christmas a few weeks away, I am most gratified by the many blessings that have come my way. It has been wonderful to have been a Lancer again these past four years! Sincerely,

Brother Christopher Brady, FSC Principal

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Advent Candles

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From the Parent Association

Pop Quiz! In order, rank which factors best characterize a successful high school experience:

A. Social development

B. Academic growth leading to excellence C. Athletic achievement

D. Strong co-curricular activities

Our principal, Brother Christopher, never fails to remind parents that academic excellence is the Number One Priority at La Salle. I whole-heartedly agree with Brother Chris, of course, but my own memories of high school, as those years recede further into the distance, are punctuated with fond recollections of key co-curricular activities in which I was involved. Those are the memories that I carry with me; they form the foundation of the life I have built. From them, I learned about teamwork, perseverance, diplomacy, problem solving, initiative, and compassion. To be fair, academic achievement certainly put me in a position to make use of those valuable skills; it just isn’t on the marquee when I replay the movie of those days. Our daughter Emily has been blessed in her high school career with two very special opportunities for growth beyond academics. She has been involved with the Parent Association school’s four-year arts program, and will have participated in nine theatre productions and Meeting five dance shows during her time at La Salle. January 19, 2016 She has also represented La Salle for the last 6:30pm three years in Los Angeles Area Interscholastic Equestrian League competition. Both of these Blakeslee Library activities have taught her many valuable life lessons. In theater, under the tutelage of Jude Lucas, Emily’s talents have blossomed, but so has her work ethic. Theatre is a team sport: communication and cooperation with one’s fellow actors is essential to a successful presentation. Sure, it’s about your performance, but it’s also about everyone else’s, and in educational theater, process matters even more than the end result. Improvising under pressure (lines forgotten, sets failing, queues missed) thinking on your feet, discovering and communicating new ideas are skills learned in and around a theatre production. As an equestrian, those same communication and cooperation skills are also essential to performing with your Pop Quiz Continued on page 6

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La Salle Matters By now, those intimately connected with the La Salle community are aware of Brother Christopher’s decision to step down as principal in June, 2016. This is a bittersweet moment for me on a number of levels. First and foremost, WE BOLDLY GO INTO THE FUTURE

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Brother Christopher and I have been friends for over 25 years. His acceptance of my offer to assume the principalship of La Salle four years ago is a testament to the strength of that friendship (people who know us would not be surprised to learn that we are both “alpha males”!). Second, he willingly accepted the challenge of succeeding Pat Bonacci, AFSC - a universally respected icon in the life of La Salle. Thirdly, Brother Christopher has brought a much-needed rigor to the management of day-to-day life at La Salle. I’ve often commented that the great strength of La Salle is its ability to take care of students on an individual basis. I also know that this approach is in conflict with every management principle regarding efficient business operations. As a Christian Brother, principal and educator, Brother Christopher has modeled the importance of balancing the care and concern for

each individual student with the need to manage La Salle as an efficient business operation. His – understandable – decision to accept the realities of advancing age and to focus his attention on a less stressful way to exercise his educational ministry in the next chapter of his life is an important example of how we all should listen to our “inner voice,” even when we don’t like the message! So, I am grateful for the privilege of accompanying Brother Christopher over the course of the last four years. On his watch, La Salle has grown in the sophistication of the delivery of its Mission, re-connected alumni with the Christian Brothers and positioned itself to be the school of choice in the San Gabriel Valley. I shall miss him personally and professionally. The mark of an effective leader is the sense of loss that is felt upon his departure. Like his predecessor, Pat Bonacci, AFSC, Brother Christopher will leave a hole in our hearts when he moves on from La Salle. That having been said, we cannot look backwards. As was the case when Pat Bonacci, AFSC informed me of his life transition out of the principalship, we cannot fear the next chapter in the remarkable story of La Salle High School. After 16 years here, I am absolutely convinced that God watches out for La Salle. We will approach the search for the next principal with the confidence that – as the Founder of the Christian Brothers, Saint John Baptist de La Salle, observed near the end of his life - Opus Tuum – the work is yours, Lord. We will trust in God’s providence and recognize that La Salle will attract the right next principal. I have often noted that La Salle stands on the shoulders of giants. Each of the last several principals has enabled the School to achieve remarkable advances in the delivery of its Mission. I am convinced that we will attract a new principal who will continue to successfully move La Salle into the future. I am pleased – and grateful – to report that Trustee, Vera Vignes, who chaired the last Principal Search Committee, has agreed to perform that function once again. Her background in education, amazing attention to detail and commitment to excellence will serve us well as we look for a new principal. Happily, the twin initiatives of Strategic

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Planning and WCEA/WASC accreditation have provided us with an abundance of data regarding the priorities La Salle must address in the next several years. We know, now, what kind of leadership the next principal must exercise in order to implement these priorities. And, while the search for a new chief administrator entails a great many uncertainties, La Salle’s strengths outweigh those concerns. Nevertheless, we cannot be “cockeyed optimists.” We must recognize that the search for a new principal takes place in an extraordinarily fluid educational marketplace. The “bust” of the “baby boomlet” over the course of the last five years has created a significant challenge for La Salle as we seek to capture our share of Mission-appropriate students. Strategic Planning, WCEA/WASC accreditation and the long sought after Master Plan will position La Salle to move forward with strength and confidence that we will be able to attract a full complement of Mission-appropriate students. That having been said, we must move forward in a thoughtful way – we should not “fall in love” with the first attractive candidate who responds to our announcement of the search for a new principal. To that end, I have asked the Board of Trustees to take a sabbatical for the month of January in order to focus my attention on the need to think about what La Salle needs from the next principal. My concern about managing strategic and master planning, along with WCEA/WASC accreditation is that I won’t have the intellectual space to attend to the critical issues surrounding the selection of the next principal. When I offered the principalship to Brother Christopher, I expected that I would conclude my tenure at La Salle without having to find another principal. I want to make sure that I get this right. Taking time to think about the opportunities and challenges that are inherent in the selection of the next principal is as essential as assembling the right Search Committee (I am confident that I’ve got the right people on that team). While I won’t be in the office on a day-to-day basis during January, I will be very connected to the people who will be assisting me in the search for the next principal. And, I expect to hit the ground running on February first. In the meantime, please join me in thanking Brother Christopher for his significant contribution to the La Salle that is about to meet its future.

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La Salle High School

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, California 91107-1996 • Telephone 626.351.8951 Facsimile 626.351.0275 www.lasallehs.org • The La Salle ParentNewsletter is published monthly except January and July by La Salle High School of Pasadena, Incorporated

© 2016

• Editor, Designer John Blackstock ’67 Director of Communications Telephone: 626.696.4316 • email: jblackstock @ lasallehs . org

Transforming Lives Since 1680 Richard Gray, Ph.D President

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Pop Quiz

Continued from page 3

half-ton, non speaking partner. With guidance from her coach, Emily has developed ways to work with her equine teammate, learning how to communicate in any number of non-verbal ways. The performance takes place in a show ring, not a theatre, but the same skills apply: improvising, thinking on your feet, and recovering from unforeseen challenges. I have yet to see Emily thrown over a fence by an uncooperative acting partner, however. KNOW UNDERSTAND AND FEED YOUR CHILDS PASSION

For all our students, participation in any number of co-curricular activities is, along with academics, an essential component of the “La Salle Difference.” Whatever your student’s passion or interest, we have ways to feed and develop it here. Please join us at the next two Parent Association meetings, Tuesday, January 19th, and Tuesday, February 8th, as we explore student involvement in two of those areas: the arts and athletics at La Salle. We will hear from Anthony Harris, Director of Athletics, in January, and Jude Lucas, Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair, in February. Most importantly, we will hear from the students involved in these programs, and discover what those experiences have brought to their lives. On behalf of my husband, Matt, and our daughter, Emily, ’16; as well as Parent Association Executive Committee members Jacky Samartin, Karen Yuen and Connie Mimura, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and an amazing New Year. Remember, as we celebrate with family and friends this Holiday season, those in need and those alone.

Marianne K. Wright P'16 President, Parent Association

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A FUN NIGHT to Support La Salle

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Learning and Leadership On the night of November 16, 2015, La Salle celebrated the Junior Class during the annual Junior Leadership Ceremony. This event has been taking place for several years and works to recognize and challenge students within the Junior Class to push for their potential. Students were presented with their class rings along with a Lasallian medallion. Lauded English instructor, Mr. Scott DoVale, was the featured speaker.

Scott DoVale

JUNIORS BECOMING LEADERS

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Students bless their parents

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Above, Junior Class Mentors. Top, Mullen, Williams, O'Connor. Bottom, Holyfield, Packard, Yu.

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From the Athletic Boosters

All Good Things Come to an End 6 GREAT YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE LANCERS

The Athletic Boosters had a great meeting in December with our new Head Basketball Coach, Mike Lynch. Coach Lynch explained what he is doing in the program, his philosophies and goals. Coach Lynch is very happy to be at La Salle and we are glad to have him. Make sure you take in some games because it's going to be a good year in basketball. The Holiday Season is upon us and we are looking forward to Christmas and New Years. Yet, we can look back at the year and remember all of the great things that have happened so far this year and be thankful that we are part of the La Salle Community and enjoy the time we have with our families and friends. I know I should spend more time writing about sports in this article, but you can find out most of what you need to know on our athletic website. The December/January ParentNewsletter is my last one. As many of you may know, I am stepping down as the Athletic Booster President. I feel that after six years it is time to give someone else a crack at it. I will stay on as Vice President for one year to help make sure the transition is smooth. Christine Marez is now taking my position and I am sure she will do a great job. We have been working together this year and I know she feels the same way I do about La Salle's great athletic programs. I want to thank Dr. Gray and Brother Christopher for all the trust they placed in me as the Athletic Booster President. It’s a big job hosting all the athletic events; making sure our fans and guests leave our campus with a positive feeling about the School. I want to thank Anthony Harris, our Athletic Director and Shari Baugh, the Assistant Athletic Director for their help and support over the years. I would love to take credit for all the great things we have achieved, but I can’t. I have been blessed with so many wonderful people over the last six years who have stepped up and helped me along the way. I need to say a lot of thank you’s right now, so if I miss some people, don’t be offended. Please know you all mean a lot to me and your service to the School is unmatched.

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I want to thank my fellow board members Brent Schoenbaum, Christine Marez, Gil and Stephanie Dominguez for all their support advise and just being good friends. Carol Silberburg for handing our snack bar and so much more during football season; Monika Bent for doing all the shopping; Tess Morris for handling merchandise; Stacy Forbes for admissions; Jessie Compos, Ralph and Denise Ramirez for the delicious BBQs; Jim Sparks for handling the Lancer Chain Gang; Daniel Saldivar, Security; Bridget Broussard who stepped in and saved our football game-day program; and so many people who are not named that showed up every game to help. Again I can’t thank you enough. And last, but not least, I want to thank our football Head Coach, Russell Gordon and his coaching staff for their help and support

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each and every season. If I needed anything, they were there. I cannot say enough good things about all these good people. I want to thank the volleyball crew that helped during football. You did such a great job handling the snack bar. I never had to worry about anything. I want to thank John Blackstock, Director of Communications and the editor of this newsletter, for putting up with my late submissions and lousy grammar. Sorry John, English was never my strong suit.

FOLLOW LANCER WINTER GAMES ON TWITTER

So in the end, I say so long, not goodbye as I will still be around. I know this job is in capable hands and Christine will be fortunate to have all of these great volunteers to help and support her. Being the Athletic Boosters President has been a blessing to me and I have enjoyed every moment. It has allowed me to be around sports at La Salle, but more importantly, it allowed me to be close to my three sons while at La Salle. I want to thank my wife Diane for hanging in there with me and understanding all the time I had to put in to do the job correctly. The La Salle Athletic Boosters has many more exciting events planed, so stay tuned for more information. As you know, the Athletic Boosters are always looking for volunteers who want to be more involved in Lancer Athletics. If you are interested, please contact Christine Marez. The Athletic Boosters meet every month in the Band Room immediately following the Parent Association meeting in the Blakeslee Library. Please join this worthwhile Booster group.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

John Cina P’12,'14,'18 President, Athletic Boosters

For specific game dates, times and locations log on to lasallelancers.org or lasallehs.org Athletics. Please visit the La Salle Athletics Boosters page at www.lasallelancers.org under Boosters for volunteer opportunities.

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A Sparkling Evening at the Crystal Ball Christmas Party TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS, GO TO LA SALLE HOME PAGE, LINK TO FLICKR AT Bottom Left

A beautiful star-studded sky covered the Crystal Ball Christmas Party at the historic and beautiful home of Carol and Mark Forbush in Altadena on Saturday, December 5. Dozens of La Salle parents and guests enjoyed delectable hors d'oeuvres and a fabulous dinner, surrounded by the sound of traditional Christmas Carols from our outstanding choir conducted by Jude Lucas. Event chairs were Jackie Samartin P'15,'19, Lisa Rico P'17,'18, Diane Cina P'12,'14,'18 and Laura Vargas P'09,'11,'16. Ellen Radle P'17 and Suzy Rettig P'19, the Crystal Ball Co-Chairs, thanked the Forbush's for hosting the event and noted the generosity of the La Salle parents and friends for their support. She then praised the event chairs for their tireless work on the event. The Crystal Ball and the Christmas Party benefit Academics, Arts and Athletics at La Salle.

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Top right, Dr. Richard Gray and Ellen Radle presented Carol and Mark Forbush with a "Thank you" floral arrangement, with Jackie Samartin, far right. Left, John Blackstock with committee members. "I did not want to put this photo in the newsletter, but I was directed to do so by higher powers!" --The Editor

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From the College Counseling Center

College Center News

By Owen Hou ’90 and Tina Bonacci '94, College Counselors

College Applications Seniors are deep into the application process. All University of California applications are completed and submitted, as are the Cal State applications. Parents, please remind your seniors to contact the College Board / The ACT to send official SAT / ACT scores to the schools where they are applying. Students must add the colleges they are applying to and request transcripts on Naviance. If students are completing the Common Application, they must MATCH their Common Application and Naviance accounts which will allow us to submit their transcript and letters of recommendation electronically. SEE DATES TO SEND SAT AND ACT SCORES TO COLLEGES

In order to the reduce cost of sending scores to the UCs and Cal States, we recommend adhering to the protocol below: SAT and ACT scores to the UCs: Please submit scores to one UC campus and that campus will forward your scores to the other UC campuses your student has applied to. SAT scores to the CSUs: Please submit scores to “CSU Mentor” and CSU Mentor will forward your SAT scores to the other CSU campuses your student has applied to. ACT scores to the CSUs: Please submit scores to one CSU campus. In about two weeks, those scores will appear on your student’s ACT Score Manager Page within his/her CSU Mentor account. Use ACT Score Manager to forward scores to the other CSU campuses. If the scores don’t appear after a month, please call CSU Mentor directly as they’ve had issues matching scores to student accounts in the past.

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Letters of Recommendation: COUNSELOR: All seniors should have turned in their “Recommendation Form” to their

College Counselor in November. If your student applies to another college not on the list, they must submit school/counselor report forms to Mr. Hou or Ms. Bonacci by Friday, December 11. The college counselors must complete forms/letters of recommendation to colleges before holiday break to meet most deadlines. Mr. Hou and Ms. Bonacci will not be able to write letters of recommendation or fill out school/counselor reports over the Christmas break. Please plan ahead! TEACHER: All seniors should have asked teachers to write their letters of recommendation in November. All forms & envelopes (if needed) must be given to the teachers by Friday, December 11. The teachers must complete forms/letters of recommendation to colleges before holiday break to meet most deadlines. They need time to write good letters of recommendation. When seniors find out about their college acceptances (and denials), they should share their news with Ms. Bonacci or Mr. Hou and enter the results in Naviance.

Financial Aid La Salle’s College Center will host a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) workshop presented by the Financial Aid Department at the University of La Verne on Wednesday, January 20, at 7:00pm in the Blakeslee Library. The representative will preview the FAFSA form that must be filed with the government by all families applying for financial aid. Then the representative will go through the FAFSA line by line and answer any questions parents may have regarding the financial aid process. Please note that all college admission and financial aid officers strongly advise that all students submit the FAFSA. Access the FAFSA online at www.fafsa. ed.gov. The 2016-17 FAFSA form will be available January 1. Financial aid offices advise students to

ParentNewsletter electronically submit the form as soon as possible after January 1. Parents and students can go online before January 1 to select a PIN number.

SAVE the DATE – College Forum for Freshman, Sophomore & Junior families La Salle’s College Forum will be held on Thursday, April 7, at 6:00pm. As in the past, college admission representatives from many colleges will present important information to our families (see tentative sessions below). The College Forum is a great opportunity for students to learn about the College admission process and learn how to research and identify the right college for them. So highlight the College Forum on your calendar. The following were the presentation topics from the 2015 College Forum. While a majority of presentations will stay the same, some presentations will be different. Please advise if there are any specific topics you would like to see presented. Dollars and Sense Getting In: Tips for Admission to Highly Selective Colleges Parent Forum Studying the Physical Sciences and Engineering What is a Liberal Arts Education? Considering College Out-of-State, Creating Options in Your College Search WUE and Other Scholarships Making the Moment Count: College Visits! How to Get a Liberal Arts Education on a State School Budget Understanding the Business Major SAT Subject Tests Scoreback Understanding UC Admission Navigating Naviance:Family Connection, Admission Stats, and More A Critical Student guide, for both the Athlete and Non-Athlete, to successfully find the Best Fit Preparing for Health Related Careers The Arts: Application Process, Auditions & Portfolios More detailed information will be published in the February newsletter.

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College Tours The response for the Bay Area College Tour (February 13-14) has been fantastic. It is currently at capacity. Please contact Mr. Hou if you would like a place on the waiting list. For those who have signed up, a confirmation with information to the predeparture meeting will be sent in early December. On Monday, April 25, we will visit UC San Diego, San Diego State, and University of San Diego. This is a great opportunity for sophomores and juniors to see a variety of campuses as they begin their research and build their college list. The cost for each tour is $95 per student. Itinerary and registration forms for each tour can be found on the online School Calendar in February.

COLLEGE TOURS ITINERARIES

Meanwhile, all junior families should have received information for the East Coast College Tour, to be held over Easter Break (March 28 April 2, 2016). Please contact Mr. Hou if you are interested but have not registered.

Standardized Testing You may recall that all freshman, sophomore and junior students took standardized tests in October. In the middle of January during Mentor period, Freshman and Sophomore students will receive and review their ACT Aspire results and Junior students will receive and review their PSAT results. Please do not hesitate to contact your College Counselor (Mr. Hou-last names A-K; Ms. Bonacci-last names L-Z) if you have any questions about test results.

ACT/SAT Test Preparation ACT Winter Bootcamp, December 19 to January 5 (Course ID: 255805) This 18-hour course takes place during Winter Break and prepares students for the February 8 ACT. There will be 6 class sessions and 3 practice tests. Class will meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday mornings. SAT Ultimate Classroom Course, January 23 to March 2 (Course ID: 275804 (3 to 5:30pm) and 276275 (6 to 8:30pm)). College Continued on page 16

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College Continued from page 15

ACT FOR JUNIORS FEBRUARY 6

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This 25-hour course prepares students for the March 2 “Revised” SAT. There are 10 class sessions and 4 practice tests. Class will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays, with four practice tests on Saturdays. Both courses teach students knowledge, content, and test-taking strategies for the SAT/ ACT. In these classes, students will review specific math, grammar and reading (also science for ACT) concepts assessed on the tests. Students will also learn how to write an Essay specifically for the SAT/ACT. In addition, every student will have access to Princeton Review’s Online Student Center. This Online Student Center is its own course that is used to supplement the live instruction with drills, vocabulary, and additional content. The class size will be no more than 25 students per instructor and the course tuition will be discounted for La Salle students at $499 for the ACT Bootcamp and $699 for the SAT course per student. This includes all materials, instruction and refresher courses. The best way to enroll is via www. princetonreview.com. Select the test you want to prepare for (SAT or ACT) and enter your zip code. The La Salle course(s) should then pop up. Juniors and their parents should review the PSAT and PLAN (from last year) results to decide if a prep course is necessary. La Salle High School does not specifically recommend test prep courses or endorse specific test preparation companies, but we try to make the information and services available for those who want to utilize them. Test preparation courses can help alleviate test anxiety and can help students learn test-taking techniques. They cannot replace the learning, the homework or the instruction that should have taken place during the past twelve years of formal schooling. You may learn more about Princeton Review at www.princetonreview. com. Reminder: assigned school homework will not decrease during the Princeton Review course schedule. Homework will continue to be the student’s first priority.

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Other options for test prep: test prep is available online for the ACT – www.actstudent.org and for the SAT – www.collegeboard.com; test prep books are available at your local bookstore.

February 6 ACT for all Juniors All juniors have signed up for the February 6 ACT at La Salle. They MUST also do the following in order to be admitted for the February 6 ACT: 1. All students have created their own account on www.actstudent.org. However, they need to have their photo uploaded on their account by January 29. 2. Once their photo is uploaded, they need to print out their Admission Ticket. 3. Bring the Admission Ticket and a picture ID to the February 6 ACT. Photo requirements and directions to upload photos can be found at http://www. actstudent.org/regist/add-photo.html. Your student can change the test location and/or change to a later test date if necessary. Please note La Salle has already paid for this test and there is no expense on your part. Should your student decide not to take the ACT this academic year, then we will have to bill the cost back to you. Please call the ACT directly at (800) 553-6244 if you have any technical issues.

Take a Lancer to Lunch Week During the first week of the second semester (Wednesday to Friday, January 6 to 8), we will be inviting young alumni who are currently in college to come back to speak with our current students about their college experiences. Current students can sign up for the lunch time meetings on the table outside of the College Center. Ms. Bonacci and Mr. Hou wish you a very Merry Christmas and a fun and safe New Year!

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From the Vice President for Mission

Mind the Mission By Patrick Bonacci, AFSC, Vice President for Mission

It is truly amazing that the first half of the school year is coming to an end. Students are well into their prep mode for the upcoming finals and their teachers are assisting with this time-honored process. Our 20th annual Adopt-a-Family gift-gathering event was once again a great success due to your heartfelt generosity for those in financial need. Seeing the ever-growing number of our alumni who continue their involvement in this yearly event indicates to me that our students have internalized the real meaning behind our often-quoted school mantra: Enter to Learn – Leave to Serve! It continues to be a blessing for me to teach and associate with our students, alums and their families. As is my custom in December, I will end this newsletter with a Christmas Prayer. I came upon this one from Catholic Online:

HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS

Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel’s song, for infant’s cry in lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold his glory, and are bathed in its radiance. Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas, the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder. We kneel before you as shepherds, innkeepers, wisemen. Help us to rise bigger than we are. Amen. I pray that you have a Blessed Christmas! Nativity by Antonio Allegri, called Correggio,1528. The Infant Jesus is enclosed within his mother's arms; she in turn is enclosed by the surrounding figures. Every single figure in the painting is effected by the light from the newly-born Christ - even the animals. Correggio’s Madonnas are very human, though always strikingly beautiful. The treatment of the flesh tones in this particular painting are typical of Correggio’s style - he was a master of chiaroscuro, the art of rendering light in shadow and shadow in light. The flesh of Mary, the Babe, the shepherds and even the ethereal angels glows as if alive and warm.

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Christmas Season begins with Festive MAC Holiday Boutique   On Friday, November 20th, the Mothers of Alumni Council at La Salle High School hosted their annual Christmas Luncheon and Boutique. This year’s event was chaired by Liz Kwong and Susan Cribbs, assisted by current MAC president Lisa Urbina and featured a shopping boutique, raffles, socializing, and a delicious meal to help support La Salle’s San Miguel Scholarship Fund. The San Miguel Scholarship honors the first American Lasallian Saint, Brother Miguel, by offering up to nine full-tuition scholarships to entering students of academic promise whose family income level puts them at or below the federal poverty level. The guest of honor, Carol Nguyen '08, explained how her scholarship was life-changing and how it opened the door of opportunity to her, and her family. To learn more about the San Miguel Scholarship Fund or the Mothers of Alumni Council, please visit La Salle’s website at www.lasallehs.org. THE CHRISTMAS SEASON BEGAN WITH SONG Food and FRIENDS

Carol Nguyen '08

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DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

Dr. Richard Gray with MAC Chair, Lisa Unbina

A WONDERFUL WAY TO START THE SEASON

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ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

From Institutional Advancement

Year End Tax Planning and Support of La Salle High School La Salle High School has established a program by which donors and supporters can contribute to the School’s endowment through one of a number of Planned Giving Instruments. Such donors who contribute $1,000 or more through such a gift become members in the St. Benilde Society. Through the ParentNewsletter and Lancer Magazine, our School will keep our community aware of opportunities within the Planned Giving program. IMPORTANT YEAR END PLANNING

Annual giving to the School includes such instruments as the Parent Pledge Program, various alumni driven activities, and participation in events such as the Crystal Ball and the Golf Tournament. Annual giving provides a current tax deduction to the donor and is instrumental in the ongoing support of our School. Planned Giving is a process by which an individual or a business entity makes a charitable gift to an institution such as La Salle High School in a manner in which the financial and/or estate plan of the donor is also enhanced. With the end of 2015 upon us, financial and tax planning matters, though important, tend to take a back seat to the many demands of the holiday season. Taking a little time to address some simple tax planning matters can lead to some tax savings and the enhancement of one’s overall financial position. La Salle High School can also benefit from effective and strategic planning in the context of such a Planned Gift. Typical Planned Gifts include: Naming La Salle High School as a beneficiary of one’s life insurance policy or retirement plan Including our School in one’s will and/or trust Donating appreciated securities; properly structured, the donor avoids paying any income tax on the appreciation. Securities include stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. This strategy can also extend to appreciated real estate. It can provide you a tax deduction of the full value of the stock while eliminating a tax that would otherwise be due if the security or real estate was to be sold.

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Funding a Charitable Gift Annuity whereby the donor receives not only a tax deduction but also a stream of income at a very competitive rate of return, part of which is received free of income tax. With interest rates hovering at or below 1%

WE A WAYS FUL F YOUR PORT

ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

over the past few years, the Annuity program is a great alternative to safely increase one’s rate of return on invested cash. These are some of the most common examples of a Planned Gift. Please review the Planned Giving articles in future publications of both the Parent Newsletter and Lancer Magazine for ongoing updates in the Planned Giving Program.

In Summary La Salle High School can provide more information, both generically and specifically, regarding the benefits available through Planned Giving. For more information, please contact Jon Keates, the Director of Institutional Advancement at 626.696.4344. A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT LA Salle

ARE ALS THANKFOR R SUPT

The Holidays are coming!  Programs that are free to you earn money for La Salle and earn you a service hour! If you shop through Amazon during the holidays or all year long, you could be making money for La Salle at NO COST TO YOU. Go to: smile.amazon.com and register to support La Salle. After registering, shop at smile.amazon.com, instead of Amazon and every purchase will benefit La Salle! And don’t forget to register your Ralphs grocery card in support of La Salle as well. With the holidays coming, there is more grocery shopping! The program restarted in September, so please sign-up or re-register. Go to the La Salle website under Support LSHS, “No Cost Fundraisers” for more details.  

Thanks so much for your support!

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ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

COLORFUL FUNNY AND FABULOUS From left, Joshua Ng, Oliver Richards, Brandon Nyugen and Spencer Rains.

The Love of Three Oranges: Mischief, Mayhem, Magic, Masks and Marionettes

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The month of November saw the talented members of the Performing Arts Department perform the hilarious The Love of Three Oranges – a delightful fairy tale that became a Commedia dell Arte scenario by Carlo Gozzi that then became the basis for a libretto for an opera, known by its French language title L’amour des Trois Oranges, a satirical opera by Sergei Prokofiev, that then was adapted into a play by Hillary DePiano that was based on the same commedia dell arte scenario based on the original fairy tale..... Confused? Here’s what happened. Our students took on a dynamic project for the fall play, The Love of Three Oranges by Hillary DePiano. The fairy tale story involves a sickly prince and his father, the king, who tries to help make his son happy and healthy, while other evil-doers seek to bring on the downfall of both. The play was full of mischief, mayhem, magic, masks, puppets and, of course, oranges...three of them!  The cast and crew included 50 students from all classes and starred Sebastian Beltran-Moeller ’17, Cami Brown ’18, Emily Kate Coolidge ’16, Chris Dinkle ’17, Lexi Dyer ’16, Sky Garcilasodelavega ’16, Aly Hartman ’17, Reilly Milton ’16, Jose Pablo Payro ’17,Spencer Raines ’16, Elijah Reyes ’19, Oliver Richards ’18, Ben Show ’17, Alexander Weitzel  ’17, Emily Wright ‘16 and many others!

ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

MORE PHOTOS IN THE LA SALLE FLICKR GALLERY From left, Ellis Holland, Alaise Nugent, Ben Show, Alyssa Cortes, Dylan Stover, Sabrina Hilario and Amy Hartman.

Spencer Rains.

From left, Front Alexander Weitzel, Elijah Reyes, at stage Amy Hartman, Marissa Camerano and Kelli Samartin.

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ParentNewsletter

SAVE THE DATE

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Drawing Tickets:

www.lancernetwork.com/Draw2016

ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

Scarves for the Homeless Matching Gifts

Students model some of the scarves created through an Arts service project for the misfortunate and homeless in Pasadena.

Ms. Ellen Slatkin, a teacher in the visual arts program, began a service project that introduced knitting to any student at La Salle who wanted to learn how to knit. The end products were warm and cozy scarves for the homeless. Students did their knitting on chopsticks in order to continue an understanding of sustainability in our community. Many faculty and staff decided to knit a scarf as well and assisted in helping our students with their scarves. All the scarves were included in gift bags distributed through Habitat for Humanity in Pasadena. This distribution is connected to work Lauren Chacon '16 does with the homeless through Habitat for Humanity. A second gift bag distribution is planned in January for homeless teenage girls in the Venice Beach area.

If you are an employee of a matching gift company, we would love to work with you. This is an easy way to raise funds for La Salle. If you are not sure if your company participates, you can ask your employer or contact Tara Milton at: [email protected] or call 626.696.4381.

ANOTHER EASY WAY TO HELP LA SALLE

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ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

LANCERS CONTINUE TO EXCEL From Left, Paula Damas, Ryan Garcia, Kyle Cuellar and Katherine Knop.

Lancer Student-Athletes Commit to Colleges On November 12, Assistant Athletic Director, Russ Gordon delivered the following comments, "Today’s honorees fit the mold of college student-athletes as they officially commit to their collegiate programs. We would like to thank their head coaches and staff for their hard work and development of these fine student-athletes. We would also like to thank the faculty of La Salle that has motivated and stimulated the minds of these student-athletes in the classroom. Finally, we thank Dr. Gray and Brother Christopher for their continued support of our student-athletes and Lancer Athletics. It is truly a team effort and today would not be possible without the guidance and support of everyone involved."

La Salle Fall 2015 -2016 – Athletic Commitments The following student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent  

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Kyle Cuellar: Baseball, University of California, Los Angeles Paula Damas: Softball, Biola University Ryan Garcia: Baseball, University of California, Los Angeles Katherine Knop: Volleyball, University of California, Berkeley

ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

Support Our Troops Club Send Turkeys, Trees and Cookies La Salle’s Support Our Troops Club led a campus-wide service project to fill Thanksgiving Food Boxes for military families stationed at Ft. Irwin in Barstow. Eighty four Boxes of Love were filled and the School also raised $2,400 for grocery gift cards to help with the purchase of their Thanksgiving turkeys and additional dinner trimmings. The Support Our Troops Club works with For Families of Active Military on this annual drive. Many thanks to all who participated. In addition, Members of the Support Our Troops Club spent a day at Ft. Irwin in Barstow, helping to decorate the Town Center of the base for Christmas. Club members painted windows, strung lights and hung wreaths to spread Christmas cheer to servicemen and women currently stationed at Ft. Irwin. Soldiers from Ft. Irwin came to La Salle on Friday, December 4 to collect the 166 Christmas Trees that were purchased for military personnel through La Salle’s annual Christmas Tree Sale. This is the largest number of trees that have been purchased for the military. Members of the Support Our Troops Club, above, visited with 15 Veterans at The Kensington, an assisted living residence in Sierra Madre, in honor of Veterans Day. Club members gave each veteran a hand-made card and cookies to thank them for their service and had a chance to visit with some residents including a World War II veteran who was stationed in the South Pacific and was in Pearl Harbor the day after the bombing.

Learn serve lead

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ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

The Obsequious Observer By John Blackstock, The Editor

Names in the News

THIS IS ALWAYS A FUN MONTH

Congratulations to junior Howard Ho on his outstanding performance on the ACT test! He earned the highest possible ACT Composite score of 36. Howard's achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. On average, less than one-tenth of 1% of all test takers earn the top score. Among ACT-tested US high school graduates in the class of 2015, only 1,598 out of 1.92 million students earned an ACT Composite score of 36. Congratulations as well to junior Erin Armstrong as she captured the US Western Regional Irish Dance Championships, called Oireachtas in the Irish Dance world. She took the championship after nine months of injury, rehab and practice. This win qualifies her to compete at the World Championships scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland in March, 2016. This past summer she was selected to attend the Riverdance Summer School in Dublin. Don't miss the fun at the Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament right here on campus on January 30. It is shaping up to be a great night. See page 7 for more details. The complete set of rules are on our website. Be sure to check out the AP art show in the Blakeslee Library as well as all the wonderful Christmas-time concerts performed by our orchestra, jazz band, dancers and choir. Check the La Salle website for r ck times and dates. Also on the website go to our Flickr Gallery. There Fli TO are thousands of great activity, theatre and sports files. GO RE Happy Hanukkah and my very best wishes for a Merry ChristHE mas and a safe and prosperous New Year. -The Editor

Excellence in all we do

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"Trying to reach excellence in anything is really, really hard, but you feel so good after trying."

- The Editor

ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW

Grateful and Thankful Our Thanksgiving Prayer Service, held on November 24, was a thoughtful mix of music by Music for the Masses and poignant words, presented by members of the faculty and the student body. The theme of our service was: "What does a grateful life look like?" Reasons to be grateful were explored and the entire student body wrote individual reasons to be grateful on post-its and attached them on the giant GRATITUDE letters.

The La Salle Innovations Class had the opportunity to brainstorm and share with Innovations guru and educator Don Wettrick, (shown at center, above) author of Pure Genius, Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level. Mr. Miller’s Innovation class was modeled after Mr. Wettrick’s highly successful course taught at Noblesville High School in Indiana. Don was gracious enough to spend the day at La Salle as part of a west coast trip to film an interview with Inside Quest entrepreneur Tom Biyleu. (https://youtu.be/X4LV6Q5CVqY)

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ParentNewsletter

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2016

Check your School calendar for event times and dates

December•January Highlights ADOPT A FAMILY PARTY DECEMBER 12

SNOWBALL DANCE DECEMBER 18

DECEMBER 11 AP Art Show 4:00 - 6:00pm Blakeslee Library (Runs thru December 13) Dance Concert 7:30 - 10:00pm Porticos, Pasadena* DECEMBER 12 Saturday ACT Adopt-A-Family Christmas Party Campus, Dining Hall 11:00am - 1:00pm Fall Dance Concert 6:00pm Porticos, Pasadena*

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT JANUARY 12

MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY JANUARY 18

DECEMBER 15-18 Semester Final Exams DECEMBER 18 SnowBall Dance 8:00 - 11:00pm Dining Hall DECEMBER 21 JANUARY 4, 2016 Christmas Holiday JANUARY 5, 2016 Student Holiday Faculty In-Service JANUARY 6, 2016 School Resumes Second Semester Begins

JANUARY 6 - 8 Take A Lancer to Lunch Week (see page 16 for more details)

JANUARY 20 Senior Retreat Departs

JANUARY 8 CSF Forms Available

FAFSA Workshop for Senior Parents 7:00 -9:00pm Blakeslee Library

JANUARY 12 CSF Forms Due Back-to-School Night 6:30 - 9:00pm Dining Hall, Campus Senior Parents Meeting 7:00 - 8:00pm Dining Hall

JANUARY 23 Saturday 9th Grade Entrance Exams 8:00am Campus 9th Grade Interviews 10:00-12:30pm Campus

JANUARY 14 Rally Schedule Winter Sports 1:20pm Duffy Lewis Gymnasium

JANUARY 26 Academic Awards 9:25 -10:50am Dining Hall

JANUARY 15 NHS Applications Due Financial Aid Applications Due to PSAS for Incoming Students

JANUARY 30 Saturday

JANUARY 16 Robotics Tournament 9:00am Mt. SAC JANUARY 18 Monday Martin Luther King, Jr. School Holiday JANUARY 19 Parent Association Meeting 6:30pm Blakeslee Library Parent Boosters Meetings 7:30pm

9th Grade Entrance Exams 8:00am Campus 9th Grade Interviews 10:00-12:30pm

Southern California Private Schools Academic Decathlon Crystal Ball Texas Hold 'em Poker Tournament. 6:00 - 11:00pm Dining Hall JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6 National Catholic Schools Week

PowerSchool and Schoology Grades OFF at 6:00pm,

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Monday, December 14, 2015

PowerSchool and Schoology Grades ON after report cards are mailed

Friday, January 8, 2016

* Porticos Art Space, 2033 East Washington Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91104