Parents » Bishop García Diego News

October 2010 Newsletter

Head of School
Dr. Paul Harrington

Thank you for entrusting your children to us at Bishop High.  It was great to see so many parents out for Back-To-School Night. At Bishop we hold true that parents are the primary educators of their children. The Parent Advisory Board presented an excellent forum at the General Parent meeting that preceded the classroom visits…thank you!

This month, our students will experience an assembly addressing life issues.  Parents are always welcome to attend any school-day activity.  On October 14, author and national speaker Justin Fatica will return to present to our students.  Justin’s Hard As Nails Ministry is a national Catholic/Christian organization that assists schools, churches, and other organizations in their efforts to introduce people to Jesus, develop individual’s relationship with Jesus, and cultivate local communities. They are unabashedly Catholic but their ministry seeks to build up all Christian faiths regardless of denomination.  We are a No Place for Hate school and hopefully this presentation will continue to help us strengthen our Cardinal Standards of Faith, Expression and Action. 

Published in this newsletter is a summary of our 2010-11 operating budget for your review.  Did you know that the school subsidizes every student $617 above the tuition rate to balance the budget?  Approximately 60% of our students receive some level of school funded financial aid totaling more than $900,000.  This represents 22% of our operating budget.  For this and other reasons we require that every parent help defray this subsidy by selling or purchasing two Cardinal Event raffle tickets.  Please do your part to support our fall and spring fundraisers to help meet our budget expenses and keep our tuition affordable. 

ACTUAL COST OF EDUCATION 2010-2011

$13,400		Tuition rate parent contribution
$14,017		Actual cost per student
$ 617		BGDHS per student contribution

One easy way for you and your extended family to support Bishop García Diego High School is through eScrip.  Please go online at www.escrip.com and reference our group ID: 136558969.  A percentage of your purchases will be donated back to our school.  Registration forms were included in the Back-To-School mailing in August; additional forms are available at the front office.

Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and I ask that you remember all of us here at school in your daily prayers. 

Click here for the 2010-2011 operating budget

Assistant Head of School
Dr. Joe Reiken

What a wonderful Back to School night! It was such a pleasure getting to talk with many of you about your daughter and son and the opportunities that they have at Bishop to grow spiritually and academically. We are so blessed to have such a supportive, positive and active school community in which our students and their learning are at the core and heart of what we do. As mentioned at Back to School Night, our three Academic Deans support and lead our academic departments. Please direct questions to the Dean of the respective program.

Ms. Amanda Combs, Dean of Humanities (English, social science, world language, visual and performing arts)

Sr. Helen Wolkerstorfer, Dean of Mission (theology, campus ministry)

Dr. Joe Reiken, Dean of Sciences (interim) (science, mathematics, technology, physical education/health)

Thanks to all of you for the wonderful support you provide your children and to us as we work together for the sake of our students!

Dean of Students
Mr. Ray Vazquez '86

We have had a very smooth start to the school year.  The students are not showing up for their lunch detentions so demerits are accruing quickly for the students that are frequently tardy to class.  A reminder:  5 demerits and the student has a Saturday school on October 23rd from 9:00 to 12:00 and they are also charged a $25.00 fee; these are non negotiable.  Help your students avoid this consequence by getting them to school early enough to go to their lockers and get settled in.

Students feel very safe here on campus and think that it is not necessary to lock up their items in their hall or gym lockers.  Although we work hard to make this a very safe environment, students need to LOCK their possessions up to lessen the temptation.

Recently, the ASB senior officers presented a proposal to the school's administration regarding a modification to the current dress code.  Following further discussion and in an effort to support our students while maintaining our Christian values, I present the following change to the Dress Code, effective Tuesday, September 21st.
Cardinal Dress: On any school day, students may wear any school-sponsored shirt (Cardinal Club Apparel, spirit week, retreat or approved club shirt with or without a collar).  Shirts may be from former years, but they need to be in good repair, color, unaltered, and fitted appropriately consistent with Christian values.  On the day of a contest and at the discretion of the Athletic Director, athletic jerseys for that season of sport may be worn over the appropriate and acceptable dress for the day.  Cheerleaders may wear uniforms on days when they are cheering.  Students not in Cardinal Dress must wear a collared shirt as outlined in the Women and Men sections of the dress code.
Moving forward, ASB officers, in conjunction with Mrs. Snider, Ms. Carr, and the Administration will discuss new t-shirt designs to be available for purchase through the student store and eventually online. Students who violate the dress code will continue to follow the consequences as outlined in the Parent-Student Handbook. Thank you for supporting Bishop High School policies and the work of our faculty and me as we promote self-reliance with our students. 

One of my jobs, here at Bishop, is to help your students feel safe and supported as they participate in the daily activities at school.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child and their relationships with others, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I can be reached by email or by  phone at (805) 967-1266 x 111.

Counseling Office
Ms. Lynette Patters (9th and 10th grade student counselor)

Wow! Can you believe it?  The first quarter is almost over.  I hope that you are keeping up with Edline to know of your student’s progress. This is the best way we can communicate with you as to your child’s grade. Students who were doing poorly in a class as of September 22nd received a letter sent to the home address stating that fact. Please sign and return those letters to me. Contact teachers with your questions or concerns as they know more of what takes place in their particular class and can help you more quickly than I. 

Remember that most colleges (including all UC’s and Cal States) will not accept “D” grades on a transcript. So, if your child does receive a “D” in any class at the semester, it will need to be re-taken in the summer.  Therefore, it is beneficial to keep grades up throughout the semester to avoid this issue.

I have spoken with all ninth graders to discuss how they can best prepare themselves for college. They were introduced to the four systems of higher education, the A-G  requirements, school related and extra-curricular activities that colleges value, leadership roles they might take. We also explored the route to academic success within the class room leading to higher SAT scores.

On Wednesday, October 13th all students with the exception of seniors will be taking the PSAT (the preliminary SAT).  Students are pre-registered for this and will be given information to review and take home the week before. The results of the PSAT will be distributed in mid December.

Please encourage your child to keep all report cards, awards, certificates, etc. that he/she receives while in school.  It will be so much easier when applying for college, scholarshipsand seminar opportunities if they have all this information in one place. They will be able to represent themselves in a better light when they can recall all their accomplishments and have the proof at hand.

I will be discussing and exploring career interests and options with all sophomore classes. Each student will take a career interest assessment and these will be mailed home in December.  It will be a useful tool for you and your child to begin to get an idea of what career he/she might wish to pursue.

Mrs. Kara Hornbuckle (11th and 12th grade student counselor)

It’s that time of the year! Please mark your calendars with the following dates that will support your student with the college admission’s process:
  
November 6, 2010 SAT Test: The deadline to register for this test is October 8, 2010. You can register at www.collegeboard.com. Our school code is 053-245.

December 11, 2010 ACT Test: The deadline to register for this test is November 5, 2010. You can register at www.actstudent.org.

Saturday, October 2rd and Sunday, October 3rd: SAT Bootcamp. Please note the location of the SAT Bootcamp has been moved to San Marco High School. For more information about this event, please contact Catalyst at 800-235-0056 or email Catalyst at jaredF@catalystprep.com. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn strategies and study skills in preparation for the SAT. We strongly encourage students to complete the SATs at least once by the end of their junior year.

Other important College Counseling News:

The Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation is offering the following opportunities:

Honor’s Scholarship Program for high school seniors who have at least a 4.2 GPA. The deadline to apply is December 2, 2010. Applications are available at www.sbscholarship.org.

Art Scholarship Program for high school seniors planning to major in art or an art related field in college. The deadline to apply is December 2, 2010. Applications are also available at www.sbscholarship.org.

Fleischmann and Floro Awards for high school seniors who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to community service and have a 3.5 GPA. The deadline to apply is December 2, 2010. Applications are also available at www.sbscholarship.org.

The following colleges are visiting Bishop during lunch at 12:40pm:

FIDM – October 1st
Whoolman – October 12th
USD – November 1st
University of Pacific – November 3rd
Notre Dame de Namur University – November 1st
St. Mary’s – November 4th
Stonehill – November 4th

The University of Notre Dame will hold a special college night at Bishop in Room 202 on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 7:00pm.  

If your student needs a letter of recommendation for college purposes they must request this at least two weeks in advance.  Students must also complete a student information sheet when requesting a letter of recommendation. Please note, letters of recommendation from counselors are required for private college who utilize the common application. 

For any college questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Hornbuckle!

Mrs. Hornbuckle’s office hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00-5:00pm and Thursdays from 7:00-1:00. She is also available via email. Contact Kara Hornbuckle

Dean of Humanities
Ms. Mandy Combs

From the Drama Department…Currently, the drama class is exploring acting through improvisations, and learning how to use the face and body to better express emotions to an audience. Additionally, rehearsals continue for the production of “Dead Man Walking.” Join the school community in watching this emotional, disturbing, and important play on the night of Friday, December 3rd in the main gym.

From the Art Department…The ceramics class is making bowls for The Empty Bowls Project to raise funds to buy food for the needy in the Santa Barbara community.  Art Club members will glaze the bowls in preparation for the annual Empty Bowls Dinner. The date is not yet determined so watch for a flyer in the coming months.

From the Music Department…Congratulations are extended to junior, Wes Taimuty (tuba), and his brother, freshman Trevor (French horn) who auditioned for and were accepted into the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony. Additionally, senior, Mark Cooney (tuba) is playing with the SBCC Concert Band. This is a testament to the Bishop Band program, and to the multiple talents of our students!

From the English Department…Historical fiction writers take advantage of actual places and events to weave stories that connect the reader to unfamiliar times and circumstances. The students in Honors English 10 are reading Stones From the River by Ursula Hegi which recounts German life in the years surrounding World War II through the eyes of Trudi, a sensitive and compelling character. Not only does Trudi question the Nazi politics, but because she is a dwarf, she questions the fairness of the world in general. From this novel students can learn about this horrific time in world history and share in the strength and hope, through Trudi, for a brighter future.

Library

How Parents Help Reading Achievement
Most parents understand that having strong reading skills is critical to their child's future. Many parents try to help their child as much as possible to be a better reader — and well they should. Research studies have shown that the amount of parental involvement in children's reading is the number one predictor of reading achievement worldwide. (Postlethwaite and Ross, 1992)

At home, parents model what good readers do by reading novels, magazines, newspapers, and work-related materials in their leisure time. Parents can provide a literacy-rich environment by placing books throughout the house — in the child's bedroom, the family room, the kitchen, and yes, the bathroom! All of these factors can significantly affect the amount of reading a child does on a daily basis.

NAEP studies have shown that at every level, students who read more pages in school and at home had higher reading scores. A classic study by Anderson, Wilson, and Fielding (1988) found that the amount of reading students did in and out of school was positively related to their reading achievement. Fifth graders who read 40 minutes a day acquired almost four times the vocabulary of students who read only 12 minutes a day. Foertsch (1992) collected NAEP (1988 and 1990) data from a sample of about 38,000 students and found that students whose family encouraged reading activities at home had higher reading achievement. All these studies show there is a potent relationship between volume of reading and reading achievement.

So, how do parents promote voluminous reading? In next month’s article, look for tips on what you can do.

Taken from the September 23, 2010 Scholastic “Solutions for Education Leaders”
http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/success/parent.htm

Campus Ministry
Mrs. Jennifer Winnewisser

The Freshman Retreat was a HUGE success! The Campus Ministry Team worked diligently to pull off a day filled with fun, friendship, Cardinal spirit and worship. Many thanks to the parents who helped with the organization of the food and drinks! The desserts were especially delicious! Thank you also to John Vasellina for once again sharing his gift of music, and to Fr. Chris Soh for celebrating the Mass with us.  

The Sophomore Retreat was held on Monday September 27th.  God was with us as we reflected on the perseverance and courage we need to grow in His love and in our relationships with Him, ourselves and others. The parents did a wonderful job again with the food…thank you! A big Cardinal thank you also to Fr. John Love, (Class of 1980) for celebrating Mass with us and to Mr. Mark Wietstock for providing the liturgical music! We are also thankful to senior Megan Cowan for sharing her personal story with the class of 2013, emphasizing the importance of taking advantage of loving relationships especially when going through difficult times. Thank you Megan!

On September 21st Bishop High School was blessed to have Fr. Ken Deasy join us in an assembly kicking off a week of focus on the idea of Christian Service. Fr. Ken is a priest who lives and works in inner-city Los Angeles and travels around the world working with the poorest of poor, recently returning from Haiti. He also does jail ministry and participates in many more wonderful acts of service. His inspiring message of “meeting God right here” through what we do for others was well received by our students. The campus ministry team organized a week of hosting non-profit organizations on campus to promote service opportunities for our students. Special thanks goes to Nikoll Rodriguez, James Fazio, Corrina Casey, Robert Connolly and Stephanie Ramirez for their efforts with this important event.

On Wednesday, October 13th the seniors will participate in the ropes course sponsored by Santa Barbara Adventure Company at Rancho La Scherpa. Permission slips will be coming home soon.

The Junior Retreat will take place Wednesday and Thursday, October 20-21 at Camp Arnaz in Ojai. Be on the lookout for permission slips and opportunities to help with food for this very special experience for the class of 2012.

On Thursday, October 28th the juniors will be honored at their Ring Mass. Bishop Thomas Curry will celebrate the Mass with us, incorporating a theme of our call as Catholic Christians to take care of God’s creation. This celebration will be extra special so be sure to make a point of joining us!

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,
                      you will receive what he has promised.                    -  Hebrews 10:36

Athletic Director
Mr. Dan Peeters '87

Fall sports practices are well underway and off to a great start! Homecoming game is slated for October 8th against Saint Genevieve at SBCC at 7:30.  Make plans to come down to La Playa Stadium and enjoy the festivities.  Check Bishop’s website to find out the times and locations for all fall sports. Volunteers are always needed and very appreciated within the Athletic Department, and there are many different types of opportunities available.  If you would like more information on volunteering, please contact me at 967-1266 ext. 113. All-season sports passes are now available for purchase (purchasing a pass will allow you to enter all sporting events at Bishop for the 2010 - 11 school year).  The price of the pass is $50 for the entire year.  For more information visit the Cardinal Club link in our website in the Athletics heading. Please continue to support Bishop’s student athletes!

Please keep the family of Coach John Ward in your thoughts and prayers.  Coach Ward passed away Wednesday, September 29th.  Ward served the Bishop Community as coach, teacher, and administrator serving both as Athletic Director, and Dean of Students.  His influence in our community remains far-reaching as he touched and inspired the lives of so many Bishop Alums over his 23 year tenure at Bishop.

Admissions and Public Relations
Mrs. Ashley P. Snider

Discovery Day: October 8th from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Upcoming Parent Information Nights on Campus

Please pass this information on to friends and family that have 8th graders who might be interested in Bishop.

There will be a brief presentation by the Director of Admission followed by Q&A with Administrators and Academic Advisors.

Wednesday, October 13th  
Wednesday, November 17th
Wednesday, January 19th

All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Room 202

Upcoming Shadow Dates for interested 8th graders:

October 12th and 26th
November 9th and 18th
December 1st
January 11th and 26th
March 17th and 29th

Please rsvp to Ashley Snider at 967-1266, ext. 118 or via email if you will be attending either Discovery Day or would like to attend a Shadow Date. You may email your rsvp to Ashley Snider here.

Parent Board
Mrs. Connie Heller and Mrs. Mary Kohler

The Parent Board is now in full swing with a flurry of activities that are being met with enthusiasm and excitement!
 
Many thanks to those of you who attended Back to School Night and our General meeting. The evening went well and we were very pleased with our speakers who were very informative. I am sure that you were equally impressed with our teachers who, in my opinion, are top rate!
 
With Homecoming and Spirit Week just a week away, please be responsive to your Parent Reps if they ask for your time or help with donations. Spirit Week is a hugely popular and highly competitive event between the classes and our students cannot do it without your help. Remember to stop by the school to check out the amazing job the students do!
 
Spirit Week begins October 4th through the 8th.  The Homecoming dance is on Sunday, October 10th.
          
Speaker Justin Fatica will be at Bishop on October 14th. Justin has spent the last 10 years ministering to young people as a teacher, high school campus minister, and co-founder/director of the Nationally Acclaimed "Hard as Nails Ministries". He has helped develop youth movements all around the world, and he has become a true innovator for youth culture. People young and old have discovered that Justin has found a new way to reach young adults in our media-driven society. Parents are welcome to come and listen to Justin speak.
 
For the second year in a row, there is an opportunity for the parents of Bishop students to take a Parent Pledge that states that alcohol, drugs and tobacco will not be served or tolerated in their homes when their kids have a gathering of friends of any size.  Click here to see who has signed the pledge. They are posted and updated on the website.
 
Next meeting will be held on Monday, October 4th at 7:00 PM.  

Cardinal Club
Dr. Tim Mathis

Many volunteers are working incredibly hard to prepare for our annual Cardinal Club Event, November 13th at 6:00 p.m. We are still in need of volunteers, especially those who can make desserts.

By the time you read this we will have drawn the winner for the early bird special. Thank you to those who have already sold the mandatory 2 tickets. Regardless, thanks to all for your efforts to sell those tickets. Keep up the good work. Remember there is drawing for a $1,000 prize for those who sell over 2 tickets. For each extra ticket you sell you will be entered into the multiple ticket sale drawing. Ask your friends and business associates to buy tickets. The worst thing that can happen is that they say “no”. But you would be surprised how many will buy them. You’ll never know unless you ask.

Take a look at the new sponsor board in the gym. Please support our sponsors. Also please support our athletic teams by attending the volleyball and football games. They're very competitive and the games are fun to attend. Even if your student isn’t on the team they need all our support. The cross country and the tennis teams are also competing at this time. And let’s not forget the fine cheer squad. Homecoming game is October 8th - let's fill up La Playa Stadium. The Cardinal Club meets the 2nd Monday of every month in the school library at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting will be October 11th. All are welcome to particiate! Sell those raffle tickets and Go Cardinals!!!!!!Click here for your Cardinal Club officers:

Associated Student Body
Ms. Stacey Carr, ASB Moderator

The month of September has been a busy and productive month for ASB.  The Club Fair was held on Thursday, September 9.  BDHS has eighteen clubs this school year.  Some of the clubs offered: Mu Alpha Theta, Newspaper – The RED Press, Earth Club, MEChA, Youth 4 DRI (Direct Relief International), BDHS Gaming Club, Youth and Government, Heal the Ocean and the BDHS Ping Pong Club.

Seniors selected their fellow classmates for the homecoming court; congratulations to the following nominees: Stephanie Ramirez, Isabel (Maria) Jimenez, Mackenzie Lopez, Annette Gonzalez, Jade Lamas, Sonia Arreola, Christopher Helkey, Ben Kwock, Robert Connolly, Vincent Figueroa, Bruce Garcia and James Fazio.

ASB Senior officers Ben Kwock and Robert Connolly planned the first Fall Pep Rally with their Officers.  The rally was held on Tuesday, September 14 in the main gym.  ASB honored the fall teams and their coaches. Athletes wore their jersey to the rally representing their team.  The student body participated in a wacky, fast pace relay that represented the fall sports. The students also competed with their traditional “Get Up, Get Up” cheer for the Spirit Stump.  Congratulations to the JUNIOR CLASS!

ASB has been working with Soles 4 Souls attempting to collect 700 pair of shoes that will benefit families who are in need of some soles.  For more information please visit www.giveshoes.com

And of course ASB has been working with their student classes on the upcoming Spirit Week.  The theme this Spirit Week 2010 is MOVIES.  The classes are taking on the following movie themes:  Seniors with Western, Juniors with Musicals, Sophomores with Action and Freshmen with Sci-Fi.  It should be a fun filled week, be sure to get your ticket to the showing, grab your popcorn and enjoy Spirit Week 2010! Thank you to the Parent Reps who have been working each week with the ASB Officers and their classmates. 

Spirit Week Schedule

Sunday afternoon, October 3:

• 1:00-5:00, senior class meets to decorate campus in the theme and class color for Monday.

Monday, October 4:  CSP schedule for Homecoming Court Presentations hosted by the Sophomore Class

• Campus is decorated in yellow in the seniors’ theme of Western MOVIES.
• Seniors wear their YELLOW t-shirts.
• Seniors take down their decorations by 3:30.
• Juniors begin decorating for Tuesday at 3:00pm

Tuesday, October 5:  Extended Lunch, class competition activity hosted by the Freshmen Class

• Campus is decorated in green in the juniors’ theme of MUSICAL MOVIES.
• Juniors wear their GREEN t-shirts.
• Juniors take down their decorations by 3:30.
• Sophomores decorate for Wednesday at 3:00pm.

Wednesday, October 6:  Extended Lunch, class competition activity hosted by the Junior Class

• Campus is decorated in blue in the sophomores’ theme of ACTION MOVIES.
• Sophomores wear their BLUE t-shirts.
• Sophomores take down their decorations by 3:30.
• Freshmen begin decorating for Thursday at 3:00pm.

Thursday, October 7:  Extended Lunch, Ultimate Frisbee hosted by the Senior Class, Class Color T-shirt Day. 

• Campus is decorated in orange in the freshman theme of SCI-FI MOVIES.
• Freshmen wear their ORANGE t-shirts.
• Seniors, Juniors and Sophomores also wear their class color shirt.
• Freshmen take down their decorations by 3:30.

All classes begin decorating for Friday at 3:00 pm.Friday, October 8:  Red and White Day and Discovery Day:
                                    Special schedule for final spirit assembly

• Students wear red and white.
• Campus is decorated in red and white.
• Each class performs a lip sync and skit at the assembly.
• After school, all students take down decorations.

Friday, October 8:  Homecoming Game and Court

Homecoming game at Santa Barbara City College at 7:30.

Homecoming King and Queen and Spirit Week winners announced at halftime.

Sunday, October 10: Homecoming Dance at Fess Parker Doubletree Hotel

Photos at 7:00, dance from 7:30-11:00, doors close at 8:00.

Advancement
Lori Willis

We proudly present our newly renovated
science wing

Thursday, October 28, 2010
5-7 PM
Admission is free and open to the public4000 La Colina Road
Santa Barbara, California
Join us for the unveiling of our state-of-the-art science wing where you can view science experiments, participate in a tour of the campus and enjoy delicious Halloween appetizers served by celebrity chef, Brenda Simon, owner of The Secret Ingredient. Wine generously donated by Fess Parker Winery

RSVP to Lori Willis at 805-967-1266 ext. 119 by October 22.

Gift Planning
Fr. Tom Elewaut

Via  Veritas  Vita

Jesus responded, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."  -John 14:6

October 1 is CALIFORNIA PLAN YOUR GIVING DAY.  Here at Bishop High the month of October is PLAN YOUR GIVING MONTH.  Join other Californians who are pledging to give 10% of their estate to their favorite charity.

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