| Snapshot from The Ridge |
Each week, Pacific Ridge School invites you to enjoy a spontaneous view of school life.  8th graders engage in a fierce tug-of-war match, as Dr. Ogle cheers from the sidelines. |
Bulletin Board
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No School on October 14th and 17th
Parent/Teacher conferences are on Friday, October 14th, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Fall Fest is Almost Here
Fall is in the air, and the Pacific Ridge Fall Fest is right around the corner. Join Pacific Ridge families and friends for a fun-filled day.
When: Saturday, October 22nd, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: Pacific Ridge campus (parking in the Aptera lot off Loker)
Highlights: Too many to name in this small space!
But here are a few:
- The bake sale, a Pacific Ridge favorite tradition
- A giant, inflatable obstacle course
- Food vendors offering street tacos and more
- A pumpkin patch
- Performances by student groups throughout the day
The Parents Association is still looking for some helping hands on the 22nd. Please email parentsassociation@pacificridge.org.
Blood Drive on November 8th
Pacific Ridge School will sponsor a blood drive on Tuesday, November 8th, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Registration for the November 8th Blood Drive will be sent to parents via an email blast.
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New & Noteworthy
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Have You Checked Out Dr. Ogle's Blog?
Dr. Ogle is writing a weekly blog, available on the school website. Click here to read some of his reflections on life at Pacific Ridge school.
Everyone Scores at GAME ON!
On Sunday, October 9th, more than 300 members of the Pacific Ridge community volleyed balls, shot baskets, and manned ping pong tables in the shell of the new Athletic Center to raise money for its ongoing construction. Parent "cheerleaders" greeted attendees when they arrived, igniting Firebird spirit for the fun ahead. The result? Over $150,000 was raised, thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous donor. The funds will be used to equip the state-of-the-art weight and conditioning room and to fund the 17,000 square foot, multi-layered maple gymnasium floor. Thank you for coming out, everyone! For more information on the new Athletic Center and how you can support its progress, click here.
Pacific Ridge School Kicks Off Waste Free Wednesdays On Wednesday, October 5th, Pacific Ridge initiated its first Waste-Free Wednesday. With the help of AP and Honors Environmental Science students, each grade level sorted lunch waste, which was then weighed. Students had been encouraged beforehand to bring reusable containers for lunch, and the encouragement paid off: the entire student body produced 20 lbs of landfill, which, according to science teacher Melissa Sullivan, is "a significant reduction from our typical amount." Waste-Free Wednesdays will take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the winning class each time earns Spirit Points toward a prize sponsored by Student Council. Congratulations to seniors, who came out on "the bottom" in the first Waste-Free Wednesday. Their lunch landfill weighed in at .01 lbs of trash per student. Other classes were not far off: 11th graders produced .04 lbs per student; 9th, 10th, and 7th grades each produced .05 lbs per student; and the 8th grade produced .06 lbs per student.
Musician/Inventor Bill Wesley Visits Campus
Musician and inventor Bill Wesley visited campus during Community Life last week, and presented an instrument called the Array Mbira. The Array Mbira is a redesign of the the M'bira, which originates in Zimbabwe, and uses the Array system of note arrangement created by Mr. Wesley. Mr. Wesley explained how the Array organization of notes mirrors the organization found in the periodic table of elements, giving 10th-grade chemistry students some food for thought. Students were excited by the instruments displayed and lingered after the presentation in order to try them out. Thank you to Mr. Wesley for an inspiring visit! Click here to read more about the Array Mbira.
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| Curricular Adventures |
On October 5th, a group of students who have taken or are currently enrolled in AP Biology and Ethical Thinking in Society, Policy, and Law attended a presentation sponsored by The Center for Ethics in Science and Technology. Titled "The Politics of Race, Class, Gender and HIV/AIDS in South Africa," the talk addressed the current HIV/AIDS situation in South Africa and whether American drug companies who manufacture HIV/AIDS drugs have an obligation to make treatment widely available there. The presentation created an interesting integrative bridge between the two classes, which are both addressing HIV/AIDS. AP biology students are learning about the scientific components of the disease, and Ethics students will study international HIV/AIDS policy during the second trimester. The talk was one of a nine-part series put on by the center this year, all stemming from issues raised in Rebecca Skloot's book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Students will return to the center in November to hear Ms. Skloot speak about her book.
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Service Learning in the Field
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On Thursday, October 6th, Home Depot Associates visited campus to give a tool demonstration to Middle Schoolers. Students learned how to use electric drills, hammers, screwdrivers, and even a chop saw. They then built and decorated dry erase boards, which will be donated to The ARC of San Diego and to Head Start. Thank you to Home Depot for lending your time and expertise!
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Sports on the Ridge
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Dig Pink Day Scores Against Breast Cancer Tuesday, October 11th was "Dig Pink" day at Pacific Ridge School, sponsored by the Girls Varsity Volleyball team. Students, faculty, and staff came to school decked out in pink, or in "Dig Pink" shirts sold by members of the team in order to raise awareness about breast cancer. Student Council also organized fun activities during lunch, including a grade-level piñata competition that earned Spirit Points for the winner. The Girls Volleyball team played a valiant game against Horizon, losing 1-3 in the end, but winning big in the fight against breast cancer. 
Varsity players in their "Dig Pink" headbands Scores Boys 8th Flag Football 10/04/11 Rancho Santa Fe MS Away 0 54 L
Boys 7th Flag Football
10/04/11 Rancho Santa Fe MS Away 36 13 W
Girls Varsity Tennis
10/04/11 Tri-City Christian Schools Away 3 15 L
10/06/11 Santa Fe Christian Schools Away 5 13 L
10/07/11 Escondido Charter Home 11 7 W
Girls Varsity Volleyball
10/04/11 Escondido Charter Home 3 0 W
10/06/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Away 3 0 W
Girls MS− A Volleyball
10/04/11 Rancho Santa Fe MS Away 0 2 L
10/05/11 Tri-City Christian Schools Home 1 2 L
Girls MS− B Volleyball
10/04/11 Rancho Santa Fe MS Away 0 2 L
10/05/11 Tri-City Christian Schools Home 0 2 L
Girls Frosh Volleyball
10/06/11 Liberty Charter HS Home 2 1 W
Girls JV White Volleyball
10/04/11 Escondido Charter Home 2 1 W
10/06/11 Liberty Charter HS Home 1 2 L
Girls JV Blue Volleyball
10/04/11 Escondido Charter Home 1 2 L
10/06/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Away 2 0 W
Girls MS − White Volleyball
10/04/11 Rancho Santa Fe MS Away 2 0 W
Girls MS − Blue Volleyball
10/04/11 Rancho Santa Fe MS Away 0 2 L
10/05/11 Tri-City Christian Schools Home 1 2 L |
| Parents Association News |
Parent Walking Group on October 26th The Pacific Ridge Parent Walking Group will meet at Peet's Coffee in Bressi Ranch on Wednesday, October 12th at 8 a.m. Join other parents for a loop down past Pacific Ridge and back to Bressi Ranch for coffee afterwards. Questions? Contact the Parents Association at parentsassociation@pacificridge.org. |
Beyond the Ridge
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Upcoming College Representative Visits All meetings will begin in the college counseling office. See the school portal for dates and times. During the week of October 18th-21st, representatives from the following colleges will visit Pacific Ridge School: American University; Boston University; California Institute of the Arts; Chapman University; College of Charleston; Furman University; George Washington University; Loyola University, Chicago; Loyola University, New Orleans; Northwestern University; Santa Clara University; Seattle University; Skidmore College; Southern Methodist University; University of Colorado, Boulder; Williamette University Boston University Admissions Event Boston University will present a regional information session at Francis Parker School. Date: Monday, October 17th Time: 6:30 p.m. Place: Francis Parker School, 6501 Linda Vista Rd, SD 92111
Reminders:
UC Merced Preview Day on Saturday, October 15th
This event takes place on the Merced campus. For more information, and to register, click here.
Several College Admissions Programs on October 16th
An admissions representative from each school will present school programs, outline admissions, and talk about financial aid. The programs include:
Washington University in St. Louis
Time: 2 p.m.
Place: San Diego Marriott La Jolla, 4240 La Jolla Village Drive, 92037
University of Pennsylvania
Time: 5 p.m.
Place: Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, San Diego, 92101
Harvard, Princeton, University of Virginia
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Westin San Diego, 400 W. Broadway, San Diego, 92101
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Faculty Notes
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Teachers Attend Educators' Open House at San Diego Museum of Art On Monday, October 3rd, art teacher Alison Behr, along with Spanish instructors Pedro Afán, Tim Betzala, Pati Ruiz, and Nohemi Salazar, attended an Educators' Open House at the San Diego Museum of Art on "The Art of Spain." Teachers enjoyed a special viewing of one current exhibition, From El Greco to Dali, and benefited from sample art projects and curriculum resources. The Pacific Ridge attendees are already thinking about how to incorporate themes and ideas from the open house into their respective classrooms. Some students in beginning Spanish, for example, will learn how to describe the basic elements of painting, such as background, colors, media types, light, etc. Students in A.P. Spanish will compare the works of different Spanish artists, some of whom include Goya, El Greco, and Joaquin Sorolla. 8th-grade Spanish students, who completed a mask project earlier in the trimester, will view Miro and Picasso pieces that were influenced by masks.
 Mr. Betzala, Ms. Salazar, Ms. Behr, Ms. Ruiz, and
Mr. Afán at the San Diego Museum of Art
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Faculty & Staff Snapshot
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Nina Dodge, Science
Current favorite book: The Wave, by Susan Casey
Favorite movie: Not a big movie person, but she just saw, and liked, It's kind of a funny story.
Sport: Tennis
Greatest indulgence: Baking
If you make her breakfast: Coffee first, then maybe steel cut oatmeal with raisins
In her free time: Undertakes projects. Most recently, she has been pickling and jarring vegetables.
Dream vacation: Scuba diving in Fiji
Hometown: Upper Montclair, NJ
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In a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility, and global engagement, Pacific Ridge School prepares students for college and a purposeful life.
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Schedule of Events
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October 14th
No School -
Parent/Teacher Conferences
@ Pacific Ridge School
8:30-11:30 a.m.
October 17th
No School
October 22nd
Fall Fest
@ Pacific Ridge School
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
October 26th
Parent Walking Group
Meet at Peet's Coffee in Bressi Ranch
8 a.m.
October 28th
Middle School Halloween Dance @
Pacific Ridge School
6-9 p.m.
October 29th
Upper School Halloween Dance @ Pacific Ridge School
7-10 p.m.
November 8th
Blood Drive
@ Pacific Ridge School
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
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A View from The Ridge 
