| Snapshot from The Ridge |
Each week, Pacific Ridge School invites you to enjoy a spontaneous view of school life. 
Gama Ramirez, Facilities Manager, and his team keep the campus in tip-top shape. |
Bulletin Board
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First Middle School Open House Is THIS Saturday
Families interested in applying to 7th and 8th grades for the 2012-2013 school year are invited to attend a Middle School Open House on Saturday, November 5th. Attendees will learn about school programs, take a tour of campus, and meet current students and parents. Please RSVP to Monique Velde at mvelde@pacificridge.org or 760-448-9841. Click here for information on other open houses and on the application process.
Date: Saturday, November 5th
Time: 2-4 p.m.
Place: Pacific Ridge School campus
The "Tax Deductible Portion of Your Tuition"
Independent schools, including Pacific Ridge, run an Annual Fund each year to cover the gap between what tuition covers and what it actually costs to educate each child. Please join the entire school community by making your commitment today. You may pledge now, and pay any time between now and May 31, 2012. All gifts are tax deductible in the year in which they are made. You can make a gift or pledge online by clicking here. You can also contact Emma Brejwo at ebrejwo@pacificridge.org or 760-448-9883. Thank you for your support!
Pacific Ridge Showcase Tickets Available
Tickets are available for the upcoming Pacific Ridge Showcase, to be held on December 3rd. Order now for best seats and the best price! Tickets are $10 until November 15th, and $12 afterwards. Buy tickets online by clicking here or by clicking on the "Buy tickets for the showcase" link under "Arts Information" on the school portal.
Reminder:
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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Pacific Ridge in the Halloween Spirit
Faculty came disguised as students, and students came disguised in countless ways to celebrate Halloween last Friday. The competition was stiff at the annual Halloween parade, but the "Flash Mob" edged out fellow classmates to win the honor of Best Costume.
 The "Flash Mob" performs.  A potted plant and a bush  Twin tacos  Can you guess? (Hint: there's a pot of gold at the end)
Reminder:
2011-2012 Faculty/Parent Education Series
120 total spaces are available for this year's Harkness discussions, listed below. At the meeting, parents and Pacific Ridge faculty and staff members will meet as one large group, break up into two smaller Harkness groups, and then reconvene to determine a list of takeaways from the discussion. Be sure to rank your order of session preference via survey monkey by clicking here.
Topics and Dates:
Parents, Tutors, and Homework: When Too Much Help Becomes a Hindrance, led by Jenny Bjornstad, Dean of Faculty, 9th/10th Grade Dean
Tuesday, November 15th, 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Harkness and Performance: The Value of Students' Being Heard, led by Scott Mattoon, 11th/12th Grade Dean
Tuesday, December 6th, 4-5:30 p.m.
21st Century Skills and the Pacific Ridge School Mission: Right on Time, led by Liz Grossman, Coordinator of Curriculum and Mission Assessment
Tuesday, January 31st, 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Concentration, Flow, and The Zone, led by Hans Richter, 7th/8th Grade Dean
Thursday, March 15th, 4-5:30 p.m.
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| Curricular Adventures |
On Wednesday, November 2nd, Chinese 2 students dined at the Dumpling Inn in Kearny Mesa to experience language and cultural immersion. Students came prepared to speak only in Chinese, after having studied the menu and practiced restaurant phrases in class, and they were pleased to find that their hard work paid off. The food's arrival was the most exciting moment - students had high praise for the pork and deep-fried beef curry dumplings.
In honor of Los Días De Los Muertos this week, some 7th-, 8th-, and 9th- grade Spanish students made Calacas (skeleton figurine cut outs) and Calaveras (sugar skulls). Students were asked, while making their art pieces, to dedicate their work to someone who has died. Students were pleased to take part in the celebration and personalize their study of the Mexican holiday.
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Service Learning in the Field
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ARC T-Shirt Drive: Call For Pacific Ridge Logo Shirts
In response to requests from friends at The ARC of San Diego, the ARC Middle School Service Learning group is currently collecting t-shirts and collared shirts that have the Pacific Ridge School logo. Drop off your gently used Pacific Ridge logo t-shirts and collared shirts in the main office, and members of ARC will find a happy recipient at The ARC of San Diego. Thanks for your support!
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Sports on the Ridge
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Congratulations to the JV Blue Volleyball Team for finishing the season as league champions! The team finished with a league record of 7-1 and an overall record of 13-4. Go Firebirds!!
Reminders:
Subscribe to the PCA Bi-Weekly Newsletter
Get all the latest from the Positive Coaching Alliance in a bi-weekly e-newsletter that covers recent PCA activity, current issues in sports, expert advice on youth sports questions, and more. Click here to sign up for your free subscription.
Winter Sports Meeting On November 7th For parents whose children plan on participating in a winter sport: please join us for a Parent-Coaches meeting on November 7th. Don't miss this exciting and informational evening that will tell you what you need to know about the upcoming basketball and soccer seasons. Parents will meet winter sports coaches from all levels and hear Jim Perry from Positive Coaching Alliance speak on Second-Goal Parenting at Pacific Ridge School. Go Firebirds! Date: Monday, November 7th Time: 6:30 p.m. Place: East Reading Room, Upper School building Questions? Contact Athletic Director Darren Lawlor: dlawlor@pacificridge.org. Scores Coed Varsity Cross Country 10/27/11 (Coastal cluster meet #2) Home
Boys Varsity
The Bishop's School 31
La Jolla Country Day 33
Francis Parker 68
Pacific Ridge 116
Girls Varsity
The Bishop's School 29
Francis Parker 45
Pacific Ridge 56
La Jolla Country Day 100
Boys JV
The Bishop's School 22
La Jolla Country Day 38
Pacific Ridge 80
Francis Parker 92
Coed Middle School Cross Country 10/26/11 (SCMSL #6 @ Guajome Park) Boys
Pacific Ridge 17 Rancho Santa Fe 19 Girls Pacific Ridge 20 Rancho Santa Fe 32 Santa Fe Christian 32 Boys 8th Flag Football
10/25/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Home 7 19 L
10/27/11 Santa Fe Christian Schools Home 20 20 T
Boys 7th Flag Football
10/25/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Home 32 12 W
10/27/11 Santa Fe Christian Schools Home 25 13 W
Girls Varsity Tennis
10/24/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Home 0 18 L
10/25/11 La Jolla Country Day School Home 0 18 L
Girls Varsity Volleyball
10/25/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Home 3 0 W
10/27/11 Horizon Christian School Away 0 3 L
Girls MS− A Volleyball
10/26/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Home 2 0 W
Girls MS− B Volleyball
10/26/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Home 2 0 W
Girls JV Blue Volleyball
10/25/11 San Diego Jewish Academy Home 2 0 W
10/27/11 Horizon Christian School Away 2 0 W Girls MS − Black Volleyball 10/26/11 Santa Fe Christian Schools Home 0 2 L Girls MS − Silver Volleyball 10/26/11 Santa Fe Christian Schools Home 0 2 L |
Parents Association News
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Parents' Book Group on November 28th The Pacific Ridge School Parents' Book Group will discuss This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman. All are welcome!
Date: Monday, November 28th
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Place: school library
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Beyond the Ridge
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Bill Rubin from The College Authority on November 15th
Bill Rubin will discuss the college tour his company, The College Authority, has arranged. Sophomores, juniors, and their parents are invited to learn about this opportunity to take part in a group tour of colleges from North Carolina to New York during Spring Break. Some of the colleges include Wake Forest University, Duke University, University of Virginia, Georgetown University, and New York University.
Date: Tuesday, November 15th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
Place: College Counseling Office
PLAN Test on November 21st
The PLAN test (practice ACT) will be given to Pacific Ridge sophomores at 8 a.m. on Monday, November 21st, in the Commons. Be sure to bring pencils, erasers, and calculators. Students will receive details about the test during advisory in the week prior.
Junior Parent Night and Test Prep Mini Fair
Junior Parent Night for parents of juniors is on November 30th. Parents should attend, and juniors are encouraged to attend if they are able. A test prep mini fair will precede College Counseling Night, for those junior parents or juniors interested in exploring test prep options.
Date: Wednesday, November 30th
Time: 6:30 p.m. for test prep mini fair, 7-9 p.m. for Junior Parent Night
Place: East Reading Room, Upper School
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 November 7th-10th, representatives from the following colleges will visit Pacific Ridge School: Bryant University, Hawai'i Pacific University, Regis College NB: The Hawai'i Pacific time has changed. A representative will be available on Wednesday, November 9th at 1 p.m. Reminder: University of British Columbia Information Session Date: Saturday, November 5th Time: 10 a.m. Place: Doubletree Hotel, Del Mar For more information on college representative visits or college admissions programs, please contact Ruth Foresman at rforesman@pacificridge.org or 760-579-4905. |
North County Happenings
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Heart of a Child Concert on November 12th
Come see Pacific Ridge freshman Sebastian Green and other young artists from San Diego perform in the second annual Heart Of A Child concert on Saturday, November 12th. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Ariana Fund, a non-profit charity established in 2008 in memory of Ariana Miller. Click here to read more about the Ariana Fund, and click here to purchase tickets online.
Date: Saturday, November 12th
Time: 7-9 p.m. (Doors open 6 p.m. for a silent auction)
Place: Calvary Lutheran Church, 424 Via de la Valle, Solana Beach
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| Faculty & Staff Snapshot |
Steve Morrell, Music
Favorite book: All Souls, by Michael Patrick MacDonald
Favorite movie: Spaceballs
Favorite sport: Baseball. He listens to his beloved Red Sox on the radio on game days. He has not been to Petco Park yet, but it looks like a great ballpark.
Greatest Indulgence: The cinnamon rolls at Baked, a bakery in Mission Beach. Homemade cream-cheese frosting!
If you make him breakfast: Besides a trip to Baked for a cinnamon roll, French toast
Dream vacation: Tahiti, ideally just to sit on the beach
Hometown: Hanover, MA
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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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November 5th
Middle School
Open House
2-4 p.m.
November 8th
Blood Drive
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
November 11th
No School -
Veteran's Day
November 14th
Fall sports begin
November 18th
End of First Trimester
November 23rd-25th
No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
November 28th
Classes Resume
Parent Book Group
School Library
7-9 p.m.
December 1st
Upper School
Open House
3:30-5 p.m.
December 3rd
Arts Showcase
Star Theater in Oceanside
7 p.m.
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A View from The Ridge 
