| INSPIRING IDEAS |
Make sure to check this section each week for a story or video that serves to inspire and provoke thought.
Before I die I want to...
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| Greetings!
 Bishop O'Dowd High School focuses on excellence in Catholic education, preparing tomorrow's leaders for lives of personal, intellectual and spiritual growth. We invite you to read about our efforts to promote critical thinking, teamwork and creativity for lifelong learning, leadership and service. |
Dragon Golf Classic - Early Bird Rate Ends Today
Exciting Update: You Could Win a 2012 Toyota Prius
 The 22nd Annual Dragon Golf Classic is set for Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, at Oakland's Sequoyah Country Club. The Early Bird rate ends today, Sept. 12. Take advantage of this opportunity to get the special rate. Register your foursome today and save $120.
Exciting update! There's added incentive to shoot a hole in one - a 2012 Toyota Prius, courtesy of Downtown Toyota of Oakland.
Support O'Dowd student scholarships by donating an item to the silent or live auction, or sponsoring the event. Contact event coordinator Cathy McFann for more information.
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Opening School Liturgy Celebrated
With the entire Bishop O'Dowd High School community gathered on the Quad, Fr. Jay Matthews, along with O'Dowd's new chaplain Fr. Gerald Pedrera, celebrated the school's Opening School Liturgy on Wednesday, Sept. 5.
Wonderful music by the chorus and a great skit by the Campus Ministry Team that reinforced the messages of our One Book, One Community summer reading program selection, "Tattoos on the Heart," were highlights.
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Get Ready for Zoo Walk 2012
Event Takes Place Sept. 21
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National Hispanic Recognition Program Honors O'Dowd Students
Seniors Kristina Lorch, Caitlin O'Malley and Cristian Padilla have been recognized as scholars by the College Board's National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP), initiated in 1983 to identify outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students.
This year, the NHRP is recognizing nearly 5,000 students selected from a pool of more than 253,000 students who took the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test/Prueba de Aptitud Académica(PSAT/NMSQT/PAA). Read more...
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Yishan Wang '14 Fights Poverty in China
 Yishan Wang '14 stepped out of his comfort zone this past summer when he volunteered for an organization issuing micro-loans to low income families living in remote villages in China. It was an eye-opening experience, he says.
One of O'Dowd's nearly 40 international students, Yishan grew up in a comfortable home in Beijing. "My dream has always been to help those less fortunate, but this was my first time in the poor villages of China," he said. Read more...
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Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences
Sept. 24 and 27
 We invite you to participate in Parent-Teacher-Student conferences so that you can discuss your student's progress, class expectations and learning strategies with his/her teacher(s). Conferences can also be scheduled with counselors.
Conferences are scheduled for Monday, Sept. 24, and Thursday, Sept. 27, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., based on teacher availability. All conferences are 10 minutes in length.
Schedule a conference...
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Academic Support Center News
Interested in subject specific tutoring? SMART sessions are now available! Please contact Jase Turner for more information.
Don't forget that BOLT (Blackboard Online Live Tutoring) is available Sunday through Thursday, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. It's a great place to find academic support at night!
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Support O'Dowd Athletics - Purchase a Dragon Ticket Membership Today
Proceeds from Dragon Ticket memberships go directly to support your child's team and allow improvements that benefit our entire athletic program.
Your Dragon Ticket also provides free admission for four family members to all home football, volleyball and basketball games, and guarantees admission to any pre-sale games. Don't miss out on football games against WCAL power Sacred Heart Cathedral and league rivals Castro Valley and Berkeley, as well as tremendous home schedules of our top-ranked volleyball and basketball teams.
Get more information about Dragon Ticket Memberships and recent Dragon Athletic Booster supported projects...
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Volunteers Needed for the Living Lab
All parents/guardians interested in helping out in the Living Lab, O'Dowd's 4.5-acre garden, ecological study area and certified wildlife habitat, and future home of the Center for Environmental Studies, are invited a meeting on Monday, Sept. 17, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., in Dominican Hall.
Learn about the history of the site and the current plan to improve and maintain the Living Lab from a dedicated group of teachers, students and parents.
If you can't come to the meeting, please join us at one of the upcoming Saturday Living Lab workdays: Oct. 6, Nov. 3, and Dec. 1. You can choose from two shifts: 10 a.m. to noon, or 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. No previous experience is necessary. All are welcome! Learn more about the Living Lab...
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New Support Group Offered at O'Dowd
Students who have experienced a loss of a loved one (parent, grandparent,etc) who would like to take part in a support group on campus are invited to submit their names to Ms. Warmerdam in the Counseling Department. The group will be led by our counseling intern, Mr. Mark Lederer (read about Mark in the following article), and will meet on campus on a rotating schedule.
The support group will be confidential both by membership and by content.
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Marriage and Family Therapist Intern to Offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Students
 Mark Lederer is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern (#69871) specializing in treating adolescents struggling with anxiety and depression using cognitive behavioral therapy.
Cognitive behavioral therapy approaches the treatment of excessive worry and low mood from the perspective that thoughts and behaviors influence how people feel. From this perspective, people can get stuck in a pattern of negative thinking that is reinforced by ineffective choices, which then makes it difficult to feel good.
The work in therapy is interactive, structured, and time-limited with 10-20 sessions being the typical range of a course of treatment. The focus of each session is on identifying the thoughts and choices that lead to unpleasant feelings and then working to make changes in thinking and behaviors that lead to a more positive mood.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is strongly supported by research and particularly well suited for teens who may say they feel "stressed," "bored," "misunderstood," "stuck," "worried," "tired," "irritated," or "sad." Because the emotional experience of teens can be intense and overwhelming, this form of treatment helps teens to develop the ability to work with their feelings, to be more thoughtful about the choices that they make, and to be more empowered to reach their goals.
Mark received his master's degree in counseling psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley in 2011. He is available by appointment to see clients before and after school. There is no charge for this service. He can be reached at (510) 577-9100, ext. 264, or by e-mail at mlederer@bishopodowd.org.
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Fund a Dream Luncheon Set for November 7
NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott is Keynote Speaker
Join us in launching the first annual Fund a Dream luncheon, set for Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. Get more information...
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Fall 2012 Dragon Magazine Online
 The fall 2012 issue of the Dragon alumni magazine is now in the mail, but you can also view the magazine on the school website.
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Career Partnerships Program Parent/Guardian Information Meeting Next Week
The Career Partnerships Program (CPP) is off and running with student trainings already underway and field trips on the horizon. This year there are about 125 sophomores, juniors and seniors signed up (9th graders have to wait a year!).
Parents and guardians of CPP students, if you want to know more about the CPP and its activities and goals, please attend a Parent/Guardian Information Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 18, from 7 to 8 p.m., in Dominican Lounge. Learn more about CPP...
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David Avery '13 Restores Garden for Eagle Scout Project
A member of Troop 203 in Oakland, David Avery '13 is restoring a 2,000-square-foot area of a grassy, overgrown redwood grove at W.D. Wood Park, located near Macarthur Blvd. and Fruitvale Ave., for his Eagle Project for Boy Scouts. After weeding is completed, David will lay down soil and plant California native species and a few shade trees, and then finish off the planting by applying mulch to the area.
Additionally, David plans to build and donate two 6' x 3' planter boxes to be placed in the park so students at the nearby Redwood Day School can learn about growing vegetables.
The first stage of the project will take place on Sept. 22-23 and volunteers are welcome to come out and help. You can contact David at averyd13@bishopodowd.org.
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Have You Got an Hour for College Power?
The Counseling Department is seeking parent volunteers to host a college representative visit for one hour this coming fall. During the months of September, October and November, college admissions counselors schedule one-hour sessions with interested students. This is a great opportunity to get "up front and personal" with admissions counselors and find out the latest details about applying to colleges, costs, housing and financial aid. The list of more than 65 colleges and universities includes California publics and privates and out of state publics. For details, contact Janet Huff at jhuff@bishopodowd.org or (510) 553-8602.
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California Scholarship Federation Applications Due Friday
California Scholarship Federation (CSF) applications for this past spring semester are due to Mrs. Promes in Room 11 by Friday, Sept. 14. Four semesters of membership, one being in the senior year, are required for Life Membership status. Students need a completed application, a copy of their report card and $5 for the membership fee. Students without a copy of their report card must pay an additional $2. Additional information about the California Scholarship Federation is on the Academics page of the website. Back to Top
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San Leandro BART Shuttle Service Offered
 Bishop O'Dowd High School offers morning and afternoon shuttle service to and from the San Leandro BART station. Get details...
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About Bishop O'Dowd High School
Bishop O'Dowd High School believes that innovative curriculum, cutting-edge technology and leadership development are essential elements for student success in the 21st century. Every day we engage our students in programs and activities that foster their academic and spiritual growth because we believe our graduates will be leaders who transform the world.
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