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Issue: # 11
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November 2013
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St. Francis High School
Salesian College Preparatory
2400 East Lake Ave.
Watsonville, CA 95076
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Members of the National Honor Society
Class 2014
Tina Arthur
Katerina Baeza-Hernandez
Alexandria Barba
Sabrina Bargetto
Claire Conway
Natalie Deraiche
Jose Garcia
Kristen Korba
Alexis Lilly
Jamie Mancini
Amber Martinez
Karen Miranda
Alfredo Munoz
Austin Nethercutt
Hailey Robinett
Alexia Rocha-Zamora
Matthew Rodriguez
Marynelle Tana
Antonia Vargas
Class of 2015
Caroline Casper
Brian Dobler
Megan Farley
Sydney Gerami
Shahnaz Ghahremani
Erica Leung
Colette LoBue
Eleri Mahoney
Kellie Rodriguez
Yulissa Rodriguez
Jane Salady
Cooper Scheer
Isabella Shahmirza
Sonja Shumake
Jessica Ward
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Members of the California Scholarship Federation
Class of 2014
Tina Arthur
Katerina Baeza-Hernandez
Alexandria Barba
Sabrina Bargetto
Alicia Castro
Claire Conway
Natalie Deraiche
Jose Garcia
Kirsten Korba
Alexis Lilly
Jamie Mancini
Louis Martinelli
Amber Martinez
Karen Miranda
Alfredo Munoz
Austin Nethercutt
Matthew Powers
Hailey Robinett
Alexia Rocha-Zamora
Matthew Rodriguez
Marynelle Tana
Antonia Vargas
Robert Zuniga
Class of 2015
Abigail Briley
Caroline Casper
Nicholas Deleissegues
Megan Farley
Sydney Gerami
Shahnaz Ghahremani
Erica Leung
Colette LoBue
Cynthia Martin
Marco Palacios
Julian Potter
Kellie Rodriguez
Yulissa Rodriguez
Jane Salady
Cooper Scheer
Isabella Shahmirza
Sonja Shumake
Katia Tinetti
Karla Vasquez
Jessica Ward
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Schedule Changes Thursday (11/14) and Friday (11/15) for funeral service
Dear Members of the St. Francis Community,
It is with tremendous sadness that I share with you that Ms. Kate Medina, former Spanish teacher at St. Francis, passed away last week after a valiant fight against lymphoma. Many of you will remember her as "Maestra Medina," who started at St. Francis in 2009. Ms. Medina was a teacher who exhibited a tremendous love of life and learning. To allow our community of students and staff to attend her services this Friday, we will be modifying this Thursday (11/14) and Friday's (11/15) schedules as follows:
Thursday, 11/14/13:
· 3, 2, 1, & 7 (No HR or class meetings)
Friday, 11/15/13:
· 6, 5, 4, and dismissal at 1 pm
Dismissal at this time allows our students and all of our staff to attend the services at St. Mary's Parish Church in Gilroy. Services start at 2:30 pm. The front office will close at 1:30 pm to accommodate their attendance at the services, too.
We ask that you keep Maestra Medina and her family, as well as the members of the St. Francis community who knew Kate, in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Further information will be forthcoming to students who ride on the van in the afternoon.
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SFPA Meeting on November 13 Cancelled
The November 13 SFPA General Meeting is being cancelled due to an impacted student and parent schedule and because Ms. Green has a college financial aid night schedules. Parents may count Ms. Green's college financing night meeting as attendance for the year. Please remember to fill out your attendance form and turn it in at the end of the night. November 14-16 are the VAPA Small Shows hosted on campus in B2 of the BAC; and November 15 is the B&G "Poker with the Principal" event at the Rose's house in Watsonville. Thank you for supporting all of our students!
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"Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose:" A Presentation by Matthew Kelly
New York Times bestselling author Matthew Kelly will be speaking on "Living Everyday with Passion and Purpose." Please mark your calendar to attend this one-hour presentation on which occurs on Thursday night, November 14th from 7:00-8:00pm at St. Joseph's Church, 435 Monterey Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010.
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National Honor Society Induction Ceremony
Juniors and Seniors who maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.67 and have demonstrated the qualities of leadership, character and service, earn membership in the National Honor Society. Membership in the NHS is nationally recognized and is an asset to students applying to colleges and universities and enhances the student's academic profile. A five-member Faculty Review Committee must approve each application. Students apply only once and retain their membership each semester by maintaining the minimum 3.67 GPA and by being students in good standing. New NHS members (Class of 2015) participated in an induction ceremony on campus on Monday, November 11, and 35% of the Class of 2015 are NHS members. This semester's members are listed in the lefthand margin.
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California Scholarship Federation
Membership in the California Scholarship Federation is an academic honor recognized by universities and colleges across the nation. Students who maintain their CSF membership for four out of six high school semesters are granted Lifetime Membership. Students apply each semester for membership. This semester's members are listed in the lefthand margin.
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Athletics News: Alumni Basketball on November 27
The St. Francis Athletic Department is excited to announce the first men's and women's alumni basketball game. On Wednesday, November 27 in the BAC, the current women's team will face alumni at 5:30pm, followed by the men's team and alumni at 7pm. It will be a great night to see some basketball action and catch up with old friends. Tickets for fans are $5 each, and players are free. All alumni will get a shirt to play in at the game. Open to former varsity players who completed their senior season with the Sharks. Invitations to alumni are being sent, so watch your mailbox and RSVP to let us know you're coming to play. Follow the link for more information and to RSVP
St. Francis High School Alumni Basketball Game 2013
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 Athletic News: Stay up to date by visiting our Department of Athletics site |
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A Burgundy and Gray Thank You
The SFPA and the school want to thank you for your generous partnership for our annual Burgundy & Gray event. We saw the addition of a live band, the seamless addition of auction software for inventory/accountability, the SQUARE for credit card payments, and the growth in our silent auction sales. The expenses are being tallied, and an announcement on the financial success is forthcoming. From the school's perspective, it was a resounding success as a community builder and a fundraiser for the school. Thank you to Mrs. Megan Martinelli and her team for another successful event. Additional thanks to Mr. Ed Moakler, SFPA President, for partnering with Megan to run a flawless school community event.
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Open House 2013: Sunday, November 24 from 1-4pm
Open House is your chance to learn all there is to know about St. Francis High School. Come spend the afternoon on our campus; learn about our college-prep curriculum, athletics, clubs, and activities, and meet St. Francis students and teachers. Open House is November 24, 2013 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Don't miss out on this fun day!
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Admissions Update: Shadow-a-Shark
The "Shadow-a-Shark" Program is a great opportunity for prospective students to visit our campus and spend the day as a St. Francis student. Each shadow visit is a full school day at St. Francis during which you will view classes, eat lunch with your host, and meet St. Francis students and faculty. The remaining Shadow-a-Shark dates for 2013-2014 are as follows: November 15; December 4, 6, 10, and 12; and January 9, 15, 17, 22, 28, and 30.
Contact Ms. Marheineke in the Admissions Office to schedule a Shadow day admissions@stfrancishigh.net or visit our website www.stfrancishigh.net.
Admissions Dates to Remember
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Presidential Scholarship Application Deadline: November 24, 2013
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Open House: November 24, 2013, 1-4PM
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Applicant Exams: January 11 & 18, 2014
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Regular Admissions Deadline: January 31, 2014
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Student/Family Interviews: February 8, 2014
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Visual and Performing Arts Updates
The Visual and Performing Arts Department is looking for donations of individually prepared, wrapped and ready to serve treats for the refreshment stand at their upcoming performances of A BLAST IN EVERY BITE (an evening of scenes and one act plays) on November 14, 15, and 16. Baked goods, chocolate covered strawberries, goodie bags filled with leftover Halloween candy, and bottled water are welcome donations. If you are interested in donating items, please contact yamaoka3@razzolink.com, and what item(s) you plan to donate, and on which night.
All items should be dropped off in Room B2 by 4pm on Thursday evening and 5pm on Friday and Saturday evening.
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Campus Clean Up Day: Saturday, November 23 from 8am-12pm
On Saturday, November 23rd from 8:00AM-12:00PM we will have a Campus CleanUpDay in preparation for Sunday's Open House. This event will take place rain or shine! Please contact Marie Marheineke (mariemarheineke@stfrancishigh.net) or Kenny Nakagawa (nakagawa@stfrancishigh.net) via email if you can attend or talk to Neri in the main office.
We are asking parents to please bring gloves, shovels, rakes, etc., to help with the cleanup. Also, don't forget to log your hours!
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Girls State and Boys State Leadership Program
On October 8, the Watsonville American Legion Post #121 and the Women's Auxiliary hosted their annual Girls and Boys State dinner. Students from Watsonville High and St. Francis High School attended. Each student had an opportunity to share their experience and what they cherished during their week long leadership program. Students who were interested applied their junior year, and those chosen were evaluated based on GPA, leadership qualities, active participation in extracurricular activities, and enthusiasm for the program. The Girls State Program was held at McKenna College in Claremont and Boys State was held at California State University, Sacramento. Both programs show young men and women how a government operates by holding mock campaigns and elections.
The programs are centered on student participation and operation of their own self-created government. The students take qualifying exams to be attorneys in the mock governments and participate in politics that range from local to state government. Essentially, they elect city, county, and state officials in these self-created institutions. Students come from all over the state to participate in this adventure into politics. It provides the participants a chance to witness the diversity of opinions based on ideology as well as geographical location.
Watsonville High School Principal, Elaine Legorreta, St. Francis High School Principal, Patrick Lee, and 4th District County Supervisor, Greg Caput were in attendance.
The American Legion Post #121 of Watsonville has been a proud sponsor of local youngsters and consider it their finest event. Henry Garcia and Melanie Martinez-Salas have run the program over the years and have donated a lot of their time to this tradition of teaching the next generation the process of government and politics. This program serves to enlighten the next generation of their role in government and the role government plays in their lives.
For any students in their junior year who would like to participate, please contact your high school counselor for more information. The next round of interviews begins in February.
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Faculty-Staff Professional Development Update
The St. Francis faculty completed an enriching and engaging professional development with master educator Louis Mangione on October 25th. The faculty participated in Part 2 of "Integrating the Science of Learning and the Art of Teaching." Last June we participated in Part 1, with the summer to plan within the new tumbling block schedule. Now, the faculty have completed their 16 hours of training and will continue to hone their craft using the innovative yet practical tools given to them by Mr. Mangione. To provide the rigor, relevance, and results we have come to expect from our students and teachers, St. Francis is committed to providing the best teachers with the best training in the central coast. As a result, we ensure educational excellence!
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Mr. Dewig has joined adoptaclassroom.org. He is trying to raise $5000 by January 25, 2014 so he can create a project that his students will love and which will keep them excited about learning. Making learning fun and interactive is so important, and he appreciates any support you can lend.
The name of the project is Staging for St. Francis. Here is a description:
As St. Francis grows, its need for multi-purpose staging has become evident. We desire to accommodate more on campus productions and events from our graduation ceremony, to the St. Francis Festival, to theater productions, to choral concerts, and the like. Besides being useful for these events the staging can, and will, also act as a seated riser system in the performing arts room which will be beneficial for both musical and dramatic work.Here is a link where you may donate to the project. Any amount would help.
Dan Dewig AdoptAClassroom.org Project Donation Page
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Club Updates
The St. Francis Pro-Life Club participated in Forty Days for Life this year by meeting each morning before school to pray for an end to abortion. Forty Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God's power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion. The students began their prayer vigil on September 25th and ended on November 1st.
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Light the Night Participants
Congratulation to Alicia and Natalie who raised $900 in remembrance of Natalie's mom, Maestra Medina, and Effy on Saturday October 19 at the Light the Night walk for Leukemia/Lymphoma. The event raised over $1 million.
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CONGRATULATIONS!
You were identified by one of the St. Francis High School Shark Spotters as wearing Sharkwear and/or your uniform outside of school.
Thank You for showing your
SHARK PRIDE!
THIS IS GOOD FOR ONE FREE DRESS DAY ON
*Help identify students wearing their uniform and/or Shark wear outside of school and send the photos to silva@stfrancishigh.net
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Allstate Foundation Grant
St. Francis High School has partnered with the Allstate Foundation to support safe teen driving. The school was chosen to represent the issue, bring awareness to the issue, and identify student leaders to mitigate the issue. This year senior students, Sabrina Bargetto, Hailey Robinette, Austin Nethercutt-Paz, and Toni Vargas have all committed to bringing the concerns for safe teen driving to light.
The Issue
Crashes are the No. 1 cause of death among American teens, accounting for nearly a third of all deaths of 16-19 year olds. Research has shown that these crash fatalities can be attributed to teens performing the following three behaviors when driving - speeding, failure to wear a seatbelt and distractions caused by teen passengers in the car.
Our Response
Teen safe driving has been a key initiative for The Allstate Foundation for the past six years. The Foundation continues to address this important issue with a new program called #GetThereSafe, to be piloted in California.
#GetThereSafe Campaign
#GetThereSafe is a teen-led program designed to educate and engage teens around smart driving. It kicks off this fall with 20 to 40 selected high schools throughout the state raising a #GetThereSafe flag to show solidarity around this important issue. During the week of Nov. 11, each school will invite students to raise the flag and encourage the whole school to be present to show their support. We did this Friday, November 9th with the entire school and a representative from the Allstate Foundation.
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Counseling Department: October News All Student Reminders
Counseling Updates from Ms. Tish Green
College Applications: University of California applications and the California State University applications MUST BE SENT no later than NOVEMBER 30. For private colleges and out of state public universities, you will need to check their admissions deadlines as they vary greatly.
Remember that CSU and UCs do not need transcripts for application purposes. They will usually want one at the end of 1st semester. Private colleges and universities will need one when the application is sent.
Admission Tests: Seniors, remember to request your test scores be sent to the colleges to which you apply. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU San Diego, and San Jose State requires you to take the SAT or ACT by the November test date. All other CSUs require tests taken by the December date.
The UCs no longer require the SAT Subject tests. However, certain majors at some highly selective colleges like UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, or UC San Diego will use them to enhance student resumes. You should check on the school's websites when you apply for the needed information. CSUs do not need subject tests. Check the private colleges for their test requirements; most will not want or accept subject tests.
Upcoming SAT I and SAT II Subject, & ACT Test Dates:
SAT--- December 7, 2013 is the last test date used for college applications. Registration after November 8th will include late fees.
ACT-December 14, 2014 is the last test day for college applications. Registration after November 8th will include late fees.
Financial Aid: Seniors and one parent should go onto thewww.fafsa.ed.gov website to sign up for a PIN (Personal Identification Number) now. The PIN is used to sign documents including the FAFSA (Free Application for Financial Student Aid) that all senior families should complete.
Various sites across the Santa Cruz County will be holding special workshops on how to fill out the FAFSA. Information will be posted on RenWeb News for locations and times as they become available.
Financial Aid 101: November 13 at 6:30pm: Mark your calendars as Stephen Shapiro will begin the financial aid process with his informative "Financial Aid 101" discussion on November 13th at 6:30 pm Rm E-1. The program includes the what, who, and why's of the financial aid process. All parents and students regardless of grade level are invited to attend.
Scholarship information for seniors is being given out by Mrs. Green as the information becomes available. Students should listen carefully to daily announcements, read their emails carefully, and pay attention during classroom visits from Mrs. Green. A list of current scholarships is located on the St Francis website under the Counseling and Guidance link. Students may also pick up most application forms or URLs of scholarships that have been announced to students in Mrs. Green's office. It is also recommended to go online to www.fastweb.com or www.cappex.com to pull in a more extensive data base. A list of web search engines is available in the counseling office, on the counseling website and in the Parent Night booklets.
Juniors and Sophomores have taken the PSAT in October. The results will be returned in early January when Mrs. Green will hold a review of results with the sophomores and juniors in their various Theology classes. Parents will have access to their student's individual results and what those results mean, when the students bring home the information.
Juniors: Mrs. Green will schedule individual parent/student appointments beginning in February to begin the college search and application process. For more information, please go onto the St Francis web site to download the Student/Parent College Counseling Guide book. It is filled with the information that you may need and want to understand how the college search and application process works.
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ParentsWeb
RenWeb School Management Software gives you, the busy parent, an opportunity to get more involved in your child's academic progress and future success - all via the Internet!
Parents are strongly encouraged to partner with the school by using RenWeb. One way to do that is to use the RenWeb accounts and regularly check your students' grades. Know what your student is doing well, and what s/he needs help with...and follow up with him or her daily. Parents can also keep aware of assignments and other important class-related issues through the "Calendar" and "School Home" sections. All students received an orientation in August about the use, and usefulness, of this online program; students can also assist their parents in utilizing their accounts.
Grades for each class are updated on RenWeb on a regular basis, and they can be reviewed in the Student Home under Student Information.
RenWeb's ParentsWeb is a private and secure parents' portal that will allow parents to view academic information specific to their children, while protecting their children's information from others. You can see your child's grades, attendance, homework and conduct, as well as other useful school information. You c-an also communicate with teachers and other school staff online whenever necessary. All you need is an Internet-capable computer.
To login and set up your parent account please go to this LINK
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"Do good while you still have time." -St. John Bosco
Sincerely,
Newsletter Team
St. Francis High School
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