| Snapshot from the Ridge | |
Each week, Pacific Ridge School invites you to enjoy a spontaneous view of school life.
Animal Allies service learning group members celebrate St. Patrick's Day at a San Diego Department of Animal Services shelter. The holiday-themed photos help the shelter promote pet adoption.
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| Bulletin Board | |
Curriculum Night on March 20th
Current sophomores and juniors, along with their parents, are invited to hear faculty discuss course offerings and students reflect on their experiences crafting junior and senior class schedules. Questions? Contact Scott Mattoon at smattoon@pacificridge.org.
Date: Wednesday, March 20th
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: East Reading Room
Blood Drive on March 22nd
Sign up to be a donor at Pacific Ridge's final blood drive of the school year. To make your appointment, visit the San Diego Blood Bank, select "Donate Blood," click on "Appointments" and enter our sponsor code: PARS. Appointment-holders will be eligible to win several raffle prizes. Walk-ins are also welcome. Donors will be able to join the organ donation registry and the National Marrow Donor Program, a registry that allows doctors to find matches between bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donors and critically ill patients. Take the first step to save a life. Be a blood donor.
Date: Friday, March 22nd
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Place: Athletic Center
Middle and Upper School Social Events on March 22nd
Middle School students are welcome to attend a Movie Night complete with popcorn and candy at the Middle School Commons from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Upper School students are invited to the Upper School Reading Rooms for LuWOW (Luau) Game Night from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
 Grad Night Reminder for Senior Parents
Believe it or not, Grad Night is coming soon! Information was recently mailed to families of seniors. Be sure to submit your contribution.
Host Families Wanted for Live California Summer Camp
Host a student from Spain for one month this summer through Live California, a local summer camp for students who visit north county San Diego to study English and learn to surf. Host participants are welcome to attend daily surf camp and field trips with their host student. Share our California lifestyle and learn more about Spanish culture right here at home. For more information, please visit livecalifornia.net.
Interested in Hiring a Summer Intern?
If you or your company are interested in hiring a Pacific Ridge School graduate for an internship or any kind of summer job, please contact Emma Balina, Manager of Alumni Relations, at 760-448-9883, or ebalina@pacificridge.org.
Middlebury Summer Language Academy at Pacific Ridge
Local area students entering grades 5 to 8 can enroll in a two-week intensive language program in Spanish, French or Mandarin Chinese from June 16th-29th. For more information and to register, click here.
Check out Dr. Ogle's Blog! Dr. Ogle's latest blog post is on Pacific Ridge's website. Click here to read his reflections on "Meaning" and Independent Schools. |
| New & Noteworthy | |
The Power of Service: Carl Wilkens Speaks About Rwanda
On Wednesday, March 13th, the school community was addressed by Carl Wilkens, former head of the Adventist Development Relief Agency International in Rwanda. In 1994, Mr. Wilkens was the only American who remained in the country after the Rwandan genocide began. By choosing to stay and help, he prevented the massacres of hundreds of children and increased their chances of survival by securing food, water and shelter for them. Mr. Wilkens expressed his passion for Rwanda and his hope for its people as he shared stories, photographs and videoclips from 1994 and the present. He encouraged students to consider the power each individual has to stand up against racism and intolerance of any kind. For more information about Mr. Wilkens and his work, please click here.
Carl Wilkens discusses his experiences in Rwanda.
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| Curricular Adventures | |
Christopher Reich Discusses Writing Process with Students
Students in Genre Studies were recently treated to a visit by best-selling author and Pacific Ridge parent Christopher Reich. Mr. Reich, who has written ten successful novels and just completed his first screenplay, discussed his writing process with students, emphasizing the discipline and work habits that support his productivity. Noting that truth is often more fascinating than fiction, Mr. Reich shared stories from his days as an investment banker and explained how his first book, Numbered Account, was inspired by people and situations he encountered while working for a Swiss bank. He encouraged students to observe real-life situations keenly, and to incorporate interesting personalities and events into their fiction. Prior to Mr. Reich's visit, students read two reflections on the art of writing (Ernest Hemingway On Writing and Annie Lamott's Bird by Bird) and analyzed the different approaches one can bring to the writing process.
Author Christopher Reich shares his love of writing.
10th Graders Visit Museum of Art & Museum of Tolerance
On Friday, March 8th, the 10th-grade class traveled to Los Angeles to visit two important museums. At the Museum of Tolerance, students learned about both the details of the Holocaust and the realities of the modern movements to promote social responsibility and combat hate crimes. Through a mix of interactive displays and thought-provoking presentations, the museum provided a deep and powerful experience for students. After lunch, the group headed to an entirely different kind of destination: the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Viewing, sketching and discussing a variety of traditional and modern art, students made connections to topics they are studying in the classroom and reflected on broad questions such as the place of art in society.
Students at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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| Service Learning in the Field | |
New Ocean Blue Visits Neighborhood Classrooms
On Friday, March 8th, members of the New Ocean Blue service learning group made their second visit of the year to Pacific Rim Elementary School in Carlsbad. Presenting to 4th and 5th grade students, group members discussed plastic pollution, where it comes from and how it affects the ocean and environment. New Ocean Blue is focusing on raising awareness among elementary school children to help them adopt environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviors at a young age. Notes Kimberly Chang-Haines '13, "It was extremely rewarding to see how positively the kids responded, and how many of them have switched to reusable items since we last presented to them." The group plans to visit a number of other local elementary schools to spread the word about keeping our oceans clean.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Students share the message.
Haven Night Fundraiser Draws Crowds, Raises Awareness
Diners at Elevation Burger in Bressi Ranch got more than fries with their dinner on Friday, March 8th when members of the Haven Night Shelter service learning group and the band Revival Sounds held a musical fundraiser at the restaurant. The band entertained a crowd of up to 100 people, interspersing its performances with information about the group's efforts to support a homeless shelter in Cape Town, South Africa. Haven Night Shelter group members and other Pacific Ridge students plan to visit the shelter during their global program trip at the end of the school year. According to faculty advisor Chris Webber, the band sounded fantastic, the food was delicious and the fundraiser was a big success.
Members of Revival Sounds perform.
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| Parents Association News | |
Parent Walking Group on March 15th
Dates: Friday, March 15th
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Place: Peet's Coffee, Bressi Ranch
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| Sports on the Ridge | |
Boys Varsity Soccer CIF Regional Semifinalists
Boys Varsity Soccer's successful post-season run ended in the regional semifinals on Thursday, March 7th. The team played with determination and performed well, but came up short in a tough match against eventual Regional Champion Animo Leadership High School, of Inglewood, CA. The Boys Soccer program has reached impressive milestones each year, including an undefeated 2011 season, 2012 Division 5 championship, and 2013 repeat championship and Regional Tournament Semifinals. Congratulations to the players and coaches for a season well played!
Boys Varsity Soccer after their Quarterfinal win
Be a Firebird Fan!
Want to come out and cheer for Pacific Ridge? Game times and locations for this month's athletic events can be found here. Schedules are subject to change, so please check regularly for accurate information.
Scores:
Boys Varsity Soccer
3/05/13 Nuview Bridge (CIF Regional Tournament) 5 0 W
3/07/13 Animo Leadership (CIF Regional Semifinal) 2 5 L
Boys Varsity Lacrosse
3/08/13 St. Augustine High School 16 3 W
Girls Varsity Lacrosse
3/04/13 San Dieguito Academy 2 8 L
3/06/13 Canyon Crest Academy 0 12 L
Coed Varsity Golf
3/05/13 Tri-City Christian Schools 230 246 W
Boys Varsity Tennis
3/05/13 San Diego Jewish Academy 11 7 W
Boys Middle School A Lacrosse
3/09/13 Earl Warren Middle School 10 6 W
Boys Middle School B Lacrosse
3/09/13 Earl Warren Middle School 1 14 L
Girls Middle School Lacrosse
3/09/13 Temecula 14 3 W
3/09/13 South Bay 12 0 W
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| Beyond the Ridge |
Pacific Ridge Hosting Coastline Case Studies Program
Pacific Ridge School is proud to host this year's 5th annual Coastline Case Studies program on Thursday, April 17th. Juniors and their parents are invited to learn firsthand what goes into the evaluation of college applications. More than 80 admissions counselors representing colleges and universities around the world will lead participants in a comprehensive review of several mock application files. How are letters of recommendation used? What trends are noticed when examining a high school transcript? To what degree do extracurricular activities matter? These questions and many more will be addressed.
After students and parents learn the insider's perspective to college admissions, they will be ushered into the Pacific Ridge Athletic Center for a college fair, where all attending college representatives will be available to answer questions regarding their respective institutions.
According to the College Counseling team, the event promises to be incredibly informative and is a MUST for members of the junior class.
 2014 National Honor Society NominationsCongratulations to the Class of 2014 nominees for National Honor Society! Qualifying students were notified by College Counseling on March 11th. Students should check their email and stop by the College Counseling office to pick up an application as soon as possible. Applications are due at noon on Friday, March 22nd.
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| Class Notes |
Gigi Chow '13 Receives Computing Award  Senior Gigi Chow has been honored by the National Center for Women & Information Technology as a winner of the 2012-2013 Award for Aspirations in Computing. The award is bestowed upon students demonstrating outstanding aptitude and interest in information technology and computing, solid leadership skills and strong academic performance. Gigi received her award on March 7th at the Qualcomm International Women's Day celebration. Congratulations, Gigi!
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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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March 15th
Parent Walking Group
Bressi Peet's Coffee
8 a.m.
March 22nd
Blood Drive
8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Middle School Movie Night
6:30 - 9 p.m.
Upper School Game Night
6 - 9 p.m.
March 30th-April 7th
NO SCHOOL
Spring Break
April 29th
Parent Book Club
7 p.m.
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A View From The Ridge
