| Snapshot from the Ridge | |
Each week, Pacific Ridge School invites you to enjoy a spontaneous view of school life.
Green snowflakes: Students in AP Environmental Science adorn Mullady Hall with winter decorations made out of used plastic water bottles.
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| Bulletin Board |
NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 20th
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
 Admissions Open House on Saturday
Families interested in Pacific Ridge School are encouraged to attend the Open House on Saturday, January 11th, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Presentations and activities will be followed by campus tours and informal discussions. Interested in attending? Please contact Monique Velde at mvelde@pacificridge.org to RSVP. Click here for more information about the application process.
Heading to High School for Eighth-Grade Parents
Eighth-grade parents are invited to a session on "Heading to High School" on January 14th, where they will learn what to expect as students make the transition to the Upper School. Course offerings and sample academic schedules will be discussed, as well as co-curriculars such as clubs, service learning and global travel. College Counseling will also give a brief presentation. Students will have their own introduction to Upper School programs during the school day. Come learn more about the Pacific Ridge Upper School experience!
Date: Tuesday, January 14th
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: East Reading Room
Blood Drive on January 21st
The San Diego Blood Bank will be conducting a blood drive at Pacific Ridge on January 21st. Want to help someone in need by donating blood? Appointments can be scheduled by visiting the San Diego Blood Bank. Click on Donate Blood, select Make an Appointment, and enter our sponsor code: PARS.Date: Tuesday, January 21st
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Place: Athletic Center
Dance Concert on January 22nd
The Dance program is pleased to announce its upcoming winter concert on Wednesday, January 22nd. Students from 7th-grade Arts Wheel, 8th-grade Arts Wheel, Dance 1, Dance 2 and Project Dance will offer performances in jazz, musical theater, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. Come support dance at Pacific Ridge!
Date: Wednesday, January 22nd
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Athletic Center
Be a Firebird Fan on January 24th!
Join us for an evening of food, fun and fierce competition on Friday, January 24th, when three Pacific Ridge basketball teams take on Tri-City Christian at home. The JV boys will start the action with a 4:00 p.m. tip off. Then it's a varsity doubleheader, with girls playing at 5:30 p.m., and boys rounding out the night at 7:00 p.m. Food trucks, The InSlider and Chip's Beach Eatz, will be selling mouthwatering meals and Mr. Richter will host halftime games and entertainment. Bring friends and family for dinner and a game or three. Let's give our Firebirds a true home court advantage!
Date: Friday, January 24th
Time: Boys JV - 4:00 p.m., Girls Varsity - 5:30 p.m., Boys Varsity - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Athletic Center
Parking: at Loker lot - Shuttles will run from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Great Gatsby! Winter Formal Coming Up on January 25th
This year's Upper School Winter Formal will take place on Saturday, January 25th. Great music, snacks and refreshments will be offered. Tickets go on sale soon.
Date: Saturday, January 25th
Time: 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Place: East Reading Room
Tickets On Sale NOW for Kiss Me, Kate!
This 1940's, Tony Award-winning musical is simply Too Darn Hot to miss! Show dates for Pacific Ridge's 6th annual musical production are Thursday through Saturday, February 6th - 8th. Performance times are 7:30 p.m., with an additional matinee at 2:00 p.m. on the 8th. Come enjoy this hilarious take on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, complete with backstage intrigues, romantic entanglements and sizzling Cole Porter music. Tickets are available online here. Don't delay - order yours today!
Auditions for Middle School Musical Coming Up Soon
Auditions for Seussical, this year's Middle School musical, will be held after school January 13th - 17th. Interested students should visit the production's Haiku page for more information.
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| New & Noteworthy |
Gingerbread Breakfast a Festive Treat
Nearly 650 students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrated a holiday morning to remember on December 20th at Pacific Ridge School's annual Gingerbread Breakfast. Attendees enjoyed beautiful decorations, holiday music and breakfast delicacies of every imaginable kind, served by an army of organized and gracious parent volunteers. Thanks go to the Parents Association and the over 40 volunteers who contributed their time, energy and culinary talents to make the 2013 Gingerbread Breakfast a great success.
Community Enjoys Winter Performing Arts Concert
Immediately following the Gingerbread Breakfast, the Pacific Ridge community enjoyed a series of performances by members of the Middle School Orchestra, Jazz Rock Ensemble, A Cappella Ensemble, Improv Club and multiple dance groups. The entertainment sent students and faculty off to their holiday vacations filled with music, laughter and good cheer. Thanks to Mr. Dziekonski for coordinating the outstanding performances.
More Gingerbread Breakfast Photos on Facebook! Please visit Pacific Ridge's Facebook page to see more images from the Gingerbread Breakfast.
Local Merchants Support Gingerbread Breakfast
A big thank you goes to Tip Top Meats, Ki's, Trader Joe's and Peet's Coffee for donating food items and supplies for this year's Gingerbread Breakfast. Pacific Ridge School appreciates your generosity, and wishes you a Happy New Year!
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| Curricular Adventures | |
Theater Classes Show Flair for the Dramatic
During Community Life on December 18th, and in an evening performance on December 19th, students in the Upper School Theater Arts program presented selected scenes from Thornton Wilder's American classic, Our Town, David Ives' adaptation of Pierre Corneille's farce, The Liar, and Amy Herzog's 2013 Pulitzer prize finalist, 4000 Miles. Students in the Intro Theater Arts and Advanced Theater Arts classes performed.
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| Service Learning in the Field | |
Penny Wars Raises Funds for Feeding America
It was outright war - for a good cause. In December, students raised over $2,500 to support the Feeding America San Diego food bank by conducting "Penny Wars," a fun competition in which students in grades 7/8, 9/10, and 11/12 deposited pennies and other coins into designated jars on campus. Each team earned positive points for putting pennies in their own jar, while sabotaging other teams by putting larger coins and bills (negative points) in their jars. The 7th/8th grade team won the competition, but the biggest winners will be San Diego families in need who will receive fresh, nutritious food for the new year.
Feeding America San Diego Executive Director
Jennifer Gilmore thanks students for their contributions.
Parents Association Shares Breakfast Bounty
On the afternoon of December 20th, Parent Association volunteers participated in an annual Gingerbread Breakfast tradition by delivering leftovers to La Posada de Guadalupe Homeless shelter in Carlsbad. La Posada's newly renovated facility provides shelter to 100 homeless men in North County. If you are interested in learning about the many volunteer opportunities available to Pacific Ridge families, please contact Mr. Bray at pbray@pacificridge.org.
Thank you, volunteers!
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| Parents Association |
Join the Pacific Ridge Book Club!
The Parents Association Book Club next meets on February 24th. The selected text is Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. Join us!
Date: Monday, February 24th
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Library Learning Commons
Parent Association General Meeting - Speaker Jon Moffat
All parents are invited to a Parent Association General Meeting on Tuesday, February 4th. Vista Community Clinic Cyber Educator Jon Moffat will be discussing internet and media safety, protecting your child's digital reputation, and cyber harassment and bullying.
Date: Tuesday, February 4th
Time: 6:30 p.m. refreshments, 7:00 p.m. presentation
Place: East Reading Room
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| Sports on the Ridge |
Pacific Ridge Hosts Australian Basketball Team
On December 17th, Pacific Ridge hosted three boys and girls basketball teams from Wesley College in Melbourne, Australia. The Australian players faced off against Pacific Ridge teams, then dined with them and stayed with Pacific Ridge families overnight. The group attended classes the following day before continuing on their U.S. trip. For more information about Wesley College, please visit its website.
Boys JV make new friends from Down Under.
Volleyball Talent Showcased at Seattle Final Four
On December 19th - 22nd, Stephanie Stone '16 and Emma Price '17 participated in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Phenom Showcase in Seattle. The AVCA invites the top 250 freshman and sophomore players in the nation to the showcase, and gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in front of coaches from a wide range of colleges. Stephanie, Emma and Coach Aly Dahl, who accompanied them on the trip, also watched the NCAA Volleyball semis and finals, and met several professional players, including Olympic champion beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh.
With Kerri Walsh at the AVCA Showcase
Boys Varsity Basketball Excels at Catalina Tournament
Members of the Boys Varsity Basketball team traveled to Catalina over the holiday break, where they placed third in a tournament hosted by Avalon High School. Players and coaches enjoyed spending time together on the island and junior Scott Nalbandian was named to the all-tournament team.
Island hopping with Boys Varsity Basketball
Girls Varsity Soccer Enjoys Texas Hospitality
The Girls Varsity Soccer teamed traveled to Austin, Texas on January 2nd - 5th. The team was hosted by St. Stephen's Episcopal School, where they trained and played several games and scrimmages. The group also toured the city, visited the University of Texas at Austin and cheered at a Longhorns men's basketball game.
Team bonding - Texas-Style!
Come Cheer at the Alumni-Student Soccer Match!
Please join us for our inaugural coed Alumni-Student soccer match on Friday, January 10th. Carpooling is encouraged. Come cheer on ALL the Firebirds - current students and alums!
Date: Friday, January 10th
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Place: Athletic Field
Scores:
Boys Varsity Basketball
12/17/13 Wesley (Australia) 50 54 L
12/20/13 Avalon High School 51 59 L
12/21/13 Wildwood High School 50 59 L
12/21/13 Avalon High School 46 43 W
Boys JV Basketball
12/17/13 Wesley (Australia) 37 35 W
12/19/13 Calvin Christian School 55 43 W
Girls Varsity Basketball
12/27/13 Preuss School 38 10 W
12/27/13 Crawford High School 46 48 L
12/28/13 San Ysidro High School 44 33 W
12/30/13 Imperial High School 16 50 L
1/04/14 Point Loma High School 36 35 W
Boys Varsity Soccer
12/17/13 Vista High School 2 0 W
12/26/13 West Hills High School 0 2 L
12/26/13 Central Union High School 1 0 W
12/27/13 Desert Vista High School (Arizona) 2 2 T
Boys JV Soccer
12/16/13 San Diego Jewish Academy 3 0 W
Girls Varsity Soccer
12/18/13 Calvin Christian School 8 0 W
12/20/13 Fallbrook High School 0 3 L
1/02/14 Anderson High School (Texas) 2 3 L
Boys Middle School A Basketball
12/17/13 Rancho Santa Fe Middle school 18 44 L
12/19/13 Army Navy Academy 38 31 W
Boys Middle School B Basketball
12/17/13 Rancho Santa Fe Middle School 19 29 L
Boys Middle School A Soccer
12/18/13 La Jolla Country Day School 2 5 L
12/19/13 Horizon Prep 6 0 W
Boys Middle School B Soccer
12/18/13 La Jolla Country Day School 1 2 L
Girls Middle School A Soccer
12/18/13 La Jolla Country Day School 1 1 T
12/19/13 Horizon Prep 0 0 T
Girls Middle School B Soccer
12/18/13 La Jolla Country Day School 0 0 T
12/19/13 Horizon Prep 1 1 T
Girls Middle School C Soccer
12/17/13 Rancho Santa Fe Middle School 1 2 L
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| Beyond the Ridge | |
Gap Year Fair on January 14th
Families interested in learning more about opportunities between high school and college: don't miss the San Diego Gap Year Fair being held at Francis Parker School on Tuesday, January 14th, at 6:00 p.m. The event features reputable Gap Year organizations and gives students tools to learn more about options available to them. For more information, please visit the USA Gap Year Fairs website.
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| Class Notes |
Junior Selected for All-State Honor Choir
Benjamin DeSoto Mayor '15 has been selected for the California All-State Honor Choir, the first Pacific Ridge student to achieve this distinction. He will perform in a choir of approximately 100 singers chosen from over 1,000 who auditioned. This elite group of singers will rehearse for three days in Sacramento on March 20th - 22nd and perform a concert under the direction of Dr. Joshua Habermann, director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus. Congratulations to Ben on this outstanding accomplishment!
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| Alumni News |
Alumna Cheers for the Fighting Irish - With Irish Dance!
Katie Dillon '13 has kept up her passion for dance by joining the Irish Dance team at Notre Dame. On December 7th, Katie and her dance teammates kicked up their heels at halftime during a Notre Dame vs. Delaware men's basketball game. Erin go bragh!
The Notre Dame/Saint Mary's Irish Dance Team
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| North County Happenings |
Welcome to Our New Neighbors! The Alga Norte Community Park celebrates its grand opening on Saturday, January 11th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Amenities at the park include an aquatic center, skate park, dog park, three ball fields, basketball courts, playground, and picnic and barbecue areas, as well as classes and activities for all ages. Click here for more information.
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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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January 11th
Admissions Open House
1-4 p.m.
January 14th
Heading to High School for 8th-Grade Parents
6:30 p.m.
January 20th
NO SCHOOL
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 22nd
Dance Concert
7 p.m.
January 24th
Basketball!
4:00-8:30 p.m.
January 25th
Upper School Winter Formal Dance
7-10 p.m.
January 31st
Middle School Dance
6:30-8:30 p.m.
February 4th
Parents Association General Meeting
6:30 p.m.
February 6th- 8th
Kiss Me, Kate!
7:30 p.m.
February 8th
Kiss Me, Kate!
2:00 p.m.
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A View From The Ridge
