Pacific Ridge School Header
Pacific Ridge School DotsA View From The Ridge
Weekly E-Newsletter
March 20, 2014
In This Issue
Bulletin Board
New & Noteworthy
Educational Insights
Curricular Adventures
Service Learning in the Field
Parents Association
Sports on the Ridge
Beyond the Ridge
Class Notes
Faculty Snapshot
Snapshot from the Ridge

Each week, Pacific Ridge School invites you to enjoy a spontaneous view of school life.


Slabs of the former walkway between the Middle School and Mullady Hall decorate the drive around campus.

Bulletin Board

NO SCHOOL March 31 - April 6th
Spring Break

Middle School Neon Dance on March 21st
Along with great music, students can enjoy a photo booth and tasty snacks. Tickets are $5 each, with proceeds benefitting the New Haven Night Shelter service learning group.
Date: Friday, March 21st
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Middle School Commons

Upper School Game Night on March 21st
Fun and games, tacos and other refreshments will be provided. No tickets necessary!
Date: Friday, March 21st
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Place: Athletic Center 

 

Yearbook Madness! Order Your Yearbook Today

2013-2014 Pacific Ridge yearbooks are now available for order. Please visit the Announcements section of the School Information Page on Haiku for instructions.

 

Reminder: Blood Drive March 25th

To make your appointment, visit the San Diego Blood Bank, select "Donate Blood," click on "Appointments" and enter our sponsor code: PARS. 

Date: Tuesday, March 25th

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Place: Athletic Center

 

Reading Challenge is Underway!

Ms. Cothran and the Student Reading Club are encouraging everyone on campus to develop an appetite for a good book! Students who complete 15 hours of non-school reading before Tuesday, May 6th, will be treated to a free In-N-Out lunch on Friday, May 9th.  All student reading hours must be confirmed via parent email to Penny LeMasters at plemasters@pacificridge.org. Questions? Please contact Ms. Cothran or Ms. LeMasters.  


New & Noteworthy

 

Vistamar School Jazzes Up Community Life

On Wednesday, March 12th, music students from Vistamar School in El Segundo visited Pacific Ridge for a rousing Community Life performance. Led by music teacher Jason Gamer, Vistamar's string ensemble, jazz orchestra and vocal soloists had their audience alternately riveted and rocking to selections from Vivaldi's "Winter," The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" and Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven", as well as a foot-stomping rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In." Pacific Ridge's A Cappella ensemble joined Vistamar onstage to perform "Imagine" by John Lennon. To see a video clip from the performance, please click here.

 

 

Steve Wampler: A Gift of Inspiration

On Wednesday, March 19th, the Pacific Ridge community was honored to host Steve Wampler and his wife, Elizabeth, for an uplifting Community Life presentation. In 2010, Mr. Wampler, who has cerebral palsy, became the first disabled person to climb the largest rock face in the world: Yosemite's El Capitan. The climb took six days and five nights, and required Mr. Wampler to perform over 20,000 pull-ups, using mostly his right arm. His amazing achievement is documented in the film Wampler's Ascent. The Wamplers encouraged students to ask any and all questions about Mr. Wampler's condition and his life, to help dispel myths and promote better understanding of people with disabilities. Mr. Wampler told students he climbed El Capitan to "prove to the millions of physically challenged kids around the world that anything is possible." Through the Stephen J. Wampler Foundation, the Wamplers operate a summer camp for children with disabilities in northern California, and hope to open a second camp in Julian.

 

Elizabeth and Steve Wampler 

 

Faculty-Student Improv Match Draws Laughter and Cheers

On Thursday March 13th, the Improv Club hosted an evening of fun and games when students faced off against three fearless teachers: Mr. Richter, Mr. Stella and Ms. Cothran. The two teams competed in several animated improv exercises, testing their wits and showing their good humor. The teachers' reaction after the match? Improv is even harder than it looks!

 

 

Educational Insights

Please click here to read Dr. Ogle's latest blog post about "Updating Old Favorites" at Pacific Ridge School.

  Curricular Adventures

Orations: 9th Graders Stand and Deliver
This week, the Pacific Ridge freshman class is participating in an annual tradition applauded and appreciated by the entire school community. Each 9th grader has selected a topic of personal interest and has written a compelling speech that includes personal anecdotes, research and a call to action. Students are presenting their orations throughout the week to audiences of their peers, upperclassmen and faculty. A number of orations selected by the class will be presented to the entire school community in April.

 

 

Honors Jazz Rock Plays the Big Easy

On March 13th, Pacific Ridge's Honors Jazz Rock ensemble headed to New Orleans for three days of music and culture. Highlights included performing at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and participating in a jazz improv clinic at the University of New Orleans. Accompanied by music teacher Steve Morell and Coach Casey Wheel, the group also went on a walking music tour of the city and visited the Superdome, St. Louis Cemetery and the Katrina and Beyond exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum. Delicious meals in the French Quarter and Belle Chasse rounded out the satisfying, whirlwind trip.

 

 

 

AP Psychology Explores Mental Health and the Law 

Today in Ms. Belo's AP Psychology class, students participated in a guided discussion about the intersection of mental health and the legal system. Students examined several hypothetical scenarios and discussed the ethical and legal factors involved in each. Contributing to the discussion were the opinions of several "virtual panelists", including Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel, who provided important considerations for students to address. Video interviews of the panelists were included courtesy of the PBS Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness video project.

 

Service Learning in the Field

Project Dance Holding Dance-a-thon on April 11th
Upper School service learning group Project Dance will be holding a dance-a-thon on Friday evening, April 11th. Students are gathering dance-a-thon pledges to support the education of a boy in Rwanda through the Rebecca Davis Dance Company. In post-conflict and developing countries, the dance company also operates programs that combine dance classes with skill-building and educational workshops about topics such as technology, health and sanitation.

Parents Association

 

Parents Association Seeking Volunteers for 2014-2015 Officer Positions

The Parents Association executive board is beginning its search for volunteers to serve as officers for the 2014-2015 school year. Check your email for more detailed information and an application coming this week. If you are interested in joining the board or have questions, please email parentsassociation@pacificridge.org.

 

Parent Book Club on April 28th

Title: The Lowland, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Date: Monday, April 28th

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Library Learning Commons

 

Supper Club Save the Date!

Mark your calendars! The year-end social for all Pacific Ridge Supper Club participants is scheduled for Sunday, June 1st at 5:00 p.m. Details will be emailed soon.

 

Sports on the Ridge

Firebirds Win All-League Honors
Congratulations to the following athletes, who have been recognized for their skill and sportsmanship during the winter sports season:

Boys Varsity Soccer
Sam Carney - Coastal League Player of the Year, All-CIF 2nd Team and All-League 1st Team
Hugo Curiel - All-League 1st Team
Andrew Sinow - All-League 1st Team

Girls Varsity Soccer
Katie O'Laughlin - All-League 1st Team
Emily Yun - All-League 2nd Team
Carolyn O'Laughlin - Honorable Mention

Boys Basketball
Scott Nalbandian - All-League 1st Team
Ethan Kuo - Honorable Mention

Girls Basketball
Alex Hanlon - All-League 1st Team
Simone Carter - All-League 1st Team

Upper School Home Games, Week of March 24th:
Schedules are subject to change, so please check Schedulestar regularly for accurate information.

March 25th
4:00 p.m. - Boys Developmental Volleyball v. El Camino
March 26th
4:00 p.m. - Boys Varsity Lacrosse v. Mullen (Colorado)
March 27th
2:30 p.m. - Girls JV Lacrosse v. Helix
3:45 p.m. - Girls Varsity Lacrosse v. Helix
4:00 p.m. - Boys Developmental Volleyball v. Bishop's
March 28th
4:00 p.m. - Boys Varsity Lacrosse v. Wheat Ridge (Colorado)





 

Scores:

 

Coed Varsity Track

3/15/14 Bronco Invite

Delaney Miller - 2nd Place, 1600m Varsity

 

Boys Varsity Lacrosse

3/14/14 San Dieguito Academy 14 1 W

 

Girls Varsity Lacrosse

3/11/14 Serra High School 1 20 L

3/14/14 San Dieguito Academy 6 9 L

 

Girls JV Lacrosse

3/11/14 Serra High School 0 5 L

 

Boys Varsity Tennis

3/10/14 Coronado High School 7 11 L

3/11/14 Santa Fe Christian Schools 18 0 W

3/13/14 Cathedral Catholic 10 8 W

 

Boys Middle School A Lacrosse

3/15/14 Coronado AI 1 7 L

 

Boys Middle School B Lacrosse

3/15/14 Coronado CI 3 5 L

 

Girls Middle School Lacrosse

3/15/14 Pythons 14 5 W 

 

Girls Middle School A Basketball

3/13/14 Maranatha Christian 11 26 L 

 

Girls Middle School B Basketball

3/13/14 Maranatha Christian 15 18 L 

 

Boys Developmental Volleyball

3/11/14 Valhalla High School 2 0 W

 

Beyond the Ridge

NCAA Night on March 26th

Pacific Ridge student-athletes and parents curious about the NCAA recruitment process are encouraged to attend a panel discussion on the evening of March 26th. In addition to current seniors who have signed on to compete in college (and the parents who supported them through the scouting and recruiting process), college coaches and a recruiter will join us to discuss NCAA rules and regulations, timelines that affect different sports, tips on creating personal profiles, and outreach to coaches. Our NCAA panelists, former DI and DIII competitors who have experience recruiting across NCAA divisions I-III and the NAIA, include collegiate All-Americans, a College Coach of the Year, and a college athlete who went on to thrive in Major League Baseball. The program will explain the guidance and resources available at Pacific Ridge to help families looking to take charge of the recruitment process.
Date: Wednesday, March 26th
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Place: East Reading Room

Class Notes

Senior Wins Kyoto Scholarship 
Congratulations to Delaney Miller '14, who is one of three students from San Diego County to be awarded a Kyoto Prize Scholarship. The scholarship, awarded by the Kyoto Symposium Organization, acknowledges academic excellence and demonstrated commitment to the betterment of society. 
 
Faculty Snapshot

Faculty Intern Busy on the Court and in the Classroom
For eight weeks this winter, faculty intern Marian Krueger has served as an assistant coach to the Boys Varsity and JV Basketball teams and is now assisting with Girls Middle School Basketball. Mr. Krueger, who is pursuing a masters degree in education from Germany's University of Paderborn, has also observed classes and led several 7th-grade English discussions. According to Mr. Krueger, the resources available at Pacific Ridge and the Harkness teaching method are quite impressive. "I'm amazed at how comfortably your students express their opinions," he says. "This is something that students in Germany find challenging, even at the university level."  Mr. Krueger's internship is being funded in part by a grant from the Foundation of German Business, an organization formed to inspire young teachers to improve education in Germany. He says Pacific Ridge's growth mindset has given him valuable insights into crafting education for the 21st century.
 

Mr. Krueger's unique internship highlight? Dancing
the Pata Pata to set a new world record!
 

Pacific Ridge School Logo 





In a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility, and global engagement, Pacific Ridge School prepares students for college and a purposeful life.


Schedule of Events
Schedule of Event Calendar
March 21st
Upper School Social Event
6-9 p.m.

Middle School Dance
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

March 26th
NCAA Night
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

March 31st-April 6th
NO SCHOOL
Spring Break

April 28th
Parent Book Group
7 p.m.

Quick Links


Join Our Mailing List