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Pacific Ridge School DotsA View From The Ridge
Weekly E-Newsletter
September 25, 2014
In This Issue
Bulletin Board
New & Noteworthy
Curricular Adventures
Service Learning In The Field
Parents Association
Sports on the Ridge
Class Notes
Alumni News
Beyond the Ridge
New Faculty & Staff Snapshot
North County Happenings
Snapshot from the Ridge

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


Peace Crane Project: Seventh graders folded more than 1,500 origami
 birds in honor of International Peace Day on September 21st.

Bulletin Board

Upcoming Middle and Upper School Social Events!
Middle School students: Come enjoy an evening of laser tag and games! A $5 fee will cover unlimited rounds of laser tag. Free food and drinks provided. Come wearing your game face!
Date: Friday, September 26th
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Athletic Center

Upper School students:
Upper School students are encouraged to don their best black and white attire for an evening of dancing and fun. This will be the final dance to take place in the Commons! Tacos and dessert will be served. 
Date: Friday, September 26th
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Place: Middle School Commons 


It's Time for Science Olympiad! Information Meeting on September 27th

Students and parents are invited to attend an informational meeting about this year's Science Olympiad program. New students and parents are especially welcome! Come learn how you can be a part of the highly successful Pacific Ridge team. Visit the Science Olympiad website for more information about this national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting interest in science. Curious about Pacific Ridge's student teams or interested in volunteering as a coach? Contact Science Olympiad coordinator and Programming teacher Jug Venkatesh at jvenkatesh@pacificridge.org. 

Date: Saturday, September 27th

Time: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. (breakfast provided!)

Place: West Reading Room

 

Performing Arts Showcase Auditions Begin October 2nd 

Middle and Upper School students are encouraged to audition for the annual Performing Arts Showcase. This year's showcase takes place on Saturday, November 8th at the AVO theater in Vista and is sure to sell out! All performers in each act must attend a live 10-minute audition to earn their spots in the show. Auditions will be held on campus October 2nd - October 9th. For more information or to schedule an audition time, click here.

 

Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences Oct. 8th - 10th
For the first time this year, students are invited to join parent-teacher conferences. These conferences will allow teachers to speak with students and parents together about each student's growth and progress as we near the half-point of the trimester. Check your inbox for an email from Ms. Molineaux detailing how to schedule your conference time. 
 

Robotics Mentors Wanted

The Upper School Robotics program has experienced a surge in interest this year, prompting the addition of a third FTC robotics team! As a result, we are looking for additional team mentors from the Pacific Ridge and/or local community who would be willing to volunteer their time to help guide students through the robot design and build process. Mentors should have some experience in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, robotics, or technical project management. For more information, please contact Brooks Park at bpark@pacificridge.org.

  

Birds' Nest Merchandise Available Online 

The Birds' Nest website is up and running! Show your school spirit with Pacific Ridge pullovers, lanyards, fleece jackets, license plate holders and more. Look for new products and colors in late October, and don't forget to check out all of the Birds' Nest products at Fall Fest on October 19th.

 

 

 

Need Help Navigating Haiku?

Haiku is a useful tool for accessing all kinds of information about your child's classes, school events, programs and policies. Click here for a useful video tutorial that will lead you through the basics of Haiku and show you helpful tips and shortcuts.

 

Pacific Ridge E-mail Archive Now Available on Haiku

Have you ever lost track of important school communications in your overcrowded inbox? All e-mails sent from the school are now archived on Haiku in the "At Your Fingertips" tab of the School Information Page. Emails are posted chronologically and the PDF versions can be downloaded as necessary.  

 

New & Noteworthy

 

Student Groups Raise Awareness 

On Friday, September 19th, Pacific Ridge hosted its first ever Awareness Fair. Upper Town Square and both Reading Rooms were packed with displays from the many student groups on campus who are working for the support of Diversity, Inclusivity, Multiculturalism, and Equity (DIME). Upper and Middle School students visited the booths to learn more about the groups' causes and participate in fun, hands-on activities. The fair was a wonderful celebration of the impactful work students do to make our campus, and world, a better place.

 

Getting creative with the The Buddy Project, a service-learning group 
that works with special-needs children 

 

Learning about NKT Connections, a service-learning group that aids a women's shelter in Nepal and supports a girls school in Tibet
 

Curricular Adventures

 

8th Graders Study Theme of Identity
Students in 8th-grade English recently explored the meaning of identity during their study of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. In addition to journal reflections and Harkness discussions, students created personal masks that they wore to school over two days. The masks, representing facets of the students' personalities or interests, fostered deeper conversations about how people, both young and old, choose to present themselves to the world.

 

Service Learning In The Field

 

Middle School Students Get to Know Seniors at ActivCare
For the past several weeks, Middle School students in the Seniors service learning group have been hiking up the hill from Pacific Ridge to visit their new friends at ActivCare in Bressi Ranch. Over the course of the trimester, students and residents will share stories, perform skits, create art projects, and learn important lessons from each other. The visits mean a lot, not only to the students and the seniors, but also to the seniors' loved ones. Pacific Ridge recently received an email from a family member of an ActivCare resident expressing appreciation for the "kind and compassionate group of young people" who took the time to visit with her uncle.  


Creating priceless, cross-generational friendships at ActivCare

 

Thank you to Coastal Cleanup Volunteers!
Many thanks go to Upper School service learning group New Ocean Blue and the many Pacific Ridge students and parents who helped keep local beaches pristine when they participated in Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 20th. Approximately 7,500 San Diego volunteers removed over 75 tons of debris from 102 cleanup sites.

Parents Association

 

Used Uniform and Textbook Collection

Do you have textbooks or uniforms that you no longer need? The Parents Association is sponsoring a textbook drive and used uniform collection through September 29th. Current and past textbooks in at least fair condition, and gently used uniforms can be dropped off Monday through Friday at Building 'A' reception. 

 

Parent Grade-Level Parties

If you are looking to meet and get to know the parents of your child's classmates, these grade-level parties offer the perfect setting. You will receive an email invitation closer to the date of each party.

10th Grade: Sunday, October 5th, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

11th Grade: Saturday, October 25th, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

7th Grade: Saturday, September 27th, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

8th Grade: Saturday, November 1st, early evening (TBD)

 

 

Fall Fest Coming Up on October 18th!
Mark your calendar for one of Pacific Ridge's favorite family events! Fall Fest is a once-a-year opportunity for our students to raise funding and awareness for their service learning groups and clubs. Students generate enthusiasm for their programs by sharing information, selling goods and services, and showing their entrepreneurial spirit throughout the day. Here's just a sampling of what you will likely find at this year's event: a farmers market, obstacle course, cake walk, face painting, pumpkin patch, and the renowned Parents Association bake sale!
Date: Saturday, October 18th
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Place: Pacific Ridge campus
Parking: 2765 Loker Avenue (see map), shuttles provided
 
Fall Fest Volunteers Needed

As the largest Pacific Ridge community event, parent volunteers are always needed to help make Fall Fest a success. Please click here to see how you can lend a hand.


Two Easy Ways to Support Pacific Ridge School 

e-Scrip

Sign up for eScrip, and start earning money for Pacific Ridge School by having a percentage of your purchase dollars donated to the school! All you have to do is log on to escrip.com and register your Von's club card and/or debit and credit cards with eScrip. Over 700 online and storefront merchants partner with eScrip, including Von's, Seaside Market, Amazon, Nordstrom, and many more. When you register with eScrip, designate Pacific Ridge School under "Group Selection," or use our Group ID number: 500017582. If you have children at more than one school, eScrip will allow you to benefit up to three schools.

 

Amazon Smile 

If you are an Amazon Prime member, it just doesn't get any easier. Amazon Smile, a service provided for Amazon Prime members, will donate 0.5% of all purchases to Pacific Ridge! Just go to smile.amazon.com instead of the regular Amazon homepage and register Pacific Ridge as your nominated charity. Then, just shop as you normally would. The only difference is the "smile" in the initial web page address.

Sports on the Ridge

Girls Varsity Volleyball Hosts Firebird Classic

On Friday and Saturday, September 20th and 21st, Girls Varsity Volleyball hosted 15 teams for the third annual Firebird Classic. Tournament competitors included both familiar, local teams and teams traveling from as far away as Canada. Members of the Canadian team, Seaquam, were hosted by members of the Pacific Ridge volleyball team for an extended weekend. The two teams quickly bonded through a trip to the University of San Diego vs. Stanford Volleyball game, a team dinner at the Back Alley Grill and games/trivia night. The Firebirds had a great weekend on the court as well. They went undefeated until losing to a tough Calvin Christian team in the semifinals. Coaches, parents and players alike praised the tournament for its fierce competition, great food and fun crowds.  



The Firebird Classic had the Athletic Center rocking all weekend. 


Watching USD take on Stanford with new friends from Canada  

Upper School Home Games, Week of September 29th
Schedules are subject to change, so please check ScheduleStar regularly for accurate information. 

9/29/14
4:00 p.m. - Girls JV 'B' Volleyball vs. High Tech High





Scores:

Girls Varsity Volleyball
9/16/14 Tri-City Christian 3 0 W

Girls JV 'A' Volleyball
9/16/14 Tri-City Christian 2 0 W

Girls Varsity Tennis
9/18/14 Valley Center 16 2 W

Coed Varsity Cross Country
9/20/14 Mt. Carmel/Movin' Shoes Invitational
Travis Headapohl, 33rd place out of 193 runners
Lynnlee Duck-Reynolds, 40th place out of 173 runners 
                              
Class Notes

Ben DeSoto Mayor '15 Selected for National Honor Choir
Congratulations to senior Ben DeSoto Mayor, who has been selected for the National Association of Music Education's 2014 All-National Honor Choir. Ben is one of just fifteen students from California to be chosen for the prestigious ensemble. Of the approximately 2.5 million eligible students nationwide, just 670 students were named to NAfME's All-National Honor Ensembles: Mixed Choir, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, and Jazz Ensemble. On October 29th, Ben will join these elite student musicians for a performance on stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.   

  
Alumni News

Alumnus to Perform at Carlsbad's Art Splash

Come hear Jake Smith '13 at Carlsbad Art Splash on Sunday, September 28th, at 1:00 p.m.! He will be performing songs from, Because..., his upcoming CD. Jake worked on the CD last year while in his first year of college. He is exploring a career in music and is dedicating this year to focus on recording and performing. You can follow him at www.jaketaylorsmith.com.

 



Beyond the Ridge

Camp College for Seniors on October 10th 

On October 10th, seniors not visiting college campuses over the long weekend will gather in the Pacific Ridge library at 8:00 a.m. for an application workshop featuring step-by-step review of the Cal State application, review of the UC application in progress, and a comprehensive review of all aspects of the Common Application.


PSAT for Sophomores/Juniors on October 15th

The PSAT/NMSQT will be administered to sophomores and juniors on Wednesday, October 15th, in the Athletic Center. Students should come prepared with #2 pencils and a calculator, ready to begin testing at 8:00 a.m. 


College Representatives Are On Their Way

Admission officers from colleges and universities around the country will be visiting Pacific Ridge throughout the fall. Seniors know the process to register for visits, and juniors are invited to attend sessions that happen during their free periods. Visits are being added and updated daily in Naviance. Juniors can stop by the College Guidance Office for more information, or assistance with their Naviance login. All sessions are hosted in the College Guidance Office unless otherwise indicated. 


Week of September 29th
Arizona State University; Babson College; Boston University; Lynn University; Skidmore College; The University of Arizona; University of California, San Diego; University of Chicago; Wagner College; Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Week of October 6th
Bard College; Carleton College; Eckerd College; Elon University; Hofstra University; Macalester College; New York University; Pitzer College; Rutgers University-New Brunswick; Samford University; Temple University; Tufts University; University of the Pacific, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; University of Utah; Whittier College; Whitman College; William Woods University 

Regional Programs:

Boston College
Date: Sunday, September 28th
Time: 2:00 p.m. 
Place: Omni La Costa Resort, Carlsbad

 

Boston University

Date: Monday, September 29th

Time: 6:30 p.m. 

Place: San Diego Marriott, 4240 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla

Registration & RSVP

 

Tufts University 

Date: Monday, September 29th

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Place: High Tech High International 

          2855 Farragut Rd, San Diego, 92106

Harvard/Princeton/Yale/University of Virginia
Date: Sunday, October 5th
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Chula Vista High School for Creative & Performing Arts
          820 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, 91911 

 New Faculty & Staff Snapshot 

 

    

Brad Melius, Physics

 

Favorite, or most recent, book? A favorite is Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

Favorite movie? Donnie Darko

Favorite sport, to play or watch? Play pickup basketball, watch the NFL

Greatest indulgence? Starbucks iced coffee

If you make him breakfast? An omelet with everything

In his free time? Read, watch TV, hike, cook, play sports, go for a walk

Dream vacation? Exploring a place that's a little off the beaten path

What is your home town? Cheshire, CT

 

North County Happenings 

Free Heart Screening for Teens on September 28th
The Eric Paredes Save a Life Foundation is sponsoring free Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) screenings for teenagers on Sunday, September 28th. Screenings may reveal undetected heart abnormalities that could put teens at risk for SCA. The screenings are painless, non-invasive and can save lives. To register for a 30-minute appointment, please click here.
Date: Sunday, September 28th 
Time: By appointment, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Place: La Jolla High School, 750 Nautilus St., La Jolla 

Carlsbad Art Splash on September 27th & 28th
On Saturday, September 27th and Sunday, September 28th, Carlsbad's Armanda Drive (above the Flower Fields) will be transformed into a community celebration of the arts. The two-day, free, family event features art demos, food, fine art, live music and hands-on activities. Bluegrass band Next Generation, headed by Pacific Ridge senior Sebastian Green, takes the Art Splash stage Saturday at 2:45 p.m. Jake Smith '13 performs on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. For a schedule of all the activities and performers, click here.  


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
September 26th

Middle School Social Event

6:30 p.m.

 

Upper School Social Event

6:00 p.m. 

 

September 27th

7th-Grade Parent Party

6:00 p.m.

 

October 8th - 10th

Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences

 

October 10th

NO SCHOOL

 

Camp College for Seniors

8:00 a.m.

 

October 13th

NO SCHOOL

 

October 15th

PSAT Testing

8:00 a.m.

 

October 18th

Fall Fest

11:00 a.m. 


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