A View From The Ridge

Weekly E-Newsletter

March 12, 2105

In This Issue

Bulletin Board

New & Noteworthy

Curricular Adventures

Service Learning In The Field

Beyond the Ridge

Parents Association

Sports on the Ridge

Class Notes

San Diego Happenings

Snapshot from the Ridge

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

It's good to be a Firebird fan! Students rocked the Jenny Craig Pavilion at USD during the Boys Varsity Basketball CIF Championship game.

Bulletin Board

Advanced Acting & Directing Showcase March 13th

On Friday, March 13th, students in the Advanced Acting and Directing class will perform and direct their own work. Over the course of the last few months, students collaborated with San Diego's Playwrights Project on idea development, outlining and extensive editing to produce three professional-quality plays. Join them as they celebrate their hard work with a community performance of "Fronteras Hechas Del Dinero," by Jennifer Curiel '15, "360 Huntington," by Matty Bernstein '15, "Eye of the Storm," by Claire St. Marie '16, and a staged reading of "Food Trends," by Margaret Zhao '15.

Date: Friday, March 13th

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Place: Community Hall

Jazz/Rock Musicians to Perform March 15th

This Sunday, Pacific Ridge's Jazz/Rock and Honors Jazz/Rock Ensembles will perform a benefit for Banding Together as part of its "Youth Helping Youth" concert series. Banding Together is a local organization dedicated to providing music therapy scholarships, mentorships and instruments for youth with special needs. Come listen to great music and support an important cause!

Date: Sunday, March 15th

Time: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Place: La Costa Coffee Roasting, 6965 El Camino Real, Carlsbad

Spring Kickoff Celebration on March 20th

Upper and Middle School students are invited to the first-ever Pacific Ridge Spring Kickoff! Attendees can celebrate the changing of the seasons by participating in birdie on a perch, sack races, bounce house fun, and more. The Pacific Ridge Improv team will bring the laughs with a performance. BBQ will be served and there will be fire pits for cooking s'mores. The event is free for all students.

Date: Friday, March 20th

Time: 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Place: Outdoor spaces throughout campus

Cost: Free

Blood Drive on March 24th

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. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Date: Tuesday, March 24th

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Place: Athletic Center

Yearbook Pre-Sales Begin Next Week

Save money on your yearbook by ordering early! During the "Super 70" sale, from March 16 - 22, yearbooks can be purchased for just $70. During the "Supreme 77" sale, from March 23 - 27, the books cost $77. Details about how you can take advantage of this special offer will be emailed to families shortly.

Curriculum Night Course Selection Information

Miss Curriculum Night on March 4th? Go to the Upper School Course Selection page in Haiku for documents that were provided to sophomores, juniors and their families at the event. Questions? Contact Mrs. Bjornstad at jbjornstad@pacificridge.org.

California Scholarship Federation Deadlines

Attention sophomores, juniors and seniors: Applications for the California Scholarship Federation for Trimester 2 of the 2014-2015 school year are due by March 27th. Please return your forms to Ms. Serafini in the lobby of the Middle School building. Parents of sophomores, juniors and seniors, please check your email for more information about CSF requirements and deadlines.

NO SCHOOL March 30th - April 3rd

Spring Break

Student-Led Conferences on April 17th

On Friday, April 17th, normal classwork will pause for a day when Pacific Ridge hosts Student-Led Conferences. At the conferences, students will have the opportunity to reflect upon and evaluate their academic work thus far this year. The reflective process is designed to improve students' self-understanding and to help them take increased ownership of the learning process. There will be no classes on April 17th. Parents, please check your email for information about scheduling your family's Student-Led Conference.

Save The Date For Pacific Ridge's Spring Play

This April, Pacific Ridge invites you to visit The School For Lies. Inspired by Moli�re's The Misanthrope, David Ives' renowned comedy is a delightful combination of physical humor, witty banter and scandalous fun. The story follows sharp-tongued widow Celimene, whose life is turned upside down by a man who challenges her wit and steals her heart. Performances are Thursday, April 23rd and Friday, April 24th at 7:30 p.m. in the Athletic Center.

Give to the Annual Fund!

The Annual Fund supports every aspect of the Pacific Ridge experience, including our exceptional faculty, service learning, global education and more. We are pleased to announce that this year's Annual Fund has crossed the $540,000 mark! Thank you to all who have made gifts or pledges so far. Our faculty, staff and trustees have reached 100% participation, and parent participation is close to 70%. Please join those who have already contributed and help us reach our participation goal of 100% by April 30th. If you would like to make a gift or pledge to the Annual Fund, please click here or contact Nisa Conway at nconway@pacificridge.org. Thank you!

New & Noteworthy

Benjamin Zander Inspires Pacific Ridge Community to Embrace Radiant Possibility

On Tuesday, March 10th, Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, presented to the Pacific Ridge community on "The Art of Possibility." During his two performances - a morning presentation to the student body and evening presentation to parents and the public - Maestro Zander encouraged students, parents and community members to open their hearts and minds to the possibilities found in each moment and circumstance of life. Using music, personal anecdotes and his trademark enthusiasm (including an inspiring music lesson with junior Joon-Ha Bae on the cello), Zander engaged the imagination of attendees with his fresh perspectives on leadership, creativity, and communication.

Encouraging students to treat every day as a brand new opportunity

Bringing out the best in an aspiring musician

Sharing unbridled enthusiasm with parents and the community

Middle School Students
Measure Up at Math Invitational

On Saturday, March 7th, a team of 8th-grade students from Pacific Ridge traveled to the Sage Hill Math Invitational in Newport Beach, where they competed against twenty different teams from six San Diego and Orange County schools. The team took second place in the measurement contest and performed well in all the day's challenges. Congratulations to all the participants on their hard work!

Team members test their design during the engineering contest.

Students Recognized at Laguna Beach Model United Nations Conference

Congratulations to Pacific Ridge Model United Nations team members who traveled to Orange County to compete at the Laguna Beach Invitational Model United Conference on March 7th. Delegations from 16 regional schools performed in simulations as wide-ranging as the Egyptian Revolution, LGBTQ Rights, Combatting Drug Trafficking, and Ebola. Pacific Ridge students were recognized for their exemplary work on the Advanced U.S. House and Senate Committees on Gun Control: Alyssa Martindale and Avery Rogers received Best Delegate awards, Jordan Derbas and Avery Rogers received Outstanding Research Awards, and Charlie Olafsson and Michael Rattner received Commendations.

Pacific Ridge Faculty Connect with Local Educators

On Monday, March 9th, Pacific Ridge School faculty and staff attended the San Diego Independent & Private School Professional Development Conference, held at Cathedral Catholic High School. Our teachers led seminars on topics ranging from Harkness to flipped classroom learning and Design Thinking, and attending workshops on a wide variety of educational topics. The conference gave over 500 educators from private and independent schools around the county an opportunity to build relationships and share best practices in education. Benjamin Zander was the keynote speaker for the event.

Curricular Adventures

Academic League Headed Into Playoffs!

Pacific Ridge's varsity Academic League team concluded its regular season of competition by winning second place in the Coast Division. The team narrowly edged out La Costa Canyon High School and San Dieguito Academy for a place in the North County playoffs. Are you looking for something to do on Tuesday, March 17th at 6:00 p.m.? Head to Westview High School and cheer for our academic Firebirds! You can also tune in for Academic League's Television Debut on Thursday, March 19th, when a replay of the team's recent match against Carlsbad High will be televised locally. The contest will air at 7:00 p.m. on channel 16 for Cox or Time Warner customers and on channel 99 for those with AT&T.

Student Preparations Underway for Global Adventures

During recent Community Life periods, advisories and other grade-level programming, Pacific Ridge students have been preparing for this spring's global travel program. Ninth graders are filling out their Chinese visa applications, while sophomores are working to develop the kind of small group teamwork they will need in the Northern Sierras wilderness. Upperclassmen taking courses tied to specific trips are beginning to discuss itineraries as they relate to class material. Student excitement is growing - May will be here before we know it!

The Build-a-Dome Challenge: Sophomores work in teams to build structures with straw, string and tape. The goal? Make the largest possible structure that can support a medicine ball.

Students Invited to Submit Global Proposals for 2016

Believe it or not, planning has already commenced for the 2015-2016 global travel program. Sophomores and juniors are invited to provide input into the global travel experiences they would like to have next year, including specific ideas for trip themes, destinations and itineraries. Follow in the footsteps of the current seniors who proposed and designed their upcoming Astronomy trip to Northern Chile! Students interested in designing global trips should contact Mr. Bosc for more information.

Service Learning In The Field

NKT Connections Launches Little Sisters Project

Students in Upper School service learning group NKT Connections want to connect women and girls around the globe through art and storytelling. The Little Sisters Project invites women of all ages and from all corners of the globe to create their very own "little sister", a paper doll that represents them, their customs or their lifestyle. Participants can take a picture of their doll and post it to the project website, along with a personal anecdote or comment. The group would like to eventually publish a book of inspiring stories and Little Sisters. Visit the group's website today and find out how you can join the Little Sisters project.

Beyond The Ridge

NCAA Night on March 25th

Students in grades 8-12 and their families are invited to an informative and interactive panel discussion about NCAA recruiting and how the high school student-athlete can prepare for the recruitment process. The program will cover NCAA contact rules and timelines, athletics questionnaires and recruiting sites, as well as tips for developing an athlete profile to communicate to coaches.

Date: Wednesday, March 25th

Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Place: East Reading Room

Parents Association

Parents Walking Club on March 17th

Come join the Parents Association for our next morning walk, and stay for fresh juice after. This is a great opportunity to socialize and exercise with other parents.

Date: Tuesday, March 17th

Time: 8:15 a.m.

Meet Location: Corner of Huntington Drive and Greenhaven Drive, Carlsbad

Parents Association General Meeting on March 26th

Mark your calendar for the Parents Association General Meeting. The main goal of this meeting is to share data and reflections on the Freedom from Chemical Dependencysurvey recently taken by students in grades 8-12.

Date: Thursday, March 26th

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Place: East Reading Room

Sports on the Ridge

Boys Varsity Basketball Wins CIF Championship!

On Friday, March 6th, the Pacific Ridge Boys Varsity Basketball Team won its first California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Championship! The team captured the Division IV title in dramatic fashion, going on an 18-3 run in the game's final four minutes to defeat El Capitan High School 58-55. The electrifying, comeback victory was celebrated by the nearly 600 Pacific Ridge students and faculty in attendance, all of whom boarded a fleet of school-provided "fan buses" to the University of San Diego for the game. The Firebirds' historic post-season run continued Wednesday at the California State Boys Basketball Tournament. Out of 265 Division IV high school teams, only 29 were invited to play in the tournament. Pacific Ridge (#15) fell to a tough Maranatha Pasadena (#2) team in the first round, but being selected to play amongst such elite company is a victory in itself. Congratulations to the boys, Coach Burman, Coach Jones and Coach Brito on a truly unforgettable season!

Scores:

Boys Varsity Basketball

3/3/15 Vincent Memorial Catholic High School 61 56 W

3/6/15 El Capitan High School 58 55 W

Boys Varsity Tennis

3/3/15 Vista High School 13 5 W

3/5/15 Santa Fe Christian Schools 11 7 W

Coed Middle School Tennis

3/4/15 San Diego Jewish Academy 4 3 W

Boys MS 'A' Lacrosse

3/7/15 Pe�asquitos 9 2 W

Boys MS 'B' Lacrosse

3/7/15 Pe�asquitos 0 3 L

Girls Varsity Lacrosse

3/6/15 Canyon Crest Academy 4 12 L

Girls Middle School Lacrosse

3/8/15 Nighthawks 7 5 W

Boys Varsity Volleyball

3/3/15 The Bishop's School 0 3 L

3/5/15 San Diego Academy 3 2 W

Class Notes

Logan Snodgrass '15 Adds Ambience to Vigilucci's

Looking for an enjoyable evening out? In April, if you head to Vigilucci's restaurant in Leucadia, you may run into senior Logan Snodgrass. On select weekend nights, Logan will be singing and playing the piano. He alternates providing the evening's entertainment at the local Italian trattoria with alumnus Jake Smith '13.

San Diego Happenings

Pacific Ridge Families Invited to Run A Mile!

Come join the North County community on Sunday, March 15th for the Encinitas Mile. Co-founded by former Pacific Ridge Assistant Cross-Country Coach Dan Seidel, the race features 7 heats for runners of all ages and abilities - even one for runners with dogs! Proceeds from this family-friendly event support Fresh Start Surgical Gifts. For more information and to register, go to EncinitasMile.com.

Date: Sunday, March 15th

Time: Heats from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Place: Vulcan Avenue, downtown Encinitas

San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering

On Saturday, March 14th, San Diego State University's College of Sciences and Engineering will open its doors to K-12 students and families to showcase nearly 30 interactive exhibits including: planetarium showings, laser demonstrations, aerospace, robotics, Electron Microscope facility, and more. The free event runs from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m, and there is no charge for parking. Visit the event website for more information.

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

March 13th

Advanced Acting & Directing Showcase

7:30 p.m.

March 17th

Parents Association Walking Club

8:15 a.m.

March 20th

Spring Kickoff for Students

3 p.m.

March 24th

Blood Drive

8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

March 25th

NCAA Night

6:30 - 8 p.m.

March 26th

Parents Association

General Meeting

6:30 p.m.

March 30th -

April 3rd

NO SCHOOL

Spring Break

April 17th

NO SCHOOL

Student-Led Conferences

Quick Links

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