In This Issue - March 17, 2016
Snapshot from the Ridge

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


Charting a Course: Conceptual physics students do a bit of last minute mapping ahead of Saturday's weather balloon launch. 

Bulletin Board

Second Annual Spring Kickoff on March 18th
 Upper and Middle School students are invited to  celebrate warmer temperatures, longer days, and the  beginning of the final trimester during the second  annual Spring Kickoff! The all-school event will have  free BBQ, musical performances, inflatable jumpers,  and an improv competition. 
Date: Friday, March 18th
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Campus Lawn 
Spring Dance Concert on March 24th 
Pacific Ridge community members, family, and friends are invited to attend the second annual spring dance concert on Thursday, March 24th at the Avo Playhouse. The evening will feature performances by students in all levels of Pacific Ridge dance in a variety of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop. Admission is free.
Date: Thursday, March 24th
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Avo Playhouse; 303 Main Street, Vista, 92084



Blood Drive on March 24th
 The San Diego Blood Bank will be holding a blood  drive at Pacific Ridge on Thursday, March 24th. 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: Thursday, March 24th
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 
Place: In front of the Athletic Center 

NO SCHOOL April 2nd - April 10th, Spring Break  

Yearbook Pre-Sales Begin Next Week 
Save money on your yearbook by ordering early! During the "Super 70" sales week, from March 20th - 27th, yearbooks can be purchased for just $70. During the "Awesome 80" sales week, from March 28th - April 3rd, the books cost $80. If books are still available for sales in June the price will rise to $90, so don't wait. Details about how you can take advantage of this special offer will be emailed to families shortly.

The Curious Savage Tickets On Sale Now!
Tickets are on sale now for this year's Upper School spring production, The Curious Savage. Written by John Patrick, the comedic and heart-warming play tells the tale of Ethel P. Savage, an elderly woman whose husband recently died and left her approximately ten million dollars. With their eyes fixed on the fortune, Ethel's stepchildren scheme to have her committed. What follows is a charming take on family, sanity, and the human condition. Showtimes are 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 15th and Saturday, April 16th at the Avo Playhouse in Vista. Click here to purchase tickets.  


Summer Programs and Sports Camps at Pacific Ridge
From June 20th to early August, Pacific Ridge will be offering a number of summer programs available to all students in San Diego's North County. Choices include non-credit academic and other classes for middle and high school students, the Firebird Program for rising 5th through 7th graders, and sports camps for children in elementary school through high school. For more information and to register, please visit the 2016 Summer Programs page on the Pacific Ridge website.



Educational Insights

Click here to read Dr. Ogle's latest blog post,
"Here's to the Class of 2016," about Pacific Ridge's resilient, bold, and empathetic senior class. 

New & Noteworthy

Seniors Celebrate 100-Day Countdown to Graduation
On Tuesday, March 8th, the Class of 2016 joined faculty members for a celebratory dinner marking 100 days until Commencement. Seniors and teachers acknowledged the bonds of respect and friendship they've developed over the years, during time spent in the classroom, on the playing field, during service work and on global adventures. The evening was capped by a fun "then and now" slide show juxtaposing baby pictures with portraits of each senior. The Class of 2016 will join the ranks of Pacific Ridge alumni at Commencement on June 16th.





Model United Nations Shines at Laguna Beach Conference
Last Saturday, 13 members of Pacific Ridge's Model UN club joined more than 500 delegates from Southern California for the Laguna Beach High School Model United Nations Conference. The conference, which engages delegates of all experience levels, was a great opportunity for seasoned members to shine and novice members to expand their skills. One student made his first speech, another drafted her first resolution, and the group participated in committees ranging from "Extrajudicial Killings In Counterterrorism" to "Mitigating Climate Change." Congratulations to all the delegates, including the following award winners:

Best Delegate: Avery Rogers '17; US Senate
Outstanding Delegate: Nick Marr '16; US Senate
Research Award: David Wiesley '18; HRC; Global Refugee Crisis
Commendation Award: Haitong Du '18; Mitigating Climate Change
        


Dance Students Earn Gold at Dance Masters Competition 
Last weekend, six Pacific Ridge dance students participated in the Dance Masters of Southern California Competition and Convention in Santa Clara. The group earned a Gold Award in the Senior Division for a self-choreographed contemporary dance, and juniors Emma Lawlor and Vanessa Andre earned recognition for their performances in Hip Hop and Tap, respectively. The group also took classes from master choreographers in a variety of genres, and socialized with talented dancers from around the region. Pacific Ridge Dance instructor Michelle Clark says the weekend left the students inspired and excited to perform for the Pacific Ridge community at the Spring Dance Concert on March 24th.



Varsity Academic League Prepares For Playoffs
Congratulations to the Pacific Ridge Varsity Academic League team on earning a trip to the playoffs for the second year in a row. On March 10th, during the final match of the regular season, the team came from behind to defeat San Dieguito Academy by 22 points! Since that thrilling victory, students have been dutifully preparing to make a deep run in the playoffs, meeting at lunch to brush up on everything from art history to algebraic theory. The postseason begins on Tuesday, April 12th with a match at Torrey Pines High School.  

Curricular Adventures 

Follow the 8th-Grade Weather Balloon Launch!
This Saturday, 8th-grade Conceptual Physics students and teachers will be launching a weather balloon into near space. If the group gets a cellular signal, you can watch a livestream of the take-off (approximately 8:30-9:00 a.m.) on the Periscope App @PRSBallonLaunch (notice there is one "o" in Ballon). Once the balloon is approximately 1,000 meters above ground level, its progress will be tracked on a real-time map. You can access the flight path by tracking the callsign N6NPV at http://aprs.fi. As with all scientific ventures, nothing is guaranteed, but keep your fingers crossed and help us cheer the launch of the PRS Space Program!
 
Service Learning In The Field
 
Donate Your Used Cooking Oil to Alternative Energy Sources
Alternative Energy Sources, an Upper School Service Learning group dedicated to exploring green alternatives to fossil fuels, is holding an oil drive from Thursday, March 24th to Monday, March 28th. The group will be collecting any unwanted, expired, or used cooking oil (vegetable, canola, etc.). Donations, in closed containers, can be dropped off at collection bins stationed in the Mullady Hall lobby or the Middle School Building hallway. The donated oil will be converted into biodiesel used to power generators at Springfest and other campus events. 

Class Notes

Shivam Desai '20 Competes in Countywide Spelling Bee
On Tuesday, March 16th, 8th-grade student Shivam Desai participated in the San Diego Union Tribune Countywide Spelling Bee. He was one of 102 students to take the stage at Balboa Park's San Diego Hall of Champions for the 47th annual event. Shivam nailed his first round word, "acme," before being eliminated in the second round for failing to correctly spell "realschule," a German word for a type of secondary school. Congratulations to Shivam on representing Pacific Ridge with such poise. 



Parents Association 

Book Club Meeting on March 21st
The Pacific Ridge Parents Book Club will meet on Monday, March 21st to discuss The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert. All Pacific Ridge parents are welcome to attend.
Date: Monday, March 21st
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Pacific Ridge School Library

WeCare Presents Author Dr. Anthony Wolf
WeCare's Spring speaker will be Dr. Anthony Wolf, a clinical psychologist and author of several bestselling parenting books including, Get Out of My Life, But First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall? A Parent's Guide to the New Teenager.
Dr. Wolf will provide guidance for dealing with the everyday challenges of raising teens in the 21st Century. All parents are invited to attend either presentation. Click here for more information.
Evening Presentation:
Date: Monday, March 21st
Time: 6:00 p.m. Social Reception, 7:00 p.m. Presentation 
Location: La Jolla Country Day School - Community Hall  
Morning Presentation:
Date: Tuesday, March 22nd
Time: 9:00 a.m. Social Reception, 10:00 a.m. Presentation
Location: Warren Walker Middle School - Linder Hall 

Parents Association Informational Coffee on April 13th
New and current Pacific Ridge parents are invited to join the Parents Association for an informational coffee on Wednesday, April 13th to learn more about the role of the Parents Association and its available board positions for the 2016-2017 school year. Parents are also welcome to attend the board meeting immediately following the coffee. Please RSVP to parentsassociation@pacificridge.org if you are interested in attending the coffee or if you would like more information about becoming involved. New parents are especially welcome.
Date: Wednesday, April 13th
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Location: Community Hall

Sports on the Ridge

Carlsbad United Impresses During Inaugural Season 
Congratulations to the Carlsbad United Boys Hockey Team on an impressive inaugural season. The team finished the season with a 10-3-1 league record, an overall record of 22-6-2, a championship win during a Presidents Day Tournament in Orange County, and a postseason run to the semifinals. Pacific Ridge team members Aden Dinning '18 and Derek McInerney '18 played a large role in the team's offensive success. According to Head Coach Todd Cadieux, the hockey program will field a JV, Varsity, and feeder team next year. 



Upcoming Home Games
Schedules are subject to change. Please check Schedulestar 
regularly for the most accurate information.

3/21/16
3:15 p.m. - Girls Middle School 'A' Basketball vs. Rancho Santa Fe
4:15 p.m. - Girls Middle School 'B' Basketball vs. Rancho Santa Fe

3/22/16
4:00 p.m. - Boys Varsity Lacrosse vs. Colorado Academy

3/23/16
3:30 p.m. - Girls Middle School 'A' Basketball vs. Horizon Prep
4:30 p.m. - Girls Middle School 'B' Basketball vs. Horizon Prep

3/24/16
4:00 p.m. - Girls Varsity Lacrosse vs. Del Lago Academy

3/25/16
4:00 p.m. - Boys Varsity Lacrosse vs. Wheat Ridge High School

3/26/16
10:00 a.m. - Boys Middle School 'A' Lacrosse vs Norco





 
Scores:

Boys Varsity Tennis
3/8/16 Army & Navy Academy 14 4 W
3/10/16 Santa Fe Christian Schools 14 4 W

Coed Middle School Tennis
3/10/16 Rancho Santa Fe Middle School 2 4 L

Coed Varsity Track
3/2/16 Bronco Invitational 
Olivia Carter; 10th place; Long Jump
Eric Chen, Gavin Conway, Cole Hardin, Lenny McCline; 16th place; Sprint Medley (100-100-200-400)
Gianna Bacher, Akayla Shrivistava, Isabella Church, Olivia Carter; 17th Place; 4x100 Relay 
Katja Reich, Polly Ecke, Jordan Lee, Kobe Lee; 17th Place; Sprint Medley (100-100-200-400)
Travis Headapohl; 20th Place, 1600 meters  

Boys Varsity Lacrosse
3/11/16 San Dieguito Academy 17 2 W

Girls Varsity Lacrosse
3/8/16 Francis Parker 11 1 W
3/10/16 Carlsbad High School 5 10 L

Girls Middle School Lacrosse
3/12/16 Mustangs 3 10 L

Boys Middle School Lacrosse
3/12/16 Mustangs 4 10 L

Boys Varsity Volleyball
3/9/16 Poway High School 3 1 W
3/10/16 Escondido Adventist Academy 3 0 W

Boys Middle School 'A' Volleyball
3/10/16 Warren-Walker Middle School 2 0 W

Girls Middle School 'A' Basketball
3/9/16 Tri-City Christian Schools 27 37 L

Girls Middle School 'B' Basketball
3/9/16 Tri-City Christian Schools 10 12 L


North County Happenings



Save The Date: Hands of Peace Spring Benefit on May 1st 
On Sunday, May 1st, Hands of Peace will host "Under the Middle Eastern Sky," an event celebrating the music, culture, and cuisine of the Middle East. Guests will enjoy cultural food, local craft beer and wine, and music from San Diego based musician Todo Mundo, as well as a performance by the Luminaries, a widely-acclaimed hip-hop group that has traveled to Israel and Palestine to spread the message of peace. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.
Date: Sunday, May 1st
Time: 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: World Beat Cultural Center in Balboa Park
Tickets: $125 by April 15th, $150 after April 16th


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

Pacific Ridge School | www.pacificridge.org

March 17th
Designing New Perspectives 
6:30 p.m.

March 21st
Parent Book Club 
7 p.m.

March 24th
Spring Dance Concert
7 p.m.

April 2nd - April 10th
NO SCHOOL
Spring Break

April 13th
Parents Association Informational Coffee
8 - 8:45 a.m.

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