In This Issue - May 26, 2016
Snapshot from the Ridge

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


Members of the Class of 2016 leave their mark on the "Senior Stone." Each year, the cement slab is painted over and redecorated by graduating seniors. Pacific Ridge alumnus Will Glockner '15 came up with the annual tradition as part of his Senior Signature project. 

Bulletin Board


Used Uniforms Wanted! 
Have a bunch of uniforms at home that your child has outgrown? You can create more space in your closets by donating them to the Parents Association Used Uniform sales program. You don't even need to park your car - collection bins are located along the drop-off and pick-up routes in the school driveway, as well as inside Mullady Hall and the Middle School. The bins will be out through Tuesday, May 31st, then again during the awards ceremonies on June 14th. The Parents Association will be hosting its next used uniform sale in August, before the start of school.

Spring Sports Celebration on June 13th
Families of Upper School spring athletes are invited to the end-of-season Sports Celebration on June 13th. The event will feature a slide show, awards ceremony and breakout sessions for individual team awards and dessert. Dinner will not be served.
Date: Monday, June 13th 
Time: 5:30- 8:30 p.m.
Location: Athletic Center

School Supply Drive To Benefit Students In Need 
Tools Organizing Successful Students (TOSS), a non-profit organization created and run by Pacific Ridge sophomore David Wiesley, is seeking donations of gently used school supplies. From May 20th through the end of the school year, supplies can be dropped into the metal TOSS bins located in the Middle School and Mullady Hall lobbies. From markers and pens to reams of paper and rulers, all donations are appreciated. Last year, TOSS was able to give backpacks full of much-needed school supplies to more than 3,500 students. Visit www.tossforall.org for more information.

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.



New & Noteworthy

Zombie Prom Comes Alive With Humor and Joy
Last weekend's performances of the Middle School musical Zombie Prom were positively infectious! The cast and crew impressed with talent and commitment, while the show's catchy tunes, clever costuming, and colorful characters left audiences charmed. The theme of the story - that all humans (even humans turned zombies!) are deserving of acceptance - was delivered with humor and heart. Thank you to Director Steve Dziekonski, Assistant Director Bob Shuttleworth, and the many parent volunteers for their help producing another outstanding show! See more Zombie Prom photos on the Pacific Ridge Facebook page. 







Audiences Wowed By Science Extravaganza 
On May 20th, a group of Upper School science students, under the direction of Chemistry teacher Dave Emmerson, put on a show as entertaining as it was educational. Audiences of the Science Extravaganza were treated to a variety of narrated science demonstrations that made them think, laugh, gasp, and clap along to the musical soundtrack. Beethoven's 5th Symphony seemed to cause solutions to change color, as if by magic. David Bowie's hit song "Changes" served as a fitting score to a mesmerizing and colorful display of acid and base reactions. And for the finale, John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" serenaded balloon-popping fireballs. The critics' review? Science is awesome!




Holocaust Survivor Shares Her Personal Story With Students
On Monday, May 16th, Holocaust survivor Rose Schindler shared her personal account of despair and courage with Pacific Ridge Upper School students. Schindler, age 86, spent four months in Auschwitz as a young teenager. Schindler was forced to scavenge for food and take extraordinary risks to survive. Eventually, she and her two older sisters were sent to an ammunition factory where they worked tirelessly until Russian soldiers came to liberate them. Schindler's father, mother, older brother, and three younger siblings did not live to see the war end. Schindler says she chooses to share her story so that the world will remember those who are gone and the horrors that she, and millions of others, experienced.   


Curricular Adventures 

Geometry Students Rock The Boat
Last week, Geometry students row, row, rowed cardboard and duct tape boats across the pool at the Alga Norte Aquatic Center. For some groups, buoyancy was but a dream. Others were able to stay merrily afloat for more than thirty minutes! Click on the video below to see how the class used the design thinking process and applied geometry topics including scale, conversions, surface area, volume and more, to rock the boat challenge.


Students in 'Tiny Houses' Course Build Practical Skills 
This semester, students in the Upper School STEAM elective Tiny House Design and Construction, gained both a basic understanding of the tiny house movement and hands-on skills in home construction and maintenance. The class learned how to measure and draw floor plans to scale; how to select and utilize tools and materials; and how to complete tasks including basic framing construction, electrical wiring, cutting and hanging sheet rock, and drywall taping and repair.



Service Learning In The Field 
 
Service Learning Celebrates A Successful Year at Arc  
On Tuesday, May 25th, Middle School Service Learning students celebrated a year of meaningful visits to the Arc of San Diego by putting on a talent show featuring poetry, singing and dancing. Arc of San Diego, a longtime partner of the Pacific Ridge Service Learning Program, provides services to San Diego children and adults with disabilities. Throughout the year, groups of students visited Arc's San Marcos facilities weekly to engage with Arc clients over games, crafts, activities, and more. After this week's talent show, students had an opportunity to wish their Arc friends farewell and thank them for the great conversations and friendship.



Parents Association 

Join The Walking Club on June 2nd
Join the Walking Club for its final walk of the school year on Thursday, June 2nd. The club will walk the Bressi Ranch trails, then celebrate the end of the school year at Peet's Coffee.  
Date: Thursday, June 2nd 
Time: 8:15 a.m.
Location: Meet at Peet's Coffee in Bressi Ranch

Parent Book Club Meeting on June 6th 
The Book Club will be discussing Old Filth, by Jane Gardam at its next meeting. All parents are welcome to attend.
Date: Monday, June 6th
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Pacific Ridge Library

Book Buddies - Save Money on Textbooks! 
The Pacific Ridge Parents Association is pleased to announce that Book Buddies is coming back this year! The Book Buddies website was created to facilitate the buying and selling of used textbooks within our school community. Sellers can post books for sale and buyers can find books for purchase with this easy-to-use online "bulletin board." Textbook selections are currently being finalized for next year.  As soon as this list is complete, parents will receive an email with the link and directions on how to use the site.  

Sports on the Ridge

Boys Volleyball Takes Second Place in CIF Division 4 
Congratulations to the Boys Varsity Volleyball Team on an amazing season that came to an end during Friday's CIF Division 4 Championship match. The Firebirds' battle against the Sage Creek High School Bobcats was intense from the start. Pacific Ridge was able to capture the first set 26-24, but dropped the second 18-25. Despite playing with impressive grit and heart, the Firebirds were unable to regain momentum in the third or fourth sets, and fell to a very tough opponent. After the team's dominance in league this year (the Firebirds didn't drop a single set during league play!), players and fans are already looking to the future. The young team will return all of its starters next year.  



Track and Field Athletes Find Success at CIF Prelims
Congratulations to the seven members of Pacific Ridge Varsity Track and Field who participated in the CIF San Diego Section Division 2 Prelims on Saturday, May 21st at Mt. Carmel High School. Many of the competitors capped off great seasons by setting new personal records and gaining valuable experience competing against some of San Diego's most talented high school track and field athletes. Two Firebirds, senior Gianna Bacher and junior Olivia Carter, qualified for the CIF Finals in the 100m Hurdles - 33'' and the 300m hurdles - 30'', respectively. They will compete Saturday afternoon at Mt. Carmel High School. 



Firebirds vs. Firebirds - Lacrosse Competition at its Most Fun
After completing skilled and serious post-season play, the Pacific Ridge Upper School lacrosse program spent a lighthearted afternoon celebrating the year with a girls vs. boys game. The twist? Each team had to play with the other team's sticks. There was plenty of ball chasing and laughter as  players adjusted to throwing, catching and cradling with very different equipment. The boys won the scrimmage, but the girls exacted quick revenge with an onslaught of water balloons. Skilled and serious? Absolutely!



Beyond The Ridge 

Williams College Alumni Event Open to Pacific Ridge Families
The Williams College Alumni Association is hosting an evening with Psychology professor Susan Engel, an expert in teaching and learning. Professor Engel will be speaking to the San Diego and Los Angeles regional associations about her work at Williams and beyond in a talk entitled "What Children Should Really Learn in School." Pacific Ridge families are welcome to attend the event. For more information and to register, please click here.
Date: Wednesday, June 1st
Time: 6:00 p.m. social; 6:30 p.m. presentation
Place: Community Hall
Cost: $10 per person


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

May 30th
NO SCHOOL
Memorial Day 

June 2nd
Parent Walking Club
8:15 a.m.

June 6th
Parent Book Club
7 p.m.

June 13th
Spring Athletics Awards Ceremony
5:30 - 8 p.m.

June 14th
Middle School Awards/ 8th Grade Promotion
10 - 11 a.m.

Global Rewind/Lunch
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Upper School Student Awards
1 - 2:30 p.m.

June 16th
Commencement
10 a.m.

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