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

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


All fun and games? Not quite! Middle School students are rehearsing for The Little Mermaid, Jr.'s debut December 9. More information below. 

Bulletin Board

NO SCHOOL NOVEMBER 19th - 27th
Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

We're Celebrating 10 Years! Want to Help Us?
February 27, 2017 marks the 10-year anniversary of Pacific Ridge School's campus groundbreaking. This spring, from the end of February to mid-May, the school will be hosting a number of fun, commemorative activities and events. Want to help us celebrate? If you would like to serve on one of several working committees planning these festivities, please click HERE. We welcome your input and involvement!

Family Community Service Projects: Support Our Veterans!
All Pacific Ridge families are invited to donate gently used men's, women's and children's clothing or sign up here to provide much needed toiletries and canine items to support the Veterans Village of San Diego and Canine Companions for Independence. Collection bins are available in the pickup area and both school lobbies. Middle School parents are invited to help sort and package items at a service party on December 4 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Join us during this season of giving!

Textbook Ordering and Purchasing: We Want Your Feedback!
To help us make our process for ordering textbooks and literature clearer and more efficient for parents, please fill out this short, 5-minute survey. Thank you for your input!
Reminder: Art Exhibit for Syrian Refugees
On November 30, Katie Meitchik '19 and art therapist Massa Abujeib are hosting an exhibit and silent auction of Ms. Abujeib's artwork. All of the proceeds will fund her efforts in Syria providing art therapy to homeless refugee children.
Date: Wednesday, November 30th
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Community Hall

Tickets Now Available for The Little Mermaid, Jr.!
Our cast and crew of 40 middle school students have been working hard since September to bring this aquatic Disney fantasy to life, so mark your calendars!  Tickets are available HERE. 
Date: Friday, December 9th and Saturday December 10th
Time: 7:00 p.m. on Friday, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday
Place: Brooks Theater, 217 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside CA 
 
Special Little Mermaid, Jr. Opportunity for Middle School Students!
A limited number of free tickets are available for middle school students who would like to attend the performance on Saturday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. A shuttle bus will be provided, departing from campus at 1:00 p.m. and returning at 4:30 p.m. Students who wish to attend must reserve their tickets in advance by filling out the form provided HERE. Students should bring money for a treat afterwards.


Get your tickets now - you won't want to miss the fun!

Middle School Food Drive Is a Success
The middle school food drive wrapped up on November 16 and families donated more than 750 food items to Feeding San Diego's BackPack program. The 7th graders won a free dress day for their donations. Ms. Nattrass' and Mr. Elsdon's advisory groups brought in the most food and will be visiting the food warehouse in December.

 
New & Noteworthy

Veteran's Day Panel Discusses Service To Country
During Community Life November 10, students and faculty heard from a panel of Pacific Ridge community members who have served in the military or have veterans or active military members in their families. The panelists, Rick Bowen, Jen Contreras, Christine Dehaven, Melvin McCullough and Duff Sanderson, discussed the challenges and rewards of military service and how their experience with the military has shaped their lives. Many thanks go to the panelists for speaking with students and for their service to the country.



Model UN Goes International at UCLA
Last weekend, Pacific Ridge's Model United Nations club sent a delegation of 20 freshmen, sophomores and several juniors to the BRUINMUN conference at UCLA, where they represented their assigned countries on a variety of topics in small committees, such as Napoleon's Cabinet in 1812, The European Council, and Castro 1959. Students got some first hand experience working in smaller MUN committees and performed extremely well. Congratulations to Maeve Hushman for receiving the best research award in her committee on Castro 1959.



Holiday Toy Drive to Benefit Head Start
Help make a child's holiday wish come true by contributing to the annual Head Start Toy Drive! Starting on November 28, you can select and sign out gift tags in the lobby of the Middle School Building or Mullady Hall. Please remember: limit one gift per child; maximum $10 price per gift; wrap each gift and attach the original tag; drop off gifts in the aforementioned locations no later than Friday, December 11th. Gifts will be delivered to children at two local Head Start preschools by the upper school service learning group Building Blocks and the two middle school Head Start service learning groups.  Thank you for helping our North County neighbors this holiday season!

Curricular Adventures

Ninth Graders Set to Create Their Own Personal Myths
A myth can be many things. It can be a rumor, a reputation, or even a legacy. Ninth grade students are starting to work on exploring and creating their own personal mythologies for the freshman MUSE project. Inspired by their reading of The Odyssey, students will craft a personal statement and present their myth in a museum-style exhibit while highlighting the difference between truth and fiction. Mr. Masland, Director of STEAM Projects, is helping students explore the many different technological media, such as podcasts, videos and 3D printing, available for expressing their myths.

Exploring myths with Mr. Masland

GoPro Marketing Directors Talk Sports Careers
Phil Grieco and Jimmy Rosenfeld from GoPro's Sports Marketing team met with students for an informal talk about a career in their field on November 16 during lunch. They discussed the perks and challenges that come with working for an active lifestyle company and alongside high profile athletes. Mr. Grieco discussed the value of internships and finding a mentor to bounce career ideas off of. The lunchtime meeting was the second of three SPARK sessions to be held this year.


Service Learning in the Field

Bringing Music and Rhythm to Seniors at ActivCare
Upper School students in the service learning group Notes of Hope performed for residents of ActivCare at Bressi Ranch on November 8. Singing a mix of "golden oldies" and pop music, the students got toes tapping and fingers snapping. A few residents even joined in singing familiar tunes. The service group performs at schools and retirement communities to share the joy and therapeutic benefits of music. Click below to watch a video of the fun.
Animal Allies Members Help Promote Adoptable Pets
Students in the middle school service learning group Animal Allies visited the North County Department of Animal Services shelter on Palomar Airport Road to help promote adoptions and maintainthe shelter facility. Students photographed available pets up for adoption. While working weekly with shelter staff and animals, students learn about the homeless animal problem, spaying and neutering, responsible pet ownership, and animal safety.  



Class Notes 

Students Perform With National Honors Choir
Rachael Bell '18 and Anurag Aiyer '18 participated in the All-National Honor Ensembles Mixed Choir at the National Association for Music Education's national conference this past weekend. After 15 hours of rehearsals, Rachael and Anurag performed on November 13 in Grapevine, Texas. Of the 670 students in the National Honors Choir, 19 were from California.



Junior Creates at NuVu School
Junior Oli Thode is currently spending a semester studying at NuVU in Cambridge, MA, an innovation school focused on collaborative, multidisciplinary projects. His latest activity? Working alongside other NuVu students with renowned choreographer Heidi Latsky to design wearables for four performers who will be part of an installation in New York City. The installation uses fashion as a tool of social justice aiming to celebrate the beauty of difference. Each performer has a disability and teams of NuVu students have been working closely with them to design individualized wearables that highlight a passion, experience or personality trait.


School For Ethics and Global Leadership Reunion
Three Firebirds who are current or former semester students at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, D.C. recently got together for a program reunion. David Haitong Du '18, Meg Thode '15 and Charlie Olafsson '17 shared tales about their studies at the ethics and international affairs-focused program, which this year has included sessions with Senator Chuck Schumer, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, and the Mexican Ambassador to the United States, Carlos Manuel Sada Solana.

   
Alumni News

Connecting with Old Firebird Friends
Meg Thode '15, currently a sophomore at Tufts, reports that she recently had a fun and engaging dinner with former Pacific Ridge English teacher Steve Le, fellow Tufts student Will Glockner '15, and MIT junior Xhi Dae Otam '14. Mr. Le is traveling the country cooking up stories for his blog Le Mobile Feast, and he and Meg exchanged ideas about food and society. Meg's brother, Oli '18 swapped engineering stories with Will, and Xhi Dae entertained them all with accounts of his recent appearance in the MIT production of "Nine to Five." Sounds like a Firebird evening to remember!

Alumni: Please send your news to the school by contacting Alumni Relations Manager Nisa Conway at nconway@pacificridge.org. We would love to hear from you!
 
Parents Association 

Gingerbread Breakfast - Volunteers & Donations Wanted
The long anticipated annual Gingerbread Breakfast is coming up on December 16th! This beloved tradition of celebration treats approximately 800 students, faculty, staff and alumni to a fun, relaxed holiday breakfast on the last half-day of school before winter break. Volunteers are needed to bake or bring items for the breakfast, and to help with set-up, serving, and clean-up. Click HERE to sign up to volunteer your time and/or donate food items. Following the breakfast, holiday entertainment will take place in the gym (entertainment viewing is open to all Pacific Ridge families). 

Reminder: Last Call for Turkey Trotters
Get a workout in before the big feast and support Pacific Ridge School. Donate $5 of your entry fee to the Parents Association when signing up online HERE. 
Date: Thursday, November 24th
Time: 6:45 a.m.
Place: Oceanside Civic Center, 330 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside
Book Club Meets on Monday, November 28th
Enjoy your Thanksgiving week vacation finishing up A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. We welcome anyone new and past, now re-engaged readers to join us at this social gathering!
Date: Monday, November 28th
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Place: Pacific Ridge School Library

Support Pacific Ridge When You Shop and Dine!
Amazon Smile
Amazon Smile 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, shop as you normally would!
e-Scrip 
Buy digital gift cards through a free app on your Android or iPhone and designate Pacific Ridge School as your beneficiary. The Parents Association will earn a portion of the proceeds to use towards Gingerbread Breakfast, Staff Appreciation and more. 

Questions? Contact parentsassociation@pacificridge.org.

Sports on the Ridge

No Home Games the Week of November 21st
Schedules are subject to change. Please check 
Schedulestar regularly for the most accurate information.


Varsity Hockey Kicks Off Season 
The Boys Club Ice Hockey team had its first home game of the season on November 12 at Icetown Carlsbad. More than 200 people were in attendance to watch the Firebirds beat Palm Springs 8-1. Five different PRHC players scored goals in the game including one from Aden Dinning and assists by Isaiah Granet and Derek McInerney. Zach Kalscheur was back in the net after a month off from injury and had 42 saves. Pacific Ridge students and friends stayed after the game for a public skate with the players. The team will be back in action at Carlsbad Icetown on December 3rd and hopes for another great turnout...GO Firebirds!

Winter sports have started! 
Boys Freshman Basketball warms up for the season.


Girls Varsity Soccer gets a touch on the ball.

Scores:

Coed Middle School Cross Country
11/02/16 Boys placed 3rd out of 5 teams
Jed Queen: 3rd place with 8:48
Girls placed 4th out of 6 teams
Riley Bender: 1st place 9:05 

Coed Varsity Cross Country
11/11/16 Coastal Conference Finals 
From Coach Edwards: In the varsity boys race, Leo Diaz and Chris Ong showed great improvement over last year, while Cougar Hansen and Will Daniels dropped about a minute off their 2015 times. In the varsity girls race Kimberly Cheung had a strong 4th-place finish. The varsity runners will move on to CIF Finals next Saturday at Morley Field, Balboa Park.

Coed 8 Blue Flag Football
11/08/16 Santa Fe Christian Schools 0 14 L

Girls Varsity Tennis  CIF Individual Playoffs
11/7/16 Julia Gonda 6 - 4 6 - 2 

Boys Varsity Water Polo
11/09/16 Escondido High School 8 23 L

Girls MS - A Volleyball
11/09/16 Tri-City Christian Schools 2 0 W
11/09/16 SCMSL North Championship 2 1 W

Ice Hockey Club
11/12/16 Palm Springs 8 1 W
 
Beyond the Ridge

First Senior Parent Coffee Hosted
On November 15, College Guidance hosted the first of a series of monthly coffees for parents of seniors. The group discussed where students are in the application process, reviewed upcoming deadlines, asked and answered questions, and shared the experience of preparing children to leave home for college. All senior parents are welcome to stop by the coffees to connect with College Guidance and this community of parents. The next coffee will take place on December 8. Prefer a morning or afternoon time? Email College Guidance at collegeguidance@pacificridge.org.



Junior Grade-Level Time Begins
On Monday, November 28, College Guidance launches its monthly grade-level time with Juniors.

Junior College Night on December 1st
Juniors and their families will be provided with an overview of college guidance resources and the detailed timeline for college applications. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.
Date: Thursday, December 1st
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Place: The Dove Library, 1775 Dove Ln, Carlsbad, CA 92011

Free Full-Length ACT Practice Test December 3rd
Juniors and sophomores wishing to practice for the ACT will be able to take a full-length practice test. Students have been e-mailed the link for online registration which closes December 1.
Date: Saturday, December 3rd
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Place: West Reading Room

Save the Date for Sophomore College Night on January 5th
Date: Thursday, January 5th
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Place: The Dove Library, 1775 Dove Ln, Carlsbad, CA 92011

Visit Haiku for All College Guidance Happenings
Please visit the College Guidance page on PowerSchool/Haiku for campus programming notes and a complete list of upcoming regional info sessions.
For questions related to college guidance, e-mail 

New Faculty & Staff Snapshot

   
Jeremy Rosen - English

Favorite or most recent book: Most recent book: Letters from a Lost Generation by Mark Bostridge; favorite books: Daniel Deronda by George Eliot and David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Favorite movie:  The Grand Budapest Hotel
Favorite sport: Soccer, Rugby, Cricket
Greatest Indulgence:  Buying antiquarian books
If you make him breakfast: Homemade pancakes
In his free time: Exercising, reading, photography and watching sports
Dream Vacation:  Florence, Italy
Hometown: La Jolla, California

Communications Corner


Pacific Ridge School is on Instagram! Get a snapshot into daily life at Pacific Ridge School by following us here or find our handle: @PacificRidgeSchool.






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

November 24th
Oceanside Turkey Trot
6:45 a.m.

November 28th
Book Club
7 p.m.

November 30th
Art Exhibit for Syrian Refugee Awareness
6 p.m.

December 1st
Junior College Night at The Dove Library
6:30 p.m.

December 3rd
ACT Practice Test
8:00 a.m.

December 4th
Middle School Family Service Project
2 - 4 p.m.

December 9th 
Little Mermaid, Jr.
7 p.m.

December 10th 
Little Mermaid, Jr.
2 & 7 p.m.

January 5th
Sophomore College Night at The Dove Library
6:30 p.m.

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