In This Issue - March 2, 2017
Snapshot from the Ridge

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

The 10-Year celebratory banners go up! 

Bulletin Board


The A Million Knots Fashion Show is Tomorrow!
Students in service learning group A Million Knots are throwing a fashion show fundraiser tomorrow, March 3 to continue funding a girls school in India they founded in 2012. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and are available here. Attendees can enjoy savory Indian food, bid on silent auction items, shop at booths representing other service learning groups and even bid on the runway fashion designs! Indulge in some fashion fun and support education for girls in India. Bring your friends!
Date: Friday, March 3rd
Time: 6:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Place: Athletic Center


Hands of Peace Spring Benefit This Sunday
On Sunday, March 5, 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 Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.     
Date: Sunday, March 5th
Time: 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd
Tickets: $135 

Parent Curriculum Night on March 8th
Parents of current sophomores and juniors are invited to Pacific Ridge's annual 11th and 12th-grade Curriculum Night on Wednesday, March 8. The theme for the event is "Setting Up for Success." Faculty members will discuss course offerings for the 2016-2017 school year. Please note: sophomores and juniors will have a student-only event during the day.
Date: Wednesday, March 8th
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: East Reading Room  


Showcase of the Arts Features 70 Performers on March 11th
This year's Showcase of the Arts will feature over 70 Pacific Ridge School artists, filmmakers, and performers, and will include dinner catered by local gourmet pizzeria, Napizza. Advance reservations are required and can be made here. Student tickets are $9.27 and adult tickets are $13.41. Please note that tickets must be picked up in Community Hall at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the show, and reserved seating for the performance will be assigned at that time.
Date: Saturday, March 11th
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Community Hall

Reminder: No School March 13th
Faculty & Staff In-Service Day

New Date: Key Conversation Postponed to March 20th
College Guidance will host its second Key Conversation focused on decision making and The Paradox of Choice. Student Support Services staff will be at the Harkness table to discuss all the factors that impact important choices. Open to all Pacific Ridge students and families. Please note the new date and time.
New Date: Monday, March 20th
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Place: East Reading Room 

Register for the Spring After-School Extension Program!
The spring After-School Extension Program runs from mid-March through mid-May, and courses are open to both Pacific Ridge students and students from the larger community. Offerings include: Skateboarding & Filmmaking, Fashion & Jewelry Design, Tinkering Lab, Guitar Lessons, Piano Lessons and Voice Lessons. Check it out! Click here for more information and to register. 


10 Years Strong


10 Years of Pacific Ridge School!
February 27 marked 10 years since the groundbreaking of Pacific Ridge School. We're introducing this new section to share all the updates for this spring's 10th-year celebrations. Each week will focus on a specific theme, highlighting the different characteristics that make Pacific Ridge School unique. Click here to learn all about the celebration events. Want to volunteer? For more information about volunteer opportunities, please contact Monique Benjamin at mbenjamin@pacificridge.org or 760-448-9866.

A tractor readies for construction at Pacific Ridge School's groundbreaking ceremony on February 27, 2007.

Firebirds Come Together To Kick Off Celebrations
During Community Life today, students, faculty, staff, and members of the Board of Trustees joined together to take an all-school photo on the athletic field. The photograph represents how much the school has grown in the past ten years, from 108 students in 2007 to nearly 600 today. A drone was able to capture the whole community in a single frame. Afterwards, students and faculty enjoyed a catered picnic on the lawn. 


Pacific Ridge Firebirds at 10 years old
Marking the day by signing a giant, decorative birthday cake
Next Week is Founding Week - Parent Event on March 9th
Our school is like no other - want to know more about how it came into being? Join us for a parent event on Thursday, March 9 to hear some entertaining stories about the founding of Pacific Ridge. Heavy appetizers and beverages will be provided. RSVP to Monique Benjamin at mbenjamin@pacificridge.org.
Date: Thursday, March 9th
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Community Hall

New & Noteworthy

Syrian Refugees Shed Light on Crisis
World events were given a human face on February 16, when several Syrian refugee children and teens spoke during Community Life. The children, ranging in ages 8 - 17, had a variety of challenging experiences in their home country and while coming to America. Thoughts that many echoed were how happy they are to be here in the U.S., how much they appreciate being able to go to school, and the law and order in our society. Students had insightful questions and were moved by the refugees' stories. Special thanks to junior Nadia Al-faraje who organized the event, and helped translate for the guests who didn't speak English.

Science Extravaganza a Magical Crowd Pleaser
On February 10, several hundred members of the Carlsbad community were treated to an evening of science magic. Students in 10th-grade Chemistry cooked up smoking potions, ignited streams of rainbow-colored flames and rocked the Athletic Center with rib-rattling booms, all while explaining the science behind the showmanship. Many thanks go to Science Extravaganza founder and chemistry teacher David Emmerson, fellow chemistry teachers Jamie Kelso and Justin McCabe, and emcees Powell Sheagren and Christopher Ong for helping to make the show a success.




Pacific Ridge Reduces Energy Use 5%
The Gardening and Sustainability Council hosted a challenge between the Middle and Upper School from January 16 to February 10. The goal was to reduce energy use in each building. School wide, energy consumption was reduced about 5%. The Upper School won the challenge, with an overall reduction of 7.6%. The Middle School had a decrease of 2.8%. While seemingly small, these are impressive reductions on an already award-winning green campus!

Good Reads

Good Reads - Mr. Symington
Good Reads - Mr. Symington

Mr. Symington's Pick: Find out why history teacher and Director of Global Travel Justin Symington's favorite author is Loren Eiseley.

Curricular Adventures

Memoirist Has Q & A with Students
Dr. Diana Abu-Jabar was honored on February 13 during Rancho Santa Fe Literary Society's luncheon at the Grand Del Mar Hotel and several Pacific Ridge students were invited to have a discussion with the author. They read her latest memoir, Life Without a Recipe and used the opportunity to ask questions. English teacher Ms. Juskaitis said the students showed great poise and enjoyed the stimulating conversation.
 

Students Unite Community Through Photography
What does the Pacific Ridge community look like? Just ask Advanced Photography students who recently completed the "We are PRS" portraiture project, or better yet, view their work on the second floor of the Arts and Technology Center! They were asked to create a set of intimate portraits inspired by the professional photographer Martin Schoeller. Students asked uniform questions such as "What is your proudest moment?" and "Tell us a story of a time in your life when you showed grit." The results are displayed in the expressions of each subject.



Harknessing and Feasting in Middle Eastern History 
Good food is made all the better with great discussion and that is just what Mr. Silk's Middle East History students experienced on February 16. Students prepared a variety of Middle Eastern dishes, from complicated traditional recipes to favorites such as tabouleh, falafel, hummus and salad. Lively discussions centered around current affairs in this often turbulent part of the world.


Class Notes

Students Compete at Science Olympiad
Pacific Ridge students from both the Middle and Upper School competed in the San Diego Regional Science Olympiad on February 4 and February 18. The competitions included more than 30 schools representing roughly 100 teams. The Pacific Ridge teams did a stellar job showcasing their talents across many different events such as Robot Arm, Anatomy & Physiology and Bottle Rocket. Congratulations to the following students who placed in the top 20 in their event.

3rd place in Robot Arm- Dustin Wu
9th place in Fermi Questions- Zoe Sipe and Matticus Brown
12th place in Rocks and Minerals- Matticus Brown and Anurag Aiyer
14th place in Rocks and Minerals- Polly Ecke and Rylee Winters
15th place in Wind Power- Amelia Whitworth and Kiran Dickey
17th place in Anatomy & Physiology- Nate Price and Agnes Chong
20th place in Ecology- Matticus Brown and Chloe Liu


Service Learning in the Field

Kyle Ramsay featured on SD Prep Insider
Kyle Ramsay featured on SD Prep Insider

Tune Back Time Provides Joy to Alzheimer's Patients
Senior Kyle Ramsay followed his passion for music to found the independent service learning group, Tune Back Time. He and other student volunteers work with Alzheimer's patients to determine their musical tastes and make them customized playlists. Since music memory is so deeply rooted within the subcortex of the human brain, it is one of the last things to be affected by Alzheimer's. Thus, listening to particular songs can evoke certain memories that might otherwise have been forgotten. Kyle was recently featured by San Diego Prep Insider for his work on both the project and on the basketball court.
  
Parents Association 
8th-Grade Parent Party This Sunday
The 8th-Grade Parent Party is this Sunday March 5 from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Please RSVP to your eVite to join this fun social event!

PA General Meeting Date Changed to Friday, May 12th
All are welcome to attend the Parents Association general meeting. More details coming soon.
New Date: Friday, May 12th

Next Parent Walking Club Friday, March 10th 
Join the Walking Club on the morning of Friday, March 10 for a walk around the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Course. If you can, stay after for coffee and refreshments at Thyme in the Ranch.
Date: Friday, March 10th
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Location: Thyme in the Ranch,16905 Avenida De Acacias, Rancho Santa Fe 92091

WeCare Presents Speaker Richard Louv,  March 6th & 7th
WeCare is hosting talks by Richard Louv, a San Diego writer who has written several books on the importance of the natural world in children's lives. A nationally published author having been featured multiple times on national television, Louv is co-founder and chairman emeritus of the Children & Nature Network, an organization helping to build the movement to connect today's children. His latest book is entitled Vitamin N: 500 ways to Enrich the Health & Happiness of your Family & Community. All are welcome to attend!
Evening Date: March 6th   
Location: Francis Parker School               
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30 pm
Morning Date: March 7th   
Location: San Diego Jewish Academy     
Time: 9:30am - 11:30 am
 
Build and Engage Within Our Pacific Ridge Community Through the Parents Association!
The Parents Association is actively looking for parents to lead or join various standing committees and activities and to join our board. Participating is an easy, fun way to meet other parents and offers opportunities to interact with students and staff in short time segments regardless of what your schedule looks like. Contact parentsassociation@pacificridge.org if you are interested in learning more!
 
Sports on the Ridge

Girls Varsity Basketball Make PRS History
The Girls Varsity team have made it to the CIF championship game for the first time in Pacific Ridge's history! The 11th-seeded Firebirds hit their stride at the right time and beat #6 seed Foothills Christian in the first playoff round, #3 High-Tech High Chula Vista in the quarterfinals, and #2 Monarch School in Tuesday night's semifinals. As a result, they are playing in the CIF Championship game vs. a tough Maranatha Christian team tonight at San Marcos High School, which started at 5:00 PM. 
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Place: San Marcos High School, 1615 W. San Marcos Blvd.



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



03/08/17
3:30 p.m. Boys JV Volleyball vs Poway High
4:45 p.m. Boys Varsity Volleyball vs. Poway High

03/09/17
3:30 p.m. Boys MS-A Volleyball vs The Bishop's School
4:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Lacrosse vs Carlsbad

03/10/17
4:30 p.m. Girls Varsity Lacrosse vs Mt. Carmel

03/11/17
10:00 a.m. Boys MS-A Lacrosse vs Tierrasanta

See our new Sports Scores section below.




College Guidance

Senior Parent Coffee on March 3rd
The coffee series resumes after February break with advice on managing the wait for admission decisions and how to engage in conversation about the options seniors are already considering. Our meetings in March and April will touch on anticipating the transition to college and managing this exciting second half of senior year.
Date: Friday, March 3rd
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Place: Community Hall

Alumni Ambassadors Needed
Hey alumni, do you love your college? PRS Alumni who are interested in becoming an ambassador for their college or university should fill out this survey. This will help current Pacific Ridge students as they research and visit schools. Thank you in advance for your help!

Expert on Standardized Testing Holds Primer
Adam Ingersoll, founder of Compass Prep in LA and a trusted expert in all aspects of standardized testing, will share his extensive knowledge about the SAT, the ACT, Subject Testing, colleges and concordance tables, optimal timing, and the latest insights on recent changes to the tests. This program is strongly suggested for sophomores and their parents but open to all students and families.
Date: Tuesday, March 14th
Time: 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Location: East Reading Room

Key Conversation: Decision Making & The Paradox of Choice
See New and Noteworthy section for more information. 
Date: Monday, March 20th
Time: 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Location: East Reading Room

Out-of-State College Night Highlights National Schools
More than 40 college admission officers representing out-of-state colleges and universities will review reasons Californians choose to attend college in states other than California, including the cost benefit and signature programs of their various institutions. This program is recommended for sophomores and juniors but open to all Upper School students and families. A small college fair will follow in the West Reading Room.
Date: Monday, March 20th
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: East Reading Room

See upcoming key College Guidance dates here in Haiku. 


Faculty & Staff News

Welcome to a new Firebird!
Congratulations to English teacher Steve Poovey, who welcomed his third child, daughter Elliot Poovey, on February 17. She weighed 6 pounds and 3 ounces at birth. The parents are doing well and are soaking up every minute with their sweet girl.


Sports Scores

Scores:

All teams played in the CIF Playoffs.

Boys Varsity Basketball 
02/22/17 San Diego High School 60 47 W
02/25/17 Brawley Union High School 41 54 L

Girls Varsity Basketball
02/21/17 Foothills Christian High School 40 37 W
02/24/17 High Tech High 51 42 W

Girls Varsity Soccer
02/22/17 Central High School 0 1 L


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 3rd
Senior Parent Coffee
7:30 a.m.

A Million Knots Fashion Show
6:00 p.m.

March 5th
8th-Grade Parent Party
5:00 p.m.

March 8th
Parent Curriculum Night
6:30 p.m.

March 9th
Our Founding Story Parent Event
6:00 p.m.

March 10th
Walking Club
8:30 a.m.

March 11th
Showcase of the Arts
5:30 p.m.

March 13th
No School

March 14th
Standardized Testing Primer
4:30 p.m.

March 20th
Key Conversations
3:30 p.m.

Out-of-State College Night
6:30 p.m.

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