In This Issue - February 16, 2017
Snapshot from the Ridge

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

 
All Dressed Up: Mr. Kelso helps Mr. Betzala don spirit wear during a faculty vs. seniors relay race at Tuesday's Upper School announcements. The seniors proved themselves to be faster than their older (and wiser?) opponents.

Bulletin Board


Did You Know? We're Celebrating!
Monday, February 27 marks the 10-year anniversary of Pacific Ridge School's campus groundbreaking. This spring we will be celebrating our school's first ten years with ten weeks of special programming. Stay tuned for details about campus events and other ways you can participate. Want to volunteer? For more information about volunteer opportunities, including a fun student event on March 2, please contact Monique Benjamin at mbenjamin@pacificridge.org or 760-448-9866.

Register for the Spring After-School Extension Program!
Looking for fun and enriching afternoon activities? 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. 


Head of School Coffee on March 2nd
Pacific Ridge parents are warmly invited to share coffee and conversation with the Head of School on Thursday, March 2. After a few introductory remarks, Dr. Ogle will be available to answer questions and speak about topics of interest to attendees.
Date: Thursday, March 2nd
Time: 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Place: Community Hall


Save the Date for A Million Knots Fashion Show!
Students in service learning group A Million Knots are throwing a fashion show fundraiser on 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
 
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  

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 that impacts how we choose. 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

Good Reads

Good Reads Videos - Ms. Molineaux

Introducing Good Reads: During August 2016, Pacific Ridge faculty and staff created Little Free Libraries for Carlsbad's Barrio neighborhood at a staff service day. At the event, everyone shared their favorite books. We'll be posting a new video weekly, starting this week with Upper School Co-Head and history teacher Allegra Molineaux.

New & Noteworthy

Global Visitors Given Warm Welcome
Community Life on February 9 was all about global connections. Students in the jazz ensemble, and upper and middle school dancers performed to welcome our visiting Taiwanese students. In return, the exchange students gave a gracious thank you with several performances, including a popular Taiwanese song, their school anthem and an impressive Chinese yo-yo demonstration, which the crowd went wild for. The Taiwanese students ended the assembly by leading the community in singing the Star Spangled Banner. Students from France are also visiting and attending classes through the week. Thank you to all the Pacific Ridge families who have made both the Taiwanese and French students feel welcome!


The Taiwanese students took a final group photo before leaving February 15 for Northern California. 


A few French students enjoy a lunch break with Pacific Ridge hosts.

New Issue of Global Vantage Out Now
The latest issue of Global Vantage, titled Discovery, is hot off the press! The issue features photo essays from Sports Illustrated photographer and former Pacific Ridge teacher Donald Miralle and National Geographic photographer Camille Seamen, an interview with Spy Optic Founder Michael Marcx and many thoughtful essays. The issue is available online here and can be picked up in the library.

Curricular Adventures

Learning Opportunities Abound at Balboa Park
While Balboa Park is a beautiful destination to visit, it's also full of learning opportunities as seventh graders found out on February 10. Following up on a fantastic Shakespeare unit, students toured the Old Globe Theatre. After the tour, students engaged in hands-on learning at the Fleet Science Center. Finally, they used the desert garden and botanical garden to reinforce lessons from their Life Science unit on plants.



Seniors Learn Self Defense Training
Shouts of "911" rang out on February 13 but not for an emergency. Instead, all senior girls were practicing self-defense skills taught by Tracie Arlington of Play It Safe Self Defense. The lessons were part of senior class preparations for life beyond Pacific Ridge. The boys watched two documentaries about the awareness and prevention of sexual assault. Next week, the groups will switch and the boys will receive self-defense training and the girls will watch the films.


Service Learning in the Field

Conservation and AP Environmental Science Students   Collaborate 
What's not to love about water? Well, perhaps high levels of bad bacteria levels, as students in AP Environmental Science and the middle school Conservation service learning group learned on Valentine's Day in the Harmony Grove area. The AP students led the middle schoolers through different water testing exercises to learn how to test for phosphates and oxygen levels. Upper school students used the opportunity to showcase leadership skills while middle schoolers received hands-on experience in environmental science. Everyone left with a new appreciation for clean tap water after learning about different pollutants!




Class Notes

Seniors Named National Merit Scholarship Finalists
Five seniors were named finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program on February 13. Max Dawson, Lily Klinek, Noah Kuo, Elliott Lehrer and Kyle Ramsay were chosen out of about 1.6 million high school students who took the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Scholarship winners will be announced beginning in April. The program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.



Parents Association 
8th-Grade Parent Party is March 5th
The 8th-Grade Parent Party is now scheduled for Sunday evening, March 5 from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Please RSVP to your eVite to join this fun social event!

Save the Date! General Meeting, Thursday, March 23rd
All are welcome to attend the Parents Association general meeting. More details coming soon.
Date: Thursday, March 23rd
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Place: East Reading Room

Get Involved with the Parents Association!

Each parent is considered a member of the Parents Association, which includes a board of parents who participate regularly to formally oversee and coordinate key contributions, including: 

  • parent enrichment opportunities (book club, walking club, parent parties, uniform sales)
  • school programs (celebrating athletics/clubs, tailgates) 
  • major community events (Fall Fest, Gingerbread Breakfast, and Staff Appreciation luncheon)  

We are always actively looking for parents to join our board or various standing committees and volunteer for activities. Participating is an easy, fun way to meet other parents and offers
opportunities to interact with students/staff in varying ways. Contact parentsassociation@pacificridge.org if you are interested in learning more!

A Friendly Reminder to think of Pacific Ridge School When You Shop and Dine
Go to smile.amazon.com instead of the regular Amazon homepage and register Pacific Ridge as your nominated charity. Register for the e-Scrip program ("Benefit") which allows anyone to buy digital gift cards through a free downloadable app on your Android or iPhone. Designate Pacific Ridge School as the beneficiary and the Parents Association will receive funds to support Gingerbread Breakfast, Staff Appreciation Lunch and its other community activities.

Questions? Contact parentsassociation@pacificridge.org.
 
Sports on the Ridge

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

03/02/17
3:30 p.m. Boys JV Volleyball 6 team scrimmage

03/03/17
3:30 p.m. Boys Varsity Lacrosse vs Valley Center

Girls Middle School Soccer Plays Best Games of Season
Middle School A soccer team had a great season during a rebuilding year. The girls conquered the league semi-finals February 8, playing the best soccer of the season, with an amazing 4-1 victory over the Rancho Santa Fe Eagles. The following day, Horizon Christian was the better team. The girls played hard, but were unable to produce offense and lost in the finals, 2-1. Coach Hartley complimented the great chemistry and love for the game shown by her players.

Save A Life Foundation Free Heart Screening for Teens
Students 12 to 25 are invited to get a free heart screening by the Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation on February 26. The foundation has screened more than 21,000 teens for heart abnormalities that can put about 1 in 100 students at risk for Sudden Cardiac Arrest - a leading cause of death under 25 and the number one killer of student-athletes. Parents can register at epsavealife.org/register/ and download a screening packet to bring to the event. Walk-ins are also accepted and paperwork is available onsite if online registration is not possible. Screenings take less than an hour. 
Date: Sunday, February 26th
Time: 9:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Place: Sage Creek High School, 3900 Cannon Rd, Carlsbad, CA 
The ardent support of our Taiwanese visitors helped Boys Varsity Soccer clinch a win against Francis Parker.





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

See upcoming key College Guidance dates here in Haiku. 


New Faculty & Staff Snapshot

   

Ellen Wright - Communications Associate

Favorite or most recent book? Born to Run by Christopher McDougall is an all-time favorite, as is Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities.
Favorite movie? Zoolander, probably just for the endless quotes.
Favorite sport? That is a tie between running and surfing.
Greatest indulgence? Any Trader Joe's dessert concoction... those s'mores bites are too good.
If you make her breakfast? A breakfast sandwich with coffee
In her free time? Hanging out at the beach or reading.
Dream vacation? Island hopping in Greece
Home town? Encinitas, California

North County Happenings



Save The Date: Hands of Peace Spring Benefit on March 5th
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: $125 by February 20th, $135 after February 21st

Sports Scores
Scores:

Boys Varsity Basketball 
02/07/17 Maranatha Christian 32 53 L
02/10/17 Calvin Christian School 47 34 W

Boys Junior Varsity Basketball
02/07/17 Maranatha Christian 56 28 W
02/10/17 Calvin Christian School 57 41 W

Boys Frosh Basketball
02/07/17 Army & Navy Academy 42 28 W
02/11/17 Classical Academy High 56 53 W

Girls Varsity Basketball
02/07/17 Maranatha Christian 31 52 L
02/10/17 Francis Parker 40 70 L

Girls Varsity Basketball
02/07/17 Maranatha Christian 31 52 L
02/10/17 Francis Parker 56 53 L

Boys Varsity Soccer
02/08/17 Francis Parker 1 4 L
02/10/17 Orange Glen High School 1 2 L

Boys Junior Varsity Soccer 
02/07/17 San Diego Jewish Academy 0 5 L
02/08/17 Francis Parker 0 4 L

Girls Varsity Soccer
02/08/17 Francis Parker 0 4 L
02/10/17 Del Lago Academy 2 2 T

Girls MS - A Soccer
SCMSL North Championships
02/08/17 Rancho Santa Fe 4 1 W
02/09/17 Horizon Christian 1 2 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

February 20th - 24th
NO SCHOOL
February Break

March 2nd
Head of School Coffee
8:00 a.m.

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 23rd
Parents Association General Meeting
9:00 a.m.

Quick Links


Family Login 
PRS Student Newspaper
Password: firebird