Weekly Update December 15, 2015

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1 Weekly Update December 15, 2015 In this last week of classes before the Christmas Break, we encourage all of our students to work hard each day and each night, knowing that the vacation is just around the corner! The Second Quarter passes quickly, so let s make an effort to focus on scholarship this week and then enjoy a well-deserved holiday respite! Week at a Glance Wednesday, December 16: PSAT Interpretation and Junior College Kick-Off Night: 6:00 PM in Phoenix Hall: While the evening is focused on Juniors (the Class of 2017) and their families, all are welcome! More details about this event and about the Practice SAT on Saturday are found below. Thursday, December 17: Oxfam Fast: Begins Thursday morning and concludes Friday morning: See Ms. Gabriel for details. Friday, December 18: Christmas Program of Lessons and Carols: 12:00 PM in Phoenix Hall: Phoenix Schedule: Dismissal at 1:00: With the exception of student-athletes who have games in the evening, the building will close at 2:00 PM. Please arrange transportation accordingly. Saturday, December 19: Practice SAT for All Juniors: Testing begins promptly at 8:00 AM in Phoenix Hall: Snacks and Lunch are provided: Dismissal at 12:30 PM. For 2016 Monday, January 4: Classes Resume: Countdown to Midterm Exams. Monday, January 11: Review Day Schedule: All 8 Periods Meet: Regular Dismissal Time. Tuesday, January 12 through Friday, January 15: Midterm Exams: Schedule to Follow. Monday, January 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: No Classes. Tuesday, January 19: Faculty Professional Day: No Classes. Wednesday, January 20: Third Quarter Begins: Second Quarter Grades Posted. Parent/Guardian Insider PSAT Interpretation and Junior College Kick-Off Night: Wednesday, December 16: 6:00 PM in Phoenix Hall: This is just a reminder that we host our annual College Kick-Off event for Juniors and their families. All students and families are invited to attend, particularly to hear about how to understand the PSAT result. The primary focus of the evening is to begin, in earnest, the college application process for the members of the Class of 2017 and their parents. For families of Juniors, this presentation is essential! 1

2 Junior Practice SAT Test: In our ongoing effort to prepare scholars for success in the college application process, we are pleased to announce a new opportunity for the members of the Class of On Saturday, December 19 at 8:00 AM we will offer a full-length practice SAT! We will begin promptly at 8:00 AM to simulate the actual test-taking experience and we will provide lunch following the exam. There is no cost for this practice SAT. All students receive an individual score report to assist them and our SAT/ACT Prep teachers in identifying areas of focus for the real tests. This is a most valuable opportunity for students to learn more about their personal strengths and to prepare for their upcoming exams. As a reminder, all juniors are required to take at least one SAT and one ACT before the end of junior year. We thank, in advance, our College Counselors, Ms. Piendak and Mr. O Mara, and our SAT/ACT Prep Course teachers, Mr. Bhatty and Ms. Mueller, for providing this important program to our students. Best of luck to the juniors in this warm-up for the real tests! Spirit Wear: With Christmas right around the corner, please do not forget to stock up on the latest SJP gear for all the Phoenix fans in your life. Most of our items are available online at You may also stop by the Spirit Wear Shop on campus this week. We have added these two new winter hats and a scarf option as well for the winter months! Faculty Spotlight Mr. Macdonald named as an Outstanding Local Educator: Congratulations to our very own Mr. Tristan Macdonald, English and Theology teacher, for being recognized as an Outstanding Local Educator by the Athletic Department at Boston College. The Boston College Men s Basketball Program is sponsoring an Education Day on Wednesday, December 30 when the team takes on the University of New Hampshire at 2:00 PM in Conte Forum. All members of the SJP community are invited to join in an exclusive post-game photo on the court after the game. Discounted tickets are $6 for students and $10 for adults. Order online at using the Promo Code: EDUCATION. Join the Phoenix as we acknowledge Mr. Macdonald and cheer on the Eagles! Details are also on our website. 2

3 Recent Events Website Features: Check out the website for the full stories on these awesome events: Math Wedding: Mrs. Muth's AP Calculus BC students participated in the annual Math Marriage (or Numbers Nuptials) to represent the union between the derivative (Deriva) and the integral (Integroom) as part of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. For the wedding ceremony, Sarah Murphy 15 acted as Deriva and Dong Su Kim 15 played the Integroom. Standing with them at the altar were Gianluca Giani 15 as Best Riemann (best man) and Hermione Zhang 16 as Related Rita (maid of honor). All the honored guests indulged in integral rice krispie treats at the reception! Christmas Concert and Celebration: Thank you to all who made Sunday s event such a wonderful success! The sound of the choir, the aroma of the cocoa, the hospitality of our students, the engagement of our parents, and the company of our entire community made for a fantastic celebration. We are so grateful for so many who treated us to a joyous celebration of the true meaning of the Christmas Season. All the photos will be up the website soon! Angel Tree Project: Thanks to the tireless efforts of Mrs. Muth, the members of the National Honor Society, and our entire SJP community, the Angel Tree Project was a most inspiring success! The school s commitment to service, as seen through our students and families, is awesome in every sense of that word. Our scholars (and their parents and guardians), along with our faculty and staff, did some amazing Christmas shopping in a very short period of time. We also raised significant funds from the recent Tag Day over $600 all to bring the joy of Christmas to children and families who are struggling. In addition, the Campus Ministry Team sold Candy Grams to support this worthy cause. Through the leadership of Sarah Murphy 16, Sharon King 17, JoJo Duplan 17, Rebekah Forrest 17, and Hannah Burke 17, Campus Ministry sold over 300 candy grams and raised an additional $220 to purchase gifts for children on the Angel Tree. Check out the full story on the website later this week! 3

4 Listening in on the Chapel Speeches Euijeong Jamie Seo 18: On going to high school in Wisconsin and living with a host family. Isaac Amado 18: On his love for baseball and on the connection he shares with his father. A.J. Wilshire 17: On the gift of his Cuban heritage and the example and legacy of hard work. Clara Ribeiro Da Cunha 17: On the rewards and challenges of moving all around the world. Phillipe Legagneur 17: On being truly thankful for people and on living a spirit of gratitude. Neema-Elie Joseph 16: On the importance of friendship and of not taking friends for granted. Jenny Hobson 16: On the joys of having a dog and of how a dog is woman s best friend. Adrian Halwani-Plaza 16: On the memories of four years at SJP with the unique Class of Alex Hung 16: On having four sisters, but living with two, for two classmates are really family. Quote of the Week Our Quote of the Week is from Clara Ribeiro Da Cunha 17 and her outstanding Chapel Speech. In reflecting on the obstacles and opportunities she has experienced in moving so many times (her family is moving again this year, to a very different part of Brazil), Clara demonstrated a wisdom and maturity well beyond her years. She noted that transition can be difficult, but when faced with courage and hope, it will lead to newfound understanding. Clara s depth and insight impressed all of us especially her classmates: During the months I ve been in this school I have made many friends. At first, I was overwhelmed by the variety of cultures inside SJP. The American culture itself made quite the impression on me as well. I was scared, thinking I would have to change my ways in order to fit in. However, the friendliness and kindness of my classmates and teachers made me realize that people would accept me, no matter how different I was. Now that I've met most of the students, I am pleased to say that my opinion hasn t changed. We might have different cultures but our humanity is still the same, and coming to the U.S. has shown me that. I came to the conclusion that no one gets used to change; even those that experience it frequently, like myself, still get scared of the unknown. Yet, the different experiences that are given to us in life should be welcomed with open arms. We are so glad, Clara, that you have found a new home here at Saint Joseph Prep, and we know you ll do the same when you meet your new community in Brazil. Scholar Highlights of the Week Theology Scholars: Our Theology I students have been hard at work creating video projects to retell the story of Joseph, son of Jacob. Taking advantage of the technology available to them in the Learning Commons, students in Ms. Gabriel s freshmen Theology classes used the green screen along with apps such as Touchcast and Explain Everything to create 3-5 minute videos explaining the story of Joseph in Genesis Students were excited to put their knowledge to use in creating the videos and the outcome was fantastic! Check out the screen shots below of just a few of the images created using ipads and green screens. 4

5 Club/Activity Highlights of the Week The TIE Newspaper Earns Recognition: In the spring of 2015, the newspaper staff of The TIE joined the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. A benefit of the membership is the opportunity to have the experts at the press association review and critique our publication. Recently, we received the results. The TIE earned Bronze Medal status from the Columbia Press Association! The judge reviewed all aspects of the publication from the masthead, bylines and captions to our coverage, journalistic conventions and layout and design. In addition to rating each element of the paper, the judge provided helpful commentary and advice. The judge commended us for founding the paper and for showing significant improvement over the course of the year. Going forward, the staff will put into place the recommendations of the press association, beginning with the improvements to the headlines, article leads, and photo captions. Working together, the student journalists will make each issue even better than the last. Congratulations to the entire staff of The TIE and to faculty moderator, Mrs. Walkins, for this exemplary achievement! 5

6 Choir Performance: Come support the SJP Choir this Thursday, December 17, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM at the Watertown Mall. Students will be performing selections from their recent Christmas Concert. This is a fantastic way to celebrate the spirit of the season and to take care of that last minute shopping! Eucharistic Adoration: Thanks to the inspiration of an alumna of Mount St. Joseph Academy, Ms. Ellen Gunning, and to our Campus Ministry Team, we offered Eucharistic Adoration last Tuesday following Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Many students took advantage of this opportunity to spend a few moments in silence, reflecting on the presence of God in their lives. They were joined by faculty and staff and also by Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston. We are grateful to all who made possible this experience of quiet, meditative prayer. Student-Athlete Highlights of the Week Swim Team: As winter sports get under way, the Swim Team is off to an excellent start and has high hopes for the season. Captain Gianluca Giani 16 leads the squad as they begin their quest toward states; their first meets are this week. Come cheer on the Phoenix Tuesday, December 15 at 3:30 against Cardinal Spellman at Massasoit Community College and Friday, December 18 at 3:30 at Greater Lawrence Tech. Special congratulations go to honorary captains of the week Jackie Joyce 16 for the week of December 7 and Theresa Sandbrook 16 for the week of December 14. Good luck to the swim team and Go Phoenix! Girls Basketball: The Girls Basketball Team fought valiantly Friday night in their first game of the season, but eventually fell to Matignon, Despite losing all five starters from last year to graduation, the girls played very well as a cohesive unit and showed they will be a tough matchup for their opponents throughout the season. Captain Patrice Exconde 16 led the Phoenix with 21 points and JoJo Duplan 17 was a standout with her defense and rebounding. Megan Bane 18 and Nailah Khoory 18 were elected captains of the JV team. Over the past two years, both of these athletes have demonstrated leadership, commitment to the team, and wonderfully positive attitudes. Congratulations to Megan and Nailah! College Counseling and Guidance CSS Profile: In addition to the FAFSA, many colleges require the (lengthy) CSS Profile to determine financial aid awards. The CSS Profile is available through the CollegeBoard. This is the perfect time to gather the necessary materials. Please be sure the to check out the website: Big Push: This is crunch time for many students and families engaged in the college application process. The January 1 deadline is fast approaching; lists of schools need to be finalized, SAT and ACT scores need to be sent, essays and supplements need to be revised (again), and applications need to be submitted. Please know that Ms. Piendak and Mr. O Mara are available throughout the week and, on a limited basis, over the vacation, to support scholars and their parents in this process. Be sure to reach out to Ms. Piendak and Mr. O Mara with any questions; Mr. Nunan is also available to assist in any way possible. 6

7 A Word from Mr. Nunan Keeping Christmas In reading collections of Christmas stories, hymns, and poems, I came across this beautiful perhaps familiar piece. It is a sermon from Henry Van Dyke, a famous minister in the late 19 th and early 20 th century. Caroline Kennedy included it in her book of Christmas traditions, A Family Christmas; it is no doubt found in other compendiums of Christmas spirit. In our Saint Joseph Prep Family we come from many different cultures and creeds, representing a beautiful mosaic of customs, beliefs, traditions, and faiths. I hope that each of us will find something of value in Van Dyke s reflection, a reflection centered on keeping Christmas, but with a broader and deeper relevance to being human. For me, it is a simple and powerful, elegant and challenging, reminder of how I am to live my life each day Keeping Christmas By Henry Van Dyke ROMANS, xiv, 6: He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord. It is a good thing to observe Christmas day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life. It reminds a man to set his own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity, which runs on sun time. But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas. Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellow-men are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness--are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas. 7

8 Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear on their hearts; to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open--are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas. Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world--stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death--and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas. And if you keep it for a day, why not always? But you can never keep it alone. 8