April News

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

WASC Evaluation. We were very happy with the report we received from the WASC team. The school -- which the team referred to as a jewel -- was commended for its strong catholic identity and academic and sports programs, its technology (with particular reference to the integration of the SMART Boards and the electronic microscope into the curriculum), and the inner discipline of the students. The team was very impressed by our students and the children who were interviewed spoke highly of their school, teachers and the education which they value. Thank you to those parents who met with the WASC team and who spoke so positively about our school.

Field Trips. Our 1st and 2nd grades had a stimulating morning when they went to see a live theater production of Beauty and the Beast, performed by the Nine O'Clock players at the Assistance League. Our 3rd and 4th graders enjoyed an interactive day at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. The 8th grade class showed their appreciation for classical music when they went to UCLA to hear the America Youth Symphony perform the great music of Strauss and Mozart. Thank you to the many parent chaperones who made these field trips possible.

Academic Decathlon. We are very proud of the success of our Junior High Academic team who competed against one hundred Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Divya George placed 3rd in Literature, Stephanie Kim placed 4th in English, and Harold Kim placed 5th in Science. That's a major accomplishment!

Talent Show. Our annual talent show was a great success. We all enjoyed a variety of singing, dancing and music. Thank you to all those students who willingly shared their many talents with others.

High Schools. Our eighth graders received letters of acceptance to an array of Catholic high schools. Most were accepted to schools of their first choice: Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto, Cathedral, Immaculate Heart, Loyola, Notre Dame High School, Notre Dame Academy, Providence, and St. Genevieve. We congratulate all our eighth graders - and especially those who received scholarships and honors at entrance.

Confessions. Our second graders received the Sacrament of First Reconciliation. It was gratifying to see so much parent participation in this very important step in the children's spiritual formation. The class is now preparing for their First Holy Communion on April 25.

Internet Safety. We are very grateful to Detective Carlos Monterosso from the L.A. Internet Crime Prevention Department for his very informative presentation on internet safety. A number of parents expressed their appreciation for raising their awareness of the problem and providing helpful strategies to combat internet abuse.

International Festival. We are looking forward to welcoming alumni and parishioners to our International Festival on May 2 and 3. It promises to be a wonderful weekend of good food, camaraderie, music and games. Don't forget Sunday, May 3, when our students will be performing dances on the outdoor stage in the school yard!

Lent and Easter. The students' commitment to their Lenten duties has been very evident. They have actively participated in weekly Stations of the Cross, led so reverently by our 8th graders. Students also generously donated $650 to give to the impoverished children in Bangladesh. We thank all our families for the love and support they give to our school and wish all of you a joyful and holy Easter season.

March School News

Lent is the season of sacrifice, the time when we prepare ourselves for the great feast of Easter. We are encouraging our students to use the money saved from their small sacrifices to help the impoverished children of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). Father Ken Deasy, coordinator of the Holy Childhood Association, addressed our students at an assembly and explained the desperate plight of the Bangladeshi people. He reminded them to be grateful for what they have and asked them to count their blessings daily. May we all be inspired by Father Deasy's words.

Presidents' Day. We were honored to have parishioner, Duke Russell, give an inspirational talk to our students on the life of Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Russell, dressed in his stovepipe hat, encouraged our students to follow in the footsteps of this great man by becoming enthusiastic readers.

Spell-A-Thon. Thanks to the many families who supported our annual Spell-A-Thon. This event, not only raised much welcomed money for our school, but also presented our students with many challenging words to strengthen their vocabularies.

Field Trips. Spring is a time for field trips. Our third and fourth grade students enjoyed an educational day at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Our 1st and 2nd graders had a stimulating morning when they went to see a live theater production of Beauty and the Beast, performed by the Nine O'Clock players at the Assistance League in Hollywood.

Sinai Akiba Academy. We welcomed fifty-four seventh grade students from the Sinai Akiba Academy, in Westwood, to spend a morning with our students. With their teachers, Rabbi Andy Feig, Dino Glorioso, Tony Pennay, Lisa Palmer and Aviva Levin, they joined us for our school Mass. They were very grateful to our pastor, Father Antonio, who was delighted to answer their many excellent questions. After Mass, our visitors enjoyed refreshments with members of our student council, viewed a slide show of our students in action, and took a tour of our school campus. Later, they mingled with our students and played basketball with them. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their faith and educational experience with these young people.

Academic Decathlon. The Archdiocesan Junior High Academic Decathlon is fast approaching, and our team is gearing up for the competition which will take place in the Sports Arena next Saturday, March 14. We wish them luck!

WASC. Our school will be evaluated on March 10, 11, and 12, by an accreditation team of experienced teachers and administrators on behalf of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). It has been six years since our last accreditation. We are confident that the WASC team will be impressed by the academic achievement of our students, their spiritual and moral growth, their participation in a wide variety of sports, and their accomplishment of our Schoolwide Learning Expectations. Please keep us in your prayers during these days.