Santa Catalina School Bulletin Board

Donation Honors Distinguished Alumna Recipient

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:10:00 +0000

Christopher R. Redlich, Jr. has given a $25,000 gift to Santa Catalina School in honor of his sister, Leslie Redlich Cockburn '70. Leslie will receive the Distinguished Alumnae Award during the Alumnae Reunion this coming weekend. The gift will support School's greatest need through the Santa Catalina Fund. We are deeply moved by Mr. Redlich's wonderful expression of love for his sister. We thank him for his generosity, and Leslie for being a source of inspiration to all!

Alumna Becomes Medical Director for Children's Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Gina Jansheski '77 has accepted a new position as the Medical Director of The Painted Turtle in Lancaster, CA. For the past eight years, she has worked as Medical Director of Pediatrics at Tucson Medical Center.

The Painted Turtle is a camp program for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Located in Northern Los Angeles County, it was founded by Paul Newman and Page Adler in 1999 as the 6th Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. The program serves over 800 children each summer and offers year round programs for campers and their families. Good luck, Gina!

Middle School Dance "On the Roof"

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:30:00 +0000

Middle School students and their guests "climbed up to the roof" in the transformed MPR on February 12, 2010. Surrounded by a city skyline, courtesy of Mr. Roger Thompson's theatrical lighting, the sixth grade successfully produced their first dance. The last dance of the evening was James Taylor's "Up on the Roof," and everyone had a wonderful time.

The evening's success was also measured by the generous contributions made by attendees and parents. Just over $850 was raised for Catholic Relief Services in Haiti, and that amount will be matched by Santa Catalina. The sixth grade thanks everyone for their generosity.

10th Annual Poet-in-Residence Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:57:00 +0000

Award winning poet David Mason will be our poet-in-residence the week of March 15, 2010. He will give a free public reading at 7:30 PM on Thursday, March 18 in the Mary Johnson Music Center.

Mason's books of poems include The Buried Houses, winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize, The Country I Remember, which received the Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award, and Arrivals. His verse novel, Ludlow, was published in 2007, and named best poetry book of the year by the Contemporary Poetry Review and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Mason has also co-edited several textbooks and anthologies, including Western Wind: An Introduction to Poetry, Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism and Twentieth Century American Poetry among others.

Senior Named MTAL Basketball MVP

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:30:00 +0000

Taylor Fox '10 was named the MTAL's Most Valuable Basketball Player. A four-year starter, Taylor averaged over 20 points a game for Santa Catalina's two-time co-league champion team. Catherine Jablonski '10 was a first team pick, and Gigi Hanlock '12 was selected for second team. Go Cougars!

Grade 3 Biography Night

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Over one hundred parents, friends, and culture seekers gathered to celebrate the third grade's International Biography Night on February 3, 2010. Twenty-one historical characters, from Julius Caesar to Hatshepsut of Egypt, gave speeches describing their lives and times. Mrs. Pollacci handed out awards and inducted the performers into the Biography Hall of Fame. The performance was followed by refreshments that included snacks the characters themselves would have enjoyed.

Middle School's Got Talent!

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:13:00 +0000

Middle School celebrated some of our very talented students on Friday, February 19. Organized by Mrs. Bathurst, music instructor, the talent ranged from vocalists to instrumentalists to break dancing.

Ashten Nguyen and Alexandra Ghinn both performed piano pieces, and Rio Turrini-Smith delighted the audience on the penny whistle. Gabriella Sardina and Amanda Etienne sang a duet from the musical Wicked, and Seja Saddy's voice soared on "Defying Gravity." Frank Sinatra graced the stage in the guise of Charlie Lembo who sang "Come Fly With Me." He had the entire audience swinging! In what appeared to be impossible moves, Tristin Rammel performed a break dance to Green. A pair of surprise mystery cats closed the show with Rossini's "Duet for Two Cats."

Grade 6 Visits King Tut Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:23:00 +0000

Sixth graders traveled to the de Young Museum to see the Tutankhamun exhibit on February 11, 2010. After a long wait, the gates of the tomb opened to reveal a small statuette of King Tut. Thematically arranged rooms displayed general objects used in everyday life, royal regalia, and burial artifacts. Students were particularly impressed with a golden ceremonial dagger, golden necklace, an elaborate headdress with ureus, and a large sarcophagus belonging to King Tut's great grandmother.

Middle School Spelling Bee

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:38:00 +0000

(Left to right) Lauren Mendoza, Lily Patterson, and Anna Shokareva

We would like to congratulate all those students who participated in the Middle School Spelling Bee on February 10, 2010. Of the twelve finalists, three endured the longest. Eighth grader Anna Shokareva placed third and seventh grader Lauren Mendoza placed second. Eighth grader Lily Patterson spelled extraneous correctly to win the bee. She will represent Santa Catalina at the County Spelling Bee at 1:30 PM on Sunday, March 14, at the Hartnell College Western Stage.

We are very proud of all of the finalists. They each worked hard in preparation for this challenge. To each one of you, a very well earned "t-h-a-n-k y-o-u!"

Soccer Team Undefeated

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:07:00 +0000

The Upper School soccer team beat Pacific Grove 5-0 on February 19, 2010. The Cougars have gone undefeated and untied this year and won the league championship outright. They have been undefeated in league play for the past four years. The first playoff game is at Santa Catalina against Saratoga High School on Wednesday, February 24 at 2:30 PM. Go Cougars!

Newpoli Performs Italian Folk Music

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:01:00 +0000

As part of Santa Catalina's global focus, the Newpoli Folk Ensemble presented music from Southern Italy on February 18, 2010. The seven-piece ensemble played beautiful historical folk music with songs ranging from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, and styles from Tarantella to Canzone Napoletana. Students and faculty were also invited onstage for a lively Tarantella dance.

Founded in 2003, the Boston-based Newpoli has performed throughout the United States and made their Italian debut in Tuscany at the 2008 Diacetum Festival.

Abbots Bromley Choir Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Abbots Bromley School's award-winning choir from Staffordshire, England visited Santa Catalina on February 16, 2010. Led by music director Colin Walker, fifty-one students from the all girls boarding and day high school performed songs including Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho and The Rhythm of Life from Sweet Charity.

Lindsay Smith performed Strawberry Kiss, an original composition, and a duet with Lizzie Wolford on Patience by Take That. The Santa Catalina Choir then joined in on selections including Caresse sur l'ocean and What a Wonderful World which featured soloists from both schools. For the grand finale, the girls were joined by faculty and staff in a rendition of Seasons of Love from Rent. The performance ended in a enthusiastic standing ovation.

"The experience was enriching for both sets of students," said Dr. John Murphy, Head of Upper School. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with Abbots Bromley School and for opportunities to come together again in the future."

Athletics & Activities Reception

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:38:00 +0000

Prospective students and their families had a chance to talk to coaches, students, and club members on February 5, 2010. The event included a fencing demonstration, a talk by basketball and volleyball champion Taylor Fox '10, an overview of Santa Catalina's many clubs, and wonderful food from our in-house caterer, Bon Appetit. The evening concluded with a basketball game in which the Santa Catalina beat Greenfield 53-48. Go Cougars!

Alumna Appointed Judge

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:45:00 +0000

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Pamela Ham Butler '88 to a judgeship in the Monterey County Superior Court. The investiture ceremony took place on January 29, 2010. Pamela has been a deputy district attorney with the Monterey County District Attorney's Office since 1995. After graduating from Santa Catalina, Pamela earned a bachelor's degree from UC, Santa Barbara, a Master of Law from Chapman University, and a Juris Doctorate from SMU School of Law. Pamela and her husband have two children in Lower School. Congratulations!

Hearts for Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:15:00 +0000

Pro golfer Phil Mickelson becomes a fan of Hearts for Haiti

Lower School students with Andy Garcia

Lower School students created and sold "Hearts for Haiti" ribbons during the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from February 8-14, 2010. They raised over $2,000 selling the ribbons during the tournament. Andy Garcia proceeded to wear his ribbon on his hat for the remainder of the tournament and mentioned it on television. All proceeds will go to Catholic Relief Services and Santa Catalina will match the amount raised.

Pajama Story Night a Success

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:41:00 +0000

Over 170 students and parents attended Pajama Story Night on January 27. Stories were read by Christy Pollacci, Lorraine Gerstl, Heidi Pratt, Kate Devine, Zoe Sippel, Heather Medina, Katie Schipper, Kathy Sparolini, Lydia Mansour, and Susan Dodd. Guests enjoyed chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa, and the stories brought much joy to all.

Equestrian Team Takes Home Trophy

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:54:00 +0000

The equestrian team competed at Monte Vista Christian School on February 13, 2010. They took home the championship, with placings including:

Hunt Seat Equitation over Fences
1st Allison Fithian '11 and Brennah Montague '10 (Varsity Open)
1st Amy Sublett '13 (JV Novice)

Hunt Seat Equitation on the Flat
1st Brennah Montague '10 (Varsity Open)
3rd Allison Fithian '11 (Varsity Open)
3rd Emily Lindquist-Durdan '12 (Varsity Intermediate)

Congratulations!

Seniors and Juniors Hold Ring Week Circus

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:55:00 +0000

Ring Week is the highly anticipated annual tradition of seniors passing the torch to their heirs. The mayhem began with a senior skit that featured a dance-off between Stan Dowson and Coach Elliot. Seniors then handed the juniors bald caps and Spock ears that had to be worn at all times.

Everyday in assembly, juniors found new costumes and instructions for random acts of silliness. It didn't take long before Cap'n Crunch, Lady Gaga, smurfs, ninjas, roller skating policemen with mustaches, and the cast of Star Wars became familiar sights around campus. To see more photos, visit our Facebook page.

On Saturday night, the seniors gave the juniors a celebratory dinner and presented them with their class rings.

Fifth Grade Night at the Wax Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:44:00 +0000

The fifth grade class presented a Night at the Wax Museum on January 26, 2010. Students came dressed as their favorite explorers, including Sacagawea, Ferdinand Magellan, Zheng He, Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, and the astronaut Sally Ride. On stage, students froze in place, then took turns coming to life to tell their explorer's story.

Kindergarten Visits Monterey Bay Aquarium

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:37:00 +0000

The Kindergarten class visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium on January 22, 2010. Students explored hands-on activities at the Discovery Lab and toured the Aquarium to see their favorite exhibits. They were also treated to the sight of a pod of dolphins that jumped in the air and spouted for about a half hour! It was amazing!

At school, the Kindergartners have made an ocean collage and learned several songs about sea animals such as Baby Beluga and Octopus.

Upper School Day of the Arts

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:05:00 +0000

Santa Catalina Upper School opened up its doors to prospective families who came to see our performing arts, music, and visual arts programs on Sunday, January 17.

Dana Hart-Stone, Visual Arts Department Chair, opened the program with a presentation on how the arts empower young women to think, create, and make a difference. Cynnie Haueter '10 spoke about discovering her acting abilities, and students and faculty performed Seasons of Love from Rent.

In the arts studio, girls designed paper dresses and colored them as the models moved around the room. Both parents and students threw pots with arts teacher Sandra Still and explored the darkroom with photography teacher Claire Lerner. Kim Roberson '85 was also on hand to talk about her work as an animator and writer for Disney's Phineas and Ferb.

Guests were also moved by a performance of Arthur Miller's 1953 Tony-award winning play, The Crucible. Directed by Roger Thompson, Chair of Theatre Arts, the actors, set designer, stagehands, and sound and tech engineers received a standing ovation. Mark Purcell, Music Department Chair, organized a concert featuring our gifted musicians and singers, and a dance class showcased our talented dancers.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in this amazing day! To see more photos, visit us at facebook.com/santacatalinaschool.

Students Make Sandwiches for Charity

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:44:00 +0000

Lower School students made over 300 sandwiches for Dorothy's Kitchen on January 26, 2010. Since 1982, this non-profit organization has served over 1.7 million meals to those in need. Students included a note with thoughtful messages and colorful pictures with each sandwich. Thank you to all the parents who volunteered and made this event a success!

Lower School Assembly Honors Dr. King

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:20:00 +0000

On Monday, January 18, over three hundred students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered in the Performing Arts Center to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At 11:00 a.m., a Lower School Color Guard posted the American flag on the stage. Sixteen speakers and eight singers from the Lower School presented the history of the African-American experience and a moving tribute to the slain civil rights leader.

The students worked extraordinarily hard and diligently to ensure that the program was symbolic. Congratulations to all of our participants for a job remarkably well done!

Soccer Team Sinks Pirates

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:20:00 +0000

The Cougars beat rival Stevenson 11-2 in their first opening league game on January 15, 2010. Visit our Facebook page to get play-by-play commentary from Coach Rod Gilchrist.

The varsity soccer team were also the subject of a Monterey Herald article entitled "Conquering Cougars: Four-time league champ Santa Catalina continues to dominate local girls soccer scene." Go Cougars!

Speakers Promote Sustainable Seafood

noreply@blogger.com (Santa Catalina School) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:02:00 +0000

(Left to right) Helene York, Ed Cassano, Dr. Christian Reilly, science teacher,
and Dr. John Murphy, Head of Upper School.

Helene York, the director of the Bon Appetit Management Company Foundation, joined Ed Cassano, Monterey Bay Aquarium's Senior Director of Conservation Outreach, to speak to Santa Catalina Upper School students about sustainable seafood on January 12, 2010. Watch the video here!

The talk emphasized how our daily food choices affect the global environment. It also promoted food literacy, including knowing:

- Where your food comes from.
- What's healthy and what's not.
- What environmental and social impacts occur to get food to your plate.

Ms. York is a national expert on the food system's contribution to climate change and the architect of Bon Appetit's Low Carbon Diet program, which seeks to reduce emissions associated with food service operations by 25% over five years.

Mr. Cassano has 23 years of marine resource management, marine education, research, exploration, and at sea expedition experience, including alongside Jean-Michel Cousteau at the Ocean Futures Society. He currently leads the aquarium's sustainable seafood initiative, including the Seafood Watch program.