ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER
Transcription
ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER
ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER Formed in Catholic tradition, the mission of St. Michael High School is to foster the spiritual, intellectual, and personal development of young people as committed disciples of Christ. 17521 Monitor Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70817 P.O. Box 86110 Baton Rouge, LA 70879-6110 SPIRITUAL LIFE SENIOR EXAM SCHEDULE: Monday, May 5 ACRE TESTING: Each Spring, our Juniors take the Assessment of Catechesis & Religious Education, as required by the diocese. The scores from each part of this test help us review our curriculum, focus on areas of improvement, and celebrate our successes. The ACRE testing will take place during the week of April 28. Tuesday, May 6 tion, they will celebrate the first of several milestone events with our annual Senior/Mother Mass on Friday, May 2. All students will be in dress uniform, and mothers will gather with their senior(s) in the cafeteria at 8:30 a.m. for procession. This all school Mass will be followed by a special brunch celebration for seniors and their mothers in the gymnasium. After the brunch seniors will be dismissed for the day. INTELLECTUAL ACT DATES: The ACT will be held on Saturday, April 12 and Saturday, June 14, 2014. The registration deadline for the April 12 test has now passed; however, students may elect to register for ACT Standby Testing. For further information on this topic, please go to http:// www.actstudent.org/regist/standbytest.html . Registration deadlines for the ACT may be found at http://www.actstudent.org/regist/dates.html . The SAT will be held on Saturday, May 3 and on Saturday, June 7, 2014. To view the 2013-2014 SAT Calendar, which also contains registration deadlines, please go to http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-usdates . These are the final opportunities for current seniors to post either a qualifying ACT or SAT composite score for TOPS eligibility. Students in the Class of 2014 must earn an ACT score of 20 or above or an SAT score of 940 or above in order to meet the minimum ACT/SAT requirements for TOPS. Please note that the SAT score of 940 is based on the total of the sub-scores from the critical reading and mathematics sections of this test and does not include the writing portion of the SAT. Qualifying scores used to determine TOPS eligibility are based on Louisiana state averages. These averages are calculated using ACT and SAT scores posted during the previous school year (i.e. 2012-2013 for current seniors). Please remember to enter code 1595 on the ACT registration form or code 9019 on the SAT registration form to insure that the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance receives an official copy of the student’s test scores. 8th Hour—7:10-8:50 a.m. 6th Hour—9:10-10:40 a.m. Wednesday, May 7 SENIOR/MOTHER MASS: As our seniors move towards gradua- 1st Hour—7:10-8:50 a.m. 7th Hour—9:10-10:40 a.m. CHRISTIAN SERVICE MASS: Our Christian Service Mass will take place on April 9, at 8:50 a.m. The theme will be Celebrating Service: Charity in Action. Following Mass, students who have gone over, above and beyond in the work they have done this year will be receiving Christian Service Awards. In addition, a male and female senior will each receive the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Service Award for consistently putting “Charity into Action” during their time here at St. Michael. Parents are welcome and encouraged to join us for this special Mass. Phone: (225) 753-9782 Fax: (225) 753-0605 2nd Hour—7:10-8:50 a.m. 4th Hour—9:10-10:40 a.m. Thursday, May 8 3rd Hour—7:10-8:50 a.m. 5th Hour—9:10-10:40 a.m. AP EXAM SCHEDULE: * Please note that all students must be in their school uniforms to take an AP exam. Wednesday, May 7 7:30 a.m.— AP Calculus A/B Thursday, May 8 7:30 a.m.—AP English IV Friday, May 9 7:30 a.m.—AP English III Wednesday, May 14 7:30 a.m.—AP US History 11:30 a.m.—AP European History SENIOR EVENTS: Tuesday, April 29 Library books due; all overdue charges must be paid. Thursday, May 1 Senior Crawfish Boil Friday, May 2 Senior Mass with mothers—arrival 8:30 a.m. in cafeteria Brunch for seniors and mothers Wednesday, May 14 Baccalaureate Mass/Honors Convocation Practice— 9:00 a.m.—St. Michael Gym Wednesday, May 14 Baccalaureate Mass/Honors Convocation 6:30 p.m.—St. Michael Gym Thursday, May 15 Graduation Practice—1:00 p.m. RiverCenter Arena Friday, May 16 Commencement Exercises—3:00 p.m. RiverCenter Arena SENIOR ACCOUNTS: All senior accounts must be paid in full by Monday, April 14. All fees and tuition payments must be current in order for seniors to remain on the rolls and to take final exams. Contact Susan Thibodeaux, Extension 25, if you have any questions. DON’T BLOW YOUR TOPS!: To learn more about how and when to apply for a TOPS scholarship, please refer to the official Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance website at www.osfa.la.gov . This website provides specific information in regards to TOPS eligibility requirements, application procedures and deadlines, the TOPS core curriculum, and more! FINANCIAL AID UPDATE: By completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), application is made for all federal and state financial aid programs (including TOPS). The FAFSA must have an application receipt date no later than July 1, 2014 for students seeking financial aid for the 2014-2015 school year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be accessed at www.fafsa.ed.gov . It is recommended that you apply electronically in order to receive online assistance, faster processing, and more accurate transfer of information to the appropriate sites. LHSAA & LSHAA SPONSORS' SCHOLARSHIPS: The Louisiana High School Athletic Association and the organization's sponsors are offering a series of scholarships open to student-athletes who will be graduating in May 2014. Each applicant must provide evidence that he/ she is capable of succeeding at the college level as cited by official school transcripts indicating GPA and class rank, as well as ACT or SAT scores. These scholarships, in addition to other grants or financial aid such as scholarships, loans, grants or work-study cannot exceed the total cost of the educational expenses for one school year. For further information and to download an application, please go to http://lhsaa.org/schools/studentsand-parents/scholarships-and-awards/ . SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR THE 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR: During the month of February, students participated in the course selection process and entered their course requests through Edline. These requests, both in written and electronic formats, are considered a commitment on the part of the students to attend the classes they have asked St. Michael the Archangel High School to provide. Students are expected to remain in their chosen classes for the entire 2014-2015 school year or in the case of one semester classes, until the end of the semester. By signing the St. Michael High School Course Selection Sheet, parents/guardians are confirming their approval of the student's course selection and understand that these course selections are final except under the most critical circumstances. If a schedule change must be considered and is deemed unavoidable (i.e. error in the schedule; failure to meet requirements for graduation, TOPS, the Board of Regents, college admissions, etc.; or the student no longer meets the requirements for the course in which he/she enrolled for the 2014-2015 school year), the parent(s)/guardian(s) must provide school counselors with a written request for the schedule change. The letter must include the following information: the title of the course which is proposed to be dropped from the student's schedule, the title of the course to be added to the student's schedule, the rationale/reason for the request, the parent's/ guardian's signature and date, as well as the student's signature and date. Schedule requests are to be submitted during the period of April 30, 2014May 23, 2014. After this date, a check for $25.00 made payable to St. Michael the Archangel High School must be included with the written request for a schedule change. Only requests following this protocol will be considered. All written requests are to be submitted to the school counselor assigned to the student's grade level for the 2014-2015 school year. The names and assigned grade levels of school counselors are as follows: Freshman Class Counselor: Ms. Lindsay Carlino Sophomore Class Counselor: Mr. Kyle Cunningham Junior Class Counselor: Mrs. Katie Zylicz LSU SPRING INVITATIONAL PROGRAM REMINDER: The 2014 LSU Spring Invitational Program will be held April 9-11. Initial invitations were emailed to eligible students in January. The deadline for registration is April 1, 2014. Seniors who are attending this event must submit a copy of their placement sheet entitled “Profile of Academic Abilities” to Mrs. Diane LaBonte, Senior Counselor, on Monday, April 14, 2014. This document will list the student's test scores, credits earned, and recommended course placement at LSU and will be used in place of the usual letter of verification of attendance. Mrs. LaBonte will then submit this information to Mr. Varnado, Dean of Students, in order for an educational absence to be granted. For further information on the 2014 LSU Spring Invitational Program, including eligibility requirements, please go to http://sites01.lsu.edu/wp/orientation/freshman/springinvitational/. REQUIRED DATA FORM FOR GRADUATING SENIORS: All Required Data Forms for Graduating Seniors: Class of 2014, which were included in the graduation packets, were to be completed and returned to Mrs. LaBonte by Thursday, March 27. If your student has not yet returned his/her completed Required Data Form to Mrs. LaBonte with copies of the college acceptance and scholarship letters attached, please do so immediately! Be certain that both you (the parent/guardian) and your senior sign page 2 of this form. If your student receives letters of acceptance or scholarship offers after submission of the Required Data Form for Graduating Seniors, please forward copies of this information to Mrs. LaBonte as soon as possible. Senior Class Counselor and College Advisor: Mrs. Diane LaBonte Thank you for your support and commitment to your student's education. TOPS AND THE LA. AWARD SYSTEM: Many parents ask the question, "Is my son/daughter on track for TOPS?" One way to keep up-todate on the status of your child's TOPS eligibility status is to have the student create an account on the Louisiana Award System webpage. This online tool allows parents/students to view and update personal information for LOSFA, review the receipt of ACT and FAFSA records, and view the student's TOPS eligibility status and high school/college transcript records. Additionally, this service enables you to view, submit, and update exception requests, and see any notifications, which may be communicated via WebFocus. To gain access to the Louisiana Award System webpage, the student must create an account. This process takes less than five minutes; however, accuracy is critical to maintaining the integrity of the data being entered. To create an account, go to http://www.osfa.la.gov/ and then click on the Louisiana Award System tab located on the left-hand margin of the page. Graduating seniors should receive letters from the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) indicating their final TOPS eligibility status during the months of June and early July 2014. If you or your student has any questions related to his/her TOPS eligibility status, please contact LOSFA at (225) 219-1012. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT BAND HONORS: The St. Michael Jazz Ensemble continued its winning streak by earning superior ratings at the Loyola University Jazz Festival. Our St. Michael “Big Band” earned the highest rating possible, a superior rating, from all three judges. Several students were featured in this performance including jazz vocalist, Mary Grace Eddington. Other featured soloists included Richard Tuminello, Quinn Tull, Aaron Dupre, Chase Constantine, Kevin Justice, Hannah Woodard, Stevie Spring, Chase Pertuit, Tyler Pertuit. Also earning a superior rating at the festival was the Sciatic Jazz combo, one of four jazz combos that St. Michael has this year. FASHION AND CANVAS: The spring art and fashion show will be held Wednesday, April 30, in the school cafeteria. Student art work can be viewed, beginning at 5:30 p.m. A variety of art work will be on display and there will be a presentation of awards by Mrs. Katie Laatsch. The fashion show will begin at 6:30 p.m. Mrs. Patty Fell’s classes will be modeling the garments they made in class this year. Come join us for an evening full of visual art! JUNIOR-SENIOR PROM: The Junior Class will sponsor the JuniorSenior Prom on Saturday, April 5 from 8:00-11:00 p.m. at Stage 1. Information regarding proper dress and grooming can be found on page 33 of the Student Handbook. Information concerning dates can be found on page 35 of the Student Handbook. Tickets are not sold for prom, therefore, every junior and senior will have to complete an attendance/date survey to register for prom on Edline. KISS A SENIOR GOODBYE GRAMS: Each year the Student Council sells Senior Grams to students and parents for 25 cents. A gram is a small note card to write a congratulations message to a senior. Along with the gram, they receive a chocolate Hershey’s Kiss; hence the name, “Kiss a Senior Goodbye.” If you would like to send a message, pick up a gram in the office from April 13-17. All grams will be issued to the seniors on their last week of school. MOONLIGHT AND JAZZ: The St. Michael High School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Kevin Andry, presents its 8th Annual Moonlight and Jazz - an evening at White Oak Plantation with dinner by John Folse and music by the award winning St. Michael Jazz Ensemble on Sunday, April 6 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Seating begins at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are $75 each and includes wine, dinner, dessert and music. Proceeds benefit the Warrior Band. PRESENTATION OF THE 2015 SENIOR CLASS: The “Presentation of the Senior Class of 2015” pin and ring ceremony is Friday, May 9, in the St. Michael High School Gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. Please email Mr. Neil Borel at [email protected] or go to the school website and click on the “Junior Pin/Ring Ceremony” link for more information. There will be a mandatory practice on Thursday, May 8, from 2:35-3:45 p.m. RE-REGISTRATION: The deadline for re-registration has passed. If you have not re-registered your student for the 2014-2015 school year, please contact the office immediately. In order to secure a place for your student at St. Michael High School, this process must be completed . SPIRIT WEEK: Our 5th Annual Spirit Week will take place March 31April 4. This spirit week was kicked off on Friday, March 28 by Challenge Day which included a faculty-student dodge ball game. On Tuesday, April 1, seniors can wear college shirts or sweatshirts along with jeans and tennis shoes to promote the college they plan to attend. Wednesday, all students can wear their favorite St. Michael shirt or St. Michael athletic sport shirt and tennis shoes (no jerseys) with the rest of the school uniform. Thursday, students who purchased prom shirts may wear them to school with tennis shoes and the rest of their school uniform. Seniors may wear jeans with all these items. Parents are welcome to join us on Friday, April 4 at 8:40 a.m. for our Class Cup Celebration assembly with Ryan Theriot, former LSU and MLB player. Ryan played on two World Series Championship teams in his eight year MLB career and retired from the San Francisco Giants. Later that day, whatever class won the class cup competition, will be treated to lunch as well as fun and games during their lunch period. This should be a fun filled week and a chance for us to celebrate our Warrior Pride. SPRING BAND CONCERT: Come join us and our talented students as we present our annual Spring Band Concert on Tuesday, April 29. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. in the SMHS gymnasium. The band is under the direction of Dr. Kevin Andry. Admission for this concert is free and open to the public. STUDENT COUNCIL: Students running for an executive Student Council position will give their speeches on Tuesday, April 8 to the student body. STUDENT SUPPLIES: SMHS student supplies for the 2014-2015 school year may be ordered online beginning April 1-30 (the site is not accessible prior to April 1). Please go to our website at www.smhsbr.org and choose SMHS Student Supply Orders from the “Current News” section of the home page. You will then be prompted to the SMHS Supply Order Form. Payment may be made by sending a check or cash, along with your order form, to the school. Payment for supplies must be received no later than April 30. Please contact Mrs. Donna Amick at 753-9782, ext. 15 with questions or concerns. TUITION ASSISTANCE 2014-15: Applications for tuition assistance must be applied for online through TADS at their website www.mytads.com/. Your child/children must be registered for the 2014-2015 school year before applying. If you need assistance with this online process, please contact our office for a worksheet and instructional page. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 16, 2014. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Applications are screened and forwarded to our Finance Committee. Determinations will be made by May 30, 2014. TUITION FINANCING: Tuition loans are available online for the 2014SMHS CHAMBER WINDS: On Sunday, April 13 at 7:00 p.m., the St. Michael High School Chamber Winds will present its annual performance of sacred chamber music at St. Jean Vianney Catholic Church. Selections will include music by composers such as dePrez, Palestrina and Mozart, performed by our Marimba Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble and Saxophone Ensemble. The concert is free and open to the public. 2015 school year. First Bank & Trust has a new website this year. You will need to establish a new username and password even if you have a current loan. You may access the website at https://tuition.fbtonline.com Press the link that says “for 2014-2015 school year registration”. All loans must be applied for by May 15 or a $100 late fee will apply. If you need assistance a customer service representative is available to assist you by calling (504)5845967 or 1-877-426-2376 Monday-Tuesday from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. TECHNOLOGY UPDATE: All incoming Freshmen and new students to St. Michael High School are required to attend a two-day tablet/PC training July 16-17. All incoming Freshmen with last names A-L will attend 7:30-11:30 a.m. both days. All incoming Freshmen with last names M-Z will attend 12:30-4:30 p.m. each day. Any new student in grades 10, 11, or 12, will attend 12:30-4:30 p.m. each day. Parents of new students are required to attend one parent technology meeting before their student may take the laptop home. Mandatory parent meetings will be held on July 9 and July 15 at 6:30 p.m. Parents may chose the day to attend. TENTATIVE CALENDAR 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR: July 16-17 New Student Technology Training August 6 First Day of School September 1 Labor Day Holiday November 24-28 Thanksgiving Holidays December 16-19 Midterm Exams Dec. 22-Jan. 2 Christmas Holidays January 19 Martin Luther King Holiday February 16-20 Mardi Gras Holidays April 3-10 Easter Holidays May 15 Graduation May 18-21 Underclassman Exams PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE: Dear Parents: The East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office has asked us to share the following Public Safety and Health Alert with our parents and students. Please take a minute to read the information below. It would be a good idea to discuss this with your teenagers. I understand that conversations such as these can be awkward, but they are essential as parents try to keep the lines of communication open, as well as keep their teenagers safe. Teenagers often say they don’t want “to tell on someone” or “get someone in trouble.” This may be a good opportunity to discuss how not reporting what you know or doing nothing contributes to the problem. Sincerely, Ellen B. Lee, Principal Public Safety and Health Alert Concerning Consumption of Synthetic Marijuana The Coroner for East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana State Police, Baton Rouge Chief of Police, Sheriff, and District Attorney are jointly issuing an alert to warn parents, young adults, and teenagers of the danger our community is currently facing from the sale and consumption of products being sold as “synthetic marijuana” under a variety of names such as MOJO, White Widow, King Kong, and Sundown’s Pop It. Be advised that these are untested chemical concoctions that attempt to mimic marijuana without any consideration for the effects these chemicals may have on the human body. These chemicals have already placed a number of individuals in the emergency room with life-threatening symptoms. All local agencies in the city of Baton Rouge are aware of this public safety threat in not only East Baton Rouge Parish, but the surrounding parishes as well. Arrests will be made in cases involving controlled dangerous substances. These vendors will not be able to claim any lack of knowledge of the harm they are causing and are being made fully aware of the potential criminal consequences of their actions. Agencies are also working closely with the legislature to ensure that dangerous substances currently not included will be added to legislation. As parents and family members of loved ones engaging in the use of these dangerous chemicals, we are asking you to convey this same message. Please tell your loved ones that our hospitals are being inundated with these cases. Real harm is being caused by these products. This is not anything to take lightly. If you are involved with any business selling these products, you have been put on notice that your product is causing harm and that you should immediately cease selling these products. This health alert is your notice. You are providing a chemical substance that is endangering your customer’s health for which you will be held accountable. You will not be able to claim that you were unaware of the dangers of your product. If you are selling any synthetic marijuana product you are subjecting yourself to criminal consequences as well as civil consequences. All residents with knowledge of businesses or locations selling these products are urged to call the CrimeStoppers hotline at 344-STOP to anonymously report such sales. Information leading to felony convictions are eligible for rewards. WINTER SPORTS CONVOCATION AWARDS BOYS BASKETBALL: Paul Ragusa—Warrior Tradition Jacob Evans—1st Team All-District Paul Ragusa—1st Team All-District: Brett Hartmann—Honorable Mention All-District Paul Ragusa—Academic All-State Jacob Evans—Honorable Mention All-State Jacob Evans—Times Picayune All Area Baton Rouge Team Paul Ragusa and Jacob Evans—Captains GIRLS BASKETBALL: Tylor Row—Warrior Tradition Sydnei Jones, Tyler Morrison, Alex Wicker and Sabree Wilson—All-District Jordan Schexnayder and Tylor Row—All-District Honorable Mention Tyler Morrison—LHSBCA All-State Tyler Morrison—All-State 2nd Team Tyler Morrison—Times Picayune All Area Baton Rouge Team Tami McClure—District Coach of the Year Tylor Row and Sydnei Jones—Captains GIRLS SOCCER: Lauren McMahon—Warrior Tradition Lauren McMahon—District MVP Holly Farrow, Lauren McMahon, Shelby Manuel, Julia Robe, Caitlin McMahon and Paige Thompson—1st Team All-District Jessica Wright, Ashley Rivet, Sydney Sanders, Renee Jaynes, Mallory Borel and Breezy Berteau—2nd Team All-District Lauren McMahon—1st Team All-Metro Holly Farrow—2nd Team All-Metro Hayley Johnson, Lauren McMahon—Academic All-State Holly Farrow, Sydney Sanders, Lauren McMahon, Hayley Johnson and Ashley Rivet—Captains BOYS SOCCER: Joel DeRobertis—Warrior Tradition Mitchell Williams, Alex Silva, Ashton Fletcher, Joel DeRobertis and Mark Segalla—First Team All-District Jake Buss, Cameron White, Carlos Zambrano and Andrew Fulton—2nd Team All-District Oren Martin and Brett Ross—Honorable Mention AllDistrict Mitchell Williams and Alex Silva—2nd Team All-State Ashton Fletcher—Co-Overall MVP Mitchell Williams—Co-Offensive MVP Alex Silva—Defensive MVP Paul Fletcher—District Coach of the Year Michael Stein—Academic All-State Alex Silva, Mitchell Williams and Ashton Fletcher—1st Team All-Metro Alex Silva, Ashton Fletcher and Michael Stein—Captains WRESTLING: Ian Harter—Warrior Tradition, Jonathan Adamski—2014 City 5th Place Michael Ensminger—2014 State 4th Place, All-Metro Honorable Mention Ian Harter—2014 City 4th Place, 2014 State 3rd Place, AllMetro Honorable Mention Logan Knox—2014 City 3rd Place, All Metro Honorable Mention Dylan Verret—2014 City 5th Place, 2014 State 3rd Place, AllMetro Honorable Mention Michael Ensminger, Ian Harter and Dylan Verret—Captains DANCE TEAM: Whitney Banker—Warrior Tradition Whitney Banker and Haley Hoffer—Captains ST. MICHAEL ANNUAL AUCTION AND GALA “A BLACK AND RED CARPET AFFAIR” St. Michael High School presented the “Black and Red Carpet Affair” Annual Auction and Gala. A movie premiere like stepand-repeat entrance, professional photography as people entered, and exclusive seating were the elements of the theme on Saturday, March 15 for the 20th Annual St. Michael High School Auction Social held in the school gymnasium. This year, a red carpet entrance greeted attendees, Better Than Nobody was the live entertainment for the night, and the VIP treatment of the step-and-repeat were the additions to the usual silent and live auction supper. Sponsors for the evening included River City’s One Hour Air, First Bank & Trust, ISC Industrial Instrumentation and Electrical Services, Brian Harris Auto Group, Campus Federal Credit Union, and Grace & Hebert Architects. Several restaurants and caterers were kind enough to donate food for the event, such as Rotolo’s, Hi Nabor, City Café and Veron’s Sausage with beverages provided by Calandro’s Supermarket, Mockler Beverage, Crescent Crown Distributing, Coca-Cola of Baton Rouge, and Community Coffee. “This event could have never gone off as well without the tireless work of our event committee and Advancement Department, specifically the hard work of Alumni Director Rebecca Landry and Angie Simoneaux,” said St Michael High School Advancement Director Josh Galasso. “Some of the more exciting auction items were a full home air purifying system (donated by One Hour Air), a week-long vacation at Heart Six Dude Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (donated by the Harris Family), LSU memorabilia, original art, fashion parties and a Kamado Joe Grill, as well as items that benefitted St. Michael students including, preferred parking, Principal for the Day, lunch off campus, and Warrior wear among hundreds of other items.