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Now available: St. Gregory Hawks Twitter! Follow the Hawks @StGregorySchool
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Jan 8, 2010
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Message from Head of School
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Jonathan E. Martin
Head of School
jmartin@stgregoryschool.org
www.stgregoryschool.org
www.21k12blog.net
Twitter:@JonathanEMartin
520-327-6395
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Creative, Inventive, Ingenious, Original: All four are thesaurus-provided synonyms for "innovative", and these four are the words I shared with our students today to help illuminate the significant goals to which we aspire when we now say we are "creating leaders and innovators".
I should add that though the slogan, or motto, has changed, the St. Gregory mission remains the same: to challenge students to pursue excellence in character, scholarship, and leadership. I explained to students today that though we may be saying these words less loudly this year, we are genuinely, deeply, as committed to character, scholarship, and leadership as we have ever been. The new "EGG," (Essential Goals for St. Gregory students) puts a strong emphasis on the components of character, scholarship, and leadership as vital things to be evaluated and reported upon every semester. We are also working to develop an advisory program which will be a valuable vehicle for character development, and we have implemented the new College and Work Readiness Assessment, which will test our students' higher-order thinking skills and give us great guidance on improving our education for scholarship.
We are highlighting this year, in our public communications and program development, the theme of creating leaders and innovators, and it is important that I fill in the picture of what we mean by our commitment to support the growth of our students' innovative mindsets: it is to assist them in becoming more creative thinkers, writers, and artists; more inventive and ingenious problem-solvers; and more original, independent-minded individuals. We think with these skills and habits of mind our students will be best prepared for a bright, successful, and rewarding future.
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Message from the Middle School Head
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Middle School Head
Phil Woodall
pwoodall@stgregoryschool.org
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Writing in the Middle School
Recently, I sat down with two eighth grade students, Caroline Nore and Alex Valencia, to talk about what their writing experience at St. Gregory means to them. Specifically, we talked about their most recent writing project in Mrs. Pickrell’s classroom entitled, “This I Believe.” These precious middle school students fairly bubbled over with joy as they recounted their experience. Caroline stated that in her former school she experienced more formulaic and prescriptive instruction that did not really get at, “what I really felt.”
She further stated that here at St. Gregory, “I have had the freedom to develop my own creative style from my own ideas.” Is this not a fine definition of innovation? She further stated that in her former school she mostly recreated other people’s writing style; here at St. Gregory she has developed her own personal voice and expression. Caroline’s “This I Believe” essay (500 words) is titled, “Best Friends Will Do Crazy Things for You.”
Alex Valencia communicated that the writing project helped her to, “know both sides of me, my private and my public self.” “When I write, my work is deeply personal, who I really am.” Alex stated that she keeps a personal journal and particularly enjoys writing poetry. Before coming to St. Gregory, in her old school, Alex stated that, “there was one writing assessment a quarter and you had only one prompt, my writing was not as exciting, not as authentic.” Alex continued, “Writing allows me to express my own feelings and to be comfortable with those feelings, it allows me to be more confident!” The title of Alex’s “This I Believe” essay is “The Healing Power of Basketball.”
I so enjoyed my conversation with the two girls! I went away with the strong sense, more than ever, that writing is the most dynamic and productive experience that we can exploit in the Middle School. When we focus on multiple opportunities for students to write they are able to become truly innovative, find their precious voice, and become confident individuals who can address a wide range of challenges in their schooling and in their personal lives.
Thank you, Caroline and Alex; you taught me a lot!
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A Message from the Director of College Counseling
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Kate Schmidt
Director of College Counseling
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Juniors & Seniors:
Please mark your calendars for the College Financial Aid Night on January 13th at 6:30 p.m. Bibiana Rivera from the Financial Aid Office at Arizona State University will provide information, applicable to all colleges, on the financial aid application process and timeline, how to estimate college expenses, how to maximize your potential for scholarship money, how to avoid loan and scholarship scams, and how to compare financial aid offers.
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Congratulations to Amanda Liu, class of 2010, on her receipt of the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement. The Siemens Award for Advanced Placement is given annually to one male and one female student in each of the fifty United States. Amanda was selected for this award based on her performance in AP mathematics and science during her high school years. She will receive a $2,000 college scholarship and recognition in USA Today.
Amanda will be attending Brown University, where she has been accepted Early Decision into the Program in Liberal Medical Education. The PLME, designed as an eight-year continuum, combines liberal arts and professional education, culminating in a medical degree.
Jonathan Martin writes, "Amanda's accomplishment is most certainly her own great achievement, and it also is beautifully emblematic of St. Gregory's tradition of and ongoing commitment to academic scholarship of the highest order. Congratulations Amanda, and congratulations to Amanda's teachers for this outstanding honor."
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St. Gregory in the News: Southern Arizona's Top 100 Figures in Sports
You might have missed it over vacation, but there was a very exciting article in the January 3 edition of the Arizona Daily Star in which sports columnist Greg Hansen published his list of Southern Arizona's Top 100 Sports Figures.
Two of the 100 were our own local heroes; coming in at number 64 was our wonderful (though recently departed) Paul Baranowski: "St. Gregory's boys basketball coach took his team to a second consecutive 1-A state title, finishing 35-1 for a two year record of 67-4." And at number 99 was our outstanding junior Frankie Mgbolu: "The St. Gregory standout led the Hawks to the state basketball title and then hit .507 for the school's baseball team."
The Hawks also received a great write-up in a Tucson Citizen piece which named high school sports programs "of the decade" and selected for Greater Tucson Small Schools none other than St. Gregory!
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Spring Event Coming March 5, 2010
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Lights! Camera! Auction! St. Gregory College Preparatory School’s gala event and silent auction benefit is Friday, March 5, 2010. The event will be held at Skyline Country Club. In addition to guest appearances by Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra (!), it will feature a high-end silent auction, big band entertainment, dancing, a martini bar, and a wide offering of culinary delights from a seafood bar to a chocolate fondue fountain.
The auction is the centerpiece of this important evening - and here is just one of the fabulous auction items featured:
However, the auction will feature a full range of exciting offerings for all tastes and budgets... art work, spa and beauty products, vacation getaways and fun and exciting school-related prizes among the many. Stay tuned for more!
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Games Available on AZSPORTSNETWORK.COM
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Lady Hawk Basketball Team
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The Lady Hawk basketball team has begun the intense January season with a bang. Last Tuesday, the ladies beat the Academy of Tucson by 19 points. Today, they travel to Elfrida, Arizona to take on the Valley Union Blue Devils. The Blue Devils have traditionally been a rival for St. Gregory and this year proves no exception. The Lady Hawks are currently tied with the Blue Devils for first place in our league. On Saturday, the team will take on St. Augustine at home. The Hawks lost to St. Augustine in the final game of the Boyd Baker tournament, so there is a bit of revenge on the players' minds. The game is at 5:30 and it would be great to have the bleachers filled with cheering STG fans! After these two games the intensity continues, and the gals will play six games in ten days, including a trip to the Lady Hawks' #1 rival, St. David, on Tuesday, Jan. 12th! It should be great competition and exciting basketball! Hope to see you at a game!
Go Lady Hawks
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The girls' soccer team had an amazing week, outscoring their two opponents by a combined score of 11 - 3. Tanque Verde fell victim to a hat trick by Athena Roesler and two goals by Rachel Lifton in a 5 - 2 St. Gregory win. Empire, a 3A school in Vail, could not keep up with the scoring barrage as Roesler, Lifton, and Karina Paredes each scored two goals in the 6 - 1 victory. A strong defense was key in both wins as Keely OBrien and Lauren Bolhack continued tenacious defense and Cece Nicholson tended goal.
Catch this exciting team at home Thursday January 14 against Florence at 4:00.
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The A soccer team had a full week of practice! This is usually unheard of during the season, so it was novel and fun. We also were able to watch the upper school girls' team play to offer our support and gain some knowledge.
As this week was relaxing, our next 2 weeks are filled with important games as we approach the tournament.
Coach Clashman
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Upper school girls' soccer will travel to Safford January 11 and host Florence Jan 14 for 4:00 games.
Upper school basketball will be at St. David January 12, hosting Tanque Verde January 15, and at Patagonia January 16. Game times are JV boys at 4:00, varsity girls 5:30, varsity boys 7:00. The JV girls will have the opportunity to play Tanque Verde at 2:30 January 15 at St. Gregory. Watch the Hawks play live online at azsports.com. Broadcast varsity boys' and girls' games include Jan 8 at Valley Union, Jan 16 at Patagonia, Jan 23 against Valley Union, Jan 28 St. David, and Jan 29 against Gilbert Christian.
MS softball has a busy week with three games. January 11 we travel to Academy of Tucson, the 12th is at Udall against Tucson Country Day, and January 14 we host St. Michael's.
MS soccer will have A games January 11 at Pusch Ridge and January 13 at Tucson Country Day. The B team will conclude their season with three games this week. January 11 Pusch Ridge will be at St. Gregory, Calvary Chapel will be here the 12th, and January 14 the season concludes with a game at Tucson Country Day.
All MS games begin at 4:00.
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2010-2011 Holiday Calendar
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August 9 -10 Sixth grade orientation
August 11 All-school orientation
August 12 First full day of classes
September 6 Labor Day holiday; no classes
September 9 Rosh Hashanah holiday; no classes
October 15 Faculty grading day;no classes
November 11 Veteran’s Day; no classes
November 24-26 Thanksgiving break
December 17 Faculty grading day;no classes
Dec. 17 – Jan. 2 Winter break for students
January 17 Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday; no classes
February 24-25 Rodeo Break
March 11 Faculty work day; no classes
April 2 -10 Spring Break
April 22 Good Friday holiday; no classes
May 21 Commencement, 7:30 p.m.
May 27 MS Move-Up Ceremony
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ory College Preparatory School
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1/10/2010 - 8th/9th grade students & parents team-building event and dinner
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1/13/2010 - Senior & parents College Counseling Night
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1/15/2010 - MS Honor Roll Recognition Ceremony
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1/17/2010 - Upper School Winter Formal, 8-11 p.m.
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1/19/2010-1/20/2010 Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
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1/30/2010 - 8th grade Potluck
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2/06/2010 - US Winter Production and Art Show
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3/05/2010 - Spring Event: Lights! Camera! Auction!
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3/24/2010 - Spring Concert
For additional information about any of the events listed above or St. Gregory athletics, click here. For a printout of the 2009-10 Parent Calendar, click here.
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St. Gregory College Preparatory School
3231 N. Craycroft Road, Tucson, Arizona 85712 - (520) 327-6395 - Fax (520) 327-8276
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