Changing Tides Newsletter - Fall 2013

Principal’s Message

Changing Tides Newsletter

ter, Naviance is a school-wide college and career readiness program that helps connect academic achieve-ment to post-secondary goals. A one-stop shop for students and families, Navi-ance helps connect what stu-dents do in the classroom to their life goals. This compre-hensive college and career planning solution optimizes student success, enhances school counselor productiv-ity, and tracks results for school administrators. For even more information, see the article in the “Counseling Corner”. I am looking forward to our upcoming Campus Beautifi-cation Day on Saturday, Feb-ruary 2nd from 7-3. This is the final clean-up day prior to our WASC accreditation visi-tation. The accreditation committee will be visiting us from March 3 - 6. This process began one and one half years ago and will culminate in what we hope will be a six-year clear accreditation. For more information on WASC and the importance of school accreditation, please read our article on page two writ-ten by our WASC coordina-tor Patty Clavijo. To another great semester of academics, athletics, citizen-ship, and music on the coast! Cheers, Ms. Silvestri Principal

Dear Cougar Students, Par-ents, Guardians, and Com-munity Members:

Happy 2013 Cougar family members and supporters! I cannot believe that we are already in the throes of sec-ond semester and that stu-dents are registering for courses for 2013-2014. Our first semester passed quickly and senioritis has already set in. The Class of 2013 is going far. Students have been ac-cepted early to many col-leges including the follow-ing: Loyola Marymount Uni-versity, MIT, Gonzaga Uni-versity, Southern Methodist University, CSU Stanislaus, CSU San Jose, CSU San Fran-cisco, Cal Poly, Penn State, University of Colorado at Boulder, San Diego State University, University of Port-land just to mention a few. Keeping in mind that regis-tration has begun, it is a cru-cial time to give to the Aca-demic Fund/Cougar Scholas-tic Excellence Fund (CSEF). Despite state budget cuts over the past four years, we have still been able to ac-complish the following: • Add 17 Elective and Advanced

Placement course offerings over three years

• Decrease class sizes • Increase the number of students

eligible to attend the UC/CSU’s by 23%

• Increase the number of students attending 4-year colleges and universities by 13%

Everyday we open the doors of possibility for college and career pathways after high school because of your sup-port! We need your contri-bution to the Academic Fund/CSEF to help advance the education for your coast-side youth. For additional information, go to the PAC site at http://www.hmbhspac.com/scholastic-fund.html and con-tribute online via credit card. There will be upcoming fire-side chats hosted by Chris Dobbrow and me. Join us to learn more about the Aca-demic Fund and how it has a profound impact on all of our students. On January 14th, we hosted our second annual Challenge Day. Approximately 100 students and 30 adults par-ticipated in this powerful retreat dedicated to promot-ing social justice, empathy, and respect for others on our campus and in the world. To learn more about this power-ful experience, please check out the article in the “Counseling Corner” of the newsletter on page 3. This academic year brings much change and new ideas thanks to the experience and innovation of counselors, teachers, and department chairs. Four new courses were just approved by the Cabrillo Board of Education as well as five novels in the World Language Depart-ment. Our Parent Advisory Council approved the fund-ing of Naviance. As I re-ported in the PAC newslet-

Inside this issue:

Demystifying WASC by Patty Clavijo

2

Cougar Counseling Corner & The Paw Print

3

Curriculum & Instruction - Upcoming Test Dates

4

Interview with the Principal - A Childhood Dream Realized

5

Dooley’s Roundup, Construction Update & Athletics

5-6

Departmental News - Art, Biology, French & Music

7-9

Grad Night Needs You! & PAC

9-10

Special points of interest: • Centoni Wins Award

• Students Create Online News Site

• Award-winning Personal Learning Plans conducted for all grades

• We asked Principal Silvestri, “How did your first semester go?”

• All things French by Patty Clavijo and Anne Ryckebusch

• See photos of the Curtains’ cast as they rehearse for spring musical

• Op Ed on Sports and Community

• Get your Yearbook now!

A Publication for our Cougar Community Winter 2013

Half Moon Bay High School Changing Tides Newsletter

HMBHS Spring Musical “Curtains”

11

Sports - Good for the Soul and Community

12

Who is the visiting committee? The visiting committee consists of seven to nine educators from all over the state of California. They will read the report prior to visiting the school site, analyze what the school site’s self-study reports, and come to visit the school site for three and a half days to authenticate the report. The visit is a chance for the team to get their questions answered and see if they can verify the evidence stated in the school’s self-study. When is the HMBHS’s WASC visitation? March 3-6, 2013 Who is the WASC Coordinator at HMBHS? Patty Clavijo and you may reach her at: [email protected] Credit to: http://www.lbschools.net/Main_Offices/High_Schools/wasc_visitation.cfm

Demystifying WASC

“This accreditation process is extremely important for students who

want to go on to 4-year colleges and universities,” Principal Allison

Silvestri said. “They do note if we’re WASC accredited or not.”

Page 2 Changing Tides Newsletter

WASC Visiting Committee Chair Doug Jones speak-ing to faculty on how to prepare for upcoming WASC visitation.

HMBHS faculty listened to WASC Chair Doug Jones and prepared for upcoming visitation

Through the completion of the self-study process, the school will have accom-plished: * The involvement of all staff and other stakeholders to support student achievement. * The clarification and measurement of what all students should know, understand, and be able to do through expected schoolwide learning results and academic standards. * The gathering and analyzing of data about students and student achievement. * The assessment of the entire school program and its impact on student learning. * The alignment of a long-range action plan to the school’s areas of need; the development of and implementation of an accountability system for monitoring the accomplishment of the plan. Over the course of two years (beginning Fall 2011), the school has convened a se-ries of meetings with various stakeholders to present information, to gather their interpretation of the data, and to identify areas of strength and needs for improve-ment at the school. The two school-based groups that have done the majority of the data and informa-tion gathering, as well as the writing of the actual WASC document include: • Home Group—A group in which the participants all represent the same content

area, Smaller Learning Community, or interest group. • Focus Group—A group which ties together representatives from different

home groups to look at the school’s data and issues. The focus group meetings often take place during our teachers’ conference period meetings or at after school meetings. If a member cannot attend a meeting, input is submitted via email. The focus group topics include:

* Standards-Based Student Learning: Assessment & Accountability * School Culture & Support for Student Personal & Academic Growth * Standards-Based Student Learning: Instruction * Standards-Based Student Learning: Curriculum * Vision & Purpose, Governance, Leadership & Staff, & Resources

This year is very important as we un-dergo our WASC accreditation from March 3 - 6, 2013. Read all about WASC and why it is important for your student's college and career readiness: What is WASC? WASC stands for Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This association is one of six regional accrediting associa-tions within the United States.

Why is accreditation important? Accreditation shows that a school pro-vides its students with quality educa-tional programs. Accreditation estab-lishes a standard across high schools to ensure that credits earned in high school are transferable and that graduation diplomas signify eligibility for colleges and universities. An accredited school is focused on a mission and goals for students; it is stu-dent-oriented and examines its stu-dents' performance continuously; it accepts objective evaluation from a team of outside peer professionals trained by WASC; it maintains a quali-fied faculty within an effectively organ-ized school; it collaboratively assesses the quality of its educational programs on a regular basis; and it plans for the future. The self-study process, leading to ac-creditation, requires school stake-holders (administrators, teachers, counselors, classified staff, parents, students, community members, and others) to examine their data, policies/procedures, and curriculum and in-struction to determine the strengths of the school and the areas in need of im-provement. The self-study then re-quires that the school determine how the areas of need will be addressed in an action plan.

Cougar Counseling Corner by Kira Gangsei, Department Chair

This year’s new Journalism class took on an exciting and challenging task as the founders of The Paw Print, HMBHS’s offi-cial student news site. Students spent first semester building the website from the ground up, choosing everything from the name of the paper to its mission statement. Each week, students brain-storm topics that concern the student body, select their own news to cover, write articles, and collaborate to turn their classroom into a functioning news-room. Now that second semester is well on its way, students are focusing on utilizing their social media expertise to help

branch out to more readers and gain more student input for the paper. There is a place on the website to write Letters to the Editor, submit photos and artwork, or ask questions for our resident advice columnist, and The Paw Print staff en-courages you to contact them with your opinions. We look forward to producing our first print edition soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Students Create Online News Site for HMBHS by Alyssa Neilsen, Journalism Teacher

Page 3 Winter 2013

Paw Print Staff Editor in Chief: Domenica Domiray Copy Editor: Anya Skinner Web Master: Marci Springer Editors: Krishan Mithal, Stephen Yogi, Kyla Kemp, Chelsea Cardenas, Hailey Throne, Grace Lundberg Reporters: Alicia Laos, Stephanie Pe-rez, Liliana Chavarin, Carla Moya-Ramirez, Maria Martinez, Monica Maya-Lopez, Elizabeth Acosta, Emma Andrei-ni, Haley James, Eliana Torres, Brandon Inglis, James Cartwright, Summer Haa-taja, Haley Novarina, Amy Simanek, Sandra Sencion, Elizabeth Abarca, Amanda Berke, Angelica Jaramillo

Spotlight: New HMBHS Counseling department programs The counseling department has been working diligently to expand the caliber of services that we provide for our stu-dents. We are pleased to announce the introduction of 2 new programs and the continuation of another that continue to/will greatly benefit our school commu-nity. Naviance- A comprehensive college, career, and future planning data system that will revolutionize the services that HMBHS counselors provide for our stu-dents. All students will have an account with Naviance and will have the ability to plan for their futures using this excep-tional tool. AVID- Students will learn organizational and study skills, work on critical think-ing, receive academic help, and partici-pate in enrichment activities that make college seem attainable. As students progress in AVID, their self-images im-prove, and they become academically successful leaders and role models. Challenge Day- On Jan 14 HMBHS hosted our second annual Challenge Day. 90+ students participated in this on campus field trip that addresses bully-ing, school climate, and the emotional & personal needs of students. Thank you to all students, faculty, and community members involved. Many thanks to PAC, School Site Council, and CEF for funding, consideration, and ongoing support.

HMBHS Course Selection 2013-14 Please refer to the following schedule and note due dates – forms must be re-ceived on time with parent/guardian signature. Please keep in mind that schedule changes cannot be accommo-dated. Important Note: We will not be distrib-uting hard copies of the Student Planning Guide. A complete version of this guide can be found on the counseling website listed under Forms at: http://hmbhs.schoolloop.com/counseling-department1

Course Selection PLPs: Freshmen – Wednesday, January 23 DUE: Monday, January 28 Sophomores – Friday, January 25 DUE: Wednesday, January 30 Juniors –Wednesday, January 30 DUE: Monday, February 4 Cunha 8th Grade – Tuesday, January 29 DUE: Monday, February 4 SENIORS! Financial Aid Season is here Counselors met with all seniors on Janu-ary 16th to go over financial aid proc-esses and timelines. Copies of the docu-ments distributed are available in the counseling center.

TO DO: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov FAFSA is due on Saturday, March 2, 2013 but some schools are requesting the information sooner. Note: Complete the FAFSA with esti-mated figures rather than turning it in late. Cal Grant GPA Verification: Seniors should have submitted Cal Grant GPA Release forms to their counselors. Cal Grant GPA information will be sent elec-tronically for those who submitted the form. Financial Aid Workshops: Jan 26th, 9-11am HMBHS Library (Both Eng & Span sessions offered) Upcoming Counseling Department Events January 26 – FAFSA financial aid work-

shops in English & Spanish – 9am in the HMBHS library

Freshmen students and their families will begin meeting with their coun-selors on Mondays beginning Feb 4 for freshman family PLP meetings to review progress, create 4-year plans, and discuss future opportuni-ties. Look for invitations in the mail.

February 28- FREE SAT prep crash course offered by Pete Fingerhut. 3:15-4:15pm, D5.

March 20 – Senior PLP (Community Col-lege Application Workshop)

May 30 - Local Scholarship Night

TESTING NEWS CAHSEE: February 5th and 6th are the dates for all sophomores to take the California High School Exit Exam (and seniors who have not yet passed both parts). Please see our School Loop Website and Email for more details. Best of Luck to all members of the Class of 2015!!! California Standards Tests: California Standards Tests for Spring 2013 will be administered to all ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students on April 25 – 30. Mark your calendars – it’s important that ALL of our students are present to demonstrate how much they’ve learned this year! We will have special bell schedules on the testing days as we will be following special schedules for the tests. Early Assessment Program (EAP): 11th grade students will have the opportunity during the ELA and Math portions of the CST to participate in the EAP. There is also very important written component of the EAP that will be administered to all 11th grade students in their English classes in March. The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is a collaborative effort among the State Board of Education (SBE), the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California State Uni-versity (CSU). The program was established to provide opportunities for students to measure their readiness for college-level English and mathematics in their junior year of high school, and to facilitate opportunities for them to improve their skills during their senior year. Please encourage your students to do their best! Advanced Placement: Teachers have been busily preparing students for success on the ex-ams all year long. Advanced placement tests will be administered the first two weeks of May. Be on the lookout for AP related information regarding payment for the tests and test day lo-gistics coming from Ms. Olmstead, our AP Test Coordinator. SEMESTER GRADES Transcripts were sent out to all families in January. As a reminder, through the generosity of PAC, after-school tutoring and homework help is available Monday through Thursday with teachers in the library from 3:15 until 4:15 p.m. NEW COURSES We are very excited that the board has approved the following four new courses to offer our students next year:

Art Spectrum: This class introduces students to the study of two- and three-dimensional art and design and the creative and technological tools needed to prepare them for success in higher level art and design courses. Elective PE Dual and Team Activities: A new elective course for juniors and seniors who would like to continue life-long learning in physical education. Broadcasting: Students will learn the foundations in broadcast media and become familiar with current and emerging technology and practices of broadcasting. AVID I: Advancement Via Individual Determination is an educational reform program with a continued success rate with first generation college-bound students. AVID I is a course designed to introduce and prepare students for entry and success in a four-year college or university.

COURSE SELECTIONS FOR 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR Students are busy working with counselors this month to make decisions on course selections for next year. Please look over all documents carefully and don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Changes in your schedule once course requests are turned in will not be able to be accommodated. Student Artwork in the Curriculum and Instruction office: During the first semester everyone who has visited my office has enjoyed the sculptures, metal work and paintings created by Erick Mariscal, Derek Kulda, Nathan Hagarty, Ryan Mattel, Ridge Mickelson, Joaquin Jimenez, Jason Cagle, Connor Pope, Dulce Perez, Geoffrey Osgood, Marielle Hood, Maia Buzbee, Riley Hummel, Eduardo Acosta, Serena Terry, Mackenzie O'Connor, Edwin Arellano, Gustavo Hernandez, Luis Cruz, and Dana Lopez. I loved being with their work every day and seeing smiles on people’s faces as they admired the creativity of our students.

And now for our Winter Cougar STARS!!!! The following students received recogni-tion from teachers and staff for demonstrating excellence in Academic Achieve-ment, Citizenship, or Excellence in Communication (ACE). Congratulations to: Diego Acosta, Magdalena Arreola, Marius Avril, Nicholas Bannick, Miguel Camacho, Chelsea Cardenas, Katie Carlevaris, Alejandra Cisneros Rodriguez, Marcela Cordova, Liam Dolan, Justin Gali-Lamirande, Daniela Gutierrez, Xitlalitl Jimenez, Lyndsay Klimenko, Morgan Krieger, Natalia Laba, Dillon Lippman, Mikaila Lucido, Grace Lundberg, Serena Manfro, Monica Maya-Lopez, David Mendez, Ridge Mickelsen, Jeanelly Miramontes, Kathryn Nassar, Sabrina Nava-Catalan, Lena Nguyen, Hugo Plancarte-Grajeda, Ariel Rangel-Castro, Megan Rodrigues, Megan Rodrigues, Cesar Ruiz-Serrano, Erica Sarabia, Piet Shafer, Cynthia Silva, Cynthia Silva, Chet Silveria, Sarah Stretch, Ruben Torres, Andres Vazquez, Daniel Velasquez, Wade Watkins, Benjamin Wigman, and Jonathan Wigman.

C & I News by Ellen Reller, Assistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction


Student art work displayed on the walls of Reller’s office

Student art work displayed on Reller’s wall by Edwin Arrellano and Mackenzie O’Connor

Dooley’s Roundup by Assistant Principal Jarrett Dooley, Pupil Services

Transition best describes this school year as Cabrillo Unified School District hired approximately twenty-five new teachers and five new principals. One being our very own Allison Silvestri as she segued from assistant principal to principal of Half Moon Bay High School.

Silvestri admitted this tran-sition challenged her but her experience working as assistant principal of cur-riculum and instruction for the past three years greatly prepared her. Faced with the task of hiring about one

fourth new staff, she couldn’t have imagined having gone to another school and just

stepped into the role of principal. “I feel fortunate that a lot of the transition was extremely smooth,” Silvestri said. “I know the stu-dents. I know the staff. I’m familiar with the campus. We have strong instructional leaders in department chairs which makes for a really well-run school.”

Silvestri grew up in school so to speak since her father worked as an educator for 40 years. In the third grade she knew she wanted to be like her dad and admitted he’s the reason she’s in education. Silvestri has discovered that her greatest challenge in being prin-cipal has been the voluminous writing that’s required of her. “I did not know how much writing was involved in this job which has made me much more sedentary than I’m used to.” Silvestri said.

Anyone who knows Silvestri understands she has high energy and enjoys being engaged in the classrooms and with the student body which launched her appearances on HMBHS’s daily TV an-nouncements produced by Pat Olson. James Barnes helped to re-vise the Expected Schoolwide Learning Results known as ESLRs. Each Thursday, Silvestri delivers her recorded ESLRs message series and acknowledges students for meeting them. “I select one of the three areas we evaluate students based on academic excel-lence, citizenship, and excellence in communications (known as ACE).” Silvestri said. “Weekly, I seek out and look for students

who model the way for others and who exemplify what we hope all of our Cougars will be when they leave here. For example, I’m going to be recognizing Eva Cassel who sang the national anthem on Friday night (Jan. 18). It was bone-chillin’ and amazing. The hair on the back of our necks was standing up. I’m going to recog-nize her for academic excellence, for citizenship, and giving back to her community, as well as excellent communications as a beau-tiful singer.”

The most pressing task for Silvestri is the upcoming visitation of the WASC committee on March 3-6 (please read WASC Demysti-fied on page 2 for details). “This accreditation process is ex-tremely important for students who want to go on to 4-year col-leges and universities,” Silvestri said. “I think it’s really important that we receive a six-year clear in that it means we have a very clear direction, that we’ve addressed concerns of previous visiting committees, and that we have a very strong vision for the next six years.”

In addition to a WASC review, the staff and faculty are being asked to participate in an online evaluation of their new principal initi-ated by new Super-intendent Tony Roe-hrick. Silvestri looks forward to the feed-back from her staff and the timing works out well. “I’m in the last year of clearing my Tier II adminis-trative credential and part of it was to conduct an evaluation.” Silvestri said. “I love to get feedback so I can improve my practice and be aware of what I need to work on.”

Most would agree that Silvestri is off to a great start as principal. On a daily basis, she exhibits enthusiasm, compassion for the stu-dents, and leadership to the HMBHS community. A native of the Bay Area, her parents reside in San Mateo and she has taught at Woodside and San Mateo high schools. “I feel very privileged to come here everyday and serve in capacity as principal of this high school,” Silvestri said. “It’s a phenomenal high school and to be able to say I’m the principal of it is by far the most proud statement I can make.”

ASB & Activities Leadership Class has brought forth a proposal to replace the March Cougar Bowl Assembly with a guest speaker, Ms. Har-riet Turk. Students from Leadership would like her to speak to the Student Body about Making Positive Choices, Anti-Bullying, and the overall concept of Self Respect. Students have experienced her powerful words at CADA and would like to fund her appearance for their peers. By the time you read this, it should be in the makings. Stay tuned for an update with the date of her appearance.

Athletics Don't forget to check the school website for constant updates as to how your Cougars are performing on the courts, fields, and mats! Check out at: hmbhs.schoolloop.com/live-game-updates. For standings and a Hall of Fame update, check out our Athletic Director's article inside this edition.

Facilities Students, staff, parents, and community members have all had heavy input into developing the school's Master Facilities Plan. A site committee has been developed to continue providing ideas, gathering input from members of the group they repre-

A Childhood Dream Realized By Janet Vrba

Page 5 Winter 2013

Principal Silvestri and faculty plan for upcoming WASC visitation in March

“I feel very privileged to come here everyday and serve in capacity as

principal of this high school.”

Athletic’s Update by Athletic Director Justin Ferdinand

sent, and reporting back. I'd like to thank the following indi-viduals for stepping forward for our site-based committee: Students Anna Morales and Brenda de Jesus Acosta; Parents Janine Robinson, Joel White, and Diane Peranich; Classified Employees Diane Paoli, Oscar Ramirez, and Janet Vrba; and Certificated Employees Deanna Rocha, Justin Ferdinand, and Anthony Agundes. Safety Upon meeting with district personnel at the beginning of the second semester, we are convening an additional Safety Com-mittee Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 29th, from 3:15-3:45pm in the office conference room. We welcome any parents interested to attend.

Technology The Android Tablet grant approved through CUSD and CEF is on its way! This will be a 40-tablet cart that will get moved from classroom to classroom, across six content areas, on a pilot status. Teachers will be responsible for observing student learning objectives through the use of the device, and discuss-ing implications at the completion of the year for implementa-tion District-wide. Big shout out to Mr. Barnes, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Games, Mrs. Lynes, Mrs. Clavijo, and Ms. Walton for vol-unteering their time, energy, and expertise to make this tech-nology pilot happen! Don't forget that HMBHS is on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube! Check us out for daily updates.

After a very impressive fall season that brought home league championships by our Girls Tennis and Boys Water polo teams, our winter sports programs are looking to follow suit and are off to a great start. Currently, our Boys Varsity Basket-ball team is ranked in second place in the Peninsula Athletic League and their Frosh-Soph team leads the league with a 6-0 record. Our Girls Varsity Basketball team is currently in sec-ond place and looking to move up. Their Frosh-Soph team is looking strong and is improving with every game.

The Boys and Girls soccer programs are playing some great soccer so far this season. The Boys Varsity team is currently in 4th place and the Frosh-Soph team is in 2nd place. Both teams are looking to move up in the standings as the second half of the league season gets underway this week. The Girls Varsity team is currently tied for 4th place in league, but with some

great game experience they should make a move in the com-ing weeks. The Frosh-Soph team is undefeated in league play and will be hoping to continue this trend.

Both our Varsity and JV wrestling programs are in a deadlock for 1st place in the league. It is looking like the league title may come down to a dual with Terra Nova on our home turf on February 7th. Make plans to attend this meet as it should be one for the ages. Also, Joseph Lowman placed 2nd at one of the toughest two-day tournaments in California, the Mid-Cals in Gilroy.

The gym and the bleachers have been packed recently and the student athletes appreciate the support. Please continue to attend and show your Cougar spirit.

Dooley’s Roundup Cont’d

Parking Interrupted for Solar Power Construction The Cabrillo Unified School District is pleased to announce the District’s solar power projects are now under construction. Solar panel arrays are being installed at both Half Moon Bay High School and at Cunha Intermediate School. The projects

are in partnership with Solar City and are not part of the Measure S Facility Bond Program.

The solar project is fully funded by Solar City and they will own, operate, and provide all mainte-

nance for the arrays and re-lated components. The Dis-

trict will purchase the electrical power generated by the sys-tems for Solar City at rates set below market projections over

the duration of the agreement. The Cabrillo Unified School District Governing Board approved the power purchase agree-ments with Solar City on May 10, 2012.

The solar arrays will be mounted on canopies covering portions of the parking lots at each campus. The canopies will be located in the upper student parking lot, as well as the lot nearest the softball complex at the high school. The main staff parking lot at the intermediate school will also house the canopies. Together, the solar sys-tems will generate about 525 KW.


Phase 1 of construction in HMBHS’s upper parking (senior) lot

below grade level in reading and writ-ing,” said social studies and SDAIE teacher Crystal Rigley. “It’s virtually impossible for a teacher to fully differen-tiate thirty-five students every day. My class is currently reading between a Pre-K and 6th grade levels. I feel as if I am significantly failing my students if they graduate from my class without making a significant attempt to improve their literacy."

For more information and questions about the pilot program, please contact Ms. Rigley at: [email protected].

For more information about Achieve 3000, go to their website at http://www.achieve3000.com/

An online literacy and writing program called Achieve 3000 is being piloted in Ms. Rigley's and Ms. Chau's History SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction In English) class, Ms. Fauth's and Clavijo's SAS (Strategic Aca-demic Support) classes, Ms. Rycke-busch's ELD (English Language Devel-opment) and Spanish for Spanish Speak-ers 2 classes, and Ms. Moore's Basic English classes.

One fundamental belief of the web-based, differentiated instruction solu-tions program, Achieve 3000, is that lit-eracy unlocks achievement. Achieve 3000 supports the individuality and po-tential of every student by reaching them where they are to help them reach

higher levels of reading and writing pro-ficiency.

This interactive online program engages the students by using news articles about sports, music, science, history, culture, etc. On the first day of the pro-gram, the students took a test to deter-mine their reading level. After the initial test, students receive assigned articles and activities at their differentiated reading levels. If students successfully complete a minimum of two articles and activities per week, they will signifi-cantly increase their literacy and writing levels by the end of the semester.

"I am really excited about this program because my students are significantly

Departmental News

New Literacy Program Underway for English Language Learners

Katrina Saiia Ledgerwood, Volleyball, Class of 1994 Michael Seaton, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Class of 2006

On February 9th we will be honoring a phenomenal group of former Half Moon Bay High School student athletes as they get inducted into the Hall of Fame. This is a special night of recognition and it shouldn’t be missed. Please make plans to join us at the Oceano Hotel. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the HMBHS BAC website at http://www.hmbcougarboosters.org/.

The 2013 Half Moon Bay High School Hall of Fame class: Mathew Ballard, Football & Wrestling, Class of 1991 Walter Richard "Dick" Calvin, Cross Country Coach, 1970-1997 Lorena Marie Ferreira Harrigan, Cross Country, Basketball, Track & Field, Class of 1985 Sara Fulp-Allen, Wrestling, Class of 2003 John William Parsons, Basketball, Class of 2002

The biology classes studied the flow of energy in an ecosystem from producers to the top-level consumers. To culminate this unit a researcher from the Felidae organization gave a presentation on mountain lions to all the classes. The students also participated in a lab that showed the impact of human develop-ment on mountain lion populations. Some students from AP Environmental Science and AP Biology went on a field trip with the researchers to see mountain lion habitat. Surprisingly, the next week two young mountain lions were spotted in downtown Half Moon Bay and became

Page 7 Winter 2013

Congratulations to Mr. Centoni! On January 22, Ruth Rafello representing San Mateo CRTA Scholar-ship and Educational Foundation Inc. presented a check to Marine Biology Teacher Joseph Centoni who will use the funds to purchase field monitoring equipment for his AP Environmental Science and Marine Ecology courses.

Athletics Cont’d

Biology and the Felidae news-worthy when they were shot by Fish and Game officials. This unexpected event re-emphasized the value of making classroom content relevant to the stu-dents’ lives.

Editor’s Note: Due to the public uproar, State Sen. Jerry Hill responded to the con-troversial killings and introduced a legis-lative bill on January 25th that would re-form how the California Department of Fish and Wildlife handles future encoun-ters between humans and mountain lions. The bill would provide the agency alter-native and nonlethal methods when deal-ing with cougars unless there is a dire public safety threat.

World Languages - le français

If your student is having a hard time with math, or they could use a place and time to do homework after school, our Library is open for tutoring in math and other subjects from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Thursday every week while school is in session.

Sponsored by the Parents Advisory Council and Cougar Boosters (Booster Athletic Corp.), our Homework Club is staffed by teachers, counselors and stu-dent volunteers. Students may seek help or simply use the library as a place to study alone or with friends. We encour-age staff and parents to recommend stu-dents to this program and take advan-tage of the time, space and resources to improve their work and grades!

Bonjour! In French 2 and 3, our students delved into the holiday spirit as we sung several French songs, ate French food, and watched the French film Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas).Students brought in delicious Galettes des Rois (King’s cake) for l’Epiphanie and we crowned several kings and queens. Next, we’ll bake crèpes for La Chandeur. Though these Catholic traditions have lost religious significance for many French people today, they remain very popular with children who eagerly look forward to these events as a way to break up their dreary and chilly winter mon-ths.

In the spring, we’ll once again host French students from Thionville, France, during April 20 to May 3. If you’re interested in hosting a student, please contact Patty Clavijo by email at [email protected] or Anne Ryckebusch by email at [email protected]. Hosting these students has been a rewarding experi-ence for many families who have also enjoyed the opportunity to travel to France and to be “wined and dined”. To culminate their visit, a pot luck dinner will be hosted at Ms. Ryckebusch’s house where everyone gathers to celebrate.

First semester French 1 students have enjoyed learning about the francophone, or French-speaking, world. They are now part of la francophonie thanks to their abilities to greet each other, ask questions, partake in basic conversations and understand basic spoken requests. We have incorporated much technology through webquests, writing and illustrating stories using Powerpoint as well as creating weather reports uploaded to YouTube. We celebrated Saint Nicolas Day on December 6th and shared our enthusiasm for learning how to cook French cuisine for our end-of-the-year fête. You may hear your French 1 student practicing vocabulary by singing songs like Frère Jacques, Allouette, or class favorites like I Am a Pizza and Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes ~ in French of course.

French 1 students also joined French 2 and 3 on a wonderful field trip to San Fran-cisco on October 26th and viewed a French film presented by the San Francisco Film Society in collaboration with the Consulate General of France in San Fran-cisco. Schools from all over the Bay Area participated in viewing the 2011 film Un Monde Sans Femme.

Second Semester French 1 students will hone their pronunciation skills with French pop songs and beautiful poetry by Victor Hugo and Jacques Prévert. We’re planning a Mardi Gras Celebration in February as well as a fashion show and a puppet show in the spring. A bientôt!

HMBHS Yearbook LAS OLAS Yearbooks are currently $85, but the cost will go up to $100 on February 28. We are implementing this steep price increase to help us order the cor-rect number of copies of the yearbook. When we order too many yearbooks, we lose money. (We are trying to make a profit this year so we can offer yearbook scholarships to low-income seniors.)

You can order a Senior Recognition Ad now! We will work with you to create a personalized page or you can work with a template at https://www.yearbookordercenter.com - #16344 (prices slightly higher online). Flyers with more information are available at the front office or from the Yearbook class. Please email Ms. Lunstroth at [email protected] with any questions.


Music Performance Dates We hope you find time to sup-port our musicians as they per-form at the upcoming music festivals. For more informa-tion, please John Evans at [email protected].

Feb. 1 CMEA Jazz Festival CSM (College of San Mateo) Mar.15 Santa Cruz Jazz Festi-val Mar.29 CMEA Band Festival at El Camino High School May 11 CNEA Choir Festival at Serra High School May 17-20 Heritage Festival in Anaheim

Reminder to Parents! Math Tutoring and Homework Help in the Library

Mr. Jones’s Web Deign Class at work.

Grad Night Needs Parent Volunteers

rice, printmaking, watercolor, Bris-tol, tagboard, foam core, gatorboard) • Scrap lumber, masonite, (especially finish lumber scraps) • Scrap wire – PLEASE! • Sharpie pens and markers • Post it notes (Please drop off donations to the main office with a label marked “Art Depart-ment Donation” or contact Larkin Evans at [email protected] with any questions.) Upcoming Art Event: Open Studio Night

Once a year, the art department has a night for parents and students to share art. All of the art classes will be open and you are invited to join us!!! Watch for the date on School Loop and on the HMBHS home page. Parents of art stu-dents may see student portfolios; stu-dents can teach their parents an art skill; students can view art done by classes they haven’t taken yet to see what they are like. All parents, students, relatives and friends are invited to this well-attended and popular art event!

Please come!

Art Spectrum is an exciting and newly revised Gateway class for the art depart-ment and technology courses. Art Spec-trum touches on drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital expression. Stu-dents will engage in a variety of materi-als based on the elements of art and principles of design. All of your art teachers hope to be teaching this class! See the student planning guide for more details.

National Art Honor Society: The Na-tional Art Honor Society is a part of the Art Club at Half Moon Bay High School. All students who have received a semes-ter grade of “B” or higher in art, sculp-ture or photography, are eligible to join this organization. The purpose of the organization is to promote scholarship, service and character as it relates to the visual arts. The cost of annual dues is three dollars and are payable by check or cash at art club meetings or to the art club treasurer.

Art Dept. Donors 2012-13

Many thanks to the generous donors of art supplies, materials and time since the last newsletter:

Ink Spell Books @ www.inkspellbooks.com,

Jon and Janine Miller, Joan Fulp, Ed Watkins, Lisa and James Kairos, Wendy Kennedy, Re-becca Ellis, Hallie Gardo, Mina Pratt, Deanna Bone-Rundle, Kathleen Conroy, Yvonne McClish and the Scott’s Valley Senior Center, Dan and Heather Bodman, Peter Welch and Arrowhead Framing, Kelly Hoffman Davis @ www.the graphicworks.com, Michael Wong @ www.springmountaingallery.com, and New Leaf Market @ www.newleaf.com.

Donations are requested for the fol-lowing recycled &/or extra art materi-als:

• Flashlights and batteries • Antlers, Animal bones, Animal horns • Room Fan (each art room needs extra ventilation, at times) • Brooms for extra sweeping up • Used Flatware, especially forks • Fabric scraps, sewing notions, needles, thread • Screw drivers, hammers, needle nose pliers, wire cutters • Leftover scrapbooking materials • Rolling pins or wooden closet poles or wooden broom handles • Beads, costume jewelry, feathers • Quality and/or specialty papers (ie: origami, metallic, handmade,

man, sophomore, or junior your partici-pation this year will inform and inspire you to create another fantastic event for your student’s big graduation day.

Get involved today!

“Many hands make light work” so even an hour of your time can be put to use! Contact Laura Segervall and she will find something that suits your time, talent, or interest. You may reach her at 650- 726-1954 or [email protected]. And check out “Grad Night” on the HMBHS website under “Parents & Community”. All help is welcome!

The 19th Annual Grad Night Party will be held on June 13, 2013 beginning after the graduation ceremony. Grad Night is an all-night party extraordinaire for our HMBHS Seniors to celebrate graduation in a safe and fun way. This is an adult supervised event that includes games, activities, dancing, food, prizes and non-stop fun! Enormously popular, Grad Night offers a healthy alternative to un-chaperoned parties and is the not-to-be-missed event for every senior student.

Part of a national effort to keep students safe on graduation night, Grad Night is a community-sponsored event that is only made possible by the efforts of parents that plan, set-up, chaperone, and clean

up after the party. Over one hundred volunteers are needed to conduct this memorable, once-in-a-lifetime event!

Parent volunteers from ALL GRADES are needed

Grad Night is a worthy tradition that benefits the entire community by mini-mizing accidents related to graduation parties that often include younger friends and family members of gradu-ates. Even if your student is only a fresh-

New Art Class for 2013-14: Art Spectrum & Open Studio

Page 9 Winter 2013

Senior Graduation is a

Rewarding Volunteer

Opportunity.

A Message From HMBHS Parent Advisory Council (PAC)


Thanks to your donations and support, we are happy to announce that PAC has been able to help fund the following this school year:

• Annual School Loop subscription for the entire student body • “Turnitin” subscription for the entire student body • BAC-PAC Study Center-after school tutoring in the library (funded by both BAC and PAC) • General classroom supplies • Enrichment opportunities including field trips and guest speakers • Student Recognition (including Cougar Awards Luncheon) • School Beautification • Scholarships • Hospitality for many important school events (9th Grade Orientation, Back To School Night, Teacher Appreciation Lunch-

eons, Challenge Day, Financial Aid/College Night and upcoming Cougar Awards’ Night and Scholarship Night) • Professional development for the faculty to enhance classroom experiences for students • Naviance, used by many, many high schools in and around the Bay Area and beyond, helps connect academic achieve-

ment to post-secondary goals. A one-stop shop for students and families, Naviance helps connect what students do in the classroom to their life goals. This comprehensive college and career planning solution optimizes student success, enhances school counselor productivity, and tracks results for school administrators.

PAC needs YOU! PAC works all year for the students and teachers at HMBHS, not just in the fall. There are still many opportuni-ties for you to get involved and make a difference this year! Here are a few things you can do to support your student’s educa-tional experience:

• Purchase re-loadable New Leaf Grocery Store gift cards through PAC. PAC receives $5 for every $100 that you spend! Thanks to your support, PAC has earned over $2000 this year!! Contact Allison Dobbrow at [email protected] for de-tails.

• Purchase gift cards through PAC and, depending on the card, PAC will earn anywhere from 2% to 15% from each card. Consider purchasing cards for your family needs such as Safeway, Chevron and Starbucks! It’s easy! Contact Jena Fritz at [email protected].

• Participate in our Beautification Days~Let’s make our campus sparkle for our graduates and their families for our Graduation festivities in June. Please mark your calendars for the following Saturdays: February 2 and June 1. Plan on helping between 7am and 4pm. We will appreciate even one hour of your time! Many hands make for light work!!

• Make a difference in next year's schedule by donating to the Academic Fund/CSEF now. All donations go directly to fund elective classes at HMBHS. Without funding through the Academic Fund/CSEF, courses like AP Physics and AP Environmental Sciences would not have been possible at HMBHS and this year's Chemistry classes would have had 35 students per class. Our goal is to fund 4 elective classes for the 2013-2014 school year. Help us meet this goal. For more information, please go to our website (http://www.hmbhspac.com/scholastic-fund.html).

• Would you like to help our teachers? Please go to our website (www.hmbhspac.com) and click on the “Teacher Wish List”.

Please consider becoming involved in PAC. Many of our current members will no longer be parents of high school students as their children transition to HMBHS graduates in June! We look forward to "passing the torch" and hope to have several enthusias-tic and energetic new parents join PAC and continue PAC's good work. There are many opportunities to contribute! You don't have to join the board to help out (but we'll be looking for new board members too!). Think about volunteering to assist with our Western Fundraiser Night, chairing the hospitality committee, writing the newsletter, managing the PAC website, working on campus beautification, or managing the New Leaf card program. We have many jobs available - some big, some small! But all very important! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have questions or would like more information about becoming involved. We look forward to hearing from you! As always, thank you for your support of HMBHS and PAC. Best, Allison Dobbrow and Katie Howell HMBHS PAC Co-Presidents

The 2013 Half Moon Bay High School Spring Musical will be the 2007 Tony Award winning

musical Curtains. This Kander and Ebb musical (creators of Chicago and Cabaret), is a hilarious whodunit with a wonderful script and musical score! The show will open March 15th and run for 2 weekends- Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:00. The show will close on Sunday March 24th. Tickets will be $10 for students and $15 for adults.

The story opens during the brassy, bright, and promising year of 1959. Boston’s Colonial

Theatre is host to the opening night performance of a new musical doing an out of town tryout prior to a planned Broadway opening. When the leading lady mysteriously dies on stage, the en-tire cast and crew become suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan! Hilarity and wonderful song and dance ensue!

The cast, crew, musicians (over 70 HMBHS students) and production team look forward to

you coming out and enjoying their hard work! See you at the show!

Page 11 Winter 2013

The Curtains cast as they rehearse for the upcoming spring musical. Photographs submitted by Emilia Shelton.

1980s and played sports. I didn’t under-stand Title IX but I was privileged to live

and compete in a commu-nity that embraced and supported its female ath-letes. I’ve greatly bene-fited from the equality Title IX has produced. Even though I excelled in aca-demics and graduated at the top of my high school class, if I told you the truth

– my motivating factor to attend college was to play sports. Without the influence of sports in my life, I don’t know if I would have ever become the first college graduate of my family.

I know sports have made a positive impact in my life. To this day, I cherish the cama-raderie I experienced with my teammates and coaches. We achieved goals together that built our character, confidence, and memories to last a life time. I know athlet-ics continue to make a positive impact on many young men and women who partici-pate in them as well as their communities.

Over the past few years, it’s been a pleas-ure for me to watch our parent-ran Cougar Boosters be so supportive of both our male and female athletic teams as they work hard at the scoreboard or snack bar, as they help our student-athletes fundraise monies needed for uniforms and equip-ment, as well as take such initiative in help-ing to build a strong and positive athletics program at HMBHS. From what I can see, sports are good for the soul and our com-munity.

good at connecting us through a collective psyche. Who doesn’t remember the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team beat the Russians for gold? Or the first time our womens’ soccer team first won the Olympic gold medal in 1996 – only to repeat similar victories in 2004, 2008 and 2012. It’s this collective psyche that opened the door for Title IX to be passed in 1972 – a law that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assis-tance.

Did you know that before 1972, most schools did not have equity for women in athletic programs? Science teacher Barbara Lohman shared that her high school did not

have any competitive female sports teams which was the norm at that time. Lohman went to high school in South-ern California and graduated in 1966. She shared that her choices for higher education

were limited because many universities did-

n’t accept women into their programs. The attitude of the time was that a woman’s place was in the home – not in higher education.

Forty years later Title IX has brought dra-matic changes for women in sports, educa-tion, and work. Today many females un-knowingly benefit from a law they’re not even familiar with. That was my case. I grew up in the

Sports - Good for the Soul and Community Editorial by Janet Vrba

HMBHS Office Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HMBHS Main Office Phone #: 650.712.7200

Registrar Alexa Menezes hours: 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

* Transripts cost $5 and the request form is online.

Attendance Clerk Shirley Maidt: 11:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

* Call attendance line or send a note for absences.

ASB Account Tech Diane Paoli: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Community Liaison Yadira Acosta: mornings at ext. 5010

Changing Tides Newsletter is a tri-annual publication of Half Moon Bay High School. EDITOR & PHOTOGRAPHER Janet Vrba e: [email protected] p: 650.712.7205 w. https://hmbhs.schoolloop.com/ Half Moon Bay High School does not discriminate based on ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, race, physical or mental disability, actual or perceived.

I’ve always been an advocate of having a strong athletics program in a high school. My experience has shown me that sports bring a community together and spur pro-social behaviors. For example, look how our Bay Area professional sports teams are doing. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series. The San Francisco 49ers made it to the Super Bowl. These successes have created a buzz in the Bay Area induc-ing us to talk with our friends and even to strangers about our awesome sports teams. We feel like winners right now.

I believe the same goes for our community at the high school level. Last Friday, our gym was packed to cheer on the girls and boys basketball teams. Senior Lincoln Tre-anor led the Sixth Man Club and student body to cheer for our teams; our pep band under the guidance of John Evans played on; our HMBHS dance team entertained us; our basketball moms received recognition that evening; and we all rooted for our Cougar athletes on the basketball court. This sporting event brought our commu-nity together on a Friday night.

The classical Greek philosopher Socrates believed that a team was a virtuous community critical to the civic, moral, and spiritual development of the city-state. Another renowned philoso-pher Plato understood that sports devel-oped character and civic awareness, team-work and togetherness.

During the 2012 Summer Olympics, I couldn’t help but cheer for the American athletes as they competed against the best the world had to offer. The Olympics are

Bella Cozzolino and Varsity Dance Team

Corey Cilia shoots for a win

Documents

Changing Tides Newsletter - Fall 2013