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• FAITH • INTEGRITY • SCHOLARSHIP •
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De La Salle Weekly COVID-19 Update
First and foremost, THANK YOU for your support and adhering to last week’s safety guidelines during Thanksgiving - it is much appreciated by everyone in our community.
As you may have heard by now, Governor Newsom presented new “Stay-at-Home” orders for California yesterday, and our Contra Costa County Health Officers implemented a new Stay-at-Home order for the County that will go into effect on Sunday, December 6th. Regardless of the restrictions that the Bay Area region has imposed, schools that have already opened (such as De La Salle and Carondelet) will be able to remain open. We will be allowed to conduct in-person and other previously allowed models of hybrid and small group instruction without modification. Schools that have not reopened must adhere to the stay-at-home order and may not open.
We will return to updating our school “Report Card” next week, but we did want to share some information with you. During the break last week, one student reported a positive case to us and no students have reported a positive case to us this week. The student who tested positive was not on campus and contracted COVID-19 from a family member. Currently, as a school community, we have a positivity rate of .09% - we would take action if that rate reaches more than 5.0%. Our goal is to stay open and stay the course, but it will take our entire community to remain vigilant to do so.
For the safety and well-being of those that are coming on campus, we ask that families be upfront with information regarding positive COVID-19 cases within your family. This allows us to send a consistent message regarding possible isolation or quarantine. We understand it can be a lot of information to process all at once and we want to be here to help you through that process. We have been working closely with county and state officials to ensure cases are managed appropriately. Please contact Kent Mercer (mercerk@dlshs.org) or Doug Bauman (baumand@dlshs.org) with any questions or to report positive cases regarding COVID-19.
Another major announcement that came this week was the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) announcement to push back the start of return to play until after January 1st. Click here to read the press release. The CIF will be releasing more information in the coming weeks. Each of our head coaches will be in contact with their student-athletes as they receive more information.
It's important for each of us to remember that our ability to hold in-person instruction, camps, and cohorts largely depends on the choices and actions made by the members of our community. Your choices to wear a mask when outside your house, to wash your hands frequently, and to not engage in close interactions with individuals outside of your family make us all safer.
Let's keep up the good work!
The De La Salle President’s Cabinet and the De La Salle COVID-19 Task Force
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Inside The Spartan Spotlight
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Dear Parents and Guardians,
During Advent, we patiently wait for the birth of the Christ Child. Out of darkness, there will be a great light! Our annual Christmas Concert is one way in which we prepare for our Saviors arrival. Unfortunately, this year there is no concert which means no audience participation in the singing of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" – hopefully, the families in the Class of 2024 will experience this next year. However, now is a good time to share a little history of this song with you. Continue Reading
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LETTER FROM THE VP FOR ACADEMIC LIFE
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Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, and Friends of De La Salle,
As we approach the end of the first week of advent, I write to you with enormous gratitude. First and foremost, THANK YOU for your support in adhering to the safety guidelines during Thanksgiving. Second, THANK YOU for your partnership and for sharing your wonderful sons with us.
As I compiled all I wanted to communicate in this letter, I was struck by how committed our students and faculty are to creative resilience AND to the spirit and action of service. Even as the world continues to operate in very complicated ways, our students have steadfastly held to the mantra, “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve.” They evoke Pope Francis’s comment on Thanksgiving day about the existential value of those who serve, especially in a crisis:
“They are the antibodies to the virus of indifference. They remind us that our lives are a gift and we grow by giving of ourselves, not preserving ourselves but losing ourselves in service”
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Two Weeks Remain in 2020 De La Salle Toy Drive This year's De La Salle Toy Drive began on November 18 and runs through December 17, so there is time to make a difference for families in need this Christmas. Due to COVID-19, the school is not accepting physical gifts but is accepting online donations and gift cards (Visa or Target gift cards would be best).
- Online donations can be made through the donation website at linktr.ee/DLStoydrive2020.
- Students can drop off gift cards to Mrs. Bedford in the Main Office during the school day.
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Learning Center Virtual Finals Prep Day December 13 • 1:30-3:30 p.m. If your son needs tutoring help for Semester 1 Finals, or for any other subjects throughout the year, he can access the Learning Center virtually through Schoology.
- Go to COURSES in Schoology.
- Click on LEARNING CENTER 2020/2021 course.
- Click the Zoom link just beneath the BLUE folder labeled After School ZOOM Tutoring/Finals Prep Day.
- Mr. Norfolk will be there to greet your son when he enters the Zoom call.
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SOPHOMORE IMMERSION PROGRAM
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On Wednesday, December 2nd, De La Salle’s Campus Ministry and Sophomore Religion teachers ran our new, Covid-approved Sophomore Immersion Program. Our sophomores were, simply put, amazing. Mr. Jeans and members of our baseball program helped set up for this outdoor event over the course of the day. This program included two poverty simulations. One, which was led by Dr. Christopher Miller, focused on Economic Justice and included interactive activities; the other focused on Food Insecurity in Contra Costa county and services provided by Monument Crisis Center in Concord to support those in need.
De La Salle students compiled 3,312 food packages that provide 19,872 meals (the food packages are sponsored by Generation alive). The food packages were donated to Monument Crisis Center and White Pony Express Food Recovery Program to be distributed to Food Banks in Contra Costa county.
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DE LA SALLE PARTNERS WITH SAVE MOUNT DIABLO
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On Saturday, November 14, De La Salle faculty member Henriette Howett took 21 of her Honors Biology students on a field trip to work on a Conservation Collaboration Agreement with Save Mount Diablo. This field trip for the students entailed restoration work, a nature hike, and a ‘Solo in Nature' experience.
To read the full press release and to see additional photos and a video from the day from the Save Mount Diablo website CLICK HERE.
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Upcoming events for the De La Salle Class of 2025 admissions process:
- Applications are available online at www.DLSHS.org.
- Priority applications must be completed and submitted ONLINE no later than 11:59 p.m., on Friday, December 11, 2020.
- Financial aid applications for the 2021-22 school year became available on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, through the De La Salle website.
- Financial Aid applications are due February 12, 2021.
For more information on the admissions process for the Class of 2025, visit the De La Salle Admissions web page.
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Due to the uncertainty with COVID-19 and large gatherings, we have had to postpone many of our fundraising events. We are hopeful that we will be able to hold all of our annual events in some capacity in the Spring. Please keep an eye out for future communications regarding the Crab Feed and Taste of De La Salle. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to plan these events in compliance with the County guidelines.
Save The Date! March 29, 2021 – Golf Classic May 1, 2021 – Auction June 21, 2021 – Brother Maris Golf Tournament
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There are a number of alumni events that take place during the school year.
For more information or to get involved, check us out:
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Make Your Annual Fund Gift and Take Advantage of Valuable Tax Benefits in 2020
As we approach the end of the calendar year, it is a great time to make a financial gift to De La Salle and receive tax benefits for 2020. You may also receive significant tax benefits through your donation of stock, securities, or other real property based on the fair market value at the time of the gift. Contact your financial advisor to learn more about the benefits of making a stock or a financial contribution to De La Salle. To facilitate your gift, contact Karla Wiese at (925) 288-8195 or by email at wiesek@dlshs.org.
If you happened to make a pledge, don’t forget to make a pledge payment today so that you receive your charitable deduction for 2020!
Make your gift online today by visiting www.dlshs.org/givenow. If you haven’t yet had a chance, you can make your gift online through our secure server until midnight on December 31 to have your contribution acknowledged in 2020 for your tax purposes.
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Ten Spartan Student-Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent During Early Signing Period On November 11, the De La Salle Athletics Department honored 10 student-athletes who signed their National Letters of Intent. Spartan signees included three baseball players, three members of the water polo team, two golfers, one lacrosse player, and one cross country runner.
Congratulations to the following 10 De La Salle student-athletes and their families:
- Blake Burke (Tennessee, Baseball)
- John Curran (Menlo College, Baseball)
- Patrick Curulla (UCLA, Cross Country)
- Joey Donnelly (Cal, Baseball)
- Gavin Grosz (Loyola Marymount, Water Polo)
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- Mitchell Hoey (Saint Mary's, Golf)
- Justin Hopkins (Washington, Golf)
- Connor Mechelke (Johns Hopkins, Water Polo)
- Cameron Reath (St. John's, Lacrosse)
- Brodie Sladek (Loyola Marymount, Water Polo)
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Tuition payments are due on the 1st of each month and considered late after the 10th of that month We realize these are challenging times, and if you are having financial difficulties with any of the payment deadlines, please contact Kathy Resch via e-mail at reschk@dlshs.org.
Tuition must be current prior to December 15th for your son’s participation in Final Assessments.
Financial Aid Applications for the 2020-21 school year through FACTS became available through our website on December 1. We encourage you to apply using the FACTS application link directly through our website at www.dlshs.org (Admissions>Financial Assistance). This will ensure that your application will be included in our review for Financial Aid. If you apply early, please note that the application will show as incomplete if you submit without providing any of the required financial documents.
Please remember if you are currently receiving Financial Aid you must re-apply each year. If you have any questions regarding the application process, please visit the Financial Aid webpage. If you have any further questions, please contact via e-mail either Angelica Rodriguez at rodrigueza@dlshs.org or Kathy Resch at reschk@dlshs.org.
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In this time of uncertainly, please continue to check the Daily Announcements for club meetings, upcoming Campus Life events, and important dates. Daily Announcements, which can be accessed via Schoology or on the De La Salle Website under Quicklinks, are posted by 3 p.m. for the following day.
Flex Day Planner Continue to encourage your son to complete the Flex Day Planner by 4 p.m. Tuesday for attendance credit for the Wednesday Flex Day. Flex Day is not a day off, rather a day to meet with teachers, catch up on academic work, attend Campus Ministry offerings, and attend club meetings. The Flex Day Planner and Catalog link are available each week in Schoology and via the Daily Announcements from Sunday through Wednesday morning.
Model UN Accolades Congratulations to the DLS Model UN Team who competed at the UCLA MUN (BruinMUN) this past weekend! Senior Joe Drozda and freshman Nate Feldman teamed up to win a commendation award representing Hungary in the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Junior Ring Payments Due: Jostens will be on campus December 15 & 17 at Lunch The junior class ring ceremony is just around the corner! We anticipate the Junior Mass of Unity at the end of January or February. To make sure your son gets his ring during this very special and important event, the ring must be paid in full prior to the ceremony. Jostens will be on campus in front of the LAPC during LUNCH ONLY on Tuesday, December 15, and Thursday, December 17 to collect ring balances. Balances due should be paid by cash, check, or money order payable to Jostens and mailed to: Jostens, PO Box 249, Danville, CA 94526. You may also pay by credit card by having your student bring in the card number, CVC code, and expiration date. If parents prefer to phone in the credit card information, you can do so by calling (925) 838-1835.
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"Replace fear with gratitude and the whole world changes." On Tuesday, December 8th, Father LaSalle will celebrate, virtually, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with a morning Mass at 7:30 that can be watched on the De La Salle High School Facebook page.
All Juniors will be participating (virtually) in Part 2 of their Junior Retreat, on Wednesday, December 9.
On Wednesday, December 9, De La Salle Hermanos Unidos will present a video Prayer Service in celebration of the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe/Nuestra Señora Virgen de Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a wonderful and significant cultural and religious experience to share with the entire student body. As Catholics, we share a special place in our hearts and in our community for our Mother Mary. We are proud to share in this sacred day celebrated across Latin America and among many Latinos in the United States. On this Feast Day we venerate the Virgin Mary, through the miraculous apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1529 she appeared to Juan Diego, then a 55-year-old peasant, living near present-day Mexico City. In the seven years after the apparitions, approximately eight million Aztecs converted to Catholicism. Juan Diego was canonized as a Saint in 2002. Our Lady of Guadalupe has been honored by 25 Popes and has been formally declared Patroness and Mother of the Americas.
Click on the link below for additional information about:
- Daily Mass
- Confessions
- Thanksgiving Prayer Service (Nov. 18th)
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- The Parent/Son Retreat (Feb. 6-7)
- Ven A Ver (March 8-13)
- Kairos Retreats for Seniors
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The Co-Directors of College Counseling, Esther Lopez and Lisa Sciacca, are available to answer any questions regarding the college process. Email questions to Esther Lopez at lopeze@dlshs.org (for students whose last names begin with A-K) or Lisa Sciacca at sciaccal@dlshs.org (for students whose last names begin with L-Z).
Click on the link below for the December College Counseling information that covers the following topics:
- College Applications & Deadlines
- Financial Aid
- Scholarships
- SAT/ACT updates
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- Letters of Recommendation
- Transcripts
- Information for Juniors
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Driver's Education registration for the 2020-21 school year is currently available through the De La Salle website. Dates for Quarter 3 Driver's Ed have been announced and will run from January 25 through February 25, 2021, during 7th period. The cost for the course is $150.
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The Parent Association is a group of current De La Salle parents who work on behalf of students, faculty, and staff to support events and volunteer needs.
Next Parent Association Meeting The next Parent Association meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 7 at 7 p.m., via Zoom. The Zoom link is posted on the Parent Association webpage. Click on the appropriate date under "2020-21 Parent Association Meeting Schedule" for all meeting information. All are welcome!
Recent Happenings: Support A Family - This year the Parent Association created a "Support a Family" program, which was spearheaded by Gwen Aberer. Gwen devoted countless hours recruiting many fantastic volunteers and instituted a plan for them to connect with the New Freshman Families as well as the Transfer Families. These volunteers check-in with the new families and assist them with any questions they may have, as well as helping them navigate De La Salle throughout the year.
We would like to thank Gwen Aberer for heading up this successful inaugural program and a big THANK YOU to her group of volunteers: Winn Acle, Kathe Barsi, Ana Maria Berry, Debbie Blue, Trish Brown, Christie Carnahan, Marnie Carter, Kimi Casillas, Staci Castagnetto, Maria Castillo, Lisa Chance, Amy Cole, Kasey Curran, Shannon Donnelly, Laura Flannigan, Joanne Giorgi, Erika Hoffmeister, Heather Hogan, Amber Hom-Tooze, Lynne Kenny, Mary Katherine Kienzle, Nina Kunz, Dottie LeBeau, Angela Lombardi, Kathleen Mazolewski, Wanda McAdoo, Liz Mechelke, Debbie Meeks, Rory Motas, Jen Mucha, Valerie Nagel, Patrice Okotie, Leanna Parker, Maria Romo, Renee Russell-Sitzman, Katie Ryan, Kim Sanner, Suzi Savarese, Cindy Schwenger, Jeanette Sebree, Donna Stein, Karla Tomaszewicz, and Ray Villar.
Current Open Positions
- Community Outreach Chair – includes helping organize the Cereal Drive and One Night Only events.
- Senior Trip Chair – includes working in tandem with the De La Salle administration
If you are interested in either of these positions or would like more information, please contact Kris Earle, President of the Parent Association, at kristine.earle2@gmail.com or Candi Mannoni, Vice President of the Parent Association, at pmannoni@pacbell.net.
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All registrar services are available on-line. The best way to contact the Registrar, Mrs. Linda Byrne, is by email at byrnel@dlshs.org. Mrs. Byrne will have on-campus office hours from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on Mondays and Thursdays during the first semester. All other days she will be working remotely or by appointment on campus.
Students with Active Work Permits If your son's work permit expires December 30, 2020, please print a new Intent To Employ Form, get all signatures, and email it to Mrs. Bryne (byrnel@dlshs.org) by December 18 for a prompt response.
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Bookstore Hours: Monday: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Tuesday: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Wednesday: CLOSED Thursday: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Friday: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Bookstore hours reflect the school schedule. Changes may occur. Please check the website for the latest information.
Merchandise: Christmas is just around the corner and we have stocking stuffers and gifts just for you! Items sell out quickly at this time of year so stop by soon and check out what is flying off the shelves: Men’s Nike windbreakers, women’s vests, pajama pants, scarves, beanies, ornaments, blankets, and much more!
Online Shopping: We continue to update our website daily with all items De La Salle. Avoid those long holiday lines at the post office and have us send all your online gifts. Place your online orders early for the best selection and arrival by Christmas!
Black Friday Sale *** Ends Friday, December 4 at Midnight *** 15% Off - Online Only Purchases
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