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• FAITH • INTEGRITY • SCHOLARSHIP •
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Inside The Spartan Spotlight
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Dear Parents and Guardians,
In this day and age of the pandemic, we are all self-examining who we are and what we are doing. I am sure we all wonder if we are doing the best we can be doing. As I look over my past years in Catholic education, the story of The Cracked Pot gives us a good perspective on how we should view ourselves. Let us not be too hard on ourselves during these trying times.
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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,
At this point, families on both sides of Winton Drive will have received multiple communications from us over the past week. In case you missed them, here are the important links:
We want to assure you as we approach the potential reopening of school that as “Two schools, One community” we have the flexibility ability, community connections, and resources to welcome our students back in person. Continue Reading
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CALIFORNIA COVID-19 GUIDELINES UPDATE
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On Tuesday, September 29, the State updated Contra Costa County’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy status from PURPLE to RED. This means that if the County remains in the RED for two weeks, De La Salle will be released to return to our Hybrid Learning Schedule at the end of that time frame.
There are still a number of steps that De La Salle and Carondelet need to take for a safe and successful re-opening of school. By mid-next week, we will be sending our families an update of all significant dates, including when we plan to re-open campus. In addition, in the coming weeks, we will provide a comprehensive plan which will include all schedules, protocols, and procedures and any other relevant information.
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RETURN TO SCHOOL OPT-OUT SURVEY
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As a follow up to the letter we sent our families on September 29, an immediate action that we need all De La Salle and Carondelet families to take is to complete a short survey. The survey will identify your son’s intention for coming back to school in the hybrid format or if he is going to continue at home with the distance learning program. As a reference for the school's re-opening, please re-visit our Back to School Preparedness plan.
We ask that all families complete the Opt-Out Survey by Friday, October 2. If you do not fill out the form by that date, we will assume your son will be coming to campus in our hybrid environment. If you have more than one son at De La Salle (or children at both schools) be sure to fill out an additional form for each child.
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While we look forward to celebrating our students returning to school, this celebration will not be without its challenges. There will be bumps along the road as we continue to weather the repercussions of the pandemic.
You may recall in Spring 2020, the school administration made financial decisions amidst the pandemic to assist our families during these economically challenging times: no increase in tuition for the 2020-21 school year, provide financial aid relief to families affected by COVID-19 job loss at the end of the 2019-2020 school year, and increase tuition assistance to over $4 million for the current year.
While we had hoped these budgetary preparations would be enough, the 2020-2021 school year is proving to be like no other we have experienced. With students learning in a hybrid capacity, there is limited income from cafeteria sales. With athletics postponed until January 2021, our sponsorship and gate revenues are on hold or potentially lost for the year. With the inability to gather physically as a community, our event fundraising income is also questionable.
With these challenges, we are faced with a significant loss of operational revenue to support our school efforts - tuition assistance, faculty development, and student co-curriculars.
Although we have had to cancel or postpone many activities on and around campus, our students continue to work hard through distance learning. Our faculty remains dedicated to the transformative, educational environment De La Salle provides. Your investment in our Mission and our students is needed now more than ever.
On Thursday, October 15 we pray that you will bless us with a gift on De La Salle Giving Day. Your support will be especially impactful as we navigate through the 2020-2021 school year – particularly with the return of students to campus - and the residual effects the pandemic will continue to have on our students, their families, faculty, staff, and our entire De La Salle Community.
Make your gift now by visiting www.dlshs.org/givenow or anytime leading up to De La Salle Giving Day on Thursday, October 15. This will make a tremendous difference in the lives of our students this school year.
* If you have already contributed to the De La Salle Annual Fund this school year through our Parent Pledge Program or a one-time 2020-2021 gift, thank you so very much for your support. If you are able to make an additional stretch gift this year to help our entire De La Salle community, your investment will be wholeheartedly appreciated!
Have questions about giving? Contact Director of Development, Karla Wiese at wiesek@dlshs.org.
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The 20th Annual De La Salle High School Cereal Drive, to benefit the families of the Monument Crisis Center (MCC), ends Friday, October 2. Due to COVID-19, the school is not asking for the De La Salle community to deliver boxes of cereal, but rather donate money through our online donation website.
De La Salle has received $10,922 in donations so far, but need a final push to reach the students' goal of $12,000.
For the first time, De La Salle will host an auction to support this year’s cereal drive. De La Salle faculty and staff are pitching in to help the student-led drive by donating their time and talents by providing auction items that supporters to the Cereal Drive will be able to bid on including a BBQ dinner, a round of golf with coaches/teachers, and delicious baked goods. CLICK HERE for more information on Cereal Drive auction items and to make your bid. The Cereal Drive auction will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 2.
The student’s goal is to deliver 3,000 boxes of cereal to the Monument Crisis Center, and the students are just $1,000 short of this goal. Once the cereal drive is complete, the money will be used to purchase boxes of cereal to be delivered to the Monument Crisis Center.
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Driver's Education registration for the second quarter of the fall semester is currently available through the De La Salle website. Quarter 2 Driver's Ed runs from October 19 through November 20, during 7th period. The cost for the course is $150.
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THEATER SHORT FILM CONTEST
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Short films are a creative outlet for sharing stories and inspiring self-expression during the COVID-funk. Let’s make something! Between now and October 10, the De La Salle/Carondelet Theatre is accepting short films under two-minutes that show an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances.
What are the circumstances? That’s where the student comes in. Show us a character who alternates between reality and a parallel reality. A perfect “what if” scenario. Teams of 1-4, no dialogue permitted, but crazy editing cuts and transitions welcome! Bring whatever movie magic you can muster.
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Upcoming events for the De La Salle Class of 2025 admissions process:
- Online applications for the Class of 2025 became available on Tuesday, September 1.
- The 2020-21 Spartan for a Day shadow program began on Wednesday, September 23, and is currently scheduled to run each Wednesday through November 11 (availability is limited).
- De La Salle will host a virtual Open House on Sunday, November 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
For more information on the admissions process for the Class of 2025, visit the De La Salle Admissions web page.
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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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Registration and Payment for AP Testing due by Friday, October 2
De La Salle High School, in conjunction with College Board, offers Advanced Placement (AP) programs that present college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities often grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations.
If your son is taking an AP class, it is expected that he sign up for the AP test, which will take place in the first two weeks in May. You will need to pay for each individual test your son will take. Your son will also need to register for their AP classroom with their teacher. Please note while signing up whether or not your son is taking Physics 1 or Physics C, also Calculus AB or Calculus BC.
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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.
2021-2022 Financial Aid Applications through FACTS will be available through our website beginning December 1, 2020.
Remember if you are currently receiving Financial Aid you must re-apply each year. If you have any questions contact either Angelica Rodriguez at rodrigueza@dlshs.org or Kathy Resch at reschk@dlshs.org.
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Virtual Club Fair Runs Through October 7 Is your son interested in joining a club this year, existing clubs are creating information videos to share what they are all about. Curious what clubs De La Salle has to offer, check our revised 20-21 Club Guide!
Students can use the Schoology Groups codes to join (copy the code, click on Groups>My Groups>Join, enter the Access Code). Contact one of the club officers or moderators and use the posted Zoom links for meetings. Each day a different club will be spotlighted. Check them out!
Senior Yearbook Ads Due October 16th Families can purchase a yearbook ad for the Class of 2021, but the opportunity ends soon, as ads are due by Wednesday, October 16. Click Here to review the specification for ads and prices. If you have questions about yearbook ads, please contact Mr. Rogers at rogersr@dlshs.org.
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As you can imagine, some adjustments had to be made to our Fall schedule:
- We celebrated the Sophomore Class on Sunday, September 27 with a Mass, which is available on the De La Salle Facebook page (Scroll down to September 27).
- All Kairos retreats will take place in the second semester (online registration will be available in October).
- The Parent /Son Retreat will be held February 6-7 and it is open to father/son and mother/son pairings.
- Campus Ministry is conducting virtual prayers at 8 a.m. every Wednesday that is a Flex Day.
- The Freshman Retreat has been moved from October 14th to a Wednesday in November. The date is still to be determined.
- The Junior Retreat will be offered to all Juniors in four two-hour sessions on the Junior Flex days. The first session will take place on October 28th. We plan on offering the first session in person and online to accommodate full participation.
- We will celebrate Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 18th.
- We will celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe on Wednesday, December 9th.
Morning Mass Father LaSalle Hallissey invites you, your sons, and loved ones to the live-streamed Morning Mass. Every morning during the week, Father LaSalle will celebrate Mass from the De La Salle Chapel at 7:30 a.m., live on the De La Salle Facebook page. These morning masses should last between 20-30 minutes. You are welcome to invite your students and the wider De La Salle Family to this virtual online Mass.
No matter the circumstances, Campus Ministry is here to provide you with spiritual nourishment. Together we can help each other face the current challenges with faith and strength, and build a caring inclusive community as our founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle instructed.
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IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS October 1 FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid available. October 8 College Search During COVID: A Virtual Event October 10-14 No School for seniors. Spend time completing applications. October 14 On-campus SAT at De La Salle.
The Co-Directors of College Counseling, Esther Lopez and Lisa Sciacca, will provide an overview of all the steps that need to be taken this fall for successful selection, application, and acceptance to colleges and universities. Please don’t miss it! 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).
In addition to the important dates listed above, the College Counseling Office has also provided information on the following topics:
- College Applications
- Letters of Recommendation
- FAFSA Applications
- College Admissions Representative Visits
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- College Information Sessions and Preview Days
- Information for Juniors
- Information for Sophomores
- College Advisory Class
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COMPANY PRODUCTION - 12 ANGRY JURORS
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De La Salle and Carondelet Theatre Company’s outdoor performance of 12 Angry Jurors is scheduled to run November 5, 6, 7, 12, 13,14 at 7:15 p.m., under the tent in the quad.
The cast and crew have been meeting in cohorts this semester to bring our community a production set in the pandemic. They constructed plexiglass juror tables and incorporated all of the fears and safety precautions that we face each day. Add to the environment the pressure of determining the fate of an accused 19-year-old boy and we have some powerful theatre.
12 Angry Jurors wrestles with our justice system and the people who determine if one really is innocent until proven guilty. De La Salle welcomes you to join us.
This will be a complimentary production for the De La Salle and Carondelet communities. Seating will be limited and reservations will be required. A reservation form will be available on the Company Website in mid-October.
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NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
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For the 2020-21 school year, eight De La Salle students garnered recognition through the National Merit Scholarship Program. On September 9, Dr. Heather Alumbaugh, our Vice President for Academic Life, announced that Ryan Vaughn was an NMSP Semifinalist.
On September 22, Dr. Alumbaugh was at it again when she recognized seven seniors who earned Commended Students status. Those seven students are Luke Anderson, Kieran Brown, Michael Cheng, Antonio Crivello, Agustin Gomez De La Vega, Jose Angelo Grajeda, and Kason Pelz.
Congratulations to all of these young men for their outstanding academic accomplishments!
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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 Please join us for our next Parent Association meeting via Zoom on Monday, October 5 at 7 p.m. The guest speaker will be Scott Drain, who is a De La Salle Counselor and Director of Student Support Services. Mr. Drain will give parents some insight in regards to our boys and school.
For the Zoom link, please visit the Parent Association webpage and click on the appropriate date under "2020-21 Parent Association Meeting Schedule". All are welcome!
Current Open Positions
- Community Outreach Chair – includes helping organize the Cereal Drive
- 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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The on-campus Spartan Store is now open two days a week and is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. If you are unable to make it to campus on either of those two days, the Spartan Store is committed to filling your spiritwear needs online. Please visit our online store at WWW.DLSBOOKSTORE.ORG for all your De La Salle apparel needs. The Spartan Store is still shipping orders several times a week and will have scheduled pickup days.
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