California Scholarship Federation (CSF) and National
Honor Society (NHS) sign-ups will run from Sept. 7- 10.
Students can sign up at Club Day or in Mrs. Biscaia's
room, Lagorio 212. Students MUST attend ONE meeting per
semester for CSF. Meetings will be held every day
during the week of Sept. 13- 17, after school, in room
Lagorio 212. Any questions? Please contact Paula
Biscaia, x. 246 or by
e-mail.
Mikaela Morse sophomore and president of the St.
Mary’s High School photography club for
2010-2011 was featured in a Record article with
her winning photo in the San Joaquin County
Office of Education contest “School is Cool”
Mikaela captured the moment 14 months ago,
shooting the photograph of her best friend,
Amanda Piasecki. They were heading back to the
Central Valley after a class trip to Great
America amusement park in Santa Clara.
Mikaelas’ photo be on display for the rest of
the August, 2010 at Gluskin’s Photo, 2113
Pacific Ave. in Stockton.
Christian Ferrari Featured in The Record
Christiana Ferrari was featured in The Record
when she reached the final match in the Captain
Weber Open. She was competing with University
and high school tennis players and lost the
title match to a
junior from Binghamton University
in New York, top-seeded Jillian Santos of
Flushing, N.Y., 6-3, 6-3, in the title match.
Christiana was The Records female tennis player
of the year in 2009 and was recently one of the
honorees in the annual Charles Washington
Awards.
Christiana will be a junior at St. Mary's next
year.
Eight SM Athletes
Honored
The annual Charles Washington Award given by The
Record is a recognition of an athletes
accomplishments and character.
Saint Mary's was honored by having eight of its
student athletes receive the award, including
five graduating seniors and three underclassmen.
The honorees all distinguished themselves in
having excelled in competition.
Louie Lechich - Baseball
Key stats: Hit .457 with 10 doubles, one triple,
eight home runs, 14 stolen bases, and went 3-1
with a 2.48 ERA
Accomplishments: Two-time Record Player of the
Year, three-time Record All-Area, Stockton Ports
Hot Stove Banquet Player of the Year, three-time
first-team All-Tri-City Athletic League, TCAL
Player of the Year, 2010 Sac-Joaquin Section
Division I champions, 2009 Sac-Joaquin Section
Division I runner-up.
Josh Harper - Football
Key stats: 40 receptions, 731 yards, nine TDs
Accomplishments: Tri-City Athletic League MVP,
Record All-Area first team, all-section.
Matt Kidwell - Water Polo
Key stats: 90 goals, 84 assists, 60 steals
Accomplishments: 2008-2009 National All-American
Team 4; 2009 Junior Olympic All-American; 2009
section MVP; section first team 2008, 2009;
Tri-City Athletic League fi rst team 2006, 2007,
2008, 2009.
Season highlight: “Winning the first section
title in school history by beating Davis 12-8
and scoring twice.”
Chelsea Gray - Basketball
Key stats: 16.5 points, 6.3 assists, 5.4 steals,
4.2 rebounds per game
Accomplishments: Parade All-American, McDonald’s
All-American, Women’s Basketball Coaches
Association All- American, Maxpreps.com National
Player of the Year, Tri-City Athletic League
Player of the Year, NorCal Preps Player of the
Year, two-time CIF state champion, three-time
section champion.
Afure Jemerigbe - Basketball
Key stats: 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6
assists per game
Accomplishments: McDonald’s All-American; USA
Today second-team All-American; Parade Magazine
second-team All-American; Cal-Hi Sports
first-team all-state; ranked No. 15 nationally
in 2010 class by ESPN; full scholarship to Cal;
helped St. Mary’s earn ESPN Rise’s girls
basketball Team of the Year award; attended Team
USA camp.
Megan Matta
-
Soccer
Key stats: 49 goals, second leading scorer in
the Tri-City Athletic League
Accomplishments: MVP Striker for the TCAL,
All-TCAL first team. Season highlight: “Beating
St. Francis in the championship game of the
varsity tournament. We won in (penalty kicks)
and I scored the winning goal.”
Christiana Ferrari- Tennis
Key stats: Went 18-1 as a sophomore and 4-0 at
the Division I High School Girls Tennis Classic
in Clovis
Accomplishments: 2010 Tommy Atkins award for the
outstanding sophomore athlete at St. Mary’s;
two-time Record athlete of week.
Cierra Jordan - Track and Field
Key stats: Best times: 100 (12.2); 200 (24.8);
400 (55.4)
Accomplishments: Masters champion in 400 meters
for second consecutive year; top 10 in state in
400; qualified Junior Olympics in the 400 and
200.
Megan Torre In International
Water Polo Competition
Megan
Torre recently competed in water polo at the Pan Pacific
Games in Auckland, New Zealand. She competed for
Australia's 18-under team and finished 11th out of 13
teams in their division.
Incoming Freshman Win National
Championship
Twin sisters Gianna and Katrin Gotterba who play
on the Delta Valley Volleyball Club team from
Lodi and are incoming freshman for St. Mary’s
claimed first place in their age division in the
USA National Volleyball Championships June 24
through 27 in Reno.
Their team Delta Valley Blue went 10-1 in the
national championships winning with tough
three-set matches all the way through the gold
bracket.
Delta Valley won a rematch against Mizuno in the
final, 25-23, 13-25, 15-7.
The twins team, Delta Valley also won both the
Pacific Northwest National Qualifier in Spokane,
Wash., and the Far Westerns National Qualifier
in Reno and took second in the Northeast
National Qualifier in Baltimore and ninth in the
AAU Junior Nationals in Orlando, Fla. Through it
all, they achieved a 100-12 record for the year.
Fundraising is actively being pursued to build a
new athletic complex and fitness center to serve the St. Mary's
student body. This new building will take the place of the
venerable St. Bonaventure structure and will provide a center
for fitness training for the students.
Progress To Date
The new Cortopassi Aquatics Center is open The new upgrade of the
football field is complete. The Lagorio Administration,
Library and Technology building is open. The
groundbreaking ceremony took place on August 28, 2005 and
construction was completed in September, 2006. The building was
dedicated in February 11, 2007. The new Cortopassi Aquatics
Center was started in Spring 2007 and dedicated on October 7,
2007. A new Science Building at the site of the old
Administration Building is in the works and a new Athletic
Fitness Center is scheduled to be built next to the aquatics
center. The "Generations of Educational
Excellence" project that will re-build and re-vitalize the Saint
Mary's campus Three new portables were installed in the north
side of the campus to provide additional classroom space and to
house the Development Office. Prior to the official start of the project, the Sprague family
had donated a new field house used by baseball, wrestling and
cheer, the baseball field, through the significant efforts of
Coach Pete Pijl, became a "Field of Dreams" and the
Thompson family had generously donated funds to create the
Thompson Sports Complex.
With a deep and true sense of loss and sadness, the St.
Mary's High School community learned of the death of Mr.
David Khoury, a true teacher, mentor and friend. In his
years of devoted service to students, Mr. Khoury brought the
gifts of a love of learning, a desire to achieve and a
realization of self-worth to those lucky enough to be taught
and counseled by him. He coached the Science Olympiad teams,
taught AP Biology and mentored thousands of students. He
inspired hundreds to pursue medicine, research and teaching
in the fields of science, including current St. Mary's
teachers. His "Hi buddy!" was not only a greeting, but a
heartfelt welcome from a caring friend. A real legend in
education, Mr. David Khoury will not be forgotten.
"You were well loved, Mr. Khoury. Go with God, Buddy!"
A Celebration of Life
was held on
Saturday, July 24, 2010. Mr. Khoury's family have asked that
anyone wishing to make donations in honor of David
contribute to the David G. Khoury
Scholarship Fund at St. Mary's High School.
For 39 years,
Brother Neil has quietly dedicated his life to the St.
Mary's High School Community. He has tirelessly and
selflessly served in many capacities during his time here,
from facilities to the main office. In the finest tradition
of St. Francis De Sales, Brother Neil exemplified St.
Francis' directive to "Be who you are and be that
well."
In his new
assignment in Maryland, Brother Neil will again be
exemplifying his Christian charity and virtue as he cares
for an aging priest suffering from Alzheimers. St. Francis
could have been speaking of Brother Neil when he said: "Nothing
is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real
strength."
Thank you Brother Neil. We are better for your having been
part of our community. May God Bless You!
Development Director Diane Malcoun Elected
Junor Aid Officer
Diane Malcoun, St. Mary’s Development Director, has been
elected Treasurer for Junior League of San Joaquin County.
Junior League of San Joaquin County is an organization of women
committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of
women, and improving communities through the effective action
and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is
exclusively educational and charitable.
Margo Kozina, SM Teacher, Appointed to
Board of Hospice
Margo Kozina, St. Mary’s religion teacher, has become a
member of the Board of Directors of Hospice of San Joaquin. The
Mission of Hospice of San Joaquin, a not-for-profit
organization, is to provide medical and compassionate care,
counseling and support to terminally ill patients and their
families, regardless of ability to pay, and to educate and
collaborate with health care providers and the public in
promoting quality end-of-life care.
Brother Jaems Dorazio, O.S.F.S. Featured
in Magazine
Brother James Dorazio was featured in the June issue of the
Oblate Magazine "Bondings"
The article pointed out that there is a considerable musical
talent in our midst. Brother James studied at the
Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome, had conducted the
Cathedral Men's Choir in Salt Lake City, and developed a music
appreciation class.
He taught classes in music appreciation entitled "Bach to the
Beatles: a History of the Structure of Different Types of
Music". Although he runs the Ram Center store at St. mary's, he
also plays the organ for Mass at O'Connor Woods.
Fr. Clark Kelley,
O.S.F.S. Celebrates 80th
Fr. Kelley, who has given so much to
the St. Mary's community during his decades of service,
celebrated his 80th birthday on May 13, 2010 with a large group
of St. Mary's faculty in the Student Activities center with
hearty wishes of "Multi Anno" to our beloved friend, mentor and
priest.
Retired
SM Teacher Jon Gustorf Inducted Into Sac-Joaquin Hall of Fame
Mr. Jon Gustorf, popular St. Mary’s psychology teacher and
former Rams men’s basketball coach was chosen as an inductee to
the inaugural CIF Sac-Joaquin Hall of Fame class. Mr. Gustorf coached from 1979-2002, where his teams compiled
a 480-226 record. Mr. Gustorf's Rams won four Section Division I
championships (1979, 1981, 1982 and 1989). His teams were also
Section runners-up three times. He was the first chairman of the
Section basketball power rating committee. Mr. Gustorf’s was among 25 athletes and 13 coaches in the
Sac-Joaquin Section's inaugural Hall of Fame class, including
Dusty Baker, Eddy LeBaron and Bob Garibaldi
There will be an induction banquet at Arco Arena in October,
with the date to be determined.
SM Teacher, Danny Dunne Becomes Author
St.
Mary’s own Danny Dunne has written a novel about being a
career cop in Tracy, one confused about his identity and his
allegiance to an arch-conservative police department. “The
Blue Mexican” is fiction largely drawn from Dunne’s life
before he returned to college and became a teacher at St.
Mary’s High.
St. Mary's Promotional Video Get's
Prestigious Award
St.
Mary’s High School, Preparing for a Successful Future
produced by Daly Video Services was recognized for
Excellence by the 31st Annual Telly Awards for its video
production.
The
Telly Awards honors the very best video productions, TV
commercials and web campaigns. The Telly Awards received
over 13,000 entries this year from all 50 states and 5
continents and is one of the most sought-after industry
awards.
Successful Student Program (SSP)
This
course offers students who struggle with their
academics. The course emphasizes organization, homework
assistance, and test taking skills. The course meets
Monday-Thursday from 7:15AM-8:00AM and briefly after
school on Friday. The class is limited to 15 students
and the cost is $60.00 per month. For further
information contact Mr. Johnston at
jjohnston@saintmaryshighschool.org or
(209)957-3340 ext. 209.
Refer a Student
Current students, parents, alumni, and friends play an
important role in our student enrollment.
We encourage you to e-mail or call us directly to recommend a
prospective student to St Mary's High School.
Once we receive the information from you, we will send the
prospective student all of the appropriate admission
information.
St.
Mary's High School Student Academic Honor Code
"...
For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in
the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of man ..."
Romans 8:21
"Goodness
is the only investment that never fails ..." Henry
David Thoreau
St.
Mary's High School is a community with a proud tradition
in which faculty and students share knowledge, ideas,
and creative works. St. Mary's High School Academic
Honor Code expresses our commitment and moral
responsibility to accurately represent the contribution
of each individual and to ensure that those
contributions are made in an honest fashion with
personal integrity as a cornerstone of this call to
honor.
The
purpose of the Code is to help students develop habits
of moral character. Each student is an important member
of the St. Mary's High School Family and must make the
ethical and moral commitment to act honestly and to
encourage other students to act in the same way.
This
Code outlines the expectations of the St. Mary's High
School student and the consequences for violating those
same expectations. The teacher will notify the Academic
Dean of all MAJOR violations of the Academic Honor Code.
The teacher will provide proof of the violation and the
teacher will be informed of the appropriate consequence.
The Academic Dean will notify the parent/guardian of the
situation and meet with the parent/guardian.
EXPECTATIONS
1. All
work will be the student's own original work. All
quotes, statistics, facts and sources will be properly
cited as taught by the SMHS English Department using the
MLA format. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Plagiarism is defined as taking ideas or writings
knowingly from another person or source and presenting
those ideas or writings as one's own original work.
2. All
tests will be taken according to the teacher's
instructions and requirements. Cheat sheets, electronic
cheating, or any other verifiable proof of cheating is a
violation of this honor code.
3. The
student will submit required essays to
turnitin.com as
instructed by the teacher.
Honor
Code Definitions
MAJOR
VIOLATION: This is an assignment or test which makes up
a major part of the student's grade (at least 5% of the
quarter grade). The violation must be accompanied by
PROOF to the Academic Dean.
MINOR
VIOLATION: This is cheating on an assignment such as a
daily reading quiz or written homework assignment.
Copying or cheating on such routine assignments will be
handled by the classroom teacher in a way he/ she feels
appropriate and reasonable. Minor violations may also
include the teacher seeing the student copying an answer
from another student's paper. These violations will be
dealt with by the teacher. The class syllabus will
outline the consequences for minor violations of the
Student Honor Code and the teacher will enforce his/her
class rules.
PROOF:
Major violations of the Student Honor Code must be
provable. Such proof includes, but is not limited to,
cheat sheets, crib notes, notes on a student's physical
person, turnitin.com violations, two tests that are 100%
exactly alike, phone or text messages, twitter or other
electronic messages, emails, etc.
CONSEQUENCES: Major violations of the Honor Code will
result in a student/parent conference with the Academic
Dean as well as a zero on the assignment in question.
Repeated major violations will result in an additional
conference with the Academic Dean and additional
academic and disciplinary sanctions.
Prohibition of Harrassment, Intimidation, and Bullying
St.
Mary's High School is committed to a safe and civil
educational environment for all students, employees,
volunteers and patrons, free from harassment,
intimidation or bullying. "Harassment, intimidation or
bulllying" means any intentional written, verbal, or
physical act, when the intentional written, verbal, or
physical act:
Physically harms a student or damages the student's
property; or
Has
the effect of interfering with a student's education; or
Is
severe, persistent, or pervasive so that it creates an
intimidating or threatening educational environment; or
Has
the effect of disrupting the orderly operation of the
school.
Harassment, intmidation or bullying can take many forms
including, but not limited to: slurs, rumors, jokes,
innuendos, demeaning comments, drawing of cartoons,
pranks, gestures, physical atttacks, threats, or other
written, oral, or physical actions. "Intentional acts"
refers to the individual's choice to engage in the act
rather than the ultimate impact of the action(s).
Many
actions that do not rise to the level of harassment,
intimidation, or bullying may still be prohibited by
other school policies or building, classroom, or program
rules.
Counseling, corrective discipline, dismissal from
school, and/or referral to law enforcement may be
employed to change the behavior of the perpetrator and
remediate the impact on the victim.
St. Mary's High School is responsible for securing its network and
computing systems in a reasonable degree against unauthorized access
and/or abuse, while making them accessible for authorized and
legitimate users. This responsibility includes informing users of
expected standards of conduct and the punitive measures for not
adhering to them. Any attempt to violate the provisions of this
policy will result in disciplinary action.
Once
the user accesses the network and computer systems the
user is solely responsible for all actions taken.
Once the user accesses the network and computer systems the
user is solely responsible for all actions taken.
Students are responsible for their work saved on library
computers. A backup of work
is recommended.
Deleting, examining, copying, or modification of files is
prohibited.
Attempting to evade or change network security is
prohibited.
Use of facilities for commercial purposes is prohibited.
Any unauthorized, deliberate action which damages or
disrupts or alters a computing
systems’ normal performance is prohibited.
The copying of copyrighted materials without express written
permission is prohibited.
Attempts to gain unauthorized access or interfere with the
regular operation of local or remote systems are prohibited.
Usage of St. Mary’s computing facilities for any purpose
other than those prescribed or explicitly permitted by the
high school is prohibited.
Sending harassing, obscene or other threatening messages
through the Website is prohibited.
Users of the computer facilities shall obey the instructions
of the supervisors.
Actions which disrupt or adversely effect the use of the
facilities of other users are prohibited. This includes, but
is not limited to: eating, drinking, excessive noise or
playing games.
Engaging in aggressive behavior or abusive language is
prohibited.
Representing Saint Mary's High School under false pretenses
on the school’s Website is prohibited.
Grade - Credit- On Line Class Verification
For eligibility purposes, final grades and earned credits
from schools other than St. Mary's, including online
classes, must be verified by the first full day of classes
In August For Ql eligibility and the Friday before the
Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in January for Q3
eligibility. Grades from courses taken at schools other than
St. Mary's, Including online classes, will be computed for
eligibility in Fall and Spring semester gpas only. Q2 and
Q4 eligibility will be determined using only St, Mary's
grades earned the previous quarter.
A member of the St, Mary's Guidance Department will proctor
final exams for online and/or correspondence courses.
Appointments for taking final exams must be scheduled ahead
of time with a member of the Guidance Department. Exams may
be taken on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. When
school is in session, these exams will be administered at 2:
15 p.m. For testing on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays in June,
July, and August, students can call Mr., Nomellini,
957-3340, Ext 124, to schedule a testing time.
A fee of $25 will be assessed for each final exam proctored.
The fee is due prior to the administration of the final
exam.
Dress Code Girls
Appropriate and neat attire are expected at St. Mary's
High School. Sloppy and exaggerated attire are
unacceptable. Such attire also reflects a poor image of
the school to the local community. Dressing in an
appropriate and neat manner signals to self and others
that school is a place where a seriousness of purpose
can be found.
Uniforms for all students, must be purchased from the
school uniform vendors, (Boggiano's, Dennis Uniform,
Co., or Mariani's) and are to include any combination of
the following:
Pants - dark khaki, navy or grey.
Skirts - purchased only from Dennis Uniform, Co.,
grey, green or navy. Skirts must not be more than 3
inches above the knee.
Shorts - dark khaki, or navy. Shorts must not be
more than 3 inches above the knee. Girls who violate
this policy will be required to wear long pants
until appropriate length shorts are purchased and
approved by the deans.
Uniform SM embroidered polo shirts - white, black or
dark green. These shirts are only available in and
must be purchased through the Ram Center. Only a
white, black or green T- shirt will be allowed
underneath the uniform polo shirt.
Full or mock long sleeved turtlenecks - white, black
or dark green. This will be the only type of long
sleeved shirt that will be allowed to be worn
underneath a uniform polo shirt.
Crew or uniform style V-neck sweaters - white, black
or dark green. Sweaters must be worn with a collared
uniform shirt underneath. Cardigan (button-up)
sweaters - White, black or dark green.
Sweatshirts - St. Mary's High School sweatshirts
only. A collared uniform shirt must be worn
underneath at all times. All sweatshirts including a
zip-up sweatshirt must be purchased from the Ram
Center.
Jackets are acceptable and must be of a solid color
and free of writing, designs and logos. College/Pro
sports team jackets, flannel, and denim jackets are
NOT acceptable.
Shoes - hard sole dress shoes and tennis shoes are
the only acceptable shoes. Sandals, slippers, Ugg
boots and moccasins are not allowed.
Socks - white or black only - socks must be visible
above the shoe. Knee socks - white or black. Tights
- white or black. Footless Tights are not allowed.
Dress Code Boys
Appropriate and neat attire are expected at St. Mary's
High School. Sloppy and exaggerated attire are
unacceptable. Such attire also reflects a poor image of
the school to the local community. Dressing in an
appropriate and neat manner signals to self and others
that school is a place where a seriousness of purpose
can be found.
Uniforms for all students must be purchased from the
school uniform vendors (Boggiano's, Dennis Uniform, Co.,
or Mariani's) and are to include any combination of the
following:
Pants - dark khaki, navy or grey - Pants must be
fitted around the waist and appropriately tailored
for school wear.
Shorts - dark khaki, navy or grey. Shorts may not
extend more than 3 inches below the knee. Boys who
violate this policy will be required to wear long
pants until appropriate length shorts are purchased
and approved by the deans.
Uniform SM embroidered polo shirts - white, black or
dark green. Only a white, black or green T-shirt
will be allowed underneath the uniform polo shirt.
These shirts are only available in and must be
purchased through the Ram Center.
Full or mock long sleeved turtlenecks - white, black
or dark green. These will be the only type of long
sleeved shirts that will be allowed to be worn
underneath the uniform polo shirt.
Crew or uniform style V-neck sweaters - white, black
or dark green. Sweaters must have a collared uniform
shirt underneath.
Sweatshirts - St. Mary's High School only. A
collared uniform shirt must be worn underneath at
all times. All sweatshirts including a zip-up
sweatshirt must be purchased from the Ram Center.
Jackets are acceptable and must be of a solid color
and free of writing, designs and logos.
Shoes - hard sole dress shoes and tennis shoes are
the only acceptable shoes. Slippers, sandals, boots
of any kind, and moccasins are not allowed.
Socks - white or black only - socks must be visible
above the shoe.
Hair
Hair must be neat, clean and of the student's
natural color.
bleached or dyed hair) are not allowed. Ponytails
are not allowed.
Hair must not touch the collar or extend beyond the
eyebrow.
Sideburns may not extend beyond the earlobe and
cannot be wider than one inch.
Boys must be clean shaven.
The final decision on hairstyle rests with the
deans.
Cosmetics/Accessories
Black nail polish, or any color that stands out is
not allowed.
Any cosmetics or jewelry that draws undue attention
are not allowed.
No chains may be attached to a student's attire.
No writing or graphics allowed on backpacks.
Facial/Body piercings are limited to the ears. Boys
are not allowed to wear earrings.
Uniforms
Dennis Uniforms is one of the official provider
of uniforms for St. Mary's High School. Parents wishing to
order uniforms or get more information can visit the site
with this link:
Dennis Uniforms
Please note that uniforms may also be purchased from
Boggianos or Mariani's
Extracurricular Activities Eligibility
Participation in extracurricular activities is a
privilege. It is presumed that students who are
representing Saint Mary’s High School in various
activities are maximizing the educational opportunities
that are available to them. Continued eligibility for
participation in extracurricular activities is
contingent upon the student’s maintaining at least a 2.0
grade point average.
Any
student member of a sports team, student government
or class office, dance/drill team, cheerleading
squad, band, chorus, speech and debate team,
newspaper and yearbook staff, Senate or Cabinet,
Campus Ministry and drama, must maintain a 2.0 grade
point average or be excluded from participation in
these activities until the student attains a 2.0 GPA
at the next grading period.
A
student must have a 2.0 GPA on the report card from
the previous grading period (all subjects count
toward the determination of the 2.0 GPA) in order to
be eligible to participate in sports/activities for
the next quarter. No student with two or more grades
of "F" is eligible.
For
the school year: the eligibility period
(ability/inability to participate) begins when the
Vice Principal publishes the list of ineligible
students based on the marks received on the previous
semester/quarter report card. Students are
ineligible from one publication date to the next.
The
same procedure will be used for the remaining
quarters. The eligibility will always be determined
by the previous quarter or semester grades.
If
a student earns below a 2.00 GPA on the 2nd semester
report card and hence is ineligible to participate
in Fall activities, that student may attend summer
school or enroll in online or correspondence courses
to raise his/ her GPA. Such a student (summer) shall
be permitted to practice but not participate in
events until eligibility is determined. For
eligibility purposes, final grades and earned
credits from schools other than St. Mary's,
including summer school and online classes, must be
verified by the first full day of classes in August
for Q1 eligibility and the Friday before Martin
Luther King, Jr. holiday in January for Q3
eligibility. Grades from courses taken at schools
other than at St. Mary's, including online classes
will be computed for eligibility in the Fall and
Spring semester GPAs only. Q2 and Q4 eligibility
will be determined using only St. Mary's grades
earned the previous quarter.
Students who are identified for exclusion from
participation may be permitted to remain as students
in credit-awarding classes associated with
activities from which they are excluded as
participants and shall continue to be eligible to
earn appropriate grades and/or credits for the
in-class portion of their work. In performance
classes, ineligible students may be asked to drop
the class.
Students shall not be permitted or encouraged to
drop classes, change teachers, or otherwise alter
their schedules for the purpose of defeating the
intent of this policy.
Some classes such as Teacher Aide only count as 2.5
credits when computing GPA. Such classes do not
carry full credit when weighted against normal 5
credit classes.
No
student entering St. Mary’s from the 8th grade shall
be affected by this policy until after their first
grading period at Saint Mary’s High School.
Any
special case or extenuating circumstances
surrounding disputed eligibility of a student shall
be reviewed by the Vice Principal and/or the
Principal.
When a student transfers to Saint Mary’s from
another high school:
1.If that student’s previous quarter GPA is
below 2.0, they will be ineligible.
2.Continued eligibility will be determined
by the grades received in their 1st
quarter/semester of attendance at Saint
Mary’s.
3.In all transfer cases, it is presumed that
the student is eligible to participate based
upon the C.I.F. transfer rules
C.I.F. rules require that semester grades be used to
determine eligibility at the end of the 2nd and 4th
quarters. (thus, grading periods shall be 1st
quarter, 1st semester, 3rd quarter and 2nd semester)
The
eligibility policy shall affect the following groups of
students: Cabinet/Senate Members, Class Officers,
Homecoming Court, Spiritleaders & Members of the
Dance/Drill Team and Student Body Officers
Eligibility for Student Positions
President and Vice-President candidates must be seniors.
All other Student Body officers may be juniors or
seniors.
a. A
student must be enrolled at Saint Mary’s one full
semester before being considered for one of the above
positions. Freshmen are excepted.
b. In
order to be considered for the office of Student Body
President, the candidate must have a cumulative GPA of
3.0.
c. All
students who are being considered for one of the
following: Student Body office, Cabinet or Senate,
Campus Ministry, Homecoming Court, Spiritleaders, and
Dance/Drill Team members must have a 2.0 GPA in the
quarter/or semester prior to the time they are being
considered for election or appointment.
d. In
the event that report cards are issued before the
election or appointment is conducted and the student
does not attain the required GPA, that student is
ineligible.
e.
Students must have the permission of the Vice Principal
and meet the requirements stated in the Student
Constitution.
f.
Students must have the permission of the Dean of
Students. Permission may be denied for the following
reasons:
1.
Eleven or more unexcused tardies for the year.
2.
Twelve absences during the year in any one quarter.
*Unscheduled vacations are included in this number.
Students in excess of 11 absences must have on file in
the atttendance office, a doctor's note verifying that
the student has been under a doctor's care for an
extended period of time. Failure to have verification on
file by the end of the filing date will result in
disqualification.
3. Four
or more detentions for any reason.
4.
Unauthorized leaving of campus.
5.
Disciplinary Contract.
6. One
referral based on inappropriate behavior.
7.
Cutting school or class.
8.
Suspension from school.
9.
Failure to meet the filing deadline.
The
following will be the procedure for consideration for a
student office:
a. The
Student Activities Director will establish a filing date
each year. Before this date, all students who wish to be
considered for any position must submit their name to
the Director of Student Activities.
b. Once
the student is cleared by the Dean of Students and by
the Vice Principal, then the Student Activities Director
will issue to the student an application as well as the
necessary information and dates for completing the
process.
c.
Spiritleaders and members of the Dance/Drill Team must
be cleared by the Dean of Students and by the Vice
Principal in order to participate in the tryouts.
St. Mary's Chapel Hours
Daily Mass
Monday -
Friday
6:50 a.m. &
7:30 a.m
Saturday
7:00 a.m.
.
SchoolPoP Program Helps Support St. Mary's
Schoolpop’s name-brand
online merchants contribute up to 20%
of every purchase you make to Saint Mary's High School.
Use the link to begin supporting the school.
Cortopassi
Aquatics Center Lap-Swimming Memberships
St. Mary's has made the Cortopassi
Aquatics Center available for lap swimming between
the hours of 10 a.m and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday
on a year-round basis. Parents, alumni and friends
may purchase one year memberships for $300. Contact
Dragan Bakich at 957-3340 extension 108 for more
information.
Generations of Excellence Updates
The new Cortopassi Aquatics Center is open The new upgrade of the
football field is complete. The Lagorio Administration,
Library and Technology building is open. The
groundbreaking ceremony took place on August 28, 2005 and
construction was completed in September, 2006. The building was
dedicated in February 11, 2007. The new Cortopassi Aquatics
Center was started in Spring 2007 and dedicated on October 7,
2007. A new Science Building at the site of the old
Administration Building is in the works and a new Athletic
Fitness Center is scheduled to be built next to the aquatics
center. The "Generations of Educational
Excellence" project that will re-build and re-vitalize the Saint
Mary's campus Three new portables were installed in the north
side of the campus to provide additional classroom space and to
house the Development Office. Prior to the official start of the project, the Sprague family
had donated a new field house used by baseball, wrestling and
cheer, the baseball field, through the significant efforts of
Coach Pete Pijl, became a "Field of Dreams" and the
Thompson family had generously donated funds to create the
Thompson Sports Complex.
Reminder To Parents
ATTENTION The
Bus Bay in front of the school on EI Dorado Street is NOT to be
used for drop-off or pick-up before or after school The Bus Bay
is a very dangerous place to stop. It is important that you
drop-off ON Campus in the designated drop-off/pick-up zones.
Please talk to your students about this.
PLEASE NOTE:
The Stockton Police Department has notified St Mary's that they
will be issuing tickets to anyone using the Bus Bay or EI Dorado
Street for drop-off or pick-up purposes.
General Rules of
Conduct
a) No student shall conspire or
commit any act that degrades, or disgraces any
fellow student or person attending St. Mary's.
b) The entire school area will be
considered a closed campus during school hours.
Anyone who wishes to visit classes must obtain a
pass from the Vice Principal.
c) Eating or drinking in the school
buildings and hallways is not allowed.
d) No student shall place litter of
any kind (paper, cans, wrappers, food, etc.) on the
ground, on a table, or any place other than a trash
can or recycling bin of some kind. GUM IS NOT
ALLOWED. If, at the discretion of the Deans, the
school grounds are considered littered, school will
be extended for that day until the trash has been
picked up by students assigned from each class.
e) School lockers are the property of
St. Mary's High School. At no time does St. Mary's
relinquish its exclusive ownership and control of
lockers provided for the convenience of the
students. All locks used on lockers shall be
purchased from the Ram Center (PE locks and lockers
will be issued through the PE department). Any loss
or damage to lockers or the contents of the lockers
shall be the responsibility of the student to whom
the locker was assigned.
f) Electronic devices (including but
not limited to cell phones and Ipods are not
allowed. These items if visable during school hours
will be confiscated. Confiscated items will be
returned after the student serves a 45-minute
detention.
Video cameras are not
allowed on campus unless pre-approved by a teacher
and the Dean of Students.
Video cameras may be
confiscated and held for the remainder of the school
year.
g) Students shall carry their Student
Body Card with them at school and school related
activities and present the card upon request.
h) No student is allowed to use the
school facilities for any purpose without the
permission and presence of a faculty member or
coach. This includes, but is not limited to the
athletic fields, weight rooms, gymnasiums, hallways,
cafeteria and classrooms.
i) Cutting: Students will be given 3
hours of detention for each class cut and socially
suspended until the detention hours are cleared.
Search of Personal Property
Inspection of
personal property including (but not limited to) lockers and
their contents, clothing pockets, backpacks and cars may be
conducted by the Principal, Dean of Students or their designee
for any reason, at any time, without notice and without student
or parent consent.
Law Enforcement Interview of Students
Law enforcement
officials have the right to arrest, take into custody, or
interview students in attendance at school. St. Mary's High
School has no obligation to protect a student from interview by
law enforcement officials. In any such matter, other than child
abuse, parents shall be informed of the interview as soon as
possible. In some cases this may be after the police
investigation is complete.
Just in case you were not aware:
Tardies: Students are given a 1-hour detention that must be
served the same day for an unexcused tardy. In years past the
student had two days to serve a fifteen-minute unexcused tardy
detention. Students realized that this penalty was not so bad.
Consequently we were up to 40-45 tardies on any given day. Since
the 1-hour tardy detention has been in effect, the students
quickly learned one hour is too long to stay after school. Our
unexcused tardy detentions on a daily basis are now as few as 2
to 6 tardies per day. It is working.
Drug Dogs: We recognize the hardship created by drugs and
alcohol. Therefore, we continually strive to provide a drug free
environment, safe for student growth and learning. A drug dog
continues to periodically come on campus to sniff for alcohol,
drugs, or weapons. We strongly believe that since we have
contracted with the company Kontraband, Interdiction and
Detection Services, K.I.D.S. Inc. the results have been very
effective as a preventive measure towards the use of or selling
of drugs/alcohol on campus. We ask that you please do your part
and not allow your homes to be a place where alcohol is
accessible to teenagers.
Dress Code: We believe that dressing in an appropriate,
modest and neat manner signals to self and others that school
is a place where a seriousness of purpose can be found. Boys'
pants must be fitted around the waist and appropriately tailored
for school wear. Girls' shorts and skirts must be at most 3
inches length from the knee. We cannot supervise the dress code alone. We
need your help in monitoring what your child wears to school.
Remember, any and all types of sweatshirts worn to school must
be a Saint Mary's High School sweatshirt purchased from the
school bookstore.
Parents are
required to actively support the dress code. A student who comes
to school out of dress code will be given a 45 minute detention
(to be served the same day) and the student may also be required
to contact a parent/guardian to have proper attire delivered to
school before the student is allowed to return to class.
Continual disregard for the school uniform is grounds for
dismissal from SMHS. The Dean of Students shall be the arbiter
and decision-maker on what is a violation of the dress code.
Hair:
Hair must be neat, clean
and of the student's natural color.
Hair styles that draw undue
attention (e.g. shaved heads, spiked hair, bleached or dyed
hair) are not allowed. Ponytails are not allowed.
Hair must not touch the
collar or extend beyond the eyebrow.
Sideburns may not extend
beyond the earlobe and cannot be wider than one inch.
Boys must be clean shaven.
The final decision on
hairstyle rests with the deans.
Trash/Litter: This condition has become a major area of
concern particularly after the lunch hour. More and more students
are leaving their trash on their tables and not using the trash
receptacles. We have a school policy that states the school day
will be extended, if at the discretion of the Deans, the school
grounds are considered littered beyond what is reasonable.
Please tell your children to throw their trash away when they
are finished eating.
Cell Phones: Modem technology has provided the opportunity
for students to use their phones to text message answers of
tests to other students or to actually photograph and send a
quiz or test to another student. For this reason, as well as the
fact that cell phones are disruptive, students who use their
cell phones during the school day will have their phones taken
away and they will not be returned until the student serves a 45
minute detention.
Once again, thank you for your help and support.
Office of the Deans
New Cell Phone Plans
There are new cellular phone plans designed specifically for
parents The plans allow parents to set parameters for their
children with regard to their cell phone/text message usage The
Dean's Office strongly encourages you to consider this type plan
for your child
These plans allow you to set limits for
Number of text and instant messages.
Dollar amount of down-loadable purchases (ring tones. games.
etc.),
Time available for Web browsing/data usage per billing cycle.
Time periods for which the phone can be used for
text-messaging. Web-browsing and outbound calling:
Who can be phoned or texted (incoming or outgoing), and
The access of content inappropriate for children.
If you have any questions or would like more information,
please contact Greg Traverse or Kathy Smith at 957-3340. As a
reminder, according to school policy, cell phones are not to be
used during school hours. It is our hope that using this type of
calving plan would significantly curtail the use of
text-messaging during school hours
The Diocese of Stockton mandates that all people who work
with children and youth in our parishes and schools must undergo
child abuse prevention training through the Shield the
Vulnerable online program The training details five steps to
prevent child sexual abuse. Know the warning signs of an
inappropriate relationship with a child
1. Know the signs!
2. Control access to children by carefully selecting the
adults who work with children and youth
3. Monitor all programs for the safety of children and youth.
4. Be aware of and sensitive to what is going on in the lives
of children.
5. Communicate concerns to the appropriate person in
authority
For particular help you may call Linda Dillen
Manager/Benefits/Safe Environment Department for the Diocese of
Stockton, (209) 466-0636. Ext 611
B
asic
overview of some of the laws that apply to teenagers
Laws are constantly changing and this guide is
intended to provide you with general information.
The Age of
Majority
In most
states, including California the age of majority is 18.
Teenagers have the right to: enter into binding contracts, sue
or be sued in their own names, vote in state and local
elections, consent to all types of medical treatment.
Alcohol and
Kids
It is
illegal to possess false identification or use a fake I.D. to
purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol. It is illegal to
provide alcohol to anyone under 21. Parents can be held
criminally liable for contributing to the delinquency of a
minor.
Curfew Laws
Under state
law, parents can be charged for the administration and
transportation cost of returning a minor to his or her home on a
second curfew violation. Curfew in Stockton for teenagers under
18 is enforced from 11:00 P.M. until 6:00 A.M.
Graffiti
California
law makes parents liable in certain circumstances when their
kids damage, destroy or deface the property of others. Fines
range from up to a year in jail or as much as $50,000 fine
and/or imprisonment depending on the extent of the damages.
Taggers between the ages of 13 and 21 could have their driver's
licenses revoked or delayed for up to a year.
Help for
kids who have run away from home: The California Youth Crisis
Line 1-800-843-5200
Internet
safety information can be found on the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children's Web site :
www.missingkids.com
Smoking and
Kids
It is
against the law for minors to purchase, receive or possess
tobacco products and to knowingly sell, give or furnish tobacco
products (including chewing tobacco) to children under the age
of 18.
Vandalism
Parents can
be held liable for vandalism committed by their children. Some
common types of vandalism among youth are maliciously
scratching a car, egging property, re-moving highway warning
signs, being cruel to animals, opening or reading a sealed
letter or envelope without the authority to do so and tampering
with fire alarm apparatus and giving false alarms.
Work, Work
Permits and Taxes
Children who
are 16 and older can obtain full-time work permits. Those age 18
and older no longer need such a permit. Young people may be
required to file federal and state income tax returns.
The above
information was taken from the Kids and the Law Guide. Copies or
additional information can be found at
www.kids@calbar.ca.gov.
Counselor's Corner
Junior class
parents and students are reminded to log on to
www.collegeboard.com and www.act.org to register for the SAT
Reasoning and ACT Tests.
Parents are
encouraged to log onto PowerSchool through our school website.
If you have misplaced your username and/or password please
contact Julia Scriven, our Registrar, at 957-3340, Ext. 103.
Scholarship
Information
In January,
all seniors should apply for financial aid from
colleges/universities and the federal/state government by
filling out the FAFSA form online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, and if
the college requires one, a PROFILE form. The mailing period for
these forms is January 1-March 2, 2011. Remember, some
colleges/universities have an earlier FAFSA deadline. Also,
several private universities require the PROFILE form. The
PROFILE application form can be completed online at
www.collegeboard.com. GPA verification forms will automatically
be submitted by St. Mary’s after the semester grades in January.
A reminder:
students must reapply each year for the St. Mary’s scholarships.
Applications are due to the Scholarship Office by March 2, 2011
at 8:15 a.m.
To apply for
St. Mary’s scholarships students can:
1. Go to the
saintmaryshighschool.org website.
2. Click on
“Scholarships.”
3. In
Financial Aid, click on “SM Scholarship Application.”
4. Click on
appropriate grade level for information and application.
All students
should check the Scholarship Office regularly to see if there is
a scholarship for which they can apply or an essay contest they
can enter. Many organizations open scholarships to the entire
student body.
SM Cookbooks
are now available in the Scholarship Office for $20.00. Purchase
your copy by coming to Room 227 or calling 957-3340, Ext. 121.
All proceeds benefit St. Mary’s scholarships.
Message from Father Fallon
Reaching For
The Soap
There are times
when our morning shower can lead to frustration. It turns out
that more often than we would like, we find the soap very
elusive. It keeps slipping out of our hands. The same thing is
very true with something that we all strive for and that is
happiness. There are as many definitions of what constitutes
happiness, as there are ways in which people try to be in
possession of it.
There may be
one or two people on the planet who are in their right minds,
who may not want to be happy but you would have to go to the
ends of the earth to find them.
Happiness is
very elusive — like a bar of soap slipping out of your hand in
the shower and sometimes very short lived like a beautiful
flower, which begins to show its age.
How do we
acquire it? Where do we look for it?
Products on TV
promise that happiness is to be found in one of the millions of
things, which are advertised. Superstar — Hollywood glitzy
lifestyles seem so attractive to some but these do not last —
Yesterday's superstar often ends up in the trash heap of
failure.
Despite all the
enticing voices and glitzy commercials, happiness remains
infinitely more sought after than found. Most of the people seem
to be living somewhere between boredom and desperation. Now you
ask yourself— is this the result of having been promised
happiness and having been disappointed so often?
We have
pleasure. We have all the pleasures that this age can afford. We
have fun. We have endless excitement and
unprecedented
thrills. But often it is all too momentary and too superficial
to reach our deepest longings. We should all know by this time
what a poor substitute pleasure is for happiness. Our national
treadmill is called the pursuit of happiness but that often
leads to exhaustion and disillusionment.
There are some
things which we know in theory but which we never accept in
practice. We know the proverb the grass is always greener on the
other side of the fence. We understand this to mean that the
grass is not greener on the other side of the fence but only
seems to be. The common thought among unhappy people is that
happiness is situational. If we could just get over the fence
into greener pastures. So we keep changing our external
circumstances, or we anticipate a future set of circumstances,
expecting to find happiness. We will be happy when the summer
comes, or after the wedding, or when we get a new job, or when
we retire. When we think this way, happiness becomes a
continually vanishing mirage on the road of life.
Jesus knew that
the location of happiness is internal and not external.
In those
sayings of Jesus, which we call the Beatitudes, He was
addressing the human pursuit of happiness. Blessed are you,
means happy are you. Those are truly happy who have found the
source of happiness within themselves rather than in external
situations. In the beatitudes, Jesus is speaking the truth about
happiness. It is inward, it is spiritual, it is relational.
Happiness is
not the goal of life. It is God's gift to those who have found
the true goal of life — doing the will of God and loving other
people
Message from Mr. Morelli
This school year we adopted a theme from St. Francis de
Sales: "The consideration of others is the offspring of
charity." This theme in my opinion can be interpreted in a
variety of ways. However, we realize that our mission is to
nurture and develop gospel values in all our endeavors.
One way to interpret St. Francis' words can be taken from the
25th Chapter of Matthew's Gospel. Jesus reminds us, "Whatever
you do for one of the least of my people, you do for me."At St.
Mary's High School, we invite our students, teachers and school
community to participate in the teachings of the Roman Catholic
faith and to generously and wisely become good stewards who
donate their time, talent and treasure to improve the world in
which we live.
It has been clearly evident that the students, faculty and
staff took this theme seriously by their kindness and generosity
to many individuals and groups. They clearly understand that
serving the needs of the poor is rooted in a fundamental truth:
that our time, talents and treasures do not belong to us;
rather, they are gifts from God. "Our possessions are not our
own," observed Francis de Sales. "God has given them to us to
cultivate, and he wants us to make them fruitful and
profitable." Not just for ourselves, but for others as well.
Another interpretation naturally lends itself to
introspection. We need to remember that changing our hearts
ultimately leads to changing the way we relate to others. God
has given each of us many gifts, but these gifts were never
given for just ourselves. They were meant to be shared and to
improve the lives of others.
Examining our relationships is a helpful way to discover
those areas we need to work on in our own lives. Healthy
relationships are life giving and ever growing. They make us
feel alive and inspire us to give life to others. Relationships
require time and energy; good relationships don't just happen.
They require sacrifice and letting go as we try to know and love
another person. To some degree, all relationships invite us to
change, and that is perhaps most unsettling. If we don't change,
we become stuck and lifeless. Thank God for the people in our
lives who invited us into a relationship. They offer us the gift
of life and God asks us to do the same for them and for others.
"The consideration of others is the offspring of charity."
I want to thank the families that will be leaving St. Mary's
for their consideration of entrusting their children in our
care. I want to thank the Class of 2010 for sharing their gifts
and talents with this community and let them know that they are
in our prayers.
Finally, I want to recognize the loss of Mrs. Ann Marie
Pierce and Mrs. Dian Kern from our school community. Their
lights shined brightly while they were with us. Grant that we
may hold their memory dear, never bitter for what we have lost
nor regretful for the past, but always in hope of the eternal
kingdom where we will be brought together again. With faith in
our future and trust in God, I wish you all a peaceful summer.
