PARENT NEWSLETTER

October 2008

A Message from the Principal—
Richard A. Spicer

Dear Wildcat Parents and Guardians:

I hope your families have had a good start to the school year. It’s been great to have your daughters return to school, and it has been wonderful to see you all again. Sending your daughter to Bishop Conaty-Loretto in these challenging times is no easy task. We recognize and value your sacrifices. Know that we are committed to providing your families with affordable, quality, comprehensive, college preparatory Catholic education for your daughters. We have taken steps to keep costs down and to raise additional funds for tuition assistance and operational needs. We continue to solicit donations from foundations and we have established an Annual Fund (see the Development section of this newsletter).

This year we have also been fortunate enough to receive 90% federal government e-Rate funding for technology enhancements. We have established online digital lockers where students can save work from home and open it at school. We are also upgrading our firewall to protect your daughters at school from harmful websites. We will be installing an IPTV system where we can store digital videos and podcasts of school activities which you will be able to access both live and taped at home from our web-site. Finally, we are looking into a new school management system for next year; one of our plans for the new systems is to allow parents and students to access their grades online.

Please use this newsletter as a means of communication to keep yourselves informed of school happenings. I also hope you have been checking our school website http://www.bishopconatyloretto.org for news, information, and teachers web pages and links to teacher blogs. If you haven’t had a chance to visit my blog, please check it out at http://bclprinicpal.blogspot.com.

Thank you for all that you do in support of your daughter’s education. You are integral to your daughter’s achievement and success at Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School. Let’s continue to work together to make your daughter’s days at Conaty-Loretto most rewarding for her!

May God bless you throughout this and every year.

A Message from the Vice-Principal—
Lisa J. Gabriel

Now that fall is here and the cooler weather is arriving (we hope!) it is important that parents and students understand the dress code regulations for cold weather. Students may wear an undershirt in addition to their polo, however it must be white. No colored undershirts are allowed. Also, students must wear only their school sweater, a school sweatshirt, or the burgundy fleece-lined jacket that is available from Dennis Uniforms. Any other jacket will be confiscated. Confiscated non-uniform items will not be returned to the student and are donated to charity. I ask your assistance in monitoring your daughter’s uniform and making sure that it meets the regulations listed in the Student/Parent Handbook. If you have any questions regarding these regulations, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Attendance procedures are listed in the Student/Parent Handbook. Please read them carefully. Particularly important are the policies regarding excused and unexcused absences. Absences are excused only for illness and a death in the family. Absences for other reasons are unexcused. A teacher may opt not to allow a student to make up assignments missed due to unexcused absences. Due to our block schedule, if a student misses a class, she misses the equivalent of two days of instruction and can fall behind easily. Please do whatever you can to avoid unnecessary absences.

As always, if I can be of any help to you or your daughter, please do not hesitate to call me.

A Message from the President of the Parent Association—
Gwen Jenkins

First, we would like to welcome our new parents to our community at Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School! We have a busy and exciting year planned! With work and everyday life, we understand that it can be difficult to get involved in your daughter’s school, so we have set in advance dates for future memorable events. The Father-Daughter Picnic will take place Saturday, October 18 from 12:00-3:00 PM and the Mother-Daughter Tea Saturday, May 2. We are also planning a Family Fun Night and School Beautification Day for the spring. Becoming involved in these activities is great fun and allows you to earn parent service hours. Attendance at Parent Association and Parent Board meetings also earns parent service hours.

Parents volunteers are needed to help with recruitment. This year, we are planning to have parents and their daughters answer questions and distribute information about Bishop Conaty-Loretto after Sunday Mass in their parishes to increase our recruitment efforts. What better way to give witness and support your daughters’ school! Parent service hours will be given. Please contact Ms. Lisa Gabriel at school (323-737-0012 ext. 104) if interested.

Remember, 15 Parent Service Hours to the school must be fulfilled during the 2008-2009 school year. For each service hour not earned during the year, a fee of $20 will be assessed at the end of the school year. Be attentive to service hour opportunities that are periodically announced throughout the school year.

Finally, we welcome new parent board members, especially parents that can translate in Spanish and Korean and parents with daughters in the 9th and 10th grade to join the parent board.

Thank You and God Bless.

Campus Ministry

Service-Learning Experience Guidelines: Bishop Conaty-Loretto High School is mindful of its call to continue the mission of Jesus Christ and to challenge each student to develop her unique gifts and to offer these in service toward building a more just and peaceful society. We seek to empower young women to be tomorrow’s leaders with a commitment to elevating the human spirit, to extending themselves habitually to those in need, and to nurturing a servant’s heart through prayer and reflection on the Gospel. We appreciate that the classroom is not the only place for education and that education must include the opportunity for each student to develop a sense of responsibility for the needs and problems of the larger community. Indeed, Christians must encounter and serve others less fortunate than they, if their spirituality is to be "of the heart" and not merely "of the intellect."

Therefore as a requirement for graduation, each student is to complete a minimum of 25 hours of volunteer service per year for each of her four years at Bishop Conaty-Loretto. At each grade-level there are different guidelines for fulfilling this service obligation.
· Freshman Guidelines for Service: As life begins in the family and therefore the first responsibility is to family, a freshman may do her 25 Service-Learning hours within the family. This experience is not to include any of the regular family chores for which the student is already responsible. The student is to be involved in working with adult members of her family or extended family. She could assist in that special project the family has been putting off at home or work-place (such as: painting, landscaping, minor construction, garage clean-out, re-organizing the office or kitchen). The student could assist an aging or sick relative or a relative with small children with some household chores or by visiting and entertaining them on a regular basis. The student may not receive any payment for her service.
· Sophomore Guidelines for Service: As faith is integral to the learning experience of our students a sophomore is asked to become an active participant in her place of worship. A student who is enrolled in Confirmation Classes or Youth Groups in her church is given service hours for her participation. Volunteering at religiously affiliated charities, assisting at religious schools, singing in church choirs, etc. is also acceptable service. If you do not have a place of worship, please come to the Campus Ministry Office.
· Junior and Seniors Guidelines for Service: Each junior and senior is asked to take a risk by involving herself in an unfamiliar, and perhaps uncomfortable, experience of service to others whose lifestyles are different from her own. The student’s service is to help her understand her Christian responsibility in confronting injustices and inequalities found in her society and to help her gain empathy for the sufferings of those who are less fortunate. Beginning in her junior year a student seeks out service opportunities that focus on the essential elements of Catholic Social Teaching (dignity of human life, call to live community, protection of rights, option for the poor, rights of workers, solidarity in the human family, and care for God’s Creation) were she may minister. At least one-half (25) of the 50 hours due for the final two years of her service requirement are to be specifically given in service to the disadvantaged (the poor, homeless, sick, orphaned, those in prisons).

Donations Needed for Freshmen Retreat: The freshmen overnight retreat begins on Friday, October 24th and ends on Saturday. October 25th. We need many donations to help make this retreat a great success. In order to assure that there are enough donations in each category check in the Campus Ministry Office for items that are still needed and complete the Donation Form. Donations made without completion of the form may not be accepted. For 1 service hour you may donate the following: 24 cans of soda, 24 bottles of water, 1 large pizza (already cooked) bring on Friday by 6:45 PM, 16 cups of green salad and salad dressing, on Friday by 6:45 PM., 750 firm paper plates, 750 plastic cups, and 750 paper cups for hot drinks, 750 firm forks, 750 spoons, 750 firm bowls, or 1000 napkins, enough cookies or cake to feed 50, 24 small yogurts, 24 individual size cereals, 2 gallons of milk, 2 gallons of orange juice (not orange drink) 3 dozen breakfast pastries (pan dulce, cinnamon buns, or donuts) or $10.00 per hour. For 4 service hours you may: Prepare 3 dozen Breakfast Burritos or English Muffins Breakfast Sandwiches and bring ready to serve at7:30 AM on Saturday, October 25.

Looking for Alumnae: The Campus Ministry Retreat Team would like to invite alumnae of our school (in all its many phases from “Los Angeles, Catholic Girls’ High School”, Bishop Conaty Memorial & Our Lady of Loretto to the merging) to come and share their stories of being students with the freshmen on their retreat. We would especially love families with multiple generations of graduates to come and share.
The retreat is the weekend of October 24th and 25th. The students stay overnight on the school campus. We invite you to join us for our pizza dinner at 7:00 PM in the cafeteria and stay to share stories from about 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM. You are also invited to come back on Saturday and celebrate liturgy with the freshmen and their parents.

Freshmen Families: The “Class of 2012” Retreat is a great way to begin the high school years. This is an overnight retreat held on school campus on the Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th. The retreat begins on Friday evening at 5:00 PM and concludes with a liturgy for both parents, families, and students at 10:00 AM on Saturday. This retreat is an opportunity for the students to strengthen their relationship with God, grow in the unity, heritage and spirit of our school and connect with each other. Each young lady needs to bring a sleeping bag, sleep-wear, comfortable clothes, any personal items that you need to stay overnight, and a snack to share. Do not bring any electronic items including cell phones. On the evening of October 24th plan report to the gym no later than 5:00 PM. All students are required to make a retreat each year. See Sister Andrea by October 21st, to arrange for an alternative to this retreat if for some reason you are unable to attend.

Business Office

Fall Raffle Tickets are due October 21. All students received raffle tickets in their packet on the first day of school. This is the first of our two mandatory fundraisers. The raffle tickets are due on October 21 however you may turn the tickets and money in to the business office anytime. Please remember to separate the raffle tickets before you turn them in so that they are ready for the raffle drawing. Good Luck selling & winning!

Thank you for your cooperation in paying your tuition and fees on time. Statements are mailed around the 25th of each month. Please contact the Business Office if you have any questions or concerns about your financial statement. You may now make payments by Credit Card. Authorization forms are available online or in the Business Office. Here is a brief reminder of our policies:

Payment Policy
· The Business Office is open Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
· Payments for registration, tuition, fees and fundraising obligations may be made by check, credit card or money order. Payments may be mailed in or brought in person to the Business Office during office hours. Credit Card payments may be made over the phone.
· A $30 service charge is assessed for all checks returned by the bank (NSF). All subsequent payments must be made by credit card or money order.

Late Fees
· Tuition is due on the 1st of each month. A $30 late fee is assessed if payment is not received by the close of business on the 10th (or next business day if the 10th is on a weekend or holiday) unless arrangements have been made in advance with the Business Office.

For further information on our policies, please refer to the Student-Parent Handbook.

Development

As a member of the Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School community, you know first hand that Bishop Conaty-Loretto provides a quality, affordable, comprehensive, college-preparatory Catholic education. You know how we challenge young women to be leaders who make a difference. Currently we are working on the establishment of an Annual Fund to continue an 85 year tradition of excellence in education. Our goal is to foster community and to insure the economic health of the school as it continues into its 9th decade of serving the young women of central Los Angeles.

Of course, educating young women to be faith-filled leaders, well-rounded, responsible citizens, effective communicators, and life-long learners does not come without cost. It is through the generosity of alumnae, parents, faculty, friends and foundations and their support of Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto’s Annual Fund, that we are able to enrich the lives of students both in and out of the classroom. Your support of the Annual Fund insures that our school both survives and thrives.

The Annual Fund is not about keeping the lights on and heating the building; it is about keeping the passion alive for day-to-day study, for athletics, and for people, service and leadership. The Annual Fund provides those additional dollars that take a fine Catholic, college preparatory education and make it exceptional by providing for the resources and experiences that truly do make a difference.

Every gift to Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto’s Annual Fund matters—will you take the initiative to make a contribution? Pledge forms and remittance envelopes are available from Judy Krommer, Development Director (323) 737-0012 ext 106. Judy is always welcome to take your calls. Contribution can be made by credit card; see the website for information.

As an important stakeholder in Bishop Conaty-Loretto’s future, we trust that you will respond to this appeal.

Thank you for your commitment to our Mission to provide a quality, affordable, comprehensive, college preparatory Catholic education to young women in central Los Angeles, to our Vision to educate the whole person for success in the 21st Century, and for your continuing dedication to Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School.

Guidance Department

Testing: On Wednesday, October 15, the entire school will be involved in college preparation experiences. Freshmen will take the Explore exam, sophomores will take the Plan exam, and juniors will take the PSAT exam. These are exams that: give the students an opportunity to experience what they will encounter when they take exams to apply for college, and also indicate the skills they have mastered and those which need improvement. The scores do not go on any permanent record, but are used for guidance when the students meet with their guidance counselors. We will have a shortened school day, ending at approximately 12:00 pm.

Seniors: The senior class will also be at school on October 15. They will have a variety of activities to choose from that pertain to applying to college. We will have application workshops to fill out applications for the Cal State University system, (and a guest speaker), the University of California system, financial aid forms and essay writing guidance. This activity is not optional, and your daughter is expected to be at school on-time and report to homeroom as usual.

If you have a daughter who is a senior, please remind her that the first few months of school are those in which she should be exploring her college options by attending presentations by guest speakers from a variety of colleges both in the state and across the nation. She should also take advantage of after school group presentations by Mrs. Marcy and make an appointment, if she has not already done so, to meet individually with Mrs. Marcy to map out a plan for furthering her education after high school.

The guidance office is happy to answer any questions you may have about this day. Please call:
· Sr. Lupe, counselor for freshmen and sophomores.
· Mrs. Marcy, counselor for juniors and seniors.

Academics

Parental support of their daughters’ education at home is a key factor in student success. Students have homework every night. It is important that parents verify that their daughters are completing assignments on time and studying regularly. In this manner, we all can work as partners in your daughters’ education. .Last spring, Bishop Conaty-Loretto instituted the following Make-up/Late Work/Extra Credit Policy to help students to take responsibility for their own learning and to encourage them to make up missed work quickly, while the information is still fresh:

A teacher should require that a student make up a test under teacher supervision before or after school, not during class time. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange with her teacher to make up a test or work missed because of absence. Teachers are required to permit students with absences (whether excused or unexcused) to make up tests and assignments missed during the absence based upon the rules and guidelines established at the beginning of the year. In the case of a student truancy and/or class cut, the student will earn a zero for any assignment/test missed on the day of occurrence. Guidelines:
· Make-Up Work: A student has 2 days to make up missed class work/homework assignments and quizzes/test for every day she is absent.
· Late Work: Late class work/homework assignments will be accepted for no more than ½ credit up to 2 days after the due date. After 2 days no credit will be earned for the late assignments.
· Extra Credit: Extra may be assigned only when all assignments have been completed. Extra credit is not “instead-of” credit. Extra credit is at the discretion of the teacher.

Deficiency Reports were given to students during the week of October 6. These notices are given to the students approximately 3 weeks before the end of each quarter of academic work. ONLY those students who are having academic difficulty in a subject receive this notification. No deficiency report is given if your daughter is performing well in her classes, but on occasion a progress report may be given. If you have reason to believe that your daughter should be receiving a deficiency report and she has not shown you this report, then call the school office and inquire about the status of these deficiency reports. Sometimes these reports may not find their way into your hands for a variety of reasons, so your follow-up is essential. A parent is required to sign these reports and your daughter needs to return the form to the subject teacher. Please be attentive to these reports and take the necessary action as requested by the teacher. Your intervention now may make the difference between a passing and failing grade for your daughter.

Report Cards will be given to the students on November 7. Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled during the week of November 11-14. If a conference is desired, parents are asked to contact teachers directly to set up an appointment during that week at a mutually convenient time. Parents, if a teacher would like to meet with you to discuss your daughter’s progress, the following comment will be listed on the report card next to the student grade: “Parent, meet with teacher.” If you see this comment, please follow through and contact the teacher. Early intervention will make all the difference in success or failure. All parents are welcome to take advantage of this time set aside for parent-teacher conferences. However, if this time is not convenient for you, an alternate time can be arranged.

Our annual fall Parent Classroom Observation Day is planned for December 3. This is a day when parents are invited to attend classes with their daughters. You may choose to come for part of the day or for the entire day. It's a great way to experience what your daughter is doing on a daily basis and to learn first hand what's happening in the classroom.

Student Activities

In order for your daughter to remain in school for an after school activity, a permission form must be signed by a parent acknowledging the student's participation as well as indicating the manner in which she will be leaving the school campus after termination of the activity. Students must leave campus immediately after dismissal from school or at the end of an after school activity. Students will not be permitted to maintain membership in a club/activity or to participate in after hours tutoring, unless a timely departure from school occurs.

Spirit Day will take place October 31. This is a time of friendly competition among teams comprised of different grade levels. Various activities are planned. Ask your daughter about the particulars of this very spirited occasion. It’s an opportunity for our students to show their unity and pride in their school.

Athletics

The Volleyball Season has officially begun. Marcos Arias is the varsity coach and Iris Romero is the junior varsity coach. Home Games (4:30 Junior Varsity start/6:00 Varsity start): October 16 against San Gabriel Mission, October 21 against Vistamar, October 23 against Sacred Heart, and October 30 against Alverno (and November 4 against Holy Family).

Cross County has also begun. This is our second year fielding a team. Home Meet: October 22 in Griffith Park. Heather Boyle and the girls would love to see us at one of their meets.

Many thanks to Jan Chambers, our Athletic Director, for all she does to coordinate the sports program. Good Luck! Wildcats!

Fine and Performing Arts

Our fine and performing arts program is expanding. We are very happy to offer Introduction to Music and Ceramics in addition to Drawing and Painting, Visual Arts, Dance, and Drama this year. Continue to check the school web-site for announcements about plays, concerts and exhibitions.

Comedy Sportz will host a competition Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15 at 7:00 PM, admission $5.00. Come and enjoy this very entertaining improvisational comedy event.

Important Dates

· October 21-- Raffle tickets and money due
· October 23-- NHS Induction, 1:15
· October 24 & 25-- Freshmen overnight retreat, 4:00 PM Friday -11:00 AM Saturday
· October 25-- Freshman-Parent Mass, 10:00 AM
· October 26-- Raffle Drawing at St. Agnes
· October 30-- First Quarter Ends
· November 6-- Parents’ Meeting, 6:30 PM
· November 7-- Report Cards
· November 10-- Veterans’ Day Holiday
· November 11 to November 14-- Parent-Teacher Conference Week
· November 14 & 15-- Comedy Sportz, 7:00 PM
· November 21-- Faculty/Staff Faith Formation Retreat, no school for students
· November 25--Thanksgiving Luncheon
· November 26-- Thanksgiving Paraliturgy
· November 27 to November 28-- Thanksgiving Holliday
· November 30--UC & CSU Applications Due
· December 1-- Christmas Drive for Alexandria House begins
· December 3-- Parent Observation Day
· December 7-- 8th Grade Open House
· December 8-- Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Liturgy
· December 8 to December 12-- Progress Reports Week
· December 9-- Sophomore Retreat
· December 12-- Winter Dance
· December 22 to January 2-- Christmas Vacation

Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School Parent Newsletter, Volume 2, Number 2, October 2008