STUDENTS, PARENTS, FACULTY MENLO-ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL VOLUME 60, NUMBER MIDDLEFIELD ROAD, ATHERTON, CA To the Menlo-Atherton Community

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1 THREE VOICES JUNE 2013 T RIV OCIS STUDENTS, PARENTS, FACULTY MENLO-ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL VOLUME 60, NUMBER MIDDLEFIELD ROAD, ATHERTON, CA n (650) To the Menlo-Atherton Community Welcome, class of 2017 First, I d like to welcome all of our new families and the entire class of This year has flown by, and we are now focusing our efforts on the school year and welcoming a new crop of ninth graders. While the transition to high school is a major one, many built-in supports will facilitate your child s journey at M-A. After a few short weeks, students become familiar with their new routines. By October, they are better acquainted with the campus than many of their teachers are. New families need not feel apprehensive your children are our top priority, and we will care for them well. In four short years, they will be matriculating into a wonderful variety of colleges and other postsecondary options. As in previous years, here is my short list of ways for students to ease the transition: Ø Determine the transportation route to and from school, including dropoff and pick-up points for the first few weeks. Ø Join a fall sports team: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls water polo, girls tennis, girls golf, or boys and girls cross-country. (Download the sports packet at or pick up a copy in the vice principals office.) Ø Know the location of student bathrooms. Ø Use the school planner provided to all students, and take Cornell-style notes in class. College admission results While statistics are still being finalized for the class of 2013, college admission results look very similar to past years for M-A students, who are extremely well prepared to be successful at an incredible variety of colleges across the United States. Students are still completing exit surveys, but so far it appears that M-A students had a range of college options similar to that of the past. M-A will be well represented at the UC, CSU, and community colleges; public institutions outside of California (many!); private colleges in a huge geographic spectrum; and specialty institutions (such as the arts). Quick reminders Ø Final exams begin on Monday, June 3. Our 62nd graduation ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, June 6, at 4 pm on Coach Parks Field. Calendar Highlights May 27: Memorial Day no school May 28 31: Dead week; senior finals June 1: SAT tests June 3 6: Finals schedule, grades 9 11 June 6: Last day of school; class of 2013 graduation June 8: ACT exam June 14: Deadline to request final senior transcripts June 7 July 5: Summer school session 1 July 1 August 1: M-A office closed July 8 July 25: Summer school session 2 August 13: Arena Check-In for grades 9 and 12 August 14: Arena Check-In for grades 10 and 11 August 20: First day of school; schedule distribution Contents From the principal Del director From the PTA Foundation Awards Mentors needed From the Guidance Office De la Oficina de la Consejería Math calculators Challenge Day volunteers needed PSAT prep Computer donations Senior Awards Night Low-cost Internet/Internet a precio bajisimo M-A students at FHA-HERO event Yearbook sales Big Bear Run thanks Spring sports Students of the Quarter Math Students of the Month Leadership Information for seniors Grad Night Computer virus/virus de computadoras Menlo Park Library Rotary scholarship fundraiser TriVocis June 2013 calendar Future events

2 Ø Early Bird Athletic Clearance is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, and Wednesday, July 31, from 10 am to 2 pm in the Administration Building. Ø Arena Check-In will take place August 13 for ninth and twelfth graders and August 14 for tenth and eleventh graders in the New Gym. August 12 will be a pre-picture day from 10 am to 3 pm in the wrestling room. New and noteworthy Ø Seniors Jeremy Chow, Thomas Liggett, and Christopher Scherm, as well as freshman Kevin Shimbo, have all earned the rank of Eagle Scout through Menlo Park Troop 109. Ø Sophomore Scott Kuhnen and junior Nicholas Landolfi achieved the rank of Eagle Scout through Menlo Park Troop 215. Ø Senior Jonathan Zdasiuk earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2009, followed by a Bronze Palm in 2010 and a Gold Palm in In 2011 he also earned the Boy Scouts National Outdoor Award for Hiking. Ø Senior Christina Takayama was a Young Arts winner in this year s National Young Art Competition. She was one of 685 winners selected from a field of ten thousand candidates. Ø A horseback rider, senior Meg Rash was named a 2012 Regional Child/Adult Medal Finals Champion by the California Professional Horseman s Association and was named a Varsity High School Equestrian Athlete by the US Equestrian Federation. Ø Seniors Zachary Cogan and Harrison Holland-McCowan were recognized last fall by USA Water Polo as Academic All-Americans Outstanding. Holland-McCowan was also named Wendy s High School Heisman School Winner. Ø Junior Aaron Katzman recently earned a bronze medal at the USA Boxing Championships in Spokane, Washington. Ø The M-A instrumental music program received many accolades at the recent World Strides Heritage Festival in Anaheim. The orchestra took a gold medal and first place, the concert band took a silver medal and third place, and the advanced jazz band took a silver medal and second place. Matthew Zito, principal TriVocis June 2013 Volume 60, Number 9 M-A High School PTA News 17 th District PTA Published monthly by the PTA of Menlo-Atherton High School 555 Middlefield Road Atherton, CA (650) Principal: Matthew Zito PTA co-presidents: Karen Fryling Brian LaPorte Articles editor: Jane Aaron Production editor: Adriana Castro Silva Calendar editor: Kathleen Balestra Proofreaders: Jane King, Becca Garcia Mailing: Nancy Ryde, Corby Locke, Kelly Muenzen The purpose of the newsletter is to promote communication between the administration/ faculty and parents. We welcome all your comments, suggestions, and articles. The mention of any business or service in this newsletter does not imply an endorsement by the M-A PTA. Send articles for next issue by Wednesday, August 14, to trivocis@mabearspta.org. Estimada Comunidad de Menlo-Atherton Bienvenida, clase del 2017 Primeramente, me gustaría dar la bienvenida a todas nuestras familias nuevas y la clase entera de Este año ha pasado volando y ahora estamos enfocando nuestros esfuerzos en el año escolar y dando la bienvenida a un nuevo grupo de estudiantes de noveno grado. Mientras que la transición a la escuela secundaria es una transición muy importante, existen muchos apoyos integrados en M-A que facilitarán el trayecto de su hijo/a. Después de unas cortas semanas, los estudiantes se familiarizarán con sus nuevas rutinas. Para octubre, conocerán el campus mejor que muchos de sus maestros. Las nuevas familias no tienen por qué sentirse inquietas -- sus hijos/as son nuestra primera prioridad y los cuidaremos bien. En cuatro cortos años, se estarán matriculando en una variedad maravillosa de universidades y otras opciones post-secundarias. Esta es mi lista corta de maneras de facilitar su transición: 2 June 2013 TriVocis

3 Ø Determinar la ruta de transportación de su hijo/a para ir y venir de la escuela, incluyendo los sitios de llegada y recogida las primeras semanas. Ø Apuntarse a un equipo de deportes de otoño: futbol americano, equipo femenino de voleibol, equipos femenino y masculino de polo acuático, equipo femenino de tenis, equipo femenino de golf o equipos femenino y masculino de carrera a campo traviesa. (Descargar el paquete de deportes de o recoger una copia en la oficina del vice director.) Ø Aprender la ubicación de los baños de estudiantes. Ø Utilizar la agenda escolar proporcionada a todos los estudiantes y anime a su hijo/a a tomar notas al estilo del sistema Cornell en sus clases. Resultados de admisiones a la universidad Mientras que las estadísticas aún se finalizan para la clase de 2013, los resultados de admisiones a la universidad son muy parecidos a años pasados para los estudiantes de M-A, quienes están sumamente bien preparados para el éxito en una variedad increíble de universidades por los EUA. Los estudiantes todavía están completando las encuestas de salida, pero hasta el momento los estudiantes de M-A tuvieron una gama parecida de opciones de universidades como en el pasado; M-A estará bien representado en la UC, la CSU, y en los colegios possecundarios; instituciones públicos fuera de California ( muchas!); universidades privadas en una variedad geográfica muy grande; e instituciones especializadas (como de las artes). Recordatorios rápidos Ø Los exámenes finales empiezan el lunes, 3 de junio. Nuestra ceremonia de graduación número 62 está programada para el jueves, 6 de junio a las 4:00 pm en el campo de Coach Parks. Ø La Autorización Deportiva Temprana [Early Bird Athletic Clearance] está programada para el martes, 30 de julio, y el miércoles, 31 de julio, de las 10 am a las 2 pm en el ala administrativa principal. Ø La Inscripción en la Arena [Arena Check-In] tomará lugar el 13 de agosto para los alumnos de 9º grado y los de 12º grado, y el 14 de agosto para los alumnos de 10º grado y los de 11º grado en el gimnasio nuevo [New Gym]. El 12 de agosto será el día de pre-fotos de las 10 am a las 3 pm en la sala de lucha libre [wrestling room]. Nuevo y digno de notar Ø Jeremy Chow, Thomas Liggett, y Christopher Scherm, estudiantes de 12º grado escolar, así como Kevin Shimbo, alumno del 9º grado escolar, han ganado el rango de Eagle Scout de Menlo Park Troop 109. Ø Scott Kuhnen, estudiante del 10º grado escolar, y Nicholas Landfolfi, alumno de 11º grado, lograron el rango de Eagle Scout por la Menlo Park Troop 215. Ø Jonathan Zdasiuk, estudiante de 12º grado escolar, ganó el rango de Eagle Scout en 2009, seguido por una Palma de Bronce en 2010 y una Palma de Oro en En 2011 también gano el Premio de Boy Scouts National Outdoor Award de senderismo. Ø Christina Takayama, estudiante de 12º grado escolar, fue ganadora de Young Arts en la National Young Art Competition de este año. Fue una de 685 ganadores seleccionados de un campo de diez mil candidatos. Ø Meg Rash, estudiante de 12º grado escolar y jinete, fue nombrada Campeona de Finales de Regional Child/Adult de 2012 por la California Professional Horseman s Association y fue nombrada Varsity High School Equestrian Athlete por la US Equestrian Federation. Ø Zachary Cogan y Harrison Holland-McCowan, estudiantes de 12º grado escolar, fueron reconocidos el otoño pasado por la USA Water Polo como Academic All-Americans Sobresaliente. Holland-McCowan también fue nombrado Wendy s High School Heisman School Winner. Ø Aaron Katzman, alumno de 11º grado, ganó recientemente la medalla de bronce en el Campeonato de Boxeo de EUA en Spokane, Washington. Ø El programa de música instrumental de M-A recibió muchos galardones en el reciente World Strides Heritage Festival en Anaheim. La orquesta consiguió una medalla de oro y el 1er lugar; la banda sinfónica ganó una medalla de plata y el 3er lugar; y la banda de jazz avanzada ganó la medalla de plata y el segundo lugar. Matthew Zito, director TriVocis June

4 From the PTA Why is being PTA co-president a breeze and fun? Because M-A is fortunate to have a cadre of competent committee chairs who sweat the details, get the desired result, and make it fun for everyone around them. Every committee also has several other volunteers who pitch in, enabling so many activities to occur successfully. Combine that with competent and fun officers, and the year just blows by. When all is said and done this year, the PTA will have spent thousands of volunteer hours and over $100 for each and every student to help M-A keep humming along. A big merci to our board: Ora Chaiken, Shari Conrad, Becky Flanagan, Elizabeth Katz, Jackie Macdonald, Kathy Oppenheimer, Stephanie Nisbet, and Susanna Tang. It was great to work with you. In addition to recognizing committee chairs, the PTA is honored to recognize certain individuals who are just the volunteers volunteers, as nominated by the M-A community M-A PTA Adult Service Award Recipients Bronze Bear Leadership Award: A person who goes way above and beyond, then way above and beyond again for years! Julie Brody PTA Continuing Service Award: They were honored before and have to be honored again, just because. John McMurtry Jill Smith PTA Service Award: For extraordinary service to the PTA. Roscoe Jennings Gloria Principe Kristin Smith Community Service Award: For serving the entire M-A community, not just the PTA. Celeste Chapman Beth Henninger Renee Moore Jill Roumeliotis Bear Farewells: The best of the best whose youngest M-A child is a senior. Julie Brody Celeste Chapman JoAnn Kukulus Emily Liggett Marcia Makino John McMurtry Trish Mitchell Deborah Moritz Renata Mullen Gloria Principe Jill Smith Kristin Smith Susanna Tang Sonoo Thadaney-Israni Heather Titterton Paul Titterton Debra Yoder 4 June 2013 TriVocis

5 Our Invaluable Committee Chairs Administrative Support: Gloria Principe, Mary Zarucchi BearNotes: Julie Brody, Cindy Butler, LeeAnn Yasukawa California Scholarship Federation: Molly Eason, Alice Hom, Stephanie Nisbet Canned Food Drive: Julie Brody, Alice Hom Computer Donation Program: Sue Kayton Directory: Pauline Burke, Julia Zanutta, JoAnne Goldberg Display Cases PTA: Bonnie Hom 8th Grade Information Night: Ellen Mouchawar, Libby Tinsley escrip: Katherine Hunt Gonzalez, Mary Murphy ELD Tutoring: Andrea Reid Fashion Show: Susan Benedick, Julie Brody, Renata Mullen, Jill Smith Freshman Challenge Day: Lisa Deal, Irene Searles Grad Night: Nancy Travers Honor Roll Display Case: Kim Reed Hospitality: Julie Kleck Junior Parent Meeting: Katherine Kelly Membership: Julie Kleck, Jill Morgan Mini-Grants: Nancy Kessler, Kristin Smith M-A Overview Document: Kathy Oppenheimer National Honor Society: Sonoo Thadaney-Israni Outreach Club Support: Kathy Oppenheimer Parent at Large SDMSC: Polly Berquist Parent Education: Charlene Margot Senior Breakfast: Ellen Mouchawar, Kitty Roellig Spanish Translation: Ana Adriano Staff Appreciation: Valerie Ambwani, Grayson Lane, Beth Ann Lico Student Award Night: Alice Hom, Nancy Kessler Summer Reading: Darlene Gorman, Lakshmi Narayani TriVocis: Jane Aaron, Adriana Castro Silva, Kathleen Balestra, Becca Garcia, Jane King, Corby Locke, Kelly Muenzen, Nancy Ryde Webmaster: Adrienne Wong Thank you also to the myriad parents whose names do not appear above but who have made M-A a better place for their presence and efforts. Have a wonderful summer, everyone. Karen Fryling and Brian LaPorte, PTA co-presidents president@mabearspta.org TriVocis June

6 Announcing the Foundation Award Recipients! Foundation Classified Staff Award Elisa Nocecal, instructional associate Foundation Teaching/Certificated Award Miki Cristerna, student support coordinator Scott Kirk, academic resources teacher Jennifer Payne, math and AVID teacher Watch for our August newsletter to learn more about these stellar award winners! Mentors Needed for At-Risk M-A Students Can you meet once a week with a student who needs help and support? It will be the most rewarding work you do! Some of our students need a regular adult presence to motivate them and help organize a path through M-A to graduation. This year seventeen mentors worked with Miki Cristerna, student services coordinator, and with students who are at risk of not graduating. The relationships we have developed have been incredibly rewarding, and beneficial to the students. We plan to expand the program in the school year to reach more M-A students. You could make the difference whether they stay in school. No special knowledge is needed just a desire to make a difference. Meetings are with another mentor and three to four students once a week at lunchtime. us and we ll put you on the list for information and training sessions in the fall. Write Linda Fornaciari at laderalinda@mac.com or Lynne Clarence at lynne.clarence@gmail.com. Join us! 6 June 2013 TriVocis

7 From the Guidance Office Course selection for You should have received and returned your student s course selection confirmation letter by now. If you did not return the letter, or if you wish to make further changes, please contact your student s Guidance Counselor in writing by June 10. We look forward to assisting you. New policy on electives Ø Please be aware that your student s elective class represents a commitment for the entire academic year. Our school offers a wide variety of electives. If you need more information for your student to make his or her final decision, please visit and look for the course descriptions and/or the teachers syllabuses. Ø Once the school year starts and classes have been finalized, students will remain in their elective classes, including math, science, and world language classes above minimum graduation requirements. This policy responds to new district policies regarding class balancing and will be strictly enforced. Ø We are confident that your student will enjoy a positive experience in his or her chosen elective. Finals Ø Finals for seniors begin the week of May 28. Finals for ninth through eleventh graders start on June 3. Ø Students should be aware of class deadlines, organize class materials, prioritize time for studying, get involved in study groups, and check in with teachers as necessary. Ø Please encourage and support your student in doing his or her best on final exams and projects. Guidance summer office hours The Guidance Office will be open through late June. Guidance Counselors will not be available after school is out. Any requests to Guidance support staff should be made by June 25. The office will be closed the month of July and will reopen on August 2. Summer school Summer school will take place at Menlo-Atherton High School. Eligible students received a confirmation letter in May For additional summer school options and the district s Concurrent Enrollment Form, please visit and select Departments > Guidance > Summer Programs 2013 or Departments > Guidance > Concurrent Enrollment Form. Ø Students taking approved Concurrent Enrollment courses for acceleration must complete and submit the district s Concurrent Enrollment Form prior to enrolling in summer courses and provide the Guidance Office with a transcript by August 5, Ø At College of San Mateo and Cañada College, summer session begins on June 17 and fall classes begin on August 19. College schedules and College Connection Concurrent Enrollment Program forms are available on the colleges Web sites. Class of 2013 All seniors attending two- or four-year, in-state or out-of-state, public or private colleges or universities must request an official final transcript from Menlo-Atherton no later than Friday, June 14. They should bring the Final Transcript Request form to Fran Huber, along with a stamped/addressed envelope and a suggested $2 donation. Class of 2014 Next year s seniors who need ten credits of physical education (PE) as of August 2013 will be placed in a PE class for the academic year. Secondary school report/counselor recommendation Ø Required only for private or out-of-state colleges and universities. Ø Students must complete the Recommendation Request Packet available on Naviance. Go to click on the link to Naviance, and log in. The packet is in the document library on the right-hand side. Ø Students should submit their recommendation packets in person to their guidance counselors as early as possible and no later than the following deadlines: Letters due on or before 12/15/13: Tuesday, September 24 Letters due on or after 12/16/13: Thursday, November 7 Class of 2017 The Guidance Office needs a copy of each incoming freshman s birth certificate or passport. Bring it to our office between 7:30 am and 3:45 pm or fax it to (650) If you haven t already done so, you will need to verify the student s address at the district office, 480 James Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062, (650) We congratulate the Class of 2013 for hard work and effort at Menlo-Atherton High School. We wish your students the best of luck in their future endeavors. Silvia Torres-Garza, head guidance counselor Francine Andrade, Laura Duran, Karina Escobar-Weaver, Jason Kubo, and Lara Sandora, guidance counselors TriVocis June

8 De la Oficina de Consejería Selección de clases para Para esta fecha, ustedes deben de haber recibido y regresado la carta de confirmación de las clases de su estudiante. Si ustedes no regresaron la carta, o si ustedes desean hacer cambios adicionales, por favor comuníquense con el/la consejero/a de su estudiante por escrito a más tardar el 10 de junio. Nosotros estamos muy contentos de poder ayudarles. Las clases electivas Ø Por favor estén conscientes que la clase electiva de su estudiante representa un compromiso para todo el año académico. Nuestra escuela ofrece una variedad amplia de clases electivas. Si ustedes necesitan más información acerca de las descripciones de las clases para poder hacer su decisión final con su estudiante, por favor visite y busque la descripción de la clase. Ø Por favor tomen nota de que una vez empiece el año escolar , los estudiantes permanecerán en sus clases electivas, incluyendo clases de matemáticas, ciencias, e idioma extranjero que sean más altas que las clases mínimas requeridas para graduación. Este reglamento será obligatorio. Este compromiso a las clases electivas son el resultado de nuevos reglamentos que provienen del distrito referente al equilibrio de las clases. Ø Nosotros tenemos confianza en que su estudiante va a disfrutar de una experiencia positiva en su clase electiva. Exámenes finales Ø El horario de los exámenes para los estudiantes del doceavo grado empieza la semana del 28 de mayo. Para los estudiantes del noveno al onceavo grado, los exámenes finales empiezan el 3 de junio. Ø Los estudiantes deben estar concientes de las fechas límite de sus clases, organizar los materiales de clase, hacer prioridades en su tiempo para estudiar, e involucrarse en grupos de estudio, y hablar con sus maestros cuando sea necesario. Ø Por favor anime y apoye a su estudiante en hacer el mejor esfuerzo en los exámenes y proyectos finales. Horario de la Oficina de Consejería durante el verano La Oficina de Consejería estará abierta hasta finales de junio. Los consejeros no estarán disponibles cuando termine el año escolar. Si tienen alguna petición para el personal de apoyo de la oficina de, deben solicitarla a más tardar el 25 de junio. La Oficina de Consejería estará cerrada durante el mes de julio y volverá a abrir el 2 de agosto. Escuela de verano La Escuela de verano se llevará a cabo en la Escuela Menlo-Atherton. Los estudiantes elegibles recibieron una carta de confirmación en mayo. Para opciones adicionales de escuela de verano, y para el formulario Concurrent Enrollment Form, por favor visite seleccione Departments > Guidance > Summer Programs 2013 y Departments > Guidance > Concurrent Enrollment Form. Ø Los estudiantes que toman clases aprobadas por medio del programa Concurrent Enrollment para acelerar deben completar y entregar el formulario del distrito Concurrent Enrollment antes de inscribirse en clases de verano y tienen que entregar un expediente académico a la oficina de consejería a más tardar el 5 de agosto del Ø Las fechas para clases en College of San Mateo y Cañada College son como sigue: la sesión de verano empieza el 17 de junio, y las clases de otoño empiezan el 19 de agosto. Los horarios de clase de los colegios y el formulario College Connection Concurrent Enrollment Program están disponibles en el Internet. Clase del 2013 Todos los estudiantes del doceavo grado que asistirán a una universidad pública o privada de dos o cuatro años dentro o fuera de este estado, necesitan solicitar su expediente académico final a más tardar el viernes, 14 de junio. Traer el formulario Final Transcript Request, un sobre con la dirección de la universidad, una estampilla, y una donación sugerida de $2 a la señora Fran Huber. Clase del 2014 Los estudiantes del doceavo grado que necesitan 10 créditos de educación física en agosto del 2013 serán colocados en una clase de educación física durante el año académico Reporte de escuela preparatoria ( secondary school report )/Recomendación de consejero/a Ø Requerido solamente para colegios/universidades privados o fuera del estado. Ø Los estudiantes deben completar el paquete de cartas de recomendación, que está disponible en Naviance. Visite haga un clic en Naviance, y entre al programa Naviance. El paquete está en la biblioteca de documentos en el lado derecho. Ø Los estudiantes necesitan someter sus paquetes de recomendación personalmente a su consejero/a lo más pronto posible y a más tardar en las siguientes fechas: Para cartas con fecha de vencimiento el 15 de diciembre o antes: martes, 24 de septiembre Para cartas con fecha de vencimiento el 16 de diciembre del 2013 o después: jueves, 7 de noviembre 8 June 2013 TriVocis

9 Clase del 2017 La Oficina de Consejería necesita una copia de su acta/partida de nacimiento o una copia de su pasaporte válido. Usted puede traer la copia a nuestra oficina entre las 7:30 am y las 3:45 pm o enviar la copia por fax al (650) Si todavía no lo ha hecho, usted tendrá que verificar su domicilio en la oficina de nuestro distrito, 480 James Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062, (650) Nuestras felicitaciones para la clase del 2013 por todo el esfuerzo y fuerte trabajo que desempeñó aquí en la Escuela de Menlo-Atherton. Le deseamos a su estudiante la mejor de la suerte en todos sus futuros esfuerzos. Silvia Torres-Garza, encargada del Oficina de Consejería Francine Andrade, Laura Duran, Karina Escobar-Weaver, Jason Kubo, y Lara Sandora, consejeros Graphing Calculators at M-A Graphing calculators are an integral part of math education at M-A. They are used in all classes beginning with algebra II and including AS algebra II, algebra II/trig, precalculus, AP statistics, statistics, and AP calculus AB/BC. Ninth-grade geometry students use scientific calculators in the spring semester, but some students get graphing calculators instead, knowing they will need them for algebra II. The calculators are allowed on the SAT I test, which is referred to as calculator neutral because students can use a calculator if they wish but can solve all problems without one. The other standardized tests including the SAT math subject test, AP statistics, and AP calculus (AB and BC) require graphing calculators. They are also allowed on almost all math contests. The most versatile calculators for M-A math classes are Texas Instruments TI-83+ and TI-84 series. All teacher presentations will be made with TI equipment. Please do not buy other brands such as Casio and HP. The TI-83+ and TI-84s all perform well, but there are differences in prices and functions. The TI-83+ is what many students purchase. (I would not buy a new or used TI-83.) The TI-84 offers three times the speed of the TI-83+, an improved display, more RAM, and a USB port for students who want to transfer data between their calculator and computer. TI-86s are great, but they do not do statistics and are not recommended. TI-89s will not be allowed on tests/quizzes at M-A. Prices can vary tremendously depending on the store and the time of year. Calculators will always be considerably cheaper in August and early September, when many stores such as Best Buy and Costco carry them as loss leaders and sometimes sell them at or below cost. The prices can be as much as $30 or $40 less than during the rest of the year. I do not know what prices will be this August, but the TI-83+ can be as cheap as $80 during this brief one-month window. The TI-84s will cost approximately $20 to $30 more than a TI-83+. Some students buy their calculators through ebay, where you can pay as little as $30 for a TI-83+ or $50 for a TI-84. Math teachers encourage students to check out graphing calculators from the department if they choose not to purchase them. This year over 150 students have been using graphing calculators checked out from the Math Department. If you buy a TI graphing calculator, please save the TI Technology Rewards symbol, which awards points for TI purchases. We can use these points for earning TI teacher-presentation equipment. Return the POINTS symbol to your son s or daughter s math teacher or to Mr. Whitnah in room D20, or mail it to Mr. Whitnah at 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, CA Questions? Send them to gwhitnah@seq.org. Gregg Whitnah, Math Department chair TriVocis June

10 Freshman Challenge Day October 28, 29, and 30, 2013 Adult Volunteers Needed Next Fall at M-A! Challenge Day is coming to M-A for the tenth year, and we need your help! This freshman event, which kicks off our year-long Be the Change program, is sponsored by the M-A PTA with support from the principal, teachers, and administrative staff. The incoming freshman class will participate in this lifetime experience. Our goal is that at the end of the day, students not only will have bonded as a class, but also will have torn down old stereotypes and become inspired to live, study, and work in an environment of compassion, acceptance, and respect. Since 1987, the Challenge Day programs have touched the lives of over half a million teens nationwide. In fact, Challenge Day is the subject of the popular TV series If You Really Knew Me and was featured on the Oprah show, in the book Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, and in the Emmy Award winning documentary Teen Files: Surviving High School. Challenge Day is a powerful, high-energy program in which youths and adults are guided through a series of experiential learning activities. The overall goals of the program are to increase personal power and self-esteem; to shift negative peer pressure to positive peer support; and to eliminate the acceptability of teasing, violence, and all forms of oppression. The Challenge Day programs are designed to unite the members of the school and to empower them to carry the themes of the program back to the greater school population. And it works! In the poignant words of a past parent volunteer and small-group facilitator, I do believe that each time they see each other, it will remind them that they are not alone in their difficulties. I saw repeatedly throughout the day students realizing they are not the only one with various struggles. Then I saw their peers reaching out to assist. Adult participation is crucial to the success of these three days! The freshman class will be divided so that onethird attends each day, and we are looking for over 225 adult volunteers to help with this event. You can volunteer Monday, October 28, Tuesday, October 29, or Wednesday, October 30. Volunteer positions include smallgroup facilitators for four to five students (8:15 am to 3:30 pm), registration (8:00 to 9:15 am), or lunch servers (11:00 am to 1:00 pm). Everyone is welcome, whether you are a parent of a freshman or of an upperclassman. As you are making your volunteer plans for the school year, please take the time to consider making a real difference in the lives of our M-A teens in this awesome way. As previous participants, we can promise you that you, too, will walk away a changed individual. To volunteer for any of these positions, please send an to challengeday@mabearspta.org, specifying the position and time for which you wish to volunteer. Lauren Calhoon and Irene Searles, Challenge Day 2013 cochairs 10 June 2013 TriVocis

11 M-A s Own PSAT/SAT Prep Hello, parents of next year s juniors, and congratulations on becoming upper-school parents. We know you are ready to assume the awesome responsibilities that go with your new status. To begin: your student should be taking the PSAT this fall, and we have already enrolled some incoming juniors in our prep class. Even if your child took the test as a sophomore, he or she should take it again as a junior: the scores are bound to improve after another year of school, and only scores from junior year may earn a Letter of Recommendation or the coveted National Merit Semifinalist standing. We will begin our prep course in mid-september, with classes on campus from 3:30 to 5:00 pm on Mondays and Tuesdays. The course runs for five weeks, ending the week the PSAT is given. Our fee is based on the number enrolled and goes from a base of $100 to a high of $225. In the fall, the fee has always been $100 because of the size of the enrollment, although we can t promise it. The actual fee is set after the students have been seated the first day; and once a student is seated, the parent or guardian is responsible for the fee. The course is aimed at juniors, and they receive priority listing. A sophomore who will have a fall sport in his or her junior year will be waitlisted as a soph-with-sports; other sophomores will be separately waitlisted and will be third in line for a seat. Sophomores do not have a compelling need to take the PSAT. We have been offering this preparation at M-A since 1980, so our longevity speaks to our ability. Our course emphasizes the techniques of test taking peculiar to this test. After five weeks, we feel students are confident and completely grounded, with proven working techniques thoroughly ingrained in their minds. Our homework assignments should not take more than an hour and a half a week, all told, and any student can spare that much time for five weeks. The parents job is to encourage the student to do the homework and to have good attendance. If there is a medical appointment or another acceptable reason for absence, the student should bring a note from home for the director. For questions or to enroll (do it soon to avoid the waiting list), call (650) or (much preferred) jcckcing@juno.com. Jane King, director Wanted: Used Computers and Parts, Working or Not The M-A PTA needs equipment for our refurbishing and donation program. We will securely erase all information from your computers, reload them with software, and send them home with needy, hard-working students. We take anything, including old computers, memory, flash drives, monitors, keyboards, digital cameras, networking equipment, and hard disk drives. To donate one computer, or a truckload from a company that is upgrading, please contact Sue Kayton at kayton@alum.mit.edu or (650) , or visit our Web site at TriVocis June

12 Senior Awards Night: Honoring Outstanding Achievements The annual M-A Senior Awards Night will be held on Tuesday, June 4, at 7:00 pm in the Performing Arts Center. During this inspirational evening, sponsored by M-A PTA, many hard-working and talented seniors (and a smaller number of juniors) are honored for outstanding academic and extracurricular performance as well as service to the school and community. Some of the awards will be a surprise, while many will be recognition for awards already received. Students will be recognized for a wide variety of scholarships, prizes, and commendations awarded by school and community groups. Last year, more than two hundred individuals were recognized. Invitations will be mailed to families of students who will be receiving recognition. Awards to junior students will be presented early in the program (so juniors can go home to study for finals!), followed by senior awards. Refreshments will be served. Congratulations to the deserving recipients! Alice Kleeman Very Low-Cost Internet If your student received free or reduced-price lunch at M-A or any other public school, and if you are not a current Comcast customer, your family can get high-speed Internet for only $11 per month, including tax. To order this very low-cost internet, call Comcast toll free at (855) and ask for Comcast Essentials. Internet a Precio Bajisimo Si su familia tiene un estudiante que califica por la comida a precio bajo or gratis a la escuela, y si no reciben servicio de Comcast en este momento, pueden obtener internet de alta velocidad por solamente $11 al mes, incluyendo los impuestos. Para pedir este servicio, llame a Comcast en español a (855) y d ígales que quieren Comcast Básico. 12 June 2013 TriVocis

13 M-A Students at FHA-HERO Event A delegation of nine students from Menlo-Atherton excelled at the 66th Annual FHA- HERO State Leadership Meeting and State Finals of Competitive Recognition Events from April 20 to 23 in Ontario, California. FHA-HERO is the California affiliate of Future Career and Community Leaders of America. M-A s chapter participated along with chapters from sixty-five other California high schools. Three students Jade Nichols, Niesha Ford, and Ayesha Gaikwad served as voting delegates, and seven members competed in six different very competitive events. Our chef team, Sabrina Kinney and Havens Ratchye, took an impressive third place in commercial food preparation. Diana Alejandre earned second place in hospitality, tourism, and recreation for her tour guidebook of Alcatraz Island (shout out to teacher Elizabeth Snow, who taught Diana to use InDesign software). Brenda Godoy achieved third place for her presentation of an interior design for a loft apartment/ceramics studio. Lilian Flores and her beautifully decorated wedding cake met with the stiffest competition seen at the state finals. (She will show the cake at the San Mateo County Fair in June.) Liviera (Vira) Leebong, a gifted speaker, placed first in prepared speech with the topic of making the dangers of texting and driving real for teens. The trip was made possible by a generous Menlo-Atherton PTA Mini-Grant, an SB70 grant from the California Department of Education, and our Bears Lair Chapter FHA- HERO fundraising through the Grateful Bread Catering Business. Thank you to everyone who supported our Home Economics program and our Bears Lair Chapter of FHA-HERO. Mona Klein, Home Economics teacher There s still a day to order yearbooks from jostens.com for $100. After May 23, yearbooks may be purchased only for $110 cash in room I2. Seniors may pick up their yearbooks beginning at lunch on May 23, and all students may pick up yearbooks after school that day. Come to the athletic ticket office in the I wing. Students should bring their IDs and receipts. TriVocis June

14 Thank You from Your 2013 Big Bear Run Cochairs, Dana Hayse and Diana Holliday! Big Bear Hugs to all the fabulous runners, walkers, volunteers, and sponsors who helped make the 8th Annual Big Bear Run on Sunday, May 5, a huge success! This was the biggest race ever with over 1,100 registered runners and 921 finishers who came out to support M-A Athletics. The M-A Boosters granted over $120,000 for M-A s 44 athletic teams this school year, funding critically needed uniforms, basic equipment, and $70,000 in coaching stipends for approximately 770 committed student athletes. Support for the Big Bear Run and M-A Athletic Boosters is a separate and necessary addition to the donations you may have already made to your athlete s individual sports team. Individual team needs far exceed the amount any team can raise alone. In addition, many of the items funded by the Boosters are shared by several teams. Examples include the athletic trainer and equipment, electronic timing devices, canopies, and soon the new weight room. Congratulations again this year to the fastest male and female Bears, senior George Baier and junior Taylor Fortnam. Check out the race results and great Big Bear Run photos on the M-A Athletic Boosters Web site ( Congratulations to the lucky M-A student winners for the end-of-race drawing for an ipad Mini, Beats Headphone, and various gift cards! Thank you for the contributions of new and gently used shoes which have been donated to those in need. The race could not have happened without the help of many wonderful volunteers. The Big Bear Committee oversaw all the details such as food, logistics, T-shirts, sponsors, publicity, and race planning. Thank you to committee members Kathleen Balestra, Alison Blank, Marci Coggins, Beth Henninger, Nancy Kessler, Liz King, Corby Locke, Maryellen McCabe, Nancy McMahon, and Jill Roumeliotis. An additional seventy-five parents, students, and friends came out race day to help with setup, registration, food and water, marking the course, and cheering on the runners. Thank you to senior Jenna Scandalios for her inspiring singing of The Star Spangled Banner, Danny McCabe as the M-A Bear, Alan Perry as our Race Rabbit, Principal Zito for the race start, Michele Culhane for keeping us in our places prior to race start, Mark Culhane as the race commentator, the M-A cheerleaders for their wonderful school spirit, the M-A dance team for its great performance, and Mark Balestra, Bruce Deal, and Yosh Moriarty for the fun race photos. Thank you to the Atherton and Menlo Park Police Departments for keeping us all safe on the race course. Thank you to Jeff Child and Tom Hayse for marking the revised race course that triumphantly entered the track through the new Media Arts Building archway. A big thanks to Brien Oliver and Keith Perkins and their M-A custodial crew for all the heavy lifting in race preparations, setup, and takedown. Thank you for all the M-A neighbors for accommodating our race so graciously! Thank you to Freewheel Brewing Company for the space and equipment we used to prepare our food, Hobee s California Restaurants for the delicious coffee cake, Bianchini s Grocery for our fresh fruit, Liz King for designing the beloved Big Bear Run T-shirts, Fleet Feet Sports for our race bibs, and Occasions, Etc for our trophies and medals. Save the date for the 9th Annual Big Bear Run: Sunday, May 4, 2014 And finally to our invaluable sponsors: we could absolutely not have reached our goal without you! Platinum: Intuit; Tavarez Orthodontics; The Howard & Betty White Foundation Gold: 24 Lost Soles; Jaggers Family; McMurtry Family; Mark & Mary Stevens Silver: Allen/Cogan; Berquist; Branning; Brody; Coggins; Diablo West Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine; Diller; Hayse; Kessler; Levenson; Lipps; Pacific Peninsula Custom Group; Pearson Buick-GMC in Sunnyvale; D&T Roberts; Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers Bronze: Anonymous; Bassin; Beasley; BP America Inc.; C&E Collins; Connolly; Culhane; Deal; Doyle; Falkenhagen; Flanagan; Gornick; Grose; Grove; Harrier; Helm of Sun Valley Ski & Snowboard; Henninger; Holliday; Landolfi; LaPlante; Maines; Nisbet; L&W Quinn; Bill Prainito, Absolute Mortgage Banking; Roumeliotis; Tang/Scherm; Annette Smith, Dreyfus Properties; Spindt; J&T Stevens; Sunshine; Tonsfeldt; Webster/Long; Winawer; Yasukawa/Olsen Family: Aaron; Andersen; Anonymous; S&C Arrington; T&T Arrington; Balestra; Barry; Bartalo/Fischer; Baxter; Blank; Bloom; Bogomilsky; Calhoon; Caryotakis; Chang/Tam; Claverie; Cole; E&J Conrad; Eason; Easton; Fioretti; Freed; Gaston; Goode; Goudey; Gray; Gutierrez-Dewar; C&J Hansen; Heinen; Hom; Horwitz; Doug Gonzalez, realtor; Kershner; L&T King; Kite/Davis; Kleck; Knox; Kukulas/Wiener; G&D Lane; Lanigan; LaPorte; Lindquist; Locke/Shaffer; Marianacci; Martinson; McCabe; Miner; Missan; Moore/Bryan; Mohr; Noble; Oro; Ostrow; Perkins/Makino; L&T Plante; Ruby s Taqueria; Rice; J&P Roberts; Rodrigues; Roellig; Savides; Scheuch; Shelton; Shermis; A&B Smith; Swartz; Sydeman; G Tam; Tasch; Tinsley; Titterton; Travers/Bucka; Vitale; Watson; White; Williamson/Nighan; Wiseman; L Woods; Zak/Waymire; Zarucchi In-Kind: AIA/Eagle Marketing; Atherton PAL (Police Activities League); Bianchini s Grocery; Fleet Feet Sports; FreeWheel Brewing Company; Hobee s California Restaurants; Jeffrey s Hamburgers; JP Digital Imaging; Liz King Design; Occasions, Etc...; Peet s Coffee & Tea; Trader Joe s Menlo Park 14 June 2013 TriVocis

15 On Sunday, May 5, the Boosters hosted the 8th Annual Big Bear Run. This great community event is the cornerstone of the Athletic Boosters fundraising efforts. Because of the generous support of the M-A community, the Boosters granted more than $120,000 in coaching stipends, uniforms, and equipment to our various sports teams. For the fifth year in a row, the efforts of all involved in athletics paid off as M-A leads the league in points toward the PAL Director s Cup. Spring sports highlights The baseball team tied for fourth in the PAL and qualified for CCS with wins in the final week of the season but lost a close one, 3-2, to San Benito in the first round. The boys tennis team won its fifth straight PAL Bay Division Championship before bowing out of the CCS in the first round. Both the girls and boys varsity track programs were at the top of the PAL, with the girls taking the team gold in the PAL finals. Girls lacrosse qualified for the WBAL playoffs, defeating Burlingame in the first round before falling to Menlo in the semifinals. In swimming, the girls varsity and girls and boys JV all placed first in the regular-season dual-meet schedule, and all took first place in the end-of-season league meet. Boys varsity was second in both. Girls varsity set five school records and two PAL records. Swimmers competed in forty-six CCS events, another school record, and the girls team finished fourth. Boys lacrosse took first place in SCVAL regular season and then won the SCVAL postseason tournament for the second year in a row, beating Menlo in the semifinals and Sacred Heart in the finals. The badminton teams and the softball team finished in the middle of their division. Congratulations to all the spring sports teams for a job well done. Seniors honored On May 22 the Boosters hosted the Spring Sports Awards Night. The event celebrated the success of all who participated in spring sports and also honored M-A s seniors. Because of their hard work, the dedication of the coaches, and the support of the school and the Boosters, more than fifteen athletes will go on to play in college. For a complete list of college-bound athletes, as well as other senior award winners, go to TriVocis June

16 Students of the Quarter Each quarter, M-A s staff and students honor students who have been nominated by staff members for going above and beyond what is expected in and out of the classroom. Although they are nominated for a variety of reasons, all the students share one quality: they are positive role models for their classmates. The following recipients for the third and fourth quarters were honored at a luncheon where they met and got to know one another, received wonderful awards, and learned what makes each of them worthy of the honor. Grade Student Nominating teacher(s) 9 Ariel Sullivan Ms. Zwicker-Sobrepena Sharon Ontiveros Ms. Payne 11 Scott Morris Ms. Charles and Ms. Besse Baylee McDonald Ms. Shloss Ryan Young Ms. Klein Christina Godinez Ms. Klein 12 Elvia Mendoza Mr. Maier Esteban Samra Ms. Otsuka Danbi Byun Ms. Lee-Gilbert Adrian Magana Ms. Lee-Gilbert Francelli Payan-Mofin Ms. Zwicker-Sobrepena Math Students of the Month Every month four math teachers each nominate one of their 150 students as Math Student of the Month based on classroom participation, effort beyond the call of duty, overall grade performance, math contest results, and other factors. Winners have their pictures displayed on the math bulletin board in Pride Hall, and they receive a certificate and a Jamba Juice gift card that has been purchased for many years by Karen Imatani, a former M-A parent. September Jennifer Zamora Flores Marcus Hill Demetri Alfano Monique Hill October Kevin Cole Ivana Petani Celina Chow Anthony Marin November Henri Wood Jeong Soo Lee Laura Guizar Sanchez Madeleine Pont December William Ramirez Desean Earls Monica Krantz Orbelina Alvarado Carranza January Katherine Beebe Thatcher Freeman Donald LaHaye Brisa Arroyo February Adam Bonham Eloise Walne Jacob Feiler Amir Heidari March Ritwik Kesavath Devan Dutta Aaron Katzman Omar Luna-Rodriguez April Cristina Cisneros Valerie Taylor Lucas McKay De Eris Washington May Samantha Bloom Miranda Alfano-Smith Jose Galvin Shauna Sabet 16 June 2013 TriVocis

17 Leadership The sophomore class, class of 2015, recently sponsored a successful car wash to raise money for upcoming service projects. As a result, the sophomores were able to put on a carnival and BBQ for the families at Haven House. We are currently working on finding more ways to fundraise for our upcoming years at M-A. The junior class, class of 2014, is working on setting up an Amici s Night to fundraise for senior year. On top of that, the juniors will be sponsoring the reception for Senior Farewell and will work at graduation. The seniors, class of 2013, hosted a successful Prom in April and would like to thank everyone who attended. Prom s profit is allowing us to purchase the first piece of Bear Wear for our incoming Baby Bears, the class of 2017, as well as to sell our Senior Week tickets for only $5! Senior Week tickets will be on sale until next Friday, May 31, at lunch on the Green. Senior Week begins with Senior Farewell on Thursday, May 30, and ends with Graduation and Grad Night on June 6. Senior Week includes Senior Picnic and Senior Breakfast sponsored by the PTA. Information regarding Senior Week festivities and graduation requirements was given out at the mandatory senior meeting in late April. If your student missed the meeting, he or she should pick up the senior packet and other information in room B21 or check out the latest information at We hope that everyone has a fun and safe summer! Student Officers for the School Year We are very proud to announce the student officers who will lead our Associated Student Body through the school year: Associated Student Body Cabinet President: Sophi Bock Vice president: Lindsay Andrew Treasurers: Wesley Arrington and Valeria Nave Prado Secretary: Amara Trabosh Graduating Class Cabinet Class of 2014 Seniors President: Charlotte Philp Co-vice presidents: Thomas Johnson and Katy Bailon Leon Class of 2015 Juniors President: Darya Rostami Vice president: Sophia Bercow Photo: Betsy Snow TriVocis June

18 Information for seniors Seniors Calendar Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday May 27 No school June 3 Final day to submit COMPLETED CLEARANCE FORMS: due by 3:00 pm Final day of classes for seniors 28 CLEARANCE FORMS distributed in English classes 4 SENIOR PICNIC, check in 8:00 am on gym patio SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT, 7:00 pm, PAC 29 SENIOR FAREWELL DRESS REHEARSAL, 3:30 pm 5 SENIOR BREAKFAST, 9:00 am, New Gym GRADUATION REHEARSAL, 10:15 am 30 SENIOR FAREWELL, 7:00 pm, followed by junior class reception 6 GRADUATION: report at 3:00 pm, program at 4:00 pm GRAD NIGHT, 8:45 pm to 3:00 am 31 Last day to buy Senior Week tickets Last day to complete courses on Gradpoint for graduation Last day to request a final transcript for colleges from Guidance Office Please check out the latest information at Questions? Ø Regarding class of 13 items, caps and gowns, etc., contact Mike Eldred at mike.eldred@jostens.com or (650) Ø Regarding academic credits and graduation status, contact Guidance Office at (650) , ext Ø Regarding financial aid for senior activities (yearbook, cap and gown, Senior Picnic, etc.), contact Karina Escobar-Weaver at keweaver@seq.org or (650) , ext Ø Regarding senior activities, contact Kelly Todd at ktodd@seq.org or (650) , ext Ø Regarding handicapped parking and seating, contact Sandy Nelson at snelson@seq.org or (650) , ext Ø Regarding administrative intervention, contact Simone Rick-Kennel at srkennel@seq.org or (650) , ext Ø Regarding Senior Grad Night, contact Nancy Travers at nancy.travers@me.com. Celebrate graduation with the gift of flowers Purchase leis and rose bouquets for graduates, friends, and family through online preorders at Flowers will be available for pickup two hours before the graduation ceremony at Coach Parks Field, and a limited selection will be available at the event. If our school sells the most flowers in California, we will receive a bonus of $500. Let s go, Bears! 7 18 June 2013 TriVocis

19 ~ SENIOR CLASS OF 2013 ~ Congratulations It s Time to Celebrate! Grad Night is almost here. Ticket sales end May 23. Information and forms are at or with Karina Escobar-Weaver in the Guidance Office. Scholarships are available: see Ms. Escobar-Weaver. When: June 6, 8:45 pm, to June 7, 3:00 am Where: It s a secret! Seniors will have a blast! What: Nonstop fun, music, and food Who: All M-A 2013 grads with tickets Ask questions or check for last minute messages on Facebook or by ing gradnight@mabearspta.org. Want to help? We re looking for volunteers to help with Grad Night check-in, chaperoning, and other top-secret stuff. Contact Nancy Travers at gradnight@mabearspta.org to join the team! Computer Virus Alert A new virus is infecting many computers. It is called StrongVault, and it claims to be an online backup service. This nasty virus will make your computer unusable. If you see a pop-up window offering to install this service, do NOT install it. There are many other programs that pretend to be helpful but really are viruses. Be careful out there on the Internet! Cuidado Virus de Computadoras Hay un virus nuevo que está infectando a muchas computadoras. Se llama StrongVault y finge que guarda una copia segura de sus archivos. Pero es una mentira. Este programa es un virus malvado. No lo instalen! Tengan cuidado en el internet! TriVocis June

20 Teen Summer Reading The 2013 Teen Summer Reading Program at the Menlo Park Library begins June 10. The program is open to teens entering sixth through twelfth grades. To register, teens either can come in to the library or can sign up at Each participant who completes a reading goal by August 16 receives a free book and an entry into the grand prize drawing. Join us for our kick-off BBQ at Burgess Park on June 21 at noon for free food and games (BBQ by the pool)! For full details, visit the Teen Advisory Group Web site at sites.google.com/site/tagmenloparklibrary. Taste of Menlo Park On Wednesday, June 12, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at Menlo College, the Rotary Club of Menlo Park Foundation will hold its first Taste of Menlo Park event. All proceeds from the event benefit the Rotary s scholarship program, which distributes scholarship money to students from local high schools, including M-A. Each year, quite a few M-A students earn college scholarships from the Menlo Park Rotary. The event features samples of food and drink from an array of local restaurants, wineries, and breweries. For a list of the establishments whose food and drink will be offered, and to register for the event, please go to Alice Kleeman 20 June 2013 TriVocis