LA REINA TODAYCommunity Edition Vol. VIII, No. 2 • Fall, 2013

La Reina Named a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School

Tuesday, September 24, 2013 was a significant date in Regent history, since La Reina was named a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education!

And on Monday, November 25, students, parents, staff, friends and civic leaders joined in a Blue Ribbon Celebration. This event was a time of gratitude, celebration and commitment to the future.

Dr. Chris Tolcher, chair of the Board of Directors, presented the official plaque to Dr. Shannon Gomez. Mr. Bob Rumer, LRHS president, also recognized staff members who prepared the extensive application: Mrs. Rebecca Joyce Adams ’81, Mrs. Cecilia Coe, Mrs. Fran Foulkrod, Dr. Gomez, Mr. Stan Hirsch and Mrs. Betsy Potts.

The Blue Ribbon is the highest national award that a school can receive. Among this year’s 286 honored schools, La Reina was

• 1 of 3 non-public high schools in the United States• 1 of 53 high schools in the United States• 1 of 2 high schools in California• The only school in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles• The only school in Ventura County.

This program honors “Exemplary High Performing Schools.” In addition to meeting national test requirements, La Reina submitted an extensive application which summarized its strengths and accomplishments, including: • The education of young women “in the tradition, vision and

educational principles of the Sisters of Notre Dame.” • The religion curriculum and Christian service program that

encourages students to make a difference both locally and globally.

• The traditions that build community like Friendship Week and the Renaissance Festival.

• The Mock Trial and Speech and Debate teams that have received national recognition for many years.

• The schoolwide writing program which has resulted in test scores (AP Literature, AP Language, and the writing section of the SAT) that place it consistently in the top 10% of the nation.

• The number of graduates that attend four year colleges and universities.

• The athletic programs which have been recognized for both their excellence and their emphasis on sportsmanship.

• The commitment to 21st century learning and the introduction of the one-to-one iPad program.

• The addition of the period 7 elective program which allows students to take courses ranging from Robotics to World Cinema.

• The 6 year accreditation from WCEA/ WASC in 2010, which commended the school for “furthering the spirituality and personal transformation of students.”

La Reina’s comprehensive college prep curriculum and activities assist students to discover, develop and share the unique gifts God has given them. The guidance program offers support through personal and group counseling. A comprehensive college advisement program assists students and parents as they explore colleges and financial aid opportunities.

As a private Catholic school, La Reina is financially independent from all government and Catholic church entities. The school relies on the support of hundreds of donors and volunteers every year. These partners have a strong commitment to La Reina’s mission and they rejoice at the success of the students and alumnae.

Delaney Niehoff ’14 and Lauren Tolcher ’14 proudly display the Blue Ribbon flag which was presented to school representatives on November 19 in Washington, D.C. To the left, Thousand Oaks Mayor Claudia Bill-de-la-Pena presents a city commendation while Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks (on the right) and Dr. Shannon Gomez, look on. Congresswoman Julia Brownley also presented La Reina with a commendation for the occasion.

Dear Friends,

What a fall it has been! We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that your preparations for Christmas and New Year’s are filled with many graces and blessings.

Student achievement continues to provide us with many “wow” moments. We congratulate and thank everyone involved in these accomplishments:

• LRHSwas recognized asa National Blue Ribbon school of excellence, one of only three non-public high schools nationally

• Thefallplaywasathoroughly-engagingTom Sawyer, performed in the remodeled “Loft”• Theathleticteamsperformedwellandeachreachedpost-seasonplay• TheMockTrialteamcontinueditsstreakofvictoriesintheWorldChampionships,placing

third.

And we also celebrate these other great landmarks:

• Thelaunchofourupdatedwebsiteafteranextensiverevisionprocess• Inaugurationof the one-to-one iPadprogramwhich is significantly impacting student

learning • Anewformatandfestiveeveningatthe30thAnnualParentGuildAuction,Denim&

Diamonds, providing much-needed funds for campus improvements and financial aid• Thereleaseofa4-pageLaReinaviewbookinalloftheeditionsofThe Acorn, sharing La

Reina’s fantastic opportunities to the entire community and setting a new standard for our marketing efforts

• ShowcasingourRegentprideto185familiesatourannualopenhousewithcustomtoursand an “activities convention,” and to double the number of 8th graders at our annual step-up day.

The energy and excitement at La Reina is infectious and we have every reason to be proud of every student!

Of course what is most important happens in the classrooms, the hallways, and during sports and activities. That is where students live the La Reina experience, imbued with the charism of the Sisters of Notre Dame and Catholic faith and values. Everyone in the La Reina community embraces this higher purpose, transforming young girls into spiritual women of character, leadership and service.

As 2013 comes to an end and we anticipate our 50th anniversary throughout 2014, we have many reasons for gratitude, including each of you. We ask God to continue to bless you and your family during these holy days of Advent and Christmas.

Gratefully,Mr. Bob Rumer and Dr. Shannon Gomez

Regent News Bites

-------Students-------

Students earning special awards at the fall Honor Assembly included:

Gina Torrey Memorial Scholarship for academic improvement

Molly Dunn ’14 and Seiji Yamaguchi ’17

Michele Sinclair Memorial Scholarship Francesca Cerri ’15

Stephanie Tourikian Memorial Scholarship Mylea Mann ’15

Heidel Family Scholarship for achievement in activities

Shannon Fish ’14

Service Council Scholarshipfor earning the highest number of service

points during 2012-13Annaliese Adams ’18

Newly elected officers for the Class of 2019 are Katie Rose, president; Marli Davis, vice-president; Lexi Gonzales, secretary; and Elinor Carson, Joy Chen and Alyssa Hurd, homeroom representatives.

At the first equestrian show of the year, the Regents were the Reserve Overall High Point Team. Individual awards were earned by Samantha Justinich ’18 (Reserve Novice Dressage Champion), Michelle Mallett ’17 (Junior Varsity Equitation Champion) and Ivey Burns ’17 (Junior Varsity Equitation Reserve Champion).

Jacey Katch ’16 and Sophia Aulicino ’17 won the Tri-Valley League Tournament in tennis doubles.

Winning all of their rounds, the Regent Mock Trial Team captured third place in the Empire World Mock Trial Tournament.

LA REINA TODAY • Community Edition is published by the La Reina High School Advancement Department to highlight the school’s mission, programs, achieve-ments and goals.Editor&DirectorofAdvancement: Sr. M. Lisa Megaffin, S.N.D. Contributors and consultants for this edition: Fran Foulkrod, Dr. Shannon Gomez, Darlene Boyd Goodman ’87, Robert Lopez, Charles Peloso Photography, Lisa Sutton Pollon ’90/Alexander Pollon Photography, Betsy Potts, Fedelma ZahlitPrinting:GordonBowersPrinting•WestlakeVillage,CaliforniaAddress corrections and other correspondence may be sent to: La Reina High School, Advancement Office, 106 W. Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 or email to <lmegaffin@lareina.com>.

Continued on Page 3

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Message from the President and Principal

Shannon Gomez, Ed. D.Principal

Robert RumerPresident

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-------Alumnae-------Alumnae recently named to the Dean’s List at their respective universities include:• Loyola Marymount University:

Keilani Phillips ’12, Kayla Shaffer ’10 and Lacey Smith ’12 • University of Portland: Jillian Stephens ’12• Wake Forest University: Katie Guiheen ’10• Clark University, second honors: Emma Pierce ’12.

Molly Lower ’06 recently assumed a new position as Global Tour Coordinator at Women’s Voices Now.

Catherine Pease LeChot ’03 is the Community Engagement Manager at the United Way of Wayne County, North Carolina. In this capacity, Catherine is responsible for recruiting volunteers for non-profit organizations.

Alumnae recently earning college degrees include • Jackie Lauletta ’09, a B.S. in Biology and Animal Science from

Cornell University.• Natalie Cannon ’09, a B.A. in Creative Writing from Scripps

College.• Amanda Hardy ’09, a B.A. in Anthropology from the

University of California, Davis.• Ashley Orozco ’09, a B.A. in English from California Lutheran

University.• Stephanie Nicolard ’09, a B.A. in English from the University

of Southern California.• Kelsey Redmond ’09, a B.A. in Theater Education from the

University of Arizona.• Laura Smith ’09, a B.S. in Nursing from the University of

Portland.• Lauren Toohey ’09, a B.A. in Mathematics from California

Lutheran University

Joining the faculty and staff this year are Wendy McLevige Axsen ’01, Michelle Kane ’08, Christina Paulsen ’05 and Hailey Russo ’09.

-------Staff-------Former principal Sr. Antoinette Marie Moon, S.N.D., has been selected as recipient of the “Sister Mary Aloysia Service in Education Award” from Notre Dame Academy High School in Los Angeles. It is given to both a graduating senior and an alumna who have distinguished themselves in the area of education.

Cristy Richey McNay ’87 earned an M.A. in Educational Leadership from California Lutheran University.

Assistant Principal of Academics Rebecca Joyce Adams ’81 participated in the Holy Land Democracy Project last summer. Sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, this program included a 10-day trip to Israel and resources for an interactive curriculum for encounters between Israeli and American high school students.

-------Community-------

The La Reina community is grateful to the Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation for a grant of $28,000 for financial aid, and to the late Andre Dimitriadis for a bequest of $100,000.

At the Christian Service Fair, Kathleen O’Halloran ’05 gave a keynote address on the impact of service experiences. Students then had the opportunity to meet with representatives of 30 non-profit organizations such as Catholic Charities Ventura, Conejo Valley Winter Shelter, FOOD Share, Habitat for Humanity, Manna, Many Mansions, RAIN Transitional Living Center, and School on Wheels.

The Regent Performers presented “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” for their fall show. In this scene, Amelia Vargas ’17 and Chantal Bishara ‘14 chat over the fence.

Julia O’Brien ’15 and Jennifer Bounce ’15 explain Comedy Sportz to a young Open House guest.

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2013-14 Distinguished Alum, Ashley Millhouse ’08What makes a distinguished alumna of LRHS? A graduate who uses her God-given talents to better her community. For example:

• An athlete who understands that despite an injury, a team still needs encouragement and support; as a senior, Coach Robert Lopez retained her as the captain of the varsity cross-country team, although an injury prevented her from running

• As a freshman at Wake Forest University, a member of the crew team; as a sophomore, the crew team captain

• A member of InterVarsity, a faith community at Wake Forest• A member of Volunteer Service Corps in 2010, serving at

Bongimfundo Primary School in Zinkwazi, South Africa• An exchange student in Ghana, and a volunteer there for

B.A.S.I.C. International, feeding and tutoring child day laborers

• Recipient of a B.A. in History in 2012 and a Fulbright Scholarship

• Librarian and English teacher at Walmer High School in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

• Author of “Words of Walmer,” highlighting stories of the people who “did not believe in themselves...damaged by apartheid...I wanted to let them know that they mattered and that God and other people cared about them.”

In her acceptance speech, Ashley brought it all full circle. She said, “It was March, 2002 that I received one of the greatest letters of my life. It was my acceptance letter to La Reina. I found this letter recently in my scrapbook and realized that one of its sentences encompassed my entire experience with La Reina. It reads, “We invite you to a family of young women who are invited to discover, develop and share the unique gifts God has given her.”

During my time at La Reina, I was able to discover, develop and share these unique gifts God had given me—and not only that, La Reina taught me to invite others to do the same.

Edith Wharton once said, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Mrs Adams may cringe at this, but Edith Wharton was wrong. What La Reina has taught me is that every person, whether they want to acknowledge or recognize it, has been given a unique gift from God or a light that burns brightly. We cannot be candles to flames that have always been there.

And so, I choose to live my life as a mirror---just as La Reina invited me in March 2002 to discover my gifts, I strive to invite others to discover their gifts as well. I do not go to impoverished countries or places thinking I give these people something—no, I SHOW them what was in them all along. I serve as a mirror and give them the invitation to discover the light that God has given them. And so, I encourage all of you to act as a mirror to others- to show them the goodness that you see in them. I know that if we all do this and invite others to share their gifts, the world will be a brighter place…all you have to do is choose to live a life of light.

Distinguished Alumna of 2013, Ashley Millhouse ’08, receives the congratulations from one of her teachers, Sr. M. Leanne Hubbard.

Saturday, November 2 found 375 guests celebrating La Reina’s 30th Annual Parent Guild Auction, “Denim and Diamonds.” The festivities provided a casino-type atmosphere and realized more than $100,000 for ongoing campus improvements and financial aid. The school community is grateful to co-chairpersons Stacy Lee and Alison Lindquist, as well as hundreds of donors, guests and volunteers for making this event such a success.

In addition, the first Spirit of La Reina Awards were given to Stacey and Steve Stephens, alumnae parent honorees; Dina Derington Mabry ’86, alumna honoree; and Loree Bussard, current parent honoree.

These awards are recognize individuals for their personal values which reflect La Reina’s philosophy and spirit, specifically Gospel-living, community and family spirit, loyalty, a global perspective, leadership for justice, integrity, service and responsible citizenship. These individuals are also honored for their distinguished service to La Reina, service which has had a profound impact on the entire school community over the years.

Denim, Diamonds, and the Spirit of La Reina Awards

Spirit of La Reina honorees were Stacey and Steve Stephens, Dina Derington Mabry ’86 and Loree Bussard.

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iPads Revolutionize LRHS LearningThis is the first in a series of articles about the impact of the iPads on La Reina’s students. English teacher Kris Lev Chisholm ‘92 shares her observations. In the photo to the right, Emma Lee ’18, Mimi Trout ’18 and Jessica Manoogian review some research together.

In my senior classes of English Language and Composition, my students are studying the Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell. He argues that personal success is based on many contributing factors—sometimes beyond our control.

On a curricular level, this text is great for challenging students to take either side of any of Gladwell’s points and rationalize the argument’s effectiveness. But, on the “senior-who-is-oh-my-goodness!-juggling-so-many-things-while-trying-to-graduate” level, the book offers contemporary narratives and examples that give the students a vivid understanding of Gladwell’s premises.

As they are about to become adults and citizens of transformative change in our world, it is my obligation as a teacher to take advantage of this critical time in their development to challenge them to study and resolve real world problems on their own. The iPad is a real world tool that is helping them do this.

As we began a discussion of some of Gladwell’s controversial ideas that cultural backgrounds can hinder or aid our communication successes with one another, I asked the students, this question: “Why can acknowledging cultural differences in communication styles be critical for the modern workplace?”

The students could not answer. So I asked them to consider the iPad, the device in front of them at their tables.

“Who makes the device?”

“Apple,” Nicole answered.

“Where does Apple have offices, manufacturing, and business centers?” I asked.

Blank stares.

Then, after tapping on her iPad for a moment, Mary Claire answered excitedly from the back of the room, “Silicon Valley!” I wrote that on the board.

Because Mary Claire had been rewarded for her initiative, every girl in the room began looking up the current global office locations of Apple, Inc. on their iPads. Girls called out answers, feverishly trying to “one-up” each other as I wrote the locations on the board.

As the lesson continued, something else happened. One student evaluated her table-mate’s source, and called out, “No, you can’t use that! Wikipedia is not a good source. You need a better source than that for information in this class.” I walk around the tables, approving with a smile and a nod, and continuing to listen, recording valid locations on the board.

“I’m using Wall Street Journal for a source. It is good because it provides the trading data on Apple to investors,” another girl answered as some students nodded approvingly and switched sites.

Another student chimed in, “I’m using the Apple website. That is straight from their company page. That is the best source.”

The students in my classes are using critical reasoning to determine the BEST answers and resolutions to real world problems. When they criticized different

sources, they used a skill we encourage for college and for life: evaluation.

As a student uses her iPad and queries (or “googles”) for an answer or a fact, she should look for the BEST answers. A person who never evaluates is static, inflexible, and unmarketable in today’s world. The twenty-first century learner must learn to evaluate sources and resources in order to make educated decisions.

After a few minutes, about sixty countries are listed on the board. I purposefully ask again, “Why can acknowledging cultural differences in communication styles be critical for the

modern workplace?”

“Ooooh,” a girl answered as a virtual light bulb appeared in her eyes. “So Apple is all over the place and they need to talk to each other about the right way to keep their sales numbers up. They speak differently all over the place, so there are different methods of selling things.”

Bingo!

Many hands went up as we continued to discuss that Gladwell wants the reader to understand that business is global now. We argued the validity of his point that humans communicate differently and need to understand one another in the workplace to get work done.

Using iPads correctly in the classroom can help students think beyond themselves, broaden their horizons beyond Thousand Oaks, and give them the confidence to evaluate ideas and resolve problems on their own.

Since our school began the 1:1 student iPad plan this year, I have implemented it by creating class sites on ITunes University, which not only sends class information directly to the student’s iPad, but also provides note-taking tabs and other tools. After our first unit of study, I took an informal iPad usage poll via surveymonkey.com to determine how the students were doing with the iPad as a classroom tool.

I was not surprised that 100% of my students cited using the iPad daily, but I was surprised at the number of applications the students had used on their own. Solving their own real-world problems, students were finding new applications and sites useful to fit their own study methods: notably, iTunesU, Quizlet, just to name a few.

Conveying a confidence that I rarely see in September, roughly one-third of students queried responded that they felt they were more “prepared,” more “organized” than ever before because of their iPads in the classroom. We want our girls to have this confidence to organize information, to analyze and to evaluate it competently, and to be ready to transform the world when they leave high school.

I concede that there may be downsides to iPads. IPads work best in smaller classes where the teacher has good control of the students. Even the best student may be distracted by Pinterest, Facebook, or email. However, these issues present great “teachable” moments. We must encourage students to use self-discipline as well. If they learn time management now, the benefits should serve them well at college, or in the workplace .

When I chose teaching as a vocation, I knew that there would be exciting changes and opportunities in my classrooms. With a correctly implemented 1:1 iPad program in the classroom, I now feel as though the possibilities are almost limitless in terms of what I can encourage, nurture, and inspire students to do.

OngoingAdmissions for 2014-15

Prospective students and their families are invited to experience all that La Reina has to offer. Please contact the Admissions Office to schedule a private tour of our campus. Girls currently in grades 5 through 9 may also participate in the “Regent for a Day” shadow program to see what a day in the life of a La Reina student is really like. For further information, contact the Director of Admissions, Mrs. Cristy Richey McNay ’87, at 805.495.6494, ext. 307 or cmcnay@lareina.com.

Saturday, January 25Entrance Testing for prospective 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls

To register for the Entrance Placement Test, complete La Reina’s online application available at www.lareina.com on the Admissions tab.

Wednesday, January 1Opening of La Reina’s 50th Anniversary Year

Wednesday, January 15 - 9:45 a.m.Student Liturgy and President and Principal Recognition

All parents and alumnae are welcome!

Thursday, January 16, February 20, March 20 - 8:15 a.m.Circle of Friends Mass in the La Reina Chapel

January 26 through February 1Catholic Schools Week

Wednesday, February 12 - 9:45 a.m.Student Liturgy and Honor Assembly

All parents and alumnae are welcome!

Thursday, March 6Spring Blood Drive

March 22, 23, 28 and 29Spring Musical

LA REINA HIGH SCHOOLAdvancement Office106 West Janss RoadThousand Oaks, CA 91360

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Permit #1

In writing a will, it is common to bequeath specific amounts of money or pieces of property to family members. After distribution of specific items to various beneficiaries in your estate plan, please consider leaving the remainder (commonly called the “residue”) to La Reina High School. Be assured that your deepest values will be shared with LRHS Regents for generations to come.

Our legal title is “La Reina High School” and our IRS nonprofit identification number is 95-2381453. For further information about estate planning, including a list of legal and finance professionals, contact the LRHS Advancement Office at 805-495-6494, ext. 382.

• Vernessa Cluke ’00 on the loss of her father, Vernon Cluke.

• Dr. and Mrs. Lothrop Mittenthal and family on the loss of Astrid Mitthenthal Marmont ’90

• Staff member Tom Richmond on the loss of his father, James Richmond.

• Karen Krajenbrink ’98 on the loss of her parents, Corry and Franz Krajenbrink.

• Former faculty member Judy Knight on the loss of her father, Lou Guzzo.

• Faculty member Joan Petrone on the loss of her husband, Jerry Petrone.

• The family of Fern Paganelli, mother of the late Sr. M. Carlann Paganelli, former trustee and faculty member.

• Alison Howard ’99 on the loss of her mother, Donna Howard.

• Julia Dimitriadis ’09 on the loss of her father, Andre Dimitriadis

• Jennifer Miller Schwartzman ’89 on the loss of her mother, Judy Miller.

• Cindy Beard ’98 on the loss of her mother, Kathy Beard.

• Jennifer Zahlit ’09 on the loss of her father and staff member Fedelma Zahlit on the loss of her husband, Wayne Zahlit.

The La Reina High School community offers sympathy and prayers to

Calendar of Coming Events

Further information on these and other events is available at <www.lareina.com>.