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Winter what?

adviser — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:13:21 +0000

If you were to look at your student planner right now, you may notice a strange absence towards the end of January. A certain dance, present every other year, is not there. No, this is not a fluke or a misprint. This year, Moreau is not having a Winter Ball.

The main question students have in regards to this decision: Why aren’t we having Winter Ball?

This year’s ASB Senate Leader Ashley Nepomuceno provided answers. “Last year we didn’t have a Senate moderator, which led to a few mix-ups.” Senate was in charge of putting on last year’s Winter Ball. “We booked an expensive venue, and because of that, ticket prices were high. Students felt that it wasn’t worth it to go,” said Nepomuceno.

Because of low ticket sales, last year’s Winter Ball was ultimately canceled. “[Canceling] cost the school a significant amount of money,” said AP of Student Life Katie Teekell. Without a Winter Ball this year, Teekell and ASB are looking for alternative events. “We moved Sadie’s back; it’s going to be in early February, as more of a Valentine’s Day dance,” said Nepomuceno.

“We’ve also talked about planning a powder puff football game, as well as a spring dodgeball tournament,” said Teekell.

Students reacting to the change mainly expressed disappointment. Senior Jacob Donida said “It was weird not seeing [Winter Ball] on the school calendar. I was actually looking forward to this year’s Winter Ball, since this is my senior year.”

“I actually had no idea there wasn’t going to be a winter ball,” said junior Alex Gray. “I think it’s a bit unfair, because the whole idea of high school is the experience, and how are the freshmen going to experience new things if we don’t have them?”

Freshman Samantha Adami had been looking forward to going to her first Winter Ball this year. “My siblings got to enjoy this event, and I wish I could do the same,” said Adami.

Sachi Shetty, another freshman, was disappointed as well. “Winter Ball could’ve been my favorite dance at Moreau, but now I’ll never know. I just want to know why they didn’t schedule it.”

“Because of the financial burden canceling last year’s dance put on the school, we will not have the privilege of having a Winter Ball this year,” said Teekell.

But what about next year? Is Winter Ball doomed forever?

As ASB Senate Leader, Nepomuceno said that she will make an effort for next year’s Winter Ball, so that the tradition might have a chance to continue.

Teekell confirmed that there is a chance that Winter Ball will resurface next year. “Student government is tasked with gathering information about Winter Ball from students…If the data reflects that students would support a dance next year, we will consider calendaring it once again.”

Mission Construction

adviser — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:54:32 +0000

The road and sidewalk construction being done on Mission Boulevard is part of a project called the Route 238 Corridor Improvement Project. This project is funded by Measure B which is Alameda County’s ½ cent transportation sales tax.
The revenue generated from Measure B is being used to deliver a fresh set of essential transportation improvements and services to keep Alameda County moving including bicycle and pedestrian safety. This particular phase of the construction began in 2010. The goals of the project include improving traffic conditions and updating city streets and sidewalks.
“The construction is supposed to be completed by December 2012.” said principal Lauren Lek.
A lot of work has been done around Moreau since the Route 238 Corridor Improvement Project first started. The sidewalk has been repaved, and a new left hand turn that leads directly into the Moreau parking lot has been put into place. New streetlamps and new landscaping in the median is coming soon. This construction has also resulted in a lot of additional traffic, especially during the first week of the new school year since the front entrance and road leading into the Moreau parking lot were blocked.
The school administration developed a plan to deal with the expected traffic problems during the first few days of school.
“Traffic was smoother because we partnered with St. Clements and we were able to use their parking lot to help re-route traffic,” said Angel Lopez, one of Moreau’s campus supervisors. ”We routed everyone through our back gates and then out through the St. Clements parking lot.”
Many of the faculty and staff also pitched in to help direct the traffic in an orderly manner.
What should have been an exciting first few days of school however, was perhaps ruined by the construction. This was especially true for the new freshman.
“It made me wake up earlier than I usually do,” freshman Gaby Davila said while talking about the extra efforts she made to not be late her first week of high school.
Other students also had issues.
“It took so long to get to school, I could have taken a nap in the car,” said senior Alicia Garcia.
The traffic situation also caused some of the new student drivers some hardship.
“I got annoyed because it took forever to get into the parking lot,” said junior H.D Dhugga.
The school attendance office, recognizing there might be a higher than average rate of tardy students during the first week of school stepped in to assist,
“Because of where the construction on Mission is located it can affect how many students are tardy,” said Karen Strawn in the attendance office. “Our administrative staff did a great job of accommodating students during the first week of school.”
Even though some of the construction projects have been completed and access to the parking lot is restored, the construction on Mission is expected to continue for at least another year. Here are three tips to help you deal with the traffic congestion in a safe and responsible manner:
· Always allow yourself more time when traveling to school-either in the morning or for a school event.
· Think about using a different entrance if you find that one is backed up. There are three main places to be dropped off or picked up-the front of the school, the parking lot entrance and the back lot entrance off of Calhoun street.
· Carpool with others when you can-this will reduce the numbers of cars coming to the Moreau campus.

Library Begins New Program!

adviser — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:53:08 +0000

Hey you! Have you ever wanted to travel to a certain place and explore what that place has to offer? It could be local, or maybe somewhere like Rome, Florence, Monaco, Barcelona, Tunisia, Sicily, Philippines or maybe even Iceland?
With the new program the Library is holding, one can go and get a glimpse of what these places are really like. The library staff put this program called The Travel Series together because they knew many people in our Moreau community like to travel over the summer. The presentations can be held either during lunch or collaboration, depending on the presenter.
The Moreau Library is introducing a new program, “The Travel Series,” which will give the campus community opportunities to showcase their experiences. The presentations, to be held during lunch or collaboration, will focus on personal memories.
“We wanted to create a space where these travelers could share their adventures to everyone in person,” said Anne Arriaga. “It doesn’t have to be a foreign country, it doesn’t even have to be out of state, many of us haven’t traveled everywhere in the bay area so it will be neat to hear about what others have done, and what they’ve learned.”
Each presentation will have a unique feel and look.
“We don’t really have any videos from Iceland, but we have literally hundreds of pictures,” teacher Gary Gongwer said.
Like Gongwer and many of the other teachers participating in this event, the people that are sharing can bring in either pictures or videos to let the audience get a taste of their trip.
This new and exciting program is open to anyone that wants to come in and share their knowledge about the places they have been to. So far, because this program is new, no students have signed up. But to kick start this fun program a few teachers like Dave Prisk, Peter Shelly, Gongwer and Michelle Dywer will be coming in and talking about what places they’ve visited over this summer break.
A number of teachers commented on their amazing experiences.
“My trip was outstanding! It was one of the best vacation trips I’ve ever had in so many ways,” Prisk said. “To see treasures of world art, and share meals with so many different people, all with different backgrounds and experiences, has really helped support my desire to develop a more global perspective.”
Gongwer summed up his trip by saying, “We had the time of our lives … the towns are small but equally breathtaking.”
Every guest participant will have his or her own story to tell–whether they discuss culture, food, people, the way of life, or anything that would make someone want to visit.
“If they leave and they liked my photos, that’s not what I’m hoping for, if they leave and they want to go to Europe that’s what I’m hoping for,” Prisk said.
One teacher in particular wants the students to know that teachers actually do exciting things over summer break. “Students kind of have this image that teachers disappear for 10 weeks and you really have no idea what happens to them, or what they do. This gives an inside into how they spend their spare time,” Gongwer said.
Teachers are actually taking time to put this together for our Moreau community. So if you’re interested in any of the places, make sure to stop by. And lastly if you want to come in and share one of your vacations with our community, make sure to come in and talk to one of the librarians.

Students show class spirit at rally

adviser — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:53:05 +0000

Mosh pits, matching shirts, music, vuvuzelas, and yelling. No, we’re not talking about seeing a cool band or going to a soccer match; we’re referring to our opening rally. On August 18th, students gathered into the gym, freshman in orange, sophomores purple, juniors green, and seniors clad in black.
The rally was a chance for students to get pumped for the school year through spirit checks, competitive games against each class, and a skit put on by council. The rally was also used to introduce the new staff members. The names of the new members were said and each person walked out and waved to the students. “Honestly, I don’t remember any of the new teachers because they were only briefly introduced,” Alexis Castro said. Perhaps in future years the new staff could say something about themselves. “It would have been more interesting and certainly much more hilarious if the teachers had coordinated something to show off to the student body,” said senior Howard Wu.
The seniors made their grand entrance through the back lobby and marched to their section while the other classes looked on. “It was like a sea of black; everyone wore the right color,” Karina Sanchez said. Most would agree that there was a huge increase in participation this year, with almost everyone wearing his or her class color.
During the spirit checks, every class showed their spirit and made as much noise as possible. When it came time for the senior spirit check, the class ran out of the bleachers and formed a huge mosh pit.
Disclaimer: No seniors were harmed while doing this.
Council chose a theme in which they could easily incorporate our theme for this year, bringing hope. “I love seeing games where a lot of different people can be involved and that the crowd gets into, and I think we accomplished that during the rally,” said assistant principal Katie Teekell. During the Survivor-inspired skit, students guessed which class would get eliminated next and had students come up for mini challenges.
The first game was an eating contest in which a student from each class had to find a gummy worm in a plate of pudding, Oreos, licorice, and numerous other treats. After devouring all this, senior Miguel Angeles was declared the winner. Students also had to complete an obstacle course on a skateboard using plungers and crutches. The seniors thought they were in the lead, but at the last second the juniors stole the win.
The annual tug-of-war battle where the seniors and freshmen team up against the sophomores and juniors was also held this year. Every class chose their four strongest people and put them to the ultimate test. In the end, the seniors and freshmen easily pulled the other classes over the middle marker.
Even though this was a chance to bring the school together for the start of the year, one could feel the competitiveness in the air. “I think there was a sense of superiority from the seniors because we’ve finally made it this far, we’re excited for the many activities this year and we’re determined to live it up!” Sanchez said.
“Based on this year’s opening rally, I think spirit week’s going to be intense. Especially with last year’s interesting results, the senior class is definitely one to watch out for. After taking third place last year, we’re ready to take our spot at first,” said senior council member Sofie Aguirre.
If the opening rally was any indication of how spirit week will turn out, this year will be the most memorable one to date.

Moreau Library Program to be Featured in a Book

adviser — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Adding to Moreau’s legacy of bringing technology into the classroom, librarians Susan Geiger and Anne Arriaga have written a chapter in the soon-to-be released School Librarians as Leaders in Professional Development from ABC- CLIO.
Their chapter title, The 24th Thing, refers back to the 2009 program that helped faculty and staff get familiar with their laptops and web 2.0 tools. This 9-week program introduced teachers to different tools they could use in everyday class.
“Every week when they did their task, they could come in and ask for help,” librarian Connie Stanton said.
Faculty learning came with incentives which included tech sessions with baked treats, and a t-shirt to wear every Friday with blue jeans. About 72 teachers, staff, and faculty participated, and each of them took away something.
“23 Things not only allowed me to become familiar with avatars, blogs and Flickr, but more importantly, it gave me more confidence with technology so that I now use Moodle, Wikispaces, Diigo and many other technology tools in my classes,” Psychology teacher Coleen Galloway said.
“Not everyone finished the whole program but it moved everyone from where they were, a couple steps up,” said Geiger.
Has the school and its faculty benefited from the program?
“Definitely!” Principal Lauren Lek said. “Between the five years in which we launched technology and where we are now, it’s huge.”
Geiger and Arriaga are not only helping Moreau with moving forward in technology, but this chapter will also be a big help to other schools.
Even though the program was a success, writing the chapter for this wasn’t that simple. The librarians talked about how the process was long, and since the actual program was held three years ago it was hard to remember it all.
“The chapter editing process was very challenging, but an incredible learning experience,” Arriaga said. “You send them something, [then] they tell you the clarifications and additions you need to make. You make them, and then they send you a whole new batch of additions and clarifications based on the latest edit … it’s never ending.”
As Moreau continues to move forward with its advances in technology, this chapter is another one of those great achievements added to the list. When asked what others can get out of the chapter, Arriaga said, “Moreau Catholic High School is leading the way. I think that this chapter will provide other schools with a tangible way to move forward.”

Teachers’ wishes become a reality

adviser — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:54:45 +0000

Pencil, check. Paper, check. Portable sound system, check.

This year, the money raised in the Student Fundraiser will go towards a variety of items and projects, as opposed to one central item like in previous years. Items and projects include a learning lab of around 30 iPads, a portable sound system, and interactive white boards.

“I think having a long list of things really spices it up because we are able to buy a lot more stuff for our money that more people in the school are able to use,” senior Dania Delfino said.

Having a very involved role in the 2011 fundraiser, Moreau’s Alumni Relations Coordinator Dani Lorta ‘89 said that this change is significant because this year marks the 175 years of Holy Cross tradition.

“We wanted to honor our mission and the teachings of Blessed Basil Moreau by identifying and funding projects that would enhance the spiritual, academic and social learning experiences of our students,” she said.

The list of items, more formally known as the Academic Wish List was created in collaboration with all 9 academic departments, as well as Counseling and the Library. “Faculty and Staff worked closely with their department chairs to create a list of equipment and tools that would enhance students’ learning experiences,” Lorta said.

Even though these items seem excessive, Lorta said there was a specific purpose behind each item chosen by each academic department. “The spiritual retreat garden project was chosen to enhance the spiritual learning experiences of students and the picnic tables and portable sound system will support social learning experiences,” she said.

Delfino certainly realized this as soon as the Academic Wish List was published. “Some of the items like the interactive whiteboards are really cool and others like the microphones are going to be really helpful when it comes to projects,” she said.

Senior Brenden Española also thinks that this change is actually more beneficial to Moreau as a whole. “The items that we’re fundraising for are things that would be mutually beneficial to the entire Moreau community. These items would also help promote Moreau as the already technologically advanced school that it is,” he said.

Sharing the same sentiment is senior Anuraag Kumar. “I love the fact that Moreau chose to upgrade many different things around the school, not just one aspect, like the theatre last year,” he said.

The diverse list of Items has also motivated students to sell more tickets than ever before. “Having the list presents us with more incentives to sell our raffle tickets whereas in the past, if you didn’t really support the cause we were fundraising for you had more of a reason to care less about actually putting in the effort to sell your tickets,” Española said. “The rewards of this year’s fundraiser make selling the raffle tickets less of a chore.”

This year’s fundraiser is also unique because the installation process of the items and projects will begin as soon as the fundraiser is over, as opposed to waiting a whole school year.
“As a part of the senior class, I’m glad to be able to see the changes that will be made at Moreau before I graduate,” Kumar said. “I’m really excited for all that they have planned.”

Welcome Back! To Branham…?

adviser — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:52:12 +0000

Strobe lights or Friday night lights? Disco ball or football? This was a choice many students had to make just a few weeks ago. But for some, the decision had already been made for them.

In the weeks leading up to the Welcome Back dance, students were disappointed to hear that varsity football was going to have their first away game at the exact same time as the dance. Because neither the dance nor the game could be rescheduled, varsity football, rally squad, and song had to miss the first all-school dance of the year in order to go to the game.

“I know some students [were] upset, but the reality is sometimes conflicts happen and we [did] our best to make both events successful,” Assistant Principal of Campus Life Katie Teekell said.

Both Teekell and Athletic Director Chris Krisman pointed out that the dance and football game had both been scheduled months in advance, even as far back as February of last school year. “At the time it was scheduled and approved by Leadership, there was no knowledge of a conflict with the football schedule,” Teekell said.

When the scheduling conflict was discovered this past July, the administration tried to reschedule the dance, but wasn’t able to due to other Moreau athletic events taking place in the gym. They then attempted to reschedule the football game, but evidently, Branham couldn’t move the game to another day or an earlier time.

“I felt like one of the most important parts of my senior year wasn’t going to happen for me. It would have been my last Welcome Back dance ever,” senior Jacob Donida said.

Though initially upset, members of the varsity football team, rally squad, and song eventually got to see the brighter side of things.

“Welcome Back is one of those really fun dances that helps kick off the new school year,” senior cheer captain Kassandra Mangoba said. “Even though I wasn’t able to attend the dance, I thought that it was really important to go to the football game because being part of rally squad means supporting my team.”

With both JV and Varsity bringing home the W for Moreau, some players believed missing the dance was well worth winning their first game of the season.

“Both teams represented Moreau proudly. I also appreciate that some students gave up that dance just to see the football team play that night. It really meant a lot to the team,” senior Michael Truong said.

“[The game] was definitely worth it because we won our first game of the season and as a team we have gotten a lot stronger because of it,” senior Christopher Baca said.

Junior Sebastian Rodriguez also said that the dance was worth going to. “It was really fun and it seemed like everyone else was having a good time too,” he said.

“We [made] every attempt to schedule around school events, but sometimes it is impossible to do,” Krisman said. “Football only has a 10 game schedule, making it even harder to reschedule. No one is to blame for this situation, sometimes calendar issues just happen.”

Like Krisman, Teekell knows that sometimes these incidents are unresolvable and we just have to do our best with what the situation gives us.

“We do our best to make sure there aren’t conflicts like this; however, the reality is, sometimes things happen that are outside of our control, and we can’t always meet everyone’s needs all the time,” she said.

Whether students chose to go the dance or the football game, support for the Moreau Catholic community is what it all comes down to in the end.

Category 4 Headline

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:53:30 +0000