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Give to OLP!
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Online contributions are safe and secure via our website. Together we can continue the tradition of educating the next generation of women leaders and innovators. Your gift is directed to areas of most need to ensure continued excellence.
Thank you!
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Attention!
Parking Notice
In order to maintain a positive relationship with our dear neighbors, please remember our traffic etiquette rules. Students need to be more aware of where they are parking and ensure they are not blocking driveways or moving our neighbors' belongings in order to find a parking place. Please also follow all instructions from our certified Traffic Controllers-they keep our traffic flowing safely and efficiently. ***All students who drive to school must register their car and have a permit issued by the school no matter where they park.*** Click Here For School Traffic Safety Tips & Reminders |
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OLP's First Magazine Has Arrived!
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On Oct. 10, OLP debuted the first edition of our quarterly OLP Magazine.
This first edition represents a rebirth of the tradition of excellence as the Academy of Our Lady of Peace and is filled with stories written by and about our students, faculty and alumnae.
We invite you to visit the online version here and share your feedback with us. The next magazine will be coming out in January 2014.
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College News Corner
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OLP College Fair a Huge Success!
College Admission Representatives from more than 115 colleges and universities attended OLP's annual college fair on
October 16.
We received positive feedback from the representatives concerning the level of preparedness on the part of OLP families. _______________________
College Financial Planning Night on Nov. 6 Parents in grades 9-11 are invited to attend a free college financial planning seminar facilitated by the HEFAR Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making education more affordable to families. The 1-hour seminar will educate parents on how to maximize the amount of grants, scholarships, and financial aid your daughter can be eligible for by her senior year. The presentation will take place on Wed., November 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the OLP Theater. For more information on the HEFAR Group, visit their website at www.hefar.org.
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November
Author Visit
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The Library will be hosting a visit from author/radio journalist Lisa Napoli on November 18 during Co-curricular (11:20-12:05).
Napoli's book,
Radio Shangri-la: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth, is a travel memoir about her experience volunteering to help Bhutan's first youth-oriented radio station.
Bhutan is a country surrounded by beautiful Himalayan Mountains but almost frozen in time in terms of industrialization.
Napoli will describe how being immersed in the rich culture of Bhutan has deepened her spirituality and changed her forever. Other topics she will discuss include: the impact media has on our well-being, consumerism and globalization, radio journalism, and Buddhism. Her book is heartfelt and inspiring.
Please feel free to attend this worthwhile discussion!
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New Tuition Aid Deadline
New Tuition Aid Deadline is February 15
Plan ahead! OLP is implementing a new tuition aid process. The goal of this earlier timeline and process is to allow the OLP Financial Aid Committee to respond to aid requests prior to parents re-enrolling students for the 2014-2015 school year.
The deadline to apply for tuition aid is moving up to February 15. We suggest that applicants for aid for 2014-2015 make their tax appointments for early February. Doing so will enable them to meet the 2-15 deadline as well as the second deadline of 2-28. This second deadline is for mailing completed 2013 tax returns to OLP's aid processor.
Please note, we are no longer using PSAS. All applications will now be done online through FAST. The FAST web portal will be up on OLP's website in January. For questions regarding online applications, please call FAST's 24-hour customer service line directly. After you finish your online form, mail your completed 2013 tax forms to FAST. This mailing must be done by the end of February to allow FAST to verify your on-line request. Once your application is verified by FAST the OLP Financial Aid Committee will consider it.
OLP wants to stress that using the FAST on-line application is mandatory for all tuition aid applicants.
Failure to apply through FAST will mean no aid. The FAST online form is mandatory for everyone.
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Nov. 1:
All Saints' Day Mass
Nov. 2:
Father-Daughter Dinner Dance
Nov. 3:
Fall Musical Performance
Nov. 5:
Lunch in the Library With Mrs. Lek
Nov. 6:
Minimum Day/12:25 p.m. Dismissal
Nov. 7-9:
Fall Musical Performances
Nov. 11:
Veterans Day Holiday
Nov. 13:
Winter Arts Festival
Nov. 13-15:
Senior Retreats
More Info
Nov. 18: Fall Sports Recognition Night
More Info
Nov. 19:
Blood Drive
Nov. 21-22:
Junior Class Retreat
Nov. 25:
Winter Sports Parent Info Night
More Info
Nov. 26:
Thanksgiving/Junior Unity Mass
Nov. 27-Dec. 1:
Thanksgiving Break
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Alumnae Profiles Wanted!
We're looking for alums who'd like to be profiled in our enewsletters.
Alums from all decades are welcome and encouraged to participate.
Please email epippin@aolp.org a short paragraph or two about yourself and what you've been up to personally and professionally since you graduated from OLP. Please also include a recent photo.
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News From the Head of School
By Lauren Lek, Head of School
Dear Students, Parents and Friends:
As we begin the journey into the season of Thanksgiving, I would like to thank those of you who joined us at our many fall recruitment events, including our 8th grade visitation days, STEAM Day and Open House. It truly takes a village to help all of us at OLP share our story! With your support, we have welcomed more than 1,200 prospective students and parents to our campus from more than 40 different support schools, including private, parochial and charter schools across San Diego County. Thank you!
In just a few days we will be coming together as a community of faith to celebrate All Saints' Day on Friday, November 1. Our liturgical celebrations are a central part to the education of the hearts and minds of our students, and the coming together of our OLP family. Joining us in celebration will be Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet from the San Diego area as well as from Carondelet Center in Los Angeles. We will also recognize our Alumna of the Year, Terry Sorgi Camarata '77, who was highlighted in our OLP Magazine.
In all that we do here at OLP, it is our Mission that guides our path and inspires our vision for the future. In this spirit, I thank you for all you do to support our mission-minded endeavors. I wish you all a joyous November and a Happy Thanksgiving!
God Bless,
Lauren Lek
Head of School
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School-Wide Commitment to Service
As a pending member of Rotary 33, OLP Head of School Lauren Lek has joined the Rotary Science Academy-STEM Committee to support local elementary schools in having access to the STEM disciplines.
Just recently, Lauren was able to join rotarians at Joyner Elementary School where 60 students were given access to a set of Science Experiments hosted by Ocean Discovery Institute.
Living out our service to the dear neighbor is seen in the 24,562 volunteer hours that our OLP students completed last year, but also modeled through the service activities of our faculty and staff. Together, the OLP family is committed to going about the work in service to others.
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Welcome Warren Walker 6th Grade Witches!
Sixth grade students from Warren Walker school visited OLP on October 29 and performed one of the witches' scenes from Shakespeare's Macbeth!
The school has a long tradition of having the sixth grade girls memorize the witches' speech and has partnered with Lisa Danaher's Honors English Class at OLP to perform their dress rehearsal on our campus.
Current OLP students who are Warren Walker alums joined in for the festive event as well.
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D�a de Muertos at OLP
By Gilberto Moreno, World Languages Department
If you've been by the main hallway in Aquinas Hall recently, you've noticed the cultural addition in honor of the Day of the Dead.
The Advanced Placement Spanish Literature students prepared the
Day of the Dead altar for the school last week. They perform this task yearly based on their time in Spanish class and their deep understanding of what goes into building a proper altar. They designed and built the altar collaboratively as a class to ensure the proper look and make-up of the altar itself as well as the traditional offerings of fruit, bread, water and flowers.
If you haven't been by to see it come by and take a look. It will be up until November 7.
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Come to the "Carnavale en Barrio!"
By Mrs. Kathleen Herb Baker '70
Welcome to Washington Heights-a close-knit neighborhood in New York City. OLP's fall musical,
In the Heights
, concerns recent immigrants and their struggles while trying to achieve the "American dream." Characters include Nina, (Giselle Valdez '16), first of her family to go to college, Usnavi (Sean Hicke, Saints '15) the bodega owner, Vanessa, (Susana Alvarado '15) a hairdresser with big dreams, Daniela, (Courtney Govan '14) her big-hearted boss, and Abuela Claudia (Jordan Stewart '15), who is the "abuelita" (little grandmother) to the entire neighborhood. Through it all, they counsel one another to keep trying, as Abuela Claudia says, with "Paciencia y Fe" (patience and faith).
The story is laced together with exciting music that includes salsa, merengue, hip hop, and traditional ballads, directed by Ms. Katherine Kamrath '71, the OLP choral director. The sizzling choreography was created by Ms. Amanda Daly '08, our dance teacher, who is with California Ballet Company. Of course the sets (and the sets for the last fifty shows) are by my husband John Baker, and the lights (and the lights for the last fifty shows!) are by Bob Eisele (Saints '63). Throughout the years I've been privileged to direct everything from Shakespeare to Rodgers and Hammerstein. But I'm convinced our fiftieth show (and first bilingual show) is one of our best ever!
Tickets are on sale online here, or for group sales, ($6 apiece for ten or more) please call Mrs. Herb at 619-725-9115. Shows are Nov. 1, 7, 8, and 9 at 7:00 p.m., and Nov. 3 at 2:00 p.m. Vaya al Carnavale!
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Living in Jesus' Time
By Mrs. Kathy Gibbs, Religious Studies Department
Have you ever wondered what it meant to be a shepherd in Jesus' time, what Jesus' home may have looked like, or what Jesus experienced when he saw the Temple for the first time? So have Bible as Literature II (New Testament) students. Gathering information from books, websites, and library online resources, students researched the world in which Jesus lived and the context in which the Gospels were written: the culture, religious influences, government, languages, family life, economics, history, architecture and geography. Gaining knowledge in very particular areas, student experts then convened to collaboratively present their information via an interactive and visually appealing table display. They brought Jesus' world to life!
The grand opening of the exhibit 1st Century Palestine was one to be remembered. The girls arrived enthused to share their knowledge and artwork. The result: a blockbuster museum-quality display that amazed viewers. Notably, knowledge was gathered and imparted that could never have been accessed through a simple lecture.
Invited guest, Ms. Katherine Kamrath '71, from the Visual & Performing Arts department, stated, "I feel like I've walked into one of San Diego's museums!" Knowledgeable girls expressed that although some stress was involved in the research and production process, they had fun!
Several excitedly asked, "When do we start the next group project?" I could not have asked for a better response. Now, on to the grading.
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Athletics Update
Race Within A Race
By Coach Keays, Athletics Department
Part of the attraction of the sport of cross country is the personal challenge in addition to the team challenge. Every runner is competing not just against an opponent, but also against the clock. Each one has her eye on what's known as their PR, or personal record. Hitting a new PR involves several factors, such as training regimens, early pace, mid-race surges, and finishing kick. Hence the term, race within a race.
Currently there are 50 runners on the OLP cross country team! Most of the runners have been hitting new personal bests consistently, a testament to their fortitude and determination. It's exciting to see the look of determination on a young runner's face as she sprints to the finish line with a new PR in sight.
On the competition front, freshman Lacy Yahnke '17 continues to impress as the team's leading runner. Junior Hannah Keohane '15 has moved up considerably to the team's number two spot, and senior Julia Sinsay '14 has been very consistent in the top five all season. League and CIF championships are in November. Go Pilots!
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Game. Set. Match
It's been a great season so far, holding a record of 6-3, with two more games to go before CIF playoffs. There are two different ways to compete in tennis: one way is by yourself (Singles) the other is with a partner (Doubles). The Pilots single players consist of Marlen Miranda '16, Sienna Rohr '16, and Maria Morgan '17, all of whom are in 9th or 10th grade. These girls might be the smallest on the team, but they sure are the mightiest. Marlen Miranda '16 claims, "I've played number one singles through 9th and 10th grade. Often times my opponents are stunned to see me playing the number one position because I am so small and so young. I prefer it this way though because they usually don't suspect how fast the balls are going to come flying at them."
Our doubles team consists of Elizabeth Farkas '15/Katie Hammond '14, Stefanie Begle '14/Aminah Al-Jaber '14, Ana-Sophia Ybarra '14/Isabel Tubao '15, and Ana-Sophia Otanez '15/Noriko Miyai '15.
It is important when playing doubles to form a strategy with your partner in order to gain more points than the other team. Ana-Sophia Otanez '15 and Noriko Miyai '15 both say their favorite strategy is to "Hit the ball short and then lob when we are at the net. Noriko is a great lobber and Ana-Sophia drops shots like crazy so this is usually how we win most of our points!"
It sounds like you have everything under control and we are very excited to see your success in CIF. Go Pilots!
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Varsity Volleyball Heads to League's End
By Coach Miles, Athletics Department
The Varsity volleyball team has had a great first half of the season now sitting at 23-7 overall and 9-0 in league. Although the team has had its fair share of ups and downs this season, they have been impressive with the way they come together and have supported each other on and off the court. OLP has a team this year that is hard-working, dedicated, and united. The senior class has done a stellar job maintaining high standards and enforcing a strong work ethic through their example.
This month, OLP hosted a Dig Pink match to raise money for breast cancer research. The Pilots and their fans dressed in pink and sold "pink" items during the match. $800 was raised by "pink" sales alone. On Saturday, October 19, OLP hosted a 5-team Parochial School Volleyball Tournament. The Varsity and JV girls donated their time to work the event as part of community outreach.
The Senior Recognition Night will be held on November 7. Please come thank the seniors for their contributions to our volleyball program. Come support OLP Volleyball this month! Go Pilots!
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Alumna Harrier Leading the Lobos
OLP graduate Sammy Silva '09 is leading the University of New Mexico Women's Cross Country team to a top ten ranking in the country. Sammy graduated from Harvard and had one year of eligibility left. She transferred to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque this year and has had great success early in the season.
Sammy placed third in the Notre Dame Invitational, where the Lobos placed second overall. Sammy is a 2009 graduate of OLP, where she was the Athlete of the Year and only the second OLP graduate to have her jersey retired. Sammy was the California state champion in Division III Cross Country and in the Division III 1600 meters during her senior year.
Learn more about our Athletics Program here.
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Breast Cancer Awareness at OLP
By Rigoberta Hinkledire, Physical Education Department
 | Lynn Flanagan on her recent visit to OLP
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Lynn Flanagan has been coming to OLP for the past 10 years and has been addressing all of the Health blocks at the sophomore level. She recently visited OLP to address all 5 of our health blocks for this Fall semester.
Lynn does this on a completely voluntary basis.
Lynn recently was a guest speaker and coordinator of a breast cancer forum on September 18 at St. Therese of Carmel Catholic Church in Carmel Valley. Some of the leading breast cancer doctors and genetic counselors were the primary speakers at this forum. More information can be found on www.breastlink.com.
In 1996, Lynn was diagnosed with breast cancer and once she completed her treatment she started organizing seminars for the community about the early detection of breast cancer. She started a support group 15 years ago and it now has more than 50 members.
She speaks regularly to high school teens in San Diego about breast health. In 2002 she was the recipient of the Notre Dame Club of San Diego Community Service Award, and in 2006 she received the Breastlink Spirit Award. In 2008 Cancer Care in New York City awarded Lynn the Donor of the Year Award.
Mrs. Flanagan promises she will not stop her outreach to the community until women no longer die of breast cancer. OLP is grateful for her partnership in education!
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CSJ History Corner
Sisterhood in Prayer
By Susan Antolin '06, Speech & Communications Department
 | Mrs. Antolin's class in a prayer circle
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Patience, peace, passion- these are all precious products of prayer. At the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, prayer is an integral part of the community, and it has been since the very beginning. It is no secret that the Academy was relocated several times, but the persistence and faith that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet possessed are what carried them through the journey.
As maintained by the Journal of San Diego History, the Academy was on the brink of moving to a newly purchased property in Old Town when the Van Druff Estate suddenly caught the eye of Mother St. Catherine. An unfinished estate consisting of three buildings which featured "special gardens, luxuriant shrubbery, a swimming pool, and a casino," Mother St. Catherine expressed interest in the land. However, strong opposition existed in the Academy's obtainment of such prime real estate. On January 25, 1924, the Sisters of St. Joseph spent the night in vigil, placing themselves in what Mother Teresa would define as "the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of [their] hearts." Blessed, the Sisters were notified the following morning that they had successfully acquired the property for the Academy.
At the Academy, prayer is powerful in that it preserves devotion to one's faith in addition to promoting sisterhood. Every morning and every afternoon, as the school bell chimes, students stand in unison to pray. This photo depicts the sisterhood of OLP, as students come together in prayer to acknowledge the love of God and service to one another. OLP students cherish the fact that they can confide in prayer and know that God will guide them in the proper path in any given situation.
Learn more about our CSJ history here.
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Frosh Self Defense Workshop
By Rigoberta Hinkledire, Physical Education Department
Thomas E. Snowden will be teaching the Frosh Self Defense Workshop again this year. He will be coming to all 7 blocks of P.E. on November 19 & 20th. He is assisted by Bob Hinkledire (Agent for the Chula Vista Police Dept.) and Ryan Culver (a current Chula Vista Police Department Explorer). This is Tom's fourth year teaching self-defense to OLP 9th grade girls. The focus of the class is situational awareness and immediate self-defense. The self-defense drills are focused on identifying and targeting weak spots on the human body. The girls practice various drills and strikes as a group. In addition, they participate in bag drills to perfect their strikes and kicks. They conclude by breaking off and working with partners. The goal of the seminar is to learn how to make an immediate escape. Tom has spent 30 years in the law enforcement community as a sworn peace officer. His knowledge of how techniques are applied and their effects is solidified by his 46 years of study, practice and teaching of Martial Arts. He is certified at the instructor level (4th degree black belt or above) in several different categories of Martial Arts including Aikido, Jujutsu, Judo, Karate (2 styles), Taihojustus (art of body restraint, police technique) and Weapon Arts. |
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Dance Comes to Frosh P.E. Class
By Pauline Carbone, Physical Education Department
On Thursday Oct. 17 and Friday Oct. 18, a special dance guest, Gail Mitchell, taught all the freshman P.E. classes.
Ms. Mitchell recently retired from Sweetwater High School after 38 years of teaching dance. The Chula Vista City Council named one of their special days "Gail Mitchell Day" in honor of her many years in education. They also named the dance studio after her.
The freshmen learned three dances and one was based on the musical
Grease. The students had a great time and enjoyed learning from Ms. Mitchell!
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Alumna Profile
Introducing Patt Dougan Shinsky '57
 | | Patt, on the far right, with her family |
It is somewhat daunting to reflect on just how OLP has shaped my life since graduating in 1957. It began when my mother and father decided to send me to OLP and my brother to public school. Sister Eileen Francis served as principal then, and I particularly remember Sister Margaret Alacouque, my home room teacher. They and the other sisters were like parents to us, especially to the students who boarded at the Academy, including my very best friend. When I was in high school in the 50s, not as many women graduates were opting for college. Thanks to my parents' decision to provide an OLP experience for me, I ultimately became more steadfast in my determination to complete my higher education. While raising my family of four children I attended USD and eventually became a middle school guidance counselor. I enjoyed that career for more than twenty- six years. The education provided at the Academy then was challenging. The friendships made were life long. As one can imagine, and as in most life journeys, there have been hurdles. The groundwork to fortify me through those challenges and hurdles was laid at OLP. Just recently my husband and I celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary. And also recently, one of my OLP classmates was lost to cancer. Both of these life markers truly bring home how short life is and how important it is to maintain our relationships with our beloved family and friends. My faith, nourished at OLP, is the singular thing that enables me to overcome adversity.
My name is Patt Dougan Shinsky and I am a proud graduate of the Class of 1957. |
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Regional Alumnae Events
OLP is holding three regional alumnae events in November and all of our alumnae are invited!
Our new Head of School, Lauren Lek, will be in Washington, D.C. Friday, November 8 at P.J. Clarke's. This event is jointly hosted by Saint Augustine.
On Saturday, November 9, Mrs. Lek will host alums on a Hornblower Yacht dinner cruise in New York City!
On Sunday, November 24, she'll be at the Peninsula Golf & Country Club in San Mateo where alums are invited to join us for brunch!
Alums from all years are encouraged to attend. Please email Kirsten Hadzicki at alumnae@aolp.org with questions or to RSVP.
We'll see you there!
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