St Gregory School - an International Community!

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internationalYou might be surprised at the diversity of cultural backgrounds that make up our St Gregory families.

The results from a recent student survey show:

Students from countries other than the U.S. - 43
Students with parent/s from countries other than the U.S. - 100

Different languages spoken in our homes - 22
Different languages spoken by our parents - 37

We are truly a global community and have so much to learn from each other!

In Other News this Week from Hawk's eView Newsletter

We Will Miss You Ms. Derickson!
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013.
CrayonsJudy Derickson is a great art teacher. She is patient with her students and inspires them through her own art. She is a much-beloved advisor. A world traveler, Judy has shared many stories about life adventures. Like her hero, Leonardo (to whom she refers on a first-name basis), Judy has taught us to see in new ways. We will miss her! ~ Amy Clashman

Check out this wonderful Farewell Video put together by the upper school yearbook crew.


Come see St. Gregory MS production of "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp"
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013.
Cast Your Vote! St. Gregory Middle School Presents the The 4th Annual People's Choice Art Show & Reception in the Donald R. Nickerson Performing Arts Center.

There will be an art show and reception from 5:30 - 6:45 p.m, followed by St. Gregory Middle School's production of "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp." You can read more about the play in the Arizona Daily Star, and see a preview of the show here.

Intermission includes a yummy bake sale. Sweet treats & hors d'oeuvres will also be served.

Aladdin poster

Track Season Wrap-Up
Posted: Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
Track
This year, Stephanie Boulger ('14), Keely Breedlove ('16), Becca Rogers ('13), Stewart Bass ('13), Tobias Gloesslein ('14), and R.J. Prudic ('15) represented St. Gregory on our small but impressive track team. While we had a series of injuries and illnesses this year, we also had some fantastic highlights:

Stephanie Boulger won the Division IV state pole vaulting title with a personal record of 11 feet! You can learn more about Boulger's win in the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Citizen, and KVOA News.

Keely Breedlove earned a state automatic qualifying time for the 800m with a personal best of 2:29.07, and she also qualified for state in the 1600 with a 5:47.87.

Becca Rogers qualified for state in the 3200m with a 13:47.61.

Stewart Bass earned a personal best in the 1600m with a 4:57.35.

Tobias Gloesslein qualified for state in both the 800m (2:06.40) and the 1600m (4:56.21).

R.J. Prudic, a first-time runner, ran personal bests in the 800m (2:21.76) and the 1600m (5:31.26), and his continuing training to help other athletes after his season ended showed remarkable dedication to the sport and the team.

Congratulations to our dedicated and talented track team for some great performances this season!

Peace Ambassadors End Another Successful Year
Posted: Friday, May 17, 2013.
MS-Peace-Ambassador-Celebration


On May 10, 2013 St. Gregory College Preparatory School's Peace Ambassadors were honored in a closing ceremony designed to acknowledge the noble work conducted on campus throughout the school year, as well as present some of the messages of goodwill that Peace Ambassadors strive to convey to their school community.

A plaque was presented to the troop of twenty-four Peace Ambassadors, and speeches were offered by Natalya Mayhew, Maya Encila, Margo Cramer and Safia Francis. The Peace Ambassadors spoke of the lessons learned during the year. These include conflict mediation skills from the 'Rise Up' training they offered their peers, and how important it is to get to know each other across grades, classes, genders, and backgrounds.

The Peace Ambassadors also surprised the audience by enacting short music clips with positive lyrical messages to include Elena Acuña as Elvis, Addison Mort as Gandhi, Tea Weiner as Kermit the Frog, Margo Cramer as Diana Ross, and Kai Morfin thrilled his peers as he moonwalked across the foggy stage as Michael Jackson!

We are grateful for the efforts voluntarily given to our school community all year by these fine Peace Ambassadors. Thank you for another great year!

2012-2013 Peace Ambassadors:

Margo Cramer
Brielle Kalish-LeBarge
Maya Encila
Sam Lee
Zara Dabdoub
Safia Francis
J'Lyn Faircloth
Jack Null
Kai Morfin
Lizzie Noriega
Addison Mort
Dylan Hoover
Chiara Gloesslein
Natalya Mayhew
Tea Weiner
Joseph Steimer
Jillian Cassius
Michael Artzi
Sedona Naifeh
Gaby Noriega
Lowell Peress
Elena Acuna
Alexandra Lehmann
Isabelle Anderson

Getting Ready for Graduation!
Posted: Saturday, May 18, 2013.
Graduation-2013


Grad-Class-Prep-2013

St. Gregory Students Visit the International School of Tucson
Posted: Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
Intl-School
On Monday, the students of the Francophone Literature and Cinema class visited the International School of Tucson. The Francolit class is reading the Senegalese novelUne si longue lettre by Mariama Bâ, and they enjoyed the opportunity to talk to IST teacher Moussa Dramé, who is from the Ivory Coast.

Students were able to ask Monsieur Dramé in French about West African culture, language, and traditions, which tied in nicely to the themes of the book. The STG students also got to watch a French immersion pre-school in action. The International School of Tucson is an independent pre-K to 5 school with a dual language immersion program.

Dr. Christopher Fresolone to Join St. Gregory Faculty
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013.
CF-headshot-2013Dr. Christopher Fresolone joins the St. Gregory faculty in August of 2013 as a part-time music teacher. Dr. Fresolone holds a Bachelor of Music in Church Music and Organ, a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Studies, and a Master of Music in Music Technology from Northwestern University. His Doctorate of Music Arts includes a major in Organ Performance and a minor in Choral Conducting from the University of Arizona. Currently Dr. Fresolone is assistant director of the Tucson Girls' Chorus and the organist at Casas Adobes United Church of Christ.

Dr. Fresolone's experience of over twenty years includes teaching a variety of music courses from kindergarten through college level, directing numerous choirs, organizing instrumental ensembles of many kinds, and serving as musical director for musical productions.

Dr. Fresolone said, "Music for me was the most important facet of my high school career, .... it provided me with the artistic outlet that I needed, and instilled confidence in me to succeed in my other coursework. I was fortunate to have a charismatic music teacher then, who is still a mentor to me today. I would be honored to be that kind of an instructor at an institution such as St. Gregory."

Welcome, Dr. Fresolone!

2013 Student Awards
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013.
Student-Collage


Olivia Larsen - English Award
The English Award is awarded to that member of the graduating class who has done outstanding work in English during their career at St. Gregory. It recognizes not only the fluency, correctness, economy, and forcefulness of the student's writing, but also her love of literature, the breadth and depth of her reading, enthusiastic engagement with ideas, and the force and persuasiveness of her class discussion.

George Tillery and Alexandra Ward - History Department Award
The History Department Award is presented annually to that senior whose scholarship indicates a creative approach to historical analysis, an active and curious intellect, and the skill to originate ideas and judgments in the field of history.

Mark Kissinger - Mathematics Award
The Mathematics Award is presented annually to a senior who, in the opinion of the department, clearly exemplifies the qualities of insight, lucid thought, and careful exposition so necessary for successful work in mathematics. This student has exhibited a talent for the subject and has consistently performed at a level above the norm.

Bonnie Song - Charles T. Kent Science Award
The Charles T. Kent Science Award is endowed by a gift from his wife and children in memory of this man who dedicated himself to the application of science for the betterment of life. It is awarded to the student who has challenged herself by taking advanced classes in multiple science disciplines and distinguished herself by conducting independent scientific inquiry.

Isabella Ritz - Peter Deale Foreign Language Award
The Peter Deale Foreign Language Award was endowed by an anonymous gift to honor a man whose love of learning was instrumental in the founding of St. Gregory College Preparatory School. It is presented annually to the seniors who demonstrate outstanding achievement in the oral as well as the written language and demonstrate an appreciation of cultural values and cross-cultural understanding.

Edward Hale - Visual art Award
The Visual Art Award is given to that senior who exhibits outstanding achievement in two and three dimensional art. It is presented to a student who has shown an exceptional interest in learning the necessary skills and who has the contagious energy and drive to understand why visual artists do what they do.

Stewart Bass - Performance Award
The Performance Award is given for consistent excellence and aesthetic sensitivity in drama and musical performance. This student has shown great creativity, leadership, and technical skill and has been a true asset to the growth of performance at St. Gregory.

Ethan Groff - Leadership/Innovation Award
The Leadership/Innovation Award is presented to that student who has shown exceptional and consistent leadership in a wide variety of areas, serving as a role model and mentor to his peers and improving the overall school community.

Jennie Bass - Outstanding Female Athlete
The Outstanding Female Athlete recognizes outstanding performance in multiple sports.

Ethan Groff - Outstanding Male Athlete
The Outstanding Male Athlete recognizes outstanding performance in multiple sports.

St. Gregory Students Finish Top Ten in State Algebra Contest
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013.
Lee Costich, Zara Dabdoub, and Caroline Zlaket finished top ten in the 2013 State Algebra Contest. They will be honored September 21, at the Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics (AATM) fall conference taking place at Arizona State University. Congratulations!
Algebra-Students

St. Gregory Students Accepted into Summer Journalism Programs
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013.
JournalismThis summer Chloe Durand will attend the University of Arizona Diversity in Journalism Workshop from June 7-16.

Arii Sylvers and Ashton Yazzie have been accepted into the University of Arizona Writing Skills Improvment Program, and will attend the Summer Institute for Writing and Thinking Across the Curriculum program July 1-19.

Raymond Roesler Jr. is attending American University School of Communication High School Summer Program focusing on broadcast and sports writing.

Congratulations!





Senior Photography Project
Posted: Friday, May 17, 2013.
Senior photography students spent well over an entire quarter working on the 3rd Annual Senior Portrait Project as a tribute to their graduating class. The finished series consists of fifty-one portraits printed out Polaroid style with each senior's signature written on the bottom of the photo.

Each photograph is 11" x 14" in size, and the finished installation is hanging for the entire campus to enjoy in the science area next to Mr. Rolle's and Mr. Connor's classrooms. Be sure to stop by and take a look, and to let Eddie Hale, Isabella Ritz, Olivia Tuller, and Allie Ward know what a wonderful job they did!

photo-class-project-2013









May 17, 2013 Gregorian Recipients
Posted: Friday, May 17, 2013.
award-ribbon-eviewAt St. Gregory Middle School we love to celebrate our "Gregorians". STG Gregorians are students who have been nominated by the middle school faculty at various times throughout the year because they went above and beyond our expectations based upon our mission.

We have four goals that we focus on as a community: character, scholarship, leadership, and innovation. These students were selected because they either exemplified one aspect of our mission in a special way or excelled at meeting multiple aspects of our mission at some point. At the "Gregorian" Celebration, teachers present the award to the student that they have nominated and give an explanation as to why the student is being recognized at that time. Anyone in the middle school is capable of receiving a "Gregorian" award and we are always encouraging our students to do their best.

Please help us in recognizing our latest St. Gregory Gregorian Recipients and the teachers who nominated them:


8th Grade:

- Eric Johnson -- Jeff Clashman and Amy Kublin
- Dylan Kassman -- Lorie Heald and Corrine Bancroft
- Natalya Mayhew -- Corinne Bancroft

7th Grade:

- Lee Costich -- Steve Owens
- Zara Dabdoub -- Steve Owens
- Cole Sohn -- Corinne Bancroft
- Caroline Zlaket -- Steve Owens

6th Grade:

- Rachel Gonzales -- Corinne Bancroft
- Trace Maloney -- Dan Young
- Teá Weiner -- Virginia Encila and Bonnie Miller