Friday Focus, April 13, 2017

PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

Runnels has always been the school for all races, religion, and national origins.

FRIDAY FOCUS

Runnels Weekly E-Newsletter

from Head of School Marcia Mackay

Dear Runnels Family,

In this week's Friday Focus: Commencement Keynote Speaker Announced; Spring Art Show Awards; College Bound Senior Wins Harp Scholarship; Filling Easter Baskets; Teacher Awarded Summer Grant; Spring Activities at Preschool; Summer Camps at Runnels; Get Your Tickets for Something; Thank Yous and Kudos; Friendly Reminders; Weekly Photo Album; and Athletic Corner.

Good Friend and Neighbor to Keynote Commencement


Rev. Donnie Wilkinson

We are delighted to announce that the Rev. Donnie Wilkinson, senior pastor of Broadmoor United Methodist Church (UMC), which became a school home away from home ("Runnels West") for our junior and senior high school and 5th and 6th graders in the wake of the August flood, will deliver the keynote address at the 2017 Runnels Commencement Ceremony to be held May 20 in the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre.

After the flood, when Runnels was in need of temporary classroom space, Rev. Wilkinson stepped forward to help. "He said that he considered 'neighbors helping neighbors' a mission of the church," explained Head of School Marcia Mackay. "When we asked if Runnels could hold classes on the Broadmoor campus, there was no hesitation. He offered to let us use every building they had. He was consistently kind, compassionate and generous toward us," she added.

In providing a temporary campus for our junior and senior high, Rev. Wilkinson and his church family were instrumental in helping the Class of 2017 enjoy as normal a senior year as possible, given the circumstances created by the flood. On the "Runnels West" campus, the Runnels experience continued, so that our seniors, and indeed all of our junior and senior high students, were able to enjoy school dances, class elections, and all the other events and activities that make these school years so precious.

A relative newcomer to Baton Rouge, Rev. Wilkinson came to Broadmoor UMC last July after serving as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Alexandria. A graduate of Louisiana Tech University and Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, he has 14 years of pastoral and administrative leadership in a variety of congregational settings throughout the Louisiana Conference.

He and his wife, April, a Runnels Elementary teacher, are the parents of Mollybeth and John Harper who both attend Runnels.

Tons of Talent on Display at Runnels Spring Art Show


Madisan Milam, grade 8, won a 1st-place Student's Choice award for her drawing, "Night and YAY!"

The hard work and creativity of our art students in preschool through high school went on display at the annual Runnels Spring Art Show held April 9 in the Catalano Gym.

Awards were presented in the categories of Student's, Judge's, Principal's, Assistant Principal's and Librarians's Choice. Judge's Choice winners will be put on display for one year in the foyer of the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre, and artwork earning Principal's, Assistant Principal's and Librarian's Choice awards will go on permanent display in school libraries and administrative offices.

The show was curated and installed by art department head Lee Brandt Randall and art teachers Burgundy Brumfield, Lauren Downing, Janine Kharey, Nicole Latiolais, Milli Johnson, Frances Fresina, Sydney McGraw and Lisa Sanner. We thank David Randall and the Jazz Souls for providing music for the event. We also thank the preschool faculty members who provided refreshments throughout the art show. Congratulations to all of our student artists for a fantastic show, with a special salute to the winners.

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF AWARD WINNERS.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS.

College Bound Harpist Wins Seat in ULL Symphony


Seniors (from left) Rebecca Todd, Kristen Haller and Blair LeBleu in one of their final concerts as members of the Runnels Harp Choir.

Senior Blair LeBleu is ending her eight-year run as a member of the Runnels Harp Choir on a very high note. She'll be taking her harp to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she has been awarded a generous scholarship to play with ULL Symphony.

Also taking a final curtain call as members of the Runnels Harp Choir last week were seniors Kristen Haller and Rebecca Todd. Both have been taking harp classes at Runnels since they were in elementary school. Rebecca started in 5th grade and Kristen joined in 6th. Though they're saying good-bye to Runnels and the harp choir, this trio is sticking together. All three are will be freshmen at ULL in the fall. Kristen will major in biology with the assistance of several academic scholarships, and Rebecca is entering the nursing program on a TOPS Performance scholarship. Congratulations to these accomplished harpists and students.

Teacher Receives Scholarship for Summer Study in D.C.


Samantha Chaisson

High school teacher Samantha Chaisson was recently award a scholarship by the Baton Rouge Jewish Federation to study at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. this summer. She will attend the 2017 Arthur and Rochelle Belfer National Conference for Educators to learn and share strategies and methodologies for teaching about the Holocaust. The scholarship will cover expenses for the trip. The session runs July 22-25. At Runnels, Samantha teaches World History and American History.

Egg-citing Spring Activities Abound at Preschool


Preschoolers Oliver Thomas IV and Emme Vagi get some gentle egg hunting guidance from the Easter Bunny.

The preschoolers have been busy welcoming spring with colorful palette of interesting and exciting activities. This week, they learned about gardening by doing some planting, enjoyed a numbers hunt, explored the letter "E" in literacy class, designed colorful sand eggs in art and created shaving cream and water color eggs in science.

This morning, members of the Senior Beta Club and the Easter Bunny ( Sr. Beta member Tyler Robbins) joined the preschoolers for their annual Hat Parade and Egg Hunt on the playground. This event, one of many throughout the year, brings together our oldest and youngest students in a festive seasonal celebration. The coming of spring has provided an abundance of new opportunities for exploring and learning at our preschool.

Check Out Summer Camps at Runnels!

Say "Hello" to summer by signing up your child for one ... or more of our exciting Runnels Summer Camps. The inventory of camps available at our school this summer has jumped into hyperdrive! We've got "Harpsicle" Camp for the preschool crowd, Dance Camp, Lion King Drama Camp, Soccer Camp, Strength Training Camps and Math Camp. Click on the link below for details about individual camps and registration information.

CLICK HERE FOR SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION.

Scouts Fill Easter Baskets with Goodies and Love

Girl Scout Troop #10164 recently assembled 25 Easter baskets to be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Shelter. Each basket was filled with candy, bubbles, play-dough, stickers, and other items guaranteed to generate smiles.

Photo: From left are Sammy Marino, Sara Burleigh, Emma Collett and Maddie Reonas.

Kudos and Thank Yous

Heavenly Harp Concerts ... Congratulations to the Runnels Harp Choir and its director, Dr. Gabriela Werries, for presenting three outstanding recitals last Friday and Saturday in the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre. The students presented a broad repertoire of music that showcased their accomplishments on the elegant instruments. Click here for a short video of the seniors performance.

Photo: Harp students Chloe Bueche, grade 5 (at left) and Sarah Golda, grade 6, with Harp Choir Director Dr. Gabriela Werries at their recital on April 8.

Hold the Presses! ... Sophomore Alex Morgan was recently selected as the new Louisiana Junior Classical League (LJCL) State Editor, and junior Sam Matthews was named the new State Technology Coordinator. As State Editor, Alex will publish the quarterly Torch, a newsletter with information from JCL chapters around the state, explained Runnels JCL sponsor Ann Ostrom. As Technology Editor, Sam will be responsible for maintaining and updating the LJCL website. He will also maintain the organization's social media accounts. Congratulations to these students!

Catching Up with Raider Baseball Alum ... Bobby Johnson's (Class of 2014) prowess as a catcher for the Southern Jaguars was the subject of a sports feature in today's Advocate (Thursday, April 13, 2017). The article reads: "He (Bobby) leads the Jaguars with a .354 batting average and is tied for the most hits with 35. He's second with 18 RBIs and has a .421 on-base percentage." Congratulations, Bobby! #RaiderPride!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY.

Spring Fling ... A sweet thank you goes to the RPO for providing Spring Fling treats for our elementary and junior and senior high students this week. Everybody enjoyed delicious Snoballs! It was a great way to celebrate the balmy weather that heralds the coming of spring.

Photo: Enjoying lunch and Snoballs are freshmen (from left) Phoenix Knowles, Eli Todaro, Andrew Schacht and Jack Kahn. See more photos in our Weekly Album.

Softball Snapshots ... Many thanks to Kristen Manning, Melanie Hyatt and Dana Schlotterer for providing us with fabulous photos of our mighty softball team for the Friday Focus and the 2016-17 Runnels yearbook.

Friendly Reminders

Apr. 14: Good Friday - Easter Break (April 14 - April 21)

Apr. 15-23: High School Trip to Europe

Apr. 18-22: High School American Studies Chicago Architecture Trip

Apr. 24: School Resumes

Apr. 26: National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, Theatre, 12:00 p.m.

Apr. 27: Jr./Sr. High Academic Awards Assembly, Theatre, 11:20 a.m.

Apr. 27: Elementary Science Explorium, Catalano Gym, 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Apr. 28: "3rd-Grade Trip Around the World," 8:30 a.m.

Apr. 28: Something, Jr./Sr. High Musical Review, Theatre, 7:00 p.m. TICKETS, Click here

Apr. 30: Something, Jr./Sr. High Musical Review, Theatre, 2:00 p.m. TICKETS, Click here

May 2: 8th-12th-Grade Band Concert, Theatre, 7:00 p.m.

May 3: String Orchestra Concert, Theatre, 7:00 p.m.

May 5: Raider Star Drawings, Drama Room, Grades 4-6, 12:35 p.m.; Grades 1-3, 1:40 p.m.

May 5: Ballet and Jr./Sr. High Chorus Concert, Theatre, 11:20 a.m., Grades 7-12 attending

May 7: Ballet and Jr./Sr. High Chorus Performance, Theatre, 4:00 p.m.

May 8: Elementary Band Concert, Theatre, 7:00 p.m.

May 9: 6th- and 7th-Grade Band Concert, Theatre, 1:30 p.m., Grades K-6 attending

May 10: "Underground Railroad Reenactment", Main Campus, Grades 5 and 8 participating

May 10: 6th Grade field Trip to Coca-Cola, 9:00 a.m.

May 12: Jr. Beta Spring Dance for Grades 6-8, Catalano Gym, 7:00 p.m.

May 16: Elementary Chorus Concert, Theatre, 8:45 a.m.

May 19: Commencement Rehearsal for Seniors, Theatre, 8:30 a.m.

May 20: High School Commencement, Theatre, 4:00 p.m.

(Due to limited seating, this event is by invitation only.)

May 22: Kindergarten Recognition Program, Theatre, 8:45 p.m.

May 23: 1st-Grade Finale, Theatre, 8:45 a.m.

May 24: Sixth-Grade Graduation Ceremony, Theatre, 7:00 p.m.

May 25: Last Day of Preschool (dismissal at regular time)

May 26: Last Day of School; Awards Ceremony- Grades 2-5, Theatre, 8:30-10:00 a.m.

Please consider supporting our school when purchasing items through Amazon. You must login at www.amazonsmile.com and choose Runnels School as the charity of your choice. From there you may shop as you normally would even if you are a Prime member.

2017 AP and Final Exam Schedule - click here

ANNUAL SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR THE 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR - CLICK HERE


Coming soon to the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre! CLICK HERE for tickets.

Weekly Photo Album

In this week's album: Building Catapults in Physics, NASA Field Trip, Senior Field Trip to Audubon Zoo, Spring Fling Snoballs, Preschool Spring Festivities and Field Trip to WBR Museum, Solo & Ensemble Festival and AP Biology DNA Lab.

ATHLETIC CORNER

VARSITY SPORTS

SOFTBALL DISTRICT CHAMPS!!

Congratulations to the Lady Raiders for clinching the District 8-2A championship title last Friday. The team claimed the title after defeating Christian Life Academy, 16-1.

Pitchers Micah Danos and Bailey Hyatt combined to go 6-0 in district, allowing only 2.18 runs per game and striking out 36 batters. On offense, the team was led by Ally Rodrigues who hit a .714 in district play. On average, the team batted a .397. The Lady Raiders consistently out- scored their opponents with a combined score of 94-20.

Way to go, ladies!

BASEBALL

On Tuesday evening at Raider field, the baseball team honored senior Douglas Gulley on Senior Night. The boys faced off against Christian Life but were edged out 6-9.

TENNIS

On Monday, the Raiders tennis team battled St. Amant in Gonzales. Sophomore and Runnels #1 Singles competitor, Eric Huygues, played a brilliant match against junior Nacho Vargas. Huygues won the first set in a tie breaker 7-6, but lost the second 6-7. In lieu of a third set, the boys played a 10 point tie-breaker. Huygues clinched the win 10-8.

Coach Kathrin Sieberth said it was "one of the best tennis matches I've seen during my years as a high school coach."

Junior Kyle Sieberth won his #2 singles match handily 6-2, 6-2.

TRACK & FIELD


	Sophomore London Deshotels

At the District 8-2A championship meet held Monday at Episcopal High School, the Raiders posted top finishes. Both the girls and boys teams placed 4th in our district. Eight boys and seven girls qualified to compete in the regional meet to be held on April 25. Individual honors went to London Deshotel, who was named Outstanding Field Performer.

"We are small in numbers but big in heart," said Coach Julie Fink. "These athletes competed for something greater than themselves."

The team also broke numerous school records and set new PRs. New school records include: London Deshotel, javelin 106-01; Douglas Gulley 100m 11.35/200m 23.71; and Boys 4x100m 47.1.

New PRs were set by: Nathan Fairley, javelin 132-06; Sam Matthews, 800m 2:03.81; Phoenix Knowles, 400m 1:00.08; Hudson Hillman, 400m 1:06.9; Anna Claire Courville, javelin 49-04; Sydney Worsham, shot put 16-09.75; London Deshotel, 100mH 20.01/300mH 53.81; Blaiklee Guillot, 100m 14.87; Ryan Roper, 100m 16.85; and Kaylen Howe, 200m 29.9

The regional qualifiers are: Sam Matthews (1600m/800m/3200m), Adam Howe (1600m), Douglas Gulley (100m), Dean Campbell (3200m), Conner Raines (high jump), London Deshotel (high jump/javelin/300mH), Annie Fink (1600m/3200m), Micah Roper (1600m/3200m), and Kaylen Howe (800m), Boys 4x200m (Douglas Gulley, Nathan Fairley, Joseph Armoney Conner Raines) Girls 4x200m (AC Courville, Sydney Worsham, Ryan Roper, Blaiklee Guillot), Boys 4x400m (Adam Howe, Sam Matthews, Nathan Fairley, Joseph Armoney), Girls 4x400m (Annie Fink, Micah Roper, Kaylen Howe, Sydney Worsham), and Boys 4x100m (Conner Raines, Douglas Gulley, Joseph Armoney, John Spillane).

JUNIOR HIGH SPORTS

BASEBALL

Last Friday, the junior high baseball team defeated the Vipers 7-2. Jake Haase had three RBIs and Blaine Nicholson had eight strikeouts in five innings. On Monday, the Raiders rallied in a 12 run comeback with another victory against the Vipers. Robby Harrison had two home runs.

Wednesday evening, the boys defeated Episcopal 23-11 in a shootout. Blaine Nicholson and Jake Haase each had five RBIs, and Nick D'Gerolamo had three. Shelby Anders had four hits and four RBIs.

TRACK & FIELD

This week, the Junior High Track and Field team rocked the Ascension Catholic meet at Donaldsonville High School. The team members set 12 new PRs. Phoebe Koontz had the highest team finish for the girls placing 6th with her shot put throw of 17-00. On the boys side, Dawson Latona had our highest finish placing 7th with his 2:41 finish in the 800m.

Our final meet of the season is on Saturday, April 29 at CHS. The team is setting its sights on running faster, jumping and throwing higher and farther! There will be a teacher 4x100m Relay. If you are interested in competing, contact Coach Julie Fink.