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Plant & Facilities Manager
Santiago Gasca
gave this year's Convocation Address and received a standing ovation. He is shown here with his wife
Maira (left) and daughter,
Tiffany '13
(right).
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The Daily Rotation - now on the website
The website calendar now show what day in the schedule rotation corresponds to each date. You can use the instructions to download the calendar to your devices.
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New Address for Payments to the School
All student account payments and other payments should be mailed directly to the school at PO Box 887, Ross, CA, 94957. This includes online bill payments. Please make sure to update the address in your online banking site, as the previous address was to a lockbox the school no longer uses.
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Branson Football Featured in the Marin IJ
Branson's All-Marin game and win against Tomales was featured in the
Marin IJ
last Friday, September 22.
Alex Ritch '18
and
Aiden Demian
'19 were both quoted, and there's a gallery of photos by Alan Dep of the Marin IJ, one of which is shown above.
Go Bulls!
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Aiden Demian Named Boys Prep of the Week
Aiden Demian '19
was named
Boys Prep of the Week
by the
Marin IJ
on Monday for his performance in Branson's football win against Tomales (read article above and BULLpen writeup below for more on the game).
Congratulations, Aiden.
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The JTS VIdeo is Here!
Missed JTS (the Junior Talent Show) or just want to relive all the fun and inspired performances? Here's a video of the performance for your viewing pleasure. Thank you to
Allie Westley '19
and
Anna Dworetsky '19
for filming and
Justin Culley's
assistance getting it produced.
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SEPTEMBER 30 - Garden Work Day
9 am - 1 pm, The Branson Garden
OCTOBER 2 and 3 - Teacher Work Days, No school
OCTOBER 4 - 6 - Co-Curricular Days
OCTOBER 10 - Parents' Association (PA) Meeting
Coffee/light fare/Hospitality from 8:30 am to 9:00 am
PA meeting from 9:00 am to 10:15 am
OCTOBER 11 - PSAT Testing Day
See explanation below for sophomores and juniors.
Stay tuned next week for freshman and senior schedules that day.
OCTOBER 11 - Advisor and Parent Meetings
If they have not already, your child's advisor will be contacting you to schedule a time for a half-hour meeting.
The dates listed above represent only the next two weeks.
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Garden Work Day This Saturday
by Anne Wick
Do you like to get your hands in the dirt? Meet us on Saturday, September 30 from 9 am to 1 pm in the Branson Garden! We are inviting the whole Branson community to join us for a breakfast potluck work party in the garden on that Saturday. No experience is necessary - just a desire to pull some weeds, prepare some soil, get your hands dirty, and break a sweat! Bring your garden hand tools, pruners, shovels, and gloves and we'll provide a few extras to share or loan. Also, we'd love if people would bring a treat to share with the group. Questions? Contact parent
Anne Wick
, 415-846-6987.
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PSAT Testing
Sophomores and juniors
will take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) on
Wednesday, October 11.
Students should report to the gym by 8:40 am. The exam begins at 8:45 sharp and will conclude between 11:45 and 12:00. Parents may sign students out after the completion of the testing.
This exam is administered by the College Board, so students who arrive late will not be able to take the exam and will be sent home. Please allow extra time for traffic, weather, good breakfast, and carpooling. Students who qualify for extended time should see the Rand Center staff for instructions and locations prior to the exam.
Sophomores and juniors have already received a copy of the
2017 Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT
from their advisors. The $16 exam fee will be reflected in your November Branson bill. Lunch will be provided after the exam and there are no classes in the afternoon. Contact
Lori Meaney
with any questions.
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Next PA Meeting is October 10
Don't miss it!
Please join us at the Parents' Association (PA) Meeting on October 10 in the Old Dining Hall. From 8:30 am to 9:00 am, coffee and a light breakfast will be served for parents to socialize; the meeting will start promptly at 9:00 am and will end on or before 10:15 am.
Meredith Herrera
, Dean of Student Life & Inclusion and Senior Class Dean will be our guest speaker. We will be webcasting the meeting and will send out instructions on how to access the event beforehand. We look forward to seeing many of you there!
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Parent Education Event at COM
Would you like to find yourself "better able to see even your child's most exasperating behaviors as steps in striving towards maturity, rather than chronic problems or mean–spirited efforts designed to make you miserable?"
"Dr. Brad Sachs helps parents understand the invisible transformation teens are experiencing and to recognize their unrealistic expectations for their teenagers, allowing them to love, accept and nurture the family they have to its full potential.
He presents a developmental overview of what parents can expect from their children during adolescence, then delineates the five stages in the journey towards accepting a child for who he or she is. With prescriptive tools, lively anecdotes, and practical strategies, Dr. Brad helps parents develop realistic expectations of the family, and to understand, forgive, and accept them in spite of their imperfections.
October 19, 2017 from 7 to 8:30 pm at the College of Marin - James Dunn Auditorium
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Celebrate your graduating senior with a tribute that will last a lifetime!
Purchasing a senior congratulatory ad lets you include pictures and a message to create your child's own special page in their senior yearbook.
Click here
to view some previously created pages.
Please purchase a half-page or full-page ad (see link below) before
October 16, 2017.
Thank you for supporting the Branson yearbook by creating a page for your graduate!
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Branson Arts Council
by Patty Moncada, Branson Arts Council Chair
The arts are alive and thriving at Branson! Our students’ extraordinary talents are on display whenever you attend any one of their year-round arts events.
The role of the Branson Arts Council is to support the faculty in managing the logistics of thirteen visual and performance arts events each school year. We offer a broad variety of opportunities for parent involvement, both big and small, depending on each individual’s interests and availability. Volunteering is a great way to make new friends and contribute in a meaningful way to the continued success of the arts program.
Please click below to choose a volunteer spot that suits your schedule. Thank you for volunteering your time. You are part of what makes this community so special!
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Best Buddies
On Sunday, Branson Best Buddies kicked off the school year with their first event. They walked with Cedars in the San Anselmo parade. Their next event is attending the Branson football game today on Tom Ryan Field. Come say hi and meet the amazing Branson students who do Best Buddies and the wonderful people from Cedars of Marin!"
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Branson students are exceptional leaders in many settings. In this section, we will feature students' accomplishments outside of school. Please
send your news
for future issues.
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Olivia Marwell '19 Earns Art Scholarship
Olivia spent the summer at The San Francisco Art Institute's Pre-College Program, an intensive, transformative, for-credit program in the arts. About 70 students from across the country participate. Students choose a medium to practice for the duration of the program, and Olivia’s was photography. In addition to the school-wide seminars, field trips and gallery visits, Olivia took a course on "The Constructed Photograph" and another on "Lighting and Portraiture." In her work, she continued to explore her thoughts about teen identity. One particularly stunning group, called “Metrics,” portrays issues around female body image. (hanging in the commons? ask Olivia)
At the end of the summer the Institute gives awards to three rising seniors and three rising juniors receive a partial scholarship. Olivia received a "Rising Junior Award" for her engagement and body of work.The award comes with a scholarship to return to the program next summer. If you want to learn more about the program, ask Olivia and/or see the link below.
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In Assembly on Monday, we heard from many of the trips that are being offered this year. Financial aid is available, check with trip leaders or Ms. Diaz.
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Students have the chance to go to The Island School in Eleuthera, Bahamas, from February 17 to 24 and enjoy free diving and snorkeling with tropical fish, sea kayaking, meeting locals, working with local schools, joining scientific research teams, and learning about native ecosystems and environmental sustainability firsthand. The trip will be led by
Maggie Molter
and
Peter Z
drojewski
.
Peter said, "I called this place home for six years and am excited to share it with you."
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Changing Tides Orphanage
Chris Mazzola
will be taking a group to Jacmel, Haiti during the April vacation. The group will be working with
Changing Tides Orphanage
,
an organization that Chris and her family helped found after the massive 2010 earthquake. "The students will be doing finish work on our new dormitory, as well as teaching English classes to the children," she says. For more information about the trip, please reach out to
Chris
.
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Basketball Trip to Serbia
Basketball Coach
Jonas Honick
announced that, thanks to Viktor Rajkovic's father, students will be able to travel to Serbia and spend 10-11 days playing basketball. "We will visit the coast and the capital
and play against teams from Serbia and Luxembourg." The trip is scheduled for
July 31 to August 16. There will be more details later, but if you are interested, contact
Jonas Honick.
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Swiss Exchange
Anne Butti
and last year's participants in the exchange program talked about their experiences in Switzerland this past summer. Anne explained, "Branson families host students and then students of the host families
go to Zurich and the Alps the day after graduation." Our students who hosted and traveled last year urged other students to participate. "You spend t
hree weeks in Switzerland. Because of its central location in Europe, you are exposed to so many different cultures." Anne added, "The students who come here are very independent.
They go to their own classes and after-school activities." If you want to learn more, contact
Anne Butti.
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College Bus Tour
Saying “Nothing can replace a firsthand, close-up view of a school,” College Counselors
Chris Rodriguez
and
Matt Lane
announced this year's college bus trip, which will take place
over April Break, with students departing from San Francisco on Sunday, April 8 and returning on Friday, April 13.
The tour, which will
include a wide
variety of colleges and universities in the Mid-Atlantic
and New England
, is open to sophomores and juniors.
Branson will once again partner with the College Authority--owner Bill Rubin will host an informational meeting at Branson on Tuesday, November 14. Stay tuned for details, but until then, reach out to the College Counseling Team if you have any preliminary questions.
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Girls Golf Team Gains Momentum
Branson’s Girls Golf team has been building momentum taking on some very strong opponents. Thanks to consistent play by
Kirra Peery
(50) and
Nadine Lee
(51), the Lady Bulls pulled away with a victory (222 v 235) against San Marin at Indian Valley.
On September 18 the small but mighty team played their season best, shooting a combined 197 at their home course to dominate both Marin Catholic (241) and Justin Sienna (274). Top scores were posted by
Sydney Park
(45),
Sydney Pearson
(50) and Kirra Peery (50).
The following day, the Lady Bulls split their matches as they hosted San Marin (253) and Novato (208) at Peacock Gap. Branson scored a 216 at home, beating San Marin but losing to Novato. Congrats to lead scorers Kirra Peery (48) and
Natasha Chandra
(53).
On Monday our six-member team hosted an undefeated Terra Linda (9-0) team and fought hard to hold their ground but lost by only four strokes (201 v 197), despite strong efforts by Sydney Park (47) and Kirra Peery (49).
Next week the girls have an action-packed week competing in three matches at Meadow, Mill Valley and Peacock as they face Marin Catholic, Redwood and Tam. The Lady Bulls are currently 7-4 for their season!
Go Bulls!
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Solid Win for Bulls: Branson 68 – Tomales Bay 26
The Tomales High School Braves greeted us in spirited fashion with Friday night lights, cheerleaders, a burger stand, and the whiff of cow manure in the pastoral distance. The fall chill heralded a classic high school football game whose glory went to
Aidan Demian
and
Alec Ritch
.
Tomales put points on the board first with a touchdown early in the first quarter. But soon after, the theme became “Ritch on the run,” and “Aidan’s on fire!” The pair made seven pass completions for a total of 18 points, including three touchdowns.
Demian, a junior who’s making his football debut this fall, earned the
Marin Independent Journal
“Boys Prep of the Week” by hauling in five catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the first half of the game. Demian was also on the receiving end of three two-point conversion attempts. “It’s been difficult going from basketball to learning football,” Demian told the
IJ,
“but I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I credit my coaches and teammates for helping me.”
“I can’t say enough about (Demian,)” Ritch told the
IJ.
“He’s one of my best buds, and when he told me he was going to play football I was psyched. We’ve been working really hard together on getting our routes right and it’s really starting to come together.”
Ritch finished 11 of 17 passing for 244 yards, three touchdowns and one interception (on the game’s first drive). He carried the ball eight times for 93 yards and four scores, and added an eighth touchdown with a 40-yard punt return. He also completed two-point conversion attempts to
Niklas Koehne
,
Brett Schneider
, and
William McLeod.
Aided by a beautiful catch by
Nicholas Hariri
(caught on film by the IJ photographer), the Bulls led 46-14 at halftime.
Koehne
and
Andrew Ashley
contributed on both sides of the ball with a touchdown each and solid defense
.
Schneider and
Oliver Jacobs
were tough in the trenches against an admirable Tomales offense, ensuring our advantage throughout the game.
Rich Bollini
was the night’s fierce tackling machine, joined by additional key takedowns by Schneider, Koehne,
Will Morris,
Charlie Goldstein,
and
Fin Woodlief
, and critical aid from
Will Vostrejs
,
Weston Terrell,
and Hariri.
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Branson Girls Dominate Novato
A gorgeous day on our home court (Redwood HS) brought out the best in the girls varsity tennis team. OK, it was a little warm, but hey, it’s better than wind and cold.
#1 singles
Alise Pedersen
smoothly cruised through her opponent at 6-1, 6-0. #2 singles
Chelsea Wong,
now completely adjusted to singles play, won 6-2, 6-0. Same for #3
Ella Ratliff,
who quietly dispatched her foe at 6-0, 6-1. Some players just wanted to get off the court asap it seems. Well, except for
Clia Ellwein
, at #4, who carefully crafted her high, parabolic shots to wear down her opposite at 6-4, 6-4. #5
Elli Diaz
wanted to waste no time and scored 6-2, 6-0. And #6
Grace Herbst
really hustled and showed a lot of athleticism but lost 6-3, 5-7 and 8-10 in the Super Tie -Breaker.
The doubles duos wrapped it up with the #1 team of
Emily Wells & Scarlett Bach
going 6-1, 6-2;
Lillie Lippman & Kate Lardner
scoring 6-4, 6-0; and
Caroline Ritter & Sedona Ward
, in the #3 slot, winning 6-3, 6-3.
Branson 8, Novato 1.
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Branson Girls Stumble Against Tam
OUCH! This was not the Tam team from last year. Evidently, their singles players from #3 through #6 were freshmen. Guess they had a heck of a recruiting class.
#2 singles
Emma Hirschkop
put up a valiant struggle in losing the first set 0-6, but then roared back only to drop the second 5-7. #3 singles
Abby Ivancevich
just plain ran into a tennis buzz-saw and lost 0-6, 0-6. Steady #4
Chelsea Wong
was dropped at 1-6, 2-6. Methodical #5
Ella Ratliff
finished at 3-6, 1-6, while #6
Elli Diaz
, tenacious as ever, also lost 3-6, 3-6.
The #2 doubles duo of
Scarlett Bach & Olivia Rosenlund
had a good first set of 4-6 but succumbed 0-6 in the second. #3 doubles
Lillie Lippman & Caroline Ritter
put up a good effort but bowed at 2-6, 2-6.
Meanwhile, #1 doubles
Clia Ellwein & Emily Wells
managed to overcome their opposites 6-2, 6-4, while #1 singles
Alise Pedersen
cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Tam 7, Branson 2. Hopefully we can reverse that score the next time we meet them.
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Bulls Tame San Marin Mustangs in Straight Sets
Once again, the Bulls were down to nine players as they hosted San Marin last Friday night. With sophomore
Avery Arcuri
sidelined due to injury, sophomore
Kelsey Polhemus
assumed Avery’s serving duties without a hitch, and varsity was off to a quick win in the first set 25-10.
During the second set, the Mustangs tried desperately to buck the Bulls momentum, but the Bulls had an answer to everything San Marin could throw at them. Juniors
Lauren Winters
and
Amelia Browne
both provided outstanding defensive plays as the team cantered to a 25-14 second set win.
The third set saw more long rallies, with both teams playing well, but the Lady Bulls seemed to score the point each time on more fantastic digs by sophomore
Abby Stover
, who later ended the set with an ace, 25-13, earning the team a straight set win.
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Post Office Box 887 Ross, California 94957
(415) 454-3612 • www.branson.org
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