Welcome to the ninth edition of 
Panther Press ,  
a biweekly electronic newsletter sent to families and friends of 
San Joaquin Memorial High School
SJM Volleyball section champions honored in special way
Article provided by: Crystal Creamery

The next time Fresno area residents purchase their milk, they may be surprised to see two of their favorite local volleyball teams honored on special commemorative Crystal Creamery milk cartons. 

Clovis West and San Joaquin Memorial’s recent California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) Central Section championships are being recognized beginning today as Crystal Creamery unveiled a set of new milk cartons saluting the Section’s five Girls Volleyball Champions. The cartons will be available at a variety of stores throughout Central California for the next few weeks.  
 
“Crystal Creamery is very excited to add these champions to our commemorative cartons for achieving the highest honor in their sport,” said Brian Carden, Crystal Creamery’s Senior Director of Sales.  He added, “These cartons provide a fun, lasting memory of a very special moment while honoring the hard work and sacrifice put forth by the student athletes, their coaches and their families.”
 
Modesto-based and family-owned, Crystal Creamery has been a sponsor of high school sports since 2012 when it began supporting the CIF’s Sac-Joaquin Section. In 2019, the dairy expanded its sponsorship of the CIF to include the Central and North Coast Sections. Crystal Creamery has now recognized more than 200 Section and State Champions, academic team champions, scholarship winners and Hall of Fame inductees on milk cartons.
Creating a kinder world through art

Memorial art students are helping to create a kinder world through their participation in The Memory Project, a non-profit program founded in 2004, dedicated to promoting intercultural awareness, friendship, and kindness between children around the world through the universal language of art.

“This is our second year contributing portraits to The Memory Project,” said Art teacher Denise Zanutto. “Students in Art 2 and AP Art participated in 2017 and in 2019. I believe they did 20 portraits in 2017, and this year 25 students participated.”
2020 Strategic Planning Process
comes at pivotal time in SJM's evolution

The SJM 2020 Strategic Planning process begins this week on January 8 with members of a newly formed Planning Committee which includes board members, parents, alumni, priests, faculty, and staff. The goal of the Planning Committee was to incorporate as many different stakeholders as practical to ensure broad representation and input, according to SJM Board Chair Susan Byers.

“Under the direction of Catholic School Management (CSM) consultants, this committee will oversee the strategic planning process and take responsibility for drafting the plan itself, in conjunction with Catholic School Management,” Byers explained. “It is a pivotal time in SJM’s evolution and we are excited to be undertaking this effort now and in this manner.”

Congratulations 2019-2020
NHS Inductees

Congratulations are in order for 23 juniors and seniors who were recently inducted into the San Joaquin Memorial High School Chapter of the National Honor Society. The students were selected by the Faculty Council based upon their scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
SJM's Pool
gets improvements

The month of December was an era of new life for the SJM pool. Spearheaded by SJM Facilities Manager, John Hodges, construction crews replaced the edge of the pool deck.

In addition to a new sound system, the pool area also received netting to protect the equipment room as well as spikes on the lights to keep the birds away. Mr. Hodges and the facilities crew also worked hard to remove corroded eyelets from the lane lines and replaced them with stainless steel eye bolts.
SJM's Nature Club offers students a
well rounded approach to life
Before the Christmas break Mr. Duncan and Mr. Olivares took the Nature Club to Kings Canyon National Park for a hiking trip. Students enjoyed the views of giant sequoias and other wildlife.
The Panther Theater will be performing 
Lost In Yonkers,  by Neil Simon

Thursday 1/16 @ 7:30 pm
Friday 1/17 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday 1/18 @ 2:00 and 7:30 pm
Sunday 1/19 @ 2:00 pm.

All shows will be in the SJM cafeteria.
Winter Sports Update

Winter sports are well underway and SJM wishes each of its teams the best of luck this season. Here is how every team is doing this season so far.

Girls Basketball: 7-5
The next game is on 1/11 at 12:00 pm. The Panthers will host Garces.

Girls Soccer: 8-8-1
The next game is on 1/8 at 5:00 pm. The Panthers will host Edison.

Boys Basketball: 10-6
The next game is on 1/8 at 7:00 pm. The Panthers will host Sunnyside.

Boys Soccer: 9-4-2
The next game is on 1/10 at 5:00 pm. The Panthers will travel to Sanger.
SJM's Italian Program continues to
share the culture on campus

On the 6th of January, all of Italy celebrates the feast of the Epiphany (Epifania). Not only is this a very important religious holiday, but it is also the time when a very kind, old lady (La Befana) flies around on her broom to distribute tasty treats to all of the good children, and pieces of charcoal to the naughty ones.

SJM Italian instructor Emanuela De Rosa along with Michael Giovannetti were able to reenact this tradition on campus for students. It was a fun way for students to learn about another Italian tradition.

Legend tells us that three Kings, coming from the East, on their way to adore and bring special gifts to the Baby Jesus, lost their way. They asked an old lady they met on their way to Bethlehem to join them on their journey to bring presents to the Holy Infant. She told them she could not accompany them because she had too much to do; she needed to clean her home. When she was done cleaning, she repented, prepared a basket of sweets for Baby Jesus and ran outside to reach the Kings, but did not find them. She decided to keep searching for the three Kings, and on the way she stopped at each house, leaving treats for each child, ultimately hoping to find the Baby Jesus. From that time, over 2,000 years ago, every year “La Befana” flies all over Italy on her broom, bringing tasty treats and presents, along with some lumps of coal, to the Italian children.
SJM Annual Christmas Tea is another success

On December 8, 2019 the SJM Parent Guild Annual Christmas Tea was a huge success with over 30 tables. Thank you to the hard work of Guild President Dorothy Christensen and Christmas Tea Chair Angie Milam. A special thank you to Shannon Stubblefield and Michelle Kevorkian for the beautiful Christmas trees they decorated for the raffle. 
San Joaquin Memorial 2020
College Planning for Junior Parents
Thursday, January 16, 2020

6:00 p.m. in the SJM Media Center

Please join us as SJM Counselors discuss:
  • High School Graduation Requirements
  • College Admission Requirements
  • PSAT and College Admission Tests
  • Naviance Student
  • Other important topics pertinent to the parent of the college-prep junior
SJM Scholarship Application
Applications are now open.

Applications will be due February 1st.

For more information, click here .
Upcoming Events
Saturday Jan. 11, 2020
NHHS Cinema Night @ 6pm

Monday Jan. 13, 2020
Boosters Meeting @ 6pm

Tuesday Jan. 14, 2020
Guild Meeting @ 12pm

Thursday Jan. 16, 2020
Junior Parent College Planning Meeting @ 6pm
Monday Jan. 20, 2020
No school - MLK Day

Lost in Yonkers
Thursday 1/16 @ 7:30 pm
Friday 1/17 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday 1/18 @ 2:00 and 7:30 pm
Sunday 1/19 @ 2:00 pm.

All shows will be in the SJM cafeteria.
Join Us For the 75th Annual St. Patrick's Day Golf Tournament
For more info please contact Shirley Boujikian at (559) 475-5831 or sboujikian@sjmhs.org
Boosters Club

Boosters members take pride in raising money for our student-athletes through fun-filled, casual fundraisers - Holy Bowling in the fall; Crab Feed in February - concession sales and memberships.  For volunteer  opportunities and information, email sjmboostersclub@gmail.com.
Career Day
San Joaquin Memorial High School's Career Day will be taking place on  Friday, February 28, 2020 . If you are interested in sharing your career with our students, please fill out the participation form.
Alumni Contact Update

Panther Alums, even though your time here at Memorial has passed, this is still your home! Please stay connected with us so that you can be part of our exciting engagement opportunities such as our sporting event tailgates, alumni mixers and so much more! To stay connected  please  fill out this form .

San Joaquin Memorial High School | sjmhs.org