Snapshot From the Ridge
Black Team Wins Field Day!
Students had a blast at Field Day! More below.
Bulletin Board
Annual Holiday Gift Drive Deadline Extended to December 14th!
The Parents Association has extended the deadline for contributing to the Annual Holiday Gift to tomorrow, Friday, December 14. Please show your appreciation to the teachers and staff and donate:
Drop off your check (payable to  PRS Parents Association with  Appreciation Gift written on the memo line) in drop boxes in the Middle School and Upper School lobbies).
Donate online using  PayPal or  Venmo. See detailed instructions for online donating on the Parents Association page  here  in PowerSchool. All monies collected go to faculty and staff in the form of holiday gift cards. Many thanks to all of you who have contributed!
CORRECTION : Winter Class Acts Are Tomorrow
Enjoy an evening of theater during the Winter Class Acts! Pizza for the cast, crew, and audience will be served immediately following the performance. 
Date: Friday, December 14th
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Community Hall
Alumni Family Winter Reception December 18th
Come and reconnect with your friends at the Alumni Family Winter Reception on Tuesday, December 18. Parents, please feel welcome to come even if your alum is not able to attend. Please RSVP  here .
Date : Tuesday, December 18th
Time : 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Place : Pacific Ridge School
December 13, 2018
December 14th
Winter Class Acts
6 p.m.

December 20th
Gingerbread Breakfast
Half Day

December 19th
Winter Dance Showcase
7 p.m.

December 21st - January 6th
Winter Break
NO SCHOOL

January 10th
10th-Grade College Night
6:30 p.m.

January 14th
No School

January 31st
Standardized Testing Primer
4:30 p.m.

Summer Opportunities Fair
6:00 p.m.
Winter Dance Showcase is Wednesday, December 19th
Dance students have been working hard all year and will be performing a winter showcase!
Date: Wednesday, December 19th
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Avo Playhouse, 303 Main Street, Vista
Discounted Ice Skate at Carlsbad Icetown Following Gingerbread Breakfast
The Pacific Ridge Hockey Club is hosting a public skate for students and faculty following Gingerbread Breakfast on December 20 to say thank you for all of the support. Ice skate rentals cost $3.
Date: Thursday, December 20th
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Place: Carlsbad IceTown, 2283 Cosmos Court
California Scholarship Federation Deadline December 20th
Applications for the California Scholarship Federation for Trimester 1 are due by December 20. Please return your forms to Ms. Serafini in the lobby of the Upper School building. Parents of sophomores, juniors and seniors, please check your email for more information about CSF requirements and deadlines.
Alumni Day is Tuesday, January 8th
Alumni are invited back on campus on January 8th for lunch and a chat with students about their college experiences! RSVP here.
Time: Alumni Panel: 11:30 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
Lunch: 12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Harkness Discussion with Dr. Ogle: 1:00 - 1:45 p.m.
Date: Tuesday, January 8th
Place: Pacific Ridge School
Learn About Pacific Ridge at These January Admissions Events
Maybe you've inquired about Pacific Ridge, but couldn't attend the Open House. Curious about Harkness learning, integrated academics and the Student360 Experience? Join us at a January information session on campus to find out more. The program will include an introduction by Head of School Dr. Bob Ogle and presentations by academic leaders, followed by a Q & A session with current students. Attendees will also have an opportunity to tour the campus. RSVP’s requested.
Middle School Info Session
Date: Wednesday, January 16th
Time: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Upper School Info Session
Date: Thursday, January 17th
Time: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Save the Date: January 13th and 18th
The Winter Choral Concert is January 13th and the Winter Instrumental Music Concert is January 18th. More details coming soon!
Latinx Unidos Hosting Supply Drive for Asylum Seekers
Affinity group   Latinx Unidos is collecting donations for asylum seekers waiting at the U.S.-Mexico border. Most shelters in Tijuana are full and refugees are in need of warm clothing, food, water and hygiene supplies. For those who wish to donate, collection bins will be in the Upper School lobby through December 20. Donations needed include bottled water, sweaters, jackets, blankets, pillows, toiletries, baby products, staple foods or money to purchase these products.For more information, please contact Cecilia Shrivastava at  CShrivastava@PacificRidge.org .
Host Families Needed and Applications Open for Hands of Peace
Non-profit Hands of Peace is looking for participants and host families for the summer 2018-19 program. Hands of Peace is an interfaith organization that empowers young people to raise their voices as leaders of change. Students between the ages of 15 and 17 are welcome to apply. Host families are also needed to host an Israeli or Palestinian teen for 19 days during the summer program. Applications are available here:  www.handsofpeace.org  and more information can be found through Site Director Sarah Heirendt at  sheirendt@handsofpeace.org  or (559) 999-7066.   
Support the Annual Fund
Make Your Tax-Year End Gift to the Annual Fund Today!
From small classes and outstanding faculty to global travel, service learning, athletics and the arts, the Pacific Ridge Annual Fund helps make the extraordinary possible. As an important part of the operating budget, gifts to the Annual Fund enhance the Pacific Ridge experience beyond what would be possible with tuition dollars alone. Our 2018-2019 Annual Fund goal is to achieve FULL participation from our trustee, faculty and staff, and parent communities. We invite you to make your gift to the Annual Fund before the end of the year to take advantage of 2018 charitable tax deductions.

Giving Online Click here  to make your charitable gift online
Giving by Mail:  Make your check payable to “Pacific Ridge School” and postmark by Dec. 31.
Transfer of Securities:  Please notify the Philanthropy Office in advance and allow for extra processing time.

Contact Renee Conrad, Annual Fund and Major Gifts Manager, at  rconrad@pacificridge.org  with any questions. 
Thank you so much for your support!
New & Noteworthy
Junior Wins National Youth Art Merit
Mia McCarthy ’20 received merit recognition for her photography in the annual National YoungArts Foundation competition! She was among 710 high school students throughout the country to be honored. Congratulations, Mia!
Eighth Grader Wins Middle School Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Eighth grader Jarrah Newman, who will represent Pacific Ridge School at the  San Diego Union-Tribune  Countywide Spelling Bee on March 14, 2019. Jagger Jacobs will serve as her alternate. The winning word? Kaleidoscope!
Academic Adventures
Field Day Inspires Firebird Spirit
On December 5, Pacific Ridge's 9th annual Field Day had the campus buzzing with competition, fun, and Firebird spirit! Teams spent the afternoon rotating through stations including a three-legged race, basketball shoot, dodgeball, trivia and more. The faculty emerged victorious in the traditional faculty vs. seniors tug o' war, and a final tally revealed Team Black as the Field Day winners and keepers of the coveted Field Day trophy! For more Field Day photos, please visit the  Pacific Ridge Facebook page
Genocide Survivor Inspires Pacific Ridge Students to Take Action
“You have the power to confront and prevent atrocities,” genocide survivor Marie-Christine Nibagwire told upper school students on December 6 during Community Life. Ms. Nibagwire survived the Rwanda genocide of 1994 narrowly escaping death with her two-year-old daughter on her back. After telling her harrowing story of survival, she asked students to reach out to people in need and be the peace they hope to see in the world. She also talked about the non-profit she founded, Saferefugerwanda, which provides emotional support to victims of the genocide.
Service Learning
Ninth Graders Present Incubator Projects
All year, ninth graders have been working hard to solve issues they're passionate about. Through design thinking and community outreach, students crafted solutions and presented their findings to a panel of trustees, parents, administrators and faculty. Some of the groups with the most promising ideas will win funding to continue their missions.
Parents Association
Gingerbread Breakfast - Volunteers & Food Donations Still Needed 
We are still in need of food donations and some volunteers to complete the planning for our festive Gingerbread Breakfast coming up next Thursday! Please help. Click ​ here   to sign up to decorate before the event ( after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 19 ), to donate food items ( chopped melon ) and/or to help take down decorations after the event on December 20. Thank you so much for all you do!

Walking Club Meets December 18th
Join us next Tuesday, December 18 for a holiday walk near school.
Date:  Tuesday, December 18th
Time:  8:15 a.m.
Location:  2341 Lapis Road (La Costa Greens Club House)

Save the Date! General Parents Association Meeting,  Tuesday, January 8th
Come attend this popular evening event, which includes an alumni panel sharing candid post-Pacific Ridge college experiences! To help us plan for refreshments and space, please RSVP to parentsassociation@pacificridge.org by January 4.
Date: Tuesday, January 8th
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location:  ​ Pacific Ridge Campus

Book Club Meeting January 14th
Join us for the next Book Club gathering on Monday, January 14 to discuss Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World,  by Hans Rosling. Inspiring and revelatory, filled with lively anecdotes and moving stories,  Factfulness  is an urgent and essential book that will change the way you see the world and empower you to respond to the crises and opportunities of the future.
Date​:  Monday, January 14th
Time​:  7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Place​:  Pacific Ridge School Library
College Guidance
10th-Grade College Night January 10th
Sophomores and parents, please save the date for this informative event.
Date : Thursday, January 10th
Time : 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Place : Dove Library Carlsbad, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad

Save the Date: January 31st Standardized Testing Primer and Summer Opportunities Fair
College Guidance will be hosting the Standardized Testing Primer and Summer Opportunities Fair. These two all-school events provide a great opportunity for students and families to gain deeper insights into the SAT and ACT and to learn about summer programs, internships and camp opportunities. 
Date : Thursday, January 31st
Time : 4:30 - 6:00 p.m., then 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Place : East and West Reading Rooms

For more on upcoming College Guidance key dates and regional information sessions, including registration information, please visit the College Guidance PowerSchool Learning page  here .
Sports on the Ridge
Hockey Club Shines at the Vegas Showcase
The Pacific Ridge Hockey Club took the show on the road for a 6-game showcase in Las Vegas. The Firebirds won five games, with several players getting looks from higher levels such as Junior A programs and colleges. Patrick O’Donnell played strong in the goal and the underclassmen that stepped up to the varsity level scoring points included Olin Silverman, Riley Frost and Tyler Sheridan. The club represented the school in fantastic fashion," said coach Juan Trevino. The Firebirds take on St. John Boscoe this Saturday and are hosting a Toys for Tots toy drive! Please bring new unwrapped toys to donate.
Date : Saturday, December 15th
Time : 6:50 p.m.
Place : Carlsbad Icetown, 2283 Cosmos Ct, Carlsbad
Upcoming Home Games:

12/18/18
3:00 p.m. Boys MS- A Soccer vs Santa Fe Christian Schools 
3:00 p.m. Girls Varsity Soccer vs Herbert Hoover High School
3:00 p.m. Girls MS- A Soccer vs Santa Fe Christian Schools  (Aviara Community Park)
3:30 p.m. Boys MS- A Basketball vs Maranatha Christian    
4:30 p.m. Boys MS- B Basketball vs Maranatha Christian     

12/19/18        
3:15 p.m. Girls Varsity Soccer vs West Shores HS    
View Past Scores, Schedule Changes and More on BigTeams
Past scores, the latest news, schedule updates and more can be viewed  here.
New Firebird on the Ridge
Coach Sarah Vanderhorst Has a Beautiful Baby Boy
The athletic team has a new Firebird! Basketball Coach Sarah Vanderhorst gave birth to baby Knox on December 7 weighing 7 pounds and 3 ounces and measuring 19". Coach V and her fiance, Clark Allard, are enjoying lots of cuddles with their firstborn. If Knox is anything like Mom and Dad, he's sure to be a basketball superstar!