Welcome to the sixty-ninth edition of the

Panther Press,

a biweekly electronic newsletter sent to families and friends of 

San Joaquin Memorial High School.

In this Issue

Past Events & Announcements:

  • SAT School Day for Juniors
  • Groundbreaking Ceremony
  • Skirts Announcement
  • Spring Kairos Registration due on February 10, 2023
  • Junior Ring Ceremony
  • "Adoremus" Recap
  • NHHS Field Trip
  • Mr. Borges Appointed to APUSH Exam Leadership
  • Looking for Sub Teachers
  • Important School Assembly

Upcoming Events:

  • Mandatory Freshman Service! (02/11)
  • Ash Distribution & Prayer Service (02/22)
  • Crab Feed (02/24)
  • Service Deadlines Announcements 
  • March Prayer at the Fountain (03/07)
  • Celebrate Abilities Day
  • St. Patrick's Day Golf Tournament (03/13) 

More Announcements:

  • Memorial Spring Open House
  • SJM Admission Important Dates
  • Schedule your Shadow Visit!
  • Adoration Days (every Thursday)
  • 2022-2023 Yearbook Announcements
  • Join SJM Parent Guild
  • Purchase your Athletic Boosters Club Membership Card
  • Panther Den Operating Hours 
  • Important Links
  • Follow us on Social Media!
  • Subscribe to our Youtube Channel

Friendly Reminder: When opening this newsletter in your email please make sure you click on the "View entire message" link at the end of the email message!

Past Events & Announcements

SAT School Day

Dear Junior Parents,

 

Your 11th grade student will have the opportunity to take the SAT at SJM on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, during the regular school day. Registration is open and very easy to complete.

 

Some colleges and universities require an SAT (or ACT) for admissions, placement, and/or scholarship awards.

 

We're pleased to offer SAT School Day at SJM so that…

  • Your student is more comfortable and confident by testing in a familiar place.
  • You don't have to worry about the logistics of getting your student to a test center.
  • No one has to worry about weekend conflicts or disrupting family time.


The cost is $60 per tester. (This is the same cost for national test dates. All funds will go directly to College Board.) Test fee reductions are available for families that qualify for free/reduced lunch. Test fee will automatically be billed to your family’s tuition account when you register.

 

To sign up for the March SAT at San Joaquin Memorial High School, use this SJM SAT School Day Registration Google Form.

Mary's Grotto Groundbreaking Ceremony

On Monday, January 31, 2023 we had a small Groundbreaking Ceremony for what will be a renovated Mary's Grotto in its existing location on campus.


Sofia Fanucchi '23 has inspired her family to undertake this project to transform our Grotto, in order to make it a place for people on campus to pray and pay devotion to the Blessed Mother. Sofia will be a third generation graduate of Memorial in the Spring. Over the past months Sofia has met with Mr. Burke, SJM President and landscape architect and SJM Alumni, Gabby Golik to create a place where she and her fellow classmates can come to pray to our Blessed Mother. To start with this beautification project we've already received five 87 year old olive trees from The Fanucchi Family ranch.


In the renovated Mary's Grotto guests will be able to light a candle, and place an offering of roses.Teachers will be able to use this area for prayer services or class a lot more. With Mary's Grotto current location visitors who enter our campus through the north side will instantly know that we are a Catholic school.


As shown in the plans and rendering, the new Grotto will incorporate several areas for worship, spaces for someone to obtain and light a candle, a rose cutting garden in order to cut roses to place in the Grotto, an area for sitting and kneeling, and a podium for services.


Students, staff, faculty and guests will be able to sit around Mary's Grotto to pray and have a silent moment of devotion with Mary. Guests will feel Her presence and be able to be quiet and reflect upon their thoughts with Our Lady. We foresee this area being utilized a lot since it'll be much more welcoming and renovated.


Bishop Joseph V. Brennan, Monsignor Rob Wenzinger, SJM staff and faculty, students and supporters of this extraordinary and special project gathered around the area that promises to be a lovely Mary's Grotto. In addition, Bishop Brennan blessed the area during the intimate ceremony.

Reminder: Short Skirts!

Attention all female students: Complaints have been given to the Administration in regards to the short skirts, from daily wearing on campus, mass days, and major events that are held on and off campus. 


We are asking that all female students who choose to wear the uniform skirt, take immediate action in correcting the length of their skirt either by wearing it correctly in length, or getting new ones that are of the correct length and fit. 


This course of action is being closely monitored by the Administration, and if our young ladies can not correct these infractions, the wearing of skirts will not be allowed in the near future.  If you are wearing it correctly and like having this as an option, then your Administration is asking for your help in holding your peers accountable and encouraging them to wear their uniforms correctly.

Junior Ring Ceremony took place on Monday, February 6, 2023

Photo credit: S. Geisler

The Junior Ring Ceremony took place on the evening of February 6, 2023 at The Shrine of St. Therese. It was a beautiful evening with the majority of the Junior class, parents and some grandparents in attendance.


The following message was shared by Class Representative Vivian Zapien '23; "As we grow and move forward with our high school education, we are also moving forth from being lower classmen and are now earning the respect and responsibility of being upper classmen. In reference to Genesis 1, just as God created the Earth, entering the Memorial community has allowed us to plant the seed for important values in our lives such as faith, community service, and prioritizing our education. As students of Memorial, we truly are a family. Without the support of family and friends, we would not be entering this next chapter in our lives."


Thank you everyone who made this special ceremony possible for our Juniors.

"Adoremus" Night of Adoration was a Beautiful Event

"Adoremus" Night of Adoration was hosted and presented by Memorial students and staff on Monday, January 30, 2023 during Catholic Schools Week! It was a magical and special evening for all who attended. We received comments from a guest that the students were "respectful and acted with so much grace and faith."


Thank you everyone who helped put together such a precious event!

NHHS Field Trip

San Joaquin Memorial's chapter of National History Honor Society visited the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco on Saturday, January 28, 2023. The museum is located in Lincoln Park in San Francisco, and is the sister museum to the De Young Museum, which the club visited last spring. Club members enjoyed exhibits on Rodin sculptures, antique porcelain, and more. The weather was beautiful, and smiles were plentiful! Pictured above are all members of the club who attended the trip, as well as chaperones.

Mr. Borges Appointed to APUSH Exam Leadership

Dr. Michele Kuhl, professor of American History at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, and Chief Reader for the AP U. S. History exam, has appointed Ed Borges to the reading leadership team for the 2023 exam reading in Tampa Bay in June. The reading leadership, guided by the College Board and the Educational Testing Service, is responsible for developing the scoring rubrics for the AP US History exam essays, selecting sample student essays for preliminary scoring, establishing scoring validity, and training table leaders and readers in scoring the essays on the exam.


For seven days, over 1700 college history professors and high school history teachers are involved in remote and in-person scoring nearly 500,000 AP US History exams every year. Mr. Borges has been an AP US History and/or European history teacher for 28 years and has been involved in the exam reading since 2001.

Looking for Sub Teachers

Important School Assembly

Photos courtesy of Fresno County District Attorney's Office

On Friday, January 27, 2023 the Fresno County District Attorney's Office welcomed on campus Lisa A. Smittcamp, Fresno County District Attorney and Officer DEA Dean Cardinale from the Fresno P.D. Detective Task Force to speak to our students. They presented to all 500 of our students, parents, educators, and administrators who gathered in our SJM Main Gym. They talked about the fentanyl crisis and its dangers.


Memorial is just one of the dozens of schools, community groups, and organizations that the Fresno County District Attorney's Office presents to on this issue almost weekly. The students were shown Julian's testimony video who has fully recovered from using fentanyl. Take a look at the link below to learn more about his story.

Julian Carvajal's Story

Upcoming Events

Friendly Reminder!

Crab Feed on Friday, February 24, 2023

Service Deadlines!

Mar. 1 - Senior Deadline (100% complete)


· 20 hours

 

Apr. 1 - Frosh, Soph, Junior Deadline (100% complete)


· 9th grade: 15 hours

· 10th & 11th grade: 20 Hours

Ash Distribution & Prayer Service on Wednesday, February 22, 2023

March Prayer at the Fountain

77th Annual St. Patrick's Day Golf Tournament!

More Announcements

Memorial Spring Open House is Almost Here!

Important Admission Dates

The SJM 2023-2024 Application for incoming freshmen and spring transfers opened on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 on the SJM website. Help us spread the word by passing this information on to prospective parents and students! For assistance on the application process or to schedule a tour of the SJM Campus, contact Bianca Blanchette, Director of Admissions at (559) 268-9251 EXT 139 or bblanchette@sjmhs.org ! 

Adoration

Do you have a prayer intention to share? We invite you to complete the form below to submit a prayer intention which will be placed in the Intentions Box in our Chapel.

2022-2023 Yearbook 

Join SJM's Parent Guild! 

Why join the SJM Parent Guild?


One of the many reasons parents in the Central Valley choose to send their children to San Joaquin Memorial High School is the community of fantastic families and their quality of character.


Like-minded parents and staff that share in the moral development, catholic faith and ethical standards of children - THIS is what sets SJM apart from other schools in the area.


The best way to participate in and contribute to that community is to join the SJM Parent Guild because you'll:


•Get to know parents, staff, and students!

•Be “in the know” for all campus activities!

•Parent Guild brings the fun and it’s the best way to get your mandatory parent hours!


To learn more go here

Purchase your SJM Athletic Boosters Club Membership Card 

You can get your SJM Athletic Boosters Club Membership Card TODAY!


The mission of the San Joaquin Memorial High School Boosters Club is to provide fundraising support to the school’s athletic programs.


Funding for facility improvement projects and general athletics operations are the club’s main focus.


Become a member of the Boosters Club today! By joining the Boosters Club, you are helping to improve the quality of facilities and equipment for our student-athletes.


Club dues are $100 for two memberships or $50 for a single membership for the school year. Cards provide admittance to all home Panther athletic events (excluding playoffs) for the 2022-23 school year.(pass will be mailed to the address you provide – pass must be presented at home games at all times for free admittance).


Click here to purchase you membership card. 

Important Links
Click to view the 2022-2023 Academic School Calendar
Click to view the 2022-2023 Athletics Calendar
Click to view the 2022-2023 Bell Schedule
Click to view the 2022-2023 Student/Parent Handbook
Click to view the 2022-2023 Transportation Schedule

Click to view the 2022-2023 Events Calendar

Want access to the latest pictures of student activities, sports and more? Or the latest updates? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube or check out our website!





Connect With Us

The best way to stay connected to Memorial is to watch your email for our Panther Press newsletter for parents and students. Keep up with the latest important news and learn more about the school! Change your email? Let us know so you can continue getting updates.


Browse all past issues online at https://sjmhs.org/panther-press

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.


 Click here to  Donate to SJM!



San Joaquin Memorial High School | sjmhs.org
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Youtube