Welcome to the sixteenth edition of 
Panther Press ,  
a biweekly electronic newsletter sent to families and friends of 
San Joaquin Memorial High School
Today's prayer
Written by: Kate Sambueso ‘20

Let us remember, that we are in the Holy Presence of God.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Dear God,
I pray for my family, friends and anyone who is suffering from illness that they find comfort in you. I pray for their minds and hearts to be filled with hope, joy, and happiness. And may they see the blessings in their lives right now during this time of struggle, help them to find you in the midst of it all. Amen

Saint Hugh of Grenoble, Pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, Forever.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A letter from Mr. Burke

Dear Parents:

As we watch the news each day and receive updates on the status of the spread of COVID-19 across the state, we are keenly aware that this virus continues to challenge our local communities as well as the state of California.

At this point in the current crisis, it is impossible for us to predict when we can all be back together again on the SJM campus, although I hope and pray that time is soon. We will continue to be advised by health experts, including those from county, state and federal agencies, in guiding our continuing response. The health and safety of our SJM community is our foremost concern as we make decisions for the operation of the school. For planning purposes, please be advised that we have extended our online learning platform for an undetermined period. 

We are extremely proud of our students, faculty and staff, who have demonstrated an inspiring spirit of cooperation and ingenuity in maintaining an effective environment for online learning. Additionally, the outreach from within our community has been remarkable. 

In following the issuance of a Shelter in Place order from the governor, the entire campus will remain closed to all employees and visitors through the end of the order. During the time that the school campus remains closed, all extra-curricular activities, practices, sports, meetings and events will be cancelled.

Once again, we extend our most sincere appreciation for your support and understanding during this time. The resolve of our community to continue to move forward reflects our thanksgiving to a good and gracious God, as we remain a Catholic community full of Christ’s hope for a bright future. Let us be united in our faith and in our determination to return to our “normal” days as soon as possible. 

Yours in Christ,

Michael C Burke
Head of School 
Boyer's book nooks find new purpose

Our own SJM student Emmit Boyer was recently highlighted on a news segment for his innovative idea to repurpose two Free Little Libraries he built for his Eagle Scout project in November 2019. Addressing community needs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Emmit retrofitted his hand-made book nooks to include needed pantry items.
 
An avid reader since preschool, Emmit decided the Free Little Libraries would be a meaningful Eagle Scout project in which he could share his passion for reading with the community. They are free neighborhood libraries containing books for others to pick out, read and enjoy. People can take a book, leave a book and/or read a book, as the contents in the libraries belong to all those in the community. 
 
Emmit raised money through recycling projects to purchase the supplies for the libraries and asked for book donations from friends and family members. With the help of his fellow scouts in Troop 223, the libraries were built, painted and installed.
 
As the news of the current pandemic grew, Emmit came up with the idea to begin stocking the two libraries, one located next to his family’s home church St. Anthony of Padua, and the other at St. Agnes Mission Church in Pinedale, with additional supplies such as toilet paper and canned food. Some of Emmit’s friends have also joined in by helping to keep the little book/pantry nooks replenished on a regular basis.  
 
Emmit says he hopes the supplies go to families and individuals who really need them and they continue to serve the community in a positive way. Thank you Emmit for being a shining example of kindness and caring for others!
SJM's Yearbook Class Keeps School Spirit Alive

After the announcement of the campus closure, SJM's yearbook class had their backs against the wall. The class was weeks away from finishing the book which is an important staple of SJM history and spirit. With the new guidelines which prohibited the students from having face-to-face classes, they had to adjust on how to collaborate. On top of adjusting to online learning, now they had to race to get the yearbook done before other schools to ensure a reasonable print date. The class succeeded in beating their deadline and having a finished product for print. Many other schools in the area were not as lucky to finish.

Production at the yearbook supplier's plant has been suspended due to the coronavirus. However, because of the class' hard work, the SJM yearbook is near first for production upon the plant re-opening.

A big thank you to Ms. Joanie Hathaway for leading this resilient group of students! The 2019-2020 yearbook will truly be a landmark in the history of SJM.

You can order a yearbook by mailing a check to the finance office, and then please email jhathaway@sjmhs.org that you have done so.
Art Students Get Creative While Isolating

Working from home does not hinder the creativity of these Panthers! Senior Alex Mihaly shows off her digital art skills (top picture). Sophomore Ashley Belleza takes Georgia O'Keefe to the street with chalk (bottom left) and Senior Chloe Paraguya expresses herself through watercolors (bottom right).
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.
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