January 8, 2021
Greetings Husky Community!

It has been another eventful week and we are off and rolling on the next leg of this unique school year. 

One of the major challenges we all face in raising our youth is helping them understand a world around us where the actions of others are truly incomprehensible. This past week, unfortunately, we have once again witnessed the enormous impact of citizens who behaved inexplicably - whether through ignorance, malice, or just an incredible lack of judgment. As a response these past few days and in the weeks ahead, we will continue to discuss the integral pillar of sound character in our large meetings, advisory groups, and countless one-on-one discussions that take place during the school day. Our objective is always to confront intolerance and indecency through education, experience and role modeling. As a current parent wrote to me in the past, these ongoing discussions must convey to all members of our community “what we stand for and what we are willing to stand UP for.”
 
Today, we led a Community Dialogue that provided an outlet for students to talk in a safe setting. I encourage you to continue these discussions at home, emphasizing the consequences of decisions that may seem incomprehensible to a developing mind and a developing moral compass. South Bay Families Connected has updated their National Unrest/Current Events page with information and resources for parents and guardians to help you discuss the breach at the Capitol. I encourage you to use this resource and others. In this important time in our nation’s history, it is imperative that we are all providing students with the direction they need to live lives of compassion, understanding, and character.
 
Additionally, as you may know, the LA County Dept. of Public Health yesterday strongly recommended in their telebriefing that schools remain closed for all in-person learning until February 1. Our Task Force discussed this today and we believe that although we all are yearning to return to campus as soon as possible, our schools should adhere to this recommendation. In brighter news, the spokesperson, Dr. Ferrer, said that LACDPH anticipates having more information about offering vaccines as part of Phase IB (for teachers) very soon. Her office will hold a telebriefing about the vaccination rollout in two weeks and we will be sharing all of this as more information becomes available.
 
I certainly hope 2021 will bring brighter days and a return to normalcy in spite of the difficulties we continue to live through,
 
David
Head of Schools

Pictured Above: Ms. Matuchniak and Middle School ASB got together on Wednesday to play "Among Us," a hit game based around teamwork, mystery, and deception.
Parent Book Club - January 12
Please join parents, Jennie Linthorst and Liz Glozman, for a parent book club virtual Zoom meeting on Tuesday, January 12 from 7-9 PM. The group will be discussing the book, You're Ruining My Life! Surviving the Teen Years with Connected Parenting, by Jennifer Kalari. You don't need to read the book to attend. Jennie Linthorst will facilitate the discussion by summarizing the key communication techniques and highlights from the book. Email Liz Glozman to purchase the book and to RSVP Lizglozman@gmail.com.  
Things To Know - Read This Section Every Week!
Financial Aid Deadline for 2021-2022 - 1/15: If you are currently receiving financial aid or wish to be considered for financial aid for the 2021-22 school year, you MUST complete the Parent's Financial Statement (PFS) and upload tax documentation to the SSS site (click the button below to access the SSS site) no later than Friday, January 15. 

All applications will be reviewed by the committee and award decisions will be made in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact Carol Bernstein at cbernstein@rollinghillsprep.org 
Upper School ASB Game Night - 1/12: ASB will be hosting another Game Nite next Tuesday, Jan 12 at 5pm. All upper school students (and faculty) are welcome. Join us for a fun-filled night of non-academic fun! The Zoom link can be found by clicking the "Announcements and Event Details" button below (please note, students and faculty must be logged-in to their school Zoom accounts via Google to attend). Please contact Ms. Galvez or Ms. DeLossa if you have any questions.
Purchase your 2020-2021 Yearbook while supplies last: We have passed the early deadline for yearbook purchases so there are only a limited number of books available! Please click the "Announcements and Events Details" button below to purchase a yearbook if you have not yet! 
Student Family School Directory: The Student Family Directory is live in your Blackbaud account. You can view the directory by logging into your Blackbaud account. Tabs are located across the top of the page (Resources, News, Calendar and Directories). If you click on the Directory tab, a drop-down menu will appear and you can access the Student Family Directory. If you have any questions or problems, please contact jhoffman@rollinghillsprep.org.  
Senior Speeches
Paulina Galvan

"And Tomorrow is a mystery. We don’t know what will happen. This world and this life doesn’t offer any absolutes. Nothing is set in stone. We could have days like yesterday, or we could have days that are completely different from it. We’ll never know.
But Today is a gift."
Lauren Brenton

"At first I would have never imagined what college would be like. I wasn’t sure I was ready. But now I know I am. All thanks to Ren and the many friends I have made over these last four years, I feel as though I am finally ready to take these steps."
Support our schools with a gift to The Husky Fund!
Parent Resources for Student Wellness
Rolling Hills Prep and Renaissance Schools proudly partner with South Bay Families Connected, an organization dedicated to providing meaningful social-emotional wellness resources for parents and students. Additionally, our schools have a dedicated Families Connected page for our communities that can be accessed by clicking the button below.
Rolling Hills Preparatory and Renaissance School | RollingHillsPrep.org | RenaissanceSAS.org