Hello Husky Community,
I always love the week after a school break, where reconnecting with the community and sharing stories from our time apart is always heartwarming. We have had an exciting week as we begin the month of December. Our students and faculty members are busy with the start of the 2nd trimester, our winter sports programs, preparing for our upcoming fall play, while all the way getting into the holiday spirit of the season.
On Monday our faculty and staff had our second in a series of five training sessions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Monique Marshall. This second session built on the groundwork we laid in the first session where we affirmed our own identities and did activities where we focused on how our identities were connected. On Monday our session focused on how all identities are not the same. We did a reflective inventory of all of our identity markers and how these fall in a place of privilege or a place of oppression. One of the consistent themes that resonates with me when we work with Monique is that we always start from a place of affirmation of all identities. She creates a safe space for us to really examine ourselves and how who we are impacts how we work with our students.
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Some exciting news that we shared earlier this week is that an anonymous donor has issued a matching gift challenge to the entire Husky community. This has not happened at this level in our 40-year history and it will truly make a significant difference for our schools and students. ALL GIFTS TO THE HUSKY FUND this school year will be matched dollar-for-dollar. This means each donation is doubled and your generosity has twice the impact! We strive for 100% participation from our entire community, including our families, faculty, staff and trustees. This commitment to unity sends a powerful message to our outside community supporters that we believe in our schools’ mission and all that we do for our students. I am also offering a pizza party to the students in the grade that reaches 100% participation first! Funds raised will help fund initiatives including helping to finance all teaching and learning programming, several campus improvement projects, and our tuition assistance program, all of which will improve our financial sustainability and the physical appearance of the campus. Thank you to all of you that have already made a donation.
All donations are tax-deductible and it’s super easy to donate to the Husky Fund:
Finally, I want to acknowledge that this past week our nation saw another school shooting. I have to admit as an educator and a parent I really struggle in moments like these. We send our children to school expecting them to learn, engage socially, and come home safe. For the families that lost a child this past week my heart is broken. Christina Morse, our Director of Counseling and Wellness, will be holding a space for faculty and students that wish to process this tragedy on Monday during lunch.
Warmly,
Amy Hollinger
She/Her/Hers
Head of Schools
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Pictured Above: Our outdoor performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream are taking place on campus next week on December 10 & 11 at 7:00 PM. Come out for either magical night and see how our performing arts department interprets the Shakespearean classic in a COVID-safe environment! Purchase tickets by clicking the button below:
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Holiday Gift Giving for Faculty & Staff
As we are beginning the holiday season, the Family Association is happy to announce that we will once again be offering an opportunity to easily give faculty and staff holiday gifts online using the giving site Cheddar Up. The total amount collected for each teacher/staff member will be gifted to the recipient in an Amazon gift card and will be shared with the staff member, along with a note that lists the student(s) and/or family(ies) who showed their appreciation (without detailing the individual contribution by family). The deadline for contributions is Friday, December 17, 2021.
It's as easy as 1-2-3:
1) Click on the Cheddar Up link to choose the staff with whom you wish to share some holiday cheer & appreciation. For your convenience, everyone from teachers & administrators to facilities, operations and coaches are listed. See attached staff list for easy reference.
2) Follow the Cheddar Up instructions for inputting your gift amount(s)
3) Submit payment and move on to the next item on your holiday to-do list.
Please note all gift contributions are voluntary but after numerous requests from parents, the Family Association wanted to be able to provide families with an easy option for showing their appreciation during the holiday season. If you would like to contribute, please click the link below.
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Annual Holiday Cookie Extravaganza!
Fire up your ovens (or your engines if you'd prefer to pick up rather than bake!) for the Husky Family Association Annual Cookie Extravaganza!
For this highly-anticipated event, our generous Husky families donate their favorite holiday cookies for teachers and staff to enjoy...everything from gingerbread and sparkling sugar cookies to chocolate chip, vegan and gluten-free crispy rice treats, all cookies are appreciated (and devoured)!
How to participate:
- Sign up to donate as many dozens as you like (note the type of cookie you are bringing)
- Include the list of ingredients with your cookies (in consideration of food allergies)
- Drop off on campus at the flag pole on Monday 12/6, Tuesday 12/7 and in the morning of Wednesday 12/8
- Volunteer to help assemble cookie bags on the morning of 12/8, to be distributed to teachers and staff at 1:45 pm that day.
Our goal is 100 dozen cookies!
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Thank you and Happy Holidays!
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Parent Coffee with Amy
Tuesday, December 7 | 9:30 AM
Hosted Virtually on Zoom
Each Tuesday, our Head of Schools, Amy Hollinger, hosts a recurring parent coffee session to address various topics relating to our schools, programs, and the safety of our students.
No RSVP is required for these parent coffees, but we will provide a question form each week in the Friday Letter to allow families to ask questions in advance. Click the button below to ask questions for next week's session.
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Monday, December 6 | 7:00 PM
Junior Varsity Girls' Basketball Tournament
South High School
4801 Pacific Coast Hwy, Torrance, CA 90505
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Wednesday, December 8 | 5:00 PM
Junior Varsity Boys' Basketball vs. HMSA
Hawthorne Math & Science Academy
4467 W Broadway, Hawthorne, CA 90250
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Thursday, December 9 | 5:00 PM
Varsity Girls' Basketball vs. Peninsula High School
Peninsula High School
27118 Silver Spur Rd, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
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Saturday, December 11 | 1:00 PM
Varsity Soccer vs. CAMS
Molina Park
4951 Oregon Ave, Long Beach, CA 90805
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Monday, December 13 | 3:15 PM
Varsity Soccer vs. HMSA
Home - Soccer Field
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Monday, December 13 | 7:00 PM
Varsity Girls' Basketball vs. Corona Del Mar
Corona Del Mar High School
2101 Eastbluff Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660
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SPEAK Club Holiday Toy Drive: SPEAK Club is spreading holiday cheer by hosting a toy drive on campus until December 17! Help our students give back to the community by bringing new and unopened gifts to the front office by Friday, December 17.
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Open call for substitute teachers: We are currently seeking additional substitute teachers to have on-hand for the 2021-2022 school year. The requirements for substitutes are either a four-year degree or prior approval from our Head of Schools. If you know anyone who might be interested, please refer them to Adriana Alejandre in the front office at [email protected]
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Purchase your yearbook and ads today - Early bird pricing ends 12/18: Don't forget to purchase your yearbook and yearbook ads from Balfour, the company that handles our printing. Books cost $90 until December 18 and prices will increase after that date. Additionally, you may purchase class rings and other items from their website.
Seniors - your yearbook is included in your Senior Package! If you would like to purchase a senior ad, please visit the link below.
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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 [email protected].
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After-School Program Signups Still Available: RHP students may still sign up for ASP by filling out the form linked below. Your tuition account will be billed for the services. ASP is already included in the tuition for upper school Renaissance students. For Renaissance middle school students, there is a separate fee structure, please contact Tanya Henderson at [email protected].
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Family Association: The next Family Association meeting will take place Wednesday, January 19 at 9:30 AM on Zoom. An invite will be sent an hour before the event starts. You may view a recording from our November 17 meeting by clicking the button below. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Sue Mathews at [email protected].
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Sign up for COVID-related updates from LACDPH: The LA County Department of Public Health recently launched a new mailing list for parents of school-aged children. You may sign up for the mailing list by clicking the button below.
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Gabriella Esquivel
"I want to be the coach, teacher or mentor that can diverge someone’s path onto a successful one, even when it seems like it can only go in one direction. Coach Mo always says “attitude reflects leadership” and through these experiences, I have learned to live by that every day."
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Ashlyn Lin
"She said there is something inside chocolate that would make the human brain function better in the next few hours. This sounded very scientific to me, and plus, she was a serious and knowledgeable lady who has the power to make people believe in whatever she said. So I did believe it, and I still do now."
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Weekly advisor letters are taking a different route this year and will be presented in the form of grade-level announcements in the Friday Letter each week. Please click the buttons below to see the general advisory update document and grade level updates. |
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Rolling Hills Preparatory and Renaissance School | RollingHillsPrep.org | RenaissanceSAS.org |
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