Holy Family High School December 2015
Tiger Times Community Newsletter Page 1
Tiger Times
Community Newsletter
2015-2016
Merry Christmas!
“Serve one another through Love.” Galatians 5:13
A Family of Faith Investing In Your Future Since 1922
HOLY FAMILY HIGH SCHOOL
Proud of the Past
Alive in the Present
Preparing for the Future
Holy Family High School December 2015
Tiger Times Community Newsletter Page 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter from the Principal Page 2
Important Dates Page 3
1st Semester Exams Page 4
Important Information Page 5
Annual Appeal Page 6
Talented Tigers Page 7-10
Tiger Gala Page 11
After Prom Page 12
Wish List Page 13
College Counselor Newsletter Page 14-15
National Western Stock Show Page 16
A CHRISTMAS BLESSING
God grant you the light of Christmas,
which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas,
which is purity;
the righteousness of Christmas,
which is justice;
the belief in Christmas,
which is truth;
the all of Christmas,
which is Christ.
I would like to thank all the parents, teachers, alumni, and friends of Holy Family who supported us during Colorado Gives Day. We nearly doubled our number of donors from last year and we collected close to $40,000 which will provide essential support to our operating budget. Whether you gave $5 or $5,000 we want you to know that we appreciate your generosity and are eternally grateful for everything you do to sup-port Holy Family High School. As I walk the halls of Holy Family, I can see that the strain of the exam period is starting to wear on the stu-dent body. I hope our students know that we understand how hard they have worked. Holy Family’s academ-ics are challenging and our commitment to faith, service, and extra-curricular activities requires that they de-velop strong time-management skills. A week from today the stress and strain of the exam period will be over and our students will have time to sleep late, relax, see a movie, and spend quality time with friends and fam-ily. I hope they enjoy every second! Of course we are not simply taking a break from school; we are taking a break for Christmas. The next 3 weeks are an opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior and the joy and hope He brought to the entire world. In the midst of our feasting and gift-giving it is essential to remember that we are not celebrating something seasonal, secular, and vague. We are celebrating the birth of Christ and the possibility of salvation that came with Him. I know I speak for the entire Holy Family community when I say that we are grateful for this above all other things. One of the greatest thrills of working at a Catholic school is the ability to say what you really feel at this time of year. Merry Christmas everyone! Pax Christi, Matt Hauptly Principal (303) 410-1411
Editor: Michelle Salch, 303-410-1411 x308 [email protected]
Holy Family High School December 2015
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~ Important Dates~
~December and January ~
DATE EVENT TIME
December 12 ACT Test Date
December 14 Christmas Band and Choir Concert 7:00 p.m.
December 15 Advent Prayer Service 9:25 a.m.
December 16-18 Semester Exams/See Schedule on Page 4
December 21– January 4
Christmas Break No School
January 5 Welcome Back—Semester 2 Purple Day
January 6 College Night Test Results 6:00 p.m.
January 7 All School Mass 10:15 a.m.
January 8 ACT Registration Deadline
January 9 Incoming 9th Grade Makeup Placement
Test 8:00 a.m.
January 12 12th Grade Mass 2:00 p.m.
January 18 MLK Jr. Day– No School
January 22 Scholar’s Breakfast 7:30 a.m.
January 23 SAT Test Date
January 23 7th Grade Speech Meet 7:00 a.m.
January 28 9th Grade Mass 2:00 p.m.
January 29 No Classes– Staff In-Service Day
January 30 Sadie Hawkins Dance
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~ 1st Semester Exams~
December 16
8:00 First Bell
8:05 Prayer and Announcements
8:10 – 9:25 Block 3P Exam
9:35 – 10:50 Block 1G Exam
11:00 –12:15 Block 4P Exam
December 17
8:00 First Bell
8:05 Prayer and Announcements
8:10 – 9:25 Block 1P Exam
9:35 – 10:50 Block 3G Exam
11:00 –12:15 Block 2G Exam
December 18
8:00 First Bell
8:05 Prayer and Announcements
8:10 – 9:25 Block 2P Exam
9:35 – 10:50 Block 4G Exam
Exam Directives
1. Students are to be in dress code for exams. 2. All exams are administered for 75 minutes in the regular classroom according to the sched-
ule above. 3. Students are to remain in the exam room for the entire 75 minutes. Bring a book to
read in case you finish early. 4. Please do not go to lockers or be in the hall during any exam.
Holy Family High School December 2015
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~ Important Information ~
~Conversations with the Counselor~
College Counselor Will Wilson will be offering informal ques-
tion and answer sessions for any and all interested parents.
6:00 p.m. on February 4th
6:00 p.m. on March 3rd
6:00 p.m. on April 7th
~Other Important College Prep Nights~
January 6th - College Night presentation and return of
test scores-6:00 p.m.
~Upcoming Shadow Dates
For 8th graders~
January 13th February 9th
Contact Lisa Doroff ext. 307 or Tammy Sloan ext. 313 for questions or to set up a Shadow date.
~Parents in Prayer~
This is an invitation to all parents to come
and pray The Rosary at the Chapel of Ho-ly Family, every Thursday at 8 a.m. Do
not worry if you do not know how to pray. We will provide booklets and rosar-
ies. Any question please contact Carolina Lau at 720-
226-5653 or [email protected]
~ Asbestos Management Plan ~
Holy Family High School has an Asbestos Management Plan
in place. It is available for your review if you wish to see it.
This school is asbestos free.
~Incoming 9th Graders Important Dates~ January 9, 2016—Completed Applications Due February 3, 2016—Acceptance Letters Mailed March 5, 2016—Incoming 9th Grade Registration
~ Reminder: 2nd Semester
Book Orders ~
If you have not already ordered your
books for second semester only courses please do so
soon. Textbooks can be found on the school website
under MBS DirectOnline. If you have questions please
contact Mrs. Vulcani - [email protected]
~Universal Education Supporters ~ Invites you to a New Member Meeting
January 26th – 5:30 p.m. at Bishop Machebeuf High School.
Address: 458 Uinta Way, Denver, CO 80230
UES Scholarship recipients direct their grants to the
Catholic Institution of their choice. This can include Catholic Schools, Universities and Catholic Churches.
UES awards scholarships with the fund-raising dollars
donated from the concessionaires. The concessionaires oper-ate concession stands at Pepsi Center, Sports Authority at
Mile High, Coors Field, Dicks Sporting Goods Park and Fid-dlers Green.
We encourage any and all families including UES vol-
unteers to apply for the scholarships awarded by our 501(3)c non-profit organization.
One scholarship application is needed per calendar
year however UES awards scholarships four times per year;
our next scholarships will be distributed in February 2016.
Families can use scholarships for any Catholic educa-
tional purpose including tuition, tuition reimbursement, trips
(such as World Youth Day), retreats, books and athletic fees.
UES has fund-raising opportunities for tuition obliga-
tions this year and World Youth Day 2016.
“ Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel”
Matthew 1:23
Holy Family High School December 2015
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~ Important Information ~
2015-2016 Annual Appeal
We are extremely blessed at Holy Family High School to have the community of parents, faculty and alumni that consistently support our students and the greater Tiger family. Tuition alone does not cover the day-to-day costs to operate the high caliber educational programs, competitive athletic teams and growing performing art programs that make us a good school. We are on the verge of greatness and this is a critical time as we are moving forward on Vi-sion 100 objectives. Support for the Annual Appeal is crucial for our success; your help and the help of others will help push past our 2015-16 goals and continue the great legacy of Holy Family. Please consider a yearend gift to the Annual Appeal. Together we can build the bridge for current students and ensure a better school for future Tigers.
Thank you for all of your support.
Donate Today!
2015-2016 Annual Appeal
https://holyfhs.ejoinme.org/supporthfhs
Holy Family High School December 2015
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~ Talented Tigers ~
Musical Honors
Congratulations Nathan Ward and Geoff Zolkos on their acceptance to the 2015-16 Colorado All State Honor Choirs! The audition process is highly com-petitive, and this is one of the highest musical hon-ors in the state. Around 2000 students from all over Colorado audition, and only about 500 make it in. The concert flyer is below if you are interested in attending the concert in February!
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~ Talented Tigers ~
“Mathletes” Storm the CSU Campus
CSU Math Day hosted 45 schools from CO, NE, UT, WY.
The day consisted of morning individual tests and the af-ternoon was filled with team competitions.
One of our teams made it to the quarterfinals but were de-
feated by Manitou Springs and Liberty Commons.
GREAT JOB TIGERS!
Amanda Medearis Eva Napierkowski Andy Nelson Kylie Prymak Matteo Vera Zach Van Handel Steven Sloan Jacob Peterson Ryan Berry Connor Gray Eli Boardman Zoe Paulson Jimmy Darschewski Claudia DiMartini
Holy Family High School December 2015
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~ Talented Tigers ~
The Fall play, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, by John Bishop, was a great success! The come-dy had the audience laughing from start to finish! The play was directed by Thalia Burd and featured Geoff Zolkos and Matthew Hart as comedian Eddie McCuen, Emily Carter as chorus girl Nikki Crandall, Meaghan Aylward as the wealthy Elsa Von GrossenKneuten, Nathan Ward as director Ken De La Maize, Tait McGowan as composer Roger Hopewell, Carlena Lim and Taylor Cillessen as lyricist Ber-nice Roth, AnneMarie Hansen and Avery Schaefer as German maid Helsa Wenzel, Raymond French as Sergeant Michael Kelly, Chris Beatty as Irish tenor Patrick O’Reilly, and Brynn Mahoney and Sierra Flo-res as producer Marjorie Baverstock. Of course, the play would not have been possible without the help of the amazing stage manager Ali Alderman, Ms. Verretta, and the tech crew. The elaborate set took months to build and paint due to the many secret passages and bookshelves in the library. In case you missed it, here is the story: The creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop (in which three chorus girls were murdered by the mysterious "Stage Door Slasher") assemble for a backer's audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy "angel." The house is re-plete with sliding panels, secret passageways and a German maid who is apparently four different people—all of which figure diabolically in the comic mayhem which follows when the infamous "Slasher" makes his reappearance and strikes again—and again. As the composer, lyricist, actors and director prepare their performance, and a blizzard cuts off any possible retreat, bodies start to drop in plain sight, knives spring out of nowhere, masked figures drag their victims behind swiveling bookcas-es, and accusing fingers point in all directions. However, and with no thanks to the bumbling police inspector who snowshoes in to investigate, the mystery is solved in the nick of time and the "Slasher" unmasked—but not before the audience has been treated to a sidesplitting good time and a generous serving of the author's biting, satiric and refreshingly irreverent wit.
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~ Talented Tigers ~
Catherine Shurnas was selected as one of the
winners with the local Post Level Veterans of For-
eign Wars Voice of Democracy essay competi-
tion . They were very pleased with how well she
expressed her viewpoints on this year’s theme,
“My Vision for America”. She was recognized on
Wednesday , December 9th, where she won first
place!
Congratulations Catherine!!!!
Non-Discrimination Policy
The elementary and secondary Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Denver, one of which is Holy Family High School, under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Samuel Aquila, and at
the direction of the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, state that all of their schools admit students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, pro-
grams, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the schools. Furthermore, Archdiocesan schools admit handicapped students in accord with Archdiocesan
Policy No. 2000. The Catholic schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, handicap, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of their educational policies, employ-
ment practices, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
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Tiger Gala
The 25th Annual Holy Family High School
Tiger Gala will be held on Saturday, April
30, 2016 at the Westin Westminster.
The Tiger Gala is our largest annual fund-
raiser of the year, supporting our operating
budget and special projects at the school.
In a nod to this year’s school theme, “All
You Need Is Love” was chosen as our Gala
theme to remind us of Christ’s call to treat
each other with infinite love, tenderness
and compassion.
Planning is in full swing and we need your help! Volunteers are needed for
all aspects of the event from donations, to decorations, to publicity. Join us
for our next meeting on Monday, December 7, at 6:30 p.m. in the Holy
Family library.
Want to be a sponsor of the 2016 Tiger Gala? Contact Mary Fountaine at
[email protected] or at 303-410-1411, x 127.
Holy Family High School December 2015
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~After Prom 2015~
“After Prom 2015 Sponsorships Available” Planning for “After Prom” is currently underway! “After Prom” is a FREE event at Holy Family for all Juniors, Seniors, and their dates, and is held immediately following Prom. The committee has worked to establish a detailed plan for the event, and the fun work of putting it all together will begin after Christmas break. As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the committee has completed a listing of opportunities needing YOUR sponsorship! It takes a family of volunteers and financial support to continue in the tradition of making this event a success for our students! Please consider supporting “After Prom” with your direct donation to sponsor an activity at the event!
Sponsorship Opportunities include: Hamster Drag Racing: Sponsor a human sized hamster ball racing lane for $200 each
(2 lanes available)
Sumo Wrestling: Sponsor a hilarious “sumo” match with inflatable suits for $150 each (2 suits available)
Bungee Run: Sponsor a bungee lane in this fun competition for $125 (3 lanes available)
DJ/Karaoke: Sponsor an hour of music and singing for $75 (3 hours available)
Gaming Tables: Sponsor poker, blackjack, and more with parent dealers for $75 (6 tables available)
Giant Jenga: Sponsor this over-sized fun game for $50 (1 available)
Giant Connect 4: Sponsor this over-sized fun game for $50 (1 available) Gift Card Prizes: Sponsor the prize station for $10 - $100 increments (unlimited available) Businesses and Families that sponsor an activity will be highlighted on our banners, posters, and in our newsletters, with your name posted at the base of each activity on the night of the event! Your donation to Holy Family is tax deductible. We even encourage you to join together as a “group of families” to sponsor an activity! Let’s make this the best “After Prom” yet! Please con-tact Randi Edwards @ [email protected] or call (720) 937-7004 to “reserve” a specific sponsorship, or to get additional information. Thanks for your ongoing support of this wonderful tradition for our children. “After Prom” pro-
vides a safe environment, and quality entertainment, to capstone a very special evening in the life
of our students! Please sponsor today!
Holy Family High School December 2015
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~ Holy Family Wish List ~
While Holy Family HS commits significant funds to keep our classrooms current, there are al-
ways items on our Wish List. We are fortunate that our entire HF community understands the
importance of supplementing our teacher resources. Take a look at the list below and let us
know if you are interested in purchasing or donating one or more of the items.
The students, faculty and administration of Holy Family High School
Thank You for your support. Compound Microscopes
Science Department
$300 each - 6 requested
Fume Hood
Chemistry Lab
$1000 installed
Used Acoustic Guitars
Guitar Club- 3 requested
Document Camera
World Language Department
$100 each - 2 requested
Contact Mary Fountaine in the Development Office if you are in-
terested in purchasing or donating any of the above items;
[email protected] or 303-410-1411 X127.
Holy Family High School December 2015
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Holy Family High School
College Counselor December 2015 by Mr. William P. Wilson Volume XVI Issue 5
Financial Aid Seminar for Senior Parents
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. in the Library
College Planning Seminar for Students and Parents
Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the Theater
PSAT and PLAN results will be returned.
All juniors, sophomores, freshmen, and parents are strongly encouraged to attend.
Is Your Senior Behind? Recently, several parents have asked if
their senior is behind in the college appli-
cation process. Unfortunately, the answer
for some is YES. If you are asking this
question, consider these issues: Has your
senior sorted through all of the college in-
formation received and decided where he/
she will apply? Have you taken your sen-
ior to tour college campuses and meet with
admission counselors? Has your senior
met with me this fall to discuss college
plans? Has he/she asked anyone to review
application essays? Has your senior com-
pleted an HF Transcript Request Form in
the Counseling Center? If the answer to
any of these questions is NO, then your
senior is behind.
Completing at least one application before
December 1st is a good goal in this pro-
cess. The vast majority of the seniors did
this. In fact, many students have already
heard from colleges about their admission,
while others are anxiously waiting. Either
way, the major paperwork is behind them,
and they can now concentrate on their
school work and other activities. If a col-
lege requests additional information such
as mid-year grades or a deposit, there will
be plenty of time to take care of it.
On the other hand, there are seniors who
have let themselves get behind and
are now scrambling to get things done.
Some colleges have deadlines for appli-
cations which are rapidly approaching,
and those that operate on rolling admis-
sion will get more selective as their
freshman class gets closer to being
filled. Still others have limited resi-
dence hall space, and the better rooms
will be taken. The bottom line is: get it
done.
As you might expect, this is a busy time
of year in our office. Seniors need to
realize that they must give us ample
time to process their records. Applica-
tions are normally completed in the
order in which they are submitted.
Right now, getting an application sent
out, including writing a counselor rec-
ommendation, can take two or more
weeks. Therefore, we have told the
seniors that if they want application
materials sent out before Christmas,
they must complete a HF Transcript
Request Form by December 1st. We
will not guarantee that applications
turned in after that date will be pro-
cessed in December. Likewise, requests
for teacher recommendations must be
made well ahead of any due date.
Colleges that operate on rolling
admission often get more
selective as time passes.
FAFSA and Profile Completion of the Free Application for Fed-
eral Student Aid (FAFSA) is required in
order to qualify for need-based financial aid
at any college or university. Considering
the high cost of attending college, everyone
is encouraged to take the time to complete
the FAFSA. To this end, a financial aid
presentation on completing the form and
to answer related questions will be held
on December 9th. The FAFSA is free.
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Apply for your PIN today and your FAF-
SA will be processed much quicker.
www.pin.ed.gov
As I have noted in previous issues, some
colleges, typically private schools, will ask
that you submit the Profile in addition to the
FAFSA. Check the information which you
have about each college to which your sen-
ior is applying. If the Profile is required,
you can register at http://
profileonline.collegeboard.org/prf/index.jsp.
The Profile requires a fee.
The FAFSA cannot be sent in before Janu-
ary 1st. On the other hand, the Profile can
and should be done now
App materials to be submitted
before Christmas should have
been turned in by
December 1st
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Both forms should be submitted by February
15th. Since the figures used to complete the
FAFSA and the Profile are those from your
2015 tax forms, this can create a problem for
some families. Try now to line up the income
and asset figures which are requested on these
forms. Even though you may not file your
taxes until later, it simplifies the process if you
have accurate figures when you complete the
forms.
Some colleges also include a separate financial
aid application as part of the admission appli-
cation. Be certain to fill this out as well. For-
tunately, most colleges are committed to being
need-blind in admission and also meeting the
demonstrated need of the family.
Feel free to call me if you have any questions
about financial aid.
Juniors For juniors, the college search process begins
in earnest with the start of the new year. As
seniors will attest, the most difficult part of the
college application process is deciding where
to apply. The task of making appropriate
choices from among over 3200 colleges may
seem somewhat overwhelming. To keep the
search manageable, it is important to be orga-
nized. As college counselor, I will help you
understand what to do and when. It is essential
that the students are actively involved in the
research and decision making. No one can do
this for them.
Consider these activities in the coming months:
In the College Counseling Center we have
several worthwhile books with valuable infor-
mation about college decision making, finding
the right match, the application process, test-
ing, and finding scholarships. We also have a
collection of college guidebooks and catalogs.
Students are welcome to borrow these materi-
als overnight.
Just about everything you could possibly want
to know about college selection is also availa-
ble on the Internet. Your computer is a direct
connection to a wealth of information about
college. I have compiled a list of valuable
Websites for college information. Check the
HF website or College Planning Handbook
for this list and other valuable information.
On January 6th, I will hold a special evening
program for all students and their parents. I
will be presenting issues about college selec-
tion, admission, SAT & ACT testing, and
financial aid. I will also return and review the
PSAT and PLAN results. The program will
be at 6:00 p.m. in the theater.
Beginning in January, I will meet individually
with juniors and their parents. In these meet-
ings, I will examine the academic record and
aspirations of the students and families and
work with them to develop a college plan.
All juniors should take both the SAT and
ACT at least once before summer. Registra-
tion should be completed online.
Throughout the months ahead, juniors will
receive a barrage of information about colleg-
es. They should make the most of the infor-
mation they receive and consider some pre-
liminary decisions about level of selectivity,
size, location, setting, possible major, facili-
ties, activities, cost, etc.
The spring is an excellent time to tour college
campuses. A great deal can be learned by
making a two hour visit to a college. Spring
break is a great time to visit because most
colleges are still in session. Try to include
college visits in family travel plans.
Juniors and parents should also plan to attend
the Catholic College Fair this spring. It is a
great opportunity to gather information and
ask specific questions. More information
about this fair in an upcoming issue.
All juniors should take the
SAT & ACT before summer.
Test dates and registration
deadlines are to the right.
Underclassmen I am often asked by parents of freshmen
and sophomores, “What should we be
doing about college?” Although it is
certainly never too early to begin reading
about and visiting colleges to learn about
the possibilities, when it comes to college
planning the most important thing that
your student can do is get good grades
and get involved.
Colleges unanimously indicate that the
most important factor which governs an
admission decision is the high school
transcript: curriculum and grades. Col-
leges want to know where the student
went to school, how did the student chal-
lenge him/herself within the available
curriculum, how well did he/she meet
those challenges. To a lesser extent, SAT
and ACT scores, involvement in extracur-
ricular activities, personal essays, and
recommendations are considered. The
academic record is always number one.
Net Price Calculator All colleges should have a Net Price Cal-
culator on their website. The calculator
will allow you to enter your grades and
test scores then will provide an estimate
of merit-based scholarships you might
receive. And, it will allow you to enter
income and family information then pro-
vide you with an estimate of need-based
financial aid.
Test Dates
SAT
Test Registration Late
Date Deadline Deadline
Jan. 23 Dec. 28 Jan. 12
Mar. 5 Feb. 5 Feb. 23
May 7 Apr. 8 Apr. 26
June 4 May 5 May 25
ACT
Test Registration Late
Date Deadline Deadline
Feb. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 15
Apr. 9 Mar. 4 Mar. 18
June 11 May 6 May 20
Register on-line at
collegeboard.org (SAT) and
actstudent.org.
HF Counselors: A-K Jeff Gonsalves-McCabe, L-Z Ellen Quinn, College Will Wilson
Holy Family High School December 2015
Tiger Times Community Newsletter Page 16
~ National Western Stock Show~