January 2014

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year! As the

calendar turns and we begin this

new year, please know that I wish

you and all members of our Ryan

Family all of the blessings of the

New Year.

From www.gograph.com

PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR

Remember us, O God;

from age to age be our comforter.

You have given us the wonder of time,

blessings in days and nights, seasons

and years.

Bless your children at the turning of

the year and fill the months ahead

with the bright hope that is ours in the

coming of Christ.

You are our God, living and reigning,

forever and ever. Amen. -United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

We do, indeed, begin this year

filled with hope and excitement.

The temperatures may be

dropping, but the energy is

building as many things are

happening on campus each and

every day.

In this issue, you will find many

of the reasons why there is so

much hope and excitement. As

noted in this newsletter, the final

Sunday in January begins Catholic

Schools Week. Here at

Archbishop Ryan, our Catholic

Schools Week Committee has

developed a comprehensive

program for the week that

expresses this year’s theme:

Catholic Schools: Communities of

Faith, Knowledge, and Service. At

the conclusion of this newsletter,

the complete schedule of events is

posted. As we celebrate Catholic

Schools Week, we are grateful for

the many sacrifices that our

families make to provide their

children with a Catholic Education.

As you will read in this issue,

the excitement in the coming

weeks includes our students

attending the March for Life, the

close of the semester, course

selection and the beginning of

Color Games.

During this exciting month and

time at Archbishop Ryan, we

welcome you to experience all

that the Ryan Family has to offer

and we are grateful for your

support.

Gratefully,

James D. Meredith

Principal

FROM THE PRESIDENT Mr. Michael McArdle

Tuition Assistance

The PSAS application is now

available for tuition assistance for

the 2014-2015 school year. This

year, you can apply online and

recommend that you do so. You

can access the online application

by going to the Ryan website and

scroll down to Tuition Assistance.

If you prefer to complete a printed

application and mail it in, you can

download the application from the

website or have your student stop

in the President’s Office to pick

one up. When you have

completed the application, mail it

to the processing organization

(PSAS). There is a $25.00 fee for

processing the application.

Ellis Grant Applications are

now available.

The Ellis Foundation provides

tuition assistance to girls living in

the city of Philadelphia from

single-parent families. You can

download the application from the

website.

It is important to apply as soon

as possible.

We are reviewing applications

and will mail out the first award

letters shortly. The funding will

dry up so do not delay.

FROM THE ASSISTANT

PRINCIPAL FOR ACADEMIC

AFFAIRS Mr. Joseph McFadden

The first semester is almost

over and there are just a few class

days left before the new quarter

begins. Last week, we had our

second Parent-Teacher night,

which had a new format using pre-

scheduled appointment times. If

you attended, I would appreciate

any feedback you could send

me. There is a parent survey on

the website under the link for this

newsletter. With any comments

or suggestions, hopefully we can

work to make this process run

even smoother.

Semester Report Cards

The first semester report card,

which will be mailed out the first

week of February, will be the

numerical average of the first and

second quarter grades. This report

card will include the updated rank

for all students. The second

semester report card will be the

numerical average of the third and

four quarter grades. The final

year-end grade is determined with

45% - semester one, 45% -

semester two, and 10% - final

examination.

Semester Assessments

With the exception of Theology

classes, there are no special

assessment schedules for January

this year. Teachers will be

administering tests during the

end-of-quarter cycle days,

reflective of the work done by

students throughout the first and

second quarters. The test will

count towards the second quarter

grade. For theology classes, a

semester examination will be

given that counts as 50% of their

final exam grade. An exam given

in June will count as the other

50%. For the final grade, the two

exams together are worth 10%.

AP Testing Fee

Just last week, statements were

mailed out to all students who will

be taking the AP Test in May,

2014. Please submit payments to

the tuition office by March 1 so

that the tests can be ordered in a

timely manner.

Track Changes

As we move into the course

selection process, it is also the

time to evaluate track placement

for the following year. In early

February, teachers will speak to

their students about track

changes. If a student is interested

or a teacher believes a change is

warranted, the grade to

recommend a higher track is a

94. A grade of 74 is the threshold

to down track. Teacher input,

grades, and standardized test

results all help inform the track

change process. The final decision

on track placement rests with the

Assistant Principal for Academic

Affairs.

Course Selection

By the end of February, we will

be moving into Course Selection

time for next year. We will be

running assemblies in school, and

students will have opportunities to

discuss courses with their

teachers, their counselors, and

you also.

I want to make you aware of a

new addition we will have this

year. On Thursday, February 27

from 6:30pm – 8:00pm, in the

North Cafeteria, we will be

running a Course Selection

Café. Families will be invited to

come up and discuss planning

their child’s courses with

department chairs and various

teachers. You will be able to ask

questions and wander from

department to department, seeing

what may be the best fit for your

child’s academic needs. It will

hopefully be a great addition to

the course selection process.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Sister Alice Hess, IHM has been

selected to receive the 2014 Delaware

Valley Engineers Week Outstanding

Math Teacher Award. The award will

be presented at the Awards Luncheon

on Friday, February 14 at the

DoubleTree Hotel in Center City

Philadelphia. Congrats, Sister!

FROM THE SCHOOL

MINISTER Father John Donia

‘Tis the Season

Several “firsts” were observed

on December 21, 2013: the first

day of winter, the first day of

Christmas break, and the first

Annual Christmas Caroling Tour

for the Archbishop Ryan Family.

At 9:45a.m. approximately 70

students and a handful of faculty

members boarded a school bus

and formed a caravan to visit the

sick and infirm at Immaculate

Mary Nursing Home, Saint

Joseph’s Villa, and Saint Joseph’s

Manor. Our simple purpose was

to bring some Christmas cheer and

spirit to those who might

otherwise be alone this season.

Our group – sporting Santa

Claus hats and elf's costumes and

toting drums, trumpets, bells, and

song books – set out to provide

music, songs, and a bit of comedy.

For one hour at each location, our

crowd had the residents smiling,

laughing, clapping their hands, and

tapping their toes to the strains of

"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like

Christmas," "Rudolph The Red-

Nosed Reindeer," "Jingle Bell

Rock," and other Yuletide

favorites.

Father Donia leading the merriment

To say that the day was a success

is an understatement! The

students and teachers performed

well, but we received so much

more in return. We were given

the valuable opportunity to be

Christ for others, to help our

sisters and brothers in need, and

to be present to those who are

lonely and suffering. The true

“reason for the season” filled our

hearts by the end of the day’s

activities.

Even though our Christmas

celebration has ended, we must

be mindful of the challenge of

living the message of Christ all

year long. I share with you the

following reflection which I came

across this week:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with

their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost, to heal the broken,

To feed the hungry, to release the

prisoner,

To rebuild the nation,

To bring peace among brothers and

sisters,

To make music in the heart.

Respect for Life

Many from the Ryan Family will

go to Washington, D.C. on January

22 for the March for Life. Let us

thank God for people who

courageously stand up for and

rally for life! Let us thank God for

those who work to eradicate the

evil of racism and prejudice from

our society and Church. Denying

people the dignity, respect, and

justice they deserve as human

beings is also an attack against life.

May each of us recognize our

need for Jesus to keep a spirit of

love and justice healthy and alive

within us. May we, as Christians,

be the instruments by which God

eliminates the evil of racism from

the face of the earth. May we be

the instruments that enable all

people to reverence and respect

life.

Our carolers entertaining a full house

on December 21

Catholic Schools Week

The final Sunday of every

January marks the start of Catholic

Schools Week in the United States.

This week-long event, jointly

sponsored by National Catholic

Educational Association (NCEA)

and the United States Conference

of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is a

time to honor the mission of

Catholic education and its impact

on individuals and the community.

The theme for Catholic Schools

Week (January 26 to February 1,

2014) is “Catholic Schools:

Communities of Faith, Knowledge

and Service.” The theme

encompasses several concepts

that are at the heart of a Catholic

education: schools are

communities—small families in

their own right, but also members

of the larger community of home,

church, city and nation. Faith,

knowledge and service are three

measures by which any Catholic

school can and should be judged.

Archbishop Ryan High School

will observe Catholic Schools

Week with a variety of

celebrations and events. Please

see the schedule contained in this

newsletter for more information.

FROM THE GUIDANCE

DIRECTOR Mr. Jerome O’Connell

College Board Exams

(SAT): School Code # 393-244

The College Board Exams (SAT)

are scheduled for March

8; deadline to register is February

7. The May 3 exam deadline to

register is April 4 and the June 7

exam deadline is May 9. Juniors

are encouraged to take this

test. You can register online at

www.collegeboard.com.

We have a few paper applications

in the Guidance Office.

Senior Scholarship Letters

Seniors should bring all

scholarship letters to the

Guidance Office. We will need a

picture for the scholarship board.

Senior Acceptance Letters

Seniors should bring all

acceptance letters to the

Guidance Office.

FAFSA Applications

Our financial aid night on

January 8 went well. Mr. George

Walter, Financial Aid Director at

LaSalle University, discussed

grants, scholarships and loans. All

senior parents are encouraged to

file the FAFSA as soon as possible.

FAFSA (Free Application for

Federal Student Aid) should be

filled out as soon as possible. You

can apply online

at www.fafsa.gov. The deadline

for students planning to enter a

four-year college is May 1. The

deadline for business, trade or

community colleges is August 1.

Please note: each college has its

own deadline. Please contact the

college to confirm the deadline.

CSS/Financial Aid Profile

Check with the college to see if

this form is required.

Red Ribbon Day

On December 19, the AR

Students Against Destructive

Decisions Club held “Red Ribbon

Day”

Our students were called upon

to take a stand against drug

use/abuse by making a personal

commitment to live drug-free

lives. We are happy to report that

over 450 students stepped-up and

took the pledge to be drug

free. The SADD club did an

excellent job, promoting,

educating and spreading

awareness on the dangers of

addiction.

Hopefully, our students will

continue to be examples of good

decision making and strive to

reach our goal of being a drug-free

school and community.

FROM THE ASSISTANT

PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT

AFFAIRS Mr. Frank Morris

Color Games

February starts off with a time

honored tradition here at Ryan,

Color Games.

Color Games is an experience

between the Freshmen,

Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors

participating on a daily basis in

spiritual, academics, and sports

activities. Every student has an

opportunity to wear a Color

Games shirt that designates their

class year. Let the 2014 games

begin!

Ring Mass

Junior students will celebrate

their Ring Mass on Wednesday

February 26 at Christ the King

Parish, located on Chesterfield

Road. A letter with all the

specifics will be given to your

student to bring home to their

parents shortly. Mass will begin at

7 PM.

If your student did not

purchase a ring, they may still

participate by bringing a family

member’s class ring, or a class ring

purchased outside of school to the

Student Affairs Office before

February 26. All Juniors are

encouraged to attend the Mass.

Senior Social/Fashion Show

Our Senior students will have a

Senior Social/Fashion Show on

Friday, February 21.

Our Fashion Show is courtesy of

Dress Up Time Salon and

Domenico’s Tuxedo’s located on

Frankford Avenue. Senior

students have volunteered to be

our models. It is a fun filled night

for our senior class to get together

for pictures, dancing and

friendship.

Blood Drive

On February 25, Archbishop

Ryan will host our second Red

Cross Bloodmobile for the school

year. Faculty and students donate

their blood in order to help so

many needy people. Our students

work hand in hand with the Red

Cross to assist in making the

donations run smoothly.

Graduation Portraits

Junior students will be sent to

their homes a “Senior Photo

Appointment Card.” Please read

the card and keep it in a safe

place. Photo appointments are

being held right at our school

during the week of March 10 to

March 14 and March 17 thru

March 21 in Room S101. These

photos will be your Junior

student’s graduation pictures.

Prom Gowns

Senior and Junior girls are in

the process of purchasing their

prom gowns for April and May.

Please be advised that there are

some restrictions on the gowns.

Before your student purchases

their gown, please have the

student come with a picture to the

Student Affairs Office (Mrs.

Ciraolo) or Student Services Office

(Mrs. Arpino) for approval.

Gowns must be appropriate.

No cut outs, low backs, see

through material, high slits/if

strapless, no low bodice or

plunging necklines.

HOLY SPIRIT

GIFT OF THE MONTH

See the Parent Portal on our website for

more information about the Gifts of the

Holy Spirit.

NHS OFFICERS

Congratulations to our newly inducted

National Honors Society Officers for

2013-2014. From left to right,

Danielle Woelpper (Treasurer), Elena

Varela (President), Erica Suarez (Vice-

President), Melissa Schweizer

(Secretary).

FROM THE ASSISTANT

PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT

SERVICES Mr. Glen Galeone

Please remember that students

may not receive or send text

messages during the school day.

If they are sick or if there is an

emergency they need to report to

the nurse or an administrative

office to get help. Also, our male

students are to be wearing an

oxford shirt and tie not a golf shirt.

Demerits will be given to students

wearing golf shirts. Thanks for

your cooperation in these matters.

Our Secretary’s Holiday granted by Secretary for Catholic Education, Mr. Christopher Mominey, is Friday, January 17. School is closed that day.

School is also closed for students on Friday, February 14 for a Faculty Professional Development Day and on Monday, February 17 for Presidents Day.

As a benefit from our partnership with Holy Family University, 54 Archbishop Ryan seniors have completed their first semester course work and have earned three college credits. They are on pace to earn six college credits by the time they graduate in June.

The newest members of the World Language Honors Society will be inducted on Thursday, January 16 in our Chapel at 7 PM. Congrats!

The second semester begins on Monday, January 27.

The second round of Performance Series standardized testing for Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors is underway. Profile reports will be distributed to all students upon completion of this round of testing.

Our students drop everything and read during homeroom every Tuesday as part of our DEAR program. Feel free to ask them what they are reading.

Registratration for the Class of 2018 is well-underway! Please let your eighth family and friends know that there are

still seats available for the newest members of our Ryan Family.

Our Winter Sports Schedule is posted on our website as part of the Athletics Calendar. Come out and support our Ragdolls and Raiders!

To date “The Twelve Days of Christmas at Archbishop Ryan” has garnered over 5,200 views on YouTube and on Friday, December 22, @arhs was trending on Twitter.

ART FUTURES PROGRAM For the past seventeen years,

the Philadelphia Museum of Art

has offered Art Futures, a

program of free artist residencies,

museum visits, and a culminating

exhibition at the Museum, thanks

to the generosity of the Delphi

Project Foundation and other

funders. Art Futures is offered

exclusively to art teachers and

their students in Archdiocesan and

private Catholic high schools and

School District of Philadelphia high

schools. Each year ten art teachers

(five from the Archdiocese and

five from the School District of

Philadelphia) are selected to

participate, and each art teacher’s

school receives the following:

A 30-hour residency with a professional artist

$800 for art supplies

Paid transportation and admission to the Art Museum for two trips

A guided tour, juried student art exhibition, and catered reception at the Art Museum

Cash awards for each participating school

Free one year admission to the Art Museum for students and art teachers participating in the program

Archbishop Ryan High School and Mrs. Teresa Kramer have been selected to receive this grant this year. Mrs. Kramer and her Honors Art II, III, and IV students will be working with professional artist Donna Backues. Their project will be batik, which is a wax-resist dyeing technique used to create designs on cloth. This is the seventh time that Mrs. Kramer has been awarded this prestigious grant.

STEM ACTIVITIES

Students were given 50 toothpicks,

and 30 gumdrops and had to build a

dome like structure that would hold

textbooks without collapsing.

Spaghetti Towers: With Ms. Titus,

students were asked to build a tower

out of spaghetti, string, and tape that

would hold a large marshmallow on

top. They had 18 minutes to create it.

FIRST PLACE!

Our Varsity and JV cheerleaders

earned 1st place honors and the Best

All-Around Spirit Award at the

Philadelphia Catholic League

Championships held at Archbishop

Carroll on Sunday, January 12.

FACULTY FOCUS:

Mrs. Kathy Schafer,

English Department

Philosophy of teaching: As an

educator I feel it is imperative that

we allow students to be a part of

their learning. I do believe in

"Teacher as facilitator,"

empowering students to become

lifelong learners. I also feel it is

important for teachers to use Web

2.0 tools with students as often as

possible, using Web 2.0 tools to

engage students in learning. A

goal I personally set each year is a

desire for my students to want to

come to ELA class!

Mrs. Schafer working with her

students

Current student work:

Capzles.com is a Web 2.0 social

media website for people to

create and share - you

can combine videos, photos, blogs

and mp3s into rich multimedia

storylines. I thought it would be

fun for my students to share a

story using Unit 6 vocabulary

words (a way to review for their

vocabulary quiz). Students are

working on a story about school

calendars (Agrarian vs Year-

Round). They are required to use

at least 7 of the 20 words from the

Unit.

My 4th period students are

freshman, who have learned that

it can be fun to learn. At times

there is a little frustration on their

part when a new way of learning is

introduced, but by allowing a little

noise in the classroom (working

with a partner or in a

group) students do become

productive and are less intimated

by Web 2.0 tools.

From one of her students: Mrs.

Schafer has a different way of

teaching every day. She always

cares about what we think. (Mrs.

Schafer) teaches us different skills

in everything we do. She always

lets us work in groups so her class

is never boring.

–Cayleigh Newman, ‘17

Ryan Pride: I have a life-long

connection to Archbishop Ryan, I

am a Ragdoll and I wear my purple

and gold proudly. My high school

years were some of the best years

of my life - school spirit ran

rampant through the hallways and

I, to this day, have many, many

fond memories and life-long

friendships. You would be

surprised how many girls from my

class are still BEST friends

today. My four children (‘95, ‘99,

‘01, and ‘03) are graduates of Ryan

also. The “hallowed halls,” how I

like to refer to them, of AR are full

of students from diverse

backgrounds and interests. Every

day there are conversations going

on, laughter in the air, friendships

being formed, and learning going

on!