Friday, November 6, 2009

Dear Pilgrim School Families, First Church Members, and Friends Near and Far,

Campus is a little quiet today, as our Preschool and Elementary students have a pupil-free day to allow parents to meet with teachers.  But even a quiet day at Pilgrim is a busy one!

Our Second Annual Read-a-Thon kicked-off last Monday.  In addition to getting a brand new book in the goody bag, every student visited the Gently Used Book Sale and could pick up to three books for just 25c each.  I want to thank parent Constance Hornig who set up the book sale and made Amanda Scott look like the classiest bookstore ever.  So now students have at least two books to begin getting pledges!

Next week the Book Buddy portraits will be hung up all over school, so please encourage your student to draw her or his favorite literary character to help decorate campus!  Every Elementary class will visit the public library on Monday, and Elementary teachers are bringing in guest readers to their classrooms to reinforce the pleasure of reading.

A new addition to Read-a-Thon this year is the Book Critics Award.  Elementary students write up a recommendation for a favorite book, in hopes that other students will also read it.  Some of my favorite recommendations are below, and I hope you will stop by the Elementary library to look at others.  The grade with the most Read-a-Thon participation will get a special field trip with me, so show your support of Pilgrim School and reading by getting pledges.

I am happy to announce the Scholastic Book Fair will arrive at our school on November 16th and stay through Grandparent's Day, November 24th.  This too is part of our great Read-a-Thon event.  We will have a wide variety of books for all ages, and for parents too.  Our goal is to sell 1,000 books at the fair this year.  All proceeds will be given in Scholastic books for our libraries.  To show my dedication and support, if we reach our goal, I have agreed to be duct-taped to a wall by our students!  Further proof, if needed, the extremes I will go to motivate our students to learn!  Do you think they will ever left me off of the wall????  So get started on your wish list early by clicking on this link:  Scholastic Book Fair Wish List.  Brochures, so that you can shop in advance, will be sent home next week.  Thank you, parents and friends, for supporting our efforts to promote literacy.

Speaking of Grandparents’ and Special Friends Day, if you would like to have an invitation sent to a relative, please send the information to rsvp@pilgrim-school.org.  We are going to have a very special program for our extended Pilgrim family members, and a very special surprise, as well.  We don’t want your children’s loved ones to miss it!

Yesterday was Career Day for our Secondary students.  I am so impressed by the careers our parents have, and so thankful for sharing your wisdom with our students.  Biographies of these inspiring speakers are included at the end of this letter.  Thank you, parents, for opening our students’ minds about the world beyond school.

The Dads Club first meeting is on November 18 at 6 p.m. at the Jonathan Club downtown.  Please meet me for a drink and appetizers.  I have a BIG surprise in store for you – it’s top secret – and I can’t wait to share it with you!  Please send a note to rsvp@pilgrim-school.org to let me know if you will be there.  This is a great opportunity to network and do some business, by the way!

On Monday I’ll be networking with the 70+ golfers at our Golf A-Go-Go tournament at the Braemar Country Club in Tarzana.  Funds raised will benefit our athletic program.  Look for photos and news about this event next week.  Parent Coco Fausone Wilson has done a beautiful job organizing this event for Pilgrim.  Thank you Coco!

Parents of students in Grades 6 and 7 are cordially invited to an 8 a.m. Coffee and Conversation on Thursday, November 12 in the Secondary library.  We look forward to speaking with you about our middle school program.

Fifth grade parents are cordially invited to a Friday Coffee & Conversation on Friday, November 13 at 8 a.m. in the Secondary library.  While we are speaking about our Sixth Grade program with you, your students will have a “sneak preview” of what Pilgrim middle school has to offer.  I look forward to this special opportunity.  If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Kidder at jkidder@pilgrim-school.org.

Speaking of Grade 5 – congratulations!  They JUST snuck in under the wire to become the third grade-level to accomplish 100% participation in the Annual Fund (joining First Grade and JK).  Teachers and administrators are working to see what rewards your children will receive as a direct result of parent participation.  Thank you all so much!

Next Saturday, November 14 is our second Admissions Open House at 9 a.m.  If you know families looking for the best preschool, elementary or secondary education, have them come by for a tour!

Have a wonderful weekend!

With best wishes,

Mark A. Brooks

Head of School

DATES TO REMEMBER

Monday, November 9

Second Annual Golf a Go Go Tournament!

Wednesday, November 11

7 p.m.:  Parent Book Group, Secondary Library

Thursday, November 12

8 a.m.:  Coffee and Conversation for Grades 6 and 7

Friday, November 13

8 a.m.:  Coffee and Conversation for Grade 5

“Sneak Preview” for Grade 5 students

Saturday, November 14

9 a.m.:  Admissions Open House

Monday, November 16

All-School Chapel

Scholastic Book Fair opens!

Tuesday, November 17

6 p.m.:  Admissions Open House

Wednesday, November 18

8 a.m.:  TAPPS Meeting

5 p.m.:  Preschool closes early for faculty meeting

6 p.m.:  High School Awareness Night for Grade 8 families

Thursday, November 19

12:45:  Early dismissal, Secondary (to study for finals)

3:30 – 6:30:  Grade 8 Movie Evening, at Pilgrim for history class

Friday, November 20

Secondary Finals begin

Saturday, November 21

10 a.m.:  Secondary Final (for some students)

Sunday, November 22

Noon:  FCCLA Thanksgiving luncheon

ATHLETICS NEWS AND DATES

Winter Varsity Athletic Information Packets are available in the Main Office and the Athletic Office for Boys Soccer, and Boys and Girls Basketball.  Deadline to return completed forms and participation fees is Friday, November 13.

Tuesday, November 10

3:30:  Middle School Girls Volleyball at First Lutheran School in Venice

Thursday, November 12

3:30:  Middle School Girls Volleyball at Park Century School in Culver City

ELEMENTARY NEWS

Last Tuesday as part of our Read-a-Thon celebrations, First, Second, and Third Graders had the special opportunity to listening to the acclaimed author Marla Frazee at St. James’ School.  Marla Frazee read a few of her wonderful books including Couple of Boys Have The Best Week Ever, Walk On, and her newest book, All The World.  She shared stories and pictures from her childhood and explained to the students why she became a writer and illustrator.  The students had a wonderful time and came back abuzz with their hopes and dreams for their futures!

On Monday, Grades K through 3 will have a field trip to our local public library!

Fourth and Fifth Grade are going the following week.

Thank you to the many people who are volunteering to read aloud to our Elementary students as part of Read-a-Thon.

Elementary Book Critics are recommending the following books for the following reasons:

David Ryoo, Grade 5, first heard about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from his second grade teachers.  He writes, “This book was love at first sight.  It is full of adventures and craziness!  It is the most sweetest, yummiest and scrumdiddlyumptious book ever!  I recommend this book to people who like adventures and candy!”

Max Gleiberman, Grade 5, first heard about Where the Red Fern Grows from his brother.  He loves this book because, “It is a happy yet sad story.  I would recommend this book to people who like adventure and even dogs.  This story has a very sad part but also a happy story.”

Andrew, Grade 1 heard about Dem Bones from a bookstore.  He loves this book “Because it has skeletons and it sounds like a song when you read it aloud.”

Look for more recommendations next week (these are three from dozens upon dozens!), and all are invited to visit the library to view more.

SECONDARY NEWS

8th Grade Movie Evening for History is from 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM on Friday, November 13.  Popcorn provided, bring $5 for pizza dinner!

8th Grade High School Awareness Night is at 6:00 PM November 12.  Parents and students are invited to a meeting regarding the overall Pilgrim High School academic program, sports, electives, class trips, and our individualized college counseling program.  A number of our current high school students will be on hand so you may ask them questions about their own Pilgrim experience.  We will be meeting in the Chemistry room.

All are invited to view the Podcasts that are posted on Annie Kuo’s website made by the ESOL students.  They are introducing themselves to Pilgrim!  Just go onto my website and click the Podcast page.  They are already loaded onto the page so all you need to do is just click play.

PARENT BOOK GROUP

The second meeting of the Parent's Book Club will be held in the Secondary Library at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11.  The book to be discussed is Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.  The book fictionalizes the 1942 roundup of the Jewish population of Paris, later sent to Auschwitz.  Come have some wine and refreshments and join in the discussion.  We are sure to have a great time!

THANKSGIVING DINNER UPDATE

Thanksgiving is Our Heritage

Sunday, November 22, 11:00 a.m.

Mark your calendar and join us for Thanksgiving Sunday, November 22.  Our service will feature traditional Americana music, along with Dr. Colglazier‘s inspirational sermon, “Hard Days, Thankful Times.”  Afterward, we will enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.  RSVP by November 17 with June at 213.355.5233.  Suggested donation is $15, but all are welcome despite their giving level.  Consider giving an angel donation so others can attend.

That day, we will also be kicking off our Holiday Outreach.  There will be the opportunity to select a Commonwealth Elementary child in need of Christmas gifts.

In the same seasonal spirit of generosity, we will be collecting dry and canned goods for Hope-Net at worship services from November 1–22.  Thanksgiving is always a wonderful time at First Church.  Don’t miss it.

KITCHEN CORNER

Preschool students have been enjoying organic crackers, animal crackers and jams with fresh organic fruits and vegetables as their morning and afternoon snack. The picture in last week’s “Kitchen Corner” was a testament to this.

You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the vegetarian chili or vegetarian lasagna!  Fresh baked cornbread was served with the baked Tilapia on Thursday.

PILGRIMBERRY, Pilgrim’s very own frozen yogurt, continues to be a popular ending to many of the student’s lunches.

CAREER DAY BIOGRAPHIES

I want to once again thank our parents, friends and alumni who spent their time opening our students’ minds about the many careers they might pursue.  The biographies of our esteemed Career Day Speakers follow:

Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal

A graduate of the Southern Methodist University with a degree in theater, Ms. Bromstad spent six years at Freyda Rothstein Productions, first as an assistant and then as a development executive, producing some 15 made-for-TV movies for HBO, Lifetime, ABC, CBS and NBC.  She has held several positions at NBC and been involved in developing shows such as “Providence,” “Profiler,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Crossing Jordan,” and “Will & Grace.”  Her son Declan is in 8th Grade.

Meredith Chinn, A&R/Creative Direction, Red Bull Records

Ms. Chinn is a graduate of Louisiana State University Music School with a Bachelors of Music.  She has worked in the music business as a record executive, dj, composer and record producer.  Currently, Ms. Chinn heads up the A&R department for Red Bull Records. A&R people at record labels are responsible for discovering new talent and signing them to a record contract.  From there, the A&R person helps to guide the artist in making a record by finding someone to produce, mix and master the record. Ms. Chinn currently works with the emerging artists, Black Gold and Twin Atlantic for Red Bull Records. Her son Wyatt is in Preschool.

Amy Hayutin Contreras, Co- Owner and Director, Hayutin & Assoc., Educational Support Services

Mrs. Contreras graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a B.A., in Child Development and teaching certification.  Hayutin & Associates is a Santa Monica based company providing private tutoring, test preparation, educational therapy and independent study.  As a small business owner, Mrs. Contreras has experience with nearly all aspects of small business administration including sales, customer service, advertising and outreach, bookkeeping and finances, human resources and the hiring, training and supervision of a team of up to 50 tutors. Her daughter Elena is in Grade 2 at Pilgrim School.

Jesse Contreras, Attorney, Gaims, Weil, West & Epstein

Mr. Contreras received his B.A. from Colorado College and graduated from Stanford University Law School in 1997.  His practice focuses on business ownership disputes, contract disputes, health care, construction, insurance regulation, intellectual property, trade secrets, professional liability, and government tort claim liability.  His daughter Elena is in Grade 2.

Scott Cymbala, Managing Partner and Executive Producer, Massive Music

Massive Music is a music and sound production company with studios in Los Angeles, New York, Amsterdam and Shanghai.  The company creates and composes music and sound design for commercials, films, television, inter-active and on-line media, in addition to doing music supervision, sonic branding and licensing for all the previously mentioned media.  Mr. Cymbala is a graduate of Emerson College.  In his twenty years in the music business, he has worked in commercials, artists’ management, public relations, and music publishing.  His son Wyatt is in Junior Kindergarten.

Maya Emsden, Deputy Executive Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)

Ms. Emsden oversees Metro's Creative Services department, which employs art and design to improve LA County’s public transit system.  The department includes the agency’s in-house graphic and interactive design studios public art programs and a unique transit art docent program. Metro has received over 80 art and design awards and was recently named “America’s Best Transportation System.”  Last year the agency received the highest recognition for brand rebuilding and redesign in the business arena.

Prior to joining the Los Angeles Metro, Ms. Emsden worked for New York City MTA Arts for Transit and Contemporanea Magazine.  She holds bachelor degrees in Political Science and Art History from Wheaton College (Norton, MA) and pursued a master’s degree in International Relations at the Institut de Hautes Etudes Internationales (Geneva, Switzerland).  She serves on the Arts Commission for the City of Santa Monica.  Ms. Emsden’s stepdaughter is a freshman at Santa Clara University and her son Hayden is in Kindergarten.

Allison Cohen Ferraro, Publisher and founder, Los Feliz Ledger

Allison Cohen Ferraro graduated from USC with an A.B. in Broadcast Journalism and an M.A. in Print Journalism.  She has written news stories and features for the Los Angeles Times, Ladies Home Journal and Self Magazine.  Previous to her journalism career, she worked for a variety of large advertising agencies on accounts such as McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza and Mattel Toys. In 2005, Mrs. Ferraro combined her two careers and launched a community newspaper, The Los Feliz Ledger, which has a distribution of 34,500.

Valencia Gayles, Senior Vice President, Deutsch Advertising

Ms. Gayles handles all advertising for Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper and Snapple.  She has been in advertising for over two decades, working on accounts such as Apple, Toyota, Nissan, EarthLink and McDonald's.  She graduated from college with a BA in English.  Her sons Cade and Reid are in Kindergarten and Preschool.

Colette Foster Groves, Dermatologist

Dr. Groves received her B.S. from Howard University in Washington, D.C. where she also received her medical degree.  She studied pediatrics at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and dermatology at UC Irvine.  She has practiced at Kaiser Permanente for nine years.  Her son Chaz is in Grade 6.

Bassil Hamideh, Entertainment Attorney

Mr. Hamideh graduated with honors from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and received his Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law School.  At George Washington, he received the American Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence in Professional Responsibility and served as the President of the Entertainment and Sports Law Association.  Prior to law school, Mr. Hamideh was a talent manager and producer in the entertainment and fashion industry, maintaining a prominent career for fifteen years.  After being involved with significant legal matters relating to entertainment transactions and litigation, Mr. Hamideh decided to pursue a career in the law.  During law school, Mr. Hamideh worked in the business and legal affairs department of New Line Cinema, Los Angeles, where he was intricately involved in drafting above-the-line rights agreements for many theatrical productions.  His daughter Sabrina is in Junior Kindergarten.

Lauri Johnson, Actor

Prior to becoming a full-time professional actress at the age of 43, Ms. Johnson worked as an executive in the corporate sector for over 25 years.  She began her own private consulting business shortly after retiring from the corporate world and successfully transitioned that business into life & career coaching for the entertainment industry when she is not acting.  Ms. Johnson has recently been seen in television episodes of “Mad Men,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Unit,” “Nip/Tuck,” “Cold Case,” and “My Name Is Earl.”  Feature film credits include “War of the Worlds,” “For Your Consideration,” “Waitress,” and “Yes Man.”  Her voice work can be heard in feature films such as “Men in Black 2,” “Prince of Egypt,” “Antz,” and “Happy Gilmore.”  Ms. Johnson has also performed in the theater.  Her son Jonathan is a Pilgrim senior.

Monte Lemann, General Counsel of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Selected as one of Southern California’s “Super Lawyers” for 2005, Mr. Lemann oversees professional responsibility, risk management and firm transactional matters.  He has extensive experience in a wide range of complex transactional matters, with an emphasis on loan and investment activities.  His practice includes traditional secured and unsecured lending, private placements of debt and equity securities, business combinations (including leveraged acquisitions), joint ventures, structured finance, leasing and off-balance sheet financing, project finance, workouts and restructurings involving a variety of industries, including entertainment, financial services and energy.  Within the entertainment industry, Mr. Lemann has also negotiated performer agreements, endorsement contracts, concert and tour promotion, and motion picture and television production and finance arrangements.  A cum laude graduate of Harvard College, where he earned a degree in History, he also studied at the Université de Paris, Sorbonne; Institut des Sciences Politiques and Università di Firenze; American Institute for Foreign Study.  He received his law degree from Harvard.  His son Tripp is in 8th Grade.

Dean Marks, Senior Vice President, Intellectual Property at Warner Brothers Entertainment

Mr. Marks is responsible for establishing and guiding many of Warner Bros.' business practices with respect to copyright related issues.  He works extensively on content protection technology and licensing.  He also assists in formulating the company's position on domestic and international intellectual property legislation.  Mr. Marks has worked for Warner Bros.' and its parent company, Time Warner, for eighteen years in a variety of capacities.  Prior to his current position, he served as Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property in the Time Warner Corporate Legal Department. In that capacity, he served as a private sector advisor to the U.S. Government delegation to the World Intellectual Property Organization 1996 Diplomatic Conference, which resulted in the adoption of the WIPO Copyright Treaties.  From 1992 through 1995, he worked as Vice President, Legal Affairs for Time Warner's public affairs office in Brussels, Belgium where he advised and lobbied on European Union legislation with a focus on intellectual property and media issues.  Mr. Marks received his Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and was Senior Articles and Book Review Editor for the Yale International Law Journal. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.  His son Fernando is in Grade 7.

Sunit D. Mistry, M.D., Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Kaiser Permanente

Dr. Mistry is a Pilgrim School alumnus and was the class valedictorian.  He attended UCLA where he received a BS in Marine Biology, followed by medical school at UC Davis, Internal Medicine residency at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, and a fellowship in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.  He is currently Chief of the division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center, and divides his time amongst all aspects of lung disease and critically ill patients, including lung cancer, asthma, emphysema, sleep apnea, ventilator management, and bioethics. He lives with his wife and two young sons in Redondo Beach and spends his free time playing guitar and sitar, exercising regularly, scuba diving, and playing beach volleyball.

Grayce Lackland Niggley, Editor, “Ace of Cakes” Food Network show

Grayce Niggley is the Supervising Editor of the Food Network's show “Ace of Cakes.”  She double majored in Television Production and Photography at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and moved to Los Angeles in 2001 to participate in her school’s Hollywood Studies Internship Program.  Mrs. Niggley has held many jobs in the television industry -- Production Assistant, Tape Vault Librarian, Post Coordinator, Assistant Editor and Online Editor -- prior to reaching her goal as a Television Editor.  She has edited “Ace of Cakes” for over three years and has been an editor for about six years.  Some of the other shows she has worked on include “Designer's Challenge,” “Weekend Warriors,” “House Hunters,” “Life Moments,” “Into The Fire,” “Ten Years Younger,” “Starting Over,” “My First Home,” “Grass Is Greener,” and “Confessions of A Travel Writer.”  Mrs. Niggley and her husband Jason (who is a member of the Pilgrim School Governing Board) are members of First Congregational Church.

Nancy Nigrosh, former Motion Picture Literary Agent

For twenty-three years, Ms. Nigrosh represented writers for film and television, as well as writer/directors and actor/directors.  She created and built the literary department at the Gersh Agency.  Some of her clients included Kathryn Bigelow (“Near Dark,” “Blue Steel”) Mary Agnes Donoghue (“Beaches,” “White Oleander”), Deane Stillman (“Saturday Night Live”), Budd Schulberg (“On the Waterfront”), Ernest Lehman (“North By Northwest”), Albert Magnoli (“Purple Rain”) and Barry Morrow (“Rain Man”).  At Innovative Artists Agency, some of her clients included Amanda Brown (“Legally Blonde”), Stuart Beattie (“Pirates of the Caribbean”), Joy Kecken (“The Wire”) Peter Bogdanovich (“Paper Moon,” “The Last Picture Show”) and Whitley Strieber (“The Hunger”).  Ms. Nigrosh earned a degree in Film Studies from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.  During her senior year, she was a script supervisor on Martin Scorsese's “Mean Streets.”  She attended graduate school at UCLA in the screenwriting program.  Her daughter Eden is a sophomore.

Matt Rauchberg, Real Estate Developer for the entertainment industry

Mr. Rauchberg is employed by Pacifica Ventures, a company providing first-class, technologically advanced facilities for the world's most successful studios and entertainment production companies.  Pacifica Ventures was created over a decade ago to take advantage of unique real estate and business opportunities in the entertainment industry.  The company’s primary focus is on the worldwide acquisition, development, and operation of filming and production facilities for motion picture and television production.  Pacifica Ventures serves the major Hollywood studios, as well as the world's most successful independent producers, and all members of the entertainment community who create, finance, produce and distribute media content.  Mr. Rauchberg’s son Max is in Grade 2.

Anthony Sparks, Television writer and producer

Anthony Sparks is a television writer-producer.  He is also a playwright and essayist.  He recently received a 2009 Sentinel Health Award for his work as a television writer, as well as a 2008 Sentinel Award and a 2008 NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Dramatic Writing in a Television Series.  His writing credits include the ABC series “Lincoln Heights,” on which he currently serves as Producer. He also wrote and was on staff for the CBS cop drama “The District.”

Among his plays, “Ghetto Punch” has appeared in several venues across the country and was featured in American Theatre magazine.  Mr. Sparks began his career as an actor.  He appeared for five years as the comedic lead in the New York and Broadway tour of the international hit theatre show, “Stomp.”  He also appeared in the Emmy-winning HBO film, “StompOutLoud.”

Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Mr. Sparks graduated from Chicago's renowned Whitney Young Magnet High School (go alumna Michelle Obama!) and graduated cum laude and with several honors from the University of Southern California where he studied theatre, film, and anthropology.  Mr. Sparks also earned his Masters degree at USC, where he continues to work on a PhD and is a Center for American Studies Fellow.  His daughter Olivia is in Kindergarten.

Laura Streimer, Legal Director at the Alliance for Children’s Rights

Ms. Streimer received her JD from the University of Maryland and has spent twenty years since advocating for housing, health care and educational rights of low-income communities throughout Los Angeles County.  Currently she oversees the legal practice at The Alliance for Children’s Rights, which was founded in 1992 as a public interest law firm to protect the rights of foster children and children living in poverty.  Through a combination of litigation, legislation and policy reform work, The Alliance has helped more than 50,000 children throughout Los Angeles County who have been victims of abuse or neglect to secure special education services, medical treatment or public benefits.  The Alliance assists many children to find permanency through legal guardianship or adoption.  Ms. Streimer’s daughter, Hanna, is in the 6th grade.