High Schools...
JP II students shine on AP tests
Nearly 80 percent of the 220 students at Pope John Paul II High School who took AP exams at the end of the 2007-08 school year received passing grades.
The students took more than 470 exams in 20 subject areas. AP tests are graded on a 1-5 scale, with 5 as highest and 3 considered as passing in most schools. Students who earn passing grades are given college credits in that subject area, allowing families to save money once enrolled.
Graduating seniors Kate Smith and Ryan Davis led the way, with Smith accumulating 10 perfect “fives” and one “four” during her high school career and Davis scoring eight “fives” and two “fours.” They were followed by Matthew Nieters and Patrick Wilkinson, each with seven “fives” and three “fours,” Robert Mimms with five “fives” and four “fours” and Nicholas Bulso, with five “fives” and three “fours.” All of these students are likely to receive national recognition in the fall by the College Board, which sponsors the AP programs.
“We’re thrilled for our students”, said Karen Phillips, JPII’s dean of studies. “They’ve worked hard; many came back on nights and Saturdays for extra review, and it paid off.”
Deserving of special praise are the students in calculus and psychology. In the calculus AB and BC tests combined, JPII students tallied an extraordinary 28 “five” scores, whereas in Psychology, 15 of the 20 students scored either a “five” or “four.”
New JPII Headmaster Faustin Weber added: “These AP results, measured either by scope – 20 classes, 220 students enrolled – or by performance – 80 percent passing rate – rank JPII among the most pre-eminent high schools in the country. Congratulations to these students for their success, to my predecessor, Hans Broekman, and to the JPII teachers for establishing such a culture of excellence here.”
Camp St. Cecilia turns summer into fun for girls
Camp St. Cecilia ended recently with one of the busiest and most popular camps of the summer – a volleyball camp that included 34 girls from elementary schools throughout Nashville.
Girls from grades 1-8 were on The Dominican Campus this summer to participate in Camp St. Cecilia. Girls had the opportunity to solve a crime in CSI: Science Camp, others got to try the pottery wheel for the first time, and still others learned how to spike and dunk the ball in volleyball and basketball camps as well as the all-sport elementary camp for younger girls.
Finally, middle school girls spent a week in the SCA theater learning from award-winning teacher and director Cathie Correia Stamps. They put on a show at the end of the week using scenes from “Cinderella,” the musical that the St. Cecilia Academy Players will stage this fall.
“Camp was wonderful this summer,” said Jerry Landers, SCA athletic director, who oversees Camp St. Cecilia. “We had girls throughout the summer learning about the arts, gaining athletic skills in our sports camps and getting a chance to learn about such amazing science topics as DNA isolation and how to analyze hair samples using a microscope in the CSI Camp.”
Landers said St. Cecilia Academy wants to build upon its success the past two summers with Camp St. Cecilia. He said the Academy plans to expand upon its program offerings for summer 2009.
“We want to continue to offer camps that both challenge girls in the summer and give them an opportunity to have a lot of fun,” Landers said. “I’ve already had requests and suggestions from people about camps they’d like us to add next summer.”
First photo: Overbrook second-grader learns how to use the pottery wheel from teacher Ann Ripley at Camp St. Cecilia.
Second photo: Dr. Karen Deal, a biology teacher at St. Cecilia Academy, shows Olivia Snell how to use the microscope for hair and fiber analysis during Camp St. Cecilia’s CSI: Science Camp.
Third photo: Middle school girls fill the SCA gym during volleyball camp.
Father Ryan announces new board members
Three new members, all serving three-year terms, have joined the Father Ryan High School Board of Trust, according to Jim McIntyre, president, Steve Janicak, Robert J. Mendes, and John Siedlecki.
Janicak is a parent to a Father Ryan alum and an upcoming freshman student. He currently serves as senior vice president of sales and marketing for MedSolutions. He brings his expertise to Father Ryan with a decade in advertising and similar marketing experience with companies like ING, Chase Bank and Consumer Financial Network.
Mendes is a business attorney and owner of MGLAW PLLC, where he specializes in litigation, insolvency and planning. Mendes is currently serving a three-year term on the Nashville Bar Association’s Board of Directors and has been included in 2008’s The Best Lawyers in America for the second year in a row.
Siedlecki is senior managing director for FTI Healthcare group in Brentwood. With 23 years of extensive healthcare experience, including pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, he has contributed to the successful turnaround of healthcare facilities across the nation and abroad. He is also a parent to two current students at Father Ryan.
“Father Ryan continues to deliver exceptional achievement in every level of faith, knowledge and service, and the leadership of our board is critical to that success,” McIntyre said. “These three individuals demonstrate every day their support of Ryan and its mission and are committed to providing the direction and guidance that will insure Ryan’s continued leadership in this community.”
Click here for July 11 Tennessee Register school stories.
Grade Schools...
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High Schools...
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