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The Parnassus Columns

Volume 8, Issue 4 October 25, 2018

Dear Parnassus Families, We eagerly welcomed our scholars back on Monday from their fall break. After enjoying a week off from school and homework, we hope they came back to school with a renewed alacrity for their studies! Tomorrow marks the end of our first academic quarter of the year so they will have a chance to start fresh in many of their classes. Report cards will go home on

Friday of next week for our Schools of Grammar & Logic. Please be sure to return the signed report card envelope to your child’s homeroom teacher as soon as possible to indicate that you have, indeed, received the report card. School of Rhetoric parents and guardians will receive a progress report for the first quarter. As we begin a new quarter next week, this is a great time to meet with your child to set new academic and other goals. Please be sure to connect with your child’s teachers or principal if you need any help or support in that direction. We have an extraordinary group of hard-working parents who are organizing our fall fundraiser for Friday, November 9th, from 6:00 – 8:00pm. Please mark this event in your calendars so you will be able to join us for an evening of fun time spent together as we also raise money for our school. Friends and families of the school may also donate to Parnassus through the Give to the Max site on Thursday, November 15th.

If you are interested in making a one-time contribution to the school or in setting up monthly payments, you may do so through PayPal on the Parnassus website. If you would like to make a cash or check donation, please go to our website at (www.parnassusprep.com) and click on the DONATE tab to download a giving form.

We appreciate your continued support of our school. Enjoy the beautiful autumn season! -Ms. Ford, Executive Director

Picture Day Makeups & Retakes Tomorrow! Tomorrow, October 26th, Lifetouch photographers will be returning to Parnassus to take school pictures of students who missed the initial Picture Day, as well as those students who would like to re-take their pictures. If you would like to request that your child has his or her picture retaken, please email Ms. Baddin at baddin@parnassusprep.com.

Give to the Max Day – November 15th! Give to the Max Day in Minnesota is on November 15th this year! You will be able to support the Parnassus Annual Fund by visiting our GiveMN site on November 15th to make an online donation to our school. Please

watch for more details as the date gets closer, but in the meantime, save the date! As a 501(c)3 organization, all donations to Parnassus are tax-deductible and eligible for many employer and corporate matching programs.

Quarter 1 Report Cards On Friday, November 2nd Report Cards will go home to all students. Please view this report, sign the report card envelope, and return it back to school. This is a great time to get an update from your scholar on what is happening in their classes!

Parent Portal To allow teachers time to update their gradebooks, we will turn off Infinite Campus Parent and Student Portal Gradebook viewing, from 12:00pm on October 26th to 4:05pm on October 31st. Please be sure to check for any outstanding items your child has before this time. All missing work must be turned in by tomorrow, October 26th.

Infinite Campus App Updates Included with this week’s Columns, is a flyer highlighting the new Parent and Student Apps available for iPhone and Android devices. The log-in for the new app remains the same as your previously used one. These new views will also be available on the web-based version of Campus Portal.

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Fall Fundraiser – Friday, November 9th We invite you to join us Friday, November 9th, from 6-8pm for turkey bingo, concessions, and more! More information is included in this week’s Thursday Folders! If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please e-mail the Munero pro Parnassus committee at mpp@parnassusprep.com or go to https://parnassusprep.com/parents/fallfundraiser.

Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) TONIGHT at 6:30pm Please join us for the next Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) meeting tonight at 6:30pm. We will be talking about transition after graduation at tonight’s meeting. The following dates are our meeting dates for the remainder of the school year. Meetings are held in the Board room right inside the main entrance of the building (door with the pillars).

November 29th (Dr. Anderson will be speaking on resiliency) January 24th February 28th March 21st April 25th May 23rd

Per Minnesota Statute 125A.24, Parnassus Preparatory School has established a local SEAC comprised of parents and guardians of special needs children and staff members who work with Parnassus Preparatory School special needs students and their families. Participation in Special Education Advisory Council meetings are open to the public. What does the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) do?

Represents the interests of Parnassus learners with disabilities

Advises the Special Education Department on parent involvement, current issues, program development and department priorities

Serves as an advocate for high-quality special education programs

Promotes communication among family, school, and community

Keeping up with the Parnassians…

Are you looking for ways to keep up with Parnassus news, events, and activities? Follow us on Instagram! Look for our user name:

@parnassusprep

Please share our Instagram name with family members and friends who would also like to keep up with Parnassus. We typically post to Instagram daily so this is a great way for you, grandparents, and other friends or relatives to keep up with the school!

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Daylight Saving Time Ends November 4th It’s that time of year again when we turn our clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 4th. Don’t forget to fall back an hour!

School Store – October 26th The school store is open the last Friday of each month for half of an hour before and after school. The store is located inside the main entrance to the left of the Agora in the School of Rhetoric. The next date the store will be open is Friday, October 26th. October is a perfect time to stock up on Parnassus hats and scarves for the winter!

STEP Reading Benchmarking Next week we will begin administering our STEP benchmark tests to our students in the School of Grammar. The STEP tests are not a standardized assessment, but are instead an internal measure of how our students are progressing in the literacy skills they will need to be successful in the Schools of Logic and Rhetoric. Scholars who are in a Reading Mastery class will be assessed individually by their teacher or another Parnassus staff member. You may hear from your child that he or she was pulled out of

class for a few minutes as part of their individual screening. Please be advised that students will not be pulled from math or reading instruction. We look forward to sharing this valuable information with you to enable you to better support your child at home in his or her reading.

Practice ACT (4L – 3R Scholars) We had a very successful first ACT practice test session earlier this month! Scholars who attended not only received a predicted ACT score before leaving the session, they also had the chance to be coached on and implement a variety of test taking strategies. Nearly 100% of the students who attended have registered to participate in a second session. The most common struggle that students face on the ACT and other high-stakes exams is the time limit. Students often complain of feeling rushed or overwhelmed as they try to answer all questions within the allotted time. The best way for students to learn how to pace their work within the time constraints is to practice, practice, practice! We strongly encourage ALL of our students in 4L through 3R to participate in at least one free practice ACT session. Scholars in 3R who will be taking the ACT in the spring to include in their college applications are advised to participate in at least two practice sessions. Our next practice session is on Saturday, November 10th. Scholars may request a form from the main office or they can register online at www.parnassusprep.com/parents.

School Bus Safety In order for the school buses to arrive in a safe and timely manner, it is vital that all riders follow the safety rules that are in place. We will continue sharing this message with students to be proactive in our approach to school safety. While riding a school bus, all riders must comply with the following rules:

Follow the driver’s directions at all times.

Remain seated facing forward while the bus is in motion.

Talk quietly and use appropriate language.

Keep all parts of your body inside the bus.

Keep arms, legs, and belongings to yourself and out of the aisle.

No fighting, harassment, intimidation, or horseplay.

Do not throw any objects

No eating, drinking, or use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.

Do not bring any weapons or dangerous objects on the school bus.

Do not damage the school bus. Consequences for misconduct on the bus or at the bus stop will be enforced by the school under administrative discipline procedures. School bus/bus stop misconduct will be reported to the school’s principals. Serious misconduct may be reported to local law enforcement and may also result in the loss of the privilege to ride the bus.

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Inclement Weather Policy for the Animus and Accendo Programs As we head into winter, weather conditions may necessitate the cancellation of the Animus and Accendo programs. Please keep the following guidelines in mind:

Early Dismissal: If students are dismissed early due to inclement weather and/or unsafe road conditions, the after school Animus and Accendo programs will be cancelled. Parents and guardians of students enrolled in the program will be notified by a phone alert message.

Cancellation of After School Activities: If we decide to cancel the after school Animus and

Accendo programs or any other after-school programs due to impending inclement weather, we will notify families by phone and email as early as possible.

School Closings and Delays In the event that Parnassus Preparatory School will be closed, close early, or have a late start, tune in to WCCO for information about cancellations and delays. WCCO can be accessed by tuning to channel 4 on your television, listening

to the radio on AM 830, or visiting their website at www.wcco.com. Our school will be listed as Parnassus Preparatory School. Other local television stations may also post the news, but WCCO is our official site for school closings and delays. Parnassus also respects parents’ decision to keep their children home from school if inclement weather prevents them from getting to school safely. Absences and late arrivals related to the weather conditions will be excused as long as parents follow our school’s procedure for excused absences.

New Student Enrollment

2018-2019 School Year: We Are Still Accepting Applications! Although the school year has started, we continue to accept applications for new students entering Prima through 1R. If you know families eager to enroll their children in a rigorous classical liberal arts school, please let them know about Parnassus!

2019-2020 School Year: Enrollment is Now Open! If you have friends or neighbors who are interested in a classical education for their children, encourage them to check out Parnassus by visiting our website, www.parnassusprep.com, or by attending one of our informational meetings. Informational meetings and campus tours will be held from 5:00 to 6:00pm on the following Tuesday evenings.

November 6th November 27th

December 4th December 18th

January 8th January 22nd

The Enrollment Period for the 2019-2020 school year began on October 1st, 2018 and will end on January 31st, 2019. All applications collected during this period will be entered into our enrollment lottery in February. If you have a younger child who will be entering Prima next school year, you will need to complete an enrollment application for him or her. Siblings have preference over non-siblings and are drawn from first for available positions. Applications received after January 31st will be processed in the order in which they are received and added to the waiting list after the lottery orders are determined. Questions about enrollment may be directed to admissions@parnassusprep.com.

Parents helping Parnassus (PhP)

What is PhP? Parents helping Parnassus is a way for families to partner with the school to support the school. PhP meetings are conducted by our three school principals and are held throughout the school year. At PhP meetings, the principals meet with parents and guardians to discuss school events and activities, and give general updates on school operations. It is an opportunity for parents to share feedback and to enjoy one another’s company.

Next PhP Meeting:

Thursday, December 6th, 6:00-7:30pm- Board Room

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Upcoming Volunteer Needs

If you are interested in any of the following volunteer opportunities, please contact php@parnassusprep.com for more information!

School of Grammar Readers – Currently, School of Grammar is looking for volunteers to assist in read-aloud books during the day. If you are interested in this, please contact Principal Omberg at omberg@parnassusprep.com. Teachers in the Schools of Logic and Rhetoric are always looking for experts in their field of study to share information during lessons of related material. If you are unsure when your expertise may be needed, email our curriculum director, Ms. Good, at good@parnassusprep.com.

Two Major Fundraising Events – We will be holding two major fundraising events this year. The first will be on Friday November 9th. We will be celebrating a Fall Fundraising Event which will include turkey bingo. In the spring, we will be hosting a Parnassus family run/walk for which you will want to watch for details. Both events will require many volunteers to help make them be successful. If you are interested in helping with either of these events, please email the Munero pro Parnassus committee at mpp@parnassusprep.com.

School Supply Kits – We are looking into the prospect of school supply kits for each school. These pre-purchased kits, would allow a more streamlined process of obtaining school supplies. If you are interested in volunteering time for this project, please email Principal Hamiel at hamiel@parnassusprep.com.

Art Adventure – Don’t forget that we still need YOUR help to make Art Adventure happen! There are only four training sessions left before we start the program in February. To sign up for a training, please visit the Parents page of the Parnassus website. Thank you for helping us make this fun tradition possible!

SOG Lunch Room Volunteers – Principal Omberg is looking for helpers in the lunchroom to assist scholars with collecting their lunches and opening items such as juice boxes and string cheese that can sometimes be challenging for small hands.

Artsonia – In order to upload scholars’ artwork to the Artsonia site, we will need a committed group of volunteers who can photograph the student pieces. The school will provide the camera, but we will need some dedicated photographers to come in a few times a month.

PARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL 11201 96th Avenue North Maple Grove, MN 55369

Main Number

763.496.1416 After-Hours EMERGENCIES (only)

763.691.9689

American Student Transportation

763.425.2542 Attendance

Ext. 119

SOG Main Office

Ext. 247 SOL&SOR Main Office

Ext. 201

Animus & Accendo After School Programs

Ext. 247

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Message from Principal Omberg

Dear School of Grammar Families, It is so hard to believe we are ending our first quarter of the 2018-2019 school year. When visiting classrooms, I have been very impressed how our students continue to stretch their minds. Students are constantly showing our pillars of character in their interactions with one another and helping when needed. One example of this was right before fall break when a prospective parent and student came to visit one of our 3G classrooms. The visitors later shared with me how welcoming and helpful our students at Parnassus were towards them. I was proud to tell them that this is what you will find when walking into any of our classrooms. I am very proud to say that our students and staff take great pride in not only their individual learning but also the learning of others. As we wrap-up first quarter, please take time to talk and reflect with your child on some of

their highlights from first quarter. This may be a favorite recitation, book they read, Phy Ed activity, special class activity or topic they learned. As a parent, these are the times we all need to stop, breath, and enjoy our children’s insights. You may even want to write some of their responses down and save them until a later date like graduation. Another great way to find out what is happening in your child’s day is at the dinner table by asking your child what was their high and low of the day. In my house we always celebrate the high and think of ways we can change our lows next time to make them into highs. Sincerely, Principal Omberg

School of Grammar Parent Academy Sessions We will be holding learning sessions for parents and guardians throughout the school year on various topics to help you support your children at home with their academics. Please see the list below for the topics and dates of our School of Grammar Parents Academy learning sessions. We hope to see many of you there and look forward to working together to help all of our students be successful learners!

November 13th: Study Island, 3:45 – 5:00pm in Room 1254

January 14th: Finishing 2nd Quarter Strong, 3:45 – 4:30pm in Room 1254

February 20th: Spring Conferences, 8:30 – 9:30am in the SOG Conference Room

March 20th: Science, 3:45 – 4:45pm in Room 1254

April 11th: Finishing the school year, 2:15–3:15pm in the SOG Conference Room

School of Grammar Lunch Please partner with us to create independent children. Spend time working with your child if they have a hard time opening items. To assist your child during lunch, if your child brings a cold lunch from home please send a spoon or fork if they need one for their lunch. This will allow your child to start eating right away and not have to wait in line for utensils. Please also remember to send items in containers that your child can open. There are many children in the lunchroom and only a handful of staff to assist children. Thank you for your help.

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Bucket Fillers & Our Pillars of Character in the School of Grammar By Mr. Radeke, School of Grammar Student Support Specialist The groundwork of Parnassus is to encourage scholars to be excellent citizens in school, at your home, and in your communities. We accomplish this by modeling and instructing the Pillars of Character and utilizing the Bucket Filling system. I would like to share one we have been focusing on, RESPECT. To treat others and myself with kindness. To be polite and considerate. To appreciate the good in others and myself and show compassion. To treat others and the property of others as I wish to be treated. Since implementing the Bucket Filling system, we have seen scholars show compassion by helping others pick up their things, introduce themselves to new scholars, play with a scholar who is alone, and be excited to see their teacher and support staff when they come in. As staff, we are thrilled to see Respect being shown in filling buckets. We are encouraged when we hear stories of how scholars show compassion to others. We are hoping that you see this at home too. We also understand that mistakes happen and will continue to happen, that is human nature. It is what we do with those mistakes that set us apart. Monday we celebrated Christopher Columbus and he once said, “By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.” Please continue to work with your scholars on being bucket fillers and we hope you are having your bucket filled.

Latin in the School of Grammar By Magistra Hulzebos, School of Grammar Latin Teacher

Salvete! (Hello!) As one of Parnassus’ School of Grammar Latin teachers, it brings me great joy to introduce the Latin language to our scholars at such a young age. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “To read Latin and Greek authors in their original is a sublime luxury. I thank on my knees him who directed my early education for having put into my possession this rich source of delight.” The work we do in the School of Grammar is laying the foundation for scholars to one day be able to do just that. One of my favorite things about teaching Latin is seeing scholars make connections with everyday words that they use. 3G and 4G scholars learn the word ambulo (I walk) early in the year, and we use the opportunity to discuss how a 2,000 year old word for “walk” ended up giving us the word “ambulance” in English. At other times they’ll make their own connections with the world around them, realizing that the Omnitheater comes from omnes (all), or that words like cent, century, centurion, centimeter, and centipede all come from centum (the number 100). I hope that our scholars continue to be excited by these connections and that they share them at home. We also have many songs that we practice to reinforce the grammar we work on in class. If you have not heard them yet, please ask – I’m sure our students would love to be able to teach a small part of our Latin curriculum to their families at home! Valete! (Be well!)

Fire Fighters in Fourth Level Grammar (4G) By Ms. Rose, Fourth Level of Grammar School Teacher On Thursday, October 11th, the 4G classes hosted a visit from the Maple Grove fire department. The firefighters instructed scholars about the details of planning ahead in case of a fire emergency in the home. They practiced drawing simple diagrams of floor layouts so families can plan two ways out of any room. Also discussed were topics such as testing smoke detectors, staying low to avoid smoke inhalation, and choosing a meeting place outside the home. The firefighters fielded a variety of questions from their very curious and interested audience. Students were encouraged to enter an annual poster contest promoting the fire awareness theme for this year, “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.” When asked what they enjoyed about this year’s visit from the firefighters, here were a few responses: “I liked it when they showed us other people’s fire posters (winners from other years).” –Lottie “I liked the stories they told about fighting fires.” –Sam “I liked seeing the trophies (poster winners can earn).” –Parker

School of Grammar Taekwondo Starts October 29th! Taekwondo for Physical Education class in the School of Grammar will begin on Monday, October 29th. Thank you to all those students who have already sent taekwondo mesh bags to school for storing your child’s taekwondo uniform. If you have not sent one to school yet, please do so as soon as possible. Thank you!

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Suggested Resource for Reading Practice for Students

Funnix Beginning Reading and Funnix 2 is 220 complete lessons taking children from beginning non-readers to reading at a beginning 3G level. The Funnix DVD package includes 4 installers and 5 special use files for all lessons and print material. http://www.funnix.com.

Suggested Websites for Math Practice for Students

Printable Math Worksheets and Flashcards: http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math http://www.themathworksheetsite.com http://www.math-sheets.com http://www.helpingwithmath.com/resources/oth_flashcards.htm Interactive Math Facts Practice: http://www.sumdog.com http://www.khanacademy.org http://www.ixl.com http://www.math.com/students/practice/arithmeticpractice.htm http://www.mathplayground.com/flashcards_timed.html http://www.mathfactcafe.com/worksheet/flashcard/ http://www.multiplication.com

Mental Math Strategies and Games: http://www.olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/math1-3/p-mentalmath.html http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/maths/contents_mentalmaths.htm http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/62 http://www.playkidsgames.com http://www.adaptedmind.com

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Message from Principal Kasowicz

Rest Dear Parnassus Families,

The philanthropist John Lubbock once wrote, “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

While we may have been a little wet if we laid on the grass during our Fall Break, it was a great way to recharge ourselves for the next quarter. It is important to our well-being that we take time to reflect on the past and prepare for the future, and we are lucky that here at Parnassus we have that time to do so. As we begin the second quarter of school, I look forward to the growth that will come with it. I am always here to help on your quest; please do not

hesitate to ask what you may need in order to be successful. It was a pleasure to hear about the various adventures from the past week, and I look forward to the future! Sincerely, Principal Kasowicz

SOL Parent Academy Tonight! Tonight, from 5:00-6:00pm in Room 1506, we will offer our first SOL Parent Academy. SOL staff will lead a discussion wrapped around ways that you can help your child be successful in math at Parnassus. We hope you are able to join us!

Fourth Level Logic (4L) Fieldtrip to the Capitol Before break, the 4Ls were lucky enough to visit the State Capitol. Through this trip, they experienced the plentiful art that graces the grounds, the judge’s chamber, and other areas of the building. Magister Swanson’s group was also able to have a personal meeting with a standing judge (one of Mr. Swanson’s perks of being a lawyer with ties to the Capitol)! Responses from 4L Scholars, Callee King & Marquesa Scherer To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the field trip to the State Capitol. I didn’t know much about it and I wasn’t sure what I would see. On Thursday, October 4th, I was given a pleasant surprise. I found my jaw dropped at every beautiful sight in and out of the Capitol. I have learned so much from a simple trip and I am glad we had a chance to go! Response from 4L Scholar, Mairen Mcnamara Parnassus 4L scholars took a field trip to the Minnesota Capitol Building where they learned and spotted the major influences of the building’s design and architecture, and also the history behind it. Many exhibits in the building described Minnesota’s impact on the Civil War, and the pillars and statues outside depicted the Roman gods. Some scholars also visited the Supreme Court, where all of Minnesota’s laws are interpreted. Latin sayings on the walls refer to justice and law. The Quadriga, at the top of the building, was also influenced by Roman architecture and has symbolic meanings. The Industrial Revolution also impacted the Capitol, and statues around the building depict workers that are working during this era. Scholars learned a bunch of history of not only these influential periods of time but the history of Minnesota and what happened then that built up to the creation and design of this building. After the tours, some scholars practiced their oratorical pieces on the Capitol steps.

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SOL Fun Night TOMORROW, October 26th, from 6:00-7:30pm Tomorrow night, Friday, October 26th, the School of Logic will have its first fun night from 6:00-7:30pm. We will have an Open Gym Night with games in the Gymnasion and pizza concession area.

SOL Art Classes The SOL art scholars have been learning how to draw galaxies, space shuttles, and planets using oil pastels and colored pencils. They also have entered the Space Foundation student art competition online. Please visit the site and search United States to see our Minnesota scholars’ works of art at https://art.spacefoundation.org/

Music Concerts – Save the Dates We have made a slight adjustment to the winter concerts for the music classes for SOL/SOR. More information will come to families as the time gets closer.

Choir- Thursday, January 24th 6:00pm Band-Tuesday, January 29th 6:00pm Orchestra- Thursday, January 31st 6:00pm

Each concert will start with 1L and end with SOR. More specific performance times for each level will be shared soon.

Dear School of Rhetoric Families, Can you believe that the first quarter of the school year is already finished? I know that I cannot. It has gone by so quickly. With time flying by, I wanted to take a moment to draw your attention to a couple of key items. The first being scholar grades and performance. The end of the first quarter marks an important point in your child’s grades. Credit is earned by semesters in SOR. The first semester grades are calculated by combining the Quarter 1 and the Quarter 2 grades together. Now is the time to be sure that you child is on a successful path. Be sure that they are completing work, turning work in on time, and doing their reading. If the first quarter was not as successful as they had hoped in a class, now is the time to make adjustments for second quarter so the semester grade is something they are proud of. Grades affect the scholar’s GPA (grade point average), which is a determining factor in future classes scholars are eligible to take, college acceptance, and scholarships. Again, now is the time to examine the first quarter progress

and make any necessary changes. The second item I want to point out is the 2019-2020 course registration packet. This is an essential part of your child’s plan for his or her School of Rhetoric academic career. Not only that, but it is critical in helping us plan for staffing and scheduling purposes. Please be sure to take some time to discuss your children’s course selections and help them navigate their course selections. Registration forms are due on Thursday November 1st. Thank you for your help in ensure we receive all forms on time. Sincerely, Principal Hamiel

School of Rhetoric Parent Academy Dates We will be conducting three more Parent Academy sessions this year for our School of Rhetoric parents and guardians. The next Parent Academy will be on Thursday, November 1st, at 5:00pm in the Lyceum. The subject of that session will be math and how you can support your children in this subject.

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SOR Course Registration Scholars in 4L through 3R received their 2019-2020 course catalogues and registration packets before the break. It is truly exciting to see our School of Rhetoric grow and to read about all of the options available to our scholars as they look to explore more challenging content in a variety of disciplines. From SPAN 914: The Contemporary Spanish novel to our new Humanities courses, HUM 1201 Foundations of Art History and HUM 1202 Foundations of Music History, we have a wealth of new and exciting options for our scholars. Registration forms are due by November 1st. We encourage our students to consult with Principal Hamiel, our college advising staff, and their teachers to ensure that they are taking the most rigorous course load available to them.

University of Minnesota College in the Schools As a college preparatory school, we want to make sure that our School of Rhetoric students are prepared not only to be admitted to the college or university of their choice, but that they are also equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in college-level coursework. Parnassus is one of several Minnesota schools that participates in the University of Minnesota’s College in the Schools program, which allows students to earn college credits and experience the pace and rigor of university courses. Last year, Parnassus students collectively earned 40 credits from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities through the College in the Schools program. Those credits, which our students received completely free of charge, would cost an equivalent of $19,692.40 in tuition at the university. Aside from this financial savings, the real benefit that our students gain from participating in the College in the Schools course offerings is being exposed to the rigor and challenge of real college coursework. Unlike Advanced Placement courses, which are still worthwhile and valuable, the University of Minnesota courses offered at Parnassus use the same syllabus, textbooks, and exams as the equivalent classes being offered on the University of Minnesota campus and are overseen by a faculty member from the university. Unlike Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) courses, students do not need to leave campus to participate, and they receive more hands-on support throughout the day. This year, Parnassus expanded our CIS offerings to include college-level coursework in Latin and English. We look forward to continuing this partnership with the University of Minnesota and expanding our offerings in the future.

Scholar Spotlight In this issue of the Parnassus Columns, we would like to showcase 3R scholar, Brooke George. Ms. George is consistently working to meet and go beyond expectations for work in the classroom. She is investing the time that is necessary to not only learn the material but actually have it become a part of long-term memory. In literature class, Ms. George set a goal for herself at the beginning of the year to work on becoming a better critical thinker. Magister Mathews has seen her working daily on this skill by asking thoughtful questions, making diagrams in her notes, and synthesizing content. In history class, Magister Bennett has seen Ms. George be an active participant in all Harkness discussions and digest the content weekly that at times is not only dense but challenging. We could not be more proud of Ms. George and her work ethic this year.

Listening to the Planets By Dr. Dean, Orchestra Teacher

On October 1st, International Music Day was celebrated in many countries around the world. On that day School of Rhetoric string scholars began their study of an important 20th century orchestral suite, The Planets by English composer Gustav Holst. Written exactly 100 years ago, The Planets is a unique blending of two disciplines of the Classical quadrivium, music and astronomy. Holst’s music is also closely linked to the defining character traits of figures from Roman mythology, for whom most of the planets and satellites in our solar system are named. Rhetoric string scholars analyzed the opening movement of The Planets. “Mars, The Bringer of War” characterizes the belligerent Roman god of war with an insistent ostinato rhythm, restless harmonies, and an ominous theme that seems to start light years away before culminating in aggressive outbursts of full orchestral sound. The music of The Planets has been a huge influence on Hollywood action and outer-space movie soundtracks, so much so that it is hard to imagine an intergalactic battle scene that does not sound similar to Holst’s music for Mars. After listening to this movement for the first time, Rhetoric string scholars noted that it reminded them of the dramatic, relentless music to certain video game genres and especially of the soundtrack to that epic tale of “a galaxy far, far away,” Star Wars. Our musical study of The Planets will continue with the suite’s second movement, “Venus, The Bringer of Peace.”

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SOR Visits the Minnesota State Capitol School of Rhetoric 1R scholars visited the Capitol building this Tuesday. Our 2R scholars then went for their visit on Wednesday. The 3R and 4R scholars will be going tomorrow. During their time at the Capitol building, scholar took a guided tour and learned much about the history of Minnesota. Scholars and staff were guided throughout the building while also learning facts about the state history. Scholars have asked many outstanding questions so far and the visits have been very educational for everyone. We have been trying to schedule these visits for many years and we are happy that we were able to accomplish them this year.

SOR Scholars Speaking Spanish All of our Spanish language learners focus on communication. Our School of Rhetoric Introduction to Spanish A scholars are no exception. They began the year by learning basic conversational Spanish and have quickly progressed to expressing their likes and dislikes as well as the likes and dislikes of friends and family.

Scholars have been writing paragraphs, memorizing them, and presenting them as an Oratorical Presentation to the class. Scholars have also done a great job encouraging each other and have persevered when challenged. Some of them even surprised themselves at how well they could memorize, comprehend and speak in Spanish already! They were phenomenal orators on their first Spanish Oratorical Presentation.

Upcoming College Advisor Meetings for School of Rhetoric Families Our college advisors are on site at least once a week - often it is much more frequent, depending on the events going on at school that week. Listed below are the dates for our upcoming college advising events:

Date Parent

presentation Level TOPIC/ Student Lesson Time Room

10/31/2018 4R Work time and 1:1 essay review 8:51am 1306

10/31/2018 Morning Q & A 7:45 - 8:30am

11/7/2018 3R 5 Academic Characteristics 8:51am 1306

11/8/2018 Parent FAFSA Night 4:00-6:30 4:00-6:30pm

11/14/2018 4R Work time and 1:1 essay review 8:51am 1306

11/28/2018 3R 6 Extracurricular characteristics 8:51am 1306

11/28/2018 Morning Q & A 7:45 - 8:30am

12/5/2018 4R Work time and 1:1 essay review 8:51am 1306

12/12/2018 3R 7 Corsava cards, establishing criteria and how to research 8:51am 1306

12/19/2018 4R 8:51am 1306

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Parnassus OLYMPIANS

Athletic News & Updates

Parnassus Olympians Cross Country

The Parnassus cross country team has been improving every time they step foot on the course. It was tough to match a memorable night in Chisago Lakes, but the team showed up to St. Michael on Tuesday, October 2nd, to continue their streak of success. The Olympians didn’t quite capture eighteen personal best times, but SEVENTEEN of the nineteen that raced ran faster than ever before. It was a beautiful night for cross country, and the Olympians capitalized.

Starting off the night with some momentum was 3L Mia Fehrenkamp with a 23rd place finish, top performer ribbon, and her fastest race of the season. Similarly, other top finisher awards were given to 3L Ronan Lander (12th place), 4L Kendel Poppe Boehm (11th place), and 1R Lailah King (30th place). King (1R) shaved almost three and a half minutes off of her fastest time to move into second place on the all-time Parnassus 5K list. School record holder Kendel Poppe Boehm bested her time by another minute and a half from her previous record to finish in a blistering 22:53 in the 5K. On the boys side, Ronan Lander continued leading the Olympians to success with a faster school record than before. Lander (3L) took another 40 seconds off of his school record finishing in an outstanding 19:12 for the 5K distance, almost unheard of for a 3L. Evan Dieterle (1R) also had a notable performance by “breaking” 20 minutes for the first time in his young career. The first year SOR scholar sprinted to the finish with a time of 19:56. The Olympians finished eighth out of nine teams, thanks in part to 3L Grant Bennet stepping in as the fifth runner on the team. Bennet ran to over a minute and a half personal best to finish off the scoring for the Olympians. ALL runners did an exceptional job showing great sportsmanship, and performing to the best of their abilities. The team potentially wraps up its season on Thursday October 25th as they head to Mora for Sections. The section meet is the “postseason” of cross country, in which top individuals (8), and teams (2), are awarded with the opportunity to compete at the state meet (November 3rd) hosted by St. Olaf College in Northfield. Good luck runners!

Parnassus PACT Panthers Soccer Team The Boys Varsity Parnassus and PACT Panthers soccer team are finishing off their successful season. Congratulations to the team and coaching staff for a great a season. Mohammed Ulel led the team with nine goals and Brody Bush close behind him with 6 goals.

Looking to the Future We are looking forward to some great athletic clubs this year, including School of Rhetoric basketball and volleyball. Intramural clubs are starting the first week of November. The clubs will focus on team play and will be setting the groundwork for competitive teams next year. We have had a great response from the scholars and are looking forward to seeing the players in action. If you ever have any questions about upcoming athletics please email Magister Reynolds at reynolds@parnsssusprep.com.

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Parnassus OLYMPIANS Extra-Curricular News & Updates

Many new activities begin in the next two weeks! Just before fall break, flyers went home in Thursday folders for Abacus, Grandmasters of Chess (Mondays or Wednesdays), Scratch, Lego League, and Young Rembrandts for our Grammar and 1L scholars. If you did not receive a flyer and are interested in participating, please contact Ms. Baddin at baddin@parnassusprep.com.

A new session of Fencing will begin for scholars in 1L-1R on November 8th. Make sure to get your registration forms in by November 2nd. Logic and Rhetoric scholars begin Intermural Volleyball and Basketball the first week of November as well.

SAVE THE DATE! Parnassus Drama Club Presents, The Odyssey We are excited to announce that this December our Parnassus thespians from levels 3G – 4R will be presenting their production of The Odyssey. Our scholars will be taking us on a journey as we follow the mythical exploits of the hero Ulysses on his mythical journey home after the Trojan War. Please watch for future information on ticket purchases. Performance dates and times are:

Friday, December 14th, 7:00pm in the Lyceum

Saturday, December 15th, 2:30pm in the Lyceum

Sunday, December 16th, 2:30pm in the Lyceum

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Looking Ahead… October 2018 25 Cross Country SECTIONALS 25 Fencing 3:45 – 5:00pm – Gymnasion 25 Drama 4:00-6:00pm- Lyceum 25 CREO: Python 3:45-5:00pm- Room 1429 25 Young Rembrandts 3:45 – 4:45pm – SOG Art Room 25 Lego League 3:45 – 4:45pm – 1217 25 SOL Parent Academy (Math focus) 5:00-6:00pm —

Room 1506 25 SEAC Meeting 6:30pm Board Room 26 Quarter 1 ends 26 Fieldtrip to the Capitol (3R/4R) 26 Parent Portal grade viewing turned off at 12:00pm 26 School Picture Makeup/Retakes Day 26 School Store open 7:30 – 8:00am and 3:30-4:00pm 26 Cross Country 3:45 – 5:15pm – Meet in Gymnasion 26 Drama 4:00-6:00pm- Lyceum 26 SOL Science Bowl 3:45 – 4:45pm Rooms 1521 26 SOL Fun Night 6:00-7:30pm Gymnasion 29 Quarter 2 begins 29 Minnesota Math League SOR 3:45-5:00pm- Rm 1324 29 Publishing Club 3:45 – 4:45pm- Room 1218

29 Quiz Bowl (SOR) 3:45 – 4:45pm– Room 1310 29 Quiz Bowl (SOL) 3:45 – 4:45pm– Room 1515 30 SOL Oratorical Contest Preliminary Rounds (10

selected for next round) 30 SOR Science Bowl SOR Lunch- Room 1317 30 Mock Trial 3:45 – 5:15pm – Room 1307 31 SOL Oratorical Contest Preliminary Rounds

Continued (10 selected for next round) 31 2G Fieldtrip to Science Museum – 8:45am – 2:30pm 31 SOR Registration forms for 2019-2020 classes due

today (current 4L – 3R students) 31 Morning Q& A with College Connectors 7:45 –8:30am

Board Room 31 4R Scholar Essay Review with College Connectors

Period 2 Room 1306 31 Student Senate - Lunch - Room 1308 31 Model UN/Model Assembly 3:45 – 5:00pm – 1521 31 Abacus 3:45 – 4:45pm – Room 1252 31 Grandmasters of Chess (Wednesday) 3:45 – 4:45pm –

SOG Art Room

November 2018 01 October reading minutes due today 01 SOR Registration forms for 2019–2020 classes due 01 SOL Homework Club 3:45pm – 4:45pm Rooms 1515

& 1504 01 Drama 4:00-6:00pm- Lyceum 01 CREO: Python 3:45-5:00pm- Room 1429 01 Young Rembrandts 3:45 – 4:45pm – SOG Art Room 01 Lego League 3:45 – 4:45pm – 1217 01 SOR Parent Academy (Math focus) 5:00-6:00pm —

Room 1323 01 4R Thesis Parent Meeting in Athenaeum 6:00-

7:00pm 02 “Thursday” Folders go home (Friday Folder- Report

Cards go home) 02 Drama 4:00-6:00pm- Lyceum 02 SOL Science Bowl 3:45 – 4:45pm Rooms 1521 02 SOR Social 6:00-8:00pm- Agora 04 End of Daylight Saving Time 05 NHS SOR Lunch – Room 1306 05 Math League Competition 3:45 at Spring Lake Park 05 Publishing Club 3:45 – 4:45pm- Room 1218 05 Quiz Bowl (SOR) 3:45 – 4:45pm– Room 1310 05 Quiz Bowl (SOL) 3:45 – 4:45pm– Room 1515 05 Grandmasters of Chess (Monday) 3:45 – 4:45pm SOG

Art Room

05 Basketball 3:45 – 5:00pm- Gymnasion 06 Oratorical Contest Semifinals 2:44 – 3:30pm in the

Lyceum (Top 3 selected for Final Round) 06 SOL Homework Club 3:45pm – 4:45pm Rooms 1515

& 1504 06 SOR Science Bowl SOR Lunch- Room 1317 06 Mock Trial 3:45 – 5:15pm – Room 1307 06 SOL Keyboarding 3:45-5:00pm- Room 1321 06 CREO: Scratch 3:45- 4:45pm Room 1252 06 Informational Meeting & Campus Tour 5:00 to

6:00pm in Room 1323 07 CIS Latin and Greek field trip to the U of M 07 Oratorical Contest Semifinals Continued 2:44 –

3:30pm in the Lyceum (Top 3 selected for Final Round)

07 3R Scholar Meeting with College Connectors Period 2 Room 1306

07 Student Senate - Lunch - Room 1308 07 Model UN/Model Assembly 3:45 – 5:00pm – 1521 07 Basketball 3:45-5:00pm- Gymnasion 07 Abacus 3:45 – 4:45pm – Room 1252 07 Grandmasters of Chess (Wednesday) 3:45 – 4:45pm –

SOG Art Room 08 December lunch orders open today

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