Mental Health Awareness Week Schedule

In order to highlight Mental Health Awareness Week, various programming and activities will be offered each day. The goal is to provide an opportunity for our students to engage in community conversation, education, and skill-building around the strategies that promote positive mental health. Here is a schedule for the week:

Class of 2029 Event Sign-Ups and Applications Now Open!

Spots are going fast for our fall admission events, so spread the word to sign up quickly. Student Preview Days for current 8th-grade students are the most popular way to see campus, and they fill up especially fast. Please share with any 8th-grade families you know. We are so excited to welcome prospective students to our campus!

MAP Testing

This week is the launch of our fall standardized testing for freshmen. The tests are designed to give clarity on progress for academic core skills. We use the MAP® Growth™ test from NWEA®. Your student will take the test on their school-issued iPad. The information we get from these helps us plan the curriculum and can be used to help with class recommendations for the following year. It is one data point, but we encourage students to take these tests seriously and try their best.

Progress Reports

The first progress report of the year goes out on Friday the 13. Students have been warned and encouraged to reach out to their teachers if they have questions or concerns about specific assignments.

Make-up Tests

Although this is never a goal, life happens and students do occasionally miss tests, which often requires students to miss more class time or cram a make-up test into a lunch period. To provide a dedicated space and time for make-up tests, we hired a test proctor.

Now, when a student is absent, the teacher provides a copy of the physical exam (or electronic access) to the proctor. The student schedules a time and comes to school early to take their test during the 0 period before the deadline set by the teacher. This may vary based on whether the absence is excused or unexcused, but we generally target having the test made-up within a week or so of the original test. If their test is longer than 0 period, or there are special circumstances, the student schedules their make up for the first available X-block or Late Start. 

Important note: Students should not treat this system as a strategic way to postpone taking their test when it is set. 

Sign Up Now for Open Weights

Open weights sessions will be held on Wednesdays at 5:00 PM at the CAC. Students need to sign up each week and will receive a confirmation email by Monday evening indicating whether or not they have secured a spot for that week. Students must wear a Carondelet t-shirt, athletic shoes, and bring a water bottle. If you have any questions about open weights, please contact Dani Bernat.

Action of the Month Challenge Update

The Carondelet Green Team is part of Carondelet’s student leadership and is an advocacy council that strives to make Carondelet more environmentally friendly. We’re thrilled to bring back our "Action of the Month Challenge" for this school year! These challenges aim to encourage our community to perform small actions that promote sustainability in our everyday lives.

The Action of the Month for September will focus on trash sorting. To complete the Action of the Month, submit a picture of yourself correctly sorting your trash using the QR codes on the posters on campus or at this link. Everyone who submits a photo will be entered into a raffle to win a $10 Target gift card! Make sure to sort your trash, Cougs!

All Students:

• The Jesuit Excellence Tour (JET) College Fair will be held at Carondelet on Wednesday, September 11, from 3:00 to 4:30 PM in the Amphitheater. This is a great opportunity for students interested in attending a Jesuit Institution. Colleges that will be attending include Gonzaga University, Loyola Marymount University, Loyola University Chicago, and the University of San Francisco.
• College Counseling is pleased to invite all Carondelet students and families to our annual Road to College Night on Tuesday, September 17, at 7:00 PM via Zoom. Representatives from a variety of colleges including UC Irvine, the University of Chicago, and the College of Charleston will be offering informative college-related workshops for families. Registration is required.

Seniors:

• Please mark your calendar for a mandatory X Block at 1:40 PM on Friday, September 13, for some important information regarding applying to college.
• Your College List/Green Form, signed by you and your parents, is due to your College Counselor by September 15. Transcripts and other documents cannot be sent if this form has not been turned in. You can pick up a form in the College Counseling office if you need one.
• HOWL (Here on Wednesdays Late) has begun. Stop by the College Counseling Offices on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 4:30 PM to ask questions, work on college applications, and grab a snack.
• The first College Money Method webinar, Succeeding in the Financial Aid Process, will be held on Zoom on Monday, September 30 at 6:30 PM. Register here and make sure to explore the updated resource page (passcode: chscmm).
• College Greenlight is a great resource for scholarships and fly-in programs. Other good resources for scholarships are: Going Merry and Niche.

Carondelet shares opportunities from outside organizations for informational purposes only. We do not affiliate with or endorse any particular organizations.

Service & Advocacy

• Junior Families, please make sure you review the Junior Immersion informational letter about this hands-on opportunity for juniors to serve our dear neighbors at Monument Crisis Center. 

Corazon - Sophomore Retreats

• It’s time for sophomores to request their Corazon Retreat Date! This is a one-day retreat for 10th grade that focuses on inclusive friendships and unity. Don’t miss this opportunity to bond with your classmates and teachers. Request your Retreat Day ASAP! Retreat dates are given on a first-come, first-serve basis!

Our First “Coffee with Your Dear Neighbor” of the School Year!

Calling all Carondelet parents, guardians, and grandparents to have some coffee and pastries, and hang out and chat. Meet other Carondelet families that may live in your neighborhood on Friday, September 27, from 9:00 to 10:30 AM at Paris Baguette, 35 Crescent Drive, Pleasant Hill. Kindly RSVP if you can make it.

Carondelet Parents Guild Meeting

All Carondelet parents are welcome to the Parents Guild meeting, on Wednesday, September 18, at 6:30 PM in the Jean Hofmann Center for Innovation. Come for some social time and find out how you can connect with our community to support our school and students. We can’t wait to meet you!

First Fathers Club Meeting of the Year

All Carondelet dads are invited to our first meeting on Wednesday, September 25, at 6:30 PM in the Jean Hofmann Center for Innovation. We will have a quick speaker, dinner, and a short meeting. Come and meet other dads and see what we are all about. RSVP today.

Have a Convertible Car?

Come be part of our Carondelet Homecoming Parade. The parade will take place on Tuesday, October 22, on our very own Carondelet campus. Contact Parent Engagement Manager Candi Mannoni if you can help.

Junior Ring Volunteers and Donations Needed

Our junior class will receive their class rings at this very special event on Sunday, October 6. Let's help make it a moment they won’t forget. It’s a really fun event for volunteers! Sign up today!

Thank you to the members of our 1965 Society who attended our appreciation event this week. We were honored by your presence and excited to gather in celebration of your involvement, advocacy, and generosity.

If you were unable to attend, we hope to connect with you soon and want to share a video from our students and faculty expressing their gratitude for your support.

Please reach out to the Director of Philanthropy Lynne Sabbagha Kenny ’86 P’24 to review your giving history or learn more about this donor society.

Thank you to our current and future members!

View photos of the 1965 Society reception here.

Welcome Kamin and Matt Macomber, chairs of our Parent Fund Committee within the Development Office. In this role, the Macombers will provide leadership and support to our fundraising efforts throughout the year. Kamin and Matt are parents to Ellie ’26 and reside in Alamo.

Matt is Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Wealth in the Americas for Franklin Templeton. Kamin served in volunteer leadership roles at the Seven Hills School in Walnut Creek, including President of the Parent Involvement Association (PIA). Matt was a Trustee for the Seven Hills School for seven years, chairing the Development and Investment Committees. He served on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Orfalea College of Business at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo for 10 years.

Kamin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Colby College, and Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Cal Poly. They have two older daughters, Kate (Syracuse University ’26) and Maddy (Bucknell University ’26).

We are thrilled by their partnership this year, and they look forward to engaging with our parent community through development activities.

Do you love our events and want to support Carondelet at the same time? Become an Annual Event Sponsor TODAY! Our sponsors have a special opportunity to reserve their admission to our upcoming Visions of Christmas suite through a sponsorship now and take advantage of events all year. We expect this highly anticipated, headline event to sell out once tickets become available to the public in October.

This year, there’s an exciting new opportunity to sponsor Carondelet Athletic Events. Enjoy athletic website recognition, banners at the Carondelet Athletics Complex or gym, social media marketing, and recognition at athletic events. You may add to your event sponsorship for $500 or get the full package for $3,000. Please see our website for more information or reach out to Lea Harrington '90.

Check out our online school store for new Carondelet branded apparel and merch! We will continue to send out our monthly store eNewsletter including our new gear and promotions.