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Celebrate our seniors at Holy Spirit Preparatory School’s Baccalaureate Mass and Graduation: Friday, May 24, 2019 10:00am
Holy Spirit Catholic Church 4465 Northside Drive Atlanta, Georgia 30327
Celebrant Bishop Bernard E. Shlesinger III
Guest Speaker Mr. Thomas Cole
This year's commencement ceremony introduces a new format for the guest speaker: the graduating class will vote on a member of the faculty to honor with an invitation to speak at commencement. This year’s speaker is Mr. Thomas Cole. A member of Holy Spirit Prep's faculty since 2014, Mr. Cole has taught students in the class of 2019 as many as four consecutive years. He is the Upper School Theology Chair, varsity tennis coach, and coordinator of the annual senior pilgrimage to Rome. Mr. Cole chairs the school's Catholic Identity Committee. He is a religious education teacher at St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church in Mableton. Mr. Cole and his wife, Audra, have one daughter, Marie.
We've extended the initial deadline to register for summer camps to today, May 15!
After today, we will remove camps will low registration, and re-open registration for the remaining camps. Registration for camps will be available all summer.
We are proud to announce the valedictorians of the Class of 2019, and the guest speaker for this year's commencement exercises.
With identical grade point averages, Mikayla Brown and Watson Casal are the co-valedictorians of the Class of 2019.
Mikayla Brown is a member of St. Joseph's Cohort, St. Catherine's Closet, Spanish Club, and National Honor Society. Mikayla is a team captain for the varsity soccer and volleyball teams. After graduation, Mikayla will attend the Capstone Scholars program, a program for top scholars, at the University of South Carolina, where she plans to study genetics and psychology.
Enrolled at Holy Spirit Prep since kindergarten, Watson Casal is this year's STAR student, a National Merit finalist, and an Eagle Scout. He is a past winner of the Logos Cup. Watson is a member of Delta Omega (the boys' service fraternity), Milites Christi, St. Joseph's Cohort, National Honor Society, and the National Latin Honor Society. He is a member of the varsity football and track and field teams. This August, Watson will enroll at Georgia Tech to study mechanical engineering.
This year's commencement ceremony introduces a new format for the guest speaker: the graduating class will vote on a member of the faculty to honor with an invitation to speak at commencement. This year’s speaker is Mr. Thomas Cole. A member of Holy Spirit Prep's faculty since 2014, Mr. Cole has taught students in the class of 2019 as many as four consecutive years. He is the Upper School Theology Chair, varsity tennis coach, and coordinator of the annual senior pilgrimage to Rome. Mr. Cole chairs the school's Catholic Identity Committee. He is a religious education teacher at St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church in Mableton. Mr. Cole and his wife, Audra, have one daughter, Marie. Holy Spirit Prep observes its Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 24.
On Friday, May 3, the class of 2019 participated in the third annual Senior Pennant Ceremony and hung their pennants to signify their college destinations for next year. The 51 students in the graduating class have received acceptances to over 80 colleges and over $2.7 million in scholarship offers. Our students have again proven competitive across all types of universities: From into Ivy League universities, Catholic colleges, and small liberal arts colleges to large research public universities.
The Class of 2019's College Acceptances * indicates that a student intends to enroll in this school
Agnes Scott College* University of Alabama* University of Alabama, Birmingham American University University of Arizona Auburn University* Bard College* Baylor University* Belmont University* Berry College University of California, Berkeley* University of California, Davis University of California, Santa Cruz Carson-Newman University University of Central Florida Centre College Clemson University* Coastal Carolina University University of Colorado, Boulder Connecticut Central State University* University of Connecticut Cornell University* Daemen College University of Dallas University of Denver Elmira College Elon University* University of Florida Florida Atlantic University Florida State University* Georgia College* University of Georgia* Georgia Institute of Technology* Georgia Southern University Georgia State University* University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign* Indiana University* University of Iowa Kennesaw State University* University of Kentucky* Le Moyne College Long Island University, Post Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Maryland Loyola University of New Orleans Mercer University Miami University of Ohio Middle Georgia State University Mississippi State University Missouri State University University of Michigan University of Mississippi* University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill* University of North Carolina, Charlotte North Carolina State University University of North Georgia* Oglethorpe University University of Oklahoma Pepperdine University Reinhardt University* Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rollins College* University of San Francisco Santa Clara University SCAD Seton Hall University* Sewanee: University of the South Syracuse University United States Merchant Marine Academy* University of Scranton University of South Carolina* University of Tennessee* Texas Christian University Texas State University Valdosta State University Villanova University Virginia Tech* Virginia Wesleyan University* West Virginia University Wofford College Xavier University
We are proud to announce the Head Girl and Head Boy for the 2019-20 school year.
Rosie and William have been named as the head of the student body and the House system for the 2019-20 school year, and student ambassadors to the larger community.
William Arnold has been a student at Holy Spirit Prep since kindergarten. In that time, William has been an altar server, a member of ONE apostolate, and the president and co-founder of the Cantius Society, a fundraising club for teachers in Sierra Leone. He's a member of the Quiz Bowl team, earning the 6th highest individual score in the state. Also an athlete, William is a varsity golfer, and he's helped bring home two state championship for our varsity swim team.
Rosie Stagliano is a member of the Quiz Bowl team and the Marine Biology club, competing in regional and state competitions. She serves as a member of Alpha Phi and the co-president of the National Art Honor Society. Since 8th grade, Rosie has been a varsity tennis player.
The Head Boy and Girl are elected from a qualified pool of student candidates by the faculty. Eligibility for the positions include at least a 3.5 GPA, enrollment in five or more AP classes, continuous enrollment at HSP since 9th grade, demonstrated leadership and virtue, and the endorsement of at least four faculty, among other requirements.
Congratulations to the team of 8th grade students who placed 2nd at the Archdiocesan Battle of the Books.
Students received a list of 20-23 books to read over the course of several months in preparation for the Battle of the Books competition. After in-school competitions held in March and April, the winning team from each grade progressed on to the archdiocesan competition.
8th Grade Emil Sacco Zhen Napier Adam Anulewicz Bernadette Grantham
6th Grade Adam Young John Masterson Luke Craig Andrew Sipos
5th Grade Olivia Casal Joseph Reger Sylvie Anulewicz Lauren Wilhelm
4th Grade Isabella Robledo Tyler Baradel Isabella Cusimano
3rd Grade Rachel Sande Lily Hutchins Maeve Hutchins Modupe Brown
Below is a reprint of an email from HSP Communications sent on Thursday, April 25:
Dear families of Holy Spirit Prep,
Last week, we unveiled the latest iteration of our plan to consolidate the Lower and Upper Schools by developing a portion of the 13 acres adjacent to Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Thank you to everyone who came to the meeting in support of our plan. Your support means everything to us. We had a sizeable show of support, which eclipsed those neighbors opposing the plan.
The City of Sandy Springs is collecting public feedback on our proposal. You can support our plan by letting Sandy Springs know you support it. Please have each person in your household - as appropriate - complete the public comment form.
Go to the Sandy Springs comment form use case numbers U19-0004 and U19-0005
What Should I Say? You can simply state that you support our proposal to consolidate campuses at the corner of Mount Paran and Northside Drive. Your own personal reasons for support are also important. How will your student benefit from a Preschool-12th grade campus? How will the community around our school benefit from our presence? If you need help brainstorming, you can pick 2-3 of the reasons below that most resonate with you.
A unified campus benefits the City of Sandy Springs because it:
Both girls and boys varsity soccer made a valiant effort in the GISA state tournament this past weekend at Mercer University. Although the girls were defeated in the semifinal game, the boys team competed in the championship game and finished as the state runner-up.
After the girls team ended the regular season as region champions, they blew through the first rounds of the state tournament on their home turf. At the same time, the boys team handled their first two opponents in the state tournament, sending both teams into the final four.
Girls In the semifinal game, the girls played against Deerfield-Windsor, a team they hadn't seen since the 2017 state tournament, when our girls lost to them 7-0. This time around, our girls held their own throughout the game, ending regulation time with a tied score of 1-1. They pushed Deerfield-Windsor into double overtime before ending the game 1-2.
Boys At the end of the first half in the semifinal game, the boys team didn't look like they were going to advance to the championship game: Fugees Academy was up 1-2 and would score early in the second half to make it 1-3. To add to the struggle, our boys went 60 minutes with only 10 men on the field due to a red card. Despite all this, the team managed to come back and defeat Fugees in double overtime with a final score of 5-3.
In the championship game, the boys competed against Westminster Schools of Augusta, who have been the state champions for the last five years. With the game tied 1-1 for the majority of regulation time, Westminster scored a header late in the game. Our boys finished as GISA state runner-ups ending the game 1-2.
All Region Baseball Ben Grantham Terrance Parker
All Region Boys Soccer Mason Anker Mark Casillas Dylan O'Hare John Michael Torres
All State Boys Soccer Mark Casillas Dylan O'Hare John Michael Torres
All Region Girls Soccer Mikayla Brown Morgan Delaney Annaleena Hansen Asia Bay Jacobs Sofia Oliver Natalie Olsen
All State Girls Soccer Morgan Delaney Annaleena Hansen Natalie Olsen
Pete Radosta was named GISA Region 1AAA Coach of the Year
Sam Walker named GISA Boys Soccer Coach of the Year
Calling all male and female students from 8th-12th grade: The 2019 varsity clay targets team will begin official practices and competition starting in August 2019. Everyone of all skills are invited to join.
Details for this year will be sent out in June 2019 so that the students can prepare for the start of the official season. All shooters MUST complete and pass the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Hunter Education course to participate.
Please send your email addresses for both parents and students to davidbendig@att.net on or before June 1, 2019. Details, along with the link to the Hunter Education course, will be sent out to all those interested in participating. We looking forward to our 3rd season of competition.
When Monday, May 20 • 4:00pm Where Upper School Gym
The Upper School will be hosting free athletic physicals on Monday, May 20 at 4:00pm for rising 6th-12th grade students. Athletic physicals will serve as the official "school" physical needed to participate in athletics for the 2019-20 school year.
Download the Pre-Participation Physical Evaulation Form (.pdf)
Students will have to fill out page one of the Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation form prior to the physical. Please bring the form with page one (history form) completed.
No appointment necessary. First come, first served.
When Tuesday, May 21 • Wednesday, May 22 • 4:00pm-6:00pm Where Lower School Dining Hall
Tryouts for varsity and middle school cheerleading will be held May 21-22 from 4:00pm-6:00pm in the Lower School Dining Hall.
Varsity tryouts are for 9th-12th grade students, and middle school tryouts are for 6th-8th grade students. If you have any questions about tryouts or the teams, please contact Coach Morgan at morgan.gallagher@holyspiritprep.org.
Varsity Cheerleading (9th-12th grade girls) Click here for Cheerleading information
Middle School Cheerleading (6th-8th grade girls) Click here for Cheerleading information
Clay Targets (8th-12th grade boys and girls) Click here for Clay Targets information
Cross Country (6th-12th grade boys and girls) Practice begins Thursday, August 1st at the Upper School Please contact Coach Illya Gonzalez at igonzalez@holyspiritprep.org for more information. Varsity Football (9th-12th grade boys) Practice begins Thursday, July 25th at the Upper School
Middle School Football (6th-8th grade boys) Practice begins Monday, August 5th at the Upper School
JV/Varsity Volleyball (8th-12th grade girls) Tryouts are Wednesday, July 31st-Friday, August 2nd at the Upper School Please contact Coach Damien Scott at dscottvb10@gmail.com for more information.
Middle School Volleyball (6th/7th grade girls) Tryouts are Monday, August 12th-Thursday, August 15th at the Lower School Please contact Coach Tonnie Lentz at tlentz@holyspiritprep.org for more information.
The school year is almost over, and we want to celebrate with end-of-the-year parties! Parents are invited to celebrate with us!
Miss Diane's Class Party Friday, May 17 (at the end of the field trip)
Miss Georgia's Class Party Monday, May 20
If you have any questions, contact Preschool Office Manager Nancy O'Gara at nogara@holyspiritprep.org.
On behalf of our Preschoolers, we'd like to thank all of our Upper School mystery readers who dedicated their Friday lunch time to our Preschool students. The little ones love when the big kids get to come read to them in their classroom, and we can't thank our Upper School volunteers enough for being role models to our younger students!
Congratulations to our 2nd-graders who received the sacrament of First Holy Communion this Saturday! These students have been preparing all year to receive the Eucharist for the first time. Our first communicants include:
Matias Castellanos-Mora Myriam DeSantolo Cooper Hellein Joseph Kichler Enzo Kuhlman Michael Martinez Favian Murry Jemarre Nixon Jensen Plachy Luke Rubio Sarah Schultz Isabella Young Cooper Bosseler Christopher Cardillo Libby Kate Coury Sofia Durand Dylan Hellein Kevin Keith Lucas Kichler Luciano Kuhlman Mario Munos Fabian Murry William Novascone
Summer reading and assignments are posted below and on our summer reading and assignments webpage for students in grades K-7.
Kindergarten/Pre-1st Grade June • July • August 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade
Summer STREAM Challenge (1st-4th)
We will be using a new school supply provider, EPI, for the 2019-20 school year. To learn more about EPI and to browse their selection, visit their website or watch the video below.
Below is a reprint of email sent by Upper School Principal Jocelyn Sotomayor on Monday, May 6.
Dear Upper School Parents,
I hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring weather! The second semester of the 2018-2019 school year is quickly coming to an end. The last day of classes is Tuesday, May 14, and I would like to share some detailed information on what to expect during the last weeks of school.
All School Mass On Wednesday, May 15 at 8:15am, we will celebrate our traditional All-School Mass to celebrate HSP’s First Holy Communicants. Our second graders will celebrate their first communion on Saturday, May 11 and will celebrate a second time with their school family on Wednesday. This is a beautiful Mass and the last one of the year as a school community. We ask that students wear their dress uniform for this mass. 2019-20 Class Schedules Students will receive class schedules for the next school year via email on Friday, May 17. Please review the schedule with your student. There will be a short add/drop period this semester on Monday, May 20 through Wednesday, May 22. No schedule changes will be made after the 22nd until the beginning of the school year in August. In August, there will be a longer add/drop period. If a student wants to request a change, they should meet with 1) Miss Little to verify the change can work with his/her schedule , and 2) the department chair for final approval. Please know that some classes may be at capacity, and we cannot guarantee that add/drop requests will be granted. We do our best to fit all students in their recommended classes and first choice electives, but there may be rare instances of conflicts that are unavoidable. The registrar will contact you if such a situation is the case for your child. Final Exams Final exams will start on Wednesday, May 15, and continue through Monday, May 20. Review day, depending on when classes meet, will be on Monday, May 13 or Tuesday, May 14.
A note about Wednesday, May 15: there will only be one exam on Wednesday, May 15, beginning at 10:00am, following our All-School Mass will be at 8:15am. Students will be done with their exam by 11:40am and we ask that they are picked up by noon.
Starting on Thursday, May 16, the first exam each day begins at 8:00am and the second exam begins at 10:35am. Each exam is 1.5 hours long. The last exam will be over at 12:15pm. We ask that students be picked up by 12:15pm as we cannot guarantee supervision past 12:30pm. Parents do not have to send in a note for students leaving at the 12:15pm dismissal time.
Please note that there will be no lunch service during final exams. We strongly discourage students from walking to the Country Store, at any time, as crossing the intersection is not safe. We encourage students to bring more substantial snacks to eat after exams. We have vending machines with sodas and waters in both buildings available for students.
Students testing with extended time will remain in the same classroom until their time is up. The next exam for these students should be over by 1:00pm.
As in December, 8th-grade students will take a semester final exam in each class, which will include material studied during the semester. The exam will count as a regular test grade, not a final exam grade. The idea is to have them experience a cumulative exam before they start taking final exams in 9th grade, just a few months away.
Preparing for Exams Please make sure that your student brings a substantial snack, a water bottle, two #2 pencils, and a calculator (if applicable) during final exams. Students need to be at school on time as the first exam starts at 8:00am. If a student arrives past the start time, he/she will run the risk of not being able to take the exam. Students need to wear their regular uniform during final exams.
Absences During Exams If your student is sick during final exams, please email the Front Office at attendance@holyspiritprep.org as soon as possible. Your student will need to make up exams at a later date as outlined by the HSP Student Success team (Ms. Rachel Little and Mrs. Michelle Bertany). Someone from SST will contact you if your student has to make-up multiple exams.
If your student is exempt from an exam, and he/she is arriving late or departing early, please notify the school at attendance@holyspiritprep.org. We will not dismiss students without parental notification.
House Day and Winning House Day House Day will be on Tuesday, May 21. Please note that all students will be dismissed at 12:30pm and no lunch service will be provided. Students will receive their yearbooks at the end of House Day. We hope to have all students participate in this fun day!
Wednesday, May 22, will be Winning House Day. This year, the winning House, including 6th and 7th graders, will be going to Main Event in Alpharetta. Students in the winning House need to be at school at 8:00am and will be back to Upper School Campus around 3:45p.m. for pick-up. The school will provide transportation, tickets, and lunch. Students from other Houses are asked to stay home as there will be no classes or other on-campus activities that day.
Students can wear their House shirt or House color shirts and modest length shorts for House Day and Winning House Day.
Cleaning Out Lockers Please make sure your student empties his/her locker by 1:00pm on Tuesday, May 21. After 1:00pm, we will empty lockers and donate any textbooks or uniforms left to the PVA sale. Any other items will either be donated or thrown away.
Awards Ceremony The traditional Awards Ceremony for this academic year will be held in August 2019. More information about the Awards Ceremony will be communicated at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year.
Used Textbooks and Uniforms The PVA hosts a used textbook and uniform sale during the summer. More information is forthcoming. After the last bell on the last day of school, volunteers will be walking around the buildings to collect textbook and uniform donations. There are also boxes in the hallways of the Liberal Arts building for drop off. Please ask your students to place their books in the donation boxes instead of the trash cans. We genuinely appreciate your support!
Please note that there is no school for Upper School students on Thursday, May 23.
I know final exams can be stressful for students. Please join me in praying for them during these last weeks of school. I pray that your student will feel peace and serenity going into his/her exams in order to perform well and finish the year successfully. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Summer reading and assignments are posted below and on our summer reading and assignments webpage for students in grades 8-12.
YouChoose YouChoose Suggested Reading
8th Grade English 8
9th Grade Literature of the Western World Accelerated Literature of the Western World
10th Grade American Literature Accelerated American Literature
11th Grade Advanced Composition
12th Grade British Literature
AP Biology AP Calculus AB AP Chemistry AP English Language AP English Literature AP Psychology (no summer assignment) AP Statistics AP US Government AP US History
Last Friday, Upper School art students teamed up with Pinecrest Academy students to present hand-painted murals and art pieces to decorate the walls of Mercy Care’s Recuperative Care at Gateway Center. As the art was unveiled, Father John performed live music, and students chatted and played games with the patients.
Recuperative Care at Gateway Center serves as a sanctuary for homeless men discharged from the hospital who would otherwise have no place to heal.
The Knights of Columbus would like to thank all students who participated in their scholarship essay contest. The essays were all a strong testament to Catholic values instilled in the students and to the hope in the young. KofC Council 6517 is pleased to award Regina Munoz, matriculating to Georgia State University, as the recipient of the scholarship. Prayers go out to Regina on her new academic journey.
The Upper School will make the following updates to its uniform guidelines for the 2019-2020 school year. New Shirts The long-sleeve polo is discontinued in 2019-20, as is any variation of the green polo. A pale blue polo, one that looks neater and better matches boys' grey slacks and girls' grey skirts, will replace the green polo.
For dress uniform, the white oxford will remain an option, and be supplemented by an optional, long-sleeve, blue gingham dress shirt.
Outerwear The primary outerwear next school year will be a navy half-zipper pullover that perfectly complements the uniform. The green fleece jacket may not be worn indoors in 2019-20.
Spiritwear, such as House sweatshirts, or team or club gear, will only be allowed on special occasions, as indicated by the school administration. Skorts Upper School girls will not wear the plaid skort in 2019-20 – the solid grey skirt will remain as the uniform option next school year. Girls' Socks To match the uniform changes above, girls' green knee socks will be replaced with navy knee socks. Uniform Providers Holy Spirit Prep’s uniform providers will continue to be Flynn O’Hara, Sue Mills, and our online provider, Tommy Hilfiger. The school has been working very closely, in particular, with Flynn O’Hara to ensure that the new items are of the best quality and that there will be enough inventory available in-store starting in early June. The PVA will also run the Used Uniform Store during the summer for the rest of the uniform items. More information about the uniform store will be communicated closer to the end of the school year. If you have any questions about the changes to the uniform, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Congratulations to the following Spanish students who attained national recognition for excellent performance on the 2019 National Spanish Examinations, including two students who placed at the state level.
“Attaining a medal or honorable mention for any student on the National Spanish Examinations is very prestigious,” said Kevin Cessna-Buscemi, National Director of the Exams, “because the exams are the largest of their kind in the United States with over 160,000 students participating in 2019.”
Gold Scott Shurman 5th in state for level 1
Silver Marie Sautre Gabby Schultz Jesus Anaya-Ruiz Diana Pineda Gabe Martinez Jack Sabol 6th in state for level 3 Noah Weeks
Bronze Luke Ciprari Elliana Henriquez-Quallo Mark Casillas Tomas Hossain-Aguilar Dani Ruiz Clara Sautre
Honorable Mention Ella Demmings Berry Fox Micah Gunderson Deacon Broda
The following students have qualified to be members of the National Latin Honor Society:
William Arnold Olivia Arnold Natalie Didier Ainsley Hillman Alexa Lambert Jenny Li Sophia John Daniel Jones Erin McGrath William Schulman Nicole Southworth Will Stinnet Olivia Tucker Manny Yepes
They were invited to a luncheon in their honor held on Monday, April 23 in the Board Room.
When Thursday, June 6 • Friday, June 7 • 11:00am-2:00pm Where Upper School
We need lots of volunteers for the Used Book Sale on June 6-7 from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Volunteers who commit three hours may shop during the faculty/staff pre-sale on Wednesday, June 5 - ONE DAY EARLY!
Volunteer for the Used Book Sale
When Saturday, June 8 • 7:00am Where St. Andrew Catholic Church
The 10th annual River Run for Hope 5K/10K/1-mile takes place on the very popular, mostly flat, certified course along the scenic Chattahoochee River in late spring. The chip-timed race starts with a special blessing and finishes with great crowds motivating you to sprint to the finish line. It's one of Georgia's top races.
The River Run for Hope supports the Ghana Friendship Project, which aims toward ending world-wide poverty by focusing on funding health, medical, educational and social programs for the people of Ghana.
Register for the River Run for Hope
When Friday, June 21 • Saturday, June 22 Where Georgia International Convention Center
Archbishop Gregory, Bishop Shlesinger, and Bishop Konzen invite you to join them at this year’s Eucharistic Congress, June 21-22 at the Georgia International Convention Center. This year’s event features a Middle School track, dynamic speakers and lots of opportunities for spiritual enrichment, including Eucharistic Adoration and Confession.
Be energized by music, inspired by dynamic speakers and fellowship with other Catholics around the archdiocese! For more information, please visit congress.archatl.com.