What's Happening at Saint Mary's?

The Saint Mary’s community is busy this Fall, on-campus and off. With a student body hailing from so many different Bay Area cities, campus activities that create community are important, and are very popular, too. Three dozen campus clubs and a Student Life Center complement the school’s academic, arts, and athletics programs. Final exams are coming up in a few weeks, followed by Thanksgiving Week Break.

Mark your calendar for Saint Mary’s annual Admissions Open House, Sunday, December 8 from 1:00 until 2:30 p.m. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade families can meet the school administration, faculty, coaches, staff, parents, and students, and tour the Peralta Park campus. Reservations are not required. Carpooling and public transit are recommended. The school will run frequent shuttles to and from North Berkeley BART, and AC Transit Line 12 stops two blocks from the school. For information, visit www.saintmaryschs.org.

Photos: As part of Berkeley Project Day 2019, members of the Saint Mary’s community lent a hand at the monthly cleanup of the historic Fountain and Walk at the Marin Circle on October 26. Seniors Alex Rudolph and Jackson Bader and freshman Marisa Salazar joined faculty members Clare McCormick and Mike Sommers (SMCHS ’74, in blue) for a few hours of raking, weeding, sweeping, and even scrubbing the iconic Bear Fountain to get it shined up for the coming holiday season. Sommers’ Saint Mary’s classmate and fellow Northbrae native, Mike Gray, in yellow, currently heads the Friends of the Fountain and Walk group.

On November 7, the Introduction to Theatre Arts class presents "Storytime” at 7:00 p.m. in the school auditorium. $5 general admission supports the Performing Arts program. The Fall Music Concert takes place Thursday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m. The program includes the Intermediate Band, Modern Band, Advanced Symphonic Band, Chorus, and Selected Soloists, under the direction of Mr. Elliott Nguyen (SMCHS '08). The concert is free; donations are welcome. Come enjoy some good music before the hectic holidays begin.

The Dissection Club got very creative this Hallo-Week, and sponsored a pumpkin carving contest. Teams worked to create a bevy of fun, whimsical, creepy, and clever gourds.

Cancer Awareness Month inspired the annual Campus Pink Out Day on October 25. The Panther Girls’ Tennis Team hosted a tie-dye tee shirt event and students and faculty members with personal cancer stories inspired the community to vigilance and compassion.

Fall sports included Cross Country meets along the Bay at Point Pinole.

Freshman Biology students worked with Friends of Five Creeks to clean up areas of debris along Codornices Creek around Berkeley and Albany in early October. A section of the creek runs along one edge of the school campus and provides Biology classes with on-site study and opportunities for creek maintenance.

Congratulations to the Lady Panthers Tennis team that defeated El Cerrito High on October 29 by a score of 5-2. The team finished undefeated in league at 13-0 for the fifth straight season, winning the TCAL league title.