2015-16 Panther Parent

The Panther ParentThe 2015-16 Guide for St. Pius X High School Parents

General Information ............................... 3 Absences Announcements Anticipated Absences Books Bring Your Own Device Building Open Carpooling Emergency School Closing Faculty/Staff Directory Financial Aid Financial Commitments Liturgies Meals General Information (continued) ........... 4 Permission Slips School Calendar School Pictures School Times Senior Pictures Student Parking Student Transportation Uniforms Yearbooks

Celebrate the Arts ................................. 4 Band/Campus Singers/Choir Theatre SPX TAPPS Art/Academic/Music Competitions Help for Students ................................... 5 CounselingOffice Peer Helpers Tutoring Progress Reports Grades

College & Career Preparation .............. 5 PSAT, ACT/SAT

Expanding Student Horizons ................. 5 OfficeforCampusMinistry Retreats School Events ........................................ 6 Academic Rally Homecoming Project Prom School Dances Senior Prom Honoring Achievements......................... 6 Veritas Ring Ceremony National Honor Society Senior Awards Sports Awards Underclass Awards

Athletics ................................................. 7 Eligibility Cheerleaders Pantherettes Letter Jackets Managers and Scorekeepers Practice Times Sports Uniforms Summer Camps Weight Room Fall Sports & Winter Sports................... 8 Spring Sports ......................................... 9 Student Clubs & Organizations ............. 9

Advancement ....................................... 10 Advancing the Mission Annual Giving Programs Annual Gala Enrollment Set the World Ablaze Other Support

Parent Involvement .............................. 11 Parent Association Booster Club Meet the Teachers

Parent Association Calendar ............... 12

Reference Sources .............................. 13 Drug Testing Policy Anti-Bullying Initiative

Table of Contents

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lunchtime and homeroom (at the discretion of the homeroom teacher). Students will receive consequences from the Dean of Students, Jeff Donaruma for misusing a device. See the Student Handbook for more information.

Building OpenThe school building is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students must be out of the building by 6 p.m., unless they are partic-ipating in an organized school activity. Students who arrive at School before 7:45 a.m. must report to the Frost Cafete-ria for breakfast. The Bramanti Library is open for student use from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and 7:30 a.m.to4p.m.onFriday.Asecurityofficerisondutyfrom7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

CarpoolingCarpool information, listed by zip code, is available from Cindy Flores ‘80 at 713.579.7506.

Emergency School ClosingSt. Pius X follows Houston Independent School District (HISD) emergency closings.

Faculty/Staff DirectoryA complete faculty/staff directory can be found on the school website.

Financial AidFinancial Aid is administered by the School Board Financial Aid Committee. Financial Aid packets are available online after January 1. Applications for current students are due in mid-February for the followingschoolyear.NotificationofFinancial Aid awards are made in March.

Financial CommitmentsStudents must be current with all fees and tuition for each semester before exams will be administered.

LiturgiesAll-school liturgies, including prayer services, are sched-uled throughout the year. Dress uniform is required on these days. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend.

MealsThe School has one 45-minute lunch period for all students. Students may buy lunch or bring it from home. Breakfast is also available from 7:15-7:45 a.m. Valley Services, Inc., provides SPX’s dining services. Parents may open an ac-count through myschoolaccount.com or view the current lunch menu by signing in to the parent portal on the school website. Students may not have lunch delivered to the School by a delivery person.

AbsencesThe parents/guardians (not the student) are requested to notifytheschoolattendanceofficebetween7-9a.m.intheevent of a student’s absence; otherwise, parents will be called. A note, signed by the parent/guardian, stating the date and reason for the absence must be presented to the deanof studentsor theattendanceofficeon theday thestudent returns. Failure to bring a note will result in disciplin-ary action. If the absence is unexcused, two points will be subtracted from the quarterly average of all classes in which the student is enrolled.

AnnouncementsStudents receive information about school schedules, ac-tivities, free dress, club meetings, etc. during the announce-ments in homeroom period and at the end of the school day before they are dismissed from seventh period.

Anticipated AbsencesIf a student anticipates absence from school, he/she must bring a note, signed by a parent/guardian at least 2-3 days prior to the anticipated absence. The note should be brought tothedeanofstudentsortheattendanceofficeby8a.m.The student will receive a form for all subject teachers to sign and to write assignments to make up for the day’s ab-sence. If a note is not brought in prior to the absence, the student will receive an unexcused absence and the penal-ties which go with that.

If a student must leave campus for any reason, he/she must present a note to the school office stating the reason forthe departure and signed by his/her parent/guardian. If the note is not brought in by 8 a.m., the student will not have an early dismissal. At the departure time, the student will sign outattheattendanceoffice.Ifhe/sheisreturningtoschoolthesameday,he/she is toreport totheattendanceofficeand sign in with the time of return. Reminder: Students whoare returning from the doctor or dentist must bring a note fromthatofficespecifyingtheywerethereduringthetimeout of school.

BooksBooks may be purchased online at www.mbsdirect.net. Book lists are also posted at www.mbsdirect.net. Summer reading lists are posted at www.stpiusx.org Teachers give students schoolsupplylistsduringclassonthefirstdayofschool.

Bring Your Own DeviceThe Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program allows stu-dents to utilize their personal technology (iPads, KindleFires, laptops, smart phones, notebooks, etc.) within the context of approved curriculum in supervised classrooms. New ninth grade and transfer students are asked to bring a device at least 7 inches in size. Cell phones do not satisfy the require-ments for sure in the classroom. Devices may be used in the classrooms only when permitted by the teacher. They may not be used during passing periods, but may be used during

General Information

2015-16 Panther Parent Page 4

Permission SlipsStudents wishing to leave campus for a school function must have a permission slip signed by his/her parent/guard-ian.Permissionslipsarerequiredforeachfieldtrip.Athletessign one permission slip per sport.

School CalendarThe school calendar is available on the website at stpiusx.org/calendar. Log in to the school website for access to the full SPX calendar.

School PicturesPicturesaretakenatSchoolduringthefirstquarteroftheyear. All students receive a school I.D. card.

School TimesSt. Pius X follows one of seven schedules during the year. A list of schedules is posted under the “Bell Schedule” tab on the parent portal of the school website and is available at the receptionist’s desk. Regular schedule school days begin withthefirstbellat7:55a.m.anddismissalat3p.m.

Senior PicturesSt. Pius X uses one photographer for all senior pictures. Senior photos are taken the summer before senior year. A formalpicture,with theofficialSt.PiusXphotographer, isrequired for the yearbook. Students may opt to take other poses.

Student ParkingTwo lots are available for student parking during the school day. Reserved spaces are available in the main parking lot in front of the stadium and student entrance at a cost of $200 for the 2015-16 school year. Secure parking is also avail-able in the 804 lot across the street from the School on West Donovan at a cost of $150 for the 2015-16 school year. Stu-dents are encouraged to use the secure parking available to them. Street parking is not secure and cars parked illegally on West Donovan will be towed without warning.

Please note that the Circle Drive is for visitor parking only and not for drop-offs. Students should only be dropped off and picked up using the new roadway accessed via Brink-manStreet.Overflowvisitorandvolunteerparkingisavail-able in the parking lot across the street from the School on Donovan.

Student TransportationSt. Pius X provides student transportation for school ac-tivities for its students. The School owns one 40-passenger bus, one 31-passenger bus, one 22-passenger bus, and a 12-passenger van. At times, coach buses and minivans are rented for transportation.

Drivers for the buses are required to have a C driver’s li-cense. All drivers have passed Texas Department of Safety minimum requirements.

Uniforms(See the Student Handbook for details)Dress uniform is required of all students on certain days as indicated on the school calendar. Students not in compli-ance will receive a demerit and are sent home. Students must remain in dress uniform all day. Free dress is a privi-lege given to students for particular achievements. Students should follow the guidelines listed in the Student Handbook for what is appropriate on free dress days. Students in phys-ical education (P.E.) classes must wear P.E. uniforms.

YearbooksThe Del Sarto yearbook is available in the fall. The cost of one yearbook is covered by tuition.

General Information

Band/Campus Singers/ChoirStudents may participate in music at St. Pius X in a variety of ways. Members of both the Choir and the Band earn aca-demic credit. Chorus I-IV classes meet at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. The Concert Chorale, the combined talents of the Campus Singers and members of the Chorus, serves in music ministry at school liturgies and special events and offers a variety of classical and pop performances, both on and off campus, throughout the year. Selection for the Cam-pus Singers is by audition only and is open to grades 10-12. The St. Pius X Band performs at home football games and in concerts throughout the year. St. Pius X supplies some musical instruments; often, students provide their own.

Theatre SPXTheatre SPX will stage four drama productions this school year. Students audition for parts in the plays, orchestra, cho-rus and stage crew. The Stagecraft classes produce the sets for the shows. Students are encouraged to participate in the productions, whether as a member of the cast or crew, or as an audience member. Show times/dates are announced on the school website.

TAPPS Arts/Music/Academic Competition TeamsStudents may apply to be members of the Arts/Music/Ac-ademic teams and represent St. Pius X in TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) competitions. Team members also are recommended by their teach-ers. Competition categories are Languages, Mathematics, Painting, Photography, Drawing, Science, History, Speech, Drama, Vocal and Instrumental Music and more. St. Pius X has a winning tradition in these competitions. Students are encouraged to participate in all levels of competition and in many areas of study.

Celebrate the Arts



Counseling OfficeIt is the policy of St. Pius X to assign each student to the same counselor for all four years of high school. This per-sonal insight of each student enables counselors to better assist the students with post high school choices.

Counselors work with parents and students on course choices, academic progress and adolescent issues, which mightarise.TheCounselingOffice isalwaysavailable forstudents. An additional college counselor is available to ease the college admission and scholarship process.

Peer HelpersThe School offers a Peer Counselor group two Thursdays each month during lunch. Students can discuss current is-sues with their peers in a non-threatening, supervised en-vironment. There is no charge to be a member of the group and attendance is optional.

TutoringThe National Honor Society offers free tutoring in all sub-jects. Students must sign up ahead of time with Gary and Susi West ’69, NHS sponsors. All teachers also offer tutori-als. Tutorial schedules are posted on the website. Students experiencingdifficultiesmaytakeadvantageofthisoffering.Teachers generally announce additional test or exam tutori-als during class.

Progress ReportsA progress report may be accessed on NetSPX for parents and guardians at the middle of all quarters of the academic year. Ongoing access to student grades is also available throughout the year through NetSPX. Parent-teacher con-ferences are held on September 15, 2015, and February 9, 2016.

GradesReport cards are available online at the end of each quarter.

Students can achieve honor roll status at two levels: Honor Roll, with a semester Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3 to 3.9; and Head of School’s Honor Roll, with a semester GPA of 4.0 or better.

The St. Pius X school year is divided into two semesters with each semester divided into two quarters. Student numeri-cal grades are issued at the end of each quarter. Semester grades appear on transcripts and permanent records and are used to determine Grade Point Average (GPA).

Semester exam schedules are posted on the website. Please remember to arrange for student transportation on exam days.

PSATSophomores and juniors take the PSAT test on October 14, 2015. This exam is particularly important for juniors, as it is the basis for National Merit Scholarship consideration.

ACT/SATCollege Entrance Exams are administered throughout the city at various times during the year. SPX is a test site for ACT tests. Contact the Counseling Department for ACT test dates at SPX. Counselors advise students as to which ex-ams are appropriate for their plans.

Office for Campus MinistryCampus Ministry, integral to the mission of St. Pius X High School, witnesses to the School’s philosophy that spiritual development is as valuable as academic education. By its very nature, the mission of Campus Ministry at St. Pius X embodies a commitment to youth, Catholic education, our Dominican heritage and traditions, the Church and the com-munity. In the exercise of Campus Ministry, four dimensions of activity emerge as essential to the integrity, identity and mission: pastoral care; spiritual life; liturgical ministries and services; and social justice awareness, education and outreach. The presence of a full-time campus minister as minister, individual, pastoral presence, professional and teacher renders service to the entire school faith communi-ty, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, parents/guardians, alumni, benefactors and their collective families.

RetreatsAll students are required annually to attend a retreat as part of the theology curriculum. The freshmen and sophomore retreats are one-day, while the junior and senior retreats are overnight. Class retreat dates are posted on the website.

Help for Students College & Career Preparation

Expanding StudentHorizons


Honoring Achievements

SchoolEvents

Academic RallySt. Pius X hosts the Middle School Academic Rally. Pre-liminaryroundsareheldonJanuary29withfinalroundsonJanuary 30. Middle school students from all of metropoli-tan Houston attend. The event is sponsored by the National Honor Society. Many ninth graders volunteer to help with the event.

HomecomingHomecoming Week begins October 13. Each year, Student Council selects a theme for the week and plans activities pitting classes against each other to raise school spirit to new highs. Seniors are nominated for Homecoming Queen and King by popular vote of the senior class; the top girls and boys are named to the Homecoming Court. During Homecoming Week, the entire student body votes on the Queen and King. The Booster Club hosts a Homecoming dance on October 17 primarily for current students. Dress is semi-formal. Mums and garters are worn at School on the Friday of Homecoming Week. That day, students also may wear their Homecoming shirts, which may be pur-chased from Student Council. The site of the dance and the cost of tickets will be announced in September. Please check the School website for the most current information.

Project PromProject Prom is a safe, adult-supervised, drug and alcohol-free party sponsored by St. Pius X High School. The goal is to involve parents in a formal program to keep their children safe during the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. after Prom. Students will enjoy refreshments, entertainment and will have the chance to win great prizes they may want to take to college.

School DancesCampus organizations sponsor various dances throughout the year, from a back-to-school dance in August to the Se-nior Prom in April. School dances are for St. Pius X students and their guests only. Students may be allowed one guest if permission is received from the Dean of Students at least one week prior to the dance.

Senior PromSenior Prom, a formal dance, will be held on April 16. Guests of St. Pius X students must be cleared with the Dean of Stu-dents at least one week before the dance.

Veritas Ring CeremonyThe Junior Veritas Ring ceremony will be held on May 1. The ceremony, at which juniors receive their class rings, is incorporated into Mass and marks the point at which juniors formally take on the responsibility of being leaders of the School. Refreshments are served after the event (coat-and-tie/church-dress attire). Rings are available for purchase in November of the junior year from a vendor approved by the St. Pius X administration. Only the St. Pius X class ring is presented during the Liturgy.

National Honor SocietyIn the spring, the National Honor Society (NHS) initiates its new members. Students are “tapped” or selected and then are formally inducted into NHS during the Induction Cer-emony on May 4. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend.

Senior AwardsSenior Awards Day is May 20. Seniors, their families and the entire St. Pius X student body attend the event, which is held in the Herzstein Gym. Underclassmen wear dress uni-form, and seniors wear cap and gown. A reception hosted by the Parent Association is held afterwards for graduates and their families.

Sports AwardsAthletic awards are given three times a year. Athletes from sports recently concluded assemble, and awards are given in each sport. The Booster Club sponsors an awards dinner for participating athletes before each ceremony. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend the dinner for a nomi-nal charge. Contact the Booster Club to assist with these events.

Underclass AwardsUnderclass Awards are given prior to spring/semester ex-ams in an all-school assembly on May 16. Recognition is given for honor roll and in each course for academic accom-plishment. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend. This is a dress uniform day for students.



AthleticsEligibilityStudents must be academically eligible to participate in athletics (see Student Handbook for rules of eligibility). In addition, athletic fees must be paid, permission slips must be signed and students’ health records must be current. Students must also be in good disciplinary standing to par-ticipate.

CheerleadersThe coach is Gloria Kimball. Tryouts are held in April each year. Junior varsity and varsity squads are chosen by a panel of outside judges. Cheerleaders perform at pep ral-lies and home football, basketball and volleyball games and outside competitions.

PantherettesThe team director is Amber Benn. The Pantherettes are the St. Pius X drill and dance team. Tryouts are in April and are open to all grade levels, including freshmen. The team is chosen by a panel of outside judges. The Pantherettes per-form at pep rallies and home football and basketball games.

Letter JacketsLetter jackets are supplied to athletes by the Booster Club for those students who have played two varsity sports for a minimum of two consecutive years or one sport for three years.

Managers and ScorekeepersEach varsity team has managers and scorekeepers, who travel with the team. Managers/scorekeepers are selected by the coaches.

Practice Times Normal practice time for most sports is 3:30-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Some sports practice before school.

Sports Uniforms St. Pius X provides uniforms, except shoes, gloves and extras, for all sports. (Girls sometimes must provide their own shorts.) Other equipment is often required. Students are charged an athletic fee when selected for a team and listedontherosteratthefirstgamefortheremainderoftheseason. The athletic fee for football, rugby and lacrosse is $100 and $75 for all other sports. The fee must be paid prior to a student’s participation in that sport.

Summer Camps Summer camps are posted on the website. Usually, students receive letters at home announcing summer schedules.

Weight Room The weight room is available to all students at scheduled times (unless in use by SPX sports team or organized ex-tracurricular club) with SPX faculty/staff/coach supervision. Contact Athletic Director Jason Kimball for more information.


SoccerCoaches: Boys - Nick Merricks Girls - Amir Seliman Boys and Girls varsity soccer teams have approximately 20 players each. Practice begins - Early October Competition ends - Early February Practicelocation-St.PiusXfootballfield Competitions - Two games a week plus weekend tournaments

FootballCoach: Stephen Hill Sophomore, JV and Varsity Teams Practice begins - Early August Competition ends - November Practicelocation-St.PiusXfootballfield Games - Sophomore/JV - Thursday Varsity - Friday or Saturday

BasketballCoaches: Boys - Brandon Scott Girls - Mary Gleason Tryouts - October (Sophomore, JV and Varsity Teams) Practice begins - Late October Competition ends - February Practice location - St. Pius X gyms Competitions - Two games a week plus weekend tournaments

SwimmingCoach: Richard Butler Tryouts - January Practice begins in January (practice is before school) Competition ends - March Competitions - Meets on weekends

Volleyball Coach: Justyna Brewczyk Tryouts - Early August Practice begins - Early August Competition ends - November Practice location - St. Pius X gym Competitions - Two games a week plus some tournament play Approximately 14 girls per team are selected.

Cross CountryCoach: Erin Van Wassenhove Any student is eligible. Practice begins - Early August Competition ends - Late October/Early November Practice location - St. Pius X and surrounding neighborhood Competitions - Friday afternoons, Saturday mornings

Fall Sports

Winter Sports



Student Clubs, Organizations & MinistriesPlease consult the student handbook for additional information on clubs and organizations. Students are encouraged to actively participate in School organizations. Most organizations meet monthly or bi-monthly, at lunchtime or just after school. Beforejoiningaclub,studentsshoulddecideiftheyareabletofulfillclubmembershiprequirements.ListedbelowareSt.Pius X clubs and their faculty sponsors.

American Pop Club: Jennifer BoylesAnime Club: Mildred Johnson ‘77Art Club: Justyna BrewczykBand: Robert Carlin wBest Buddies: Trudi Dattilo Black History Club: Eva Dix ‘08Catholic Squires: Jason Kimball and Victor TakacsConcert Chorale: Patrick Spedale wCampus Singers: Patrick Spedale wCheerleaders: Gloria KimballClose Up: Victor TakacsDel Sarto Yearbook: Georgi Beissner ’87 w Dr. Who Club: Mildred Johnson ‘77Energy Club: Trisha DunnFrench Club: Hannah Dyer-HolzhauerGirls Rugby Club: Leslie Taft-PaulsHandbell Choir/Beppo’s Bells: Marge Harris Honor Board: Chip Burgin and Judy Cusimano International Club: Kathryn Anderson

International Thespian Society: Jeff GalliganJCDA: Denise LloydLatin Club: Tim WoodLiturgical Ministry: Patrick SpedaleNational Honor Society: Susi ’69 and Gary West Peer Helpers: Jennifer BoylesPreaching Team: Patrick SpedaleRobotics: Trisha DunnRaffle Promotions Committee (RPC): Cathy PawlowskiReading Club: Judy CusimanoRetreat Ministry: Patrick SpedaleScience Club: Trisha DunnSpanish Club: Conchita Barquin-MorenoStudent Council: Kim Holik ‘91Theatre SPX: Jeff GalliganTAPPS Academic Teams:v Michelle BroussardVideo Game Club: Mildred Johnson ‘77Writer’s Club/Literary Magazine: Michelle Broussard

wCo-Curricular Credit vTexas Association of Private and Parochial Schools

GolfCoach: Marilyn Hardy Tryouts - February (Boys and Girls Teams) Practice begins - March Competition ends - May Practice location - Area golf courses Competition - Tournaments are held on school days

LacrosseBoys Coach: Matt CarrGirls Coach: Caroline McClean Tryouts - late January (Boys and Girls) Practice begins - late January Competition ends - April or May Practice location - St. Pius X campus

TennisCoach: Hernan Guerva Tryouts - February Practice begins - February Competition ends - April Competition - Matches are during the week and weekend tournaments.

BaseballCoach: Charles Johnson Tryouts - Sophomore, JV and Varsity teams Practice begins - February Competition ends - May Practicelocation-St.PiusXbaseballfield Competitions - Two games a week and weekend tournaments

SoftballCoach: Armando Tello Tryouts - February (JV and Varsity teams) Practice begins - February Competition ends - May Practicelocation-St.PiusXsoftballfield Competitions - Two games a week and weekend tournaments

Track and FieldCoach: Phil Van Cleave Tryouts - late January (Varsity only) Practice begins - February Competition ends - April or May Practice locations - St. Pius X campus and surrounding neighborhood

Spring Sports

RugbyBoys Coach: David SelbyGirls Coach: Danny Naccalban Tryouts - late January (Boys and Girls) Practice begins - late January Competition ends - April or May Practice location - St. Pius X campus


When the Dominican Sisters of Houston founded St. Pius X High School in 1956, it was with the goal of providing an af-fordable Catholic education in the Dominican tradition to the young women and men of Northwest Houston. Today, while the demographics of the School have changed, and it now mirrors the face of the city, the mission remains the same: Prayer, Study, Community, Preaching - this is Dominican ed-ucation at St. Pius X High School. Inspired by Veritas, young men and women embrace academic excellence and integ-

rity, celebrate the community’s diverse gifts and heritage and embody social justice and service. The School Board seeks to balance reasonable tuition charges with the costs necessary to retain an outstanding faculty and to implement the programs which make the School unique. The resources for other necessities, such as capital improvements and ex-panded programs, come from other sources. Here are ways in which you can help augment these additional resources.

Advancement

Annual Giving ProgramsSt. Pius X High School focuses its fundraising on the SPX FundDriveandtheRaffle. The SPX Fund supports the general operating budget of the School that helps pay for tuition, maintenance to the grounds, and facilities and utilities. Launched in the fall of each year, it is an opportunity for alumni, current and past parentsandfriendsoftheSchooltooffertheirfinancialsup-port of the daily mission of St. Pius X.

Donors who contribute at the St. Pius X Society level ($1,500) receive an invitation to our annual Pillars Society Eventandadditionaldonorbenefits.Benefactorswho jointhe Leaders in Veritas Circle through a donation of $5,000 receive an invitation to selected donor events and additional donorbenefits.

The Raffle is the student equivalent to the SPX Fund Drive. Each year students are expected to sell a minimum of $320 inraffletickets.Theproceedsbenefitthegeneraloperatingbudget. Students are offered incentives, such as holidays andprizes,toreachcertainsalesgoals.Raffleseasonbe-gins inJanuaryandconcludeswith theRaffledrawing inMarch.

Other Ways to Support St. Pius X High School

Matching Gifts Manycompanieswillmatchtheiremployees’contributionstononprofitorganizations.Shouldyour employer be a matching gift company, you may double or triple the amount of your gift to St. Pius X.

Restricted Gifts YoumaydirectyourgifttoaspecificinterestatSt.PiusXsuchasbaseball,choir,library,in memory of a loved one, etc.

Planned Gifts If you are interested in leaving a gift to St. Pius X in your will, there are several options available.

Volunteer Your time and dedication to St. Pius X are invaluable gifts and can be utilized in many areas of the School.

Ifinterestedinanyoftheseopportunities,pleasecontacttheOfficeofAdvancementat713.579.7512.

The Annual GalaThe St. Pius X Gala: The Name of the Game - Celebrat-ing 60 Years of SPX Athletics will be held on Saturday, October 24. The black-tie optional dinner/dance features live,silentandbigboardauctions.Theeventbenefits theFoundation endowment.

EnrollmentPromote St. Pius X among your friends, fellow parishioners and coworkers as an environment in which children are challenged to grow and test their talents. A healthy enroll-ment supports the growth of the School.

Set the World AblazeThe Set the World Ablaze campaign is the School’s most ambitious fundraiser yet. The campaign is raising funds for a new science building, additional classroom space, and modernization of the core campus. The support of the entire School community is integral to its success.

How Can I Advance the Mission of St. Pius X High School?



Parent InvolvementParent Association

MeetingsAll St. Pius X parents are members of the Parent Associa-tion. The group provides an excellent opportunity to meet fellowparentsandworkonprojectstobenefittheSchool.

The Parent Association meets twice yearly on Wednesday, September 2, 2015, and Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at 6 p.m. in the Lilly Conference Room.

OfficersOfficersareelected in thespring for the followingschoolyear.Thisyear’sofficersare: President - Michael Paneral Vice President - Felecia Evans-Smith Secretary - Patricia Winfree Treasurer - TBD Hospitality - Tom Cronin & Helen Sestak Fashion Show Chair - Cara Wagert

Booster ClubMeetingsThe Booster Club conducts business to support St. Pius X Athletics. St. Pius X parents, alumni and friends of St. Pius X make up the Booster Club. Meetings are held once a month at 6 p.m. in the Frost Cafeteria. Please check the website for dates.

OfficersPresident - Jackie VitulliVice-President - Beth Culver Secretary - Sherrell YarboroughTreasurer - Terrie Sechrist

Elections fornewofficerswillbeheldat thefinalBoosterClub meeting of the year, usually in May.

Concession StandsThe Booster Club retains proceeds from concession stand sales at all home games. Parents volunteer to work conces-sions. If you are interested in working a game, please con-tact the Booster Club. Parents with children in a sport are encouraged to work at least one game a season.

Golf TournamentThe St. Pius X Booster Club Golf Classic is held each spring. Tournament planning begins in September. To volunteer, please contact Jackie Vitulli, the Booster Club president.

The Panther’s DenThe Booster Club has a store, the Panther’s Den located intheFrostCafeteria,filledwithlotsofPanthermerchan-dise and apparel. The Panthers’ Den will be open on Fri-days during lunch.

Panther Den clothing is not St. Pius X High School dress code apparel unless stated in the Student Handbook. Please refer to the Student Handbook for proper uniform dress code.

AboutThe Parent Association of St. Pius X High School is an or-ganization which provides parents and guardians an op-portunity to meet and get to know one another while per-forming valuable services for the SPX community. While volunteering, parents and guardians play an important role at SPX, sharing their knowledge and talents, and serving on the various committees. Our volunteer activities range from working at New Family Night to serving lunch at Grandpar-ent’sDay.ComeandbeapartoftheRaffleCommitteeorhelp host our Junior Ring Ceremony or the Senior Break-fast. Whatever your interests may be, you are investing in your child’s future by being involved and setting a wonder-fulexampleofyourwillingness tosacrificeyour timeandtalents to offer your student the best possible secondary educational experience.

Meet the TeachersParents are invited to visit with teachers informally at any St. Pius X function and can schedule a parent/teacher meeting when needed. Parents have the opportunity to meet all teachers at Follow the Schedule Night, August 26 at 6:30 p.m. Par-ents are asked to communicate any concerns directly to the teacher. Email is a great way to keep in regular contact with teachers.Allteachers’[email protected](ei.JohnSmith,[email protected]).


August 10 Transfer Orientation New Family Night 6:30 p.m. Auditorium11 Ninth Grade Orientation26 Follow the Schedule Night 6:30 p.m. Auditorium

September2 Parent Association Meeting 6 p.m. Lilly Conference Room 3 12th Grade Parent/Counselor Meeting 6:30 p.m. Auditorium15 Progress Report Conferences 4-7 p.m.

October5 College Night 6:30 p.m. Strake Jesuit7 9th Grade Parent/Counselor Meeting 6:30 p.m. Auditorium28 Grandparents Day 11:30 a.m. Herzstein Gym

November5 Open House 7 p.m.

January6 11th Grade Parent/Counselor Meeting 6:30 p.m. Auditorium13 Parent Association Meeting 6 p.m. Lilly Conference Room27 10th Grade Parent/Counselor Meeting 6:30 p.m. Auditorium

February6 Fashion Show 11 a.m. Westin Memorial City 9 Progress Report Conferences 4-7 p.m.

March14-18 Spring Break31 Meet the Panthers 6:30 p.m. Panther Stadium

April 5 Incoming Ninth Grade Registration 3:30-9 p.m.

May1 Veritas Junior Ring Ceremony 10:30 a.m. Auditorium20 Senior Breakfast 10 a.m. The Commons/Frost Cafeteria

If interested in volunteering for any of these events, please contact Cathy Pawlowski in the Office of Advancement at 713.579.7515 or at [email protected].

For the most up-to-date calendar, visit stpiusx.org/calendar.

2015-16 Parent Association Calendar of Events



Student/Parent/Guardian HandbookThe Student Handbook, with the complete set of rules and regulations, is printed at the front of the student Time Tracker organizer and can be found on the student and parent portals on the school website. Students are issued this book at the beginning of the school year and are encouraged to use it as directed. Parents must sign the acceptable computer use policy and the AlcoholEdu release form and return it to their theol-ogy teacher in mid-August.

Pius X NewsPius X News is the St. Pius X High School magazine published two times a year with a spring and summer edition.PublishedbytheOfficeofAdvancement, ithighlightseventsandpeopleduringtheschoolyear,including students, faculty/staff, alumni, current parents and friends of the School. Please contact Director [email protected] fornewsworthy informationyouwould likesubmitted to the magazine. Alumni Class Notes should be submitted for these publications to the Director [email protected].

St. Pius X WebsiteThe Administration of St. Pius X is committed to making the website a viable resource for students, parents, alumni and donors. Please remember this as a source of the latest information St. Pius X needs to commu-nicate. Sports schedules, lunch menus, the school calendar and virtually everything else relating to St. Pius X is posted on the website. In addition, teachers post homework assignments on their online classrooms. Go to the St. Pius X website, stpiusx.org, for more information.

Reference Sources

Other InformationDrug TestingSt. Pius X High School has a random drug testing program in place. The program seeks to promote the health and safety of our students, to weaken the effects of peer pressure by giving a student a legitimate reason to refuse to partake in drug use, and to encourage students who uses illegal drugs to seek appropriate help and treatment.

Anti-Bullying InitiativeInfulfillmentofthemissionofSt.PiusXHighSchoolto“celebratethecommunity’sdiversegiftsandheritage”each person is recognized as a unique individual bringing gifts and talents to share and having a right to be respected and bearing the responsibility to respect others. Therefore, we do not tolerate bullying or harassment in any form. All members of our community are committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment which promotes personal growth and fosters positive self-esteem. We aim to maintain a setting in which everyone feels valued and respected and where individual differences are appreciated and accepted.

St. PiuS X HigH ScHool MiSSion StateMent

Prayer, Study, Community, Preaching - this is Dominican education at St. Pius X High School. Inspired by Veritas, young men and women embrace academic excellence and integrity, celebrate the community’s diverse gifts and heritage, and embody social justice and service.

811 W. Donovan StreetHouston, TX 77091-5643

Phone 713.692.3581 Fax 713.692.5725stpiusx.org

Documents

2015-16 Panther Parent