De La Salle President | Monthly Letter

November 4, 2021

Dear De La Salle Families:

As we enter this month of November and what seems like a too swift stride toward the holidays, I offer my warmest wishes to you and your family on behalf of all of us at De La Salle. In the month of November in our Lasallian Catholic, American, and De La Salle traditions, four pillars come to mind.

Gratitude ~ Remembrance ~ Action ~ Presence

Gratitude
We will gather in gratitude with our families later this month, yet every day is the right day to pause individually and to reflect on the immeasurable blessings we each have. In a December 2020 General Audience, Pope Francis said, “Above all, let us not forget to thank: if we are bearers of gratitude, the world itself will become better, even if only a little bit, but that is enough to transmit a bit of hope. The world needs hope. And with gratitude, with this habit of saying thank you, we transmit a bit of hope.” 

In that same spirit, thank you to those in our community who have already made a philanthropic gift to De La Salle this school year. Our De La Salle Giving Day was a resounding success thanks to you. One hundred percent of our Board of Trustees, Alumni Board of Directors, and faculty and staff have all contributed to our annual fund efforts--the first time we have had all three do so at the same time. If you haven’t yet made a gift to the school, join all of us and do so now or on the national Giving Tuesday (November 30th) to ensure we continue to fulfill our Mission. Your support makes an immediate impact on our students, programs, and staff, and I am grateful for your generosity. 

Remembrance
Our All Saints Day mass reminded us about our institutional Saints as well as the personal saints who have brought us closer to faith and were living examples of Christ. Likewise, each day at our daily mass (check it out on Facebook) we are remembering those who have passed away, and our Hermanos Unidos Club, moderated by Mrs. Esther Lopez-Arias, created a Dia de Los Muertos altar as a remembrance for those who have died. Memory is a powerful tool that can bring us closer to the Divine; as St. John Baptist de La Salle wrote, “Remembering that God is with you will help and inspire you in all that you do” (Letter 2 - to a Brother, 1701).

We also call to mind the men and women veterans, living and deceased, who have devoted their lives for the freedoms we enjoy so freely, even when we neglect to remember them. If you or someone in your family is a veteran, thank you! We all thank you. 

Action
What an incredible cereal drive we had this year, yet again surpassing our goal! This spirit of Les Hommes de Foi is what makes us a unique community that makes a difference in the world. 

We also know that our service and charity work is tied to our quest for authentically living our call to bring justice to the world. When I shared the unacceptable news about a racist social media post, our consciousness was further awakened that the important initiatives already underway needed even more emphasis. I announced in my October 22nd letter that we would be launching a Task Force on Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. You can find the general makeup and charge of this Task Force, and I invite you to express your interest in this Task Force or our efforts in general by emailing my assistant, Jenny Barger, at bargerj@dlshs.org. Our collective will and actions are needed to make the change we know is possible and needed. 

Presence
I have been impressed with the support our young men provide to each other, and our community provides to them, by showing up. Presence is transformational. I encourage you to join us for “Puffs" which opens tonight and runs through November 14 in our Br. Celestine Cormier, FSC Theatre - as well as our many co-curricular activities. And consider how you can be present to De La Salle by giving your time, talent, and treasure to help us impact the young men entrusted to our care. 

May we each be a bearer of gratitude this November and always. 

Warmly,

David J. Holquin
President

October 7, 2021

Dear De La Salle Families:

It’s a privilege to serve the De La Salle community as President. This service comes with its perks, of course: the people I meet, the ability to vision and discuss our future, and the sideline seat watching such amazing work done with exceptional young people, incredible staff, and committed parents. I think the greatest privilege is watching in awe what happens inside and outside of the classroom that transforms lives. I get to see how our staff draws out the best in our young men in a way I can only describe as profoundly moving and Spirit lead. 

Our dedicated adults love, instruct, and guide our young men like our own children. We challenge them to reach new heights, to tap into their deepest potential, and to believe that they are capable of doing more than they ever thought possible. Our context as a Lasallian Catholic school challenges us all to be a beacon of hope in a world so desperate for the light our young people bring. I have already seen what a thriving community of thinkers, doers, achievers, and justice-builders we have at De La Salle. Our educators take great care of their vocation, and seek to help our students use their education to better themselves, their families, and their communities. This special ministry humbles and excites me daily.  

Amidst that spirit and context, we are still living in a global pandemic and COVID-19 continues to linger and frustrate. I want to acknowledge that we are aware of Governor Newsom’s announcement last week which indicated both public and private schools will need to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students by July 2022, similar to measles, mumps, rubella, and others. De La Salle is seeking additional guidance and information on how this might impact our school and your students. It is too early to make an announcement about our plan, though our school and the Church have been consistent in encouraging eligible community members to receive a vaccination. 

It is an honor to do something I love every day. I never take it for granted, and I am daily grateful for you, our community, and our Mission as a Lasallian Catholic school.

Wishing you and yours well,

David J. Holquin
President

September 2, 2021

Dear De La Salle Families:

What a whirlwind it has been, the month of August! As we pause to give thanks for the social and economic gifts that American labor has provided to our country and world, on behalf of the entire faculty and staff, we extend our best wishes and warmest appreciation for your partnership. With so much going on in our world (the tragic loss of lives of American soldiers and countless others in Afghanistan, raging fires in Tahoe and elsewhere, hurricanes, and more), we honor the commitment of so many to make our lives and this education possible. 

And what do we make possible as partners? 

Faith ~ Integrity ~ Scholarship 

Our pillars of faith, integrity, and scholarship are desperately needed in our world today and this is what we make possible. These outcomes are grounded in relationships because that is who we are as a Lasallian Catholic school--relational. That reality gives context and a lens through which we approach our work. Dr. Alumbaugh and the rest of our President’s Cabinet regularly remind our staff that the awesome responsibility we have to love each young man in front of us, as our own, remains a sacred opportunity in the midst of a third school year in a global pandemic. In fact, I am a part of a faith sharing group of De La Salle educators and we are reading a Lasallian reflection, “To Dream is Our Way Forward: Building New Paths to Transform Lives.” The group and our reading reminds us of the centrality of relationships and trust:

This pandemic has made us understand that isolation and social distance are necessary; but loneliness should not be, nor should be fear. It is when loneliness and disenchantment try to darken the horizon that Jesus’ words “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (Mk. 6:51) are most enlightening…

Indeed! The Brotherhood our young men feel is the direct result of our intentional cultivation of community. It is through our oneness of heart that we create something special and sacred. At the Holy Spirit Mass my opening words to our community were: I love you. Our mission calls us to love, instruct, and guide each young man on his journey through life--in high school and beyond. This magnificent duty is one we fulfill with sincerity of heart and the grace of the Holy Spirit. And it is an honor to do so alongside some exceptional educators, talented students, dedicated parents, and committed alumni, alumni parents, and friends.

May this year be an exceptional one for you and our beloved De La Salle family. 

Wishing you and yours well,

David J. Holquin
President

Dear De La Salle Families,

Well, another school year has come and gone. And yes, this was a difficult year for everyone but the good news is that we made it! I want to thank you for your support of our administration, faculty, and staff this year.

This is my last Spotlight letter that I will be writing. So, I wanted to leave you with the final prayer service (below) I used on May 28th with our employees. The readings that I chose were the readings I used when I started here at De La Salle in 2007. The open and closing songs speak for themselves.

Enjoy and have a great summer!

Mark DeMarco '78
President

May 6, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Well, we are coming close to the end of another school year. What a year this has been! Thank you so much for the support and trust you have placed in the school to get us all to where we are today. Hopefully, things will be back to normal in the fall of 2021!

As I finish my tenure in the coming days, I want to share with you one of my favorite prayers I use at meetings, Words To Live By. These words are a great reminder to me and hopefully to you too about life and what is important.

WORDS TO LIVE BY
“The Dash”

I read of a reverend who stood to speak at the funeral of his friend.  He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning – to the end.

He said that the first was the date of her birth, and spoke of the last date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.  For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth, and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash.  What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard, and there are things you’d like to change?  For you never know how much time is left – (you could be a “dash mid-range.”)  If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more, and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.  If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile, remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s action to rehash, would you be pleased with what they say about how you spent your dash?

Mark DeMarco '78
President

April 1, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As I reflected on what to say in my Easter Letter for this year, I came across the following from a church bulletin from a few years back. I believe the message has a lot of new meaning for us, especially with what has transpired this past year…

New life is God’s gift to us at Easter. Bringing new life to others is what God asks for us. We give new life when we carry out our work with care and attention, when we choose what we know is right, even when others seem to be choosing the opposite. We give new life when we treat people with fairness and justice; when we don’t rake up the ashes of failure, but look for the spark of goodness and fan it into a flame; when we listen to the young with openness and respond with a word of encouragement; when we are patient with people who make mistakes.

We give new life when we stretch out the hand of forgiveness and let bygones be bygones; when we reach out in generosity to the poor and the hungry; when we treat the elderly and the handicapped with respect and gentleness; when we say thank you and well done to the people who enrich our lives, and are so often taken for granted.

Easter tells us that the Risen Lord walks with us, guiding and supporting us in times of struggle and darkness. Easter teaches us that in our acceptance of difficulties and pain something of value is born. Easter shows us how God has changed our brokenness and given us new meaning and new life.

May the Risen Lord give each of us the faith and the courage to face life’s difficulties, so that through them we may allow God to change us – to change our pains to joys so that together we may become a string of hope – joys which speak of New Life, Hope and Resurrection.

Have a safe and wonderful Easter holiday!

In the Spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Mark DeMarco '78
President

March 4, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

What a year it has been. Thank you for your support as we managed life around a pandemic. As you know, last year there was no tuition increase – the first time in the history of the school. We, like you, figured out ways to stretch ourselves financially. However, to try to do this for two years in a row would be financially irresponsible. 

In setting next year’s budget, we seek to achieve three goals: to provide the highest-quality educational program, to meet the financial needs of our students, and to ensure the long-term financial stability of the school.

As you might know, tuition revenue covers approximately 80% of the actual cost of educating our young men. In 2020-2021, each student’s actual cost of education was underwritten by approximately $4,000, which will come from fundraising and the generosity of benefactors. Your tuition payments and our benefactors’ donations together represent a substantial investment in your son’s education. 

If our current school year (2020-21) was a typical year, we would have increased the tuition approximately 3% from the year prior, but in light of the situation last spring and the financial strain that the pandemic put on so many of our families, we made the decision not to increase our tuition. This current year, the tuition and book rental fee remained flat and totaled $20,250.

For the 2021-22 school year, tuition and book rental fees will total $21,060, an increase of 4.0%. We understand that a tuition increase may constitute a hardship for some families, which is why we will make available approximately $4.0 million in financial aid.

Our commitment to keeping tuition increases to a minimum is made possible through two focused and finely balanced efforts: (1) detailed financial budgeting and (2) the philanthropic support we receive from parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, foundations, faculty, staff, and friends, thanks to the efforts of the Advancement Office which raises budget-supporting funds through the Annual Fund, the Brotherhood Fund, and endowment funds.

Our plan for the coming year, carried out in partnership with you, should enable us to balance our budget within two years without diminishing De La Salle’s trademark academic program or decreasing access to our school for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. I hope that you will agree that we have struck an appropriate balance and that we are serving as wise stewards of De La Salle’s extraordinary resources.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, 

Mark DeMarco '78
President

February 5, 2020

Dear De La Salle Community, 

Integrity. This is one of our Integral Student Outcomes as a school. We need to make sure that each of our young men know, understand, and are able to apply Integrity in their day to day interactions – not only while a student but as graduates of this institution.

Integrity, while easy to see in action is often difficult to define. We know what it looks like and the actions associated with it but we struggle when we try to give it one definition. When I try to define Integrity I say it as doing the right thing when no one is looking.  We need only look to our Founder for direction when he said “Your Zeal for the pupils under your guidance would be very imperfect if you expressed it only in word. It will become perfect only if you practice yourself what you are teaching them.”   Paul’s letter to Titus 2:7 also speaks to this modeling “Show yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching.”

Saint John Baptist de La Salle was truly a man of integrity and showed it often in his life.  When he started the Order he was a man of great affluence living with his teachers who were poor. They said to him that if this work does not come to fruition you can go back to your money and you have lost nothing. So, he gave away all that he had to the poor and joined his Brothers in poverty – leaving the work to God. Today, 300 years later, I am proud to say the work of educating young people is still alive.

So, suffice it to say, if we lose our Integrity – we lose everything – let’s all embrace this Integral Student Outcome as a school and pray that the larger community in which we are a part of will embrace it as well. What a world it would be!

Mark DeMarco '78
President

January 7, 2021

In December, I wrote to you about the 12 Days of Christmas. On Christmas Day I receive a box of candy canes. And, it got me thinking – what is so special about candy canes? Lo and behold, with a couple of quick strokes of the keyboard, here is one legend I found – there are many other interpretations, but this is my favorite.

Legend has it that in the 18th Century somewhere in Europe any public display of Christianity was forbidden. No crosses or Bibles were allowed and the Christians were greatly oppressed. One old man, a candy maker by profession, was particularly distressed by this. He loved the Lord with all of his heart and couldn't stand to not share that love with the world. His heart especially went out to the children when Christmas drew near and no one was allowed to have a nativity scene (or crèche`) on display in their homes. He prayed for God to show him some way to make Christmas gifts for the children which would teach them the story of Christ. 

The answer was the candy cane. The candy cane was in the shape of a shepherd's staff to show them Jesus is our Shepherd and we are His flock. A sheep follows his own shepherd, knows his voice, and trusts him and knows that he is totally safe with him. The sheep will follow no other shepherd but their own. This is how we are to be with Jesus if we truly follow Him (John 10:11; Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11) 

Upside down the candy cane was a "J", the first letter of Jesus' name. (Luke 1:31) It was made of hard candy to remind us that Christ is the rock of our salvation. The wide red stripes on the candy cane were to represent the blood He shed on the cross for each one of us so that we can have eternal life through Him. He redeems us and cleanses us with His shed blood - the only thing that can wash away our sin. (Luke 22:20).

The white stripes on a candy cane represented the virgin birth, sinless life and purity of our Lord. He is the only human being who ever lived on this earth who never committed a single sin. Even though He was tempted just as we are, He never sinned. (I Peter: 22) The three narrow red stripes on candy canes symbolized that by His stripes, or wounds, we are healed and the Trinity - the Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit. Before the crucifixion Jesus was beaten; the crown of thorns was placed on His head; His back was raw from the whip. We are healed by those wounds. He bore our sorrows and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:3) The flavoring in the candy cane was peppermint, which is similar to hyssop. Hyssop is of the mint family and was used in Old Testament times for purification and sacrifice just as Jesus sacrificed His life for ours. (John 19:29; Psalm 51:7). 

The old candy maker told them that when we break our candy cane it reminds us that Jesus' body was broken for us. When we have communion it is a reminder of what He did for us. (I Cor. 11:24) If we share our candy cane and give some to someone else in love because we want to, it represents that same love of Jesus because He is to be shared with one another in love. ( I John 4:7,8) God gave Himself to us when He sent Jesus. He loved us so much He wants us to spend eternal life with Him... which we can do if we accept Jesus in our hearts as Savior and Lord. ( John 1:12; John 3:3,16) Some people believe this story of the candy cane is just a legend. Others believe it really happened. We do not know for sure exactly how the candy cane was invented, but there is one thing for certain... it is an excellent picture of Christ and His love for you.

Wishing you blessings in the New Year.

In the Spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco '78
President, De La Salle High School

December 4, 2020

During Advent, we patiently wait for the birth of the Christ Child. Out of darkness there will be a great light! Our annual Christmas Concert is one way in which we prepared for our Saviors arrival. Unfortunately, this year there is no concert which means no audience participation in singing of The Twelve Days of Christmas – hopefully the families in the Class of 2024 will experience this next year. However, now is a good time to share a little history of this song with you.

The song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. According to Fr. Hal Stockert of the Catholic Information Network, the song was a coded catechism, used by persecuted English Catholics to pass on the faith to their children.  Here is what the various gifts in the song really mean:

My true love = Christ                

• 1 partridge in a pear tree = the One God
• 2 turtle doves = the Old and New Testaments
• 3 French hens = Faith, Hope, and Charity
• 4 calling birds = the four Gospels/Evangelists
• 5 golden rings = the first five books of the Old Testament, the “Pentateuch”
• 6 geese a-laying = the six days of Creation
• 7 swans a-swimming = the seven sacraments
• 8 maids a-milking = the eight Beatitudes
• 9 ladies dancing = the nine fruits of the spirit
• 10 lords a-leaping = the Ten Commandments
• 11 pipers piping = the eleven faithful apostles
• 12 drummers drumming = the twelve doctrines in the Apostle’s Creed 

On behalf of De La Salle High School we wish you and your family an early Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mark DeMarco '78
President

November 5, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Well, the Pandemic has managed to put a damper on another major holiday. This is the time of year we were to gather with family and friends to share in a feast. This is the time of year when all Americans share the same intention, which is to express our appreciation for all of the wonderful things we have in our lives. Okay, I know times are tough but I am sure we can find one thing that we are thankful for in our lives. As we connect distantly this year with families and friends, let us reflect upon every facet of our lives and how we have been blessed with great people and wonderful experiences – let us find that seed of hope in our lives – let us nourish it so that it may grow. And now, a stroll down memory lane to hopefully brighten your day of celebration.

Do you remember the days when you were in school – pilgrims, Native Americans, yams, and hand turkey drawings? We cherish the memories of those days and live them today in our celebration with family and friends.

On behalf of the faculty and staff of De La Salle High School, we wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

We thank you for partnering with us in the education of your son.

Mark DeMarco '78
President

October 2, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In this day and age of the pandemic we are all self-examining who we are and what we are doing. I am sure we all wonder if we are doing the best we can be doing. As I look over my past years in Catholic education, the story of The Cracked Pot gives us a good perspective on how we should view ourselves. Let us not be too hard on ourselves during these trying times.

Mark DeMarco '78
President

The Cracked Pot

A water-bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered, a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water-bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because, this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your masters house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said," As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness we find our strength.

(Author Unknown)

September 4, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Well, here we are five-plus months into this pandemic. I know we can all become irritable – we want our “normal” lifestyle back whenever that may be. As you know by now, I announced that I would retire at the end of this school year, and in doing so, I was reminded by someone of a letter I wrote a few years back and thought it might be good to send it again.

In the early pages of the book Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson, he includes a story that continues to remind me about what matters the most and this is not easily done for me. I would like to share this very brief story about five balls with you:

Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you’re keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls – family, health, friends, integrity – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered. And once you truly understand the lesson of the five balls, you will have the beginning of balance in your life.

Think about the balls that you are juggling. What are your priorities? Some of you may feel like you are being torn apart. Family is important, but so is work. How are there enough hours in the day to do it all? How can you find a balance? What does matter the most? Which of these balls is most likely to shatter for you, and how can you stop this from happening?

Stephen Covey, author of the book many of us have read – The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, writes that many of us are torn between the compass and the clock … between what is deeply important to us and the way we spend our time. The clock represents our commitments, appointments, schedules, goals and activities – how we manage our time based on the demands on our lives. The compass represents our vision, values, principles, mission, conscience and direction – how we lead our lives based on what we feel is important. The tension comes when we sense a gap between the clock and the compass – when what we do doesn’t contribute to what is most important in our lives.

It is true that we are all under pressure of some sort to be the best that we can be in what we do. We are all juggling balls in the air. There is nothing wrong with that as long as we remember which ball is rubber and which are glass. 

So much time and energy is devoted to work that some people have little left to give to the other parts of their life. Their life is unbalanced. Now, we know that there is no such thing as being completely or permanently in balance. That’s life!  However, the question is … do we consistently make an effort to re-balance?  This is what makes the difference. This is what really matters.

One of the beauties we have in our lives as “teachers” is that working with children/youth we are often called to clarify our perspective on life. The children/youth help us focus on the things that really matter. They call us to reality.

As we begin a new calendar year, is it possible for us to take the time to figure what is really important and organizing our lives accordingly? The next time that we have to make a decision, will it be possible for us to base this decision on whether it will pull us away from balance or towards it? Will we treat it like rubber … or like glass?

Sincerely,

Mark DeMarco ‘78
President

June 4, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Well, we made it to the end of the school year! While the path was not easy, we did it as a community. Thank you for being flexible with us as we made the move to Distance Learning. A special thank you to our teachers who really stepped-up to make sure our young men continued to learn effectively.

As of this communication, there is nothing that is final for the next school year. However, please know that we will navigate these unchartered waters in three ways – Pray, Plan, and Protect. 

1. Pray – Prayer is a valuable tool for us as a Lasallian Catholic school and it remains the focal point of who we are and how we were established.  The Mission is over 330 years old and a lot of things have happened in our world over that time period – yet, the Mission of Saint John Baptist de La Salle has endured all of the trials and tribulation the world has thrown at the Mission. We will overcome COVID-19 too!  Saint John Baptist de La Salle – Pray For Us!  Live Jesus in our Hearts! Forever!
    
2. Plan – We have been planning many different scenarios for what it might look like when we return to school in August. The COVID-19 Task Force continues to look at many aspects of the school and what social distancing may look like. The academic leadership team is working with Carondelet to develop scenarios about how instruction can and will be delivered pending what we are allowed to do. Please know that we are planning for ALL options. The Athletic Department is also planning how we might be able to engage students in sports. The co-curricular side of the school is also planning what clubs and activities outside of the classroom will look like. There will be a lot more information coming as soon as we are given more direction from the local Contra Costa Health Services Department. The takeaway for now is – we are planning, planning, and planning!
    
3. Protect – The safety of your son and our employees is paramount to us. We are working on a document with protocols and procedures to address how we will protect our students and employees. We are nearly finished creating a phone app that students will complete before coming to campus to ensure that they are symptom free. Anyone coming onto campus will also need to complete the screening app. We will also randomly screen students for temperature. We have ordered cleaning supplies and are in the process of revising how we will clean our facilities. Again, we will do everything we can to protect your son and our employees.

We can’t include everything we are doing in this letter. We will keep in touch with you throughout the summer. We are planning online “Town Hall” meetings to give you information as to what is happening.  Our goal is that we stay together as a school community. Things may look a little different, and that is okay, but keeping our young men together is important. We are receiving new applications every day from families who have heard what a great job the school has done during this difficult time. A special thank you to each of you for sharing your son’s stories and experiences with friends in your community!

Finally, please make sure to get your registration/re-registration items complete as soon as possible. The deadline was June 1st. I am sure by now you have already received a reminder as to what you are missing.

Keeping you in my special prayers!

Mark DeMarco '78
President

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I genuinely hope you and your family are staying safe and feeling well. Thank you for your trust in us as we navigated and continue to navigate the situation with COVID-19.

It wasn’t supposed to end this way. School years do not end without people saying goodbye or without the final cheers of students celebrating the end of the school year. It is a difficult time for our Seniors who looked forward to this time of year – the culmination of 4 years and what it means to be a Spartan. They will have memories of COVID-19 in place of all the events that would have been. We have made plans to celebrate the Seniors the best way we can given the circumstances - we will host a graduation party for them and their parents.

We all know the world continues to react to this pandemic and want to update you on what we are doing for next school year. We are planning for in-person, on campus instruction in August. However, there are many things that are outside of our control. We are obligated to follow Governor Newsome’s plan for California and must comply with directives from the Contra Costa Health Department. We have created a Task Force to look at all the different aspects of the school and our reopening (as well as preparing for book return – directions will be coming to you under another correspondence). It is a detailed plan to ensure the safety of our students and our employees. It includes the following areas:

• Preparing the Building
• Preparing the Employees, Students, and Parents
• Controlling Access to the Facilities
• Creating a Social Distancing Plan
• Reducing Touch Points and Enhancing Cleaning Protocols

We understand that face-to-face instruction is optimal and we’re sure you would agree. Until we have a cure for Covid-19, we must have detailed plans to deal with it. We are in the process of preparing for many different scenarios. We may have to revert to distance learning quickly this fall. As of this writing, the situation is fluid, and we will continue to modify and adapt our plans. Your patience with us is greatly appreciated. There is no manual that details what to do and how to do it, but we will do our best to ensure the safety of all people on our campus. Our focus in the coming months will be the 3 P’s – Prayer, Plan, and Protect.

We want to give special attention to our incoming families who have not experienced our Lasallian family and the Brotherhood. We look forward to welcoming them to our Lasallian family in the fall.

May God Bless each and every one of us!

Mark DeMarco '78
President

April 3, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Please know that each and every one of you remains in my daily prayers. I know that COVID-19 has affected our daily lives, and we look forward to brighter days. Those days will come – we just need to be patient and put things in perspective. 

Late last night we received the following statement from the Superintendent of the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

This week, both the Governor and State Superintendent of Public Instruction have issued strong recommendations that, given the nature of the statewide stay-at-home order and continued need for physical distancing, K-12 schools should not expect to return to in-class instruction for the remainder of the school year. While not a directive or executive order, based on this guidance and the likely event that Contra Costa Health Services will extend the stay-at-home order, I encourage all of us to embrace the idea that distance learning will continue through the rest of the school year. I will be meeting with the Bay Area Health Officers and County Superintendents early next week to discuss extending the March 16th stay-at-home health order.

We know that this situation is taking its toll on everyone for many reasons, but our health experts continue to remind us that following the stay-at-home order and practicing strict physical distancing are the two best ways to slow the transmission of this virus. While we may not be able to welcome students back to campus this year, we know that learning WILL continue, and that every educator and education professional in Contra Costa County will continue to work hard on behalf of the students and families we serve.

As you know, the situation remains fluid. De La Salle will keep you informed when we know the decision from Contra Costa County Health Services who has the authority to make the final decision on this matter. I empathize with each and everyone, especially the students of the Class of 2020, who have their senior year coming to an end and things remain up in the air. At the present time, it does not look like graduation will take place on May 24th, being that the peak of COVID-19 cases seems to be the middle of May, and we do not think it is feasible to bring 2,000-plus people to campus for this important event. There is too much risk. We are in the process of planning a few different scenarios about how we can celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2020 as well as looking at combining the Mother/Son Liturgy and Brunch with Dads and Grads. More information about graduation activities will follow as we finalize plans after Easter break. We will do what we can to take care of our graduating Seniors!

Reregistration for the 2020-21 school year will start on April 3rd. The contract letter gives specific details of who to contact if you need assistance. As you know from an earlier communication – there is no tuition increase for next year. Being one with our community during this difficult time and setting priorities to ensure we can deliver on our Mission, there will be no salary increase for our employees next year. I want to thank our employees for the sacrifice they too are making during this difficult time to ensure your son has a place where he can receive a high-quality Catholic education. We are in this together, and we will work with you as we plan for next year.

I would like to thank our entire faculty, which includes all counselors and librarians, the Academic Affairs Council, and Campus Life for their commitment to the Lasallian mission and for their educational leadership in this unprecedented time. I'd also like to extend a big thank you to all members of our Technology Department, as the infrastructure they have built over the past years enabled the school to move quickly and effectively to our Flexible Learning Plan.

Finally, it has been quite a Lenten Journey for all of us. It is my hope that we can celebrate the true meaning of the Resurrection, particularly this year, knowing that death no longer has any power over us. In reality, that is the message of Easter, and this year I have come to realize this perspective in light of what is happening.

On behalf of De La Salle High School, we wish you and your family a Happy Easter.

May God Bless each and every one of us!

Mark DeMarco '78
President

February 6, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we start a new year, it always gives me an opportunity to think about how I can be a better person in my day-to-day interactions. As I was looking through some prayers that I have filed over the years – here is one of my favorites as we start a new year.

WORDS TO LIVE BY
“The Dash”

I read of a reverend who stood to speak at the funeral of his friend.  He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning – to the end.

He said that the first was the date of her birth, and spoke of the last date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.  For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth, and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash.  What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard, and there are things you’d like to change?  For you never know how much time is left – (you could be a “dash mid-range.”)  If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more, and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.  If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile, remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s action to rehash, would you be pleased with what they say about how you spent your dash?

Time waits for no one.  Treasure every moment you have!

God’s Blessings on you and your family.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco

December 5, 2019

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we start a New Year, we have the opportunity to hit the “reset button” for how we can “live”  this year. Saint John Baptist de La Salle has given us a wonderful gift to keep us focused but we must make sure these are not idol words.

Let us Remember…  That we are in the Holy Presence of God.

How many days do we sleepwalk from morning until night? How many hours pass in which not even a single thought about God whizzes through our brain or pulses within our heart? To put ourselves in the presence of God means to be acutely aware of what is happening around us and to expect every encounter to be ripe with rich possibilities. On most days our senses are dulled to the opportunities surrounding us. Our treadmill existence diverts our gaze from precious moments that hold potential for something grand – a new friendship, a fascinating insight, a scene of beauty, a fresh understanding of our loved one, a just cause to stir our blood.

Jesus was fully present in each moment. He was tuned in to people and aware of both the joys and the sorrows around him. That enabled him to touch a deep place within others because he was sensitive to each situation.

Does your life feel as if it is just one thing after another, or does it feel more like an adventure? Are you rushing toward death or are you awake each moment to how you can truly live? Only you can answer the question.

Wishing you the best in this New Year.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle

Mark DeMarco '78
President

December 5, 2019

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I believe I saw the first advertisement for Christmas before Halloween – talk about rushing the Seasons!  Christmas is more than shopping and giving gifts to each other. Christmas is centered on the Birth of the Christ Child and the Gift that God has given us.

We are a Lasallian Catholic school and we simply would not exists without this reality. During the Advent Season, we anticipate the gift that God has given us – his only Begotten Son. You as parents, carry on this gift by giving your son the gift of a Lasallian Catholic education. I know that for many of our families it is a sacrifice to provide this gift of a Lasallian Catholic education to your son(s). I want you to know, that I often thank my parents for the gift they gave me. I would not be where I am today without it.

So, what is the value of this gift? In a message from Thomas Burnford, President of the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), he speaks about the benefits of a Catholic education and how Catholic schools distinguish themselves in academics, service, discipline, faculty, commitment, and contributions to society.

Here are some high points from his list about the benefits of Catholic education. The statements are supported by nationally gathered data, Vatican II’s Gravissimum Educationis, research by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the NCEA, and the Code of Canon Law:

1. Catholic schools offer an education that combines Catholic faith and teachings with academic excellence.

2. Catholic schools partner with parents in the faith formation of their children.

3. Catholic schools contribute to the common good through the financial savings to state and local communities. Based on the average public school per-pupil cost, Catholic schools save the American taxpayers more than $21 billion a year by not education those students in public school.

4. Catholic schools are more racially integrated than public schools and they tend to produce graduates who are more tolerant of diverse views.

5. Catholic schools instill in students the value of service to others.

6. Catholic high school graduates are more civically engaged and likely to vote.

7. Catholic schools prepare students to be productive citizens and future leaders.

We as a school thank you the primary educators of you son(s) for giving them the gift of a Lasallian Catholic education. May God continue to bless each and everyone of you and the many sacrifices that you make to provide this gift.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and much health, happiness, and wisdom in the New Year.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle

Mark DeMarco '78
President

November 7, 2019

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Where is the time going?  It is early November and the school year is flying by. As you know, we underwent our Lasallian Catholic Assessment Process in early September. Dr. Alumbaugh described the process in an earlier Spotlight.

We have received the final report from the visiting committee. Here is a direct quote from the team “It so clear from the LCAP results that De La Salle HS is having a huge impact on the life of the students, as well as the adults in the school. All of us were impressed by the quality of the total experience of a Lasallian school - academic, spiritual, activities; and your holistic approach to the lives of the boys.”

Here were some of the strengths identified:

There were also nine challenges for the future as identified at the School Leadership workshop which were organized into seven recommendations.

“Many of the challenges reflect work already in progress at De La Salle. Other strategies provide ideas for strengthening existing initiatives or designing new projects and initiatives. All of these strategies are offered as ideas from which to build a multi-year plan to implement the results of the LCAP process. “

#1. Student Well Being

• Managing time and priorities
• Stress and anxiety

#2. Academic Pressure

• Academic Pressures and Expectations

#3. Diversity

• Diversity of Student Body

#4. Catholic Identity

• Changing Religious Landscape
• Faith and Spirituality Now and After High School

#5. Addressing the Impact of Social Media & Technology

• Social Media and Technology

#6. Reaching Out to Parents

• Changing Family Life

#7. Deepening Meaning of “Brotherhood”

We as a school will begin addressing the recommendations over the next few years. I want to personally thank all of our employees for keeping the Mission alive and a lived experience at De La Salle. Thanks also, to you, our parents, for your support in the education of your son. It is by working together that we keep Saint John Baptist De La Salle’s for at least another 300 years!

Mark DeMarco '78
President

Dear Parents and Guardians,

What Matters Most? A few years ago, I shared this message with our parent community.  And now, at the beginning of the school year it is worth sharing again.  In the early pages of the book Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson there is a story about five balls that causes me to reflect on how I live my life:

Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls.  The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity.  And you’re keeping all of them in the air.  But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball.  If you drop it, it will bounce back.  The other four balls – family, health, friends, integrity – are made of glass.  If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.  And once you truly understand the lesson of the five balls, you will have the beginning of balance in your life.

Think about the balls that you are juggling.  What are your priorities?  Some of you may feel like you are being torn apart.  Family is important, but so is work.  How are there enough hours in the day to do it all?  How can you find a balance?  What does matter the most?  Which of these balls is most likely to shatter for you, and how can you stop this from happening?

Stephen Covey, author of the book many of us have read, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, writes that many of us are torn between the compass and the clock … between what is deeply important to us and the way we spend our time.  The clock represents our commitments, appointments, schedules, goals and activities – how we manage our time based on the demands on our lives.  The compass represents our vision, values, principles, mission, conscience and direction – how we lead our lives based on what we feel is important.  The tension comes when we sense a gap between the clock and the compass – when what we do doesn’t contribute to what is most important in our lives.

It is true that we are all under pressure of some sort to be the best that we can be in what we do.  We are all juggling balls in the air.  There is nothing wrong with that as long as we remember which ball is rubber and which is glass. 

So much time and energy is devoted to work that some people have little left to give to the other parts of their life.  Their life is unbalanced.  Now, we know that there is no such thing as being completely or permanently in balance.  That’s life!  However, the question is:  Do we consistently make an effort to re-balance?  This is what makes the difference.  This is what really matters.

I think one of the beauties of working with children/youth is that we are often called to clarify our perspective on life.  The children/youth help us focus on the things that really matter.  They call us to reality.

As we begin a new school year, is it possible for us to take the time to figure what is really important and organize our lives accordingly?  The next time that we have to make a decision, will it be possible for us to base this decision on whether it will pull us away from balance or towards it?  Will we treat it like rubber … or like glass?

In the Spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco '78
President

September 5, 2019

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are off and running for a new school year. If you are like me, you are probably starting to ask the question – Where did the summer go? It is hard to imagine that for some of us (those who were born before 1969), was it really 50 years ago that Apollo 11 landed on the moon? Okay, enough said – you get the gist of time flying by. In this light, we need to enjoy each moment and celebrate the blessings God has given us.

As we start this new year, I am reminded of the statement the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued in July of 2005 (another date long past), Renewing Our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium. It is a very important statement that provides affirmation as well as direction for Catholic schools. The bishops said, “We, the Catholic bishops of the United States, wish to offer our deep gratitude to those individuals who staff our elementary and secondary schools. We applaud their professionalism, personal sacrifices, daily witness to the faith, and efforts to integrate learning and faith in the lives of their students in order to ‘accomplish the very purpose of evangelization: the incarnation of the Christian message in the lives of men and women’ (Lay Catholics in Schools: Witnesses to Faith, no. 31). We take this opportunity to encourage all who are devoted to working in Catholic schools to ‘persevere in their most important mission’” (Ecclesia in America, no. 71). I am proud to work with such a wonderful group of colleagues who live this Mission on a daily basis. As we prepare to undergo the Lasallian Catholic Assessment Process (LCAP) this month, it is my hope that we receive an affirmation of what we do well and what we can do better in serving those entrusted to our care.

The Theme for this School Year is the Lasallian Core Principle, “Inclusive Community.” The Lasallian school is a united community where diversity is respected, where no one is left out, and where everyone finds a place. Individuals within the school community recognize and accept another's strengths and limitations. This core principle is expressed through the Lasallian ideal: "The Lasallian Family." I showed the following video to the faculty and staff, our new families and all classes at the beginning of the new year. In case you have not seen it or would like to see it again, here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDPdRYF7hTQ

I look forward to seeing at you activities throughout the year!

Mark DeMarco
President, De La Salle High School

April 8, 2019

Dear De La Salle Community,

I write to you with important information regarding De La Salle Academy. Effective July 1, 2019, De La Salle Academy will no longer be a Division of De La Salle High School. It will become a separate school sponsored by the District of San Francisco New Orleans.

When the Academy was established in 2014, the agreement for funding was for five years. This funding ends June 30, 2019.  The organizational structure of the Academy was set up so that it would not be financially dependent on the high school and securing outside funding for the Academy could not impact fundraising for the High School. During the past year, this arrangement has proven to be problematic for the High School on many levels. As we discussed what the best option for the future of the Academy would be, I, along with the Board of Trustees, determined it would be best for the Academy to stand on its own as a school.

We are pleased to announce that the District of San Francisco New Orleans has agreed to sponsor the school.  The transition between De La Salle High School of Concord, Inc. and the new school should be seamless, especially for the students and families who are served. The day to day operations will remain the same. The Academy will occupy the same location. The business operations of the Academy, currently run by the high school, will be transferred to the new corporation.

De La Salle High School was proud to establish a solid foundation for De La Salle Academy with the late Ken Hofmann. We look forward to welcoming qualified students to De La Salle High School upon their graduation from the Academy. The financial support they will receive from the generous $15,000,000 estate gift from Mr. Ken Hofmann will benefit them greatly at the High School.

As always, we thank you for your continued support of Lasallian Catholic education.

Sincerely,

Mark DeMarco
President

March 8, 2019

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In setting the annual budget, we always seek to achieve three goals: to provide the highest-quality educational program, to meet the full financial needs of our students, and to ensure the long-term financial stability of the school. The annual increase in the Consumer Price Index from December 2017 to December 2018, upon which we gauge the economy and our budgeting at De La Salle, was 4.5%, the highest amount we have seen in the last few years and much higher than the national average.

As you are aware, tuition revenue covers approximately 80% of the actual cost of educating our young men. In 2019-20, each student’s actual cost of education will be underwritten by approximately $2,000, which will come from fundraising and the generosity of benefactors. Your tuition payments and our benefactors’ donations together represent a serious investment in your son’s education. 

This current year (2018-19), the tuition and book rental fee totaled $19,380. For the 2019-20 school year, tuition and book rental fees will total $20,250, an increase of 4.5%. We understand that a tuition increase may constitute a hardship for some families, which is why we made available approximately $3.3 million in financial aid in 2018-19 and plan on making $3.5 million available in 2019-20. 

Our commitment to keeping tuition increases to a minimum is made possible through two focused and finely balanced efforts: (1) detailed financial budgeting and (2) the philanthropic support we receive from parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, foundations, the Brothers’ Community, faculty, staff, friends, and the efforts of the Advancement Office – which raises budget supporting funds through the Annual Fund, the Brotherhood Fund, and endowment funds.

Our plan for the coming year, carried out in partnership with you, should enable us to balance next year’s operating budget without diminishing De La Salle’s trademark academic program or decreasing access to our school for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Your investment in your son’s education will be enhanced in 2019-20 by the addition of new Computer Science curriculum as well as the addition of a full time Religious Studies teacher in order to enhance the spiritual dimension of our school. I hope that you will agree that we have struck an appropriate balance and that we are serving as wise stewards of De La Salle’s extraordinary resources.

Please feel free to contact Lynne Jones, Vice President for Finance, with any thoughts or questions you might have regarding tuition at (925) 288-8125 or by email jonesl@dlshs.org.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco ‘78
President

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As 2019 is in full swing, I think it is a good time to hit the “pause button” and reflect on how we will spend this New Year.

WORDS TO LIVE BY
“The Dash”

I read of a reverend who stood to speak at the funeral of his friend.  He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning – to the end.

He said that the first was the date of her birth, and spoke of the last date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.  For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth, and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash.  What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard, and there are things you’d like to change?  For you never know how much time is left – (you could be a “dash mid-range.”)  If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more, and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.  If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile, remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s action to rehash, would you be pleased with what they say about how you spent your dash?

Time waits for no one.  Treasure every moment you have!

God’s Blessings on you and your family.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The end of 2018 did not bring great news to De La Salle High School for 2019. On Wednesday, December 19 at 3:00 p.m., we received official notice from the District that the Brothers’ Community will be closed next year, and both Brother Lawrence Haley and Brother Anthony Lenz will be assigned to other communities in the District.  

Brother Lawrence will be moving to Napa to be the Director of the Holy Family Community (where our retired Brothers live) and Brother Anthony will be moving to Saint Mary’s College. As many of you know, Brother Michael Saggau moved to Napa last September. In his letter to the Brothers and Lasallian Partners, Brother Donald Johanson said, "Because of the declining number of Brothers at De La Salle High School in Concord, the community will be closed effective July 1, 2019. This was a difficult decision and I thank the many Brothers who have served at De La Salle since its founding in 1965.”

This is an end of an era since the founding of the school. It was a vibrant group of Brothers who served our community so well. The Brothers will be missed. I know we all have wonderful memories of the men who served us on a daily basis, both past and present. We are a school because of the foundation they laid for us, and we are in a strong place to continue the Lasallian Mission at 1130 Winton Drive.

We will celebrate Brother Lawrence and Brother Anthony at our Founder’s Day Liturgy.

I leave you with the following Vocation Prayer from Pope Francis.

LORD of the Harvest,

BLESS young people with the gift of courage to respond to your call.
Open their hearts to great ideals, to great things.

INSPIRE all of your disciples to mutual love and giving—
for vocations blossom in the 
good soil of faithful people.

INSTILL those in religious life, parish 
ministries, and families with the confidence 
and grace to invite others to embrace 
the bold and noble path of a life 
consecrated to you.

UNITE us to Jesus through prayer and sacrament,
so that we may cooperate 
with you in building your reign of mercy 
and truth, of justice and peace. Amen.

— Pope Francis
Adapted from the Message on the 51st World Day 
of Prayer for Vocations

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco

Dear Parents and Guardians,

One of the greatest gifts God has given us is our uniqueness. As we enter Advent and soon the Christmas season, we should be aware of this gift. How do we use it? Are we proud of it? Do we really believe that we are unique? Another way of looking at this is by interacting with other people, remembering that they are unique. Does this change our view of them?

I offer you this reflection someone gave me to be a part of your prayer:

There is an old Christian tradition that
God sends each person into this world
with a special message to deliver,
with a special song to sing for others,
with a special act of love to bestow.
No one else can speak my message,
or sing my song or offer my act of love.
These have been entrusted only to me.

According to this tradition,
the message may be spoken, the song sung,
the act of love delivered only to a few,
or to all the people in a small town,
or to all the people in a large city,
or even to all the people in the whole world.
It all depends on God’s unique plan
for each unique person.

So, from my heart I want to say this to you:
Please believe that
you have an important message to deliver,
you have a beautiful song to sing,
and a unique act of love
to warm this world and to brighten its darkness.

And when the final history of the world is written,
your message, your song, and your love
will be recorded gratefully and forever.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle

Mark DeMarco
President

Dear Parents and Guardians,

All Saints Day and All Souls Day gives us the opportunity to reflect on those who have passed away and for those saints who have showed us how to live our lives. They have done the ordinary, extraordinarily well. I know that we have all experienced the loss of someone close to us in our lives. That loss creates an ache in our hearts. When someone close to us dies, we should ask the question - What have I learned from this person and how will it affect my life?

In the past few months, I have had a few people that I knew well, pass away. As I reflect on the impact they had on me, I realize that we must learn to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we focus on the goal and don’t enjoy the little things along the way, the opportunities we have to learn more about ourselves. Who knows, we may not be around to enjoy tomorrow. Life is too short to spend countless hours running around and not enjoying anything.

Tonight, think about a person who has passed away who influenced your life and offer a prayer for them.

And remember, make time for yourself. You owe it to yourself!

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In case you missed this message, I am sending a modified version as we work in partnership with you.

With the first weeks of school upon us, we are reminded of all the wonders and possibilities our students will experience this year.  In the 2018-2019 academic year, we will focus on the Lasallian Core Principle “Inclusive Community” as our means to continue our work with the respect initiative.

This year we introduce a new page on our website https://www.dlshs.org/campus-life/respect-and-inclusivity, one dedicated to our ongoing education about respect and inclusivity.  Here you will find updates on programming at De La Salle, established to broaden our students’ view of their responsibility to themselves, others, and the community. Every month you will see a perspective around these topics from our faculty and staff. You will hear from our students about how they are making a difference on and off campus, and we will update you on student leadership initiatives.

In February of 2018, faculty and staff members from De La Salle and Carondelet participated in joint conversations and training exercises, led by Dr. Jackson Katz, CEO of Mentors in Violence Prevention Strategies (https://www.mvpstrat.com/). MVP Strategies returned in April 2018 to orchestrate a two-day training for a group of 25 faculty and staff members at De La Salle, and two Carondelet counselors. Dr. Katz returned to campus in August to lead a one-day leadership institute for De La Salle student leaders. We anticipate expanding the leadership program to include a broader group of students during the 2018-2019 school year.

The themes of respect and inclusivity will serve as the foundation to educate our young men around the importance of respect for one another, bystander training, and much more.

We invite you to visit this page at least once a month for updates from our passionate group of administrators and teachers, who are dedicated to inspiring our students each day.

If you have questions about programming around these subjects, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Dr. Heather Alumbaugh at alumbaughh@dlshs.org.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

“Union in a community is a precious gem, which is why Our Lord so often recommended it to his apostles before he died. If we lose this, we lose everything. Preserve it with care,
therefore, if you want your community to survive.”

Greetings!

We are getting into the groove of the school day and summer seems like a distant memory. I hope that you had a relaxing summer. I wanted to share with you excerpts from the letter I sent to faculty and staff in July…

Summer is always a good time to catch up on reading that is not work related and hopefully you had that opportunity. One book I read was “Rocket Men” by Robert Kurson – an amazing book about Apollo 8 and the first trip to the moon. It makes one wonder how they did it with the limited technology that they had at that time. I think teamwork was key for everyone involved with a project that was so complex.

The book got me thinking about how we work together as a community for the families we serve – communication is key. It is an area that we can always improve upon, and it reminded me of the following: The lyrics to the song “The Things We Do for Love” by 10cc – “communication is the problem to the answer.”

As noted in the quote above, I think the Founder understood the concept of communication and community very well. We as a school community are a work in progress and will always be able to improve and master how we communicate with each other, but we must be united, keeping our students as the focal point.

As we add new faculty and staff and new students and parents, let us focus on doing what we do best – making the Mission Statement of our school a lived experience for those that we serve.

We ask God to bless us with a successful new school year.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Dear Parents,

Another school year is coming to a quick close. On behalf of the administration, faculty, and staff I want to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing us to be part of your son’s educational experience. We have many things to celebrate this year and a few things to work next year to become a great school.

As summer comes, I hope you will have some time to relax. I want to share with you the following that I read from Harvard Business Review It is adapted from “3 Ways to Control Your Phone Addiction on Vacation,” by Regan Walsh. (My team will remind me to practice what I preach.) I do want to share the following with you: “When you go on vacation, ideally you should disconnect from work completely. But if going off the grid truly is not an option for you, set boundaries for yourself so that you aren’t tethered to your device. Make a plan to check your messages once a day at a particular time, or only on certain days. Put your phone out of reach — your hotel room’s safe is a good place — or, if you want to use it to take pictures, keep it in airplane mode. You can also reduce the number of emails you get by making clear in your out-of-office message that you are not reachable. Even if you plan to occasionally check in, telling people that you’re available only encourages them to expect a reply. Your out-of-office message gives you the freedom to choose how and when you’ll respond (if at all) while you’re away.” Feel free to let me know how you did!

Finally, something to put on your summer reading list. Pope Francis - Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and Be Glad”). Its emphasis on the “saints next door” and the “middle class of holiness” is refreshing. If you do not have time to read the entire document, Dr. Tim Uhl, has provided a good summary of the key areas. Paragraphs 63-94 are a reflection on the Beatitudes. Many of our Catholic schools claim “Gospel-centered,” and reading and reflecting of this portion of the Pope’s “call to holiness” might help articulate those specific values. And don’t miss reading paragraph 115 on “verbal violence,” especially pertaining to the Internet.

As we approach this final month of the school year, I want to thank you once again for your support – for us and for your son. Together, we have the opportunity and responsibility to continue to make De La Salle High School a great school.

In the Spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle,

Dear Parents,

As I reflected as to what to say in my Easter Letter for this year, I came across the following from a church bulletin. Some you may have seen this, but I do believe it is worth a second reading and reflection.

New life is God’s gift to us at Easter. Bringing new life to others is what God asks for us. We give new life when we carry out our work with care and attention, when we choose what we know is right, even when others seem to be choosing the opposite. We give new life when we treat people with fairness and justice; when we don’t rake up the ashes of failure, but look for the spark of goodness and fan it into a flame; when we listen to the young with openness and respond with a word of encouragement; when we are patient with people who make mistakes.

We give new life when we stretch out the hand of forgiveness and let bygones be bygones; when we reach out in generosity to the poor and the hungry; when we treat the elderly and the handicapped with respect and gentleness; when we say thank you and well done to the people who enrich our lives, and are so often taken for granted.

Easter tells us that the Risen Lord walks with us, guiding and supporting us in times of struggle and darkness. Easter teaches us that in our acceptance of difficulties and pain something of value is born. Easter shows us how God has changed our brokenness and given us new meaning and new life.

May the Risen Lord give each of us the faith and the courage to face life’s difficulties, so that through them we may allow God to change us – to change our pains to joys so that together we may become a string of hope – joys which speak of New Life, Hope and Resurrection.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter holiday!

Dear Parents,

In setting the annual budget, we always seek to achieve three goals: to provide the highest-quality educational program, to meet the full financial needs of our students, and to ensure the long-term financial stability of the school. The annual increase in the Consumer Price Index from December 2016 to December 2017 upon which we gauge the economy and our budgeting at De La Salle was 2.9%.

Tuition revenue covers approximately 80% of the actual cost of educating our young men. In 2018-2019, each student’s actual cost of education will be underwritten by approximately $1,900, which will come from fundraising and the generosity of benefactors. Your tuition payments and our benefactors’ donations together represent a serious investment in your son’s education.

This current year (2017-2018), the tuition and book rental fee totaled $18,550. For the 2018-2019 school year, tuition and book rental fees will total $19,380, an increase of 4.5%. We understand that a tuition increase may constitute a hardship for some families, which is why we made available approximately $2.8 million in financial aid in 2017-2018 and plan on making $3 million available in 2018-2019.

Our commitment to keeping tuition increases to a minimum is made possible through two focused and finely balanced efforts: (1) detailed financial budgeting and (2) the philanthropic support we receive from parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, foundations, the Brothers’ Community, faculty, staff, and friends thanks to the efforts of the De La Salle Annual Fund. Our plan for the coming year, carried out in partnership with you, should enable us to balance next year’s operating budget, without diminishing De La Salle’s trademark academic program or decreasing access to our school for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. I hope that you will agree that we have struck an appropriate balance and that we are serving as wise stewards of De La Salle’s extraordinary resources.

Please feel free to contact Lynne Jones, Vice President for Finance, with any thoughts or questions you might have regarding tuition at (925) 288-8125 or by email.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Mark DeMarco '78
President

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, and Friends of De La Salle,

Happy New Year! I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and celebration of the Birth of Our Savior!

Last month, I wrote to you about an article “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” (archived at the bottom of this page). Well, after I wrote that letter, I read another article published in the JSTOR Daily by Alexandra Samuel entitled “Yes, Smartphones Are Destroying a Generation, But Not of Kids.”

Samuel says that what is missing from many alarmists regarding the use of smartphones and social media is the “so what?” In other words, while many educators and parents and psychologists and blog writers can explain the problem, few of them can provide an adequate solution. Her takeaway is this: “The off switch has its place, but if that’s all we have to offer our kids, we aren’t helping prepare them for what it means to live in a digital world. …the best way we can do that is by embracing our role as digital mentors: actively encouraging our kids to use technology, but offering ongoing support and guidance in how to use it appropriately. Kids who’ve been actively mentored by their parents actually have healthier relationships to technology than kids who’ve been set free in the wilds of the Internet, or conversely, had their online access tightly limited.”

So, my conclusion to both articles is that it is not an “either or” conversation — it is “both and.” Technology is here to stay. We cannot get rid of it nor, perhaps, should we. Instead, as my grandmother use to tell me – everything in moderation. The limit is not in the amount of time we are on our smartphones – it’s the quality of how we are using it. Are we learning a new subject? Are we finding a new way to make a meaningful connection? If we are using the pseudo-anonymity certain technology platforms provide to ridicule and “troll” others, then we are missing out on the “social” aspect of technology. Let us use the tools that God has given us in a responsible way to make this world a better place.

As technology evolves, so too will this conversation. We will continue to partner with you as we raise and educate young men of Faith, Integrity, and Scholarship.

If you would like to read Alexandra Samuel’s full article you will find it here.

And so, as we start the year, please know that you will be remembered in my prayers for a wonderful New Year!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

One of the many benefits of working at an academic institution is being in a learning environment – not just for students but for adults, as well. Recently, Dr. Alumbaugh shared an article with me “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” from The Atlantic magazine. Jean Twenge, the author of the article, posits the thesis: “More comfortable online than partying, post-Millennials are safer, physically, than adolescents have ever been. But they’re on the brink of a mental-health crisis.” I have listed the link to the entire article below. However, if you don’t have time to read it – here are some important points:

• Smartphones, coupled with social media, have caused an earthquake of a magnitude that we’ve not seen in a very long time, if ever. These devices are making teens seriously unhappy.
• Teens who spend more-than-average time on screen activities are more likely to be unhappy.
• If you were to give advice for a happy adolescence – it would be straightforward: Put down the phone, turn off the laptop, and do something – anything – that does not involve a screen.

Wait! How can this be with a device that was supposed to make daily life a little easier for us? Do you remember the beginning of the internet? We were all excited to hear “You’ve got mail.” It was something that we checked occasionally, but it was not with us 24/7 as it is today. I am not an advocate of getting rid of smartphones; I am, however, an advocate of the responsible use of them. Whatever happened to picking up the phone and calling someone? To me, a texting conversation with someone tells me that a person does not want to talk. As human beings we need social interaction. We will not be able to experience empathy if we do not interact face to face.

The smartphone has made it easy to post our latest thoughts and pictures of what we are doing. I have seen in my 10 years here at De La Salle an increase in student discipline issues because of smartphones. I am always amazed at certain situations, when I find out the details of the situation, that the little voice in my head says, “What were they thinking?” This past August, the Freshmen students from both De La Salle and Carondelet attended an assembly lead by Kim Karr, co-founder of the organization #ICanHelp. It was part of our effort to educate the students about responsible social media use. The biggest take away: Whatever you post or say is there forever. Colleges and future employers will look at your digital footprint. What will they find?

If you have made it to the end of this letter – thanks for reading. I am really not a curmudgeon or someone who wants to live in the dark ages. I just want to make sure that we as a school continue to teach our young men about the responsible, even ethical, use of technology.

If you would like to read the full article you can find it by following this link.

A Prayer for Parents and Administrators

Loving God,

You share life with us and call us to share as fathers and mothers in your life-giving power.
Give us the strength to know what to give and what to withhold.
Guide us in when to reprimand and when to praise.
Make us gentle and considerate, yet firm and watchful.

Keep us from being too indulgent or from being too severe.
Give us the courage to be disliked sometimes,
when we must do necessary things that are displeasing to the eyes of our children.

Give us the imagination to enter into the world of young ones in order to understand and guide them.
Give us all the virtues we need to lead our sons and daughters by word and example in the path of righteousness.

Amen.

In the Spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle,

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the new school year! We are off and running, which reminds me of one of my favorite prayers. I would like to share it with you now as we start a new year together.

WORDS TO LIVE BY

“The Dash”

I read of a reverend who stood to speak at the funeral of his friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning – to the end.

He said that the first was the date of her birth, and spoke of the last date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth, and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own: the cars, the house, the cash. What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard. Are things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left – (you could be a “dash mid-range.”) If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.

Be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more, and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before. If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile, remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s action to rehash, would you be pleased with what they say about how you spent your dash?

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have!

We pray for God’s blessings, and as we start a new school year, let us treasure each moment.

Dear Parents,

Another academic year is coming to a close quickly. I often think of the school year as a carousel - it starts slow, gains speed, maintains the peak speed for some time, slows down, stops, the riders leave, and new riders join. This ebb and flow continues year in and year out.

And so, the Seniors are counting the days until they graduate, and our incoming Freshmen are counting the days until they become part of the Spartan Brotherhood. This ministry of Catholic, Lasallian education has been around for 330 years, and we continue to thank God for this gift with a complete understanding that the work we do here at school is His work.

I know that this past year has been especially difficult at times - especially as we have lost loved ones associated with the school - in particular, Jim Olwell who passed away on Holy Saturday. Jim was an amazing colleague and outstanding teacher. His passing is a big loss for us, and it reminds us, too, of the cycle of life. What is important to you? What makes you laugh? What brings you hope? Our life is God’s gift to us - what we do with our life is our gift to God. I can hear the angels saying to Jim, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

To the parents who are reading this last Spartan Spotlight, thank you for your support these past four years, and we look forward to working with you as alumni parents. Please know that you are always part of the DLS family! To those of you returning next year - we wish you a safe and relaxing summer.

Dear Families,