A Culture of Positivity

Finding God in All Things The Bishop O’Dowd High School Magazine A Culture of Positivity A Culture of Positivity, page 2 Transforming Lives Dinner, page 26 Winter 2017 Class of 2017 Endowment Fund, page 33 Charism Finding God in all things calls us to: Community in Diversity Strength of Character Academic Excellence Kinship with Creation Social Justice From the Joy Stephen Phelps, EdD PRESIDENT President James (J.D.) Childs, MA, MEd In the psychology class I taught during the fall semester, we completed a unit on Principal positive psychology, illuminating the behaviors and intellectual experiences that Susan Andres Director of Marketing enable individuals and human communities to thrive. We studied a concept known as the zone of proximal development. This concept in education underscores Romeo Baldeviso, MS Chief Information Officer the difference between what a learner can do without help and with help. Great Rebecca Bischoff teachers and coaches who make expert use of this concept motivate students and Chief Development Officer bring joy to their lives, generating cultures that produce excellence and continual Christine Garavaglia, CPA Chief Financial Officer growth. Michelle Hawkins Director of Development This issue of the Dragon stands in sharp contrast to the recently completed Brian Judd, MS Presidential campaign that was among the most negative and joyless in memory. Assistant Principal J.D. Childs’ lead article on page 5 speaks for all of us at O’Dowd as he applies the Briana Loewinsohn research on positivity and the values expressed in our Charism to everything we Graphic Designer do here. Joy is what happens when a school seeks to find God in everything we do Cathy McFann Director of Annual Giving and Special Events because God is love and joy. Lisa Coffey Mahoney ’76 Director of Communications If you want to be inspired by alumni making the world a better place, check out LizaDawn Ramirez, MA, CFRE the work of the soon-to-be alumni from the Class of 2017 on page 33, or the story Director of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy on Greg Schmidt ’65 on page 52. The Alumni Spotlight section beginning on page Colette Roche, EdD 42 features Christina Fisher’s work to find a cure for Charcot-Marie Tooth Disease, Assistant Principal a group of disorders that affect the peripheral nerves, and Dr. Daniel Stevens ’94, Jase Turner, MA Assistant Principal the Director of Adolescent Medicine at Union Community Health Center in the We welcome your comments, questions, or suggestions! Bronx, who works to ensure that underserved youth have access to comprehensive Please contact Dragon editor, Lisa Coffey Mahoney ’76, at 510.577.9100, ext. 302, or [email protected]. medical care. Finally, check out the career paths of Jamil Habibi ’07 and Adam Herndon’92 both of whom are seeking to make an impact on our society in govern- Board of ment service and business. REGENTS Kim Walsh Equally positive in this issue is your generosity that has increased our endowment Chairperson for financial aid by $1,200,000. The highly successfulTransforming Lives Dinner, Kevin Kelly Vice Chairperson held on November 6, and our successful alumni golf tourney, held in September, Kerwin Allen together raised more than $300,000 for financial aid for our most needy and de- Tracey Borst serving families. Thank you! Kevin Coldiron Shana Daum Finally, speaking for O’Dowd administrators, faculty and staff, in a time of accel- Jeannette DeLaGarza erating change and steady disruption of the status quo, we promise to remain Fr. Leo Edgerly positive and produce hundreds of graduates each year like those we chronicle in John Heagerty ’60 Glen Hentges this and every issue. We pray that God will bless you and your families and all with Kevin Hester ’88 whom you live, work and play. Christopher Johnson Ellie Knauss Kevin Leader Fr. Jay Matthews Alan McIntosh Glenele Oberrich Sincerely, Mary O’Connell Michael Robarts Stephen Phelps, EdD Leslie Sims Robertson ’81 Roderick Roche ’81 Judith Blout Sanchez ’60 Shonda Scott James Wolfe THANK YOU! You rose to the challenge . and we met our goal! Table of Thanks to your generosity, we have met and surpassed our $500,000 challenge and contributed $1,200,000 CONTENTS to the financial aid endowment. 02 A Culture of Positivity Now the O’Dowd endowment will 20 Dragon Talks Tackle Tough Issues give twice as much to transform 22 Student Academic Achievement student lives with an 23 Bonnie Sussman Presents at National O’Dowd education. Social Studies Conference 25 O’Dowd Certified as a Bay Area Green Business 26 Transforming Lives Dinner 2016 28 O’Dowd Thanks Top Supporters 30 Dragon Golf Classic 33 Class of 2017 Endowment Fund 35 7 Things … About Colette Roche Write us! 36 Alumni News We welcome your letters in response to articles in this magazine. Please e-mail submissions to Dragon editor Lisa Coffey 44 Alumni Spotlight Mahoney at [email protected] or send a letter to: Dragon Magazine 52 Athletics News 9500 Stearns Ave. Oakland, CA 94605 56 Remembering Greg Schmidt ’65 We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and space. 57 In Memoriam Are you interested in being a featured contributor? Please contact Lisa Coffey Mahoney. We reserve the right to make decisions on whether or not to publish submitted contributions Cover illustration by Briana Loewinsohn. based on theme of the issue, available space and the nature of the story. 2 // Dragon POSITIVITY … the quality or state of being positive A positive, joyful school culture that creates a fertile environment for learning, creativity and performance doesn’t just happen. It requires intentional cultivation, with administrators, faculty, staff, coaches, students and parents working together compassionately and collabo- ratively to uplift all within the community. This vital process is not static but fluid. As Principal JD Childs says, a healthy ecosystem is one that is flexible, creative and adaptable. “That’s the foundation for pro- moting academic grit in our students, for rigor, for effec- tive instruction that calls the most out of our students, that creates schoolwide expectations that are real and challenging,” he said. In the following pages you’ll learn about the ways the O’Dowd community nurtures a culture of positivity that nourishes the mind, body and spirit, and grows the gifts of our Charism so that all are empowered to create positive change in the world. Photo by Dennis Mockel. Winter Magazine 2017 // 3 CULTURE of positivity Principal JD Childs. Photo by Briana Loewinsohn. 4 // Dragon CULTURE of positivity Principal JD Childs on Creating a CULTURE OF POSITIVITY we organize school and execute our educational pro- What are the ways grams. Our culture of positivity frames our students’ in which aspirations and casts their eyes far out on the horizon in terms of possibilities for their lives and the impact we cultivate a they can create. Our O’Dowd culture manifests itself in our school pride and in the richness of student Culture of Positivity expression and learning. at O’Dowd? School culture is created and utilizes many resources Our culture equips our students with to achieve its positive energy. Culture has to do with a worldview that is sensitive to the the stories that we tell, the values that we hold, those heroes that we hold up, and the traditions that we needs of others and inspires them to keep. be change-makers. At O’Dowd, our school culture, a culture of positivity, is emphasized and reinforced through a combination Our culture of positivity emerges from individual of the values that we hold and bring to bear in how respect and openness to other’s viewpoints. Winter Magazine 2017 // 5 CULTURE of positivity Another aspect of our culture of positivity is our How does such focus on community in diversity. By being intention- a culture enhance al about forging real community in diversity here at O’Dowd, we are able to be a more creative, flexible, the learning and adaptable organization. And, we are able to simultaneously uphold the dignity and worth of each experience? one of our students within the context of the com- There is an emphasis on expectations here at mon good. When students feel that they individually O’Dowd. In other words, students are aware that their matter, and they believe that their voices are meant teachers and administrators, in partnership with their to be heard, and when the school facilitates opportu- parents, have aspirations for them. These expecta- nities for their opinions to be put forth, that openness tions provide a foundation for a culture of positivity. and acceptance creates an uplifting and enlivened Young people best flourish in an environment where climate on campus. things are expected of them; where they understand that they need to stretch and grow in order to achieve their goals; where college is the norm, and their gifts and talents become an offering for the sake of the I’ve been in classes already where this whole. Alongside a culture of expectation is a culture of openness; this is to point out the difference in our combination of expectation, aspira- school between primarily forcing compliance ver- tion, openness, and diversity creates sus inviting engagement. In our admissions events, students say that the biggest negative of O’Dowd the foundation for vital and rich dis- is dress code. That’s a relatively insignificant issue about which to “rage against the machine!” cussions and deeper learning. Instead, students have a voice here I’m confident that our culture of positivity is prepar- ing students with a greater emotional intelligence and respect one another in sharing and equipping them with communication skills that are necessary to collaborate successfully in this new alternative viewpoints.

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