Press Releases
Santa Catalina School Opens School Year With Flag Raising
Annual Ceremony Showcases Student Leadership
Student Council president Nick Halamandaris welcomed the group, including parents, teachers, and school administrators, with a prayer, and then the Fleet Numeric Naval Color Guard "presented the colors." The Santa Catalina Lower School flags were raised while student Esteban Sanchez performed a trumpet solo of our national anthem. Brief speeches from Student Council members Sean Murphy, Gwen Humble, and Tatiana Briggs welcomed new teachers and explained both the significance of the event and the important role of the Flag Committee (Kelsey Hand, Kevin Tang, and Arjun Sidhu), which is responsible for the daily raising and lowering of the flags.
The flag raising ceremony was created approximately 15 years ago by Margaret Lotz, instructor of history in grades 6-8, as a leadership opportunity for students. "The flag raising ceremony starts the Student Council on their road to leadership through the process of writing and presenting speeches to the entire Lower School," said Lotz. "The ceremony allows the whole school to participate in a very meaningful experience."
Friday's ceremony also included welcomes by several school administrators. Linda Mutty, division head for grades 5-8, spoke to the idea of leadership, telling students, "You are the future, and with that knowledge, you have the awesome responsibility to be a model citizen who stands proudly when you salute our country's flag." Christy Pollacci, division head for PreK-grade 4 and director of Lower School admission, reminded students that "...it is your character that defines you. Be the best person you can be."
The singing of our national anthem and "God Bless America" concluded the ceremony.
About Santa Catalina School
Santa Catalina School is dedicated to the education of young people between the ages of 4-18, giving careful consideration to the individual abilities and potential of each child. The school's mission is to balance intellectual growth with spiritual awareness, creativity with order, and individuality with compassion. Santa Catalina School is enriched by the diversity of socioeconomic, religious, geographic, and cultural backgrounds represented by students and faculty. The Upper School includes boarding students from 14 states and 9 countries. Local students come from not only the Central Coast, but also from cities as far away as Gilroy, King City, Santa Cruz, San Jose and Santa Clara. For more information visit www.santacatalina.org or call 831.655.9300.
About Santa Catalina School
Santa Catalina School is dedicated to the education of young people between the ages of 4-18, giving careful consideration to the individual abilities and potential of each child. The school’s mission is to balance intellectual growth with spiritual awareness, creativity with order, and individuality with compassion. Santa Catalina School is enriched by the diversity of socioeconomic, religious, geographic, and cultural backgrounds represented by students and faculty. The Upper School includes boarding students from 14 states and 9 countries. Local students come from not only the Central Coast, but also from cities as far away as Gilroy, King City, Santa Cruz, San Jose and Santa Clara. For more information visit www.santacatalina.org or call 831.655.9300.