Lasallian Student Life

List of 14 items.

• Freshmen Retreat

  Held off-campus, the entire Freshmen class attends a day long retreat during their first semester at Justin-Siena.  Led by faculty, staff, and class leaders, the students are encouraged to lean in to a day of reflection with activities geared to allow for the class to grow closer.  The retreat builds on the freshmen immersion held in the summer and are cherished experiences for everyone!  Activities include some fun icebreakers to better get to know each other, challenges throughout the day led by faculty, staff and coaches, skits based on real life scenarios and finally, a student Q & A panel of upperclassmen shared advice that they wish they knew as a freshman. During the retreat, the students will have time to bond and connect as a class, build the loving Christ-centered community of our mission and learn more about what ALLHEART means.  

• Sophomore Retreat

  In November, the entire Sophomore class will be attending one of two overnight retreats.  At Alliance Redwoods Conference Center, located about 90 minutes away in Occidental. The experience of "change" in a Lasallian Catholic institution gives us the opportunity to expand our circle of friends and to focus our efforts on living in a Christ-centered community. The sophomore retreat offers an opportunity to learn how Jesus is the incarnation of love and how to “love out loud” as a Justin-Siena Brave. 

   

  The Sophomore Retreat is filled with activities to help the class grow together as a unit! Over 24 hours the class talks a great deal about "CHANGE OF HEART!" We challenge the group to think about their peers: how they look at them, what they think of them, the judgments they make. However, we start by challenging each member of the class to look at themselves: do they accept who they are? Do they allow their gifts to shine? Do they let others determine who they should be? 

   

  In the Christian context, change for the better starts in the way we encounter and build relationships with others. This requires an unconditional acceptance of the circumstances of another and the willingness to risk trusting others with our own story. 

   

  Sophomores often make commitments to come back to school and to “be more open minded,” to “go out of my way to make new and meaningful relationships,” to “drop the grudges and forgive the wrongs,” and to “choose kindness always!”

• Kairos

  Kairos is a Greek word for time out of time.  Different from “Chronos” –  which measures and keeps all our minutes and days and precisely packed schedules – Kairos is God’s time.  It cannot be measured by the hands of a clock!  In Catholic high schools across the country, the Kairos Retreat Program gives students the opportunity to examine, develop, and deepen their relationships with themselves, with others, and with God.

• VENAVER-Immersion Trips

  VENAVER -- “come and see" -- are immersion trips that offer students and faculty opportunities to participate with, listen to and learn fromin struggling communities in Texas and Montana.  We have also gone to Arizona, for which that experience celebrated their 10th anniversary and featured Justin-Siena in this video. For each VENAVER experience, participants explore their faith and the lived reality of others who yearn for justice and strive with hope. Through the lens of experiential learning and Catholic Social Thought, students deeply immerse themselves in a new community to explore a current social issue in a safe environment. Students of all faith traditions and backgrounds are invited to participate in VENAVER.
  
  

  Border Immersion

  The focus of this experience will be on immigration issues that affect those living on the US-Mexico border in Texas. Students will spend time speaking with local nonprofit organizations and with Border Patrol in El Paso, visiting an artists' collective in Juarez and a women’s collective and school run by the Sisters of Mercy in Juarez (among other activities).

   

  Blackfeet Montana
  The focus of this experience will be on tribal reservation living and struggles with poverty, addiction and cultural identity for the Blackfeet Native American Tribe. Students will spend time listening to tribal elders share their experiences and tutoring/mentoring in the reservation school run by the Christian Brothers (among other activities).

• Lasallian Student Leadership Class

  Lasallian Student Leadership is an academic elective for juniors and sophomores. In this course, students are hands-on creators and leaders of student life at Justin-Siena High School in collaboration with the other leadership groups and people on campus. The course provides opportunities for students to develop and practice leadership skills, including developing and practicing public speaking and improving their understanding of group dynamics. A focus of the course is the study of the practice and habits of good leadership rooted in the Lasallian heritage and traditions, as well as learning to accept and share responsibility with peers and adults in carrying out the mission of Justin-Siena High School through the planned activities of the school.

   

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• Senior Servant Leaders Class

  Senior Servant Leadership is a course that combines both Religious Studies and Leadership. It engages students in the study of Servant Leadership as exemplified by Jesus in the New Testament. Using Jesus Christ as the ultimate model of Servant Leadership, students examine their role as servant leaders on campus and in the world at large. They develop their personal and interpersonal leadership skills by exploring topics such as: mindset, character, vulnerability and active listening. They read extensively about various leadership styles and spend much time in reflection pondering who they are, what they value and how they can contribute their gifts to the world. Members of this class share the responsibility with peers and adults alike in carrying out the mission of Justin-Siena High School through hands-on planning and execution of select activities dedicated to promoting a vibrant Student Life on campus. As those who help foster and facilitate our All Heart community, students focus on increasing positive school culture while simultaneously cultivating and evaluating their own leadership style.

   

• Class Council

  As part of its mission, Justin-Siena High School prepares students to serve and lead in an ever-changing world. All students are encouraged to consider serving as a member of the Lasallian Student Life Council.  There are 6 positions available for each class who work with an adult moderator to plan class bonding activities, homecoming, a dance for the whole school, among others activities. 

   

• Prayer Services and Liturgies

  As a Lasallian Catholic School we have the opportunity to come together in prayer regularly as a school community. Prayer Services and liturgies are run by our student leaders, with the assistance of faculty & staff. We relish these opportunities to connect with our faith and community through our Lasallian lens.

   

• Mini-VENAVER

  These Mini-Venavers are new for us, but we are so excited to offer these abbreviated experiences in our local communities.  Each of these will take place from 12-6pm. 

  
  

  We had a great experience with our Mini-VENAVER on Disabilities! We took 6 students to different places that provide resources for people with special needs. We visited All About Ability, Moving Forward, Parents CAN, Vine Village, & Wine Bev!

   

• Retreat Leaders

  Students interested in leading retreats go through an application and training process. We welcome students of all faith traditions to be involved in our experiences. Being a retreat leader means contributing your time and talents to your peers. Retreat leaders focus on communication, collaboration and empowering others. We aim to create a team that positively supports our community and gently challenges. During retreats we create an environment that allows deep and intentional reflection on our relationships with ourselves, with others and with God. By becoming our best selves, we actively encourage our community to be better.

   

• Wellness Retreat

  This optional junior/senior day long retreat for students to gain a tool kit to use when they are feeling anxious and or experiencing stress.  There are opportunities to learn more about and experience wellness for your mind, body, and spirit through activities of meditation, yoga, hiking, essential oils, nutrition, art, and how to achieve and maintain spiritual wellness with the help of our Christian Brothers at Mont La Salle.

   

• Service Opportunities

  “Enter to learn...Leave to serve!” This is part of our Lasallian mission here at Justin-Siena! There are many service opportunities provided to our students on a regular basis. Through advisories, sports teams, religion and LSL classes and more we endeavor to get out into the community and make a difference.  We also bring in guest speakers to give us, as a school, the insight on what is happening in our greater community and ways we can get involved and make a difference.  Students also contribute to our annual “Change For Our World” fundraiser in support of our twin school, St. Joseph in Adama, Ethiopia. 

• District of San Francisco-New Orleans Programs

  Lasallian Youth Assembly (hosted by the San Francisco New Orlean District Office)

  The Office of Education, in cooperation with local schools and works, regularly sponsors an assembly for students involved in the Lasallian Youth movement. For a week during the summer, students are engaged in prayer, reflection, service opportunities, education sessions around themes of social justice, and Catholic social teaching. After participating in the Assembly, Lasallian Youth are challenged to promote a culture of faith, service, and community in their home communities. The location of the Assembly usually takes place on the campus of a Catholic college or university on the west coast of the United States. The location of the Assembly varies each year. (from the San Francisco New Orlean District website)

  
  Programing in the past few years:

  2018 Portland Human Trafficking 

  2017 New Orleans Incarceration

  2016 El Paso Immigration

  2015 San Diego Immigration

  
  
  

  Lasallian Student Leaders (hosted by the San Francisco New Orlean District Office)

  Each summer, Lasallian Student Leaders brings together those student leaders elected by their peers, appointed by faculty or invited by administrators for a week of leadership, mission, and faith development. The program seeks to equip student leaders with an understanding of the inherent responsibility they have for the Lasallian Educational Mission as they take up their respective leadership roles on campus. Students are introduced to key concepts and philosophies that will guide their decision making processes, including five core principles of a Lasallian school. They also acquire practical leadership skills and understandings, as well as establish working and collaborative relationships with other Lasallian student leaders from around the District. Lasallian Student Leaders takes place annually. (from the San Francisco New Orlean District website)

  
  

  Called and Chosen Retreats

  Designed for male/female students from each secondary school, these annual retreats provide participants with information, reflection, and discussion concerning their own growing sense of vocation in the Church and asks them to consider for themselves their vocation or calling, including the vocation to the Brothers and other forms of religious life.  (from the San Francisco New Orlean District website)

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• Clubs and Club Council

  CLUBS
  

  Any student is able to start a club on campus to gather other students who share similar interests.  Annually we have between 15 and 20 active clubs on campus. Clubs fall into four categories service, cultural, environmental, and social.  Clubs meet during designated Community Times.

  
  CLUB COUNCIL
  

  As part of its mission, Justin-Siena High School prepares students to serve and lead in an ever-changing world. All students involved in a club are encouraged to consider serving as a member of the Lasallian Student Life Club Council. Current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors can apply to be part of the Lasallian Student Life Club Council.  There are 6 positions available for the Club Council. See the Justin-Siena Website for the Club Council Representative Student Leadership Position Description.

   

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