Cathedral school for boys Glossary
This is a auto-generated Article of all your definitions within the glossary.
Glossary
This is a auto-generated Article of all your definitions within the glossary.
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Back-to-School Nights
In the early fall, families have the opportunity to visit the school on a designated evening in order to learn about each teacher’s program for the school year and to gain information about the typical activities and expectations of each class. These “back-to-school nights” — one for the Lower School and one for the Upper School — are a valuable general introduction to what parents may reasonably anticipate in their son’s year of maturation and learning.
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Big / Little Brother Program
Early in the school year, teachers work carefully to place new students into an existing Hawk Family — a small group of boys, one from each grade, who together represent the broader diversity of the Cathedral School for Boys community. A Hawk Family meets throughout the school year to foster relationships across grades, and each boy remains in his Hawk Family throughout his time at the school. Big Brother and Little Brother pairings take place within each family, and these pairings are used on special occasions, such as Chapels, service projects, Graduation, etc.
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Blessing of the Animals
In early October, near the Feast of St. Francis, the school observes the Blessing of the Animals. Boys can bring a pet or a stuffed animal to be blessed at a special Chapel held in Grace Cathedral. Families are welcome to join with larger family pets (such as dogs). Details about the service are included in the Cathedral School Bulletin prior to the service.
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Christmas Concerts
Grace Cathedral’s Choir of Men and Boys annually perform six acclaimed holiday concerts in Grace Cathedral. Tickets are available for purchase through the Grace Cathedral website. Following the first concert in December, there is a festive reception for all attending Cathedral School for Boys families and alumni.
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Class Day
During the last week before graduation, Grade 8 enjoys a special outing together, affording them an appropriate way to celebrate their hard work and time at Cathedral School for Boys.
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Evensong
While this event is not organized by the school, the Choir sings Evensong each Thursday, from 5:30pm to 6:15pm, in Grace Cathedral. Families are invited to sit in the Quire and enjoy this sublime musical offering throughout the academic year.
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Fall Bash
Fall Bash is an annual gathering for our parents, students, faculty, and staff featuring food, drink, and music. Unlike the Spring Celebration and Auction, there is no fundraising component, and the event is free for all to attend. Fall Bash is typically held on campus and is organized by the Parents Association (PA) in coordination with the school.
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Feast of St. Francis
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone (c. 1181 – October 3, 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italian mystic, poet and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty, he became a beggar and an itinerant preacher. Francis is associated with patronage of animals and the environment. It became customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of October 4, which became World Animal Day. Francis is also the namesake of the city of San Francisco.
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Field Day
Our annual Field Day is typically held the Friday before Memorial Day, with most families in spirited attendance. All boys take part in various track and field events throughout the morning, ending with a tug-of-war between the Red and Gold teams of both the Upper and Lower Schools (and Parents / Guardians). The Parents Association (PA) is heavily involved in planning this event, and volunteers are needed to help with setup, food, and merchandise sales. With all faculty and staff engaged in Field Day events, parents must supervise their children or arrange for another adult to do so. There is no childcare available on this day.
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Field Trips
Many field trips take place throughout the school year, including overnight excursions for Outdoor Education and International Language Immersion Trips. All field trips are a privilege and not a right. The school maintains the prerogative to deny attendance on any trip if the student is not displaying positive behavior and attitude. Parents who drive are expected to supervise a small group of students and possibly participate in field trip activities with the class. All volunteer drivers must fill out a current driver volunteer form online prior to driving for a field trip.
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Grade 4 Graduation
At the end of Grade 4, parents are welcome to attend a Lower School graduation ceremony to honor the Grade 4 students who will be entering Grade 5 and moving to the Upper School in the fall. Each Grade 4 student receives a graduation certificate and is honored during this special Chapel.
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Graduation
Grade 8 Graduation in Grace Cathedral is an all-school event, and every class attends. In addition to the diplomas awarded to graduating students, several prizes for academic work and good citizenship are presented. Everyone in the school community is invited to join this special ceremony.
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Grandparents & Special Friends Day
This day offers an enjoyable opportunity for our boys to celebrate the meaningful relationships of grandparents, extended family, and special friends in their lives. Each family may invite up to four guests, and we have many visitors who join us on this special day. Due to space limitations on campus, we are unable to invite parents or guardians to attend this event. Parents and guardians are encouraged to be a part of this day by volunteering as many hands are needed to host our special guests. All are welcome to attend the service in Grace Cathedral.
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Halloween Parade
To celebrate Halloween, the school has an informal parade after lunch. Boys bring their costumes to school and change after lunch. Parents may greet and say goodbye to their sons after the parade. Classroom parties for the boys (not including parents) take place after the parade. Students should bring appropriate Halloween costumes on this day and leave all toy weapons (swords, guns, lightsabers, etc.) and candy at home.
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Hawk Families
Early in the school year, teachers work carefully to place new students into an existing Hawk Family — a small group of boys, one from each grade, who together represent the broader diversity of the Cathedral School for Boys community. A Hawk Family meets throughout the school year to foster relationships across grades, and each boy remains in his Hawk Family throughout his time at the school. Big Brother and Little Brother pairings take place within each family, and these pairings are used on special occasions, such as Chapels, service projects, Graduation, etc.
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Intersession
Typically scheduled for the week after winter break, Intersession is a unique time in our academic year, one that is eagerly anticipated by students and faculty alike. This Cathedral School for Boys tradition allows students in Grades 5–7 to explore topics not covered in our regular academic program, with faculty members who are passionate about these subjects. All courses include a significant Experiential Education (X-Ed) component, and most courses involve working with community partners. We typically run our Grade 8 International Language Immersion Trips (Taiwan, Peru, and Puerto Rico in 2025) during this week.
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Lessons & Carols
Before leaving for Christmas break, the entire school gathers in Grace Cathedral for our Lessons & Carols Chapel service. At this service, perhaps more than at any other, the musical tradition of Cathedral School for Boys is joyously evident. All classes participate in the celebration of Christmas through musical performances and liturgical readings.
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Math Café
The best part of waking up on Thursdays at Cathedral is our Math Café! Every Thursday, 7:30–8:00am, Mr. Ditto opens up his classroom to any Upper Schooler who’d like to get down and solve math problems! Nothing better to jumpstart the brain in the a.m. than a little algebra, and the donuts the boys get to enjoy at the end of the Café don’t hurt either. Thanks, Mr. Ditto, for continuing to build community around math!
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Math Club
Our Math Enrichment & Extension opportunities run the gamut from Math Club, which meets Tuesdays during Grade 3–5 lunch, Math Olympiad, a contest-based extension program for students in Grades 4–8, and Math Team, comprising Grade 4–8 students who meet on Mondays after school to prepare for the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series held throughout the year.
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Math Enrichment & Extension
Our Math Enrichment & Extension opportunities run the gamut from Math Club, which meets Tuesdays during Grade 3–5 lunch, Math Olympiad, a contest-based extension program for students in Grades 4–8, and Math Team, comprising Grade 4–8 students who meet on Mondays after school to prepare for the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series held throughout the year.
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Math Olympiad
Our Math Enrichment & Extension opportunities run the gamut from Math Club, which meets Tuesdays during Grade 3–5 lunch, Math Olympiad, a contest-based extension program for students in Grades 4–8, and Math Team, comprising Grade 4–8 students who meet on Mondays after school to prepare for the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series held throughout the year.
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Math Team
Our Math Enrichment & Extension opportunities run the gamut from Math Club, which meets Tuesdays during Grade 3–5 lunch, Math Olympiad, a contest-based extension program for students in Grades 4–8, and Math Team, comprising Grade 4–8 students who meet on Mondays after school to prepare for the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series held throughout the year.
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Move-Up Day
The day before Graduation — a half day we call Move-up Day — is filled with exploration and fun. Boys in Kindergarten through Grade 7 visit the classrooms they will be entering in the fall. All students get their yearbooks signed by their classmates, schoolmates, and teachers. Grade 8 students participate in a Dunk Contest on the roof. And capping off the day is our annual Grace 8 vs. Faculty Basketball Game!
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Outdoor Education
In Grades 4–8, boys participate in Outdoor Education programs that consist of overnight excursions to nearby destinations. Outdoor Education is a time for Experiential Education (X-Ed) and class bonding, and it is chaperoned by Cathedral School for Boys faculty.
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Parent Education
Parent Education events take the form of invited guest speakers and media presentations on a variety of topics intended to foster a stronger community and to promote community education. Information about upcoming topics will be featured in the weekly Cathedral School Bulletin.
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Service Learning
All boys take part in age-appropriate service-learning opportunities throughout the academic year. As students move up through the grades, these opportunities become more regular through partnerships with Grace Cathedral, neighborhood schools, and other local organizations. It is our objective that our boys become aware of different communities and needs through programs that highlight our shared humanity and interconnectedness. There are also additional opportunities for student and family volunteerism throughout the year. These opportunities will be communicated through the weekly Cathedral School Bulletin and by members of the school’s Student Leadership Council.
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SPEAK
Speaker Parent Education And Knowledge (SPEAK) is a coalition of San Francisco kindergarten through eighth-grade schools that have joined to enhance Parent Education by inviting renowned writers, lecturers, and experts to address a variety of issues in venues throughout the city during the academic year. SPEAK events are publicized in the Cathedral School Bulletin and on the Cathedral School for Boys website.
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Spring Celebration & Auction
Every spring, the Parents Association (PA) holds its most important community event celebrating the school and everyone who contributes their time and energy towards it. This event is also the PA’s major yearly fundraising event, with funds raised primarily through sponsorships, as well as an auction open to all members of our community. Because the funds raised through this event benefit all boys in the school, we ask that each family find some way to contribute to the overall success of this important event.
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Upper School Sports Banquet
Each spring, the Athletics Office joins with the Parents Association (PA) to honor Cathedral School for Boys Upper School student-athletes. This event includes a dinner for all Upper School athletes and their parents, with all teams, team parents, and coaches being recognized.
