Cathedral Chapel School Home

Spirit Week is upon us, and it's a time for us to stop a moment and reflect on how far we've come and the amazing growth we're so privileged to witness at Chapel. As they say, "Time marches on," and hopefully we are moving forward with the parade. Although we try to hold on to our special memories, sometimes it feels as though, we blink and everything, everyone has changed. It seems like only yesterday that we welcomed the Class of 2020 to their kinder class. These pictures of some of our students through the years, remind us of our past and give us hope about tomorrow. God bless CCS!

Congratulations to 7th grader Cliff Connors for coming in first in English at the Los Angeles Academic Decathlon Finals and finishing with the highest score in the entire nation. Cliff took the top honors in the nation in English, and 8th grader Joaquin Recinos came in 2nd in the nation in his event, social studies. In addition to preparing for their events, these two, young men maintained "A" Honors in their regular subjects and became masters of logic. The diligence, teamwork, and effort they showed is a credit to them and their families. This is the first time in the school's long and envied history that members have earned national honors. Their coaches and the entire CCS family could not be prouder. We commend them for their success and thank them for their dedication.

For the first time in the history of our little school, the May procession was held in a church with fewer than ten people in attendance. The good news is that another 200 people, at least, were experiencing the event from the safety of their homes. Jordan del Pozo was given the honor of crowning the Virgin, so she was present at church with her father Roman del Pozo, Miss Kipp, Father Truc, Ms. Fontan, and Mr. Ponce. Mr. Hilley provided beautiful musical accompaniment from his home. Student readers led prayers from their homes as well. Some had chosen virtual backgrounds that added to the beauty and spirituality of the event. Miss Kipp opened the ceremony and set the tone for the event. Jordan looked beautiful in her pretty, yellow spring dress. Mr. del Pozo filmed her as she entered the church and approached the statue of Mary. She adorned the Virgin with a lovely, floral crown. Beautiful hymns filled the church, and Ms. Mitchell made certain that the prayer leaders were featured on Zoom as they helped us pray the Rosary and shared each Sorrowful Mystery. Father led the congregation in Pope Francis's Prayer During the Coronavirus Pandemic. It was a powerful, moving event and proof that people can be socially conscious, prayerful, and present in community at the same time. God bless the group that made this happen. We are blessed to be a part of such a creative, resilient, supportive, loving community. Chapel school is not only the Diamond of the Diocese but the Little Engine that Could!

Back in the day, meaning last year and each year before this , our kinders would visit the 8th graders near the end of the year to wish them well as they closed in on their last days as Chapel students. Often the classes would share little mementos of their time together in school families. There was no way we could let that time-honored tradition be skipped due to a pandemic. On Thursday, the last day of Spirit Week, the Class of 2029 and the Class of 2020 made and decorated heartfelt cards for each other and shared them in Zoom rooms. It was sweet, funny, precious, and loving. I think I heard and saw some tears here and there. Thank you Miss Seanez and Ms. Cendejas for making this such a wonderful and memorable experience. Thank you too, Students, for creating such magic with your beautiful cards and warm words. God bless our kinder parents for making the experience work so well.

Showing their great, school spirit, our fourth graders joined their classes on Wednesday, May 15th, all dressed up as chefs. On Monday students were encouraged to attend class in their pajamas, and yesterday was color day. Each class wore a different color of the rainbow, and then some. We may be away for our campus, but we can still show our school and class spirit. God bless our students.

When L. Simpson graduated from Chapel, he went on to Sierra Canyon School where he was part of two CIF state championship basketball teams. From there, the talented, young man went on to Prolific Prep in Napa Valley. L is now not only a student but a host of his own sports talk show where he has interviewed the likes of Kareem Abdul Jabbar and other famous sports stars. For average people, that would be enough but not for L. He is also an entrepreneur who markets his own line of hoodies and sweats under his own brand: "Take No L's." At Chapel, we remember L for his spirit, humor, warmth, leadership, and athletic talent. He was one of those students who everyone loved and all the teachers remember fondly. At age 20, now it looks as if the world will experience his amazing qualities too. God bless L Simpson. We wish him well in whatever he does.