Winter Break is right around the corner! Parents, please make sure your student is in school every day, on time, and ready to learn so that we can all stay focused on learning the next couple of weeks! December 2nd marked the end of the 2nd 6-week grading period. Progress reports will be distributed on December 9th in your student's 4th period class. Make sure to ask for it! If you have questions regarding your student's progress, please contact your student's teachers or counselor. Parent Connect is also a great online tool for monitoring student progress. Grades will be posted on Parent Connect December 9th. If you would like to sign up for Parent Connect, please stop by the Main Office or the Family Resource Center, Room 231, with a picture ID to request a PIN and password.
FREE 9th and 10th Grade Leadership Opportunity!
Youth Synergy Summit
Saturday, December 17th - 8:00-3:00 PM
Busing will be provided
Students who attend the leadership conference will be invited to attend a Paramount Studios Back lot Event get the opportunity to walk the red carpet and see various celebrity performances! Food and transportation is also provided. Paramount Pictures will host various activities including, talent shows, live performances, DJ’s, and dance floors. Only students who attend the leadership conference on Saturday, December 17th will be eligible to attend this exciting opportunity.
Serra HS Spirit Gear is on sale now! Is your student looking for a letterman jacket? You can buy them on campus! There are a variety of styles to choose from and they’re all on sale for only $169.00. There are also other items for sale: hats for $15, shirts for $5, hoodies for $40. E-mail Joe Schmidt jschmidt1@sandi.net today to order yours Spirit Gear today!
Mark Your Calendar! The next Military Parent Meeting is scheduled for January 17th at 9:30am in the Family Resource Center, Room 231. We have some exciting news to share with our military families about a community forum being created in Tierrasanta to allow military families to share experiences, resources, and provide a voice for POSITIVE CHANGE in the community! We hope you’ll join us on January 17th so we can share the news.
Did you Save the Date for the 2011 Winter Concert? Now the Band, Orchestra, and Choir concerts have been combined! Please come out and enjoy a family-friendly evening of musical entertainment and fun! The combined efforts of the band, orchestra and choir intend to bring some holiday cheer into everyone’s heart on Thursday December 15 @ 6:30 in the Serra High School Auditorium.
Come listen to the award winning Band, enjoy the uplifting holiday tones of the Orchestra and be carried away by the voices of the Choir. These groups now plan to come together on the 15th to entertain and enrich us all. Tickets are only $5 for adults, $3 for everyone else! Refreshments will be on sale at the concert.
Due to the date change, pre-sale dinner reservations (courtesy of Andiamo’s and Gaetano’s) will continue to sell for only $5 through Monday Dec. 12th. Please contact the Financial Aid window to purchase reservations. Food service begins @ 5:30 pm. on campus. Dinners will be sold on a 1st come/1st served basis for $6 the evening of the event. Sponsored by the Serra Band Boosters and the Serra Symphonic and Choral Music Boosters.
FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE:
• Counseling is in need of donations: spiral notebooks, composition books and notebook paper for students who do not have such supplies. Thank you!
• Naviance (www.connection.naviance.com/serra) is a web-based service designed especially for students and parents. Family Connection is a comprehensive website that you can use to help in making decisions about colleges, careers and courses, meanwhile tracking academic progress as you aspire to post secondary education options. It is especially useful in searching for Scholarships! To log in students simply use their Student Connect log in number and password. Parents will be able to get their code from Ms. Turnberg by emailing their request to mturnberg@sandi.net.
Scholarship highlights for the week:
- Young Entrepreneurs Award, $1,000-$10,000
- Navy ROTC College Scholarship, $200,000 (11th graders may apply)
- Labor’s Training & Community Development Alliance College Scholarship, $2,500
• The new College Center in Room 401 is open! Students are encouraged to stop by on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays during Advisory and lunch. Through January, a counselor is in the room during Advisory and lunch to talk about college applications, help with FAFSA, common app and other relevant college application questions. Beginning in January, after seniors finish their applications, the focus will be on SAT and AP prep for seniors, juniors and sophomores. Questions? Contact your student’s counselor.
FROM THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE:
- Please remember the front office is short-staffed and do not have office monitors to deliver messages to students. That said, please know if there is ever any type of EMERGENCY (i.e. hospitalization, death in the family, deployment etc.) the attendance office staff will assist the parent as needed.
- No outside food may be delivered to the campus.
- Students may not leave school at any time without a blue slip.
News from the English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)
Serra's English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) will meet Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 6:00 PM in the Parent Resource Center, Room 231. ELAC distributed a Student Survey to all EL students at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year. At the meeting we will compile all responses and discuss recommendations to present to Serra's School Site Council (SSC). In addition, the ELAC will be establishing its "Bylaws" that will govern the committee. Your participation and input is vital in ensuring the academic achievement of Serra's English Learners. Join Us!
“Passport to Success” – Parent Workshop Series Being Offered to Serra Families
On January 12, 2012, Serra High School will conduct the first part of a 3-session workshop series to aid parents in helping their students succeed in school. The first workshop is called Organize Your Time, and will be held at Hoover High School at 5:30pm.
Come and learn the importance of teaching your student organizational and study skills that will carry them through high school and on to college. Reserve your spot in the class by contacting Martha Vidana-Cross at (858) 496-8342, ext 203.
Address: Hoover High School, Room 1103, 4474 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92115
Passport to Success Workshop Series:
- Session One: Organize Your Time January 12, 2012
- Session Two: How to Take Notes February 2, 2012
- Session Three: Develop Strong Study Habits February 23, 2012
SPORTS NEWS
The schedules for Winter Sports have now been posted. Click on the following link for more information: http://serra.sandi.net/athletics/
Girls Tennis Season Recap
The girls tennis team at Serra went all out this season, fighting to make it to CIF. Not only did they make it to the play-offs with an impressive 14-5 record, but they also made it to the semi-finals for the first time since Coach Lorene Dabney started coaching in 2005. This was an amazing feat that took heart, perseverance, and courage. The girls started off every match with their spirited hand-clap, getting them pumped up! They also took turns creating a goal for themselves, individually, which helped keep them focused.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SENIOR EXHIBITIONS! JANUARY 25th AND 26th
Senior Exhibitions will be held on January 25 and 26, 2012 from 12:30-3:00pm. We will need plenty of volunteers to ensure the success of this event. Please consider giving a few hours of your time to support our students.
The Senior Exhibition Project is a graduation requirement for all students in the San Diego Unified School District. In order to successfully complete this project, Seniors must reflect upon their accomplishments at Serra High School in front of a panel of teachers, parents, community members, and fellow students.
For the Exhibition, each student has 8 to 10 minutes, in a job interview-type setting, to demonstrate to the panel that they have met each Q-5. The students are also required to submit a skilled-based resume. The presentations conclude with a question and answer period, allowing the panelists to dive deeper for more information. All students are encouraged to use their creativity to make their Senior Exhibition Project as meaningful, enjoyable, and unique as possible.
The requirements for volunteers serving on a Senior Exhibition panel are to listen to the presentations, actively participate in the Q&A period, and score each presentation. This is a great opportunity to learn about the knowledge, skills, and accomplishments of our amazing students! Many of our volunteers tell us that being a Senior Exhibition panelist is their favorite volunteer assignment!
If you are interested in helping out with Senior Exhibitions, please contact Marie Byrd (mbyrd@sandi.net or call 858-496-8342 x231).
EVENTS
Friday, December 9
- All day - Progress Reports Distributed
Saturday, December 10
- All day - CHEER CAMP-CHG
- All day - Navy Jr. Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) Drill Meet @ PHHS
- 8:00am - SATURDAY SCHOOL
Sunday, December 11
- All day - NJROTC Charger Game Fundraiser
Monday, December 12
- 3:00pm - School Site Council (SSC) Meeting
Tuesday, December 13
- 6:00pm - English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) Meeting
Thursday, December 15
- 6:30pm - Band, Choir, Orchestra Winter Concert
Friday, December 16
- 8:00am - NJROTC Annual Military Inspection
Sunday, December 18
- All day - NJROTC Charger Game Fundraiser
SPORTS
Friday, December 9
- All day - Boys Varsity Bball West HillsTourney/TIME TBA
- All day - Girls JV Water Polo Tourney @ LJHS/TIME TBA
- 5:00pm - Boys Frosh Bball @ Steele Canyon
Saturday, December 10
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- All day - Boys Varsity Bball West HillsTourney/TIME TBA
- All day - Boys Varsity Soccer Tourney @ SDHS/TIME TBA
- All day - Girls JV Ball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- All day - Girls JV Water Polo Tourney @ LJHS/TIME TBA
- All day - Girls Varsity Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- 9:00am - Wrestling Varsity Invite Tourney @ MMHS
- 1:00pm - Boys Frosh Bball vs Hilltop
Sunday, December 11
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- 9:30am - Serra High School Field Hockey Clinic
Monday, December 12
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- 3:00pm - Girls JV Soccer vs Valhalla
- 5:00pm - Girls Varsity Soccer vs Valhalla
Tuesday, December 13
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- 3:00pm - Girls JV Soccer vs Bonita Vista
- 3:00pm - Girls Var/JV Water Polo vs MMHS @ Miramar
- 5:00pm - Girls Varsity Soccer vs Bonita Vista
Wednesday, December 14
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- All day - Boys Varsity Bball Kiwanis Tourney/TIME TBA
- 3:00pm - Girls Varsity Bball Kiwanis Tourney
- 3:00pm - Boys JV Soccer vs PLHS
- 3:30pm - Girls Var/JV/Nov. Water Polo @ Westview
- 5:00pm - Boys Varsity Soccer vs PLHS
Thursday, December 15
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- All day - Boys Varsity Bball Kiwanis Tourney/TIME TBA
- 3:30pm - Girls JV Soccer vs Steele Canyon
- 4:45pm - Girls Varsity Bball Kiwanis Tourney
- 5:00pm - Girls Varsity Soccer vs Steele Canyon
Friday, December 16
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- All day - Boys Varsity Bball Kiwanis Tourney/TIME TBA
- All day - Girls Varsity Bball KiwanisTourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
Saturday, December 17
- All day - Boys JV Bball Tourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- All day - Boys Varsity Bball Kiwanis Tourney/TIME TBA
- All day - Boys Varsity Soccer Tourney @ SDHS/TIME TBA
- All day - Girls Varsity Bball KiwanisTourney/LOC.& TIME TBA
- 9:00am - Whole Sports- U18 Youth Field Hockey Training
- 9:00am - Wrestling Varsity Duals @ Olympian