Happy New Year and Welcome Back! We hope you had a restful break and enjoyed the time off to spend with family and friends. There are only a few weeks left in the semester. Finals will take place January 25 - 27th and January 27 marks the end of 1st semester. If you have any questions regarding your student's progress, please feel free to contact his or her teachers or counselor. If your student needs extra support, please call the school and ask about the tutoring programs and services available at Serra. Let's work together to keep our students on track and focused on learning.
School Pictures are ready for pick-up! If your student has not picked up their picture package orders yet, they should stop by the Financial Clerk’s Window to pick them up before school, after school, and during lunch.
Free Electronics Recycling Event- Serra High School in conjunction with De Portola Middle School and Farb Middle School will be hosting a free Electronics Recycling Drive on January 28th at Serra High School from 10am – 4pm. All electronics will be properly recycled. Free and easy Drop-off in the school parking lot. The following items will be accepted- TV’s, computers, monitors, scanners, printers, FAX, DVD, VCR, cell phones, cameras, video games and consoles, lap-tops, loose wire and cable, small appliances like toaster ovens, blenders etc. Most anything you can plug in actually. No large appliances, floor copy machines, light bulbs or batteries. For more info or to host an E-Waste Drive please see - www.ewastegreen.com. Proceeds from the event will go to support the 3 schools and Mother Earth!
PARENT RESOURCES - Free Workshops Offered to Parents
PSAT Score Report Review & Presentation January 12, 2012. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is collaborating with the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) to provide students with a guest speaker who will review the PSAT Score Report and present on test taking strategies. This collaborative event is open to any student who took the PSAT with Serra High School in October 2011. The location of this presentation is TBA. It is very important that parents contact Clarissa Padilla (cpadilla@ucsd.edu or 858-496-8342 x258) if their student will be attending. This presentation is going to be held during school hours, therefore your student must receive a pass from Ms. Padilla in order to attend.
Passport to Success Workshop Series. 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. Learn the importance of teaching your student organizational and study skills that will carry them through high school and on to college. Address: Hoover High School, Room 1103, 4474 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92115. Reserve your spot in the class by contacting Martha Vidana-Cross at (858) 496-8342, ext 203.
You are invited to a Parent Meet & Greet on January 13th. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is pleased to offer a parent coffee morning on Friday January 13, 2012 in the Serra High School Theatre, in collaboration with the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program. We would love to meet with you and discuss your student’s progress, upcoming finals, the importance of grades for college readiness and the value of parent participation in your student’s academic life. For more information please contact Clarissa Padilla, cpadilla@ucsd.edu or 858-496-8342 x258.
The next Serra High Military Parent Meeting is scheduled for January 17th at 9:30am in the Family Resource Center, Room 231. This meeting is geared toward military families but all are welcome to attend. Come to the meeting to find out how you can be a part of making POSITIVE CHANGE in the community. For more information: mbyrd@sandi.net
Distinguished Lecture Series Information. The 2011/2012 Distinguished Lectures Series brings experts from all over the United States, in the field of gifted and talented education, to the San Diego Unified School district to share with parents and educators the latest in research and classroom practice for gifted students. These stimulating professional development opportunities meet the California GATE standards for GATE education. For more information: http://www.sandi.net/page/1066
FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE:
• 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 (all can be found on Naviance under the Scholarship tab):
1. The San Diego Foundation Scholarship online database
2. Lady Conquistador Scholarship ($5,000)
3. Literary Essay Scholarship (for grades 11 AND 12)
4. AXA Achievement Community Scholarship
• 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:
Parents: Student contracts are available if your student will be absent five school days or more. Please be sure to notify the attendance office a minimum of one week in advance of the absence and request the contracts. This will ensure the teachers have plenty of time to prepare the schoolwork your student will need while he or she is out. Thank you for your cooperation.
To all parents - If your student is transferring from Serra High School, please notify the school at least one week before the last day of attendance. At that time we will provide you with information as to what you will need for that last day. This will ensure a smoother transition for your student.
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 are still in need of volunteers to ensure the success of this event. Please consider giving a few hours of your time to support our students.
Senior Exhibitions provide our Senior students an opportunity to showcase their knowledge, skills, interests and experience at Serra High School and to show how their high school experience fits into their future goals. The Seniors present before a panel consisting of teachers, business or community members, parents, and their peers.
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. Sign up to serve on a Senior Exhibition panel by clicking on the following link: http://serrahighnews.blogspot.com/2011/12/be-senior-exhibition-panelist.html
Questions? Contact Marie Byrd (mbyrd@sandi.net or call 858-496-8342 x231).
Junior Students are also needed to serve as panelists! Each Senior Exhibition panel consists of teachers, parents/community members, and students. This is an excellent way for Juniors to support their peers and learn more about the Senior Exhibition project. If you have a Junior student who is interested in serving on a panel, they should go to Room 231 next week during lunch or after school to sign up.
EVENTS
Saturday, January 7
- 8:00am - SATURDAY SCHOOL
- 10:00am - Student2Student Club Event – 1st Annual S2S Council (Room 231 and Media Center)
Monday, January 9
- All day - Pink Progress Report Day
- 3:00pm - School Site Council (SSC) Meeting (Serra Media Center)
Thursday, January 12
- 5:30pm - Parent Workshop at Hoover-Organizing Homework (Hoover High School)
Friday, January 13
- 7:30am – Parent Meet and Greet with GEAR UP and AVID (Serra Theater)
SPORTS
Saturday, January 7
- All day - Q Varsity Rumble (Wrestling)
- 8:00am - Varsity Wrestling Tournament
- 8:00am - Wrestling Varsity Q-Rumble
- 6:00pm - Girls Varsity Bball vs Parker @ Mt.Miguel
Tuesday, January 10
- 3:00pm - Boys JV Bball vs Hoover
- 3:00pm - Girls JV Bball @ Hoover
- 3:00pm - Girls JV Soccer @ MMHS
- 3:00pm - Girls Varsity Soccer vs MMHS
- 4:45pm - Boys Varsity Bball vs Hoover
- 4:45pm - Girls Varsity Bball @ Hoover
- 6:15pm - Boys Frosh Bball @ Hoover
Wednesday, January 11
- 3:00pm - Wrestling Tri-Meet @ Clairemont
- 3:00pm - Boys JV Soccer @ MMHS
- 3:00pm - Boys Varsity Soccer vs MMHS
Thursday, January 12
- 3:00pm - Girls JV Soccer vs PLHS
- 3:00pm - Girls Var/JV Water Polo vs PHHS @ Allied Gardens
- 4:45pm - Girls Varsity Soccer vs PLHS
Friday, January 13
- 3:00pm - Girls JV Bball @ PHHS
- 3:00pm - Boys JV Soccer vs Coronado
- 4:45pm - Boys JV Bball vs PHHS
- 6:00pm - Girls Varsity Bball @ PHHS
- 6:30pm - Boys Varsity Soccer @ Coronado
- 7:30pm - Boys Varsity Bball @ PHHS
Saturday, January 14
- 9:00am - Wrestling Varsity Tourney @ Mater Dei
- 2:45pm - Boys JV Bball vs Otay Rch.
- 3:00pm - Girls Varsity Bball vs King @ Horizon
- 7:00pm - Boys Varsity Bball vs Canyon Crest