STAR: Helping Your Students Achieve
Suggestions for Parents and Guardians
Parents and guardians play a very important part in their studentsʼ education. Encouraging students to do their best in school and showing positive attitudes toward completing school assignments well and on time can positively affect learning. Research about how students learn shows that a great deal can be done at home to increase a studentʼs academic performance.
One question you may have about the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program is, “How can I help students do better on the tests?” The question really is, “How can I help students do well in school?” What you do at home can make a very big difference in how well students achieve in school.
Most Important of All
Let your students know how important their work at school is and how interested you are in what they are doing. Talk with them everyday about:
- What they did at school
- What homework must be finished for the next day
- What needs to be done on a future project
In Reading and Writing
- Listen to your students read and read stories aloud to and/or with them.
- Talk about what you and your students are reading and words they do not understand.
- Have family time when you and your students read a newspaper, magazine, or book.
- Encourage your students to write lists, notes, thank-you notes, requests, journals, recipes, short stories, and other types of writing.
- For writing assignments, talk with your students about what the assignment requires; help them list the points to cover. Take your students to the library or help them use the Internet if more information is needed.
- Set a limit on the amount of time your students watch television. Watch and discuss television programs with them whenever possible.
In Mathematics
- Check with your students everyday to make sure homework assignments are completed.
- Attend parent/guardian classes about mathematics to prepare for questions that your students might ask at home.
- Ask questions to show how mathematics is used to help solve problems as you play games, watch television, or prepare to do a home project.
- Show your students how you use mathematics in what people do everyday (cooking, shopping, or home repairs) or when buying materials to use in crafts, sewing, or building projects.
- Help your students read charts or graphs in newspapers and magazines and read maps when going on a family trip. It is important to help your students apply what they are learning.
Share your interest in any academic area because students become interested in what is discussed at home. Family trips to museums, special television programs, news about a recent scientific discovery, or important world and local events should be shared and discussed. At times, let your students take the lead in talking about topics of interest to them
- Excerpted from the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program Guides for STAR Program Tests: Information for Parents and Guardians. http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/
Progress Reports will be distributed to all students on Friday, March 16th. Parents, make sure to ask your student for a copy!
The next Principal Chat is on March 20th at 5:30pm in the Serra High Media Center. Principal Mike Jimenez will provide a budget update for the 2012-13 school year and will also present the District's goals and objectives for creating a quality school in every neighborhood. Get your questions answered and have your voice heard. Light refreshments will be provided. The monthly PTO Meeting will follow immediately after. See you on the 20th!
SAVE THE DATE! The Spring Showcase is right around the corner! This year’s Showcase is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28th and promises to be a fun-filled evening for all! Student work will be showcased, various school clubs will have delicious food for sale, and of course, the annual Student-Staff Basketball game is scheduled that evening. FUN guaranteed for the entire family!
FROM THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
Concerning Student Athletic Bags and Equipment - Parents, please understand the main office is not a storage area for student belongings! The main office can not store, nor be responsible for sports bags and equipment during the school day. Bags and equipment that are left in the office become a safety hazard as well as a security issue. All student athletes have been notified by their coaches to bring their equipment to the team locker rooms before school each day. Thank you for your understanding.
PARENT RESOURCES
Does your student need help with Math? Check out the Khan Academy online video tutorials! According to the Washingtonpost.com, Khan Academy (http://www.khanacademy.org/) offers free online video tutorials for kids struggling with their algebra homework. Now backed by the Gates Foundation and Google, the site is being used experimentally in a couple dozen schools, apparently to great success. To read the Washington Post article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/khan-academy-launches-on-ipad-is-this-educations-future/2012/03/12/gIQA8ORm7R_blog.html
Khan Academy offers an online library of over 3,000 videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history. Students can learn about many different topics, including math, for free!
Go to the Khan Academy website for more info: http://www.khanacademy.org/
FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE
11th Grade Parent Night (for current 11th graders) will be held on March 22 at 6 pm in the Media Center. Parents will receive their child's transcript, learn the graduation requirements, the college entrance requirements, learn of new course options for the 2012-2013 school year and receive priority for their student's course selection for 2012-2013.
• Naviance (www.connection.naviance.com/serra) is a free web-based service designed especially for students and parents to get information about college and career choices, track academic progress, and search for scholarships. Students can log in using their Student Connect log in number and password. Parents can get their code from Counselor 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. Volunteer Internships at San Diego Super Computer Center. (Deadline of March 30th!! See Ms. Turnberg in counseling office for information.
2. Athena San Diego Merit Scholarship. (Deadline of March 21st.)
3. Verizon Scholarship Awards Program. (Deadline of March 30th.)
4. Friends of CAL-SOAP Dollars for Scholars
The 2012-13 Course Catalogue Now On Line! The course catalogue provides students and parents with accurate information to use in making wise program choices. Be sure to have your student read the catalogue thoroughly before completing his or her program-planning card, and pay special attention to graduation requirements and college admission requirements as detailed in the catalogue. It is important to check course prerequisites and recommendations before making your course selections. To view the catalogue: http://serrahighnews.blogspot.com/2012/03/2012-13-course-catalogue-now-on-line.html
Is your 9th or 10th grader interested in engineering? He or she can sign up with the GEAR UP Coordinator, Ms. Padilla in the Media Center, Office E for the 29th Annual High School Engineering Conference at San Diego State University held by the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers. The field trip will be on Friday March 23rd!
FROM THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE
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.
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 school work your student will need while he or she is out.
Serra High School needs to have your current information on file. Please make sure we have current telephone numbers. If you have moved please bring a new proof of residence to the attendance office as soon as possible so that you don’t miss any information. Proof of residence must be one of the following: gas & electric bill, cable or water bill, housing orders or rental agreement. Thank you for your cooperation.
EVENTS
Monday, March 19
- All day - Pink Progress Report Day
- All day - 10th Grade Articulation
- 7:30am - AVID FIELD TRIP
- 4:30pm - Serra Cluster Council Meeting – Media Center
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
- 5:30pm - Principal Chat – Media Center
- 6:30pm - PTO Meeting – Media Center
Wednesday, March 21
- 7:30am - Honors Theatre Project- District Wide High School Production
Thursday, March 22
- 7:30am - Honors Theatre Project- District Wide High School Production
- 6:00pm - Eleventh Grade Parent Night – Media Center
Friday, March 23
- All day - 10th Grade Articulation
- 5:00pm - Honors Theatre Project- District Wide High School Production
Saturday, March 24
- All day - Band Field Trip
- All day - NJROTC Cadet Military Ball
- 8:00am - SATURDAY SCHOOL
- 12:00pm - Honors Theatre Project- District Wide High School Production
SPORTS
Friday, March 16
- 3:00pm - Swim Meet vs Clairemont @ Tierrasanta
- 3:30pm - JV Softball @ PLHS
- 3:30pm - Var. Softball vs PLHS
- 4:15pm - JV Girls Lacrosse @ Otay Rch.
- 5:30pm - Var. Girls Lacrosse @ Otay Rch.
Saturday, March 17
- All day - Var. Softball Tourney Finals/TIME & LOC.TBA
- 10:30am - Var. Baseball Tourney Finals @ Grossmont
- 1:00pm - Track & Field Relays @ Otay Rch.
- 1:30pm - JV Baseball Tourney Finals @ Grossmont
Sunday, March 18
- 9:00am - U18 Youth Field Hockey Training
Monday, March 19
- 3:00pm - JV Baseball vs Lincoln
- 3:00pm - Var. Baseball @ Lincoln
- 4:00pm - Var. Girls Lacrosse vs Santana
- 5:15pm - JV Girls Lacrosse vs Santana
Tuesday, March 20
- 3:00pm - Boys Tennis-Picture Day
- 3:00pm - Golf Match vs MMHS @ Torrey Pines
Wednesday, March 21
- 2:45pm - Boys Tennis vs St. Augustine
- 3:00pm - JV Baseball @ Morse
- 3:00pm - Var. Baseball vs Morse
- 3:00pm - Badminton Match @ Lincoln
- 3:00pm - Golf Match vs PLHS @ Balboa
- 4:00pm - Var. Girls Lacrosse vs Granite Hills
- 5:15pm - JV Girls Lacrosse vs Granite Hills
- 7:00pm - Seniors vs Staff Basketball Game
Thursday, March 22
- 2:30pm - Boys Tennis @ PLHS
- 3:00pm - Track & Field vs LJHS
Friday, March 23
- 3:00pm - JV Baseball vs Clairemont
- 3:00pm - Var. Baseball @ Clairemont
- 3:00pm - Swim Meet vs Christian @ Tierrasanta
- 3:15pm - Var. Girls Lacrosse vs Bishops
- 4:30pm - JV Girls Lacrosse vs Bishops
- 7:00pm - Var. Girls Lacrosse @ SRHS
Saturday, March 24
- 8:00am - Track & Field Invite @ Mt.Carmel