Monday Message
9/17/18
Back to School Night
Informational sessions, a parent panel, a student panel, fun project for kids in the MakerSpace, live musical entertainment, Zoe's Place food truck, and meeting other MEA families...an evening well spent!
**** UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES ****
PALS Input
Tuesday, September 18 / 9:00am / Cafeteria
All parents are invited to attend a meeting with Principal Browne to discuss and give input on PALS (Peer Academic League for Success) for the 2018-19 school year.
ASB Speeches
Tuesday, September 18 / 12:00 / Auditorium
Please join our ASB officer candidates for their speeches! This is a great way to meet new students and get a glimpse into the plans the ASB has for 2018-19.
ASB Voting
For students in grades 6-12
Tuesday afternoon - Thursday / Room B15
Students in grades 6-12 will have the opportunity to vote for ASB officers right after the candidates' speeches, in the Auditorium. Ballots may also be cast from Tuesday afternoon, 9/18 through Thursday, September 20 in Room B15.
MEA Picture Day
Thursday, September 20 / 8:30-12:30 / Auditorium
STUDENT PICTURES
It's important that all students have their picture taken! The picture will be used for the student's school ID card and the school yearbook.
Families will also have the option to purchase a picture package.
- Order Online
Go to: mylifetouch.com. The Mt. Everest picture day I.D. is CK928510Y0. Pay online with a credit card, before or after portraits are taken. - Order Form
Lifetouch order forms are available in the front office, the library, and the Family Room. On Picture Day, bring the order form and payment by either a check made payable to “Lifetouch” or cash (EXACT CHANGE).
PARENT PICTURES
Parents, please have your picture taken on this day also, for your Parent Educator ID card!
If you're planning to be on campus for more than student drop off and pick up, you must wear a Parent Educator ID card and lanyard, as per the Campus Code of Conduct policy. It's easy and inexpensive to get yours - just come to Picture Day!
- The cost for a parent ID card is $3 and must be paid on Picture Day, with cash or a check made payable to "Lifetouch."
- Your Parent Educator ID card will also qualify you for educator discounts
- If you don't already have a lanyard, they will be available for parents at Picture Day.
Parents, if you're not able to make this Sept. 20 Picture Day, you may instead email a headshot of yourself to Linda Ele at lele@sandi.net. You will also need to mail $3 to Lifetouch for the ID card; Linda will send you the address after you send her your headshot.
QUESTIONS?
Please email Linda Ele at lele@sandi.net
Work Due for Month 1
Friday, September 21 by 3:00 pm
Grades 6 thru 12: Please take all of your work to your supervising teacher first. After your supervising teacher reviews it, then take your subject work to each of your subject teachers.
- Students in Physics and Advanced Physics: please turn your work in to Room 17B (Mr. Huy's room)
- Students in Spanish with Ms. Mullen: please turn your work in to Room 9
Club Fair
Tuesday, October 2 / 12:00-12:30 / Auditorium
Wednesday, October 3 / 12:00-12:30 / Auditorium
Calling all MEAers! Do you want to get involved at school, make a difference, or just have fun? Come to the Club Fair to learn about all the activities available to you!
Are you interested in leading a club?
If so, please scroll down and fill out the Club Leader Survey.
PSAT
Wednesday, October 10 / 8:15-12:00 / Auditorium
All students that will be taking the PSAT on October 10 need to sign up in the front office. All 10th graders can take the test for free, but you MUST sign up. For all other students, the cost is $16, payable by check or cash (EXACT CHANGE PLEASE).
PSAT practice booklets are available in Mr. Zappala's office and the front office.
**** EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ****
Please find the most up-to-date schedule on our website, This schedule is a work in-progress; we will continue to add to and fine-tune the schedule as needed.
Updates:
- The MakerSpace and PALS will NOT start this week
- Elementary Spanish Enrichment starts this Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 2:00
-
Art Class adjustments
- NEW: American Sign Language (ASL) on Tuesdays, 11:30-12:30 (start date Sept. 25)
- NEW: Basketball on Wednesdays, 12:00-1:00 (for all grade levels)
- NEW: Soccer on Thursdays, 12:00-1:00 (for all grade levels)
We are still waiting for adult volunteers to run some sessions. Please check our website frequently for activities that are added.
If you are interested in offering an extracurricular class or workshop, please contact Principal Browne at cbrowne@sandi.net. We are looking for folks wanting to share talents in science, technology, robotics, and the arts! All required district volunteer paperwork must be submitted in order to lead a class.
Extracurricular Art
There has been some confusion this year with class offerings for extracurricular art. In order to meet the needs of her students, Ms. Flo has planned 3 different options this year. Please only attend the class appropriate for your student. Please see Ms. Flo with any questions.
- Beginning Elementary Art (grades K-6 still developing their art skills) – Tuesdays 1:00
- Intermediate Elementary Art (grades 3-6 or with teacher approval based on skill level) – Thursdays 2:00
- Secondary Art Club (grades 7-12 only) – Thursdays 12:45
American Sign Language
Tuesdays / 11:30-12:30 / Cafeteria
Have you ever thought about learning what sign language is all about? Did you know you that sign language meets the high school graduation world language requirement? If so, come and learn all about American Sign Language beginning NEXT Tuesday, Sept. 25.
**** ANNOUNCEMENTS ****
Club Leader Survey
Please take by this Friday!
If you are interested in leading a club on campus this year, whether it’s brand new or one that’s been active forever, please complete this form by next Friday, September 21. We'll be having a Club Fair on October 2 & 3 at lunch where you will be able to promote your club to the MEA students.
National Honor Society
Applications due Friday, September 21
Students in grades 10-12, if you have a GPA of 3.75 or higher, 30+ hours of community service within the past 2 years, and demonstrated school/community leadership, then you may qualify for our Mt. Everest Academy National Honor Society. Information and Applications may be found in Dr. Rodenberg's teacher pages. Your application is due this Friday, September 21 and will be reviewed the following week.
Student request for photography subjects
One of our MEA seniors, Aurora, is entering into a professional photography competition through the company SONY World Photography Organization. She is in need of as many people as possible to model for her pictures. These pictures will be entered into the competition and have a chance to be recognized as the best picture of the year. If you are interested in participating please email Aurora at iaford21914@gmail.com. There will also be a sign up sheet and permission slips put in the front office after there are enough volunteers. Thank you for all your help.
The Garden Needs YOU!
We currently have no one leading the MEA garden. Without a parent or small group of parents volunteering for upkeep, we will not be able to keep the garden going, which has been a staple here for years. Are you interested in teaming up with other parents to keep this wonderful asset? Can you weed, tend, plant or harvest? Would you like to lead activities or plantings in the garden? High schoolers looking for fun resume-building opportunities can create their own work schedule!
Talk with Principal Browne or email Nikki Bradford for more info. nikki.bradford@gmail.com
Ms. Pachon's Travel Blog
One of our Science teachers, Ms. Pachon, has taken this year off to travel around South East Asia. She has shared a link to her travel blog; click here to find out about her AMAZING journey!
"Hall of Fame" Photo Request
We are giving the front office DIY makeover and we need your help! We will have a Mt. Everest Academy student “Hall of Fame.” We know MEA students are involved in so many wonderful things outside of school and we want to showcase that! Please send a photograph of your MEA student “pursuing their passion” and we will feature that photograph in a series of frames in the front office. (The plan is to rotate different photographs throughout the year.) You can either bring an 8 X 10 print to the front office or email a photograph that can be printed at that size to lele@sandi.net. If your student is an actor, feel free to bring in their headshot. We want to see MEA singers, dancers, athletes, musicians, and more!
Got chicken coop, need chickens!
Interested in helping pave the way for the first MEA chickens? Please let us know if you would like to help with this wonderful addition to MEA. We would like to have chickens in the coop by Thanksgiving! Email Principal Browne at cbrowne@sandi.net if you’d like to help.
Parents needed for SSC and SGT!
The Mt. Everest Academy School Site Council (SSC) and Site Governance Team (SGT) each have open parent positions for two year terms. If you are interested in running for School Site Council and/or Site Governance Team, please submit your name and a short (3-4 sentence) biography to Principal Browne at cbrowne@sandi.net or bring it to MEA’s Front Office. The deadline for submitting your name for candidacy is Tuesday, September 18, 2018.
You may be wondering, “What exactly are SSC and SGT?” The School Site Council consists of elected members representing parents, teachers, students, the school principal, and other school employees. This group is responsible for reviewing the school's improvement plan and allocating fiscal resources to support Mt. Everest Academy's goals in the areas of curriculum development and instruction. The State Legislature, as well as the Mt. Everest Academy teaching staff and administration, believes that the best decisions are made by those individuals who are most affected by them.
The Site Governance Team is a shared decision making body required at each school by the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education. The team discusses issues, gathers input and makes recommendations about topics affecting our school and our children with an emphasis on the instructional program.
The SSC and SGT will meet a minimum of six times during the year, and meetings will usually be scheduled on Wednesdays from 2-3. (This time is subject to change due to the availability of members.)
We greatly appreciate your willingness to support Mt. Everest with your time!
Study Group Schedules
Here's a link to the Study Group schedule.
**** COUNSELING CORNER ****
Meeting for all Seniors
Thursday, September 27 / 11:55-12:30 / Cafeteria
All 12th graders are required to attend this meeting with Mr. Zappala, who will be sharing important information and reviewing expectations for the year. Free pizza will be served!
Meeting for all Juniors
Wednesday, October 3 / 11:55-12:30 / Cafeteria
Mr. Zappala will discuss what is important to focus on for 11th graders, and what to think about as they become seniors next year. Free pizza will be served!
Majors @ Mesa Fair
Tuesday, September 25 / 11:00-2:00 / Mesa College
Mesa College cordially invites students to explore majors and career paths at their upcoming "Majors @ Mesa Fair."
Students can tour Mesa and speak with Mesa faculty and current students about programs, innovative projects, and exciting career opportunities. It’s never too early to prepare for your future; attend the fair and learn how Mesa College can help!
If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Karla Trutna at 619-388-2230 or ktrutna@sdccd.edu.
**** LIBRARY ****
September Library Challenge
The first Library Challenge of the year is a crossword puzzle! Click here for the puzzle, or pick one up in the library. Turn your completed form into the library by Thursday, September 22, 12:30 pm to receive a prize!