Class of 2025 Families,

How quickly we have found ourselves in November! As the weather cools, the days get darker earlier and our calendars fill with holiday events, in addition to the demands of school, we want to take pause and appreciate the year so far.

We are grateful for the amazing students that comprise the Class of 2025. They are truly a remarkable group of students. Beyond their outstanding academic performance in Fall Semester 1, they are kind, helpful, generous and thoughtful young adults. We are also appreciative of our Helix teachers and staff that work hard to challenge, motivate and support our students. Thank you to our Helix families and community who are equally committed to the success of our students.

With only two months remaining in the 2023 calendar year before we close out Fall Semester 2, we want to ensure that we are maintaining positive school habits including: attending school daily and on time, attending tutorials proactively, getting plenty of rest and connecting with supportive resources on campus when help is needed.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Grade Level Team or your students teachers with any questions, concerns or good news you would like to share with us. As always, continue to check in with your teenager on a regular basis.

Mark your Calendar:

November 2: On Campus Physical Exams for Winter Sports

November 10: No School - Veteran's Day

November 20: Progress Reports Due - Fall Semester 2

November 20-24: No School - Thanksgiving Break

November 22: Athletic Eligibility Determined

December 18-21: Finals Week - Fall Semester 2

December 22-31: No School - Winter Break

December 26: Athletic Eligibility Determined

January 1-9: No School - Winter Break

January 10: First Day of Spring Semester 1

January 15: No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 24: Parent Shadow Day

Congratulations to the 346 - 11th graders who received Honor Roll for Fall Semester 1!

Students on this list earned a 3.5 GPA or better for the Fall Semester 1 marking period.

Congratulations to the 102 - 11th graders who had Perfect Attendance for Fall Semester 1!

Students on this list were at school everyday, on time, with no marks throughout the day for the Fall Semester 1 marking period.

Junior, Lorelei Garrison along with her doubles partner, Jazmyn Gautt, are our #1 doubles team. They lead the team to an important league win over Valhalla, winning their two sets 6-2, 6-2. Way to go!

Congrats to Coach Dan Potter and the Girls Tennis Team as they earned a share of the Co-League Championship with Steele Canyon!

Congrats to the Boys Water Polo Team on an undefeated season and for clinching the Grossmont Hills League Championship!

Karoline has stepped up to fill in the position of goalie when the team needed her. She is a very versatile player who helps to control the defense, she has played forward and is very impactful when in the attacking. She is a great team player who quietly gets the job done!

Our Grade Level Team (GLT) is beyond excited for this year's C4Me Trip. Our very own Juniors will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge on the college going process, and visit over 10 Universities during Spring Break.

The C4Me invitations have been given to all qualifying students during advisory and via email. Students are invited to attend an information meeting to learn more about the program, workshops, and dates of the trip. The student information meetings will be held on the following dates in the Helix Gym, during lunch:

• Trip 1/Boys' Meeting: Wednesday, 11/1/23
• Trip 2/Girls' Meeting: Thursday, 11/2/23

Our C4Me Parent/Guardian meeting is scheduled for Monday, 11/6/23 and Tuesday, 11/7/23 at 6:00pm in the Helix Performing Arts Center. Students will receive a notice to take home on the day of their information meeting.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Yolanda Street, 2025 Counselor/C4Me Coordinator at street@helixcharter.net.

Daily attendance is important for all students. As we enter the holiday season and winter months of cold and flu the Helix Attendance Office wanted to remind you of a few things:

1. FINALS: December 20-21
   
   

2. November 10: No School - Veterans’ Day
   November 20-24: No School - Thanksgiving Break
   December 22-January 9: No School - Winter Break
   
   

3. Please avoid scheduling early or extended vacations. These absences are unexcused and may cause unnecessary stress for your student(s).
   
   

4. If staying home ill, please be sure to email the Helix Attendance Office at attendance@helixcharter.net or call the Attendance Office at ext. 231 (9th and 12th grade) or ext. 232 (10th and 11th grade) within 24 hours of your student’s return to school.
   
   

5. If your student needs to leave school early, please contact the Attendance Office at least 40 minutes in advance to ensure there is enough time to send the Off Campus Pass to your student.
   
   

6. We encourage students to get plenty of rest and drink lots of water as we enter this busy time of year.

If you have any questions or need support, please contact the 2025 Grade Level Team at glt2025@helixcharter.net.

Are you interested in trying out the career you are interested in? An internship may be for you!

Complete the survey below to indicate if you are interested in signing up for this new program starting in January 2024!

Interested in a career in Architecture, Construction or Engineering... if so, keep reading below.

Helix students will learn to use Building Information Modeling (BIM) using Revit. This is an online course that students can do on their own, but will be required to attend one day after school to work in groups. Students completing modules will earn UCSD College of Extended Studies credit. There is no cost to be in this course. The first course will start in the beginning of December. Upon completion of all 3 courses, students will be eligible to participate in the opportunity to apply for internships for the Summer of 2024.

Students may sign up by using this link.

Find out more information about Community Service Opportunities; Internship Opportunities; Scholarship Opportunities; College Visits/Tours/Fly-Ins by clicking the box below.

ASPIRE is the before and after school programming at Helix Charter High School. This is a federally funded grant program through the county. Helix is fortunate to be included in this grant because it allows us to offer students incredible programming, all FREE to Helix students!

10th graders can now qualify for $500 and $40,000 scholarships from BigFuture®! The scholarships are open to all students, with no GPA, test score, essay, income, or citizenship requirements. Every month, they award $500 and $40,000 to students who take steps toward their career and the education they need to reach it.

How to Get Started

To qualify for monthly drawings, you just need to sign in to your BigFuture dashboard and complete steps, beginning with starting a career list and building a college list. Here is a how-to video and another video to see past winners.

Every Thursday at 6pm, Helix staff or special guests present on different topics applicable to high school parents. These events are held in the Helix Library and are open to the public! See below for our upcoming schedule. Visit helixcharter.net/FamilyFirst for more information and for links to previous recordings.

If you have ever struggled to understand your teenager, this Info Night is for you. Julie Damschen, Child Development & Psychology teacher will present the latest information about teenage brain growth and development. With new technology, we better understand why peers have such a big influence on our teens, why substance abuse can be more harmful to teen brains and how parents can best support their teens through this developing brain period.

This event will be held in the Helix Library from 6pm-7pm. Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP here for food ordering purposes. Students are welcome to attend with parents/guardians. Doors will open at 5:45pm.

For translation services, click here bit.ly/46c6iT2.

You are invited to attend our first ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) meeting of the school year. Your involvement is vital in shaping a successful educational journey for all students. We value diversity and inclusivity and want to work together to support our English Learners and create a nurturing academic environment. We will present on ELAC's role in enhancing our students' education, connect with fellow parents and educators, cultivate a strong community focused on students' success and discuss insights and ideas on improving language programs.

This event will be held in the Helix Library from 6pm-7pm. Dinner will be provided, please RSVP here for food ordering purposes. Students are welcome to attend with parents/guardians. Doors will open at 5:45pm.

To ensure that all parents can participate, translation services will be available in various languages. For translation services, click here bit.ly/46c6iT2.

The Mid High School Reflection (MHSR) project is an opportunity for 11th grade students to reflect on their high school experience. Through the reflection process students will examine their growth within Helix's School-Wide Learner Outcomes (SLO's) and will have the opportunity to research post-secondary options. Most of the work will be done through Advisory activities with support from families. The MHSR will take place in the Spring semester of Junior year. Join the 2025 Grade Level Team (GLT) to learn more about the MHSR graduation requirement.

This event will be held in the Helix Library from 6pm-7pm. The 2025 GLT will be available to answer questions. Snacks will be provided. Students are welcome to attend with parents. Doors will open at 5:45pm.

For translation services, click here bit.ly/46c6iT2.

Are you enrolled in English 120 for the Spring Term? Wondering what the workload will be like? How much effort is expected? We welcome all students and families that are enrolled in English 120 to hear the truth about the course from teacher, Aleen Jendian.

This event will be held in the Helix Library at 6pm. Students are welcome to attend with parents/guardians. Doors will open at 5:45pm. Refreshments will be served. Registration is not required.

For translation services, click here BIT.LY/46C6IT2.

The National Electrical Contractors Association and Los Rancheros Kiwanis are teaming up to offer a Trade School Career Fair for Building and Construction careers on Saturday, 11/4/23 from 1pm-4pm at the San Diego Oasis Center in Rancho Bernardo.

The event will feature representatives and hiring managers from the National Electrical Contractors Association, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors, and other organizations in the plumbing, iron working, and carpentry fields. This is a great opportunity for students to explore careers and post-secondary training opportunities. Job seekers will have a chance to submit applications.

This event is open to the community and there is no registration required.

EVENT DETAILS

• WHERE: San Diego Oasis at Rancho Bernardo – Assembly Hall, Second Floor; 17170 Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego 92128
• WHEN: Saturday, 11/4/23; 1pm-4pm
• WHO: Open to the community.

As part of the One Book, One Helix programming this fall, there will be a field trip to Balboa Park on Saturday, 11/4/23 to see "Little Amal," a twelve-foot tall puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl. Little Amal has traveled through 14 countries since 2021, and will be ending her 9,000-mile journey through the U.S. here in San Diego.

"Little Amal" has become a global symbol of human rights, calling attention to the plight of refugees forced to flee their countries, and La Jolla Playhouse is sponsoring the last leg of her journey in San Diego.

SDSU invites you to PISA’s Annual High School Conference that will be hosted at San Diego State University’s Conrad Prebys Student Union on Sunday, 11/5/23 from 9am - 5pm.

During our annual High School Conference, we aim to build a community for Pacific Islander students to feel that they have a place within higher education. In doing so, we provide informative, educational, and cultural workshops to deepen their understanding of the resources and opportunities that may exist for them post-graduation.

This year’s theme is Inafa’Maloek which is the Chamoru phrase that encompasses interdependence, harmony, and to make good for everyone. In the spirit of Inafa’Maloek, we will have numerous opportunities for students to engage in interactive workshops, learn from community members, immerse themselves in cultural activities, hear from an exciting keynote speaker, and showcase their talents in a dance competition! Lunch will be provided for high school attendees!

We look forward to seeing you in attendance on November 5th! Please be advised that while the event begins at 9am, we are strongly recommending and kindly asking that participants arrive at 8am to accommodate parking and the check-in process.

All attendees must fill out these forms to attend:

• Visual Image Release Form (for Minors): Visual Image Release (Minors).pdf

• Visual Image Release Form (for Adults): Visual Image Release (Adults).pdf

• Liability Waiver: Liability Waiver (1).pdf

Please email COMPLETED forms to pisa.academic.sdsu@gmail.com or a printed and signed copy in person on the day of.

More information will be provided regarding parking and other logistical information as we confirm our attendance guest list. Please stay on the lookout for follow-up emails!

For students who plan to attend, please fill out the Individual Pre-Registration Link Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjUqXHDFfC3XslSkN-w9qmFJIkaFkN-pClbIlABOrlVBcdmg/viewform

This link will close 2 weeks before HSC (October 22, 2023 @ 11:59 pm PST)! Same-day registration will be permitted, however, Pre-Registration is preferred! More information will be included in the form above!

Our Voices 2023 is the Helix Dance Winter Concert. It will be held in the Helix Charter High School Main Stage Theater on Thursday, 11/16/23 and Friday, 11/17/23 at 7pm.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

• All ticket sales will be sold online only. No physical day-of box office sales.
• Pre-sale price for all tickets is $10/person, all ages general admission.
• Pre-sale ticketing price will be available until 12 hours before each performance.
• Day-of Price for all tickets is $12/person, all ages general admission.
• Day-of ticket sales will begin 12 hours before each performance.
• Your ticket sales will be on a master list on the day of performance in case you forget your confirmation.
• Email Katie Pipes with questions: pipes@helixcharter.net

Visit www.helixdancers.com for more information.

The Helix Vocal Music Department presents Fall Cabaret on Wednesday, 11/29/23 and Thursday, 11/30/23 at 7pm in the Helix PAC.

They will showcase all 5 Helix Choirs and feature specialty acts from our talented Helix singers!

On Saturday, 3/2/24 at Snapdragon Stadium, Biocom will be hosting the 16th Annual San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering EXPO Day, an educational event to engage kids and families in STEAM through interactive demonstrations, hands-on activities, and dynamic speakers. Each Festival also features artwork unique to that year and designed by a local student.

Biocom has just opened the competition for the 2024 Festival and will be accepting student submissions until Friday, 12/1/23.

Students can submit a hand-drawn image or a digital creation. For the hand-drawn image, students should draw their piece on an 8 x 11 standard sheet of paper and send a scanned copy to contest@generationsteam.org. For a digital creation, Biocom would prefer to receive the file in an AI/vector format, but all formats will be accepted. Digital creations are submitted to the same email.

The winning submissions will be displayed throughout the Festival and the winners and their families will be invited to the Festival MVP luncheon, an invite-only event. The classrooms of the winning submissions will also receive $150 stipends for classroom supplies!

COMPETITION DETAILS

• WHERE: Send submissions to contest@generationsteam.org
• WHEN: Submissions are due Friday, 12/1/23
• WHO: K12 students in San Diego County

Remember that the ACT is still required for some out of state colleges. We encourage students to sign up for the Spring Test Dates.

Remember that the SAT is still required for some out of state colleges. We encourage students to sign up for the Spring Test Dates.

Mrs. Yolanda Street - School Counselor

Ms. Danika Markey - Academic Advisor

Ms. Sara Brown - Administrative Assistant

Ms. Brenda Flores - Attendance Technician

Mrs. Danielle Yee - School Social Worker