Week 16-18: Happy Holidays!

BLOG 

Hello Q Nation!!!

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS!!!!!

We have a AMAZING BLOG this week! Full of nothing but amazing things our kids are doing!!!!!!


SERRA IN THE NEWS!!!
We are all over the place! CHECK IT OUT!

Cameron Britt creates Haunted House and gives money to charity!!!

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Tierrasanta-Teen-Raises-Money-for-Charity-by-Creating-Haunted-House-454388253.html

Serra high raises the bar for protecting others against bullying

http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/12/05/massacre-victims-words-inspire-local-students/

Serra High Students fight for no drinking and driving!!!!--featured on KUSI

This was the work of club Elevated. Every year leading up to the holiday season, we partner with law enforcement and MADD to carry out a campaign called Sticker Shock at the liquor store, Country Wine and Spirits. The focus of Sticker Shock is to remind consumers that it is illegal to purchase or provide alcohol to anyone under 21 years old, especially during this time of celebration.

Students designed stickers that said, "Think Twice Before Rolling the Dice. During the holidays, 2-3X more people in the US die in alcohol-related crashes."

We printed 300 of their stickers and the store let us in to place their stickers on all of the alcohol-related packaging.  During the first of the year, Club ELEVATED will be doing a similar campaign at Industrial Grind here in Tierrasanta.

KUSI, Channel 8, Fox 5, and Univision were present. 

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS BALL
What a great experience!!! Circle of Friends put on a ball which featured tons of fun for all populations of the school. Great work!

ATHLETICS

Serra Alumni Games This December at Serra

Boys Soccer - December 27; 6pm

Girls Soccer - December 28; 6pm

Boys Lacrosse - December 29th; 5:30pm

Girls Basketball - December 30th; 6pm

Boys Basketball - December 30th;  7:30pm

This past weekend the Boys Soccer Team took on Holtville in the Parker Cup.  They were victorious in a 4 - 1  game played at Parker.  Congratulations to the student-athletes of the Boys Soccer Team on the Championship!

Serra High School had two student-athletes that were selected from the entire county as the Union Tribune All-Academic Captains.  The Union Tribune only selects one team Captain for each of the teams.  Anthony Benitez was selected as the Cross Country All-Academic Team Captain and April Ranches was selected as the Girls Golf All-Academic Team Captain.

All CIF team members for Field Hockey get recognized at PetCo Park.

Want to know everything with Serra Athletics?

Just click the Athletic tab and then click Athletics again or go to the following website

http://goconquistadors.com/

ROTC:

For the first time, Serra Navy JROTC Academic Team advances to Level II in the College Options JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl (JLAB).

Pearl Harbor survivor Stuart Hedley, 96 years old, told Serra cadets an amazing story of his life and shared what it was like to be on the receiving end of the attack.  He swam through flaming oil in the harbor after his ship the West Virginia took eight torpedoes.  He watched the USS Arizona blow up.  For him it was only the beginning…. His experience the rest of the war was far worst.  He is a loving and caring man who would rather give you a hug then a hand shake including his former enemy, the Japanese.  

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

Please make sure you are referring to our calendar. Throughout the holiday season periodically I will update this page with important dates:

1/3/18: Foundation Meeting Basketball vs Scripps at Serra: 5-7
1/4/18: N/A
1/5/18: Girls and Boys Varsity BBall at Mira Mesa: 6-930

Teacher Feature! 

THE ENTIRE SERRA STAFF!!!!

They are working hard for you!!!!

GRADES:

The last 6 week before actual report cards has begun! please make sure your children finish strong so they get the 44 credits they need to graduate. Go get em!!!!

Tutoring

We have tutoring available on campus at lunch and after school. Schedule found here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZzxyvP54zO1Jso-gJv6ZR8ln18cl_t-AgaPGtwOedmE/edit?usp=sharing

Foundation Meeting/PTO:

The next Foundation meeting is January 3 at 630 in the Media Center. Foundation help fund projects and items that regular funds cant. It is an amazing group to be a part of and give back to Serra.

PTO is January 16 at 6 pm in the media Center as well. LOOK at our new lounge. Thank you PTO!

Principal's Coffee:

The next Principals Coffee is January 26th at 730. Missed the last one LAST WEEK? Click here.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uhWrQQQgk78U-OwfXbgXBUdDWY1YMFOsuoE-jMdFcH8/edit?usp=sharing

COUNSELING--
FAFSA

 If you have not started your FAFSA application, please start it during the break.  DO NOT wait until the March 2^nd deadline.  The earlier you apply, the better your chances of receiving money.   Please apply even if you don’t think you quality. 

o    The first step is for the student and one parent to apply for a FAFSA ID, if you both have a Social Security Number. 

§  https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid

§  The next step is to fill out the FAFSA, using parent’s 2016 filed taxes @:

§  https://fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm

o   If the student has a SSN, but the parent does not, then the student applies for the FAFSA ID, fills out the application and prints out the signature page for the parent to sign and mail in.  Please mail in, via Certified Mail.

o   If the student nor the parent has a SSN, DO NOT fill out the FAFSA.  Instead, fill out the Dream Application: 

§  https://dream.csac.ca.gov/

Scholarships!

There are lots of great scholarship available to our students.  Click the link below and see if one is right for you!

Click Here for SCHOLARSHIPS!

Week 15

BLOG 

Hello Q Nation!!!

If you would like to subscribe to my blog, please enter your e-mail address in the field at the top of this page. 

We hope you had a great break. We have some great things going on this week and we are excited to share them.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

Please make sure you are referring to our calendar. Throughout the holiday season periodically I will update this page with important dates:

12/4/17: Rachels Challenge, Pearl Harbor Survivor Assembly

12/5/17: Winter Choral Concert (see calendar)

12/6/17: Foundation (630)

12/7/17: Winter Instrumental Concert (see calendar)

12/8/17: No school wide activities

GRADES:

We are electronic now. Grade will be available for view December 8 in the evening. Please check Parent Portal as we will no longer be sending paper copies home. If you have questions please contact your child's counselor. This is a progress report. Report Cards are towards the end of January and those grades are final. Finals are January 23-25.

Tutoring

We have tutoring available on campus at lunch and after school. Schedule found here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZzxyvP54zO1Jso-gJv6ZR8ln18cl_t-AgaPGtwOedmE/edit?usp=sharing

Foundation Meetings/PTO Meetings:

The next Foundation meeting is December 6 at 630 in the Media Center. Foundation help fund projects and items that regular funds cant. It is an amazing group to be a part of and give back to Serra.

ASB: Decorating Contest:

ASB had a door decorating contest and the finalists are below: GREAT JOB!
Adams 





















Ms.Wendy



Ms. Litt





Principal's Coffee:

The next Principals Coffee is January 26th at 730. Missed the last one LAST WEEK? Click here.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uhWrQQQgk78U-OwfXbgXBUdDWY1YMFOsuoE-jMdFcH8/edit?usp=sharing

COUNSELING--
FAFSA

 If you have not started your FAFSA application, please start it during the break.  DO NOT wait until the March 2^nd deadline.  The earlier you apply, the better your chances of receiving money.   Please apply even if you don’t think you quality. 

o    The first step is for the student and one parent to apply for a FAFSA ID, if you both have a Social Security Number. 

§  https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid

§  The next step is to fill out the FAFSA, using parent’s 2016 filed taxes @:

§  https://fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm

o   If the student has a SSN, but the parent does not, then the student applies for the FAFSA ID, fills out the application and prints out the signature page for the parent to sign and mail in.  Please mail in, via Certified Mail.

o   If the student nor the parent has a SSN, DO NOT fill out the FAFSA.  Instead, fill out the Dream Application: 

§  https://dream.csac.ca.gov/

Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation are being finished up. Counselors have a data sheet they use to track deadlines. They will get them in on or before the deadline. This applies to any deadline whether early acceptance or not.

Teacher Feature!--Linda Nelson

During the American Historical Voices unit, Linda Nelson's AP English Language and Composition students did an in-dept structural and rhetorical analysis of the Declaration of Independence.  As a culminating activity, each student group wrote their own Declaration of Student Rights, writing and sharing the documents, then revising and editing, all using Google Docs.  The student declarations addressed a variety of topics that were issues important to the students of Serra.  (Topics ranged from equal funding for all sports, off-campus lunch and adopting four-by-four master schedules, and reevaluation of transfer grades from schools outside of the district.)  Once finished, the declarations were printed on resume paper, and each group participated in a signing party similar to the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  The entire project is the APELC common assessment for November.

ATHLETICS

Want to know everything with Serra Athletics?

Just click the Athletic tab and then click Athletics again or go to the following website

http://goconquistadors.com/

ROTC/FOOD DRIVE---PLEASE PARTICIPATE Ends Dec 13th

Our goal this year is 2 tons of food to feed the hungry during the holidays.  Nonperishable food items will collected in JROTC (room 417) or any of your student's 1st period classes.

Most Needed Food Items

Canned Chicken & Tuna Dry & Canned Beans Cereal Rice

Nuts & Seeds Peanut Butter Canned Soup Canned & Dried Fruit

Canned Vegetables Powdered Milk Infant Formula

Nutritional Choices

Tuna in Water Low-Sodium Canned Beans

Low-Sugar Whole Grain Cereal

Brown & Wild Rice

Unsalted Almonds

Low-Sodium & Low-Fat Canned Soup

Flax Seeds

No Sugar Added Peanut Butter

Canned Fruit in Water or Juice Low-Sodium & No Salt Added

We are unable to accept:

Glass jars or homemade food products

We need your help!!!--Vandalism on Campus--We are getting close to catching this person Please help!

Last week on the last day of school before break around 430-5 PM this car was driving all over our lawn etc doing damage. Its a white pick up truck. Can you identify this car? If so please contact me at erenfree@sandi.net. WHITE TRUCK 4 DOOR either no hubcaps or black ones.

In addition around the same time (cant be sure if its the same car/truck as above) someone ran into our Visitor ticket booth. Please see photo. This car would have damage. We know that the rear view brake light was broken and in addition should have a broken mirror on one side and scrapes. If you child came home over the break during the first weekend of it with car damage please contact us as we and local law enforcement are working on this. Please see damage.

DID YOU KNOW?????

Administration in Tierrasanta at the middle schools and high school are involved in what is called a Family Collaborative which is support systems in TS that talk about what community concerns are going on and if these supports can address them. Lately prescription drugs have come up in conversation. 

This is interesting for the following reasons:

1. It doesn't smell (like marijuana)

2. Hard to detect if child in taking them without a prescription

3. Going rate for these pills are a lot so they are a lucrative "business" to get into. Even if they bring 1 pill to school they can make up to 40 dollars on it.....that's a ton of money to a kid so a bottle might not be missing but a pill or two in the bottle could be.

4. They have easy access to these pills in your homes, grandparents homes and friends homes.

5. A child who comes into your house can go through your medicine cabinets and take a pill out so it doesn't have to be your child...its about the access

6. You can be held liable if your child takes pills and distributes them either at a school or in the community and something happens to those kids while high.

7. Pills stay in your system up to 5 days while marijuana stays up to 30 so its hard to catch if you suspect.

PLEASE WHETHER YOU SUSPECT YOUR CHILD OR NOT:

1. Please lock up or destroy your pills if unused

2. Preferred pills are Xanax, Narcos, Perocets, and Somas.

3. If you don't know what to do with your pills bring them to the high school and we will dispose of them for you in a manner appropriate.

4. Talk with your children and let us know if Serra Students are involved and email me at erenfree@sandi.net so I can support you.

5. If you suspect and want help we have a resources on campus that can drug test your child. Contact us for details. We will help you.!!!!!

WE DO NOT HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM AT SERRA..however if we can do something as simple as locking up or disposing of our unused prescriptions it will help prevent one. We will support you however we can.

Dress Code

We've been working with our Site Governance Team to update our dress code policy and together we've adopted a policy that we believe values equity for all students.  Over the next week students will receive a printed copy of the new dress code and the dress code will be posted in classrooms.  Full enforcement of the new dress code will go into effect after Thanksgiving break.

The dress code is divided into three sections.  

1. Our Philosophy

2. The Dress Code

3. Enforcement.

In this blog I'm sharing the "Dress Code" and part of the enforcement of it.  If you would like to see the entire document, please check the Serra web page later this week. 

Click HERE for the Dress Code. 

Students who are found to be in violation of the dress code will be given the following three options.  (For a more detailed look at the enforcement piece of the dress code, check the SHS web page later this week.)

o   Students will be asked to put on their own alternative clothing, if already available at school, to be dressed to code for the remainder of the day.  The office will confiscate “out of code” garment until the end of the day.

o   Students will be provided with temporary school clothing to be dressed to code for the remainder of the day. 
 The office will confiscate “out of code” garment until the borrowed garment is returned.

o   If necessary, students’ parents may be called during the school day to bring alternative clothing for the student to wear for the remainder of the day. 


Parking--Please talk to you children!

Please remind all students to park in the "south" parking lot.  This is the parking lot that is closest to the bungalows and tennis courts.  The other parking lot is reserved for staff.

Academic Concerns:

We are not allowing schedule changes unless it is a circumstance such as safety. However when you have a concern that is academics please follow the proper procedure.

1. Contact your child's teacher

2. Set a meeting with the teacher

3. Follow up with the teacher

4. Contact the counselor

5. Contact the Head counselor

6. Contact the VP for your child

7. IF none of these people can resolve the issue and you have exhausted all of these than please feel free to contact me directly at erenfree@sandi.net.

Thank you.

Scholarships!

There are lots of great scholarship available to our students.  Click the link below and see if one is right for you!

Click Here for SCHOLARSHIPS!