page background
page background

Independence High School

1/16/2024

Independence HighSchool1/16/2024

Principal's Update

SIXER community,


As we go into our second week of the Second Semester, we have some minor class balancing happening which may result in some class changes. Based on enrollment changes during the first semester we are converting two english sections and one math section to accommodate our student needs.


Last week we learned that Independence was awarded grants both for our Mental Health and Wellness Center and to design upgraded grounds focused on green spaces and trees on campus.

What's happening this week

  • Thursday, Jan. 18: AP Lunchtime Meet and Greet: Science (see all AP Meet and Greet course offerings, dates, and times, HERE)

  • Thursday, Jan. 18: Counseling Parent Night: All About Scheduling (G.9-11) | 5:30pm in iCafe

  • Friday, Jan. 19: Junior Scheduling Lesson in US History

  • Friday, Jan. 19: AP Lunchtime Meet and Greet: Electives ((see all AP Meet and Greet course offerings, dates, and times, HERE)

AP 2D Digital Studio Art and Multimedia 1 students, Ashely Pang, Chelsea Tran and Crystal Nguyen swept the 4D Category in the To Be Honest Art Contest with their digital fine art paintings. Our AP 2D students are also in the middle of completing their 2D Art and Design AP exam submission as well, which includes 15 total works of fine art digital or traditional artworks!


1st Place: Ashely Pang - In imagining how I would illustrate “A Love Letter to Myself”, the first thing that came to mind was how the those around us as well as myself often overlook the many things that make us unique and loved. In short, I find that a personal love letter to myself would be to remember all of the heartfelt things that my community, family, and friends have said to me or about me—to never forget that I am loved by those around me and to pay self-acknowledgment to myself that I am worthy of such love.


I have shown these words through this illustration by using symbolism and having storytelling elements in my composition. In this picture, I have drawn myself with an unusual occurrence…an envelope tree!? Yes, this is the symbolism kicking in. To me I see love from others at times so painfully easy to overlook. A lot of the time, love displayed by our family and friends is taken for granted and simply fly past like leaves in a breeze. However, when one comes to realization and finally admires the leaves that go by, you realize how beautiful the leave or lobe really is. I also belobe that no matter what, trees withstand the test of time, similarity to how we as individuals should always love ourselves.

2nd Place: Chelsea Tran- My piece was meant as both a reflection of my truthfulness to myself and as an apology for the amount of times I’ve self deprecated over my years in high school, which lead to me crying even more. The red heart in the center is my promise to myself that I’d always try to be honest to myself about how I feel. The reflection in the water is a reminder of the times I’ve cried, but there aren’t anymore ripples because I’ve moved past it and made peace with my mind. The flowers are meant to be my apology and my acceptance of my emotions, no matter how ugly they are. The birds in the background are my emotional freedom.

3rd Place: Crystal Nguyen- My piece represents the appreciation of myself throughout the course of my life. Represented by the carousel, it shows the different stages of my youth from when I was younger, all the way to now. In the background is myself, looking and admiring how far I've come since the fated year of 2006. I implement many uses of symbolism within my artwork. There is appreciation of my culture with carousel itself representing the colors of my country's flag, Vietnam. For as long as I can remember, I had always loved stars. I made sure to incorporate that with my horoscope, Virgo, at the top. I wanted to make sure this piece was essentially, me.

The AP 2D Digital Studio Art course is taught by Ms. Ingelfinger. If you’d like to hear more about the AP 2D Digital Studio Art course, visit B-104 this Friday at lunch!


Read more about all contest winners HERE, at To Be Honest, a program of Momentum for Health.

Sixer Shoutouts

Watch 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyc announce Coach Nelson Tran as the winner of this year’s 49ers Prep 2023 Coach of The Year - NFL Don Shula award! The nominated coaches are judged based on areas that Coach Shula excelled at the most during his career — character, integrity, leadership, dedication to the community, commitment to player health and safety and on-field success. Read all about this prestigious award and see nominees from across the United States HERE! Congratulations to our very own alumni and staff member, Coach Nelson Tran!

Congratulations to our ENTIRE boys basketball program at all three levels for academic excellence. All 34 of our young men exhibited growth in dedication and perseverance on the court and in the classroom maintaining eligibility throughout the Fall semester. Let’s applaud these boys as they enter the final semester of the year, finish strong Sixers! #GetBetterTogether

Connect with the IHS Boys Basketball Program and see the game schedule on Instagram HERE!

Counseling Corner

Scheduling Process for 2024-25 School Year

IHS Counseling will begin the scheduling process for the 2024-25 school year this Friday, January 19 for current students in grades 9-11. Scheduling lessons will be presented during the students' class period. At the end of the lesson, students will be given access to the scheduling form. Students are to submit their course requests by January 31, 2024 at 4pm. Counselors will meet one-on-one with students in February to confirm their course selections.


For more information on the scheduling process and resources, visit the scheduling page of the counseling website at www.tinyurl.com/ihscheduling-24-25.


Spring Counseling Parent Night

IHS Counseling will be hosting our spring parent night for parents with students in grades 9-11 this Thursday, January 18 at 5:30pm in the iCafe. We will give an overview of the scheduling process, what to expect and how to support your student in selecting courses for next year. We hope to see you there!

AP Lunchtime Meet and Greet

Advanced Placement (AP) teachers and current AP students will be available over the course of the next week and a half during lunchtime for AP Meet and Greet. This is a great opportunity for students who are interested in taking AP course(s) for the 2024-25 school year to get more information about the course, its rigor, what it takes to be successful in the AP course and get their questions answered.

Financial Aid Application - Update

Although both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act (CADAA) have opened, the FAFSA is currently experiencing some difficulties that are being fixed. These difficulties are specifically affecting students with mixed family status such as students with parents who don’t have a social security number. California Student Aid Commission is advising families with mixed status to wait until the end of January to complete the FAFSA. Currently, the CADAA is not experiencing any major issues.


IHS Counseling will be hosting a Cash 4 College Workshop on Thursday, February 1 from 3:30-6:30pm in the iCafe. We will have financial aid representatives present to answer any questions for either application. We recommend students and parents to attend this workshop for assistance on completing either the FAFSA or CADAA.


Upcoming Dates:

  • Jan. 18: Counseling Parent Night: All About Scheduling (G.9-11) | 5:30pm in iCafe

  • Jan. 19: Junior Scheduling Lesson in US History

  • Jan. 23: Sophomore Scheduling Lesson in PE 2

  • Jan. 24: SVCTE Information Meeting at 2:15pm

  • Jan. 24-25: Senior Counseling Lesson in Am. Gov’t/Econ

  • Jan. 26: Freshman Scheduling Lesson in PE 1


Counselor Caseload:

Athletics Updates

“Nobody who ever gave their best effort ever regretted it.”

  • George Halas


Week of 1/15/24

Sixer Basketball (b): Coach Yenchik

1/17/24 @ Branham JV @ 5:30 | V @ 7

1/19/24 vs Christopher F @ 4pm | JV @ 5:30 | V 7pm

Visit GoFan.co to purchase tickets


Sixer Basketball (g): Coach Singh (singh@esuhsd.org)

1/16/24 vs Gilroy JV @ 5:30 | V @ 7p

1/11/24 vs Del Mar JV @ 5:30 | V @ 7p


Sixer Soccer (b): Coach Mendez (fmendez888@gmail.com)

1/16/24 @ Piedmont Hills 7pm

1/18/24 @ Gunderson 7pm


Sixer Soccer (g): Coach Kimball (mskimball1997@gmail.com)

1/17/24 vs Prospect @ 6pm

1/19/24 @ Willow Glen @ 7pm


Wrestling: Coach Thompson (njakeg1209@yahoo.com)

1/17/24 vs Yerba Buena @ 7pm


Sixer Football: Coach Braun (braunj@esuhsd.org)

Sixer Golf (girls): Coach Carson (carsona@esuhsd.org)

Sixer Volleyball (girls): Coach Kenny (ng.kenneth02@gmail.com)

Sixer Cross Country (boys & girls): Coach Kevin (ckwang91@gmail.com)

Sixer Tennis (girls): Coach Scott (rl20ii@yahoo.com)

Sixer Water Polo (boys & girls): Coach Martinez (rodriguez.adrian1821@gmail.com)

Sixer Girls’ Flag Football: Coach Baker (bakerl@esuhsd.org)


Visit Sixer Athletics for up to date information about athletics! Follow us on Instagram: @indyathletics


Visit GoFan.co to purchase tickets

Seniors - the deadline for Senior Portraits is February 2, 2024.

Activities Updates

ASB Officer Applications

ASB Officer Applications are now available. See the image below for details.


Caps and Gowns

Seniors still wishing to purchase Caps and Gowns can visit http://HJGradstore.com. or contact our Rep. Mike Rabago. Office number 925-736-0679


2023-2024 Yearbook Promo!

Right now, yearbook reservations/orders are $70. Students and parents/ guardians can order a yearbook at the school bank (A-06), or visit www.yearbookordercenter.com (enter code 6072) to purchase online (there is a $4.99 processing fee for online purchasing). For further information, please review the Yearbook Frequently Asked Questions document.


Seniors! Check out the special Senior Button in this Newsletter for all things relevant to you and graduation!


Follow us on Instagram:

Stay up to date on all student activities and events at IHS - be sure to follow your ASB accounts:


And, your class account for important information specific to your grade level:

Safety & Attendance

We are a CLOSED Campus!

This is a friendly reminder to students and parents that we are a closed campus. Students should not be leaving the school grounds during school hours, particularly during break and lunch for safety reasons. The Public Library and Overfelt Gardens are off limits.


Students should not be hanging out in the parking lots during passing periods, break and or lunch. Staff members will ask the students to go back to the main campus.


NO DOORDASH!

Doordash is not allowed. We are a closed campus and we do not want strangers driving onto our campus and delivering food to minors. Students may not walk off campus to get a delivery either. This is a safety issue!


Parents, please do not send food deliveries to your student. ALL students may eat for free at break and lunch.


Dress and Attire

The expectations for clothing are clean, covered, and appropriate. This means no clothing that displays explicit or derogatory language, no drug or alcohol references, no sexually explicit images or nudity, and no gang references or symbols.


Any clothing or accessory item that the Administration deems a safety issue will be addressed with the student, and we will work with them to find a solution.


Attendance Matters!

The C-05 office will continue to focus on attendance as we continue to strive towards our mission: Students Engaged in the Classroom. We would like to continue to remind SIXERs the importance of being on time, all day, every day, and that there is a correlation between attendance, grades, and graduation. Avoid the truancy process!


Students who are consistently tardy or absent will meet with Ms. Goltzer and/or one of our Parent Community Involvement Specialists or a Student Advisor. We may request a parent meeting as well.


Parents, if you need to report a student’s tardiness or absence, please do so as soon as possible. The Attendance Office is in the N1 building. If you would like to phone instead, use the following phone numbers based on your student’s last name:


Attendance Staff

Short Term Independent Studies

Naicila Vidal - 408.928.9521


Student last names A - L

Diana Castillo - 408.928.9552


Student last names M-Z

Thao Pham - 408.928.9542

Reporting Line - SaySomething

Students and Parents,


Our highest priority is safety. If you witness or experience something that makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or that could potentially become a safety issue, please report it. You can do so anonymously. We have a link to the SAY SOMETHING app on our Independence website. Please give the Administration as much information as possible so that we may investigate the issue. You do not have to use your name. I am providing the link here as well. Let’s work together to keep our campus and community safe!


https://www.p3campus.com/tipform.aspx?ID=3000

Saturday School

We will continue our Saturday School series this year. It is a great way to make up an absence and clear it from your record, and avoid truancy! Saturday School will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 pm. It is an opportunity to work on homework, makeup work or just work ahead! A teacher will be there to help you with your work. We will also have food available.

Bring your Chromebook, as there will be a limited amount for use.


Our next date is Saturday, 2/3. See you there!


Use the following link to sign up!

https://forms.gle/FUESw4JdS5gzVPRj8

Parking Permits

Students who park on campus must have a parking permit. Please register your vehicle in C-05 and get your permit. Please display it in your vehicle when you park on campus. We ask that students park in the N1 parking lot (the large parking lot in front of the N1 Administration building).


Please drive safely in our parking lots. They are regularly monitored and any unsafe driving or driving at high speeds will not be tolerated. You may be cited and asked to park on the street in the future if you participate in these behaviors. We are a busy campus and you do not want to cause an accident or injure pedestrians.


You are not permitted to “hang out” in your vehicle during the school day.


Use the following link to register your vehicle. Pick up your permit in C-05.


https://forms.gle/WYhojwBqVvRouXUGA

Parent & Community Involvement Specialist (PCIS) Corner

**Save the date** January 24, 2024: ELAC Parent Meeting

Parent Empowerment Conference: March 2, 2024

Winter is here! If you are in need of warm items, such as socks, gloves, beanies, sweater come by A202 (Sixers Community Center) or contact Ms. Ha phamha@esuhsd.org or Ms. Maggie rodriguezm@esuhsd.org


Although all students receive free brunch & lunch, we are asking for your support in completing the “alternate Income form.” Please use this link to apply online.


For confirmation of Free & Reduced please contact Child Nutrition Services at cns@esuhsd.org


For any questions or concerns please contact your Parent & Community Involvement Specialists (PCIS) Ms. Ha phamha@esuhsd.org 408.928.9598 or Ms. Maggie rodriguezm@esuhsd.org 408.928.9541. We are located in what we are calling the "Sixer Community Center" located in A202. Please call us for an appointment or feel free to stop by and visit us.

Please ensure we have your email so you are able to receive Parent Meetings and school updates. We offer a variety of support services for our school community. Please complete the Parent Survey by using this link https://forms.gle/mY7aQo6c37KW5S64A to get your feedback regarding Parent Workshops.


As a reminder please refer to the academic calendar 2023-2024 to support you in the planning of any holiday vacations. As a reminder, vacations are not excuse absences in session days.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Sacred Heart Community Service

Martha's Kitchen

Second Harvest Food Bank nearest Food pickup


● 988 Crisis and Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Get Help - Behavioral Health Services - County of Santa Clara (sccgov.org); informational flyer for mental health teams (attached)

● Black Youth & Suicide: A guide on suicide risk and mental health support for Black youth in Santa Clara County

● LGBTQ Youth Space (ages 13-25): https://youthspace.org/

● allcove: https://allcove.org/centers/palo-alto/

● Downtown Youth Wellness Center (ages 12-25) – flyer attached; Programs – Alum Rock Counseling Center (alumrockcc.org)

● Santa Clara County Office of Education - Department of Youth Health & Wellness

● Headspace for Teens: https://www.headspace.com/teens

● Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org


For any questions or concerns, please get in touch with Ms. Ha phamha@esuhsd.org 408.928.9598 or Ms. Maggie rodriguezm@esuhsd.org 408.928.9541.

Mental Health & Wellness Corner

The Mental Health and Wellness Center is located in Room D-05.


Services offered in D-05

The Mental Health and Wellness team includes social workers, interns, and community-based organizations (CBOs) that work together to provide mental health support to IHS students. The Wellness Center team offers referrals to community resources, group counseling, short-term individual counseling, crisis intervention, and education about mental health and wellness.


How do I submit a referral?

Students, parents, teachers, and community members may submit a referral for any student at Independence by visiting the link below and filling out a Care Team referral form. A social worker or intern will follow up with the student.


Care Team Referral form: https://forms.doc-tracking.com/48252/48252/2416


Calming Space: The Calming Space is designed as a space for students who are experiencing stress in class and need a short break to self-regulate. Before students visit the Calming Space, we ask that they check in with their teacher and request a pass. Students may spend 15 minutes in the Calming Space; if they need more time, a wellness center staff member will check in to discuss additional resources and support. We ask that students always check in with an adult when they arrive and before they leave the Calming Space, keep their phones away, and that they try at least one station in the space. Stop by to take a look!


Calming Space Hours:

Monday: 8:30-3:45 (all day)

Tuesday: 11:16-3:45 (beginning of break - end of 7th period)

Wednesday: 11:55 - 3:45 (beginning of lunch - end of 7th period)

Thursday: 10:58 -3:15 (beginning of break - end of 6th period)

Friday: 8:30-3:45 (all day)

Where students find their Passion, Purpose, and Path.

School Vision

Independence High School is an intercultural community that provides students with rich opportunities for personal and academic growth while embracing diversity, belonging, and open access for all.

Newsletter Archives

Archives of previous newsletters can be found at https://independence.esuhsd.org/About-Us/Principals-Newsletter-archive/index.html
Bjorn Berg
Bjorn is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters