Class of 2026 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 2026. 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 2024 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.

We have the unique opportunity to nominate a 2026 student for the Carson scholarship. A nomination does not guarantee the student will receive the scholarship but offer them the opportunity to apply.

The Carson Scholarship program awards $1,000 college scholarships to students in grades 4-11 who have a GPA of 3.75 or higher for the current school year and are involved in community service activities. Scholarships are awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement and humanitarian qualities, without regard to financial need, ethnicity, creed or religion.

Students who are interested in being nominated, should submit this form (student access only) by November 20th. Students will know whether or not they are selected before we go on Thanksgiving break. If your student is chosen as our nomination, they will need to submit an application by January 13th, 2025. The application does include a teacher recommendation.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the GLT.

Many students are planning to take the SAT this upcoming Spring. All Helix students have access to FREE SAT prep through BlueBook. This app gives student easy access to targeted SAT practice, so they can sharpen their skills anytime, anywhere. With real test questions, timed practice sessions, and instant feedback, BlueBook is the perfect tool to make prep a breeze and help them feel confident on test day.

Do you or someone you know fit these requirements?

• Junior in high school (11th grader) at time of application
• Currently hold a 4.0 GPA or above
• Enrolled in Algebra II, Trigonometry or above
• Demonstrate financial need

If so, they are eligible to apply.

If selected, each Bovard Scholar will have one full year of support through the admissions cycle and spend two weeks on the USC campus, where they will receive:

• Personalized career exploration
• Expert admission and financial aid support
• Comprehensive test preparation
• Leadership development

This year, the summer intensive runs from July 14, 2025, through August 2, 2025.

We offer the program at no cost to students or families. USC will pay for transportation to and from campus for students outside of Southern California.

Applications are due January 17, 2025, at 5:00 pm PST.

Advanced Placement (AP) Students and Guardians: Please take a moment to review the following information for the 2025 AP Exams in May.

AP exam ordering is a THREE step process:

1. If students do not have a College Board account, the first step is to create an account with the College Board website.

2. The second step is to join the class using a unique join code obtained from their AP teachers (teachers will help students with this process during class).

3. Once students have an account and have joined their instructor’s course, the third step is to pay for the exam through Helix (either at the Dawg House or online).

**Exams will not be ordered without the completion of all three steps.

Exam Fees:

• Students who do not qualify for a Fee Reduction: the first exam will cost $99.00.

• Additional exams will cost $67.00 each (Helix helps to subsidize additional exam costs).

• Students who qualify for a fee reduction will pay $5.00 for each exam, as long as they are approved on time (fee reduction is NOT possible without filling out the LCFF survey - see instructions below).

Students who are eligible for a fee reduction must be approved through the Helix Alternative Income Local Control Funding Formula Form (LCFF), which was completed during Summer Conferences. If your household situation has changed since you submitted the LCFF Alternative Form this summer, or your family has not completed this form, please resubmit ASAP.

If your household qualifies under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), you will be eligible for a reduced fee of $5 for each exam. To ensure your application is approved before the ordering deadline, please complete the LCFF form as soon as possible (all applications must be submitted no later than 9/10/2024).

The office will verify the eligibility and inform the Finance office, ensuring you are charged the correct fee. The Finance Office will receive a list of qualifying students starting 9/20/2024 and you will be able to check your eligibility by adding the exam to your online cart or asking Ms. Yeagle at the Dawg House. You can purchase your exams for $5.00 between 9/20/2024 and 10/31/2024. Please note that any exam purchased after 10/31/2024 will incur a late fee of $40.00, which is charged by the College Board, not Helix.

Students who do not qualify under the LCFF can purchase their exams online or in person through the Helix Web Store as soon as the window opens on 9/1/2024. The last day to purchase an exam without a late fee will be 10/31/2024.

• The Dawg House does not accept personal checks, so all purchases at school should be with a credit card or cash during the Finance Office Hours (see Ms. Yeagle in the Dawg House). Student hours are: Monday through Thursday 8-8:25am, Lunch, and 3:30-3:45pm, and Fridays 8-8:25am, Lunch, and 3:30-3:45 Parent and Community hours are: Mon thru Thurs 8-12:20 and 1:20-3:45, Fridays 8-11:45 and 12:45-3:45

• Please triple-check to make sure you are registering for the correct exam!

Please Note: Any exam purchased after 10/31/2024 will risk not being ordered and receive a late fee of $40. In addition, any unused or canceled exams will also be charged a fee of $40 (these fees are administered through the College Board and Helix cannot reverse these charges).

Should you have any questions, contact Ms. Skullerud (skullerud@helixcharter.net) or Mrs. Trevino (trevino@helixcharter)

We are excited to invite you to Helix's 12th Annual Supporter’s Breakfast on Friday, December 13 from 8:00 a.m - 9:00 a.m in our gym. This event is a fundraising opportunity to support special programs on campus. We welcome you to participate in this fundraising event with the 2026 GLT.

Please join us for a special community event featuring a complimentary breakfast and exciting performances by the award-winning Helix performing arts department.

We will celebrate Helix's top performance scores, AP pass rates and the highest graduating class in our history! We will hear from inspiring past and present students and share opportunities to assist us in our mission of preparing ALL STUDENTS to be college-ready and successful after graduating.

If you’re able to attend the breakfast, please click here to register.

Helix has always been a special community and we are proud to honor and continue that legacy. We are excited to celebrate with you this December!

2026 GLT

Big congratulations to our students who earned Perfect Attendance for Fall Semester Term 1. To earn perfect attendance, a student must be present every single day with no tardies, no lockouts, and no off-campus passes.

Truly a remarkable accomplishment!

We'd like to recognize our Spring Semester Term 1 Honor Roll students. All of the students listed earned a 3.5 GPA or higher.

Congrats to the girls volleyball team, especially 11th graders, Tatum Y., Neahla T., Brynn S.. Elle R., Lucy J., and Leila M., as they won the silver division of the Costal Classic. Class of 2026 student, Lucy, was also named to the all-tournament team!

Our Varsity Field Hockey team won 2nd place in the Highlander Cup. Special shout out to juniors, Alexandra A. and Ava Rodriguez for the contributions to the team!

• Thursday, November 7 - Minimum Day, School Out at 1:20pm
• Monday, November 11 - No School - Veteran's Day
• Monday, November 18 - Progress Reports Due
• Wednesday, November 20 - Athletic Eligibility Determined
• November 25 - 29 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

Next week, November 7th is the deadline for students who received an invitation to attend C4ME to submit their participation agreement. Students who submit their agreement past 3:20pm will automatically be placed on the waitlist. If your student is interested in participating, please submit this agreement as soon as possible.

The agreement was emailed to both parents and students. If you have any specific questions regarding the trip, please do not hesitate in contacting the GLT.

As we welcome the fall and winter seasons with their festive cheer and traditions, it's also the time of year when colds, flu, and missed school days become more common. To support student wellness and learning, please keep your student home if they show signs of illness, such as a fever or vomiting. If your student is experiencing anxiety or stress please be sure to contact the Grade Level Team for support options. We also encourage families to avoid scheduling trips or vacations during school days, as missing school can create added stress for students.

Please mark these important dates on your calendar:

*Nov 11: Veterans Day (No School)

*Nov 25-29: Thanksgiving Break (No School)

*Dec 19 & 20: Helix Finals

*Dec 23-Jan 7: Winter Break

*Jan 8: Start of Spring Semester 1

The Helix Attendance Office would also like to share a few reminders:

1. Students arriving late to school must go directly to the Attendance Office. Even if they arrive between class periods or at lunch.
2. If a student needs to leave campus for any reason before their school day is over, they must first obtain an Off-Campus Pass.
3. If a student becomes ill while at school, the student must report to the School Nurse’s Office with a pass from their teacher. The nurse will then notify the parent/guardian to determine if an early release from school is necessary.
4. Students who leave campus early without authorization before leaving are considered truant and will be assigned a consequence.
5. Parents/Guardians must notify the school of the reason for their student’s absence, as soon as it is known a student will be absent. Absences that are not cleared within three (3) school days will change to a truancy.

Thank you for your support in keeping our school community healthy and engaged!

Every Thursday at 6pm, Helix staff or special guests present on different topics applicable to high school parents. These events are held in ExL 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've 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. Dinner will be provided, please RSVP here for food ordering purposes. This event will be held in ExL, the 1600 building, and is open to all parents and guardians. Students (and siblings) are welcome to join you! You can park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance from University & Yale. For translation services, click here.

You are invited to attend our first ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) meeting of the school year with Ms. Burrough, our English Language Coordinator. 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. Dinner will be provided, please RSVP here for food ordering purposes. This event will be held in ExL, the 1600 building, and is open to all parents and guardians. Students (and siblings) are welcome to join you! You can park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance from University & Yale. For translation services, click here.

We invite the class of 2025 students and families to join us to learn about the FAFSA/CADAA and what financial aid options are available to help make college more affordable. The English presentation will be held in ExL (room 1600) and the Spanish presentation will be held in room 1615. Snacks will be provided. Students and siblings can attend with you, registration not required. For translation services, click here.

Come join other students and parents as we learn how to navigate perfectionism and balancing healthy expectations. With finals coming up, this an important topic and we are offering students one community service hour for attending this presentation. This will be presented by Amy Chavez with San Diego Youth Services. This event will be held in ExL, the 1600 building, and is open to all parents and guardians. Registration not required. Students and siblings are welcome to attend with you. Snacks will be provided. You can park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance off of University & Yale. Snacks will be provided. For translation services, click here.

Yearbooks are currently for sale for $75 at the Dawg House and through the student store. The cost will increase to $85 in January and yearbooks SELL OUT, so buy one now if you're interested!

Read about the show and cast here and purchase tickets here.

Helix Vocal Music Department presents Fall Cabaret on November 13 & 14 at 7pm in the PAC, showcasing all 5 Helix Choirs and featuring specialty acts from our talented Helix singers!

The winter dance concert will be held in the PAC on Thursday & Friday, Nov. 21 & 22 at 7pm. Visit www.helixdancers.com for more information.

A list of community service opportunities can be found at helixcharter.net/community. We keep it very updated and some interesting new opportunities have just been added!

We hope all families will consider joining the Helix PTSA, click here to join. There is no commitment involved, it is just an annual, one-time donation of $13. The funds raised through PTSA memberships go directly back to the school and students, for scholarships, teacher supplies and needs, special programs and anything the students may need! We have student reps from each grade who attend the meetings and share requests and we try to accommodate them as much as possible. We have funds set aside for each grade.

If you want to make more of a commitment, consider joining the PTSA board! This means attending one meeting per month (if you're available) and being on an email distribution that shares information about upcoming volunteer opportunities. The meetings are typically held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5pm at the school or via Zoom.

And if you just want to be informed about upcoming events and school news, follow us on social media at Facebook and Instagram.

Is your student interested in being a class valedictorian? Our selection goes far beyond the top GPA. Click below to see an in-depth review on how Helix chooses their valedictorians.

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

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

"Young people are facing mounting pressure to succeed, and it’s causing mental health problems. But there is a solution: mattering."

Check out this article that came out in the October issue of Monitor on Psychology to learn more about recommendations and solutions for helping your student navigate this culture.

Mrs. Paula Ann Trevino (trevino@helixcharter.net) - Grade Level Principal

Mr. Hugo Gonzalez (gonzalez@helixcharter.net)- School Counselor

Ms. Rebekah Smith (rsmith@helixcharter.net) - School Social Worker

Ms. Lopez-Barajas (lopez-barajas@helixcharter.net)- Academic Advisor

Ms. Cabral-Grajeda (cabral-grajeda@helixcharter.net) - Administrative Assistant

Ms. Brenda Flores (bflores@helixcharter.net) - Attendance Technician