Class of 2025 Newsletter

Class of 2025 Families,

Welcome back from Spring Break! We have arrived at the final semester of high school, and the next 10 weeks will fly by. From senior boards and prom to college acceptances, job offers, and military signings, this is a time of excitement and anticipation.

Over the past four years, the Class of 2025 has shown resilience, curiosity, determination, and resourcefulness. They have proven themselves imaginative and ready to leave their mark on the world. As they continue their tradition of hard work, we look forward to celebrating their achievements and supporting them in their next steps.

The calendar is packed, the days will pass quickly, and countless memories will be made. At the same time, we recognize that this season brings a mix of emotions. As students prepare for their next chapter, the Grade Level Team will continue to remind them that feelings of stress, worry, and pressure are normal - and that they are not alone. We are here to support them every step of the way. Please continue checking in with your student, encouraging them to stay on top of their grades, and enjoy the moments of Senior Year as we look forward to June 4, 2025.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Grade Level Team with any questions or concerns.

Mark your Calendar:

April 4: 40 Community Service Hours Due

April 5: Helix Foundation Highlander Open Golf Tournament

April 7: Helix Foundation Scholarship Opens

April 9: Trades Day

April 11: College Rejection Party

April 17: Preparing for Life After High School - Family First

April 24: Student Minimum Day - Staff PD

April 24: Make-Up Grossmont Onboarding Day

April 24: Spring Fling Freshmen Welcome BBQ

April 25: Helix Foundation Scholarship Deadline to Apply

May 5: Progress Reports Due - Spring Semester 2

May 7: Athletic Eligibility Determined

May 9: Military Luncheon

May 14: College Signing Day

May 14-15: Senior Processing Circles

May 15: Student Minimum Day - Staff PD

May 17: Prom

May 21-22: Senior Boards - Minimum Day

May 26: No School - Memorial Day

May 29-30: Senior Finals

May 30: Senior Awards

June 2: Senior Breakfast

June 3: Cap & Gown Distribution

June 4: Grad Rehearsal & Graduation

Congratulations to the Helix Show Choirs for winning 2nd place in both divisions at their tournament in La Palma!

Special shout out to the following senior, choir students for earning medals for outstanding soloists and performers at their first 2 competitions - Scarlett Bullis and Dontrice Martin!

The Helix Speech and Debate team wrapped up 3 weekends of State Qualifying Tournaments and are League Champions! In addition, they received the award for Top Speech School (although they certainly needed the debaters to help us pull off the overall sweepstakes). Helix was competing with about 30 other schools across the county to qualify students for the State Championship for the 1st weekend in May in Culver City. We are very proud of the efforts of all of our students (qualifier or not). Listed below are individual standouts and those students that will be representing Helix in May:

State Qualifiers and Alternates

• Firdous Ali
• Diego Ayala
• Maddie Carey
• Colin Contreras
• Zaida Donnelly
• Peyton Kertson
• Christian Soza
• Paola Aguilar (2nd alternate)

Speech Competitor of the Year

(results compiled through all of the League tournaments throughout the year)

• Zaida Donnelly

Seniors - Spencer Gray, Harlem Harris and Laurence Burston, along with Junior - Jeremy Robinson, set a meet and stadium record of 42.24 at the Ayala Invitational in the 4x100 meter relay. Additionally this time makes them #1 in San Diego and #3 in the State!

Way to go Spencer, Harlem and Laurence!

Romeo is starting strong this season with 11 goals and 3 assists. Helping his team start the season 2-0.

Way to go Romeo!

A hard working senior, Bailey is leading the team and playing her best games.

Way to go Bailey!

Congratulations to Leo Galindo and Xavier Brooks, who recently completed the Mission Trails Regional Park Eco Ambassadors Teen Program.

They were selected from over 100 applicants and successfully completed the eight-week program that utilizes Mission Trails as an outdoor classroom to learn about the park’s habitats, the San Diego River, geology, and more. Participants heard from a range of subject matter experts and had the opportunity to explore careers in environmental fields. As part of the program, they participated in a major restoration project, helping to create habitat to benefit the Mission Trails’ ecosystems and wildlife. They commend the cohort on their dedication and commitment to becoming environmental stewards.

The Mission Trails Regional Park Eco Ambassadors Teen Program is now recruiting for their Summer 2025 Eco Ambassadors cohort. Applications are open through Sunday, 4/13/25 and the program dates are from Friday, 6/13/25 - Friday, 6/20/25.

For more information, please visit: https://mtrp.org/ecoambassadors/

Helix is now using Anonymous Alerts, a confidential system that allows students to report bullying, behavioral concerns, or campus safety issues 24/7, either through a mobile app or a web-based platform. This system replaces the previous Student Safety Form and offers enhanced features, including the ability for staff to communicate anonymously with the person reporting.

To get started:

• We recommend all students download the Anonymous Alerts app on their phones if possible. You can also use this link to the web-based platform by clicking here. This is also linked on the school website.
• Enter activation code: helixcharterhs

The Class of 2025 Prom is on Saturday, 5/17/25. Below are a few reminders about getting cleared to attend Prom.

*All detentions and fines MUST BE CLEARED before you may purchase a ticket.*

Take care of your business NOW, so we can see everyone at Prom on Saturday, 5/17/25!

If you are looking for a dress and accessories for Prom, please know that The Princess Project is here to support you. View the flyer's below for more information.

To recognize your student's accomplishments during their time at Helix Charter High School, the Helix EDGE Lab/CTE Program is selling Class of 2025 Graduation Banners. If you wish to purchase a banner, they are $25 each.

GRADUATION BANNER DETAILS

• The banner will measure 2ft x 3ft.
• The banner will include:
• Student Name
• Senior Yearbook Photo
• Helix Graphic (Graduation Scottie, Helix "H" Green, or Helix Mad Dog)

Please complete the form to personalize your Graduation Banner. PLEASE PAY FOR YOU BANNER ONLINE AT THE STUDENT STORE - BANNERS WILL NOT BE MADE UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED. Deadline to order a banner is Friday, 4/18/25 at 3:25pm.

Click here to submit your order today!

The Class of 2025 Graduation is on Wednesday, 6/4/25 at 6pm at Benton Hart Stadium, Jim Arnaiz Field at Helix Charter High School.

All attendees must have a ticket to enter the stadium. Tickets are required for all attendees ages 4 and older. All Class of 2025 students will receive 6 tickets. If students submitted the FAFSA/CADAA by Friday, 2/28/25, they will receive an additional 2 tickets. Students will pick up graduation tickets at Gap & Gown Distribution on Tuesday, 6/3/25.

For family and friends not able to attend the ceremony, it will be streamed on NFHS Network. More information to come.

San Diego Graduate Services is Helix's official supplier of Cap and Gowns for graduation. To order your cap and gown please order online TODAY at SDgrad.com. Select Helix in the drop down menu. Along with cap and gowns they also sell letter jackets, class rings and graduation announcements.

If you have any questions, please email the Helix PTSA at HelixPTAPresident@gmail.com. See the flyer below for more information.

The Institute for Public Strategies is recruiting for the East County Youth Coalition in which youth members will be training to build capacity and address substance misuse-related problems. As a collaborative project across East County, students will participate, gain hands-on advocacy experience, and earn community service hours.

The interest form is linked here.

We are so excited to introduce The DEN, a student-centered space that provides academic support both before school and after school in ExL, Room 1600.

The DEN is staffed by Academic Coaches and Credentialed Teachers in order to provide student support and facilitate achievement. Students can come in before school and/or after school to receive help in all subjects. Here are some of the support systems the DEN will provide: tutoring, remediation, test prep, test proctoring, timed writings, study groups and student-centered support in any academic capacity.

Beginning this Thursday, Helix parents/guardians will receive an automated phone call and email notification, if your student is currently failing one or more classes. The purpose of this call is to ensure that you are aware of your student's academic standing and to encourage timely intervention.

Students who receive this notification should attend tutorial sessions on Friday morning, starting at 8:30am, with their teacher(s). This will provide them with the necessary support to improve their grades and understanding of the subject matter.

Please review the tutorial schedule below.

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, special programs and anything the students may need! The more members we have, the greater access we have to grants and programs that will support Helix students.

***Any students interested in applying for PTSA scholarships (we give out $5,000 each year) must be PTSA members.***

If you want to make more of a commitment, consider joining the PTSA board. This means attending one meeting per month (if you are 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 Helix or via Zoom. If you are interested, please email PTSA President Dave Hardenburger at helixptsapresident@gmail.com.

If you just want to be informed about upcoming events and school news, follow Helix PTSA on social media on Facebook and Instagram.

Celebrate the amazing educators and staff members who make our Scottie community shine!

Nominate one teacher, one staff member, or both. These exceptional individuals go above and beyond every day, making a difference in students' lives, creating positive change, supporting our Helix community, and inspiring others.

The nomination process is open to everyone - you do not need to be a PTSA member to nominate someone, and nominees do not need to be members either. What matters most is sharing your story about why these individuals deserve recognition.

Tell us about how your All Star helped during a tough time, created an innovative program, showed exceptional kindness, supported student success, made learning fun, or transformed the ordinary into extraordinary. Your specific examples help us understand their true impact on our school community.

Please fill out this form to recognize some Helix All-Stars!

Only request a transcript when the college asks for it, not earlier as it may get lost. Please make all requests through Xello.

Student athletes should see Mrs. Street or Ms. Markey for transcript requests for college coaches or the NCAA.

***REMEMBER...ONLY REQUEST A TRANSCRIPT WHEN THE COLLEGE ASKS FOR IT.***

Every Thursday at 6pm, Helix Staff or special guests present on different topics applicable to high school parents. These events are held in ExL (room 1600) 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.

Please join the 2025 Grade Level Team on Thursday, 4/17/25 at 6pm. We will be discussing the following during the presentation:

• Post-High School Options
• How to Prepare your Student for Independence
• The Emotional and Social Transition
• How to Stay Involved Without Micromanaging

Hope to see you all there!

Join the San Diego County Office of Education on Thursday, 4/3/25 from 6pm-7pm for a one-hour interactive session to help parents and caregivers establish effective summer routines that balance structure, learning, and fun. Discover practical strategies to keep children engaged and create meaningful learning experiences that support their growth. Let’s work together to make this summer both enriching and enjoyable for the whole family!

LINK TO RSVP: https://sdcoe.k12oms.org/903-262176

We invite parents/guardians to the BSU and MEChA Career Mixer and Speed Mentoring on Thursday, 4/3/25 from 10:15am - 12:15pm. The event will be held in the Gymnasium at Helix Charter High School, and we would be honored to have your participation and/or support.

This event has been organized for Black and Brown students to highlight excellence within their communities. Students have expressed a desire to connect with professionals who have practical experience, local leaders, and individuals who are actively engaged in their respective fields, as they consider future career options and educational paths. This event will serve as a valuable opportunity for community members and leaders to share their stories, foster meaningful connections, and help cultivate lasting memories for our future leaders.

Please RSVP if you will take the time to join us. You may reach us at 619.992.6349 or joe.smith@linebackerdad.com.

All students are required to submit a total of 40 hours of Community Service to meet the Helix Graduation Requirement by Friday, 4/4/25 at 3:25pm.

Students who fail to submit 40 hours by this date risk NOT participating in Graduation on Wednesday, 6/4/25.

Please submit your hours today!

The Helix Foundation facilitates fundraising that promotes the growth and improvement of the programs, facilities, and activities at Helix Charter High School as well as funding many scholarships for post secondary education to graduating seniors. Their annual golf tournament is coming up on Saturday, 4/5/25 and they are looking for both participants and sponsors.

If you or someone you know is interested in being a sponsor for the golf tournament, please click here for more information.

The Helix Foundation Scholarship is EXCLUSIVE to HELIX STUDENTS. The Foundation awards over 60 scholarships ranging from $200 - $8,000!

The application will OPEN on Monday, 4/7/25 and CLOSE on Friday, 4/25/25 at 4pm. The only requirements to apply are that you are a Helix Senior who plans to attend a 4 year university, community college or trade school. Apply at bit.ly/HelixFoundation25!

Helix's Trades Day is scheduled for Wednesday, 4/9/25 from 9am-2pm. This is a Career Expo that exposes our students to unique career paths that do not require a college degree like Construction Trades, Law Enforcement, Cosmetology, Real Estate and more.

We will have over 25 career vendors available to talk to students, explain how to get into the industry and even sign up for training programs on the spot. All interested students are invited to participate. Certain classes will be attending the event or students can come during break, lunch or free periods.

🎉Rejection Party: Celebrating Resilience & Future Success!🎉

College decisions are rolling in, and while acceptances get all the spotlight, we know that rejections are a normal (and even important!) part of the journey. Join us for a Rejection Party on Friday, 4/11/25 during Advisory and Lunch, where we will celebrate resilience, share stories, and embrace the exciting paths ahead—because one "no" does not define your future!

Come enjoy snacks, write a rejection letter back to the schools that did not see your greatness, and cheer on each other’s next steps. Whether you are heading to a different dream school, a gap year, or another amazing opportunity, this is a time to lift each other up and remind ourselves that success is not about one letter—it is about the journey.

Because rejection is not the end—it is just a redirection! 💚🚀

Interested in Law Enforcement or Public Safety? Check out this amazing opportunity with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

Helix's annual Spring Fling Showcase and Welcome BBQ for incoming freshmen is coming up on Thursday, 4/24/25 from 5pm-7pm! Helix Academics, Arts, Activities and Athletic Programs will be showcased throughout the event allowing families to get acquainted with the many curricular and extracurricular programs offered at Helix.

Incoming 9th Graders will receive a complimentary meal ($5 ea. for additional family members). Students will be able to sign-up for school athletic teams, clubs, and service organizations. Teachers will be available to provide information and answer questions regarding Helix Academics and students from the Helix Performing Arts Programs will perform.

Helix will host a blood drive in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank on Tuesday, 4/29/25 from 9:00am - 2:30pm. All blood types are greatly needed! With less than a one-day supply of most types, we are asking you to SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT HERE.

Students, families and community members are welcome to donate. Helix seniors can get a red cord for graduation if they donate or if someone dedicates their donation to them. Parking is available at 4200 Lowell St. and the Blood Mobiles will be parked by the Helix Gym.

All donors will receive a Bill Walton t-shirt and a "Save the Humans" t-shirt!

The Brave Empowerment Conference for Girls will be held on Saturday, 5/3/25 from 4pm-8pm at the Kroc Center. The event includes Keynote Speakers, a live DJ, Swag Bags, a Glam Zone, STEAM activities, a FREE T-shirt, catered meal, all female instructors, speakers, staff, volunteers and VIPs, along with an expanded art zone, ice skating, a zen zone and a resource fair!

Registration is only $5/girl (scholarships available) and they especially encourage foster, adoptive, low income and any at risk youth and their sisters 11-18 to attend.

You can find more information, FAQs, the Brave Podcast, and the Brave Global website here: https://sd.kroccenter.org/kroc-san-diego/brave

The Wellness Center is here to support you and your family with any social-emotional needs.

If students need support during school, they can drop by their Grade Level Team in the Admin Building or the Wellness Center, located at the back of the school by the IT service window. If you would like to get in contact with the Wellness Center, you can reach them at HWC@helixcharter.net or by phone at 619-644-1940 x580.

Here are the different types of support offered by the Wellness Center:

• Individual check-ins

• Support groups

• Consultation/collaboration with families, administration, School Psychologists, teachers, coaches, etc.

• Crisis intervention

• Referrals to therapy/community support services

• Home visits

• Parent workshops

• Homeless/foster care/military liaison

• Project Safe (Human & Labor Trafficking) liaison

Looking for a mental health provider but not sure where to start?

You are not alone, this can be the biggest barrier to getting help. Helix partners with Care Solace to help solve this problem. Care Solace helps individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. Their Care Companion™ team is available any time of day to quickly connect you to carefully verified providers in your community. Students, staff, and families may access Care Solace services in two ways:

• Call (888) 515-0595 at any time. Support is available in 200+ languages. A dedicated Care Companion™ will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.

• For an anonymous search, answer a few questions to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at www.caresolace.com/helixcharter

For more information, visit the Wellness Center's website by clicking the button above.

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