Class of 2028

February 5 & 7 - National Girls and Women in Sports Day

February 6 - On-Site Sports Physicals

February 12 - Athletic Eligibility Determined

February 14 - Lincoln's Day - No School

February 17 - President’s Day - No School

February 20 - Minimum Day

March 1 - Enrollment Deadline for New Students

March 12-13 - Spring Semester I Finals

March 14 - No School, Staff Development Day

March 14 - 28 - Spring Break - No School

If you have siblings you would like to enroll for next school year, you must submit your application by March 1, 2025. Helix is a charter school, so no one is automatically enrolled and you must apply before March 1 to ensure your incoming student has a spot. The application and all information about enrollment can be found here - helixcharter.net/about-us/enrollment. No action is required for students already enrolled at Helix.

The Class of 2028 Grade Level Team has begun meeting individually with each 9th grader to review their submitted course requests for 10th grade. These meetings will continue through February, and we appreciate your patience as we work to ensure every student has a meaningful discussion about their selections. The timing of a student’s meeting does not impact their ability to request specific classes. Once their meeting is complete, students will be able to view their course requests in StudentVue.

Please remember that these selections are not final. They will serve as a foundation for building each student's schedule during Summer Conferencing in June. Think of this as a "wish list" for 10th grade courses.

The deadline to request any changes is March 7th. Students can update their requests by emailing the Grade Level Team at glt2028@helixcharter.net or visiting us in person.

For more information about course options, please refer to the course catalog and our course request resource website.

For students requesting placement in certain courses, such as a higher-level world language or Honors Biology, an assessment test is required. Please see the details below for information on these required exams. No appointments are necessary, students can just show up to take the exam.

Placement test information for students who want to test into a higher level of LOTE:

January - February 2025 on Fridays during tutorial #1 (8:30am-10:30am)

• Spanish for Spanish Speakers: Rm 400 (2 part test)

• Spanish 3C/4C or Spanish 120: Rm 430

• French and ASL, please email: dolphin@helixcharter.net

For students requesting Honors Biology, they MUST take the placement exam on​:

• Friday, February 7 or Friday, February 21 during their EXL period​. -OR-

• Thursday, February 6, or Thursday, February 20​ during morning tutorial in The Den​.

The test will take approximately 30-40 minutes and students may use a calculator on the exam. This test is designed to test students on the science skills they have learned in their 9th grade science courses by asking them to:

• calculate averages

• identify the variables in an experiment

• graph data

• make a claim from the data

• use evidence to support your claim

Please contact Mrs. Wylie at wylie@helixcharter.netif you have any questions.

Some performing arts classes classes require auditions. Please see the info below for audition information.

As a reminder, Mrs. Olivari, the Class of 2028 counselor, is on maternity leave through the end of the school year. We are delighted to have Ms. Reed (pictured) as the substitute counselor while Mrs. Olivari is on maternity leave. You can contact Ms. Reed at reed@helixcharter.net for any counseling-related assistance. For any inquiries related to schedules or course requests, please reach out to your grade level team at glt2028@helixcharter.net. We are here to provide the support and guidance you need during this time.

Every Thursday at 6pm, Helix staff or special guests present on different topics applicable to high school parents. See below for our upcoming schedule. Visit helixcharter.net/student-support/family-first for more information and for links to previous recordings.

This info night is for parents and guardians looking to learn more about our Dual Enrollment program. We'll cover the pros and cons of dual enrollment, how to enroll, opportunities and expectations. Our College & Career Center Advisor, Gillian Morgan, will present along with Ms. Villegas, grade level principal. This event will be held in person in ExL (room 1600) at 6pm. Students are welcome to attend with parents/guardians. Doors open at 5:45. For translation services, click here.

Pathway leaders Amy Hull & Alicia Gibson will showcase the Business Pathway for 9th-11th grade families. They will give an overview of teachers, courses, activities, program, rooms, equipment and scholarship opportunities! This event will be held in the Helix Library at 6pm. Students are welcome to attend with parents/guardians. Registration not required, just show up! We'll have snacks. For translation services, click here.

So what are the kids up to these days and how can I keep up? Come learn about up-to-date trends in technology like how to check privacy settings on my child's profiles and how to set up boundaries in the digital world. Learn about some of the latest phone apps that could put you or your child at risk, and tips to keep your family on the same page. Learn more about Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Discord, Twitch, AI and its impact on education and mental health and many more! Learn simple techniques to better connect with your child and walk away with the tools to create a technology contract for your family. This meeting will be held via zoom. Click here to register. Meeting ID: 897 8912 6951, Passcode: 765834.

Yearbooks are currently for sale at the Dawg House and through the student store. Yearbooks SELL OUT, so buy one TODAY if you are interested!

The Highland Players production of Hadestown will be shown in the Helix Mainstage Theater on Wednesday, 2/5/25 - Friday, 2/7/25 and Tuesday, 2/11/25 - Friday, 2/14/25. All shows will begin at 7pm. Hadestown, which won the 2019 Tony award for Best Musical, is a retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Euridyce. Tickets available for purchase here.

The Charter Governing Board, consisting of parents, staff, and community members, is empowered to make school wide policy decisions. School wide policy includes, but is not limited to: graduation requirements, admission standards, attendance policies, school calendar, general and fiscal oversight, and annual budget approval. Moreover, the Helix Charter Governing Board is also responsible for appointing, evaluating, compensating and, when necessary, replacing the Executive Director.

Helix Charter High School currently has a vacancy on the Charter Board. The successful candidate will take office April 1, 2025, and end their first term March 30, 2028.

Candidates will be expected to attend the Charter Board Meeting on Monday February 10, 2025, to introduce themselves to the Charter Board and answer any questions. Meetings are held in the Helix Library and begin at 4:45 pm.

To apply for this position or for any questions, please contact the Clerk to the Governing Board Mark Demers: demers@helixcharter.net

Parent engagement is a priority at Helix and necessary to keep our community strong. The PTSA plays an important role in this. Helix PTSA is looking for volunteers to serve on the board in the following positions. Serving on the board means committing to attend the meetings when possible which are on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 5:30pm in the Helix Admin Bldg or via Zoom. The easiest way to support is to become a member if you're not already. You can join here. Please email helixptsapresident@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.

The Helix PTSA needs your help recognizing some outstanding Helix teachers and staff. Please fill out this link to recognize some Helix All-Stars. They will be recognized in the all-staff monthly meetings.

HIMA's 31st Annual Gala will be held at the Thursday Club on March 13th. Tickets can be purchased here.

Use promocode HelixCharter when purchasing Farm Fresh to You products and they will give 10% back to Helix.

Interested in participating in a Spring sport?

Online clearance is now open. Visit THE HELIX ATHLETICS WEBSITE for instructions. On-campus physicals will be held on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 3pm in the Sports Medicine classroom (1160). Cost is $35 and we only accept cash.

Please see the dates below for the scheduled start dates and tryout times for spring sports. All athletes must be cleared before participating.

Helix Female athletes are kicking off National Girls and Women in Sports Day with an ALL FEMALE ATHLETE PHOTO in the stadium at lunch on FEB 5th.

We will continue to Celebrate by hosting female athletes; past, present and future, at our Girls Water Polo and Girls Soccer Games on February 7th.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at University of California, San Diego is excited to announce the return of their annual STEM diversity conference, Envision 2025!

Envision is the UCSD SWE’s annual, free, day-long conference that educates high school girls about career possibilities in engineering and computer science. The day’s program will include guest speakers from engineering industries and academia, engagement with hands-on computer science and engineering activities, lab tours, and a project fair displaying active engineering projects at the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering. Additionally, they will host a one hour parent program to provide further information regarding financial aid for college.

The RSVP form for the 2025 Envision Conference is now open!

For more information on this free, day-long conference at UC San Diego, please visit their website here.

Helix students are required to complete at least 40 hours of community service to graduate.

It’s never too early to start! We recommend that 9th graders aim to complete at least 10 hours of community service during their freshman year.

After completing your community service hours, please fill out THIS FORM and submit it to your Academic Advisor, Mrs. Naranjo.

• Go to "Student Info"
• Scroll to the bottom of the page to where it says "service learning hours".
• You will see the number of hours you have logged.

To help students find opportunities, we regularly update the Student Opportunities sheet with information on community service, jobs, internships, college visits, and more! Explore community service opportunities here: helixcharter.net/student-support/community-service.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, I Love A Clean San Diego is hosting a litter cleanup to show love for our planet and our community. Volunteers can sign up individually or as a group—either way, it's a great way to give back, enjoy some time outdoors, and help protect our local waterways and wildlife from the harmful effects of litter.

Event Details:

• Event Title: Cupid’s Cleanup
• Date: 02/08/2025
• Time: 9 am – 11 am
• Location: Chollas Lake Park: 6350 College Grove Dr, San Diego, CA 92115

To learn more and sign up, please follow the link: https://cleansd.samaritan.com/custom/501/opp_details/3622

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference in our community. Together, we can create a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful San Diego.

Ms. Gonzalez is looking for some volunteers for this event. Please email her if interested, mgonzalez@lemongrove.ca.gov.

• Week 1 (Feb 3 - Feb 7) - Course Request Meetings in classrooms + Honors Biology Placement Test Round 1
• Week 2 (Feb 10 - Feb 13) - Course Request and 4 day Weekend (Valentines Day, Presidents Day)
• Week 3 (Feb 18 - Feb 21) - Honors Biology Placement Test Round 2
• Week 4 (Feb 25 - Mar 1)

MR. CRUZ graduated from Helix Charter High School in 2020. He is currently pursuing a degree in Psychology at California State University - San Marcos. This is Mr. Cruz’s 3rd year working in the Academic Support Program, and his expertise is witnessed in both our Extended Learning class and our Scottie Connect Classes. Mr. Cruz always knew that he wanted to be a teacher growing up, but has recently found that he wants to teach Psychology. Through his experience as an Academic Coach and as part of the Band instructors, he has enjoyed being able to pass on knowledge and information to his students and recognizing how much they grow and become the next leaders that we need in the world, and knowing that he could be part of this process inspires him to pursue a career in education.

What would be the definition of a perfect day to you?

My perfect day would start off at the Gym, which sets a positive tone for a productive day. Afterwards I would have lunch at Fogo de Chao and enjoy their ‘Churrasco Experience’; this includes their Roasted Chicken, Bone-In Ribeye, Filet, Lamb Chops, and many more. After an amazing meal, I would then kayak at La Jolla Shores. Getting the kayak past the breaking waves can be challenging, but once you’re beyond them and gliding over the open ocean, there's a profound sense of relief and accomplishment. It is a lot like life’s bigger challenges: tough at first, but incredibly rewarding once you push through. While in La Jolla I would catch the sunset on one of the hills to see the radiating sunshine over the city and ocean. To end my night, I will have my last stop be Tacos el Gordo. I am a big fan of all meals, but I can never pass up on their Tacos de Lengua (Beef Tongue).

If you were to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is a tough question, But I have to go with In n Out. It's an affordable, good burger that is worth the wait. I would get a 4X4 with no tomato, extra onions with a side of fries and a Lemon Up (half lemonade, half sprite) with no ice. Though I love multiple types of food, this has to be top of the list for me. Nothing can compare when put to the test.

• Honors Bio Placement Test - The science department will be holding the Honors Biology Placement tests Fridays during February in Tutorial and during ExL. If you have expressed interest in taking this course next year (10th grade) plan on taking the test! You do not need to know biology-specific information, but just need to demonstrate skills that your 9th grade science classes help cultivate.
• DATES - February 7th and February 21st in ExL, February 6th and 20th in the Morning DEN session (7:15 - 8:15)

STARTING THE SEMESTER STRONG

Starting the semester strong can be supported through the use and consistency of learning routines

• Regular Studying throughout the week instead of all at once in order to reinforce learning AS YOU GO, not all at once
• Consistent and regular homework completion AND review each day at home
• Homework serves as your timely practice for the concepts you will be tested on - doing it regularly gives you the chance to practice!
• Attending the DEN for support when it is needed
• Some concepts are harder than others- get the support to reinforce your understanding ahead of time to help yourself in the long run
• Regular and Clear note taking and organization for easy access to resources
• When it is time to review and study, having helpful resources for content can make it easier to prioritize and maximize study time.
• Not sure where your resources are? CHECK YOUR CANVAS MODULES! Teacher notes and resources can be found there!

Teacher Tutorials are opportunities for students to retake papers or makeup tests that they have missed. Teachers may be able to offer one-on-one support. Tutorials are held every Friday, the schedule is below.

In addition to tutorial hours on Friday morning, The Den is a place to get academic support before and after school. It is open Monday through Thursday in ExL (room 1600). Students can drop in before and/or after school to receive help in all subjects from academic coaches and credentialed teachers. They provide tutoring, remediation, test prep, test proctoring, timed writings and study groups. Any students needing mid-week tutorials should definitely drop in to the Den! See below for the daily schedule.

Grade Level Principal: Mr. Damon Chase chase@helixcharter.net x127

Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Vicky Rodriguez rodriguez@helixcharter.net x145

Counselor: Mrs. Olivari (on maternity leave)

Substitute Counselor: Ms. Reed reed@helixcharter.net x147

Academic Advisor: Mrs. Deborah Naranjo naranjo@helixcharter.net x136

School Social Worker: Mrs. Lorena Fernandez fernandez@helixcharter.net x395

Attendance Technician: Ms. Bridgette Bojorquez bojorquez@helixcharter.net x231

2028 Grade Level Team Email: glt2028@helixcharter.net

Click the icons to visit our pages!

Email: glt2028@helixcharter.net
Website: www.helixcharter.net
Location: 4200 Lowell Street, La Mesa, CA, USA
Phone: 619-644-1940