Class of 2028

9th graders will be taking their first final exams on October 9th and 10th. As these exams approach, it is important for students to stay on top of their grades and make use of available resources. Teacher tutorials are held every Friday, and The Den offers before and after school tutoring Monday through Thursday.

Transitioning from middle school to high school can be tough, and it is normal to feel overwhelmed at times. Both students and parents should know it is okay to struggle a little with the adjustment. Support is available—whether through teachers, school staff, your grade level team, or tutoring services.

Self-care is essential to performing well on finals because when we feel our best, we can study and test our best. To set yourself up for success, start by creating a study schedule that spreads your study time over several days rather than cramming, and focus on one subject at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Staying organized is key—keep your class notes and materials in order so you can easily review important concepts. Remember to take short, regular breaks during study sessions to refresh your mind and prevent burnout. If you're struggling with any topics, don't hesitate to attend tutorials or ask your teachers for clarification. By taking care of yourself and your study habits, you'll walk into your test feeling confident and walk out knowing you did awesome.

Managing Wellness During Exam Season

Self Care - Active Minds

MindShift

Manage anxiety & be mindful

Down Dog

An app that provides fitness and wellness content free to high school students.

We will have a revised bell schedule during finals on October 9 & 10, with school ending at 2 PM.

School is Closed

This is a school day.

Find more info on helixathletics.net

Every Thursday at 6pm, Helix staff or special guests present on different topics applicable to high school parents. These events are held in the ExL building (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.

Come learn about ASPIRE offerings and Performing Arts programs. Katie Pipes, Department Chair, will present about the programs, how to get involved, audition dates and more. This event will be held in our Performing Arts Center. Students are welcome to attend with parents/guardians. Registration not required, just show up! Doors open at 5:45. For translation services, CLICK HERE.

Learn more about the human labor and sex trafficking epidemic here in San Diego, how it affects our students and how we can spread awareness and response in our Helix community. This presentation will primarily address what we are presenting to students along with some helpful resources. Presented by Rebekah Smith, LCSW.This event will be held in the ExL building (room 1600) and is open to all parents and guardians. Registration not required. Students and siblings are welcome to attend with you. You can park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance off of Unviersity & Yale. Snacks will be provided. For translation services, click here.

Do you plan to register for English 120 for next year? Wondering what the workload will be like? How much effort is expected? We welcome all students and families who plan to register for English 120 to hear the truth about the course from teacher Aleen Jendian. This event will be held in the ExL building (room 1600) and is open to all parents and guardians. Registration not required. Students and siblings are welcome to attend with you. You can park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance off of Unviersity & Yale. Snacks will be provided. For translation services, click here.

Winter Sports Clearance opens on October 1st.

Physicals will be offered on campus at Helix on October 31st for $35 (cash only).

For more details, visit helixathletics.net/athletic-clearance.

We will host a blood drive in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank on Tuesday, October 22 from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm. 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 our gym.

Join Helix and Steele Canyon for their joint Fall Concert at the Helix Performing Arts Center (PAC)! Don't miss this wonderful evening of music and collaboration.

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.

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

Farm Fresh To You gives 10% back to Helix for both new and existing customers! Use promo code HELIX.

This is a reminder that students enrolled in Intro to Computer Science, Intro to Social Science, or Ethnic Studies are in quarter-long classes. After finals, these students may experience a schedule change as they begin Quarter 2 on October 14th.

It’s important for students to check their StudentVue account to view their updated Quarter 2 schedule.

Follow the step below to access you StudentVue account.

1. Go the the Helix website and click on the "Students" tab at the top. Then, select "StudentVue" on the left hand side.

2. Select "I am a student".

3. Please note, the Username and Password are the same as your Chromebook.

Students are permitted to wear Halloween costumes to school on Thursday, 10/31/24. We encourage you to be creative, dress up with friends, and have fun with the spirit of the holiday.

Students who do not conform to the Costume Guidelines listed below will be asked to change their clothing or be sent home to acquire an appropriate alternative.

All regular Helix Dress Code Policies apply including:

• MUST Wear Appropriate Shoes
• NO Face-Paint - including costumes related to clowns
• NO Weapons - including pretend props/replicas of weapons
• NO Masks - you must be able to see, breath, and hear. Any mask that prevents Helix Staff from identifying students are not allowed.
• NO Inappropriate Apparel - costumes cannot promote the use of drugs, alcohol or violence of any kind. Costumes may not be offensive, inappropriate in any way or target any groups of people.

If you're interested in purchasing school pictures, visit cherishedmemoriesphotography.com/order/, type in Helix for the school, select Fall Portraits and then enter your student's email address (studentID@helixcharter.net) to order.

Helix Personal Electronic Device Policy Reminder

At Helix, students are not permitted to use their personal electronic devices, including cell phones, during class time unless a teacher has specifically approved them for educational purposes. Additionally, phones should not be used while students are on hall passes or in restrooms. Students are allowed to use their devices before and after school, during scheduled breaks, and at lunch.

If you need to get in touch with your student during class hours, please contact Ms. Carroll at the from receptionist desk or Ms. Bojorquez in the attendance office. They will be able to relay your message.

Bridgette Bojorquez, Attendance Technician

619-644-1940 ext. 231

bojorquez@helixcharter.net

Arielle Carroll, Receptionist

619-644-1940 ext. 101

acarroll@helixcharter.net

The challenge will begin September 2, 2025 and run through May 2, 2025.

To be eligible to receive the Perfect Attendance Award, students must have no full day absences on their record for the 2024-2025 academic year during our attendance challenge time frame. With the support of SeaWorld San Diego and our sponsors, all students with Perfect Attendance will be honored at an event at the end of the academic year, and provided complimentary SeaWorld San Diego tickets. Students with Perfect Attendance will receive a perfect attendance award certificate and a medallion. The date for the Perfect Attendance Celebration and SeaWorld passes is tentatively set for June 20, 2025 at SeaWorld San Diego.

Take a moment to use this FORM or the button below to recognize the great things happening at Helix. You can submit compliments for students, teachers, academic or athletic coaches, GLT members, office staff, library staff, or club/class advisors who have supported you. We love to acknowledge our Helix community, and this is a great way to celebrate their efforts! All compliments will be shared with the recipients.

Friday teacher tutorials provide a valuable opportunity for students to drop in and get help from their teachers. Whether you need assistance with class material, want to review difficult concepts, or need to make up tests or assignments, this time is set aside just for you. Take advantage of this chance to stay on track and improve your understanding! Please see the schedule below for available tutorial times.

In addition to tutorial hours on Friday morning, The Den is a place to get academic support before and after school. It will be 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 will provide tutoring, remediation, test prep, test proctoring, timed writings and study groups. Any students missing mid-week tutorials should definitely drop in to the Den! See below for the daily schedule.

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/community

Attention California high school students (ages 13+)! Earn community service hours while getting trained in suicide prevention through LivingWorks Start. This FREE 90-minute training is available until December 2024, and upon completion, you will receive 3 hours of community service. Simply submit your certificate of completion to your Academic Advisor. Click HERE for more information!

**Opportunity to earn up to 10 hours of community service hours!**

The drive will run from September 10th-October 11th! Earn up to 10 community service hours while making a difference in the lives of women in homeless. In partnership with Father Joe’s Villages, your donations will go to women in homeless shelters across Downtown San Diego!

Donations will be collected every Tuesday in ROOM 280, mornings and at lunch. See the flyer for more details.

Trans Family Support Services' 3rd annual Boo Bash is coming up, and we need YOU to help us make it an unforgettable celebration! We’re looking for passionate volunteers to join #TeamTFSS and help us bring this amazing event to life for LGBTQ+ youth and families! We have a role for everyone who’s looking to be at the heart of all the excitement! So if you're ready to give back, get in the Halloween spirit, and be part of something special, sign up now!

Please see the flyer below for more information.

The Youth Mental Health Academy aims to allow high school students to participate in a community-based career development program and gain knowledge in mental health-related fields.

This career development program is designed to give students hands-on experience in a professional work environment, help them develop new skills, and expose them to potential career paths.

This program is at NO COST to students. YMHA will compensate students for completing the program.

The academy runs for five weeks during the first summer, June 23rd – July 25th, 2025, regularly throughout the school year, and concludes with a six-week internship during the summer of 2026.

Students will receive:

• First summer: Paid project-based learning around mental health careers and issues and an opportunity to complete a capstone presentation (with a stipend of up to $2,000).
• Academic year programming: College planning workshops and other community-building activities.
• Second summer: A paid internship in a mental health-related field.
• Duration of program: Mentorship from an early-career professional or a college or graduate student pursuing a health-related career. Youth Mental Health Academy team members are with you every step of the way.

Applications will open in November 2024.

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 x 580.

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

You're 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

Care Solace is now available for use at no cost to you. They will connect you with providers accepting all medical insurances including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance. All information entered on the Care Solace tool is completely confidential and securely stored.

For more information, visit the Wellness Center's website.

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

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

Counselor: Mrs. Olivari olivari@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