October Newsletter

We will have a revised bell schedule during finals, school will end at 2pm. Click here for the revised schedule, hover your cursor on the schedule and scroll to page two to find the "Final Exam Bell Schedule."

• Friday, October 11 - School is Closed for a Staff Development Day
• Monday, October 14 - Indigenous Peoples' Day (this is a school day)
• Wednesday, October 16 - Athletic Eligibility Determined

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.

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.

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.

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.

An updated list of community service opportunities can be found at helixcharter.net/community.

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.

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 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

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

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:

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's Mid-High School Reflection is a project that all of 11th graders participate in. They present on their high school experience and goals going forward. It is a good opportunity for them to think critically about their lives and be intentional. Parents and community members are invited to join our staff as audience members for these presentations.

This is a graduation requirement and one of the things that makes Helix special.

10th graders will start preparing for Mid High School Reflections in Advisory and will present the beginning of 11th grade.

Judging Rubric

Sample Speech #1

Sample Speech #2

Sample Speech #3

The purpose of the 4-year plan is to outline the courses you want to take at Helix and to track the courses you have completed, ensuring that you meet both the A-G and Helix requirements.

The 4-year plan will be used as part of the Mid High School Reflection, so it is important to update it at the end of each semester.

Students should have updated their 4 year plans in Advisory. If your student has not updated their 4 year plan please refer to the presentation slides and video recording below.

Presentation Slides

Video Recording

Hi Scotties - Are you interested in a career in Law Enforcement or Fire? Have you ever wondered what a 911 dispatcher's typical day is like? If so, this is a great opportunity.

The Sheriff’s Department is hosting a Public Safety Communications Academy for those 16 years or older. It's free but registration is required, you can register here.

Volunteer with us at Boo Bash!

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!

• If you are an employee working in any public middle or high school in California,
  you are eligible to complete this training at no cost.

• Middle and high school students and staff take the same training program.

• Students and staff should choose two of the three youth-specific practice scenarios
  at the end of the training titled "Eric", "Ali", or "Mikayla and Hailey".

• Students who complete LivingWorks Start are eligible to earn
  3 HOURS of community service hours.

• This training is sponsored by California Assembly Bill 1808.

This training is only free until December 2024

Students who complete the training must email a copy of their Certificate of Completion to Ms. Castrejon in order to earn 3 hours of community service.

Click this LINK

Ms. Castrejon has nominated Kayvon for demonstrating exceptional initiative and for actively seeking support from his Grade Level Team. Kayvon has repeatedly reached out with questions about how to succeed at Helix, improve his academic standing, and fully benefit from the classes available. His proactive approach exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated and successful student.