Dear Bronco community,

This week marks the end of the first quarter already, and leads us into Fall Break, a week off next week for students to rejuvenate, recalibrate, and refocus. In the meantime, it is a busy week on our campus, as we are hosting the PSAT school day tomorrow and Wednesday (Juniors only, signups occurred several weeks ago) and SAT school day Thursday (Seniors only, singups occurred weeks ago). It is also Battle of the Creek week, with Volleyball, Flag Football, and Football all facing off against our rivals, the Knights of Las Lomas High School.

Homecoming tickets are on sale now, with the game against Benicia on Friday October 18th, and the dance/carnival on the 19th. Tickets start at $55, this week only, $45 with ASB. This event has been our most popular each year, with well over 1200 students attending, which means that no guests are allowed. Special note: We have heard rumor of students trying to sneak their non-NHS guests in, which is attempted each year. Please note that students caught attempting this will face disciplinary consequences, and will be removed from the event without refund. Purchase tickets at our webstore, see the link below.

Our first quarter ends this Friday, and grades will be sent home on October 18th. Quarter grades are essentially progress grades, as most teachers continue their gradebook through to the 2nd quarter, and only the semester grades appear on the transcripts.

Back to the PSAT, I want to take a moment to recognize some outstanding scholars, who are being recognized by the College Board. Nationally, such a small percentage of student earn recognition, and we are so proud to be celebrating so many recipients of these honors. See below for more information!

Keep reading for a ton of important information and school events, and several dates to save in your calendars, including Junior prom and Senior ball!

Some friendly reminders:

• CLOSED CAMPUS: Students may not leave at lunch, or leave campus at all without a pass. See below for more information about attendance and excusing your student from school. Closed campus also refers to guests- students are not allowed to bring guests on campus at any time.
• Parking Passes- Cars parked in our main parking lot during the school day must have a parking pass. Unfortunately, our parking passes are sold out for this year. Students who do not have a parking pass should arrive early and find street parking where available, or carpool.
• DRESS CODE- Students may not wear clothing that advertise for drugs, alcohol, vape and tobacco, or weapons. Please be aware that many popular stores sell items that students cannot wear to school, including images of marijuana leaves, Coors light branding, and dispensary brands such as Cookies. They may not wear clothing that is sexually suggestive or explicit, or that which is offensive. Full buttocks must be covered, and shoes and shirts must be worn. Some classes, including PE or science, may have more extensive requirements for safety purposes.
• DOOR DASH- Students (and parents!) are not allowed to order food delivery to the school at any time, for safety reasons. Any door dash (or Uber eats) delivered will be held in the office until the end of the day. Please remember that all meals on campus are free to students, and a variety of fresh foods are served daily. Students may obtain breakfast or lunch every day as needed/desired.

Thank you, and happy Fall!

Yours in Partnership,

Kelly Cooper

Principal

Letter of Commendation- National Merit Scholarship Program

Congratulations to the following students for their outstanding performance on the PSAT in 2023, they have earned a letter of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program:

Justin Chen

Connor Griffin

Serafina Hwang

Kiefer Wisecarver

National Recognition from the College Board

Congratulations to these students, who have been recognized by the College Board for their performance in comparison to their peers, nationally.

To qualify for these awards, students must:

• Take the Fall 2023 PSAT/NMSQT (10th or 11th) or Spring PSAT 10 (10th) and score in the top 10% of test takers from their award program in their state.
• Or earn a 3+ on 2 or more distinct AP exams in the 9th and/or 10th grade.
• And earn a cumulative GPA of B+ or higher (at least 3.3 or 87-89%) by the time of submission.
• And identify as first-generation, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous or Native and/or attend school in a rural area or small town.

Huge congratulations to the following students on this recognition!

Tyler Jewell- Top 10% - African American Students

Justin Chen and Kiefer Wisecarver- Top 10% First Generation College Bound

Connor Griffin, Ethan Parks, Jacob Reyes,

Francisco Rinaudo and Eva Trujillo- Top 10% Hispanic Students

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

In Contra Costa County, there were only 100 students recognized as semi-finalists, and Northgate is the only school in our district this year with this honor, celebrating not one, but THREE semifinalists!

Congratulations to Mark Burenko, Anthony Shen, and Sophia Mitchell!

Come enjoy the musical stylings of our award-winning instrumental music program!

Tuesday, October 1st is the Classical Music Concert, featuring our Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Orchestra (7pm)

Thursday, October 3rd, come enjoy our Jazz Band and Stage Band. (7pm)

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the NIMB Website HERE.

Our very own week of music festivals... presenting HoCo 24-25...NORTHCHELLA!!!

ALL STUDENTS attending the dance on 10/19, Saturday from 6-9:30pm, must complete the GOOGLE FORM CONTRACT click HERE, using your MDUSD email account.

Tickets are on sale now, click ASB Webstore HoCo 24 Ticket, - if the page says "Session Expired" press "Start Again" and it'll work! (Dang cookies) $10 discount for those with ASB Stickers. Prices go up 10/7.

Tickets start at $55 and ALL FOOD is included in your ticket price. There are a ton of fun Food Trucks all night, including Ranchero Catering, Ice Barbers, Boba, Chicken and Waffle Cones, Shawarma... just to name a few! There is also a variety of games: foosball, pool tables, air hockey, basketball toss, photo booths, and of course a gigantic lighting structure with a disco Ball for the DANCE FLOOR... and so much more!

Last day for selling tickets is Tuesday, October 15th!

See large poster Hanging in Forum HERE and get ready for your Spirit Days and class competitions!

We also need donations for grab and go items/snacks for the dance, families Please Donate HOCO Snacks and drop them off at the main office 10/14-10/18 or on 10/19 in am only, more details on sign up link. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E044FA5A62AAAF49-51739302-hoco?useFullSite=true#/

PARENTS- Chaperones welcome (and needed!)
Feel free to contact howertonk@mdusd.org if you are willing to volunteer/chaperone this event!

All students taking AP courses- it is time to register to take your AP Exams! Registration is open now, and the attached letter below outlines instructions.

Regular registration is now until October 25th. Late registration from October 26-November 2nd. Registration is NOT available after November 2nd.

NHS license plate frames - now available for purchase online! Orders will be available for pick-up at Northgate during lunchtime, in the forum, THIS Thursday, October 3rd, so please place your orders ASAP! Get one for you AND for your student!

You may also pay Venmo or Zelle to nhspfc.treas@gmail.com. Please note "Frames", the color you'd like (black or white) and your student's first and last name (for distribution purposes) in the payment comments.

USAgain Greenraiser for the Northgate Art Department now located in our student parking lot.

If you have unwanted and reusable clothes and shoes and linens please consider donating to the USAgain green bin in our student parking lot. Proceeds raise funds for Northgate's Art Department.

Save the date, Tuesday, Oct. 15th 4 to 9pm dine and donate @ Angry Chickz (Concord), 15% go back to our school. On top of that, they are donating 160 meals to feed some of our bronco athletes for HOCO week.

he Science Department at Northgate High School is proud to be leading Community Service Day at Northgate High School this year on Saturday, October 26 from 9am - 12pm. We are *FINALLY* building our long-anticipated outdoor classroom space for students and science classes to enjoy! The Northgate Garden Club will also be hosting ​some work projects at this event.

A little backstory: Science Department won a $20K grant from KNBR Giants of Science in 2017 with a video submission, with our goal to create an outdoor learning space. If you'd like to see our award-winning video, click the link here: KNBR Giants of Science Grant Video Application

If you are interested in volunteering to help out with the tasks we'll need to complete to create the outdoor classroom and upgrade some of our existing garden spaces, please access the sign-up sheet below. Students in service clubs can get up to 3 hours of service hours for participating. Spaces are limited! If space does fill up and more people are interested, you can send an email to me, Melanie Scott at scottm@mdusd.org

Sign Up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508044CACAE29A4FD0-51685944-community

We hope to see you there on October 26!

Thank you!
Northgate Science Squad

We are happy to announce you can purchase office gifts, birthday gifts, holiday gifts, hostess gifts, wrapping paper and more sent straight to your home! Your purchases will support 135 Instrumental Music and Flag students here at Northgate!

If your student is going to be absent all day, please call the all day attendance line at (925) 939-6911 or email nhsattendance@mdusd.org.

If your student needs to leave school for any reason, please call the partial absence attendance line, with at least one hour notice- (925) 938-0900 x 3505 or email nhsattendance@mdusd.org.

Absences must be cleared within 3 days, or they become truant.

For more details and instructions around attendance- click here.

Dates to avoid absences:

For Seniors- Mock Congress December 4-5

All Students- Final Examinations- December 17-20

For Seniors- Senior Projects May 21-22

All Students- Final Examinations- May 29-30, June 2-3

We are unable to offer early finals for those students who will not be there for any reason- missed finals will result in an incomplete grade until they are taken (within 6 weeks after finals week)

Almira has 17 years of teaching experience, including years spent teaching in Brazil, both Portugues and English as a second language; and here in the states, special education, most recently at Pine Hollow Middle School.

How would you describe your high school self? What are you proud of and what makes you cringe?

I worked hard.

Why are you excited to be a Bronco?

I've heard a lot of good things about Northgate. The school seems to have a great team of teachers and administrators.

Where did you grow up?

In the North of Brazil, near the Amazon region.

Who inspires you, at work, and in life?

My mother. She was a very good teacher and strong and confident woman. She became a widow at the age of 45. She raised 12 children as a single mother.

Outside of the classroom, if we were to ask you for advice, what areas would you be most qualified to assist in?

Health, physical or emotional.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

I have the green touch. I love gardening.

What was your very first job?

My very first job was as a Portuguese teacher in Brazil 30 years ago.

Tuesday October 1- PSAT School Day 1; Tennis v Campolindo; Volleyball v Las Lomas; Fall Classical Music Concert; Choir Booster Meeting

Wednesday October 2- PSAT School Day 2; Cross Country at Campolindo; Water Polo @ College Park; Flag Football @ Las Lomas

Thursday October 3- SAT School Day; VB @ Miramonte; Fall Jazz Concert 7pm

Friday October 4- End of First Quarter; Mock Election; Football vs Las Lomas BATTLE OF THE CREEK

October 7-11- Fall Break

Follow our events on our school calendar HERE.

Congratulations to our theatre department for an outstanding run of this year's first production, 'Robin Hood'.

Stay tuned for the next show, 'Clue on Stage'

The Northgate Theatre Department is reaching out to ask for your support for our upcoming show, "Clue On Stage." This hilarious murder mystery play, based on the beloved Hasbro board game and movie, has been charming audiences for over two decades. Our team has put together Amazon wish lists outlining the props, costumes, and set design elements needed to make the show a success. Your contributions will directly impact the quality of our production and enhance the experience for both the performers and the audience.

Clue Costume Wish List

Clue Props and Scenic Design Wishlist

High School theatre requires resources, especially when it comes to set design and costumes. Each item on our wish list plays a role in bringing the characters to life in the unique setting that "Clue" demands. By donating you're not just providing materials and earning a boatload of brownie points; you're aiding student creativity and their journey in the performing arts.

If you're able to help out please make sure that deliveries come during school hours (7:00 - 3:30 pm) Monday to Friday. Your support goes beyond helping out financially; it shows a dedication to fostering the arts in our community. We value every contribution towards this mission—thank you for thinking about joining us on this adventure!

The PFC Ed Fund is used to fund the Wellness Center, our site technician, and other classroom goals!

This Friday, we are excited to engage our students in the democratic process, and Northgate will be hosting a Mock Election! Students will have the opportunity to learn about proposition measures on the ballot, as well as local and national elections. Students who participate will receive their "I voted" sticker, and our schoolwide results will be shared.

We are also letting students know that if they are 16 or older, they can:

a) Pre-register to vote at https://RegisterToVote.ca.gov and

b) Have the opportunity to work as a poll worker. They can visit https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/poll-worker-information for more info.

If students experience COVID symptoms, they should test as soon as possible. Take-home tests are available in the main office. Students should not attend school while they have symptoms.

If a COVID test is positive, students must quarantine for a minimum of five days from the first day of symptoms or positive test.

After five days, students may return as long as they have been symptom free for 24 hours.

Students who are still showing a positive test, but are symptom free after five days, may return to school, but should wear a tight fitting mask to school to protect others from exposure.

Please contact the school if your student is ill by emailing nhsattendance@mdusd.org or calling extension 3505.

Don't miss a thing in athletics! With 20 active teams this seasons, and also our spirit teams, there is a lot to stay up on!

Follow athletics on Instagram @northgate.athletics and check out the athletics newsletter HERE!

Battle of the Creek is this week! Girls VB is up first on Tuesday, then Flag Football on Wednesday (@ Las Lomas) and football on Friday!

IF you ordered shirts off GoFan, those are being delivered tomorrow- your student can pick them up starting at brunch tomorrow in the forum. Students will need their goFan ticket. Parents who ordered who want to pick their up can get them at the gate for Tuesday's Volleyball game of Friday's football game.

Dear Northgate Senior Families,

We hope this message reaches you well. This is a friendly reminder that your graduation ordering period has been extended. You must now place your graduation order no later than the final deadline of MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH. *If you have already placed your grad order, please disregard the rest of this message.

NOW is the time to receive your best pricing & delivery. NORTHGATE’S GRADUATION AND CAP & GOWN ORDERING LINK CLICK HERE

*USE promo code: SENIORSHIP25 with these graduation packages (Silver, Gold, or Mascot) and receive FREE SHIPPING/HANDLING & A FREE GIFT HOME!

*Additional options at checkout include interest-free, installment plans over a 3 or 4 month period.

Here’s a quick video with some helpful information on the graduation ordering process: HOW TO VIDEO

DESIGN/ORDER YOUR CUSTOM LETTER JACKET. NORTHGATE LETTER JACKET BUILDER CLICK HERE

DESIGN & ORDER YOUR CUSTOM CLASS RING: NORTHGATE CLASS RING DESIGNER CLICK HERE

USE RING PROMO CODE: GWPMETALPLUS & RECEIVE THIS FREE CLASS OF 2025 HOODIE + $40, $50, OR $75* OFF OF YOUR RING!

(*Discount will be determined by your metal choice)

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or prefer to borrow a loaner cap & gown from the school.

Congratulations Class of 2025!

Martin Oliveira/Jostens

Phone: (925) 838-1835/Email: martin.oliveira@jostens.com

As a reminder- the ONLY senior portraits that can be included in the yearbook are those taken by Studio One. They will be on campus taking portraits in November during the break, and again in January during the school day, or seniors can make an appointment to go to the studio in Dublin.

"Parents of Seniors of the Class of 2025:

As you know, Northgate seniors all take U.S. Government during the first semester to fulfill part of their Social Studies graduation requirement. During this first semester, all Seniors participate in Mock Congress- a capstone project and Northgate tradition going back more than 35 years. This year, Mock Congress will take place on December 4 and 5, 2025.

These dates are mandatory and cannot be rescheduled, so your students' attendance is imperative. During these two days, seniors are expected to dress professionally as members of the U.S. Senate do, and participate in 2 days of debating, amending, and passing bills to simulate the legislative process. It is an amazing experience to see the 12th graders step into these roles and display their skills in professionalism, speech, and dialogue.

We ask that all seniors attend. Please avoid scheduling any trips or appointments during these two days. If seniors have a job after school, we ask that they speak with their managers to ensure they will not be asked to work during the school day (even if they do not have a 6th period- Mock Congress takes place during periods 1-6.)

If you would like to donate any used professional attire that is still in good condition- blazers, trousers, shirts, ties, blouses, or shoes- please reach out to Mrs. Dillon dillonp@mdusd.org or Mr. Woerner at woernerm@mdusd.org. We appreciate any and all donations, and so do our students!"

Parents of Seniors-the committee landed on - SUNSET BOAT CRUISE for Grad Night . It's going to be a fun night on the bay with everyone together one last time. We are opening up early bird tickets now - date TBD but trying for the night after graduation. QR code below or link here > https://bit.ly/GradNight25 #classof25

As a reminder, we do not get our graduation dates until late January/Early February due to scheduling complications with the Concord Pavilion. We are fortunate to be able to host our graduation ceremony is this wonderful venue, and the downside is we are given our dates a bit late in the school year. We will make many announcements as soon as we know.

Email: cooperk@mdusd.org
Website: northgatehighschool.org
Location: 425 Castle Rock Rd, Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Phone: 925 938-0900
Instagram: @northgatehs