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Independence High School

10/28/2024

IndependenceHigh School10/28/2024

Principal's Update

Sixer Community,


This Friday, 11/1/24, ends our Second Marking Period and the 2/3 mark toward our Semester 1 grades, which go toward earning credits toward graduation. Grades will be submitted next week before being mailed out.


Parents,


This is the last week for the Panorama Survey. Thank you to the over 200 families that have submitted their responses.

  1. Navigate to anonymous survey link: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/eastsideunion/family/survey
  2. Select school name from a drop down menu.
  3. Start survey & select preferred language from drop down menu

What's Happening This Week

Tuesday, Oct. 22: IHS College Information Night | 5:30-6:30pm | The Learning Center (Student Union) *for information in the Counseling Section


Wednesday, Oct. 23: Spartan East Side Promise & Applying to SJSU Webinar | 6-7pm | Zoom: Registrar Here *for information in the Counseling Section

SIXER Shoutout

"Estrella Rivero Santamaría is truly extraordinary for her unwavering determination and passion for learning. She approaches each challenge with a positive attitude, inspiring her peers to do the same. Her curiosity drives her to explore new ideas and concepts, often going beyond the classroom material to deepen her understanding. Additionally, she demonstrates exceptional empathy and support for others, always willing to lend a helping hand or offer encouragement. This combination of resilience, enthusiasm, and kindness makes Estrella a standout individual, positively impacting both her classmates and the school community as a whole; she's plainly EXTRAORDINARY!” ~Sra. Alvarez, World Language Instructional Team Leader


“Mr. Ivan Zavala is extraordinary for his open-mindedness and unwavering perseverance in the face of challenges. He approaches each situation with a willingness to learn and adapt, embracing feedback from colleagues to continuously improve his teaching methods. Instead of shying away from difficulties, he sees them as opportunities for growth, demonstrating resilience. His ability to remain flexible and open to new ideas fosters a dynamic classroom environment where students feel encouraged to express themselves and explore different perspectives.” ~Sra. Alvarez, World Language Instructional Team Leader


Congratulations to Ms. Chau Quach, TEACHER OF THE YEAR for the entire East Side Union High School District!

Our SIXER Values in Action

Stefany, Carlos, Helen, Jan, and Lena– You are right! And, as always, our students say it best. Being Spirited is valuable in building community and a sense of belonging, here at Independence!


  • “Being spirited and having school pride is important as it fosters a sense of belonging, community, and unity within the school environment. It creates a positive atmosphere that encourages collaboration, support, and camaraderie among students, teachers, and staff.” ~Stefany Loya, Junior


  • “I think that being spirited is important because it helps you keep the desire, motivation and passion of trying to be the best version of yourself for the school among with the students and staff of indy.” ~Carlos Sandoval, Junior


  • “It's important to be spirited because by being spirited, we participate in events that students and teachers work hard on to provide a wonderful environment for students alike. It brings a sense of community and connection :)” ~Helen To, Junior


  • “Having school pride makes everyone feel like they are all part of a community together, and encourages others to get involved.” ~Jan Ringo Valenzuela, Freshman


  • “It’s important to be spirited so you can get along with others, learn to work with others, and build a stronger community. It’s important to have school pride and be involved so that no one is left out, and the more the better and stronger.” ~Lena Tran, Freshman


View our school-wide lesson, We Are Respectful 24-25 HERE!

IHS Counseling Corner

IHS College Information Night:

Thank you to the families who joined us for College Information Night last week. If you were unable to attend and would like the college information, please visit the parent page of the Counseling Website to view the presentations. Please reach out to your student’s counselor if you have any questions.


College Application Open Workshops:

IHS Counseling, 10,000 Degrees and DCAC will be hosting open workshops for students who need help with their college applications. Workshops will be held every Thursday from 8:30-9:15am and 3:15-4pm in the Learning Center through the month of November.


Concurrent Enrollment Opportunity:

Destination College Advising Corp (DCAC) and Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) is offering a concurrent enrollment opportunity for any interested students in grades 10-11 to earn college credit. The program aims to supplement and provide intentional support to students who wish to take advantage of the opportunity. As a participant, students will attend six Saturday academic skill-building seminars and have books/supplies covered.


For questions, please contact Ms. Navarro (danielan@berkeley.edu).

Upcoming Dates:

Oct. 28: College Monday | Wear College Apparel

Oct. 29: UC Santa Barbara & PIQ Presentation | 3-3:30pm | The Learning Center

Oct. 31: College Application Workshop | 8:30-9:15am & 3:15-4pm | The Learning Center

Nov. 1: Senior Classroom Lesson through Am. Government/Economics Class


Counselor Caseload:

Counselors are located in the Learning Center (Student Union). Counselors are available for student walk-ins before and after school and during break and lunch. Parents are encouraged to make an appointment with your student’s counselor.


College Access Support (located in D-208 & the Learning Center):
Making the Spartan East Side Promise

Athletics Updates

“Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way..”

  • Satchel Paige


“Success is not final failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

  • W. Churchill


Announcements:


Winter Sports (Basketball/Soccer/Wrestling) are closer than they appear (11/4/24).


Athletes/families should begin the clearing process through Athletic Clearance. More details on our website. Submit profile by 10/28/24.


In order to participate in a sport, you must be registered through www.athleticclearance.com. You can visit our website to learn how to navigate the registration site.

All athletes must have a current physical on file in Athletic Clearance (dated after 6/1/24).


Go6ers!

Week of 10/28/24

Fall Sports

Sixer Football:

11/1/24 @ Silver Creek JV @ 4:30 | V @ 7:15

Coach Braun (braunj@esuhsd.org)


Sixer Golf (girls):

10/28/24 BVAL Finals @ Santa Teresa GC

Coach Richard Lee (rlee@fusdk12.net)


Sixer Volleyball (girls):

Coach Kenny (leilani.buckner10@gmail.com)


Sixer Cross Country (boys & girls):

10/31/24 @ Montgomery Hill Park @ 4pm

Coach Kevin (ckwang91@gmail.com)


Sixer Tennis (girls):

10/29/24 & 10/31/24 BVAL Team Tournament

Coach Scott (rl20ii@yahoo.com)


Sixer Water Polo (boys & girls):

Coach Martinez (rodriguez.adrian1821@gmail.com)


Sixer Girls’ Flag Football:

10/29/24 @ Lincoln @ 4:30pm

10/30/24 @ Willow Glen @ 7pm

Coach Baker (bakerl@esuhsd.org)


Winter Sports

Sixer Basketball (b): Coach Gajardo (lj_gajardo@yahoo.com)

Sixer Basketball (g): Coach Buckener (leilani.buckner@gmail.com)

Sixer Soccer (b): Coach Mendez (fmendez888@gmail.com)

Sixer Soccer (g): Coach Kimball (mskimball1997@gmail.com)

Sixer Wrestling: Coach Thompson (njakeg1209@yahoo.com)


Spring Sports

Sixer Badminton: Coach Allen Trinh (atrinh1219@gmail.com)

Sixer Baseball: Coach Fernandes (fernandesp@esuhsd.org)

Sixer Golf: Coach Bartholomew (bartholomewr@esuhsd.org)

Sixer Softball:

Sixer Swim:Coach Martinez (rodriguez.adrian1821@gmail.com)

Sixer Tennis: Coach James (jesse316james@yahoo.com)

Sixer Track and Field

Sixer Volleyball: Coach Nguyen (ng.kenneth02@gmail.com)



Visit Sixer Athletics for up to date information about athletics! Follow us on Instagram: @indyathletics


Visit GoFan.co to purchase tickets

Activities Updates

We have two more showings of our Fall Play, She Kills Monsters, 11/1, and 11/2 @ 7:00 pm.


You can purchase tickets from students in the cast & crew or if you want a reserved seat, please Click here to access our ticket website.

Attention ALL Sixers Students!

If you haven’t already done so, please download the MINGA app on your phone to access your Digital Student ID. This is a REQUIREMENT to get into ALL home sports games that require a ticket for FREE and will be required for check-in at dances and other school events.


No phone? No problem..MINGA is accessible on your chromebook via ARMS.

Seniors! Check out the special Senior Button in this Newsletter for all things relevant to you and graduation!


School Pictures

It's not too late to order school pictures! You can do so by going to mylifetouch.com click on the button that says Start Using Student ID Enter the city, state and school name, followed by entering the first name, last name and the student ID. The name entered needs to exactly as it appears on the ID card and in the school's data base. All packages will be shipped to the home address, for additional support please call customer service at 1.800.736.4753 Images are only available for 11months after picture day.


Follow us on Instagram:

Stay up to date on all student activities and events at IHS - be sure to follow your ASB accounts:


And, your class account for important information specific to your grade level:

Safety & Attendance

We are a CLOSED Campus!

This is a friendly reminder to students and parents that we are a closed campus. Students should not be leaving the school grounds during school hours, particularly during break and lunch for safety reasons. The Public Library and Overfelt Gardens are off limits.


Students should not be hanging out in the parking lots during passing periods, break and or lunch. Staff members will ask the students to go back to the main campus.


NO DOORDASH!

Doordash is not allowed. We are a closed campus and we do not want strangers driving onto our campus and delivering food to minors. Students may not walk off campus to get a delivery either. This is a safety issue!


Parents, please do not send food deliveries to your student. ALL students may eat for free at break and lunch.



Dress and Attire

The expectations for clothing are clean, covered and appropriate. This means no clothing that displays explicit or derogatory language, no drug or alcohol references, no sexually explicit images or nudity, and no gang references or symbols.


Any clothing or accessory item that the Administration deems a safety issue will be addressed with the student and we will work with them to find a solution.


Parents, Cookies is a marijuana reference. Cookies clothing or accessories are not permitted. Parents, please partner with us on this!


Saturday School!

Come to Saturday School this year and recover an unexcused absence or an excused illness absence. A teacher will be there to help you with your academics. Use the time to study or work on missing assignments. Our next Saturday School is November 2nd at 8:45am in the Student Union. We will feed you! Please plan to stay until 12:45pm. Please see Ms. Goltzer or Ms. Andrade in C05 for questions or concerns. Use the form to sign up!

https://forms.gle/YLYgSvMsCKkrNba48


Attendance Matters!

September is Attendance Awareness Month.

Did you know.... Absences can be a sign that a teen is losing interest, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty.


The C-05 office will continue to focus on attendance as we continue to strive towards our mission: Students Engaged in the Classroom. We would like to continue to remind SIXERs the importance of being on time, all day, every day, and that there is a correlation between attendance, grades and graduation. Avoid the truancy process!


Students who are consistently tardy or absent will meet with Ms. Goltzer and/or one of our Parent Community Involvement Specialists or a Student Advisor. We may request a parent meeting as well.


Parents, if you need to report a student’s tardiness or absence, please do so as soon as possible. The Attendance Office is in the Student Union. If you would like to phone instead, use the following phone numbers based on your student’s last name:



Attendance Staff

Short Term Independent Studies

Jennifer Andrade - 408.928.9521


Student last names A - L

Diana Castillo - 408.928.9552


Student last names M-Z

Thao Pham - 408.928.9542


Say Something

Students and Parents,


Our highest priority is safety. If you witness or experience something that makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or that could potentially become a safety issue, please report it. You can do so anonymously. We have a link to the SAY SOMETHING app on our Independence website. Please give the Administration as much information as possible so that we may investigate the issue. You do not have to use your name. I am providing the link here as well. Let’s work together to keep our campus and community safe!


https://www.p3campus.com/tipform.aspx?ID=3000

Parent and Community Specialist Corner

We hope everyone enjoys a fun and safe Halloween! Please refer to the attached guidelines for costumes. If you’re unsure whether your costume is suitable for school, feel free to visit C05 or ask an administrator.

In celebration of Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 2, 2024 we invite you to participate in our “ofrenda” / Altar by submitting names of loved ones who have passed. Our Latino Student Union & Spanish classes will be creating our Dia de Los Muertos “ofrenda” / altar in dedication for all loved ones who have passed throughout the years. You are invited to submit the names of your loved ones to be included in the “ofrenda”/Altar by using the google form link (Click HERE) by Wednesday, October 30, 2024. All names and dedications will be added to a book of remembrance which will be placed on our Altar.


To learn more about Dia de los Muertos please visit the following link: (Click HERE)


Please refer to the flyer below for information on upcoming parent meetings.

For any questions or concerns please contact your Parent & Community Involvement Specialists (PCIS) Ms. Ha phamha@esuhsd.org 408.928.9598 or Ms. Maggie rodriguezm@esuhsd.org 408.928.9541.

Parents: For technology access please see the flyer below. As a reminder your student can share the pairing code for CANVAS.

Please refer to the academic calendar 2024-2025 to support you in the planning of any holiday vacations. As a reminder, vacations are not excuse absences in session days.

Please ensure we have your email so you are able to receive Parent Meetings and school updates. We offer a variety of support services for our school community. Please complete the Parent Survey by using this link https://forms.gle/mY7aQo6c37KW5S64A to get your feedback regarding Parent Workshops.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Sacred Heart Community Service

Martha's Kitchen

Second Harvest Food Bank nearest Food pickup


● 988 Crisis and Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Get Help - Behavioral Health Services - County of Santa Clara (sccgov.org); informational flyer for mental health teams (attached)

● Black Youth & Suicide: A guide on suicide risk and mental health support for Black youth in Santa Clara County

● LGBTQ Youth Space (ages 13-25): https://youthspace.org/

● allcove: https://allcove.org/centers/palo-alto/

● Downtown Youth Wellness Center (ages 12-25) – flyer attached; Programs – Alum Rock Counseling Center (alumrockcc.org)

● Santa Clara County Office of Education - Department of Youth Health & Wellness

● Headspace for Teens: https://www.headspace.com/teens

● Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org


For any questions or concerns, please get in touch with Ms. Ha phamha@esuhsd.org 408.928.9598 or Ms. Maggie rodriguezm@esuhsd.org 408.928.9541.

Mental Health & Wellness Corner

Services offered at the Wellness Center

The Mental Health and Wellness team includes social workers, interns, and community based organizations (CBO’s) that work together to provide mental health support to IHS students. The Wellness Center team offers referrals to community resources, group counseling, short term individual counseling, crisis intervention and education about mental health and wellness. Visit us in room D-01 to learn more!


How do I submit a referral?

Students, parents, teachers, and community members may submit a referral for any student at Independence by visiting the link below and filling out a Care Team referral. A social worker, intern or other school staff member will follow up with the student.


Care Team Referral form: https://forms.doc-tracking.com/48252/48252/2416


Calming Space: The Calming Space is designed to be a place for students who are experiencing stress in class and need a short break to self-regulate. Before students visit the Calming Space, we ask that they check in with their teacher and request a pass. Students may spend 15 minutes in the Calming Space; if they need more time, a wellness center staff member will check in to discuss additional resources and support. Students who visit the calming space during regular class time are expected to check in with Ms. Johnson, our Wellness Center Clerk, when they arrive and before they return to class. We also ask that students keep their electronics put away and that they do not engage in side conversations with other students.


Welcome Intern Team!

This week, the 2024-25 Social Work Intern Cohort joined the Wellness Center.



Community Resources & Events


Santa Clara County Suicide and Crisis Hotline

If you or your student need mental health crisis support outside of school hours, you may call 988 to request support from the Santa Clara County Mobile Crisis Response Team. If your phone number does not begin with a 408, 669 or 650 area code, please call 800-704-0900 and press 1.


Santa Clara County Suicide and Crisis Hotline


Downtown Youth Wellness Center

Address: 725 East Santa Clara Street, Suite 105, San Jose, CA 95112

Phone: 408-961-4645

Email: dywc@hhs.sccgov.org


The Downtown Youth Wellness Center is a Behavioral Health program dedicated to promoting a safe, supportive, and youth-focused environment that provides short term Behavioral Health services, focused on prevention and early intervention for youth ages 12-25. Services include same day access to brief behavioral health support, peer support, workshops, well-being groups, social and educational activities, linkage to services/case management (including medical and longer-term behavioral health services), life skills development, education and career planning, independent living skills, and other related care. The DYWC is a partnership between the Behavioral Health Services Department and Alum Rock Counseling Center.

The DYWC is excited to continue to be part of the community that serves the youth in our community. In an ongoing effort to meet the needs of the youth, the DYWC has shifted the hours of operation to Monday through Friday from 10am-7pm.

Where students find their Passion, Purpose, and Path.

School Vision

Independence High School is an intercultural community that provides students with rich opportunities for personal and academic growth while embracing diversity, belonging, and open access for all.

Newsletter Archives

Archives of previous newsletters can be found at https://independence.esuhsd.org/About-Us/Principals-Newsletter-archive/index.html
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