Class of 2025 Newsletter

Class of 2025 Families,

Can you believe we are already in February? Time is flying. It was such a joy to see the excitement of Seniors as they prepared for Winter Formal and to have the many parents/guardians join us for Parent/Guardian Shadow Day. This month the Grade Level Team will be in Senior classes to review post-secondary options to ensure students are working on their plans. Students have also been receiving reminders about community service and financial aid application deadlines. The next few months will continue to be busy as students push through their final set of classes and manage completion of their graduation requirements.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Grade Level Team with any questions or concerns.

Mark your Calendar:

February 3-6: National School Counseling Week

February 5: National Girls and Women in Sports Day

February 6: On Site Physicals for Spring Sports

February 10: Progress Reports Due - Spring Semester 1

February 12: Athletic Eligibility Determined

February 14: No School - Lincoln's Day

February 17: No School - President's Day

February 20: Student Minimum Day - Staff PD

February 28: Last Day to Submit FAFSA/CADAA for 2 Extra Tickets for Graduation

March 1: Enrollment Deadline for New Students

March 12-13: Spring Semester 1 Finals

March 13: HIMA Giving Gala

March 14: Grossmont College Onboarding Day

March 14-31: No School - Spring Break
March 18: Athletic Eligibility Determined

March 31: First Day of Spring Semester 2

April 2: Make-Up Grossmont Onboarding Day

April 4: 40 Community Service Hours Due

April 5: Helix Foundation Highlander Open Golf Tournament

April 7: Helix Foundation Scholarship Opens

April 9: Trades Day

April 11: College Rejection Party

April 24: Student Minimum Day - Staff PD

April 25: Helix Foundation Scholarship Deadline to Apply

Adrian is a consistent player in the midfield and has been an example to all players.

Way to go Adrian!

Do you have a student who will be entering the 9th grade for the 2025-2026 school year? If so, you must submit an application between Monday, 1/6/25 - Saturday, 3/1/25.

Helix is a Charter School, so no one is automatically enrolled and you must apply by Saturday, 3/1/25. The application and all information about enrollment can be found here: helixcharter.net/about-us/enrollment.

FAFSA season is officially here!

The 2025-2026 FAFSA form is now live! Remember...submitting the FAFSA or CADAA is a graduation requirement. Head to fafsa.gov to start your form today.

Students who submit their FAFSA or CADAA by Friday, 2/28/25 will receive two extra tickets for graduation.

Upload your FAFSA/CADAA Submission Confirmation today at bit.ly/FCGradTickets! Upload your FAFSA/CADAA Submission Confirmation today at bit.ly/FCGradTickets! The links is case sensitive. Students must be logged into their Helix Gmail Account to access the form.

The Submission Confirmation that students upload must include the following:

• The Year they are applying for FAFSA/CADAA: 2025-26
• Students Name
• Must say the "Form is Complete".

San Diego Graduate Services is Helix's official supplier of Cap and Gowns for graduation. To order your cap and gown please order online TODAY at SDgrad.com. Select Helix in the drop down menu. Along with cap and gowns they also sell letter jackets, class rings and graduation announcements.

Price will increase on Saturday, 3/1/25 to $200. All payments for Grad Night are due by Friday, 4/4/25. Reserve your spot today at https://helixptsa.myptezcentral.com.

If you have any questions, please email the Helix PTSA at HelixPTAPresident@gmail.com. See the flyer below for more information.

We are so excited to introduce The DEN, a student-centered space that provides academic support both before school and after school in ExL, Room 1600.

The DEN is staffed by Academic Coaches and Credentialed Teachers in order to provide student support and facilitate achievement. Students can come in before school and/or after school to receive help in all subjects. Here are some of the support systems the DEN will provide: tutoring, remediation, test prep, test proctoring, timed writings, study groups and student-centered support in any academic capacity.

Beginning this Thursday, Helix parents/guardians will receive an automated phone call and email notification, if your student is currently failing one or more classes. The purpose of this call is to ensure that you are aware of your student's academic standing and to encourage timely intervention.

Students who receive this notification should attend tutorial sessions on Friday morning, starting at 8:30am, with their teacher(s). This will provide them with the necessary support to improve their grades and understanding of the subject matter.

Please review the tutorial schedule below.

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

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, special programs and anything the students may need! The more members we have, the greater access we have to grants and programs that will support Helix students.

***Any students interested in applying for PTSA scholarships (we give out $5,000 each year) must be PTSA members.***

If you want to make more of a commitment, consider joining the PTSA board. This means attending one meeting per month (if you are 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 Helix or via Zoom. If you are interested, please email PTSA President Dave Hardenburger at helixptsapresident@gmail.com.

If you just want to be informed about upcoming events and school news, follow Helix PTSA on social media on Facebook and Instagram.

Celebrate the amazing educators and staff members who make our Scottie community shine!

Nominate one teacher, one staff member, or both. These exceptional individuals go above and beyond every day, making a difference in students' lives, creating positive change, supporting our Helix community, and inspiring others.

The nomination process is open to everyone - you do not need to be a PTSA member to nominate someone, and nominees do not need to be members either. What matters most is sharing your story about why these individuals deserve recognition.

Tell us about how your All Star helped during a tough time, created an innovative program, showed exceptional kindness, supported student success, made learning fun, or transformed the ordinary into extraordinary. Your specific examples help us understand their true impact on our school community.

Please fill out this form to recognize some Helix All-Stars!

Only request a transcript when the college asks for it, not earlier as it may get lost. Please make all requests through Xello.

Student athletes should see Mrs. Street or Ms. Markey for transcript requests for college coaches or the NCAA.

***REMEMBER...ONLY REQUEST A TRANSCRIPT WHEN THE COLLEGE ASKS FOR IT.***

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

So what are the kids up to these days and how can I keep up? Come learn about up-to-date trends in technology on Thursday, 2/27/25 at 6pm via Zoom. Also learn how to check privacy settings on your 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 much more! Learn simple techniques to better connect with your child and walk away with the tools to create a technology contract for your family.

Click here to register.

• Zoom Meeting ID: 897 8912 6951
• Zoom Passcode: 765834.

Thank you to the amazing counselor's that support the Class of 2025. Mrs. Yolanda Street, Grade Level Counselor; Mrs. Danielle Yee, Grade Level Social Worker; and Mrs. Gillian Morgan, College and Career Counselor. You are the best! We appreciate you! 💚🐾🤍

Thank you for all you do to help students be the best versions of themselves - from promoting mental health and social-emotional well-being, to advocating for equity, providing strategies for academic success, supporting in challenging times and guiding students for the future. We thank you for your dedicated work to ensure that all students thrive and shine.✨

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 female athletes of Helix Charter High School are kicking off National Girls and Women in Sports Day with an ALL FEMALE ATHLETE PHOTO in the Stadium at Lunch on Wednesday, 2/5/25.

We will continue to celebrate by hosting female athletes - past, present and future, at our Girls Water Polo and Girls Soccer Games that evening.

We encourage you, your families and friends to join us for these events. Please pass the information about the National Girls and Women in Sports Day events along to any youth programs or community groups that you would like to attend.

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, 2/6/25 at 3pm in the Sports Medicine classroom - Room 1160. Cost is $35 - CASH ONLY. All paperwork must be filled out prior to seeing the Doctor.

We are 5 school days away from Spring Semester 1 Progress Reports, which are due on Monday, 2/10/25. 📉🤯📈

Please take advantage of Academic Support opportunities this week to make sure you are passing all of your classes! 📚📝

Remember…these grades will be used to determined Athletic Eligibility on Wednesday, 2/12/25. If you are playing a winter/spring sport, you must earn at least a 2.0 GPA to remain eligible. 🏀⚽🤼🤽🏐🎾🥎⚾⛳👟🏊🥍

YOU GOT THIS!!⭐️💚🐾

The last day for students to submit their FAFSA or CADAA to receive two extra tickets for graduation is Friday, 2/28/25.

Upload your FAFSA/CADAA Submission Confirmation today at bit.ly/FCGradTickets! The links is case sensitive. Students must be logged into their Helix Gmail Account to access the form.

The Submission Confirmation that students upload must include the following:

• The Year they are applying for FAFSA/CADAA: 2025-26
• Students Name
• Must say the "Form is Complete".

The Helix Instrumental Music Association's (HIMA) 31st Annual Giving Gala will be held on Thursday, 3/13/25 at 5pm at the Thursday Club in Point Loma.

Tickets can be purchased here.

The Helix Foundation facilitates fundraising that promotes the growth and improvement of the programs, facilities, and activities at Helix Charter High School as well as funding many scholarships for post secondary education to graduating seniors. Their annual golf tournament is coming up on Saturday, 4/5/25 and they are looking for both participants and sponsors.

If you or someone you know is interested in being a sponsor for the golf tournament, please click here for more information.

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 x580.

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 are 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

For more information, visit the Wellness Center's website by clicking the button above.

Mrs. Yolanda Street - School Counselor

Ms. Danika Markey - Academic Advisor

Ms. Sara Brown - Administrative Assistant

Ms. Brenda Flores - Attendance Technician

Mrs. Danielle Yee - School Social Worker