Respectful communication is not only how we speak to others with our voices, but also with our actions. While campus beautification happens all around us, with new buildings and new landscape, respecting our campus community always starts with us. Thank you, Sixers, for reminding us of this through your voices.

• “You can show respect by not littering and being mindful of the campus we all share together and being cautious with their words around others to be considerate of others feelings.” ~Leana Laufasa, Freshman

• “By not publicly shaming, degrading, or degrading an individual or group, you are respecting their decisions and their ideas. Keeping things to yourself or knowing that they are just trying to do their own thing is showing respect.” ~Aiden Lee, Freshman

• “Showing respect for others on campus and the community can consist of not littering, respecting their boundaries, and picking up trash and throwing it away where it belongs.” ~Nam Tran, Freshman

• “I respect my campus by not disrespecting the school campus by not littering or bullying because again my mom has always taught me and showed me the right things and mindset. I always put myself in other peoples shoes because I wouldn’t like being bullied so why would I bully someone. Why would I litter if I hate picking up someone’s trash. Things like this make me realize that my mom taught me the right mindset to respect my community.” ~Adriana Aguiar, Sophomore

• “I show respect on campus by not littering and picking up after myself so that I can respect the school for being able to provide a space for me to learn. The mindset I incorporate in my life is to have an open mind to any ideas provided by my classmates.” ~Fiona Huynh, Senior

IHS College Information Night:

IHS Counseling will be hosting IHS College Information Night Tuesday, October 22, 2024 from 5:30-6:30pm in the Learning Center (Student Union). We will have two sessions available for families:

• Session 1: College Information 101: An overview of college requirements, the differences between college systems (CSU, UC, Private, Community College), how to support your student

• Session 2: College Conversations: Leveling Up: An in-depth look at impaction and what it means, major and college selection; how to stay competitive

Language support will be available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. We hope to see you there!

SESP & Applying to SJSU Webinar:

In partnership with San Jose State University, East Side Union High School District will be hosting a webinar for families to learn more about the Spartan East Side Promise and get assistance in applying to San Jose State University. This event is tailored for 12th grade students. Learn more about SJSU admission requirements, Cal State Apply application overview, ESUHSD resources and more. The webinar will take place Wednesday, October 23 from 6-7pm. All attendees must register for the event. Registration link here.

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 Room D-208 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.

Upcoming Dates:

Oct. 22: IHS College Information Night | 5:30-6:30pm | The Learning Center

Oct. 23: Spartan East Side Promise & Applying to SJSU Webinar | 6-7pm | Zoom: Registrar Here

Oct. 24: UC Irvine College Presentation | 8:30am | The Learning Center

Oct. 25: Sophomore Counseling Lesson through PE 2 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.

• Ms. Pham: Last Names A-Chi
• 408.928.9680 | phamm@esuhsd.org
• Hours: 8:30am-4pm
• Mr. Hennessey: Last Names Chj-Hd
  
• 408.928.9563 | hennesseym@esuhsd.org
  
• Hours: 8am-3:30pm
  
• Ms. Fernandez: Last Names He-Maq
  
• 408.928.9574 | fernandezf@esuhsd.org
  
• Hours: 8:30am-4pm
  
• Ms. Huynh: Last Names Mar-Par
  
• 408.928.9567 | huynhtt@esuhsd.org
  
• Hours: 8:15-3:45pm
  
• Ms. Marquez: Last Names Pas-Sq
  
• 408.928.9568 | marquezl@esuhsd.org
  
• Hours: 8:30am-4pm
  
• Ms. Liang: Last Names Sr-Z
  
• 408.928.9546 | liangb@esuhsd.org
  
• Hours: 8:15-3:45pm

College Access Support (located in D-208 & the Learning Center):

• 10,000 Degrees

• Anthony Garcia |415.578.4380 | anthony.garcia@10000degrees.org

• Available in person Wednesday & Thursday

• Book appointment here

• Destination College Advising Program (DCAC)

• Daniela Navarro | 510.332.3723 | danielan@berkeley.edu

• Available in person Monday-Friday

• Book appointment here

“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

Shout Out!!

Congratulations to Sixer Golf (girls)! After shooting their lowest score of the year (improved by19 strokes), they swept Willow Glen last week. Led by Senior Ashely Pang, the Sixers will try to stay undefeated as they close in on our school’s first ever golf championship.

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 10/21/24

Fall Sports

Sixer Football:

10/24/24 @ Pinoeer JV @ 4:30 | V @ 7:15

Coach Braun (braunj@esuhsd.org)

Sixer Golf (girls):

10/21//24 vs Santa Teresa @ Spring Valley GC @ 3:45

10/23/24 vs Santa Teresa @ Santa Teresa GC @ 3:45

Coach Richard Lee (rlee@fusdk12.net)

Sixer Volleyball (girls):

10/22/24 vs Oak Grove JV 5:30 | V 7pm

10/24/24 vs Gunderson JV 5:30 | V 7pm

Coach Kenny (leilani.buckner10@gmail.com)

Sixer Cross Country (boys & girls):

TBA

Coach Kevin (ckwang91@gmail.com)

Sixer Tennis (girls):

10/22/24 vs Oak Grove @ 4pm

10/24/24 vs Sobrato @ 4pm

Coach Scott (rl20ii@yahoo.com)

Sixer Water Polo (boys & girls):

10/24/24 vs Prospect Girls @ 6pm | Boys @ 5pm

10/25/24 vs Evergreen Girls @ 6pm | Boys @ 5pm

Coach Martinez (rodriguez.adrian1821@gmail.com)

Sixer Girls’ Flag Football:

10/22/24 vs Overfelt @ 7pm

10/17/24 vs Pioneer @ 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

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:

• https://www.instagram.com/indyactivities/

• https://www.instagram.com/indyathletics/

• https://www.instagram.com/indyperformingarts/

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

• https://www.instagram.com/ihs_co2027/

• https://www.instagram.com/ihsco2026/

• https://www.instagram.com/ihs.co2025/

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

The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program is hosting two engaging and informative evenings, packed with tips on talking to teens about vaping, cannabis, and tobacco. They are available in both English and Spanish!

Thursday, October 24 | 6-7:30 PM
1290 Ridder Park San Jose, CA 95131
(English: Oak Grove Room | Spanish: Milpitas Room)

Registration: sccoe.to/parentsRP

Tuesday, October 29 | 6-7:30 PM
South County Annex Gilroy, CA 95020
(English: Conference Room | Spanish: Multi-Purpose Room)

Registration: sccoe.to/parentSCA

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.