November Newsletter

• Thursday, November 7 - Minimum Day, School Out at 1:20pm
• Monday, November 11 - No School - Veteran's Day
• Wednesday, November 20 - Athletic Eligibility Determined
• November 25 - 29 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

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

If you've ever struggled to understand your teenager, this Info Night is for you. Julie Damschen, Child Development & Psychology teacher will present the latest information about teenage brain growth and development. With new technology, we better understand why peers have such a big influence on our teens, why substance abuse can be more harmful to teen brains and how parents can best support their teens through this developing brain period. Dinner will be provided, please RSVP here for food ordering purposes. This event will be held in ExL, the 1600 building, and is open to all parents and guardians. Students (and siblings) are welcome to join you! You can park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance from Unviersity & Yale. For translation services, click here.

You are invited to attend our first ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) meeting of the school year with Ms. Burrough, our English Language Coordinator. Your involvement is vital in shaping a successful educational journey for all students. We value diversity and inclusivity and want to work together to support our English Learners and create a nurturing academic environment. Dinner will be provided, please RSVP here for food ordering purposes. This event will be held in ExL, the 1600 building, and is open to all parents and guardians. Students (and siblings) are welcome to join you! You can park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance from Unviersity & Yale. For translation services, click here.

Come join other students and parents as we learn how to navigate perfectionism and balancing healthy expectations. With finals coming up, this an important topic and we are offering students one community service hour for attending this presentation. This will be presented by Amy Chavez with San Diego Youth Services. This event will be held in ExL, the 1600 building, and is open to all parents and guardians. Registration not required. Students and siblings are welcome to attend with you. Snacks will be provided. 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.

Read about the show and cast here and purchase tickets here.

The winter dance concert will be held in the PAC on Thursday & Friday, Nov. 21 & 22 at 7pm. Visit www.helixdancers.com for more information.

Helix Vocal Music Department presents Fall Cabaret on November 13 & 14 at 7pm in the PAC, showcasing all 5 Helix Choirs and featuring specialty acts from our talented Helix singers!

A list of community service opportunities can be found at helixcharter.net/community. We keep it very updated and some interesting new opportunities have just been added!

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.

As we welcome the fall and winter seasons with their festive cheer and traditions, it's also the time of year when colds, flu, and missed school days become more common. To support student wellness and learning, please keep your student home if they show signs of illness, such as a fever or vomiting. If your student is experiencing anxiety or stress please be sure to contact the Grade Level Team for support options. We also encourage families to avoid scheduling trips or vacations during school days, as missing school can create added stress for students.

Please mark these important dates on your calendar:

*Nov 11: Veterans Day (No School)
*Nov 25-29: Thanksgiving Break (No School)
*Dec 19 & 20: Helix Finals
*Dec 23-Jan 7: Winter Break
*Jan 8: Start of Spring Semester 1

The Helix Attendance Office would also like to share a few reminders:

1. Students arriving late to school must go directly to the Attendance Office. Even if they arrive between class periods or at lunch.
2. If a student needs to leave campus for any reason before their school day is over, they must first obtain an Off-Campus Pass.
3. If a student becomes ill while at school, the student must report to the School Nurse’s Office with a pass from their teacher. The nurse will then notify the parent/guardian to determine if an early release from school is necessary.
4. Students who leave campus early without authorization before leaving are considered truant and will be assigned a consequence.
5. Parents/Guardians must notify the school of the reason for their student’s absence, as soon as it is known a student will be absent. Absences that are not cleared within three (3) school days will change to a truancy.

Thank you for your support in keeping our school community healthy and engaged!

Did you know that your GPA rank is not the only thing considered when determining our graduation valedictorians?

On October 25th students were given a presentation on the criteria to become Valedictorian.

Check out the slides from the presentation below.

Slides Link

Yearbooks are currently for sale for $75 at the Dawg House and through the student store. The cost will increase to $85 in January and yearbooks SELL OUT, so buy one now if you're interested!

We have some Class of 2027 shirts and sweatshirts left in Medium and Large!

Please contact Gabby Carbajal or Lauren Knuth if you are interested.

carbajal@helixcharter.net

knuth@helixcharter.net

Shirts: $23

Sweatshirts: $40

This last month the 2027 Grade Level Team acknowledged students who have not only met the 40-hour requirement but have gone above and beyond, completing over 100 hours of community service!

A huge congratulations to the following students

Jalen Burdett has completed 264 hours!

Ethan Bloomingfield

Navah Severtson

Benjamin Lewin

Katelyn Freepartner

Kylie Mullaly

Natalie Sheehan

Alex Gibbs

Samantha Pettis

Talia Horvath

Audrey Boull’t

Madeline Phaisaly

Here are some slides we shared with our students in Advisory

Click here

Click Here

Mr. Watkins has nominated Jordan due to his exemplary reliability demonstrated while working with the Super Scotties. Jordan consistently collaborates effectively with all of our Super Scottie students, exhibiting punctuality and an impressive level of attentiveness. Furthermore, he has actively challenged himself academically by enrolling in rigorous courses and applying considerable effort to succeed. His compassion and unwavering dedication exemplify the core values of what it means to be a true Scottie.