“Paul Haberstroh continues to work hard and has proven to not give up. I enjoy having him in German and it's always a joy to hear about it every time he defeats Kamil in Valorant. Way to go, Paul!” ~Herr Lynch, World Language Teacher

“Sunny Tuazon absolutely deserves a SIXER Shoutout for her exceptional respect, enthusiasm, and positive energy! Her curiosity, thoughtful participation, and genuine kindness make a meaningful impact. Sunny's dedication and engagement reflect her strong character and commitment to learning. Thank you, Sunny, for being such a wonderful part of sixth period familia—keep up the great work!” ~Sra. Alvarez, World Language Teacher

On Friday, 12/13/24, we welcomed our Independence community to Winterfest 2024! This event is truly a collaborative effort between staff, students, community, and alumni.

Our community enjoyed performances by Latinx Student Union (LSU) and Vietnamese Student Association. Teaching Academy, Sewing Club, LSU, Key Club, AVID, and leadership hosted crafts and activities for kids. The Academy of Finance developed and built games for kids to play. STEAM Academy, AVID, LSU, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Teaching Academy donated decorated holiday trees that were given away at the end of the night. We even welcomed and supported 16 small business vendors for a holiday shopping experience.

Check out all of the fun in this VIDEO HERE!

Counselor Contact & Availability:

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

Week of 12/16/24

Winter Sports

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

12/19-21 Firebird Holiday Tournament @ Fremont HS (Sunnyvale) TBA

Sixer Basketball (g): Coach Buckner (leilani.buckner10@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)

12/18 vs Willow Glen @ 6:30pm

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)

Fall Sports

Sixer Football: Coach Braun (braunj@esuhsd.org)

Sixer Golf (girls): Coach Richard Lee (rlee@fusdk12.net)

Sixer Volleyball (girls): Coach Kenny (leilani.buckner10@gmail.com)

Sixer Cross Country (boys & girls): Coach Kevin (ckwang91@gmail.com)

Sixer Tennis (girls): Coach Scott (rl20ii@yahoo.com)

Sixer Water Polo (boys & girls): Coach Martinez (rodriguez.adrian1821@gmail.com)

Sixer Girls’ Flag Football: Coach Baker (bakerl@esuhsd.org)

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 will be in January. 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!

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

Thank you to everyone for your generous support through gifts, gift cards, clothing, shoes, and essential items. Families had the opportunity to come together, enjoy a delicious meal, participate in arts and crafts, visit with Santa, and take home extra warm items.

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.