Good morning High Desert Hawks and Families,

Welcome back to another exciting school year at High Desert School, where we are "Anchored in Achievement!" Set sail on a smooth school year by anchoring strong routines early—review your planner each night and keep your supplies shipshape. Steer clear of rough waters by asking for help when you need it; teamwork keeps the crew afloat!

Beginning of the Year Reminders

• Dress Code
  
• Our High Desert School Dress Code will be enforced. Please remind your students to double-check their attire to ensure that they are dressed appropriately. A copy of the dress code is provide in our newsletter this week.
• Cell Phones
• We are a Cell Phone Free Campus. Please remind students to leave their phones off and in their backpacks while on campus. Away for the Day supports students focus on academic achievement and social-emotional development.

Athletics

• 100-Mile Club starts this week! We look forward to seeing all of the students who signed up accumulating their miles in 100-Mile Club after school.
• Please remember that you are a member of the team on and off the field. Keep up your grades and good behavior to remain eligible all season!
• Sports Currently in Season
• Varsity Girls and Boys Volleyball
• JV Girls Basketball
• JV Boys Soccer
• Cross Country
• Spirit Squad (starts this Thursday)
• 100-Mile Club (starts this Wednesday)

• For drop-off, please see the attached diagram. Students will be dropped off at the gate in front of the main office and will continue to the gate in front of the MPR to enter the quad. Students will remain in the Quad in the mornings. The bell will ring at 7:55 am for students to line up for their first class. Parents will proceed down Crown Valley Rd. They will pull into the bus loop and follow it around to exit. For the safety of all of our students, please do not make a U-turn.
• For pick-up, parents will follow the same procedure. Students will wait on the sidewalk area for their ride and parents will follow through the bus loop to exit after picking up their student.

Monday, September 2

• NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

Tuesday, September 3

• Varsity Boys Volleyball Practice 2:30-4:30pm @ HDS MPR
  
• JV Boys Soccer Practice 4:00-5:30pm @ HDS Lower Field
  
• Cross Country Practice 5:30-6:30pm @ Outdoor Stage

Wednesday, September 4

• HDS Booster Club Meeting 8:45am @ HDS Library
• Early Release Dismissal at 1:10pm
  
• 100-Mile Club Begins 1:15-2:00pm
• Varsity Volleyball Practice - Girls (Green Team) 1:30-3:30pm @ HDS MPR

Thursday, September 5

• Spirit Squad Begins 2:30-3:30pm
• Cross Country Practice 5:30-6:30pm @ HDS Outdoor Stage
• JV Girls Basketball Practice 2:30-4:00pm @ HDS MPR
• JV Boys Soccer Practice 4:00-5:30pm @ HDS Lower Field

• Show your Hawks Pride and Wear Green, Black, and White on Friday!
• ASB Meeting 1:30pm
• Cross Country Practice 5:30-6:30pm @ Outdoor Stage

Have a great week and Go Hawks!

Our High Desert Hawks were Anchors Away for the new school year. Sports are in full swing with Varsity Volleyball, JV Girls Basketball, Cross Country, and JV Boys Soccer starting the first few weeks of school. Back to School Night 2024 was a highlight for our Hawks, their families, and our amazing faculty. Check out our school website for teacher's presentations and more information about our classes this year!

Test results from CAASPP testing in Spring 2024 are now available to parents in the Aeries portal. Login to https://actonaguadulce.aeries.net/student/. Go to Test Scores, the State Test Reports to see the full report.

For questions about how to read the results or what they mean for students, go to https://ca.startingsmarter.org/

"Easton deserves a Hawk Highlight for going above and beyond by cleaning up trash that wasn't his. He demonstrated responsibility and pride in our school community."

~ Miss Alondra Conde

• AVID - This year in AVID, we will be focusing on organization, goal setting, and academic achievement with the support of WICOR strategies implemented in all classrooms.
• SEL - Each week, on Wednesday, our students will be working on soft skills to support their social and emotional development during middle school.

Step Up delivers 1-on-1 math tutoring, conducted online with a consistent tutor

• Students receive tailored math support using a curriculum that is tailored to address their needs

• Tutors focus on relationship-building and provide mentorship in a fun learning environment

• Students receive tutoring at least twice weekly via one of three program models: at-home, during an after-school program, or during the school day

All students must have a new athletic physical and online clearance each school year. To complete the online clearance go to: https://www.homecampus.com/login

• For School - Select Vasquez
• For Sport - Select the sport the applies with MS in the title (ex: MS Volleyball)

You will need to submit the following documents as part of the clearance process:

• Current health insurance card
• Physical (Medical History / Physical / Clearance)

Hello Students and Parents,

HDS is taking a trip to the Florida Keys on the Splash into Science program!

This trip is all-inclusive, and we’ll be going over what we’ll get to see and do on our program, such as:

• Swim with dolphins
• Snorkel the coral reef
• Kayak the mangroves
• Behind the scenes visit at The Turtle Hospital Rescue, Rehab, Release Center
• Explore Everglades National Park

• Meeting Date: August 20, 2024
• Meeting Time: In-person at 6:00 pm or 6:45 pm for a virtual option
• Meeting Location: Email me for the in-person meeting location at 6:00 pm, or join us at 6:45 pm via Zoom using the following link: https://aadusd-k12-ca-us.zoom.us/j/84240317362?pwd=j7Tr3hWkGtsbkglRnitJQXkLKKhzGE.

Please contact me if you have any questions about itinerary highlights, information regarding WorldStrides FLAG Financial Assistance, Extended Payment Options, and other important items you need to know about Educational Travel.

HDS Florida Trip Registration Link

HDS Florida Trip Registration Flyer - English / Spanish

Staying informed about online safety is crucial, especially when it comes to protecting our children. As the digital world continues to evolve, so do the potential risks our kids face online. We've gathered some simple but effective tips to help you navigate this landscape.

Here are some key points to consider:

1. Stay Informed: Regularly educate yourself about the latest online threats, trends, and safety measures. Awareness is the first step towards effective digital parenting.
2. Open Communication: Foster an open and honest dialogue with your child about their online experiences. Encourage them to share any concerns or encounters they may have had.
3. Set Boundaries: Establish clear guidelines for screen time, app usage, and online activities. Regularly review and update these boundaries based on your child's age and maturity.
4. Empower Yourself: Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the online world alongside your child.

To further support you on this journey, we encourage you to take Cyber Safety Cop's Digital Parenting 101. This comprehensive 16-lesson course covers everything you need to know to keep your child safe and thriving online, including:

• Protecting your child from online dangers such as cyberbullying, online predators, and inappropriate content.
• Setting healthy screen time limits and choosing age-appropriate apps and games.
• Initiating conversations with your child about online safety and monitoring their online activity.
• Assisting your child in developing healthy digital habits.
• Gaining knowledge to discuss online drug access and substance abuse risks with your child.

Remember, our mission is to help children not just survive online but thrive while staying safe and informed. Digital Parenting 101 is the essential first step to ensuring your child has a safe and positive experience online.

About half of teens in the U.S. had a mental health concern at some point in their life. Recognizing teen mental health issues and connecting to early intervention and treatment can be lifesaving. Check out this free guide to the most common teen mental health challenges and find local mental health resources.

Check out the great programs offered for Hawks and their families at Vasquez Rocks!

Stay up to date on all of the Hawk Happenings throughout the school year. Check out our Yearlong Calendar for the 2024-2025 School Year.

Our School is using PBIS Rewards to help us with our PBIS program! PBIS Rewards is a technology-based PBIS Management System that helps us with our behavior incentive program. You can learn about PBIS Rewards at their website (www.pbisrewards.com).

Our students can earn rewards throughout the day by meeting our behavior expectations. These rewards are in the form of electronic points. They can redeem these points for privileges, tangible items, access to events, and other similar things. Our expectation is that we will see overall behavior improve throughout the school and that the number of referrals we have will decrease.

PBIS Rewards has a Family App that will give you some insight into how your child is doing with respect to our PBIS program. The Family App will run on most smart devices, including smartphones and tablets. You can find it in the iPhone/iPad App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon App Store. Just search for "PBIS Rewards Family."

An email has been sent to families to get you set up on the PBIS Rewards Family App. Please access this email from PBIS Rewards if you wish to access your child's progress. If you did not receive an email, please contact Mrs. Van Ornum so she can help get you set up.

Email: mvanornum@aadusd.k12.ca.us
Website: http://aadusd.k12.ca.is/domain/9/
Location: 3620 Antelope Woods Road, Acton, CA, USA
Phone: (661) 269-0310
Facebook: facebook.com/hdsboosterclub/
Twitter: @Highdesert_aad