Class of 2025 Newsletter

Class of 2025 Families,

In less than two short weeks we will find ourselves in the midst of final exams for Spring Semester 1 and the start of Spring Break. College decisions have been landing in email inboxes, with many more on the horizon. Financial Aid Applications are being processed at college sites. Community College Onboarding is taking place to ensure access to FREE community college opportunities. And mixed into it all is the excitement of Senior Year! From athletic to academic to artistic competitions and performances we have had a full month for the Class of 2025. And we are here for it!

We cannot emphasize the importance of preparing and readying for our upcoming finals, and truly keeping senioritis at bay. When we return for Spring Semester 2 we will find ourselves on an exciting sprint to graduation. Community Service Hours will be due (April 4), Prom, Senior Boards (May 21-22) and so much more. We are looking forward to an amazing last semester with the Class of 2025.

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

Mark your Calendar:

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 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 17: Preparing for Life After High School - Family First

April 24: Student Minimum Day - Staff PD

April 24: Make-Up Grossmont Onboarding Day

April 25: Helix Foundation Scholarship Deadline to Apply

May 5: Progress Reports Due - Spring Semester 2

May 7: Athletic Eligibility Determined

May 9: Military Luncheon

May 14: College Signing Day

May 14-15: Senior Processing Circles

May 15: Student Minimum Day - Staff PD

May 17: Prom

May 21-22: Senior Boards - Minimum Day

May 26: No School - Memorial Day

May 29-30: Senior Finals

May 30: Senior Awards

June 2: Senior Breakfast

June 3: Cap & Gown Distribution

June 4: Grad Rehearsal & Graduation

We are excited to share with you Helix's recent commitment to being a Power100 Champion with San Diego Community Power. This means 100% of the electricity powering our campus is renewable and carbon free at all times of day! We are grateful to our administration and facilities team for their support in making this happen. Helix is proud to be one of the first public schools in the county to make this commitment!

To learn more about this achievement, please read the recent La Mesa Courier article, "Helix Charter High's Sustainability Program powers on" by Dave Thomas. It features two of our 12th grade students: Daniel Agpuon and Yao "Sorren" Xiao, and 10th grader Citrus Pacheco.

This achievement is a result of the advocacy and student leadership of the Student Office of Sustainability (SOS) and Environmental Club. The SOS team created a comprehensive campus sustainability action plan during the 2023-24 school year with the support of the City of La Mesa's Environmental Sustainability Commission. We are making progress in our first priority areas (energy generation/reduction, environmental literacy/curriculum, waste).

You can check out the sustainability action plan and more on our NEW "Sustainability Focus & Power100 Champion" page on the Helix website.

Adan has really improved on and off the court this season. He has really emerged as a great leader for our team.

Way to go Adan!

Our #1 singles player and one of the team captains for tennis, has had a great start to the season. He went 3-0 against some very difficult competition at Patrick Henry.

Way to go Mykhailo!

After goals by Senior - Lamar McKenzie and Freshman - Leif Tollison, the Boys Soccer Team held on for a tie through regulation and overtime. Junior Goalkeeper, Tyson Ryan stopped three penalty kicks and the team defeated Monte Vista, 3-1.

They will play the #5 seed, Pacific Ridge High School in the CIF DII Championships on Saturday, 3/1/25 at Orange Glen High School. Kickoff is at 1pm.

Tickets will be available through GoFan only. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS.

The game will be live-streamed with play by play on the NFHS Network. Subscription fees apply. Here is the link to the CIF Championship Game.

If you are attending the game, noisemakers are not allowed and will be confiscated.

Congrats to the Boys Soccer Team and the 11 Seniors on the Team!

• Lamar Mckenzie #2
• Owen Bennett #3
• Shane Jennings #5
• Rocco Herman #6
• Damian Moran #7
• Zinedine Vasquez Leon #8
• Alex Aguiar #10
• Gavin Lewin #13
• Adrian Hernandez #18
• Nicholas Santiesteban #19
• Luca Herman #20

Are you planning on attending Grossmont/Cuyamaca after graduation? Do you want 2 free years of college?

Request an Appointment with the Grossmont Counselors @ Helix HERE.

Counselors will be coming to Helix, Friday, 3/14/25 and Thursday, 4/24/25, to help you plan your classes and finish the steps to get 2 free years of college!

Steps to Get 2 FREE Years:

1. Apply to Grossmont (you will get an email if you still need to do this)

2. Complete Online Orientation Module (Done at Appointment)
3. Create a plan for your classes (Done at Appointment)
4. Fill out a Financial Aid Application (FAFSA or CADAA)
5. Enroll in at least 12 Credits (Done in April/June)

To recognize your student's accomplishments during their time at Helix Charter High School, the Helix EDGE Lab/CTE Program is selling Class of 2025 Graduation Banners. If you wish to purchase a banner, they are $25 each.

GRADUATION BANNER DETAILS

• The banner will measure 2ft x 3ft.
• The banner will include:
• Student Name
• Senior Yearbook Photo
• Helix Graphic (Graduation Scottie, Helix "H" Green, or Helix Mad Dog)

Please complete the form to personalize your Graduation Banner. PLEASE PAY FOR YOU BANNER ONLINE AT THE STUDENT STORE - BANNERS WILL NOT BE MADE UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED. Deadline to order a banner is Friday, 4/18/25 at 3:25pm.

Click here to submit your order today!

The Class of 2025 Graduation is on Wednesday, 6/4/25 at 6pm at Benton Hart Stadium, Jim Arnaiz Field at Helix Charter High School.

All attendees must have a ticket to the enter the stadium. Tickets are required for all attendees ages 4 and older. All Class of 2025 students will receive 6 tickets. If students submitted the FAFSA/CADAA by Friday, 2/28/25, they will receive an additional 2 tickets. Students will pick up graduation tickets at Gap & Gown Distribution on Tuesday, 6/3/25.

For family and friends not able to attend the ceremony, it will be streamed on NFHS Network. More information to come.

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.

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

Yearbooks are currently for sale at the Dawg House and through the student store. Yearbooks SELL OUT, so buy one TODAY if you are interested!

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.

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!

At the end of February the Grade Level Team was out in classrooms presenting to students about Community College and how to get it for free.

To view the presentation, click on the link below.

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.

Join us for a catered dinner and Family First night on Thursday, 3/6/25 at 6pm. Our school social work interns Angela Drewien and Teneal Trent will discuss the importance of self-care for parents and provide valuable resources to support mental well-being. This event will feature practical strategies, interactive discussions, and helpful tools to help parents prioritize their health while balancing family life.

Do not miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and invest in your well-being! This event will be held in ExL - room 1600. Students and siblings are welcome to join you. Dinner will be provided from Wei Wei! Please RSVP here for food ordering purposes.

Please join the 2025 Grade Level Team on Thursday, 4/17/25 at 6pm. We will be discussing the following during the presentation:

• Post-High School Options
• How to Prepare your Student for Independence
• The Emotional and Social Transition
• How to Stay Involved Without Micromanaging

Hope to see you all there!

Finals can be a stressful time for students and in your household. To support your student we encourage:

• Plenty of rest: aiming for 8-10 hours per night
• Healthy breakfast and lunch
• Regularly studying: not just completing homework but reviewing notes each evening for understanding, creating notecards where appropriate, brushing up on skills
• Practice breathing to help calm anxiety

The Finals schedule has been revised. The updated schedule can be found below.

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.

Are you planning on attending Grossmont/Cuyamaca after graduation? Do you want 2 free years of college?

Request an Appointment with the Grossmont Counselors @ Helix HERE.

Counselors will be coming to Helix, Friday, 3/14/25 and Thursday, 4/24/25, to help you plan your classes and finish the steps to get 2 free years of college!

Steps to Get 2 FREE Years:

1. Apply to Grossmont (you will get an email if you still need to do this)

2. Complete Online Orientation Module (Done at Appointment)
3. Create a plan for your classes (Done at Appointment)
4. Fill out a Financial Aid Application (FAFSA or CADAA)
5. Enroll in at least 12 Credits (Done in April/June)

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