Samohi's Teacher leaders, with the assistance of Ms. Carter's film class, made a special video for all Samohi teachers (see below). There are a few PBL student faces that you may recognize...

Show your appreciation this week (and every week) for the endless dedication, creativity, and support our PBL Teachers share with all of us each day.

Commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. We honor this day by recognizing the rich traditions, music, food, and history that are part of the Mexican-American culture especially here in Southern California.

Academic Support = Sign up to work with a PBL teacher

Students - Click on the link below and sign up. Not signing up will result in community clean-up assignment and/or a period absence.

🌊 Community Meeting = Exhibition: Making Waves 🌊

9th grade interdisciplinary project: Physics and English. Inspired by the documentary film Landfillharmonic, students researched, designed, and crafted musical instruments from found and recycled materials, using them to learn about how sound waves work.

🌸🌹Happy Mother's Day 🌺🌼

Día de las Madres - May 10th

Congratulations to the Class of 2025!

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Students had the opportunity to share their progress on their ILPs and provide each other guidance and support to strengthen and deepen learning.

There was a special report/update from Dr. Devon Smith on the district's progress on training and implementing Project Based Learning. While we are only part of this initiative, take a moment to watch Numa, class of 2025, share this year's highlights about our PBL Pathway. I think she did great and so did our SMMUSD Board Members.

To learn more about the Pico Youth Center facilities and afterschool programs, we have been invited on a special tour and info session on Tuesday, 5/6 from 10:30 - 12:30pm. Sign up for the L2L below.

MedReach at UCLA is pleased to invite high school students across Los Angeles County and beyond to our in person "Ready for Healthcare" seminar. The in person seminar will be held Sunday, May 18th from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM on UCLA Campus (specific room location TBD). At this seminar, students will learn about various healthcare careers, participate in mock case studies to better understand the role of healthcare providers, and engage in fun activities to challenge their knowledge of medical terminology! Students will also have the opportunity to ask a panel of pre-health college students their questions regarding college applications, career choices, academics, and more!

If interested in attending our in person seminar, please have them RSVP via this link

College Essay Writing Class

If you are interested in taking a course through an outside program (NOT SAMO or Community College) please read the following information. All students MUST APPLY AND BE APPROVED BEFORE registering in a class.

Information on policies and schools that are accepted by Samohi can be found at: https://www.smmusd.org/Page/4233 Application to turn into Advisor and can be found on the website: CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT APPLICATION 2025. Deadline to apply for approval is May 25, 2025

😎 SMC Summer schedule is AVAILABLE! It can be found here: https://www.smc.edu/academics/classes/

All students must apply to be a SMC student before you can submit the SMC’s High School Concurrent Enrollment Form. Please follow the directions LINKED below on how to enroll at SMC as a student.

Students MUST turn in this SAMO Concurrent application to Nicole if wanting to take an SMC class: CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT APPLICATION 2025. This is in addition to the SMC application.

Please read thoroughly:

• All applications will be submitted virtually

• Your first step is to apply to SMC - apply online today

• Once that is complete, application materials must be submitted through the High School Concurrent Enrollment Application Form

• Once you complete the student portion of the form and attach the required documents, it will be forwarded to your parent to approve, and then to Nicole Nicodemus (your HS Counselor) smmusd email and mcruce@smmusd.org (HS principal) for approval.

• Students may take a variety of classes as long as you meet any SMC requirements and get approval from Samo. Please speak to Nicole if you have any questions. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL CORE SUBJECTS ARE TAKEN AT SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL. You must enter the correct course number when you fill out the High School Concurrent Enrollment form

More information was sent to you by your advisor please read over all the directions

This is a great opportunity for your child to strengthen their math skills over the summer! The sessions are designed to support your child in building a strong foundation in math, while also preparing them for more advanced topics in later grades. Additionally, attending this workshop will look great on their academic record, as they will have participated in a Young Mathematicians course hosted by UCLA!

Registration will open in January.

Please feel free to reach out to Christine Riad at riad@gseis.ucla.edu with any questions.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeu_eZ_o4gmQY0U0FfikGTGMCsaK1zjjBuZt7eBkVGbeRRiwA/viewform

To report a student’s absence, please send an email to:

AttendancePBL@smmusd.org

or call Crystal Griffis at 310.395.3204 ext. 71-177

Please include your student’s first and last names, student ID numbers, and the reason they are absent (illness, family matter, medical or dental appointment, etc.).

• Students who become ill at school need to go to the nurse’s office to be released from school

• If a students leaves at lunch, we MUST have an email from you IN THE MORNING, asking for an early dismissal pass…if we receive an email AFTER they have already left, the absence will not be excused

• Students can pick up their early leave pass from the PBL house office after the 1st period of the day

• These passes CANNOT be delivered to their class

• When students leave early for a doctor’s appointment, they must bring a note back from the doctor so we can clear their absence…if we don’t receive a note, it is marked as a cut.

• All absences must be cleared in 3 days…please email the PBL house office if your child is out sick…after 3 days, it is an unexcused absence

• After a student has had 5 full day absences in the school year for illness, any further absence for illness must be verified by a physician

• Attendance for athletic participation is cleared through the athletics office

• This can take a few days to be corrected. Thank you for your patience.

• Questions about attendance procedures, please go to our website: https://www.smmusd.org/domain/3026

ISPE affords students the opportunity to extend physical education learning activities beyond the school campus and regular school hours. ISPE allows the student advanced study in activities not normally available in the District’s physical education program. ISPE is available for eligible students in grades 9th-12th. Students who participate in ISPE are engaged in advanced levels of competition through demanding, regular, out-of school, elite physical activity. The program is designed for the student who is engaged in a preparation program for State, National, or Olympic-level athletic competition and is a highly ranked athlete in their program. ISPE is not for recreational programs; a major factor in determining acceptance or rejection of the ISPE request will be the difference between a recreational and a competitive program, if the student is a highly ranked competitor in their program, and if the sport/program is already offered at the school or not. The nature of the ISPE program must provide a training and weekly practice schedule minimum of 7.5 hours per 5 school days Monday-Friday.

Please carefully review the application for eligibility criteria and ISPE policies.

2025-26 School Year Application Window:

March 21, 2025 through May 2, 2025

25-26 9th -12th ISPE Application - English

25-26 9th -12th ISPE Application - Spanish

In AD 103- Across the hall from the nurse’s office,

Open on Tuesday from 1 to 3:45 pm and on Thursdays from 8:30 to 11:45 am!

• Immunizations

• Physicals

• Medical Care

• And so much more

Margaret’s Place is open for the school year in E117 and offers services to students every weekday! At Margaret’s Place, our mission is to help end the cycle of violence in our relationships, schools, and communities. We offer free counseling for students, open lunch drop-in, therapeutic recreation activities, and more! See our newsletter for students and our newsletter for parents/caregivers to learn more about services and how to get involved, email ldesanto@smmusd.org with any questions.

Wellness Services Center Website

Mental Health Referral Form

SMMUSD continues to provide free TAP cards to all of our students. For our PBL students this is important that each student have an active TAP card as this is our main mode of travel for many of our Leaving 2 Learn experiences (ie: field trips).

If your child did not receive a TAP card or activation code, please have them come to the PBL House Office (B111).

To reactivate your existing TAP card, please submit the following form to receive a new eligibility code: https://bit.ly/GoPass2024-2025.

SMMUSD's Weekend Bags Program offers nutritious, easy-to-prepare weekend food for Samohi students when school cafeteria breakfasts and lunches are not available. Each Weekend Bag holds two breakfasts, two lunches, and two snacks. The menus have been evaluated by a dietitian and provide a balance of healthy, nutritious non-perishable foods which change each week. Students can drop by and pick up their Weekend Bags on Fridays afterschool from the Vikings’ Hub in E113.

Students should let Carla Nuñez, Community Schools Specialist in E113, (or their House Office assistant or their House Advisor) know if they would like to receive Weekend Bags. Families wishing to have their students receive Weekend Bags on Fridays should contact Carla Nuñez at carlanunez@smmusd.org or 310 395-3204 ext. 71-143.

Support a young author and purchase Malaika's book on Amazon today!

Categorized as a coming-of-age psychological thriller.