The Mustang Message

Dear Mustang Students & Families,

We are thrilled to share some wonderful news with our school community! Thanks to incredible growth and increased enrollment, we are actively expanding our course offerings and opening additional class sections.

This positive growth allows us to reduce overall class sizes, giving our students more individualized attention, stronger support, and an optimal learning environment.

What This Means for Students & Families:

No Master Schedule Changes: Our overall school schedule, start/end times, and period structures remain unchanged.

Balanced Class Sizes: To make room for these new options, some students may see updates to their individual class periods or teacher assignments to help balance out sections.

Rolling Adjustments Throughout the Week: Our counseling and administrative team is working hard over the weekend to make initial updates for Monday. However, because we are actively balancing class sizes, schedule adjustments may continue throughout the week as new sections open.

Upgraded Learning Environments: Every adjustment made is designed to give students smaller, more supportive classroom settings.

Next Steps: Please log into Aeries on Monday morning to check for initial schedule updates, and continue checking Aeries throughout the week to view any additional adjustments as new sections open.

We are so grateful for our vibrant, growing school community and truly appreciate your flexibility and partnership as we optimize our classrooms for student success!

We are thrilled to announce that Hailey Honicky and Royce Mayes have been selected as our Student Board Representatives!

After delivering compelling speeches at the Welcome Back Assembly, the student vote was extraordinarily tight, with less than 1% separating the candidates. Because it was such a close race, our AADUSD staff and team decided to select both students to represent the entire AADUSD student body. Given their heart, commitment, and strengths, having both serve together best reflects our students as a whole.

Congratulations to Hailey and Royce, and we know you will make an excellent team as the voices of our district!

If your student missed getting their picture taken during registration, don't worry! Photo makeup day is scheduled for Monday, August 17.

• Ordering Info: We are using the same picture flyer and order forms that were provided during registration.

• Flyer Attached: You can view and download the original picture flyer attached to this newsletter for package details and ordering instructions.

• Makeup picture day is only until 12:00, All students (in person and virtual) will need to come in before 11:45am.

Make sure your student brings their best smile on Monday!

Mark your calendars! We’d love for you to join us for our annual Back to School Night on:

📅 Date: Wednesday, August 19th ⏰ Time: 5:15 PM – 6:30 PM

Evening Schedule:

• 5:15 PM – 5:30 PM: Welcome from Dr. Smith in the Quad

• 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Open Classroom Meet & Greet

There is no set schedule for classroom visits! Doors will be open for you to walk your student's schedule, see their classrooms, meet their teachers, and set up future communication or meetings as needed. It's a great opportunity to get a preview of what to expect for the 2026–2027 school year.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Are you interested in playing tennis this season? Come to an interest meeting on Wednesday, August 19, in Room 602 from 9:46 AM to 10:01 AM. See you there!

Our high school students in grades 9 through 12 gathered during advisory this week for our Welcome Back Assemblies! Along with hearing key updates from Dr. Smith, students listened to speeches from our Student Board Representative candidates explaining why they wished to serve as student leaders this year.

Families who would like an overview of the presentation, or students looking for a quick recap, can view the assembly slides below:

Dear Parents/Guardians & Friends,

On behalf of our PTSO, we would like to welcome all new and returning families to Vasquez High School. We are excited about the upcoming school year and look forward to providing our students with some additional events.

Our main objective is to raise enough money through fundraising to provide our students with:

• Athletics

• Assemblies

• Classrooms

• Luncheons

• Fall Festival

• Staff Appreciation

• Campus Improvement

We need your help!

Vasquez High School PTSO Membership Drive 2026-2027

Please join us for our monthly meetings at 8:30 am, on the first Monday of every month at VHS. If the first Monday falls on a holiday, the meeting will take place the following week. (Members will receive an email or text message prior to the meeting with an agenda and zoom information.)

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

If you have any questions or would like to contact us with any ideas or want to volunteer, please email us at vasquezhsptso@gmail.com.

• Fundraising: Please sign up for PTSO Membership. Every little bit helps and 100% of the money raised goes back directly to our school.

• Volunteering: We could not run our events successfully without the help of our fantastic volunteers. Any amount of time is greatly appreciated.

• Attend PTSO Meetings: We discuss important information on upcoming events. Meetings are held in person or zoom call.

Congressman George Whitesides' office has shared two incredible opportunities for interested students in California’s 27th District:

U.S. Service Academy Information Night & Nominations Students interested in attending a U.S. Service Academy (Class of 2031) can apply for congressional nominations. Learn more about the application process and meet representatives from all five military academies:

• When: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 5:30 PM

• Where: Antelope Valley College Performing Arts Theater (Location provided upon RSVP)

• Who: Students, parents, and educators are all welcome!

• RSVP & Details: Visit whitesides.house.gov/services/military-academy-nominations or email ServiceAcademyNomCA27@mail.house.gov.

Congressional App Challenge

Middle and high school coders are invited to participate in the official student STEM competition of the U.S. House of Representatives

• What: Design and submit an original app on any platform using any coding language

• Deadline: October 26, 2026

• Register: Visit bit.ly/registerforcac to get started

Ready to cheer on our student-athletes this season? From the court to the field, our Mustangs are ready to play, and they need your support!

Never miss a game! Bookmark the official Vasquez Athletics Calendar to stay up-to-date on all upcoming home and away matchups.

As we kick off the school year, please remember that all students are required to use a district-assigned Chromebook. These devices are essential for daily learning and ensure students can access instructional materials and testing applications securely. Personal laptops, iPads, or tablets are not permitted.

Here is what you need to know to keep your student ready for class:

• Daily Prep: Students must bring their district Chromebook to school fully charged every day and take it home each evening.

• No Classroom Charging: Classrooms do not have charging stations, so starting the day with a 100% battery is crucial.

• Didn't Get a Chromebook at Registration? If your student still needs a device, you can pick one up directly from the District Office.

Thank you for helping us ensure a seamless, tech-ready environment for all our students!

• Schedule Change Requests: While you may submit a schedule change request during registration, please note that changes will not be processed at that time. Counselors will begin meeting with students and reviewing requests once school starts during break & lunch only.

• How to Submit: All schedule change requests must be submitted using the official paper forms available during break and lunch in the Wellness Center. Please note: Requests sent via email will not be accepted.

• First Two Weeks of School: Students will have the first two weeks of the school year to request any adjustments to their schedules.

• Important Note: Please continue to follow the schedule displayed in Aeries until an official change has been made.

Thank you for your patience and support as we work to ensure a smooth start to the school year for all of our students!

We’re excited to make purchasing school items easier than ever for our families. Through our web store, you can conveniently browse and pay for gear, fees, and activities directly online.

What you can do online:

• Gear up with Mustang apparel & Class of 2027 spirit wear

• Pay for student activities

• Buy ASB cards

• Purchase your Yearbook

• Purchase tickets for upcoming games, dances, and events

High school students in grades 9 through 12 have a unique opportunity to use their voice and help shape the future of education across Los Angeles County.

Key Information & Requirements:

• Eligibility: Open to all public high school students (grades 9–12) in Los Angeles County.

• Application Deadline: Friday, August 28, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

• Attendance: All 2026–27 meeting dates are mandatory. Parent/guardian permission is required if selected.

2026–27 Meeting Schedule:

• Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM | In-Person (LACOE Headquarters, Downey)

• Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Virtual

• Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM | In-Person (LACOE Headquarters, Downey)

• Saturday, April 10, 2027 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM | In-Person (Venue TBD)

• Saturday, June 12, 2027 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM | In-Person (LACOE Headquarters, Downey)

To learn more and submit your application, visit the LACOE Student Advisory Council Page. For questions, reach out to Dr. Daisy Esqueda at esqueda_daisy@lacoe.edu.

Want to stay connected and be part of the action? Tune in daily to watch our amazing broadcast featuring a team lead by Mrs. Lundquist, full of spectacular students who bring you all the latest updates, highlights, and exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage of our school events. Whether it's sports, school news, or special features, our Mustang broadcast team has it covered. Don’t miss out on all the excitement—join us and show your Mustang pride!