Class of 2029 Newsletter

Class of 2029 Families,

Welcome back from break! We hope that you were able to spend time relaxing and recharging over the break. We are now in our final stretch of the school year. Spring Semester 2 will somehow fly by quicker than the rest of the school year. It is important that students maintain their positive habits (daily attendance, attending the Den and tutorial) as we work our way through this semester. Let's finish the school year off strong.

This semester the freshman class will be taking a field trip to SDSU and UCSD on April 15th and 16th (information going home soon from Helix First classes). We will also be sending out messaging for remediation summer school opportunities in the coming weeks and our mandatory summer conferencing timeline.

We have a busy semester ahead of us! Please do not hesitate to contact the Grade Level Team with any questions, concerns or good news you would like to share with us, as your student works towards achieving their goals.

Mark your Calendar:

April 13-15: Online Enrollment & Scheduling Summer Conferences Opens for Families with 2 or More Students

April 15-16: Helix First SDSU & UCSD Field Trip

April 16: Online Enrollment & Scheduling Summer Conferences Opens for ALL Helix Families

April 23: Staff Development - Minimum Day

April 23: Spring Fling Freshmen Showcase and Welcome BBQ

April 27: Progress Reports Due - Spring Semester 2

April 29: Athletic Eligibility Determined

May 6-7: Summer School Opportunities Parent Meeting

May 13: Staff Development - Minimum Day

May 20-21: Senior Boards - Minimum Days

May 25: Memorial Day - No School

June 3-4: Spring Semester 2 Finals

June 4: Class of 2026 Graduation

June 9-July 1: Summer Conferencing

June 10-July 1: Summer School (remediation only)

June 19: Juneteenth - No School

Congratulations to the JV Academic League and their coach, Mrs. Potter, for placing 1st in the Grossmont District. They were 9-1 for the season.

Special shout out to the following 9th graders on the team:

• Zara Butcher
• Graciela Cave
• Eileen Cornou
• Kimmi Doan
• Dariel Felix
• Lorenzo Goncalves
• Elias Hugunin
• Sital Kharel
• Connor Liem
• Kristel Lopez.

Congratulations to the 383 - 9th graders who received Honor Roll for Spring Semester 1!

Students on this list earned a 3.5 GPA or better for the Spring Semester 1 marking period.

Congratulations to the 70 - 9th graders who had Perfect Attendance for Spring Semester 1!

Students on this list were at school everyday, on time, with no marks throughout the day for the Spring Semester 1 marking period.

Naleia had a hot bat hitting .737 while holding it down on defense. Putting in work for her team. Way to go Naleia!

As a Freshman, Ava broke a school record in the 200m (24.64) and became #2 on the All Time List in the 400m. She currently ranks 3rd in the State of California with a time of 55.71.

She also anchors the 4x100 relay which is 2nd in San Diego County (48.21). Congrats Ava!

Eva has been making huge gains in the beginning of the season and challenging herself with hard intervals. Keep up the great work Eva!

The Helix Speech and Debate team wrapped up their last of 3 weekends of State Qualifying Tournaments and have repeated as League Champions! In addition, they received the award for Top Speech School. Helix competed with about 30 other schools across the county to qualify students for the State Championship in April in the Bay Area. We are very proud of the efforts of all of our students (qualifier or not).

Listed below are individual 9th grade standouts and those 9th graders that will be representing Helix in April.

State Quals Tournament Placings

• Aliyah Lee/Izzy Scott (10th): Semifinalist Duo Interpretation
• Mateo Pedraza: Semifinalist Student Congress
• Eva Pike: Octafinalist Lincoln Douglas Debate (3-1 record)
• Lucy Reams: Semifinalist Original Oratory
• Lucy Reams/Alana Lara (10th): 9th place Policy Debate
• Henry Ried: Semifinalist Humorous Interpretation
• Christian Wikoren/Faith Jennings (12th): 8th place Public Forum Debate (4-3 record)

State Qualifier and Alternates

• Lucy Reams
• Eva Pike (1st alternate)
• Aliyah Lee (2nd alternate)

Notifications about Helix's Annual Online Enrollment and the Summer Conferencing scheduling process will be sent our soon. Please keep an eye out at the end of April for detailed information about this required annual process. Dates, times and scheduling links will be provided at that time, and all information will be emailed to parents and guardians.

Our Grade Level Team looks forward to connecting with students and families to reflect on the current school year and discuss what's ahead in the 2026-2027 school year.

The Helix Art Gallery is an opportunity for any of Helix's artists to come showcase their work. This is your chance to get your name out there as an aspiring artist or to just showcase the type of work you and/or your club do. We do not discriminate between arts and allow subjects from sculpting to cooking and everything in between. Granted, your art must be at an appropriate level to be shown in a school environment. Spots are first come, first serve. Please sign up today by clicking this link.

The Helix Art Gallery will take place during Spring Fling, on Thursday, 4/23/26.

If you have an incoming freshman starting next year, join us on Thursday, 4/23/26 from 5pm-7pm, for this exciting event designed especially for incoming 9th grade families! Explore everything Helix has to offer as our academic, arts, athletics, and student activity programs are showcased across campus.

Meet teachers, connect with coaches and club advisors, and get your questions answered about life at Helix. Students can sign up for sports teams, clubs, and service organizations, and enjoy live performances from our Performing Arts programs.

Incoming 9th graders will receive a complimentary meal ($5 for additional family members).

We cannot wait to welcome our future Scotties!

Yearbooks are currently for sale for at the Dawg House and through the student store.

Yearbooks SELL OUT, so buy one now if you are interested!

Click below to check out the before and after school ASPIRE programs that are being offered during the Spring 2026 Term.

The DEN is a student-centered space that provides academic support both before school and after school Monday through Thursday 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 drop in before school and/or after school to receive help in all subjects. The DEN will provide tutoring, remediation, test prep, test proctoring, timed writings, study groups and student-centered support in any academic capacity. See below for the daily schedule.

Every Thursday, Helix parents/guardians will receive an automated 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.

A list of community service opportunities can be found by clicking the button below.

We encourage all Helix students, parents and guardians to join the PTSO! There is no commitment required, although you are welcome to attend the PTSO meetings (4th Wednesday of each month) and help volunteer at school events if you are interested!

The more members they have, the greater access they have to grants and programs that will support Helix students. Any students interested in applying for PTSO scholarships (they give out $5,000 each year) must be PTSA members. If you are interested in getting involved, please email Dave Hardenburger at helixptso@gmail.com.

The Helix PTSO needs your help recognizing some outstanding Helix teachers and staff. Please fill out this link to recognize some Helix All-Stars. They will be recognized in the all-staff monthly meetings.

Use promocode: HelixCharter when purchasing Farm Fresh to You products and they will give 10% back to Helix.

Helix will host a blood drive in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank on Tuesday, 4/28/26 from 9am-2:30pm. All blood types are greatly needed! With less than a one-day supply of most types, we are asking you to SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT HERE. Students, families and community members are welcome to donate. Helix Seniors can get a red cord for graduation if they donate or if someone dedicates their donation to them.

Parking is available at 4200 Lowell St. and the Blood Mobiles will be parked by the Helix Gym.

Helix's 4th Annual Trades Day is scheduled for Wednesday, 4/29/26 from 10am-2pm. This is a Career Expo that exposes our students to unique career paths that do not require a college degree like Construction Trades, Law Enforcement, Cosmetology, Real Estate and more.

We will have over 25 career vendors available to talk to students, explain how to get into the industry and even sign up for training programs on the spot. All interested students are invited to participate. Certain classes will be attending the event or students can come during break, lunch or free periods.

Click here for information about dance auditions for next year.

Pom Sideline will hold separate tryouts on Friday, 5/8/26. Click here to sign up for Pom Sideline tryouts.

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 www.helixcharter.net/FamilyFirst for more information and for links to previous recordings.

Does your student have an IEP or 504 plan? Does your student receive accommodations in their high school classes and plan to take a dual or concurrent enrollment college class?

Please come to our virtual webinar on "How to Access Accommodations for College Classes" happening on Thursday, 5/7/26 at 6pm. We will discuss the required steps students must complete in order for Grossmont/Cuyamaca College to potentially honor some accommodations from their IEP or 504 plan. Families and students will learn how they can submit a copy of their IEP or 504 to Grossmont College's Accessibility Resource Center (A.R.C.).

This event will be held via Google Meet. Please click here to join the webinar. For translation services, click here.

The ASPIRE program is a federally funded grant awarded through the San Diego County Office of Education. The county selects schools to include in the After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) grant and Helix has been awarded this grant for over 15 years!

This grant affords before-and-after-school programming for students in the following areas: enrichment, sports, and academics. Our ASPIRE programs are inclusive and comprehensive of so many areas of interest and because of the grant we are given, we are able to purchase special supplies and pay the instructors. Contact us with any questions by email at helixaspire@helixcharter.net.

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

Parent's Guide to Mental Health & Wellness

Guia Para Padres de Salud y Bienestar Mental

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.

Ms. Arica Villegas - Grade Level Principal

Mrs. Yolanda Street - School Counselor

Ms. Danika Markey - Academic Advisor

Ms. Sara Brown - Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Brenda Flores - Attendance Technician

Mrs. Danielle Yee - School Social Worker

Ms. Cynthia Jones - Assistant Manager, Academic Support Program