The Mustang Message

Every school day is an opportunity to learn, connect, grow, and stay on track. This September, we’re highlighting the importance of consistent attendance and encouraging our students and families to build strong habits that will carry throughout the school year.

Even a few absences here and there can add up. Missing just 2 days per month can equal approximately 18 days over the course of a school year, which is considered chronic absenteeism.

🏫 Every Day Makes a Difference

Strong attendance starts with simple, consistent habits. Arriving at school every day and on time helps students keep up with instruction, stay connected with teachers and classmates, and avoid falling behind.

Families can help by establishing consistent morning and evening routines, preparing backpacks and Chromebooks the night before, scheduling appointments outside of school hours when possible, and talking with students if they are having a hard time getting to school.

If something is getting in the way of regular attendance, please reach out to us early. We want to work together with our families to support students and help them be successful.

Every day matters. Every class matters. Every Mustang matters. 💜💛

Let’s keep showing up, staying connected, and making this a great year at Vasquez High School!

Please join us in celebrating a exceptional group of students who have been recognized by the College Board for their academic rigor and outstanding test performances!

College Board National Recognition Program

• National School Recognition Award: Sofia Hernandez, Oliver Gates

• National Rural and Small Town Award: Sofia Hernandez, Oliver Gates

AP Scholar Awards

• AP Scholars with Distinction (Granted to students who score an average of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams): Baylen Barrozo, Jasmine Carrillo

• AP Scholars (Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams): Sophia Aguirre Vizcarra, Jenna DeMatteis, Oliver Gates, Victoria Hagiu, Sofia Hernandez, Hailey Honicky, Autumn Klaus, Gage Randles, Logan Williams

Your commitment to excellence sets a phenomenal example for our entire community. Congratulations to all our awardees! 👏

The Junior Class will be hosting an Apple Cider and Apple Cider Float Booth at the Fall Festival! Donations of apple cider, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, caramel or vanilla syrup, cups, and straws would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Mrs. Walker or Addie Walker with any questions or to contribute. Thank you for helping make their booth a success!

Mark your calendars for our Senior Class Fundraiser at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream in Palmdale!

📅 Monday, September 28

⏰ 12:00 PM–10:00 PM

🍦 Handel’s Palmdale

20% of total purchases will be donated back to the Vasquez High School Class of 2027!

⭐ IMPORTANT: Make sure you show the attached fundraiser flyer when ordering so your purchase counts toward our fundraiser!

Share the flyer with your family and friends and encourage them to stop by too. Grab some ice cream and help support your Senior Class! 🐎💜💛

Let’s make this fundraiser a great one, Seniors! 🎓🍦

🎓 4-Year College Application Workshop

Attention high school seniors and families!

Join us for a 4-Year College Application Workshop to get essential guidance and answers to your questions as you navigate the college application process.

• 📅 Date: Wednesday, September 30th

• ⏰ Time: 5:00 PM

• 📍 Location: VHS Library

What We’ll Cover:

• Overview of the UC Application

• Overview of CSU Apply

• Overview of the Common App

• Support for any other 4-year institution applications provided directly by the Counseling team

How to Register:

Please sign up in advance by completing the Registration Form.

For more information or questions, feel free to contact the counseling team at VHSCounselors@aadusd.k12.ca.us.

Registration for the PSAT/NMSQT Exam is now available.

The PSAT/NMSQT exam provides 11th graders with the opportunity to practice for the SAT exam. The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a standardized exam conducted by the College Board that is applied for admission to a bachelor's degree in the United States. The SAT, in addition to measuring the knowledge obtained during high school, also evaluates the student's future learning capacity. In other words, this test focuses on measuring the reasoning that each candidate has in areas such as reading, language, writing and mathematical knowledge.

11th graders may also qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program based on their PSAT/NMSQT scores and can compete for national recognition and college scholarships. Students can utilize their score reports by connecting with Khan Academy for free personalized SAT test prep, linking with the career finder tool through College Board, and/or learning skills and areas in which they need more practice. The PSAT/NMSQT Exam will take place during school on Thursday, October 22nd.

Registration forms are available in the front office and wellness center. Students should submit their completed registration form and exam fees to the VHS front office by 3pm Monday, September 28th.

• Regular exam fees: $18
• Reduced exam fees: $5
• Makes checks payable to "Acton Agua Dulce USD" and write your student ID# on the check

Students are eligible for the SAT Exam fee reduction if:

• Student is enrolled or eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program
• Student is in a foster home, homeless or migrant
• Student’s family receives public assistance
• Student’s family is at or below the poverty level (information available in counseling office)
• See counseling for assistance if you are not sure if you qualify for the fee reduction.

Registration for the SAT School Day Exam is now Available. The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a standardized exam conducted by the College Board that is applied for admission to a bachelor's degree in the United States. The SAT, in addition to measuring the knowledge obtained during high school, also evaluates the student's future learning capacity. In other words, this test focuses on measuring the reasoning that each candidate has in areas such as reading, language, writing and mathematical knowledge.

Seniors can register to take their SAT exam during school on Wednesday, October 21st. Registration forms are available in the front office. Students should submit their completed registration form and exam fees to the VHS front office by 3pm Monday, September 28th.

• Regular exam fees: $60
• Reduced exam fees: $8
• Makes checks payable to "Acton Agua Dulce USD" and write your student ID# on the check

Students are eligible for the SAT Exam fee reduction if:

• Student is enrolled or eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program
• Student is in a foster home, homeless or migrant
• Student’s family receives public assistance
• Student’s family is at or below the poverty level (information available in counseling office)

See counseling for assistance if you are not sure if you qualify for the fee reduction.

Registration for the 2027 Advanced Placement (AP) exams is officially open. Taking AP exams gives you the opportunity to earn college credit, stand out on college applications, and showcase your hard work.

Important Dates & Deadlines

• Registration Deadline: Friday, October 9th

• Final Payment Deadline: Friday, February 19th, 2027

• Testing Window: May 3rd – May 14th, 2027

  
  

Exam Pricing & Payment Details

• Standard Fee: $99 per exam

• Reduced Fee: $10 per exam for qualifying students (Eligibility includes participation in the Federal Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Program, foster/homeless/migrant status, public assistance, or qualifying family income level). See form for details on specific qualifications. Contact counseling for assistance if you are not sure if you qualify for the fee reduction.

• Late Testing: If you have a conflict with the regular test time of an AP exam, please see counseling with time in advance. If you already ordered the test for the regular date you are responsible for the fees associated with the cancellation of the test. A fee of $40.00 per test will be kept for each test canceled prior to test day. Once a test has been started there will be no refunds.

How to Register

1. Complete the Form: Fill out the attached 2027 AP Exam Registration Form and select your exams.

2. Submit Payment: Bring your completed form and payment to the front office. Make checks payable to "Acton Agua Dulce USD" and include your VHS Student ID # on the check.

   
   

Contact the Counseling Office for assistance (vhscounselors@aadusd.k12.ca.us ) !

The online store is officially open with custom gear handpicked specifically for our team, along with plenty of spirit wear options for family and friends to show their support.

Shop Details:

• Store Link: Shop Vasquez 2026 Gear

• Open Dates: August 2 – September 30, 2026

Get your orders in before the store closes on September 30!

There’s nothing better than seeing our Mustang community come together! We have a great lineup of home games this September, and we’d love to see our students, families, staff, and community filling the stands and cheering on our athletes.

Wear your purple and gold, bring your Mustang spirit, and come out to support Volleyball, Flag Football, and Football as they compete at home! 🏐🏈

Every cheer makes a difference—let’s show our student-athletes what Mustang Pride is all about!

ONE TEAM. ONE FAMILY. ONE VASQUEZ.

💜💛 GO MUSTANGS! 💛💜

🎓 STUDENTS

Student parking is located in the designated areas of the west parking lot and is by permit only. Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis and do not guarantee a parking space.

To apply, students must complete the VHS Parking Permit Application and provide clear photocopies of:

• Valid Driver’s License
• Current Auto Insurance
• Valid Student ID

Important: Applications will not be accepted if information or required documentation is missing. VHS does not make photocopies, so please bring copies with you when submitting your application.

👩‍🏫 STAFF

Staff members who park on campus must also obtain and display a VHS Parking Permit. Please complete the parking permit process through the VHS Main Office.

🚘 PARKING REMINDERS

Once issued, your parking permit must be hung from the rearview mirror with the front of the permit clearly visible.

Students must park only in designated student parking areas, follow the 10 MPH campus speed limit, and may not park in staff, visitor, or reserved spaces.

Parking on campus is a privilege. Failure to follow VHS parking rules may result in a $25 citation, loss of parking privileges, school discipline, and/or towing at the owner’s expense.

📍 Need a permit? Stop by the VHS Office for a Parking Permit Application and additional information.

***Please use this Google form to report your students absence:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTbwhqxAwPoVR2HoblmHPR7UgO4yRMBPeVzxqD3t6HYffBxw/viewform

***To recover attendance credit for the day(s) your student is absent via Independent Study please contact me at your earliest convenience***

Here is how it works:

Independent Study allows your student to complete assignments for the time they missed. If they complete and submit the required work, attendance credit will be restored for those absent days.

To begin, we will need a signed contract from you/your family. The contract covers the entire school year, which means your student can use this option any time they have an absence (with approval).

Assignments will be posted to Google Classroom, and teachers may provide additional assignments to be picked up from the office or sent via email.

Important: ALL absences must be communicated to the attendance office in order to qualify for Independent Study.

If you are interested in moving forward, please let me know and I will send you the contract for signature. Once it is signed, we can begin this process immediately. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about how Independent Study works, the expectations, or anything else.

Click here for more information on Attendance Awareness and how to request Independent Study to recover attendance:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kX0yXrGaKjg1SRmv-OsJgbE0YiIO2ImPaqL7mrpD1m8/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.4xs57ki39zt8

Please contact the office for more information lgalbreath@aadusd.k12.ca.us or brojas@aadusd.k12.ca.us

661-269-0451

Good afternoon everyone,

NHS students will be offering tutoring on Wednesday's again this year. I have created a flyer and students can sign up either by emailing me or using the form that I will link as well. Thank you for your support and let me know if you have any questions.

Please click on the document below for the annual notice of available language & language acquisition programs.

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

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!

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

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!