The Cougar Chronicle

This Midweek Update is brought to you to give you updates about

• PTA Events and Volunteer Sign-Ups
• Our annual ASB Fundraiser
• A message from Principal Hendricks

Senda PTA has 2 big events coming up!

1. A Fall Staff Luncheon on October 28th. We want to treat our staff to a nice lunch, since we did not do a Welcome back lunch. PTA is looking for donations and a few helpers to set up on the day of the event. The more we show up for our teachers and staff, the more they'll be motivated to show up for our kids!

2. PTA is helping ASB lead a Halloween Dance & Festival for students on October 29th after school, A Nightmare on Senda Street This event will be in the MPR and will require a lot of set up, so we will be asking for volunteers the monday-wednesday and day of the event. We are also in need of donations to help make this event a success. You may even have some donations sitting in a box somewhere.

Even the smallest donation or an hour of help can make a BIG difference! Please turn in your donations at the front office with a note specifying which event it is for. If you are volunteering, please sign in and out at the front office. There are A LOT of options on how to help! Please take a minute and look through them on the Sign Up Genius. These events are what makes our school a great community and our kids feel excited and proud to be a part of it.

Senda Middle School ASB's fundraiser starts today, and we need your help. Our goal is to raise $20,000.00 for events and activities for Senda Middle School students.

It's as simple as 1, 2, 3!

1. Register TONIGHT at www.ShopFund.com
   Make sure you use Group Code: M8B8P

2. Share custom support links with family & friends via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email, Text and more.

3. Student Goal: Minimum of 5 Online Supporters.

REGISTER-SHARE-WIN: Sharing gets you coins for chances to win over 1,000 prizes.

Fundraiser Links:

• Kick-Off Videos - (https://vimeo.com/showcase/8770806)

• Parent How-To Video - (https://vimeo.com/588531296)

• Parent Letter - (https://grpsvcs.link/vlnEQY)

• Prize Program - (https://grpsvcs.link/boHAIW)

On behalf of myself and the staff at Senda Middle School ASB, thank you for doing your part to make our fundraiser a success.

We have received information about a possible school walk-out. It is important to know that a local group with no affiliation to OUSD has been encouraging walk-outs in our community on social media. Walk-outs are not school sponsored or endorsed.

Our Senda students are minors who are expected to be present at school daily under the care and guidance of school staff. Leaving campus presents significant safety risks. Staff who follow students in attempts to support safety ultimately have no control over individuals or groups in the community who may attempt to interact with or harm students.

We encourage our families this evening to engage in conversation with your Senda student around the safety concerns and academic impact of participating in a walk-out. Any absences from school that are not excused by a parent/guardian/caregiver in alignment with California Education Code for excused absences will count as a truancy.

Our staff will continue to be on alert for any such potential activities that may occur and will respond accordingly to help maintain a safe and supportive environment for everyone. We appreciate your partnership in guiding students to make thoughtful and responsible decisions.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Senda School Administration

Spirit Week - See ASB Calendar Below!

Friday 10/23 - Wear Pink for Breast Cancer

Monday 10/26 - PJ Day

Tuesday 10/27 - Wear Red Day

Wednesday 10/28 - Decades Day

Thursday 10/29 - Meme Day

Friday 10/30 - Costume Day

Dia de los Muertos Family Event

Monday, October 26, 2026

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

School Site Council

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

3:15 - 4:15 pm

D3 or virtually with code: https://meet.google.com/cvm-bvur-dyf

Cougar Cafecito / Coffee with the Principal

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Room D3

8:30 - 9:30 am

Cross Country Championships

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Guajome Park

3:15 pm

TWBI Educational Partner Meeting

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Pablo Tac Elementary School

5:00 - 6:30 pm

ASB's Nightmare on Senda Street

Thursday, October 29, 206

3:00 - 5:00 pm

Students must meet Eligibility Criteria to attend

Girls' Basketball HOME vs. MLK

Thursday, October 29, 2026

3:45 pm

Girls' Basketball AWAY vs. Jefferson

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

3:45 pm

Virtual PTSA Meeting

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

6:00 - 7:00 pm

Join through Google Meets https://meet.google.com/met-gxuh-zpb

Community Schools Leadership Team

Monday, November 9, 2026

8:45 - 9:45 am

Room D3

Girls' Basketball AWAY vs. Lincoln

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

3:45 pm

Veteran's Day

NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

At Senda Middle School, we are proud of the diversity that makes our neighborhood and community so special. Día de los Muertos is a meaningful cultural tradition celebrated in Mexico, the United States, and many Spanish-speaking communities around the world. Oceanside has a rich history of celebrating culture and heritage throughout October, and we are excited to continue that tradition together.

Additionally, Senda Middle School is proud to be a Two-Way Bilingual Immersion (TWBI) school. Students in this program continue their Spanish education from Foussat Language Academy and Pablo Tac School of the Arts with opportunities to grow their bilingual and biliterate skills through a variety of Spanish-language classes, including AP Spanish Language and Culture, as well as history courses taught in Spanish.

We invite you to join us in celebrating our Senda community Día de los Muertos celebration! We look forward to coming together to honor culture, celebrate traditions, and strengthen the connections that make our school community unique.

The last several weeks, Principal Hendricks met with each grade level of students for a brief presentation on Respect and Dignity. We also discussed, discrimination, slurs, and hate speech, and potential consequences. Finally, we discussed ways to get an adult's help, including collaborating with school staff AND parents!

We need your help at home!

• Please reinforce that hate speech has no place in our schools and community
• If you hear about a problem, please call and tell us! Don't assume we already know.
• Point out examples in your home and community where people are treated with dignity and respect despite differences or conflict.

We are Senda - A community a students, families and staff working together to make our school a place where every student feels respected and like they belong!

Each year, we review, revise, and share our school's Family Engagement Policy and Home and School Compact. These documents outline how we engage families as partners in their students' education and invite them to participate with us in school activities and school leadership. One of the changes we made recently is an "At a Glance" Calendar for families to see scheduled Family Engagement Committees for the year. We hope to add more trainings and workshops, but the graphic below represents our ongoing Family Leadership Team Meetings. Click the buttons below to view these important documents and learn more about our efforts to grow family engagement!

Parents and guardians may access their child's progress reports/report cards electronically through the Aeries Parent Portal.

If you have questions about your student's grades:

• Ask them to show you their grades in Aeries. You may be able to see missing assignments, test and quiz scores, etc.
• If you have questions, please review the syllabus you received from each teacher at the beginning of the year. Can't find it? Many classes will have it in Google Classroom. You can ask your child to show it to you. The syllabus for each class is your guide to grading policies, including if your student's teacher accepts late work, the range of time late work was accepted, and if they offer opportunities to retake tests.
• If you still have questions, you and your student can email their teacher with questions.

If you would like a paper copy of the report card, please call our front office to request one.

We encourage you to make a family habit of checking Aeries Parent Portal once a week for any missing assignments so you can stay involved and help your scholar thrive!

For support reviewing the report card, see the video below. It will require a sign in. If you do not have an email address, ask your student to use their school email login.

Senda families are invited to sign their students up for Puzzling Minds, a six-week TrueCare program offered during Advisory. Multiple sessions will be offered throughout the school year. Students will build skills in self-care, communication, mental health, mindfulness, and emotional regulation.

Parent/guardian permission is required.
Sign up here: [SIGN-UP LINK]

Completed permission forms must be turned in to the Senda front office.

Check us out on Instagram @sendamiddleoside for the latest information, fun pictures, and snapshots into Campus Life!