PBL Weekly Blast

The College Board has strict guidelines (Pg 22) regarding the use of prohibited devices DURING testing time. If a student is using any of the prohibited items during testing time regardless of location (on the way to the restroom), their scores will be canceled. The following materials are prohibited: cell phones must be turned off and put away in a bag or backpack, airPods, headphones, alarm watches, protractors, compasses, rulers, stencils, dictionaries (including those used to translate English to another language) or other books, pamphlets, papers of any kind, highlighters, colored pens or pencils, or listening, recording, copying, or photographic devices, and other aids. Hoods, caps and air pods need to be removed……

Students need to bring…..

1. Your SMMUSD-issued Chromebook - fully charged.
2. Students must have a photo ID to take the PSAT exam - Student id or California ID
3. You may bring a calculator (-a quiet type; no beeping, talking or other noises). They do have access to a calculator in the digital test. See allowed calculators link.
4. It is recommended you bring two sharpened #2 pencils. You will be provided scratch paper.

ATTENDANCE: Students are required to attend school, even if they opt out of testing. Attendance will be taken. If a student has opted out of testing, the student will be assigned a room, and will need to sign in by 8:30 a.m. Students who take the test or have opted out will be excused from Periods AM through 3rd. Students will not be attending their regular classes during Periods 1, 2, and 3.

Seniors will need to arrive to school by 9:30pm on Tuesday. They will report to the Greek Theatre for the senior panoramic picture then head to Barnum Hall for a Senior Assembly.

We are excited to announce a special Leaving to Learn experience for all grades following the PSAT! Students will venture into the Santa Monica community to encourage residents to fulfill their civic duty and vote in the upcoming election. This hands-on experience will help students engage with local issues and understand the importance of active participation in our democracy. Trip slips have been distributed—please make sure to return them as soon as possible!

We are having the PBL Halloween Carnival again! I hope students are ready for another fun and spooky carnival full of activities and candy! It will be held on Thursday, October 31st. There will be games, tricks, and treats! Our Haunted House will be coming back, so be ready to be scared. To have this incredible carnival, the Halloween Committee, who are planning this event, needs a little help.

Some materials are needed to have a successful event. It would be amazing if any of the parents or students could donate any amount of the following items to help with the carnival:

• 5 boxes of black trash bags
• 5 bags of spider webs
• 2 quarts of fake blood
• 1 role of caution tape
• 48 packs of black Plastic table covers
• 90 Mini pumpkins
• 30 plastic spiders
• Aerosol Haze/Fog Spray
• Around 400 pieces of candy for the whole carnival
• Any Halloween decorations you may have and would like to donate.

Thank you in advance for the donations. It will be greatly appreciated and will help the carnival a lot. If you have other Halloween decorations or items, feel free to donate them as well! You can drop off the donations at the PBL main office. Cash donations will also be greatly accepted if you don’t have any of the above items.

We hope you look forward to the carnival, the haunted house, the tricks, and the treats!

Best,

Fatima-Numa, class of 2025

We are excited to announce that registration for the Culver City Fire Department Girls Camp is now open!

Saturday, November 16 & Sunday, November 17, 2024

8 AM - 4 PM

Culver City Fire Department Training Tower

9275 Jefferson Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90232

Over the course of two days, campers will learn how to wear personal protective equipment, climb ladders, pull fire hose, learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and more! All teens (ages 14-18) are invited to sign up. Lunch will be provided.

Attendees must register for this FREE event in advance. Space is limited

Learn more about the CCFD Girls Camp and register today!

If you are a teen writer or an artist, then the Santa Monica Public Library has an opportunity for you! If you want your work published for free and printed for the community, then the Teen Literary and Arts Magazine is accepting submissions now, under the theme “Change”. Click the link below or visit SMPL to get more information and submit! https://santamonicacity.wufoo.com/forms/m1y8oobr0jcycve/

Ryman Arts offers FREE advanced studio art program that is designed to help you achieve your dreams by strengthening your art skills, and preparing you for college, and for a career in the arts.

Eligibility: Anyone who will be enrolled in high school (grades 9 – 12) for the semester they are applying for is eligible.

Cost: All classes are free of charge. If selected, you will receive a full scholarship that covers the cost of instruction, art supplies, and field trips. Public transportation reimbursement and passes are available.

Locations: Saturdays at California State University, Fullerton and Sundays at Otis College of Art & Design, in Los Angeles. Online when required under public health guidelines. 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM or 1:00 to 4:30 PM

Learn more about Ryman Arts by joining us on Zoom for our Information Sessions. We will give a presentation about the Ryman Arts program, give lots of tips on how to have a successful application, and of course answer all your questions! This event is for potential applicants, parents, families and teachers.

Thursday, October 24. 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE
Saturday, November 16. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE
Wednesday, November 20. 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. En Español REGISTRAR AQUI
Wednesday, December 4. 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE

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

This is a Featured Flextime on Thursday, October 24. If you are interested in this workshop, email Nicole by Tuesday, October 22.

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

Counseling groups are now open!

We are offering a variety of support options based on the needs of our students. This is a great opportunity for students to find support and build connections in confidential group therapy sessions.

Groups include: 9th grade young women’s group, coping skills for anxiety and depression, finding flow: watercolor art therapy group, affirm-support group for Queer students, SELFY- social emotional learning for youth, write your own story, art therapy journaling group, One on campus, and grief and loss support group.

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.

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.

Take advantage of purchasing an ASB card. For $75, you can get free admission to football and basketball games (not during playoffs), up to 3 free I.D. replacement, a reduced price for your tickets for formals, homecomings, and prom, reduced price for school plays and band concerts, reduced price for your yearbook, and local business benefits like Donut King, Little Bean Coffee, Pita House, Samo’s Oaxaca,and Sylvan Learning. Saving you over $250!!!

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.

If you have not received an ID card,

you LOST your ID card,

you now have an ASB card and need the stamp, or

you now have an off campus lunch pass...

use the QR code (or click on the image) to have an ID reprinted/ printed.

• The Visual Art Department cordially invites you to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in the Roberts Art Gallery on Thursday, October 24, 4-6pm. Join us to see art from Drawing, Ceramics, Film and AP Art. Spanish classes will create an ofrenda. We will have food, music and dancing. Celebrate the lives of those who have passed with us. See you 10/24, 4-6pm in Roberts Art Gallery.

• We will celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month from October 1st through the 31st. To help honor the month please wear pink as much as possible. Also, ASB will hand out bows on the lawn at lunch every day, so make sure to grab one before your next class.