Thank you for joining us at Back to School Night on Thursday, September 26th. It was an opportunity for us to introduce our dedicated PBL teaching staff, share our common practices and expectations, and, most importantly, continue to build relationships with one another.

We are grateful for your partnership and look forward to supporting your student’s success throughout the school year.

10/1/2024 - Our 9th-grade advisory are excited to begin their service learning project supporting local animal shelters! Divided into two teams of 12, each group will participate in 6 Leaving to Learn experiences at the shelters, where they'll engage with the animals and staff, learning how they can make a difference. Additionally, they'll attend 4 i-studio workshop trainings, developing their skills to create helpful resources and tools for the shelters.

Looking forward to their design thinking ideas!

This Friday, our 11th and 12th grade PBL students will have the opportunity to welcome guest speaker Nick Melvoin into their social science classes. Mr. Melvoin, a current LAUSD School Board member representing the 4th District, is running for Congress in California’s 30th District, which stretches from West Hollywood to Pasadena and from Echo Park to the Angeles National Forest. With a background as a former teacher, civil rights advocate, and attorney, Mr. Melvoin will share his experiences and insights as students continue to deepen their understanding of the election process.

Additionally, students have had the opportunity to learn from Ericka Lesley and Jennifer Smith. Ericka Lesley, a PBL Parent, is running for Santa Monica City Council, advocating for representation, equity, and justice. Jennifer Smith, President of the SMMUSD school board, has a strong history of leadership and community engagement. We are fortunate to have real-world experts share their first-hand experiences with the election process.

Local Holiday on Thursday, 10/3 . No School. Please check the schedule for this week. There are changes on Tuesday 10/1 and Friday 10/4.

PTSA Reflections Art Program - Submissions due October 17th 2024

Samohi students - YOU are encouraged to submit original art to share your personal reflection on this year’s theme: “Accepting Imperfection”. Art may be submitted in six categories or in the Accessible Arts Division. Artwork will be recognized and celebrated at Samohi! The top selections will be submitted to Council and then to Thirty-Third District PTA to be judged. GET THE ENTRY FORM by October 17th, 2024 https://forms.gle/PcksgALZ51iEkmSd8.

10th through 12 grade Vikings: the National Honor Society (NHS) and California Scholarship Federation (CSF) Membership Applications are now open! The deadline to submit either or both applications is Mon., Sept. 30, 2024. To review the respective membership requirements and application steps, thoroughly read the email sent to your SMMK12 inbox on Sept. 17th, with the subject line: NHS & CSF Membership Applications Now Open!

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.

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

If you would like your baby photos featured in the baby photo spread of the yearbook, send them in via Instagram (@samoyearbook) or email (samohiyearbook@gmail.com). Please include your first and last name. Submissions close October 16th

The PSAT has gone digital. Students will need to bring their Samohi-issued chromebook on test day. All 9th through 11th graders will be required to bring their chromebooks a week before testing in order to check the testing app.

All students are required to attend school, even if they opt out of testing. Attendance will be taken.

For more information, links to practice tests, and calculator requirements, please see our website: https://www.smmusd.org/domain/4455

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.

• To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month ASB will be holding activities like skull painting and loteria on the lawn in front of the language building on the 4th and 11th of October. Please come to celebrate and honor the month
• Have a HomeComing Dance date who doesn't attend Samo? Make sure you fill out a guest contract if you are bringing a student outside of Samohi. Contracts can be found in your house office and are due October 11th to M House!
  
• 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.
  
• Samohi theater is hosting a fall themed karaoke night with FREE FOOD and drinks on Wednesday, October 2nd from 6-8pm. Admission is free and walk-ins or sign-ups are accepted. More details on how to sign up are on the Samohi theater Instagram