• Monday 3/17: 🍀 St. Patrick’s Day and St. Patrick's temporary tattoos
• Tuesday 3/18: Country Day and horseshoe toss
• Wednesday 3/19: Musical Artist Day and guess the artist
• Thursday 3/20: ‘Chella Sunnies
• Friday 3/21: Freshmen - Yellow, Sophomores - Gray, Juniors - Blue, Seniors - White and rally/otter pops for winners

Review the schedule closely to stay on track.

This week in John's English 9&10 class, students put the balcony scene from Romeo & Juliet on its feet... on an actual balcony! After having read and analyzed the text in class, students went outside and workshopped the scene, learning a little more about the process of bringing the playwright's words to the stage — and to life.

Students - don't forget to sign up for your academic planning meeting via google classroom. You will find the link in your Class of... (2026, 2027, 2028). Make sure to review the Samohi Course Catalogue so you are familiar with the many elective choices.

At the meeting, we will review your progress toward graduation and college admission requirements AND select your electives for the 2025-26 school year. Parents can join the meeting in person or via Zoom.

EVERY WEEK, students need to sign up for Academic Support time provided on Wednesdays. Take advantage of this opportunity to get extra help from a teacher, catch up on missing assignments, or get ahead on your work. The first grading period of the semester is approaching fast—use this time wisely!

Students - Sign up NOW or during Advisory on Monday! Failure to sign up will result in a period absence and campus clean-up. 😕

The PBL staff is diving into The Anxious Generation, and we invite parents to read along with us! We’d love to host an evening book discussion this May with Parents and Teachers. Stay tuned for more details about our Parent Book Study Group—we hope you’ll be part of the conversation!

APPLY for the Youth Mental Health Academy (YMHA)! Participating high school students will gain hands-on knowledge and experience in mental health fields through paid project-based learning, mentorship, and summer internships.

The deadline to apply is March 31. If you have students who may be interested in the program, please share our student flyer or have them visit our website.

YMHA participants will receive:

• A stipend of up to $2,000 (Summer 2025)
• Professional experience as a paid intern (Summer 2026)
• Mentorship from professionals working in the industry
• Access to workshops, career fairs, and expert panels

New civic engagement opportunity! Apply now to the official Santa Monica Youth Advisory Council! The council is an amazing way to get involved in your city, facilitate real change, learn about government, and pump up your resume. Members will collaborate and discuss relevant topics in monthly meetings, working directly with the city council. Mentors like the mayor and other council members will be present in the meetings, even further enriching the experience. All students are encouraged to apply!

Complete the application!

Players of all ages/levels invited.Third St. Promenade, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

FLYER LINK

Volunteer tutors offer free help reading documents, writing letters and resumes, completing forms, navigating government websites, using mobile devices, email and more. Santa Monica Main Library, Thursdays, 2-4 p.m.

FLYER LINK

• UNCF Scholarship List - deadlines vary
• Playa Vista Optimist Club-looking for student entries for the Optimist International 2024-2025 Essay Contest.The local award for the winning essay is $400 and the winner will then advance to the District Contest. The first place winner of the District Contest is then awarded a $2500 scholarship and a plaque which is presented at a special District Awards luncheon.
• Foundation for Fraternal Excellence Men's College Scholarship - due 4/1/2025
• Asian Pacific Community Fund Scholarship Program - due Apr. 21, 2025
• Sacramento Region Community Foundation 2025 Scholarship Opportunities - deadlines vary; many are for Sacramento area only, but there are a few opportunities open to all

anintergenerational program thatbuilds meaningful relationshipsbetween Sages (adults 60+) andSeekers (students 14-24). This isnot a mentorship program – youhave as much to share with olderadults as they have with you!

The Wilfandel Club is committed to promoting education for young people in the community. On behalf of the club, the Fannie Williams Scholarship Committee promotes higher education by providing scholarship awards for high school seniors. The scholarships are designed to financially assist deserving high school seniors who want to attend college. The number of scholarships granted each year, the amount of the scholarships and the recipients shall be determined by the scholarship committee. Scholarships are funded by donors and fundraisers. Deadline is April 1st!

Click here for the application.

Junior Scholars represents a key part of the Foundation’s mission to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators, problem solvers, and leaders and equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive in this rapidly evolving global landscape. This program fosters scientific education by incorporating hands-on experimentation in a collaborative environment. Formerly known as Junior Fellows, Junior Scholars is a unique, three-week summer fellowship for rising high school seniors interested in clinical or research oncology, designed to foster a lifelong passion for scientific education.

https://eirf.org/education/

The Volunteer Services Student Programs is divided into 3 separate programs:

• General Student Program (Year-Round) - Undergrad/Recent Graduate Students

• General Student Program (Summer Only) - High School Students

• Mattel Youth Ambassador (Virtual Only) - Mattel Youth Ambassadors

*The minimum age to volunteer in any program is 16 years old.

2025 High School Student Volunteer Information Session

Summer 2025 Volunteer Information Session will take place on Tuesday, April 8, 2025

All interested students must attend the mandatory Information Session to be able to apply to our program. A Zoom Meeting Invite will be sent out via email the day before the session.

Summer 2025 Sign Up Link

Click here for more information about volunteer opportunities!

Teen Gallery Guides at the Getty Center is a paid summer internship opportunity for teens interested in art, working in community with teen peers, building public speaking skills, and engaging with art professionals and museum spaces in unique ways. Over the summer, interns will learn strategies for understanding and discussing artwork, audience engagement techniques, and teaching strategies to lead gallery experiences and activities for school-aged visiting groups. Transportation to and from the Getty Center is provided to each intern, as well as a stipend.

Questions? Please email us at gettyteens@getty.edu

https://www.getty.edu/education/teens/index.html

Monday, June 23 to Friday, July 25, 2025

We are pleased to offer in-person opportunities for students this summer. Summer School at Samohi will be held in the Innovation Building on the Samohi campus. We will offer breakfast and lunch daily to students. Summer at Samohi includes the following programs:

Accelerated Course details—deadline to apply is Apr 25, 2025

PBL Students may take Geometry or Art. History courses are an integral part of our PBL Pathway and are required to be taken as part of our program.

• Accelerated Geometry: Students who wish to accelerate in the math pathway of their choice. Students with grades of an A or B in Algebra will be considered for this course. Students who take Accelerated Geometry will still be enrolled in a math class for the following year.

• Accelerated Geometry Application

• Accelerated Art: students looking to develop their artistic skills and explore various techniques in drawing, painting, and design. Perfect for those passionate about visual arts, this course provides a strong foundation for future artistic endeavors

• Accelerated Art Application

• California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) - coming soon!

• COSMOS is an intensive four-week summer residential Pre-College Program for high school students who have demonstrated an aptitude for academic and professional careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

• Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement - coming soon!

• The Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement is a four-week summer intensive academy for 26 talented high school students from the communities surrounding the USC University Park and Health Science Campuses. Students are exposed to the equivalent of first-year college-level courses and develop a rich conceptual understanding and practice of the necessary role that media communications and journalism play in fashioning civic-minded thought leaders and innovators.

Lastly, reminder that you also have a list of Fly-In Programs here.

This is a great opportunity for your child to strengthen their math skills over the summer! The sessions are designed to support your child in building a strong foundation in math, while also preparing them for more advanced topics in later grades. Additionally, attending this workshop will look great on their academic record, as they will have participated in a Young Mathematicians course hosted by UCLA!

Registration will open in January.

Please feel free to reach out to Christine Riad at riad@gseis.ucla.edu with any questions.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeu_eZ_o4gmQY0U0FfikGTGMCsaK1zjjBuZt7eBkVGbeRRiwA/viewform

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

The SAT will be given to all 11th grades on Wednesday, April 2nd free of charge. The SAT will be administered digitally. All students will need to bring their Chromebooks. This week students will be provided with their log in info for Bluebook, and the in-app practice tests. Students will have access to full-length practice tests. Log in info will be distributed during their English class.

Students who were approved for testing accommodations by College Board, will be notified and will need to fill out a survey, please fill it out by Friday, March 14th.

If parents wish to opt out their student, please email Ms. Bravo, M House Principal by Friday, March 14th. 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.

More information can be found on our website: https://www.smmusd.org/domain/4455 If you have any questions, please contact, Lissette Bravo, M House Principal at lbravo@smmsud.org or 310-395-3204 ext 71-854

The Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) are working together to improve support for students, families, and school staff. We ask all parents/caregivers to complete a 15-minute survey to help improve this initiative. Participation is voluntary, and responses will not affect your child’s academic record. Your answers will be kept confidential and reported in aggregate form. For questions, contact LACOE Community Schools at (562) 401-5407 or communityschools@lacoe.edu.

SURVEY LINK:

https://bit.ly/guardiansurvey2025

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

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.

Counseling groups for 2nd semester will be starting soon and are taking referrals!

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 for this semester will include:

• Finding flow (watercolor art therapy group),
• AFFIRM (support group for Queer students),
• Write your own story (art therapy journaling group),
• a Grief and loss support group.

Wellness Services Center Website

Mental Health Referral Form

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.

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.

Are you interested in directing a scene, musical theatre number or large group music number for Public Domain? This could be something that you have written or from something that's been produced before. Director's Pitches will be held in the HC TODAY, Friday from 3:30-5:30. Sign up sheets are up on the HC door. Questions? Email Kate Barraza: kbarraza@smmusd.org

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of live music and delicious food at Eat Your Heart Out on March 20th from 5 PM to 7 PM in the cafeteria! Please come support your senior class! If you're in a band and want to showcase your talent, be sure to fill out the Google Form on the Samohi.2025 Instagram to perform at the event. Don’t miss out on a night to remember! https://forms.gle/kVM35egn8YKYkTat9 (flyer below)

Mark your calendars for the blood drive on April 24th! If you think you may donate at this Blood Drive, make sure to eat healthy and drink lots of water.

Hey Seniors, the Prom Boutique is getting READY to open! We’re looking for donations of dressy sneakers and dressy flat shoes that will make for a more comfortable dancing experience. Please bring them any prom donations to your house office

The Architecture and Design Club is hosting a featured Flex Time on Designing for Fire Resilience. Sign up WITH NICOLE for Wednesday, March 19 to hear from guest speakers from an architectural firm that designed a home that withstood the Palisades Fire. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fPTrjmHLjMCoxFWTKYVTab3B8APQ4yUf/view?usp=sharing

Support a young author and purchase Malaika's book on Amazon today!

Categorized as a coming-of-age psychological thriller.