Class of 2029 Newsletter
September 2025
Class of 2029 Families,
What a great start it has been for the Class of 2029 as they took their first steps into this high school journey. The Grade Level Team and teachers are continuing to work on helping students as they make the adjustment to high school. Things that we are on the lookout for:
- Academic Routines:
As students settle into their routines we encourage families to help students as they develop healthy homework and study habits, and learn how to manage their time. For many students, nightly homework is one of the biggest changes between high school and middle school.
Students have already begun taking tests, exams and receiving feedback from teachers. We cannot overemphasize the importance of utilizing our academic support spaces:
- TUTORIAL: Every Friday with their teacher(s)
- The DEN: Mon-Thurs 7:15am-8:15am AND 3:45pm-5:15pm in ExL (room 1600)
We also encourage parents/guardians to setup their Parent Canvas Observer accounts to encourage positive habits.
- Social & Emotional Transition:
The Class of 2029 has adjusted well to the larger campus, new routines and lots of new friendships have been made. We acknowledge that many students are still trying to identify where they "fit." If your student in struggling to make connections, please connect with the Grade Level Team so that we can work with your student.
- Communication:
Please do not hesitate to reach out to teachers with questions about how your student is doing and best ways to support their learning. You may contact your students teachers through Canvas, ParentVue or by email. With progress report grades due on September 8th students still have time to improve grades.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Grade Level Team with any questions, concerns or good news you would like to share with us.
Mark your Calendar:
September 1: Labor Day - No School
September 3: Parent Shadow Day
September 3 & 4: Mid-High School Reflections - Minimum Days
September 8: Progress Reports Due - Fall Semester 1
September 10: Athletic Eligibility Determined
September 18: Staff Development Day - Minimum Day
September 24: Helix Career Fair
October 8 & 9: Finals - Fall Semester 1
October 10: Staff Development Day - No School
October 10: Homecoming Football Game
October 11: Homecoming Dance
October 13: First Day of Fall Semester 2
October 15: Athletic Eligibility Determined
November 6: Staff Development Day - Minimum Day
November 10: No School
November 11: Veteran's Day - No School
November 12: Progress Reports Due - Fall Semester 2
November 14: Athletic Eligibility Determined
November 24 - 28: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Students and parents/guardians are not allowed to use delivery services for lunch, as this disrupts the learning environment and may pose a safety risk. In case of emergencies, only parents or guardians may deliver food to the main office. Services like DoorDash and UberEats are not permitted for any student. Each student has access to one free meal on campus daily.
All 11th grade students take part in Mid-High School Reflections, where they present about their high school experience and share their goals for the future with a panel from our community.
We welcome parents to join us as audience members for these presentations. If you would like to attend, PLEASE RSVP HERE.
A catered lunch will be provided. Registration is important if you plan on joining us. After lunch, we will move to classrooms to hear student presentations from 1:35pm – 3:35pm. You may volunteer for one day or both.
School attendance is the first step to student success. Did you know that missing as few as 1-2 days of school in a month can have a significant negative impact on your student's academic performance? Be sure to look at the Helix School Year Calendar when scheduling appointments or other family events.
Student lockers are available for students. There are two types of lockers available:
- Preferred ($10)
- Free ($0)
Preferred Lockers are the top lockers and you may select a building in which you would like the locker. To purchase a preferred locker, please go to the Dawghouse/Student Store. You must purchase the locker before completing the Preferred Locker Sign-Up. For questions, email jyeagle@helixcharter.net.
Once you have purchased the locker, please visit Mrs. Cabrera in the front admin building (front desk). She will share the Preferred Locker Sign-Up sheet with you.
Free lockers are the lower lockers. They are first come first served and buildings are assigned by the Front Desk. Please visit the front desk for more information.
If you need a locker because you participate in athletics, see the PE Attendants in the locker room before or after school for assistance.
Paper Work & Due Dates to be aware of for the 2026 AP Exams in May
1. Students who do not qualify under the Local Control Funding Formula can purchase their exams online through the Web Store as soon as the window opens on 9/1/2025. The last day to purchase an exam without a late fee will be 10/31/2025. The late fee is $40.00
2. A few items to be aware of:
The Finance Office/Dawg House does not accept personal checks, so all purchases at school should be via credit card or cash during the Dawg House Hours (see Ms. Yeagle in the Dawg House). Student hours are: Monday-Thursday 8am-8:25am, Lunch, and 3:30pm-3:45pm, and Fridays 8am-8:25am, Lunch, and 3:30pm-3:45pm. Parent and Community hours are: Monday-Thursday 8am-12:20pm and 1:20pm-3:45pm, Fridays 8am-11:45am and 12:45pm-3:45pm.
Please triple-check to make sure you are registering for the correct exam.
3. Students who are eligible for a fee reduction must first be approved through the Helix Alternative Income Local Control Funding Formula Form (LCFF), which was completed during Summer Conferences. If your household situation has changed since you submitted the form this summer, or your family has not completed this form, please print and submit or resubmit to your Grade Level Team (GLT) in order to meet the deadlines (if you need a printed copy, please go to room 530).
If your household qualifies under the LCFF, you will be eligible for a reduced fee of $5 for each exam. To ensure your application is approved before the ordering deadline, please complete the form as soon as possible. Please submit this form no later than 9/12/2025.
The office will verify the eligibility and inform the Dawg House, ensuring you are charged the correct fee.
The Finance Office will receive a list of qualifying students starting 9/15/2025. You are able to purchase your exams, for $5.00 between 9/15/2025 and 10/31/2025. Any exam purchased after 10/31/2025 will risk not being ordered and receive a late fee ($40) administered through the College Board, not Helix.
4. Exam Fees & Other
If you do not qualify for a Fee Reduction, the first exam will cost you $99.00.
Additional exams will cost you $67.00 each (Helix helps to subsidize additional exam costs).
If you qualify for a fee reduction, each exam will cost you $5.00, as long as you are approved on time.
Note: Fee reduction is NOT possible if you do not fill out the LCFF survey. See instructions above in Step 3 and submit it on time.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Any exam purchased after 10/31/2025 will risk not being ordered and receive a late fee ($40). In addition, any unused or cancelled exams will also be charged a fee of $40 (these fees are administered through the College Board and Helix cannot reverse these charges).
Should you have any questions, contact Ms. Skullerud (skullerud@helixcharter.net) or Mrs. Trevino (trevino@helixcharter.net).
A list of community service opportunities can be found by clicking the button below.
We invite you to attend out Parent/Guardian Shadow Day on Wednesday, 9/3/25 from 8:30am-1:05pm. The purpose of this event is to observe your student's classrooms and school environment. This is not a day for teacher conferences, those be can be scheduled individually. Click here for more details.
We are EIGHT school days away from progress reports, which are due on Monday, 9/8/25. 📉🤯📈
Please take advantage of Academic Support opportunities this week to make sure you are passing all of your classes! 📚📝
Remember…these grades will be used to determine Athletic Eligibility on Wednesday, 9/10/25. If you are playing a fall sport, you must earn at least a 2.0 GPA to remain eligible. 🏈⛳️📣🏃🏻♀️🏑🎾🤽🏼♂️🏐
YOU GOT THIS!!⭐️💚🐾
In honor of Check Your Mood week, we are collaborating with San Diego Youth Services to present to parents, guardians and students about general mental health reminders as well as suicide prevention. This will be presented by licensed social workers from the Helix Wellness Center and Marriage & Family Therapists from San Diego Youth Services.
This event will be held VIRTUALLY at 6:00pm and is open to all parents and guardians. Click here to join.
Join us for Algebra 1C Info Night on Thursday, 9/11/25 at 6pm. Megan Crim, Math Department Chair, Algebra 1C Teachers and a member of our 9th grade team will explain the class, how we keep students on track, helpful resources, how to stay up to date with your student's progress and more. We will also be available to answer questions after the presentation.
This event will be held in the ExL building (room 1600) and is open to all parents and guardians. Registration not required. Students and siblings are welcome to attend. Please park in the staff lot located at 7323 University, above the big H. This is the entrance from University & Yale. Snacks will be provided. For translation services, click here.
The Internet is an amazing place where kids like to spend lots of time socializing and exploring. Unfortunately, they often encounter too much too soon. And with the onset of COVID-19, our kids are online now more than ever, which makes it even more challenging for parents to stay informed about cyber safety. The San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SD-ICAC) and the San Diego Police Foundation are providing tools to help families manage their online lives. Learn about cyberbullying, social networking, gaming, sexting, and online predators. Parents and caregivers are invited to attend this important community event.
This event will be held in the ExL building (1600) from 6pm-7pm. Registration is not required. Students are welcome to join, snacks will be provided. Please park in the staff parking lot, next to the cafeteria. For translation services, click here.
Grade Level Team Members
Ms. Arica Villegas - Grade Level Principal
Mrs. Yolanda Street - School Counselor
Ms. Danika Markey - Academic Advisor
Ms. Sara Brown - Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Brenda Flores - Attendance Technician
Mrs. Danielle Yee - School Social Worker
Ms. Cynthia Jones - Assistant Manager, Academic Support Program