“Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” — James Baldwin

We are in the final two weeks before the 2025-26 school year Application to our PBL Pathway! Our efforts have included presenting at JAMS and Lincoln MS. Presentations have yielded excitement and applications to our growing Pathway. Our Final Information Session on campus is this Friday, February 14th.

To help us continue building momentum, we kindly ask for your support in spreading the word about the PBL Pathway. Encourage your friends and neighbors to learn more about our program.

Thank you for helping us grow our community!

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.

Last week, Bailey took students to the California African American Museum. There is an exhibit with contemporary artists’ works inspired by Carver, as well as work by Carver called World Without End: The George Washington Carver Project this inspired scientists, artists and historians.

And a short documentary film : Darol Olu Kae: Keeping Time which inspired students pursuing projects on film.

Students - take advantage of L2L Opportunities as they just might inspire you!

Tuesday, February 11th from 9 am 12:45pm

Calling all environmentalist, botanists, gardeners or lovers of the outdoors-

Come visit the UCLA Mathias Botanical Gardens. A garden staff member will provide a guided tour and we will have a question and answer session in the garden.

This Wednesday, February 12th, our whole PBL Community will be attending the performance of Fake it Until You Make It at the Mark Taper Forum. All students need to arrive on time to school as we will be departing at 8:55am. This Leaving to Learn will be tied into students' social science and/or English curriculum. If you haven't submitted your trip slip, please do so. This is an approved school trip and period absences will be excused.

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.
• Geri & Richard Brawerman Leadership Institute - due Feb. 17, 2025
• 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

💸 Ready to secure the bag for your college dreams? Whether you're aiming for FAFSA or the CA Dream Act, now’s your chance to grab FREE $$$ for school! Scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans—there’s something for everyone to help lighten the load.

📅 Don’t wait—deadlines are closer than you think!

• FAFSA: Open to U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens → Click here to apply

• CA Dream Act: For undocumented students meeting AB 540 requirements→ Click here to apply

• CSS profile: out-of-state and private colleges may require an additional app → Click here to apply

Why apply?

• It’s free and easy 💻

• You might get money you don’t have to pay back 💵

• Your future self will thank you 🙌

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) announces the release of a new informational resource to assist Mixed-Status Families in applying for financial aid.For more details, please view GSA 2024-93.

• California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) - due Feb. 28, 2025

• CSSSA is a rigorous, preprofessional, month-long training program in the visual and performing arts, creative writing, animation and film for talented artists of high school age. CSSSA provides a supportive environment in which students hone acquired skills and explore new techniques and ideas for an intense and exciting learning experience.

• 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

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 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'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.

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.

Tickets are on sale NOW for CHICAGO, Samohi's Spring Musical! One of Broadway's all-time greats, CHICAGO hits SAMO for two weekends only, starting Friday, February 28 and closing Sunday, March 9! CHICAGO promises a little something for everyone: sizzling dance numbers, hot-blooded murder, courtroom drama, a media circus, and ALL THAT JAZZ! Student tickets are just $10 at SamohiTheatre.org. Score the best seats in Barnum while you can!!

Calling all artists! The SunLit Literary & Arts Magazine is currently open for submissions! This year’s theme is "Cycles" and the deadline is fast approaching on Valentine's Day, Feb 14, by midnight. If you would like a chance to have your work featured in The SunLit, just email your poetry, short fiction or script, photography, and 2D or 3D art to samoliterarymagazine@gmail.com. Keep a lookout to spot your or your friends' work officially published in our magazine later this semester!

Stop by the discovery atrium to send your valentine, friend or someone you appreciate a crush gram. Sales run from 2/5 to 2/12 thru ASB 💜

Want to use watercolor painting as a way to relieve stress and learn mindfulness skills? Come to Margaret's Place to learn more about upcoming art therapy groups! See Ms. Lara in room E117 for more info

Club Day is planned for February 19th and the application to be a part of it is now live on GC! If you'd like to sell things in Centennial Quad on February, 19th fill out both forms on the clubs google classroom by this Friday, February, 7th. This is a great chance to do some additional fundraising for your club, see you then!

Try out for Samohi Mathletes! Mathletes is a club that travels to participate in Southern California-based math competitions. Tryouts will be held in the library during lunch thru February 7th. See the flyer for more information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TNacyZX1h47UPeTrnT5G3rFxQwHd6-ZD/view?usp=sharing

Hot Chocolate Wednesday is BACK! You are invited to stop by for hot chocolate or tea Wednesdays in February from 7:45am-8:45am in Margaret’s Place (E117). This month, Hot Chocolate Wednesday will have a special purpose of holding space and providing information for anyone experiencing anxiety, fear, and concern about the current political climate. See you there! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UarJDakJ3n8OL_x8XzvZLoO7iuHpd-6l/view?usp=sharing

Donate to the Books for Kids book drive! All donations will go to schools and libraries where books were lost in the LA wildfires. Elementary level books are preferred but any used or new books are accepted, including books in Spanish! Bring donations to the collection box in the library and support wildlife recovery!