PBL Weekly Blast

Samohi will be participating in the Great Shakeout this week during our usually scheduled community meeting time. This is an annual opportunity to practice how to be safer during big earthquakes. Consider particpating at your work or at home: https://www.shakeout.org/california/whyparticipate/

All 9th, 10th, and 11th grade Samohi students will be taking the PSAT College Board Exam at Samohi free of charge on Tuesday, October 21, 2025

All 11th grade Samohi students will be taking the SAT College Board Exam at Samohi free of charge in Spring 2025. The date is TBD.

Students do not need to “sign up” for the tests. They will be assigned a testing classroom through their English classes. This year, the PSAT will be administered digitally. Students will need to use their district issues chromebook. All students are required to attend school, even if they opt out of the testing. Attendance will be taken. If a student has adopted out of testing, the student will be assigned a room. The student will be notified through smmk12 email.

All 10th and 11th grade students pre-approved for testing accommodations through the College Board will receive accommodated testing. 9th grade students are not provided testing accommodation.

For questions about PSAT/SAT testing, please contact M House principal, Lissette Bravo at lbravo@smmusd.org.

Join us for a tour of Homeboy Industries on October 28th! Homeboy Industries is a prison re-entry and gang rehabilitation organization. “Homeboy Industries provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated people, allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community.” This organization provides many services including education, mental health support, vocational training, and legal resources.

Limited space - 10 students only. If you are interested and this opportunity aligns with your LTI, SIGN UP below.

The Santa Monica City Council will issue a proclamation during its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in support of United Against Hate Week and Los Angeles County’s LA vs Hate campaign. You can view the city council meeting online or join us in person at the Council Chambers at 1685 Main St., second floor. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m., and the proclamation will be read toward the beginning of the meeting.

The proclamation presentation will feature poetry readings by SMMUSD students along with Santa Monica Poet Laureate Anne Carmack. The student poetry focuses on the theme “I Belong!”, which is part of the National PTA’s and Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs’ (SMMPTA) Reflections program that encourages students to express themselves through art. During the week, the city of Santa Monica will feature student poems on its social media pages, so be on the lookout for that. The poems will also be displayed in the lobby of Santa Monica City Hall.

Visit these links to find out more about LA vs Hate or the United Against Hate campaign.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is happy to offer FREE Folklórico dance classes again for the 2025-26 school year. Participants will attend two classes after school each week. Classes will BEGIN SOON (Date TBD) and will be available at the several locations. Click on the links below to learn more and register! SMMUSD Folklorico Parent Letter | Folklorico Registration

Need help with your classes? Come to the library at lunch or after school! Monday through Friday Samohi Peer Tutoring offers tutoring to anyone from tutors who are current Samohi students. Tutoring is offered in all subjects and in all levels of courses. Follow the instagram @samohipeertutoring for more specific information(tutors, the subjects they tutor, what days they tutor).

Teachers are available to support students after school in the library!

Mondays- Spanish

Tuesdays- Research

Wednesday- English

Thursday- Chemistry

They are in the library Monday through Thursday 3:30-5 pm.

Parent Project: A free, 10-week program teaching parents of teens practical tools for managing challenging behaviors, strengthening family relationships. and improving relationships at home/school. Classes taught in both English/Spanish with SMPD and MSWs. Free dinner, refreshments, social time and childcare provided. Mondays 6-9 p.m. at SMASH. Orientation from 5-6 p.m. on Sept. 15. Sign up before October 1. https://bit.ly/ParentProjectFall2025.

-That time of the year to let your costume creativity roar! Running with Speakers is summoning all spirited souls for our annual Halloween Costume Contest on October 31st at lunch in front of Barnum Hall. Show off your most amazing, spooky, or hilarious look and join the fun!

The Day of the Dead exhibition and celebration is rapidly approaching! Join the Art Department on Thursday, October 23 from 4-7 in the Roberts Art Gallery for our Dia de Los Muertos celebration. See artwork from SAMOHI and JAMS. We will have ofrendas and food. Honor those that you have lost and participate in a SAMOHI event that began in the 20th century. See you October 23, 4-7pm!

THE COLLEGE and CAREER CENTER provides resources to all Samohi students as they plan for their post-Samohi plans. In addition to SchooLinks, college, career, military and gap year publications are available for student research. Secondary school reports, letters of recommendations, and testing materials are handled by the College/Career Counselors. The College Fair, Samohi Scholarship Program, SAT & ACT, FAFSA/CADAA, CSS Profiles and college, career and military representative visits are all part of the service.

Students are welcome to come in before school, during lunch and after school to research specific colleges and financial aid opportunities - but you need an appointment to meet with one of the College/Career Counselors. Please note that college/career planning meetings are reserved for Seniors only during the fall, and Seniors and Juniors during the spring. Seniors/Juniors, to schedule a meeting with your College/Career Counselor, please click on their "calendly" link to access his/her availability.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Margaret’s Place is back in E117 this school year! See below for the latest info on how students can get involved in individual or group counseling, Peer Leadership Club, or other activities at Margaret’s Place—plus, resources for parents and caregivers:

• Fall newsletter for Parents from Margaret’s place

• Fall newsletter for Students from Margaret’s place

• FOR FRESHMEN PARENTS: Video on Supporting Youth’s to High School

Email LDeSanto@smmusd.org with any questions!

Need your lunch pass added to your ID now that attendance obligations will not be carried over. Please fill out the link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8YtboDls8YVbCfLYoxPQXaO9r_HeivBZyDGtiTZ8aaAClJQ/viewform?usp=sf_link OR use the QR codes in the house offices to request your lunch pass to be added. Each ID will be verified, so you will not be charged. You will be emailed once it is ready.

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!!!

https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) is pleased to announce that the District has enrolled in year four of Los Angeles Metro’s GoPass program, which provides free public transit rides and Transit Assistance Program (TAP) cards to all kindergarten through 12th-grade students. The initiative promotes accessibility and encourages the use of public transportation.

Students can go to the PBL House office (B111) to get a new TAP card and eligibility code.

To reactivate your existing TAP card, please submit the following form to receive a new eligibility code: REACTIVATE YOUR TAP CARD HERE.

1. Pick up a Work Permit Application in the College/Career Center (B120) or PBL Office (B111) before school, lunch, or after school ONLY

2. Complete sections one and two of your Work Permit Application and return to Ms. Griffis in the PBL Office (B111) before school, lunch or after school ONLY

Keep in mind processing may take up to one week; please plan accordingly. Remember, if you are under 18 years old, a work permit is required in order for you to work. If you have questions, stop by the College/Career Center (B120)

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

Super Saturday is an opportunity for students to sign up and attend school Saturday mornings to help clear their absences. Students are expected to bring homework and Chromebook to complete their necessary assignments and/or study for classes. SIGN UP LINK