PBL Weekly Blast

On October 22, the whole PBL community participated in a "Get Out the Vote" Leaving to Learn experience, focusing on civic engagement and voter education. Wearing our student designed t-shirts, we engaged with the Santa Monica community, educating citizens about voting rights and engaging in conversations about people's voting histories. Working in cross-grade teams, students collaborated to encourage active citizenship and raise awareness about the importance of voting, embodying the power of youth-led civic action.

Special shout out to Bailey and Sarah B for organizing this L2L.

🎃👻Dear Parents and Guardians,

As you may have heard, we are having a PBL Halloween Carnival! A group of students have come together and worked hard to plan and organize an amazing event for the students. To fully create this carnival and make it happen, the Halloween Committee needs materials and supplies. Below there is a link to Sign Up Genius where there are many different items listed. Please review the items still needed and click on the signup button to donate. All donations will be accepted at the PBL’s office and we are grateful for the GENEROUS DONATIONS already received. If you have other Halloween decorations or items, feel free to donate them as well! You can drop off the donations at the PBL main office or at the 7th & Michigan Gate with security. Cash donations will also be greatly accepted. Again, thank you for all the help and support!

Link to sign up and donate specific supplies:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A48AEA822ABFEC61-52713991-donations

Best,

Fatima-Numa Shabih

The annual Black College Summit will be held on Thursday, October 31 from 5:00-8:30pm, hosted by the Holman United Methodist Church. The event is free and open to the community. Registration is required.

Many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBU) admission reps will be in attendance; some will even be offering on-site admissions and application fee waivers. High school juniors and seniors and community college students should bring at least 5 copies of unofficial transcripts and SAT/ACT scores. Students in 9th and 10th grade can also attend. See flyer & website for details

Parents/ Guardians -

Do you have available time on Tuesday mornings 8:30am - 1pm? If so, consider chaperoning one of the two 9th grade groups when they volunteer at the animal shelters: Best Friends LA + West LA Animal Shelter. Starting 10/29, all 9th graders will be out volunteering and we would love one or two parents to chaperone. If you are interested, email Nicole nnicodemus@smmusd.org.

• Santa Monica Pier Day of the Dead Extraordinary Ofrendas (Altars),

Aztec dancers, Ballet Folklorico performances, mariachis and more!

Saturday, November 1, 5-8 p.m., Sunday, November 2 all day.

• Halloween and Día de los Muertos SM Pier Ferris Wheel Lighting Oct. 25 -Nov. 2

• Dia de Los Muertos: Contribute to a community ofrenda (altar) celebrating life and death. Bring non-perishable items (paper flowers or photos) until Nov. 2

The Plastic Revelation is offering a volunteer opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our environment. Join us for clean-ups around Santa Monica at our beaches and parks. If you are interested, please email info@theplasticrevelation.com or visit our website, theplasticrevelation.org.

The City of Santa Monica is excited to offer a free 8-week College Essay Workshop for current seniors, designed to help them craft strong and compelling college essays. The workshop will take place October 21 through December 2 at Virginia Ave Park, every Monday from 5:30pm-7:00pm + Friday, November 1 from 5:30pm-7:00pm. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please email Dolores Romo at Dolores.romo@santamonica.gov.

We are excited to announce that registration for the Culver City Fire Department Girls Camp is now open!

Saturday, November 16 & Sunday, November 17, 2024

8 AM - 4 PM

Culver City Fire Department Training Tower

9275 Jefferson Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90232

Over the course of two days, campers will learn how to wear personal protective equipment, climb ladders, pull fire hose, learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and more! All teens (ages 14-18) are invited to sign up. Lunch will be provided.

Attendees must register for this FREE event in advance. Space is limited

Learn more about the CCFD Girls Camp and register today!

If you are a teen writer or an artist, then the Santa Monica Public Library has an opportunity for you! If you want your work published for free and printed for the community, then the Teen Literary and Arts Magazine is accepting submissions now, under the theme “Change”. Click the link below or visit SMPL to get more information and submit! https://santamonicacity.wufoo.com/forms/m1y8oobr0jcycve/

Ryman Arts offers FREE advanced studio art program that is designed to help you achieve your dreams by strengthening your art skills, and preparing you for college, and for a career in the arts.

Eligibility: Anyone who will be enrolled in high school (grades 9 – 12) for the semester they are applying for is eligible.

Cost: All classes are free of charge. If selected, you will receive a full scholarship that covers the cost of instruction, art supplies, and field trips. Public transportation reimbursement and passes are available.

Locations: Saturdays at California State University, Fullerton and Sundays at Otis College of Art & Design, in Los Angeles. Online when required under public health guidelines. 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM or 1:00 to 4:30 PM

Learn more about Ryman Arts by joining us on Zoom for our Information Sessions. We will give a presentation about the Ryman Arts program, give lots of tips on how to have a successful application, and of course answer all your questions! This event is for potential applicants, parents, families and teachers.

Saturday, November 16. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE
Wednesday, November 20. 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. En Español REGISTRAR AQUI
Wednesday, December 4. 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE

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 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.

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.

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.

• We want YOU for a mock election! Come to Human Rights Watch Student Task force’s Mock Election during lunch on Friday, November 1st, in the I-quad! Vote on key human rights-focused propositions, other legislation and major ticket candidates, including our country’s president. Learn about issues impacting communities locally and globally. This is your chance to make a difference and experience the power of civic engagement in a fun and educational way. Don’t miss out! Come by, cast your vote, and be part of the conversation for change!
• 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.