2425.6 Grizzly Growler 09.23.24
- Weekly On and Off Campus Events
- Make-Up Picture Day
- Back to School Night
- Resource Fair
- Upcoming College Fairs
- San Marcos Farmers Marcos
- Free English Class for Adults
- Summer Concert Series
- Cyclovia!
- Cruisin' Grand
As always, the bottom of this newsletter includes links to ParentVUE, our Instagram handles, points of contact, tutoring information and our proud community sponsors!
READ ON FOR MORE!
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
We are really excited to announce that this year we will be pairing our Back to School Night with a Resource Fair on Wednesday, September 25th. The Resource Fair will be from 4:30pm-6:30pm outside our ASB Plaza! It'll start just before our Back to School Night and you'll have plenty of time to stop by. There will be a variety of community partners bringing you information about counseling services, medical services, bike safety and much more! We're really proud to be able to host this fair and connect our families with services they may need. Not only do we care about the well being of students, but we also want to support our families as a whole. Check out the flyer to see the partners in attendance.
Classroom visitations for our Back to School Night will be from 5:30pm-7:00 pm. Please note that if your student has a 0 period, classroom visits will start at 5:15pm! Students will be encouraged to fill out the attached schedule or to take a screenshot of their schedule from StudentVue and share it with their parents/guardians. We will not be distributing printed schedules for students to fill out. Please plan for extra time to find your student's first class. Grizzlies are of course welcome to attend! All PE classes will meet in the Pavilion and dance and pageantry classes will meet their coaches in the library. "
A couple of things to note:
5:15-5:25 Zero Period (only if your student has a 0 period)
We look forward to seeing everyone!
FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR
We are really excited to announce that this year we will be pairing our Back to School Night with a Resource Fair on Wednesday, September 25th.
The Resource Fair will be from 4:30pm-6:30pm! It'll start just before our Back to School Night and you'll have plenty of time to stop by. There will be a variety of community partners bringing you information about counseling, medical, academic services and much more!
Check out the flyer in Spanish and English for more information.
UPCOMING COLLEGE FAIRS 2024
There are virtual and in-person college fairs coming up!
There will be 2 here in our very own ASB Plaza:
Mini-in-State College Fair at lunch on Friday, October 4th.
RACC Out-of-State College Fair at lunch on Wednesday, October 23rd.
Check the flyer and see the Future Center for more information.
FARMER'S MARKET
The beautiful open-air Market features a collection of amazing vendors offering local fresh fruits & vegetables, baked goods, fresh cut flowers, local honey, bread, eggs, yogurt, Kombucha, artisan packaged foods and specialty prepared hot foods. The market serves the community year-round, Tuesdays, 3pm-7pm. They are conveniently located at 251 North City Drive, off Twin Oaks Valley Road. To access the map of the location click here.
On this day, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office recruiters will be available at the San Marcos Farmers Market to answer any questions about our hiring process and job opportunities. Be sure to look for us and say Hi.
For more information about the Farmers Market, click here: https://www.sanmarcosfarmersmarket.org/
Free English Class for Adults/¡Clase de inglés gratis para adultos!
Improve your conversation, listening, writing, and reading skills.
Mejore sus habilidades de conversación, escuchar, escritura y lectura.
Monday, September 23, 2024 10:00am-12:30pm
Location:
2 Civic Center Drive
San Marcos CA 92069
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Don't forget to check out the city's last Summer concert! To finish off the series, Savor will be performing at the Wood House in Woodland Park @7:30pm. Gates open at 6!
Check out the flyer for more information.
Vista’s First Cyclovia Event!
The City of Vista is excited to host their very first Cyclovia event in historic downtown Vista. This family-friendly event offers a unique way to explore downtown Vista via bike, foot, or other forms of self-powered transportation—completely free of cars! Additionally, the event celebrates Clean Air Day in Vista and provides education on sustainability across the city.
Sunday, September 29, 2024
10 am–2 pm
Historic Downtown Vista
Last Cruisin' Grand is September 27th
Cruisin’ Grand is presented by SoCal Productions. This annual event series includes live music, DJs, the best display of pre-1974 hotrods in the country!
This event is open to pre-1974 vintage, antique, hotrods, and muscle cars. Visit cruisingrand.net for additional details.
Time & Location
Sep 27, 2024, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Escondido, W Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025, USA
CLASS OF 2025 SENIOR PORTRAITS
Dear Class of 2025,
Congratulations! You are now entering your senior year! We wanted to let you know that it is time to book your appointment for senior portraits. Please book your session early to ensure you have enough time to choose the photo you want included in the yearbook. Check out the KEANE Senior Session Guide or their website for more information and to book your appointment! There are limited spots available, so make sure to book your appointment as soon as possible.
The complimentary yearbook portraits will be on campus on December 10th and December 11th! Students will NOT have the ability to choose their yearbook portrait for the complimentary session. Make sure to book your appointment online!
To login: Use your STUDENT ID as the username and your LAST NAME as the password.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Kniseley at heidi.kniseley@smusd.org.
YEARBOOK SENIOR ADS
Attention seniors parents!
Celebrate your student and express your love with a lovely senior ad. There is a back to school sale going on right now and it ends on September 30th! Prices will increase after, so don't miss out on this opportunity.
The current pricing is:
Full page- $380
Half Page- $180
Quarter Page- $ 110
Eighth Page- $60
Go to Yearbookordercenter.com and use our school code: 8120
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Kniseley at heidi.kniseley@smusd.org. If you need help with your online order, call (866) 287-3096 toll free.
PTO MEMBER RECRUITMENT
The 2024/2025 school year is around the corner and Mission Hills PTO is creating an Interest List for people interested in being the part of our Grizzly PTO Team. Responding is not a commitment, but the start of a conversation. We hope to hear from you if you're interested in learning more about what it means to be a part of the team!
Fill out the interest list here.
For more information about Mission Hills PTO, click here.
COASTAL CLEANUP
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Coastal Cleanup Day! Organized by I Love a Clean San Diego, since 1985, over 5 million litter has been removed from our beautiful coast!
There will be MANY sites through out North County where you'll be able to volunteer on September 21st and make the world a cleaner place. Grab your friends and register to take part! Volunteering will be from 9am-12pm.
UC PIQ WORKSHOP
Our Counseling Center invites you to a UC Personal Insight Question workshop! The workshop will take place on Monday, September 24th, at 8:00 AM in the Future Center.
Seniors! Don't procrastinate and take the opportunity to get help and have one less thing to worry about!
SAN DIEGO BLOOD BANK BLOOD DRIVE
Palomar College Health Services, Palomar Black Faculty & Staff Association & SNAP are hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive at the San Marcos campus on Tuesday, September 24th and Wednesday, September 25th from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Free event parking is available in Parking Lot #12. You'll be able to check in for your scheduled appointment at our table located in front of the Library (LRC) at the San Marcos campus.
- To schedule an appointment and for more information go to RedCrossBlood.org. Enter sponsor code: PalomarSM.
- Streamline your donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete your pre-donation reading and health history questions on the day of your appointment.
** If you donate blood between September 16th-30th, you'll also recieve a $15 e-gift card.**
For more information, check out the Palomar website.
PRINCESS PROJECT FUNDRAISER
The Princess Project invites to their $5 Dress Sake Fundraiser! This year they have dresses for winter formal, cocktail, Mother of the Bride, Halloween/costume, business and dressy casual events, and more! (They also have specially priced bridal and Quince dresses.)
Their dress store is located at Mission Valley Mall. We are next to DXL Men’s Store, and directly across from LensCrafters. Their closest anchor store is Macys Home Goods. All guests who would like to shop on any of their dress sale days will need to individually register. Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your ticket today! Visit their website at www.princessprojectsd.org to register to attend!
Sunday, September 22nd 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
High School Students & Staff Only (no guests)- $5 Dress Pre-Public Sale
Saturday, September 28th 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
$5 Dress Sale (Public may sign up)
For more information, check out the Spanish and English flyers.
E BIKE & BIKE SAFETY COURSES
As part of an e-bike safety campaign, Double Peak School, San Elijo Middle School, San Marcos High School and Mission Hills High School will require students who bike or e-bike to school to obtain a permit. Students must attend an in-person safety course with one parent or guardian, led by the Sheriff’s Office. Students MUST bring their e-bike/ bike and helmet with them to the safety course.
Upon completion of the safety course, students will receive their permit stickers to be placed on their bike and helmet. Students will not be allowed to park their bike or e-bike on campus without a permit. Students will have until October 31st to complete this process.
Safety courses coming up:
September 10th @ 6pm San Marcos High School Theater
September 23rd @ 5:30pm San Elijo Middle School PAC
September 24th @ 6pm Mission Hills High School Library
October 8th @ 6pm Mission Hill High School Library
October 22nd @ 6pm Double Peak School Gym
**Please note that all students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian**
Check out the flyer in Spanish/English for more information.
PSAT/ NMSQT
Grizzlies in 10th and 11th grade, don't forget to register for the PSAT! This year it will be on Saturday, October 26th.The exam costs $50 (Fee waivers are available!) and you can purchase it at the Finance Office or on our Grizzly Webstore. Payment is due September 20th.
Fee waiver forms are due Wednesday, September 11th in Room 750 (Mrs. Kozuchowski) by the end of the day.
Please note that the registration AND the fee must be submitted prior to taking the test. There will also be a mandatory meeting in October. Contact Mrs. Kozuchowski if you have any questions- magda.kozuchowski@smusd.org
**Junior students could qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program and other scholarships**
Join the Google Classroom- code: td35zhc
EDGE
Calling all high school students interested in engineering and stem-related fields! UCSD's Society of Women Engineers and Women in Computing have opened up application for their Empowerment & Development for Girls in Engineering 2024-2025 mentorship program!
This is a great opportunity for students to participate in engineering workshops, get exposure to academic and professional development opportunities, project teams, and mentorship from undergraduate and graduate students at UC San Diego. This program is available to incoming 9th-12th graders in high school.
Students can apply at: https://forms.gle/1bXXiGYCuBKc6DGu8
There will also be 2 informational sessions you can attend:
09/10 & 09/18 @7pm.
Applications are due Sunday September 29, 2024, at 11:59 pm.
For more information, you can email edge.ucsd@gmail.com or visit their website https://edgeucsd.wixsite.com/edge.
A Commitment to Mental Health
At Mission Hills High School, we believe that every student’s life is invaluable and strive to remind students that they are not alone. At Mission Hills High School, our goal is to foster a culture where mental health is prioritized, and everyone feels empowered to seek help.
Resources and Support
MHHS Counseling Linktree of Resources
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
See below in our growler for more resources for families.
Check out these flyers in English and Spanish for information about preventing youth suicide.
LOOKING FOR A COUNSELOR?
Check out this flyer in Spanish and English to see what's available for you.
PRONTO REDUCED FARE
Grizzlies! Don't forget to complete MTS's mandatory verification to continue to get discounted or free transit cards.
Please note that this discount applies to youth, seniors, AND others who qualify, like Medi-Cal enrollees.
Check out the step-by-step verification instructions in English and Spanish.
STUDENTSQUARE
SMUSD presents StudentSquare! It is new this year and is designed for students to get real time emergency alerts and important notifications directly on their devices.
StudentSquare offers:
- Instant Alerts: Students will get real-time notifications about emergencies like severe weather or lockdowns, so they’re always in the loop.
- Custom Notifications: They can set their preferences to receive alerts in the way that works best for them.
- Easy to Use App: The interface is super user-friendly, making it easy for students to find and read important info quickly.
- Better Communication: Besides emergency alerts, we can also send school updates, event reminders, and other important info to keep everyone connected.
Students will be using their SMUSD google account to "Sign in with Google". You can also sign in using the website: https://www.mystudentsquare.com/signin
Check out the StudentSquare- Getting Started Guide
AP TESTING
It is that time again folks, AP Testing! For our Grizzlies taking AP courses, don't forget to register for the exams. This year the exams are $99 and the AP Seminar& Research Exams are $147. There is a fee waiver available for those who qualify! You can pay in person at the finance office (cash or check) or pay on our webstore.
Payment for exams is due October 18th!
Fill out the fee waiver application and bring it to Mr. Butler in room 460 by Friday, October 11th. You will still need to pay the reduced fee at the finance office by October 18th. Paper copies are also available in room 460.
You can also find more information on our website.
NEW VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE PROCESS
We take the safety of our students and staff seriously, and a part of this is ensuring everyone who is on a school campus is cleared and approved to be present. As a result, there is a new volunteer clearance process with different requirements for different types of school or classroom volunteer commitments.
We have outlined each of these volunteer levels with their requirements, please click here for more information or see the flyer here.
UPDATE ON SCHOOL ATTIRE
As we eagerly prepare for the new school year, we want to share some updates about our school attire guidelines. We ask that you be mindful of these when preparing for back-to-school shopping. These guidelines are designed to create a safe, positive, and inclusive environment for all our students across K-8, middle, and high schools.
What's New?
To promote a focused and supportive atmosphere, we have updated our list of prohibited attire items. After thoughtful collaboration with the San Marcos Sheriff's Department, here are the items that will no longer be allowed for students to wear to school:
Professional sports teams' jerseys and logos on clothing, hats, and accessories
Gang-related writing, symbols, graffiti, or tagging on any property
Monogrammed or lettered belt buckles (e.g., S, N, M, R, B, X, 13, 14)
Bandanas
Hair nets
These changes reflect our commitment to ensuring that every student feels safe and supported at school.
If a student is found wearing a prohibited item, they will be asked to change into appropriate clothing, and the item will be held securely at the front office. Parents/guardians are welcome to pick it up after school
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Together, we can make this school year our best one yet!
VOLUNTARY STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Did you know the average cost of an ambulance ride in CA is $549? This is why SMUSD has partnered with a third-party to provide optional student accident insurance, for as little as $14 for the year. Voluntary student accident insurance is highly-beneficial if an accident was to occur while attending or participating in school-sponsored activities.
For details and more information, see the flyer here or visit www.studentinsuranceusa.com.
START SMART FALL DATES
Attention grizzlies! To park in the student parking lot, students are required to have a valid parking permit. To obtain a parking permit students are required to complete a Start Smart course and submit all required paperwork, including proof of driver license, valid registration and car insurance to the Finance Office.
The Start Smart dates for this 2024 Fall semester are:
Monday, August 19th @10am- 12pm Redwood Theater
Tuesday, September 10th @6pm-8pm in the library
Wednesday, November 6th @6pm-8pm in the library
Check out our website to register for a Start Smart course.
HOW TO CREATE A WEBSTORE ACCOUNT
SMUSD has a new webstore for online purchases. All Mission Hills students and families will need to create an account to purchase items online. Students are able to create their own account with their SMUSD email. If families have multiple students at different schools within SMUSD or even multiple Grizzlies, you can now create one account for all the students in your family! Refer to the how to guides below to create your accounts.
If you have any questions about creating your webstore account email our ASB Director, Mrs. O’Neil, at jocelyn.oneil@smsud.org.
FAMILY GUIDE TO SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE'S MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Project Cal-Well, a cross-agency mental health initiative led by the California Department of Education, produced this easy-to-use guide with input from families, educators, mental health professionals, and youth. The guide helps parents and other adult family members and caregivers navigate supporting the overall well-being and mental health of school-aged children, including tips for what can be difficult conversations. It offers information about the social and emotional development of young people and explains warning signs that may signal mental health challenges. It equips caregivers with targeted strategies, tools, and resources that help them advocate for their family, address each child’s specific needs, and access professional help.
Key topics and tips include:
- example conversation starters to help open lines of communication with children and teens;
- enjoyable ways to connect, develop wellness routines, and create well-being practices as a family;
- information addressing mental health myths, including the specific needs and increased challenges facing young people who identify as LGBTQ+;
- information on how to recognize signs that a child is bullying or being bullied;
- tools to create a family media plan that sets boundaries around technology and gives children the skills to be online safely using age-appropriate platforms; and
- tips for partnering with schools to access mental health and family wellness resources and supports.
CARE SOLACE
24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service for San Marcos Unified School District Students, Staff, and their Families: https://www.caresolace.com/site/sanmarcos
COUNSELING
>> View MHHS Counseling Linktree of Resources
>> View Counseling website
MHHS LIBRARY
Library Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (M-F)
>> View The Check-in! Library Newsletter for Students
>> Visit Library Page
MHHS ASB
VIEW ALL 24-25 GROWLERS
Click here to view all Growlers.
These are posted to the ParentSquare App each week. If you're not receiving them, please check your settings on ParentSquare, and verify that your contact information is accurate in ParentVUE.If you have anything you'd like to see added, please reach out to Jillian Ryan.
AP/HONORS TUTORING
ENGLISH
MATH
SCIENCE
TUTORING RESOURCES
In addition to asking your teacher for help, attached is some information about AP/Honors Tutoring and Math Tutoring. Also, all California students have access to BrainFuse free through the public library website linked. They offer online tutoring, writing assistance, and more.
