The SAT will be given to all 11th grades on Wednesday, April 2nd free of charge. The SAT will be administered digitally. All students will need to bring their Chromebooks.

Students are required to attend school, even if they opt out of testing. Attendance will be taken. If a student has opted out of testing, the student will be assigned a room.

More information can be found on our website: https://www.smmusd.org/domain/4455

If you have any questions, please contact, Lissette Bravo, M House Principal at lbravo@smmsud.org or 310-395-3204 ext 71-854

Friday, April 4th is the end of the grading period. Progress grades will be available in Aeries next week.

Students - Sign up NOW or during Advisory on Tuesday! Failure to sign up will result in a period absence and campus clean-up. 😕

Juniors - you do not need to sign up this week as you will be taking the SAT.

Classes will resume on Monday, April 21st

Hello Samohi Family,

I am so excited to share with you an amazing experience coming to Samohi on Tuesday, April 29th.

Samohi is the only school in the nation that has two alumni who are astronauts that are not related. A few years ago, Samohi was awarded a Skype call with the International Space Station to talk with Col. Randy Bresnik, Samohi Class of 1985. On April 8th Dr. Jonny Kim, Samohi Class of 2002 will be blasting off for his mission on the International Space Station. Samohi has been chosen for another conversation with the International Space Station!

Samohi has the opportunity to submit questions to ask Dr. Kim but we have a very tight turn around given Spring Break is almost here. Please encourage your students to submit question through this google form link (https://tinyurl.com/SamohiNASAquestions) by Tuesday, April 1st at 11:59 PM.

We will be having a special schedule on April 29th, more details to come after Spring Break.

Begin the countdown to Samohi Ad Astra Day!

Marae Cruce

Principal

Santa Monica High School

Congratulations to our 9th-grade physics students for courageously and confidently defending their innovative playground designs for Virginia Park to the Santa Monica Parks and Recreation design team! Their creativity, critical thinking, and persuasive presentations showcased a deep understanding of physics principles and community needs. Who knows—perhaps some of their visionary ideas will inspire the park's future redesign!

Congratulations to our students and staff for the powerful and moving memorial exhibition, "Forget Me Not." Through their social science studies (World History) and the reading of Night in English 9/10 class, students created poignant works of art and artist statements that demonstrated deep insight and reflection on the Holocaust. Their work honors the memory of those who suffered while serving as a reminder of the importance of remembrance and learning from history. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this meaningful and thought-provoking exhibition.

Our seniors are wrapping up their project cycle in the i-studio, creating incredible products that will impact both current and future PBL students! Help support their work by donating materials or Home Depot gift cards. Every contribution fuels hands-on learning and innovation!

PBL seniors have been studying Hamlet, and we have the opportunity to attend an acclaimed adaptation of the play by the Center Theater Group at the Mark Taper Forum, Friday, May 30th @ 8pm.

If PBL students from other grades would like to join, we have limited discounted tickets for only $25. Families are also welcome to come, but they'll need to acquire tickets from the theater directly (LINK).

As this is an optional, after-school event, everyone is responsible for their own transportation. Please see or email John (jserge@smmusd.org) before spring break for student tickets or to ask any questions you may have.

We hope to see you at the theater!

John Serge

English Teacher & Advisor

Sign up for a special Leaving to Learn experience at Snapchat’s headquarters, where you’ll get an inside look at one of the world’s most innovative tech companies! This visit will highlight the various career opportunities Snapchat offers—ranging from engineering and design to marketing, storytelling, and business strategy.

If you're curious about the tech industry and want to see how creativity meets cutting-edge technology, don’t miss this chance! Space is limited, so sign up now! 🔥

APPLY for the Youth Mental Health Academy (YMHA)! Participating high school students will gain hands-on knowledge and experience in mental health fields through paid project-based learning, mentorship, and summer internships.

The deadline to apply is March 31. If you have students who may be interested in the program, please share our student flyer or have them visit our website.

YMHA participants will receive:

• A stipend of up to $2,000 (Summer 2025)
• Professional experience as a paid intern (Summer 2026)
• Mentorship from professionals working in the industry
• Access to workshops, career fairs, and expert panels

New civic engagement opportunity! Apply now to the official Santa Monica Youth Advisory Council! The council is an amazing way to get involved in your city, facilitate real change, learn about government, and pump up your resume. Members will collaborate and discuss relevant topics in monthly meetings, working directly with the city council. Mentors like the mayor and other council members will be present in the meetings, even further enriching the experience. All students are encouraged to apply!

Complete the application!

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.
• 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

anintergenerational program thatbuilds meaningful relationshipsbetween Sages (adults 60+) andSeekers (students 14-24). This isnot a mentorship program – youhave as much to share with olderadults as they have with you!

The Wilfandel Club is committed to promoting education for young people in the community. On behalf of the club, the Fannie Williams Scholarship Committee promotes higher education by providing scholarship awards for high school seniors. The scholarships are designed to financially assist deserving high school seniors who want to attend college. The number of scholarships granted each year, the amount of the scholarships and the recipients shall be determined by the scholarship committee. Scholarships are funded by donors and fundraisers. Deadline is April 1st!

Click here for the application.

Application for PYFC Film Fellowship Program

Junior Scholars represents a key part of the Foundation’s mission to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators, problem solvers, and leaders and equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive in this rapidly evolving global landscape. This program fosters scientific education by incorporating hands-on experimentation in a collaborative environment. Formerly known as Junior Fellows, Junior Scholars is a unique, three-week summer fellowship for rising high school seniors interested in clinical or research oncology, designed to foster a lifelong passion for scientific education.

https://eirf.org/education/

The Volunteer Services Student Programs is divided into 3 separate programs:

• General Student Program (Year-Round) - Undergrad/Recent Graduate Students

• General Student Program (Summer Only) - High School Students

• Mattel Youth Ambassador (Virtual Only) - Mattel Youth Ambassadors

*The minimum age to volunteer in any program is 16 years old.

2025 High School Student Volunteer Information Session

Summer 2025 Volunteer Information Session will take place on Tuesday, April 8, 2025

All interested students must attend the mandatory Information Session to be able to apply to our program. A Zoom Meeting Invite will be sent out via email the day before the session.

Summer 2025 Sign Up Link

Click here for more information about volunteer opportunities!

Teen Gallery Guides at the Getty Center is a paid summer internship opportunity for teens interested in art, working in community with teen peers, building public speaking skills, and engaging with art professionals and museum spaces in unique ways. Over the summer, interns will learn strategies for understanding and discussing artwork, audience engagement techniques, and teaching strategies to lead gallery experiences and activities for school-aged visiting groups. Transportation to and from the Getty Center is provided to each intern, as well as a stipend.

Questions? Please email us at gettyteens@getty.edu

https://www.getty.edu/education/teens/index.html

Monday, June 23 to Friday, July 25, 2025

We are pleased to offer in-person opportunities for students this summer. Summer School at Samohi will be held in the Innovation Building on the Samohi campus. We will offer breakfast and lunch daily to students. Summer at Samohi includes the following programs:

Accelerated Course details—deadline to apply is Apr 25, 2025

PBL Students may take Geometry or Art. History courses are an integral part of our PBL Pathway and are required to be taken as part of our program.

• Accelerated Geometry: Students who wish to accelerate in the math pathway of their choice. Students with grades of an A or B in Algebra will be considered for this course. Students who take Accelerated Geometry will still be enrolled in a math class for the following year.

• Accelerated Geometry Application

• Accelerated Art: students looking to develop their artistic skills and explore various techniques in drawing, painting, and design. Perfect for those passionate about visual arts, this course provides a strong foundation for future artistic endeavors

• Accelerated Art Application

If you are interested in taking a course through an outside program (NOT SAMO or Community College) please read the following information. All students MUST APPLY AND BE APPROVED BEFORE registering in a class.

Information on policies and schools that are accepted by Samohi can be found at: https://www.smmusd.org/Page/4233 Application to turn into Advisor and can be found on the website: CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT APPLICATION 2025. Deadline to apply for approval is May 25, 2025

SMC Summer schedule is NOT AVAILABLE YET. When it’s live, it can be found here: https://www.smc.edu/academics/classes/

All students must apply to be a SMC student before you can submit the SMC’s High School Concurrent Enrollment Form. Please follow the directions LINKED below on how to enroll at SMC as a student.

Students MUST turn in this SAMO Concurrent application to Nicole if wanting to take an SMC class: CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT APPLICATION 2025. This is in addition to the SMC application.

Please read thoroughly:

• All applications will be submitted virtually

• Your first step is to apply to SMC - apply online today

• Once that is complete, application materials must be submitted through the High School Concurrent Enrollment Application Form

• Once you complete the student portion of the form and attach the required documents, it will be forwarded to your parent to approve, and then to Nicole Nicodemus (your HS Counselor) smmusd email and mcruce@smmusd.org (HS principal) for approval.

• Students may take a variety of classes as long as you meet any SMC requirements and get approval from Samo. Please speak to Nicole if you have any questions. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL CORE SUBJECTS ARE TAKEN AT SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL. You must enter the correct course number when you fill out the High School Concurrent Enrollment form

More information was sent to you by your advisor please read over all the directions

• 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

The Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) are working together to improve support for students, families, and school staff. We ask all parents/caregivers to complete a 15-minute survey to help improve this initiative. Participation is voluntary, and responses will not affect your child’s academic record. Your answers will be kept confidential and reported in aggregate form. For questions, contact LACOE Community Schools at (562) 401-5407 or communityschools@lacoe.edu.

SURVEY LINK:

https://bit.ly/guardiansurvey2025

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

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.

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.

All groups are dependent on getting enough referrals so please consider referring your student if they are interested.

Wellness Services Center Website

Mental Health Referral Form

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.

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.

Support a young author and purchase Malaika's book on Amazon today!

Categorized as a coming-of-age psychological thriller.