Dear Knights:

It has been another great week at Foothill.  Even though we have our usual hiccups, the staff and students have been great with getting school up and going.  Kids are in classes, schedules are set and teams and student groups are making us very proud.

I'm happy to announce that Foothill High made the Newsweek list of top high schools.  Congratulations to Foothill staff and students on ranking #143 in the nation!  That is a very impressive feat and reflective of the hard work that our staff and students do on a daily basis.  Foothill is a great school, with diverse student needs.  Congratulations again!  If you'd like to read more about the rankings, please go to: http://www.newsweek.com/high-schools/americas-top-schools-2014

Tonight, our football team will take on Beckman High School at 7:00 at Northrup Field on the Tustin High campus.  Please come out to support our football players, band, cheer and dance teams.  It really is a community event and a source of pride for our entire school.  See you there!

PTO/Principal's Roundtable Meeting

Please join us for the Foothill PTO/Principal's Roundtable meeting on Tuesday, September 16 at 10:30 a.m. in the Cafeteria.  Principal's Roundtable is a chance for you to hear what's going on at Foothill and to ask Dr. Stephany questions you may have.  Please make sure to sign in at the front office for this event.  Everyone is welcome!

Barry Turner Celebration of Life

In memory of our beloved soccer coach, there will be a Celebration of Life for Barry Turner on September 21, 2014.  The celebration will be held at Barry Turner Soccer field at 5:00PM. Please see the flyer attached here.  We hope to see you there.

College and Career News

Angela Young is hosting a Brown Bag Lunch Workshop for Seniors on Thursday, September 18th.  The topic of this workshop is Fine Tuning Your Resume for College Applications, Scholarships & Your Brag Sheet.  Watch for more Brown Bag Lunch Workshops.  Students can get a schedule from Mrs. Young or their counselor.  

Today (9/12) is the last day to sign up for the Oct 11th SAT.  You may still sign up until 9/30 but will be charged a late fee.  

Next week we will have information for you on Hawaii Pacific University, Dominican University of California, Embry Riddle (Aeronautical in Arizona), Westmont College and Georgia Tech.  Mrs. Young keeps the full, always evolving list and is attempting to track down schools our students can get into AND can afford!  Click here for more information 

9th Grade Parent Night

Foothill High School's 9th grade Parent Night will be held on Tuesday, September 30th at 7 pm in the Event Center. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday Night!

Please Support Your Student By Donating To The Ed Fund

The Ed Fund puts your tax deductible donation to work maintaining, enriching and expanding Foothill's educational programs.  From Art and English to Math, Science and Technology - every student in every department benefits from your support.  No donation is too small to make a big difference!  You can donate by going to  the Ed Fund page on the FHS website: http://www.tustin.k12.ca.us/Page/4266

State of the Schools Invitation

TUSD will be holding the third annual State of the School breakfast address at Tustin High School on September 22.  The event is a great way to hear about what is happening in TUSD and the direction of the district.  Space is limited.  Please sign up at: www.tpsf.net

School Fee Statement

Section 5 of Article IX of the State of California Constitution guarantees students a "free public education." The State Supreme Court concluded in the 1984 case of Harzell v. Connell (35 Cal.3d.899 (1984), "that all educational activities carried on by public school districts, extra- curricular as well as curricular, must be without cost to the students who participate in such activities." This same ruling found that "mandatory fees for participating in such extra-curricular activities as drama, music, and athletic competition were illegal under the State Constitution." Furthermore, they also rejected the argument that "fees could be charged so long as the district waived fees for students who were financially unable to pay."

Information regarding student fees can be found on Foothill's website:  http://www.tustin.k12.ca.us/domain/1931 

FCA Barbecue

The Foothill Communities Association (FCA) is holding its fourth annual barbecue for residents of North Tustin at Irvine Regional Park on Sunday, September 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.   There will be fun activities for children and families, train rides and food.  For more information or to register, visit www.FCAhome.org or call (714) 712-3404.    

Lacrosse Fundraiser

Lacrosse is holding a fundraiser.  It looks interesting and fun.  Please click here for more information

TUSD Connect Poll

In order to better assess the effectiveness of TUSD Connect, TUSD will ask students to take a brief survey.  Students took the same survey last year as well.  If you do not want your student to take this brief survey, please click here for the opt out form.  All answers are anonymous and therefore confidential.

Again, thank you for a great start to the school year.  We appreciate everyone's hard work and support.  Foothill is a tremendous school and it takes many individual efforts to make it great for our kids.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Nick Stephany

Principal, Foothill High School