Sequoia 
   Sentinel
May 23, 2016

Sequoia PTSA's weekly eNewsletter in partnership with the Sequoia High School Education Foundation
Principal's Message
With apologies to the Harper's Index, here is a selective snapshot of Sequoia 2015-16 by the numbers:
  • Students enrolled: 2099
  • Minutes of instruction: 66,530
  • Percentage increase in teachers with advanced degrees between 2010 and 2016: 17.9
  • PTSA Mini-Grants awarded this year: 38
  • Average number of general circulation books checked out of the library each month: 81
  • Approximate number of working Chromebooks in use each day: 860
  • Number of full-time tech support staff: 1
  • Minutes needed to evacuate and account for every student at 4/28 earthquake drill: 21
  • Percentage increase in students enrolled in Health and Digital Arts Academies between 2009-10 and 2015-16: 26.6%
  • Number of AVID students this year: 219
  • Measure A projects completed or underway at Sequoia: 10
  • Percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch in 2013-14: 47.5
  • Percentage this year: 51.9
  • 11th and 12th graders enrolled in 1 or more IB classes in 2015-16: 520
  • 11th and 12th graders scheduled 1 or more IB classes for 2016-17: 661
  • Crab claws eaten by the principal at this year's Booster Dinner: 7
  • Grade 12 Sequoia HS pass rate for AP/IB tests last year: 79.1%
  • Grade 12 SUHSD pass rate for AP/IB tests last year: 75.9%
  • Number of students attending this year's Health and Wellness Fair: 814
  • Miles between Sequoia HS and Winter Formal: 0.6
  • Tickets sold to Winter Formal: 610
  • Miles between Sequoia HS and Prom: 27.7
  • Tickets sold to prom: 690
Have a great week!
Sean

Staff Appreciation Luncheon
In appreciation of our teachers and staff this year, our annual EOY Staff Appreciation Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, June 1.  The Parent Center/ELAC is spearheading the event, but we need a few people to provide cases of water.  Sign up here!

Reminder: Complete Your 2016-17 Online Check-In Now
If you have not done so yet, please complete your online information update NOW for the 2016-17 school year. Instructions were mailed to you by the school district. It is very important that you confirm your student's schedule for next year and resolve any scheduling issues before school is out for the summer, as well as to update your family contact information.

Help make your student's transition back to school next August as smooth as possible!  Log on to arena.seq.org with either your Infinite Campus user name and password, or the household ID and passcode that was mailed to you.  If you have any problems, contact Anilisa Manolache at [email protected] or 650-367-9780 ext. 60096.

Graduation Concessions Fundraiser
Junior families - we will be selling concessions at this year's graduation as a fundraiser for our grad week next year. Please sign up to donate an item or to help for a couple of hours on Friday, June 3. Thank you!

IB Info for 10th & 11th Graders
Attention 10th Grade Families: Are you interested in taking an IB course online through Pamoja next year? Not enough room in your schedule for everything or want to access an IB course like IB Film, Economics or Philosophy that we do not offer at Sequoia?  IB electives can be used to fulfill a Diploma requirement. All Pamoja courses are two years. See Ms. McCahon for an application. Scholarships are available for students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. You do NOT have to be a Diploma student to take Pamoja.  Apps are due Thursday, May 26th to the IB office.

IB Summer Assignments for current 10th and 11th graders (incoming 11th and 12th): Some IB courses require a summer assignment. Not all IB courses require one. Please check the IB page on the SHS website
(http://www.sequoiahs.org/?id=1037#2285) for a list of courses requiring an assignment and a link to the assignment. 
Please look over the assignment before you break for summer to make sure you understand it. Have a wonderful summer!

IB Ceremony Tomorrow
Seniors who took at least one IB course are invited with their families to the IB Ceremony tomorrow - Tuesday, May 24 from 5:30-7:30 PM in Carrington Hall.  We had 253 seniors taking one or more IB classes, 46 of them being full IB Diploma Candidates.  Congratulations!
 
Textbook Collection
Thank you to those who have signed up already to help the librarians collect textbooks! We still need at least one person for the shifts listed below.  Sign up here to help!
  • Wednesday, June 1 - morning and afternoon
  • Thursday, June 2 - morning
Sequoia Students Help With Fitness Education
This past Friday, students from Sequoia's Health Academy served as health educators in the Dignity Health "Make Time for Fitness Event."  Kudos to the students for making the event possible for over 1,000 Redwood City School District 4th graders!

Update Your Newsletter Subscriptions
For families who will no longer be at Sequoia - we will miss you!  If you no longer wish to receive the Sentinel, please unsubscribe at the end of the school year using the link at the bottom of this email. Our fees are based on the number of people on our distribution list, so keeping our email list accurate is helpful to us!

Class Email Lists:  Families of current freshmen and sophomores, or if you have a new student coming to Sequoia, be sure to subscribe to your class email list.  The PTSA sends out emails periodically about school and other event information that is specific to your grade -- don't miss out!  Go to the Sequoia PTSA website and subscribe in the "Stay Informed" section on the sidebar or in the main menu.

Thank You, IB Proctors!
Dear Parents/Guardians who volunteered to proctor our IB Exams,

Thank you so much for taking the time to help administer our IB exams. We had 285 students sitting for 773 exams. Each IB subject exam took place over two or three testing days. There is no way we could have done this without you. Every single volunteer showed up on time to their shifts! Thanks for being so helpful and giving up your time to make this program successful. We greatly appreciate you. A special thanks to Erika Pretell for organizing the volunteer sign ups and to Jenn Bulka for being a lead proctor managing a room on her own. 

Enjoy the rest of the school year and take care,
Lisa McCahon
IB Coordinator
In This Issue
Principal's Message
Staff Appreciation Luncheon
Complete Your 2016-17 Online Check-In
Graduation Concessions Fundraiser
IB Info for 10th & 11th Graders
IB Ceremony Tomorrow
Textbook Collection
Sequoia Students Help With Fitness Education
Update Your Newsletter Subscriptions
Thank You, IB Proctors!
SCEF Seeks Summer Intern
Calendar
Monday, May 23
Collab Day

Tuesday, May 24
5:30-7:30 PM - IB Ceremony, Carrington Hall

Wednesday, May 25
5 PM - BUILD graduation, Carrington Hall

Thursday, May 26
7 PM - Spring Sports Awards, Carrington Hall


ON THE HORIZON 
Monday, May 30
No school - Memorial Day

May 31-June 2

Tuesday, May 31
6 PM - Health Careers Academy graduation

Wednesday, June 1
12:30-2 - Grad BBQ, Quad

Thursday, June 2
Last day of school

11-12:30 - Grad Brunch, MPR
12:30 - Graduation practice

7 PM - Senior awards night, Carrington Hall

Friday, June 3
10 AM - Sequoia Graduation
Quick Links
About Us 

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Find past issues of the Sentinel: SequoiaPTSA.org 
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Community News

SCEF Seeks Summer Intern
The San Carlos Education Foundation is seeking a summer intern to assist with event/auction planning this summer.  This is a part-time position at the SCEF office. Interns will be working directly with the Executive Director, Operations Manager and Gala Coordinator and will gain insights into education, non-profit management, philanthropy and database management.

It is a wonderful opportunity for local teens to get valuable internship experience for college applications and to get service hours toward their high school diploma!  Contact [email protected] for more information.