Volume 3 Issue 3 | September 2019
Home & School Club
Next Home & School Club meeting: October 21st at 7pm in the Leigh Library.
All are welcome.
Meeting dates for 2019-20 as well as minutes from past meetings are available  here . 
Highlights from the September 2019 HSC Meeting

  • Our Principal, Kara Butler, provided an update on Professional Development at Leigh. A current focus is on ensuring equitable access to all students for classes, events, activities, and materials. In addition, there is also training around mental health - teaching staff how to identify potential mental health challenges in students, how to support them and how to seek additional support as needed.
  • CUSHD Board member, Stacey Brown, provided an update on what's happening in the district. A key focus for the district is mental health, wellness, and support. In addition, they are addressing vaping and working on a vaping prevention toolkit.
  • Celeste Smiley, our teacher rep, submitted a report where she shared what is happening in the classrooms and other general info related to the teachers. Here's this month's teacher's report »
  • Leigh parent, Paula Jack, is our Home & District Finance Representative. She shared the CUHSD budget for 2019-20 »
  • College & Career Center specialist, Nathalie Goricanec invited all parents to her "Coffee and Cookies with Mrs G" every Friday 12:45-2:15pm. A CCC newsletter is published every 2-3 weeks.

Help Home & School Club Reach our Annual Giving Drive Goal
Thank you to everyone who has already donated to our Annual Giving Drive! To date we have raised $25,542 of our $30K. We need to raise an additional $4,458 in order to support the programs we have committed to funding this year.
Where Your Money Goes:

  • Classroom Resources
  • Staff Grants
  • New Library Furniture
  • Updated Technology
  • Resources for supporting your student's Social and Emotional well-being
  • Resources for creating a Positive School Climate

A detailed list of past programs funded by the Home & School Club can be found here >> . 
You Can Also Donate By Check!
If you prefer, you can make a check payable to Leigh Home & School Club. Mail to: Leigh Home & School Club, Leigh High School, 5210 Leigh Ave, San Jose, CA 95124 or you can simply drop it off at the Leigh High School front office.
Thank you for making a difference!
Your support is important and is greatly appreciated!
Leigh High School Home and School Club is an all volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Tax ID # is 77-0199809. All donations are tax-deductible.
Don't forget to check if your employer will double your donation - it's quick and easy to check!

Many employers match donations. Check out our "Double The Donation" online tool where you can quickly and easily see if your employer will match your donation. You will also be able to sign in to your companies online form and submit your request electronically. Or be taken directly to the paper form you need to complete and submit.

Please take 2-3 minutes now to earn free money for Leigh!
Recent programs/activities funded by Home & School Club

  • $8,400 to teachers for classroom resources. Each teacher received $100 to purchase items such as paper towel, markers, and other essential items for their classroom.
  • $3,475K towards the Challenge Day program. This is the final installment - Home & School Club paid a deposit of $3,675 during the 2018-19 school year. The Challenge Day program focuses on school culture and "transforms through compassion." Learn more here.
  • $264 for Staff Appreciation & Hospitality (Parent Orientation & new teacher gifts)
  • Staff Grants
  • $244 to purchase an iPad for Spanish 1 for apps such as Class Dojo, a live participation website/app, and Show Me, an app for mini-lessons.
  • $54 to purchase class materials to support understanding the Constitution and incorporating current events into class discussions in Gov/Econ.
  • $550 to pay for registration fee for one of the Science Olympiad teams for the Santa Clara Regional competition.
  • $206 to purchase high interest books for book clubs in English 4.
  • $758 for classroom resources for interactive activities and the classroom library in AP Psychology & Psychology.
Back to School Night was a huge success!

A big THANK YOU to all of the parents who made our 2019/20 Parent Welcome at Back to School Night a wonderful evening and an exciting start to the new school year. Coordinated by the Home and School Club Community Building Team, all of our Booster Groups including Home & School Club, Sports, Spirit and the Performing Arts Parent Association (PAPA), came together to share their programs and connect with parents. A very special thank you to all of the students from our Marching Band and Cheerleading Programs who brought so much spirit to the evening. Representatives from our District Office and our District Board were also available to speak to parents. Finally, thank you to Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo for being part of the ribbon cutting ceremony for our beautiful new building (view a short highlight video here ). Thank you all!
Thank you to our College and Career Center Volunteers!

The CUHSD College Fair, sponsored by the CUHSD Ed Foundation, was held on Sept 18 at Del Mar High School. This event was planned and supported by the College & Career Center specialists and volunteers at each of our high schools. Thank you to our Leigh CCC Specialist Nathalie Goricanec and our CCC volunteers, in particular Ann Auld, for all of the time and effort they put in to make this event such a success.
Volunteers needed to support Student Clubs


There are over 70 Student Clubs at Leigh, and parent support for these clubs would be greatly appreciated. In particular, parents are needed to provide mentorship for students in the Robotics, Speech & Debate and Mock Trial clubs. Parent help would also be greatly appreciated in many of the other clubs at Leigh. A full list is available here .

If you can help or have any questions, please reach out directly to our Activities Director, Anthoney Roe, at aroe@cuhsd.org.

Thank you for making a difference at Leigh!

Free Youth Heart Screening at Leigh on Saturday, October 19th

Leigh High School is hosting the first annual Kyle J. Taylor Foundation Youth Heart Screening on Saturday, October 19th (in the gym at Leigh). 


Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is one of the leading killers of teenagers whether they are athletes or not. Our FamLeigh lost 2017 graduate Kyle Taylor to SCA in 2018. Kyle's family set up the Kyle J. Taylor Foundation in honor of their son.

Click here to sign up for a free screening - only a few slots remaining. Click here to sign up to volunteer - set up on Friday, Oct18th, 5-7pm and check-in/clean up on Saturday, Oct 19th, 8am - 6pm. If you have a medical background, click here to sign up to volunteer   - doctors, nurses, medical students, nursing students, EMTs, etc. needed. Any questions, contact kylejtaylorfoundation@gmail.com.
Campus Clean Up Day - Saturday, October 26th
Please join us on October 26th from 8:30am-1:00pm for a day of making Leigh beautiful! We will be planting shrubs, spreading mulch and much more! Parents and students welcome and encouraged to join in the fun. Students can earn volunteer hours. Please bring labeled tools to use. (Shovels, rakes, gloves) Many hands make light work! Come by for as little or as long as you can!


Hope to see you there! Any questions, contact our HSC Beautification Chairs, Kelly, Ashleigh and Tamiko, at beautification@leighhsc.org
More happenings at Leigh



  • Spirit Boosters will be selling Candy Apples in October. Junior Cheer Camp is Oct 15-18. Sign up now »

  • Sports Boosters is selling Leigh apparel at the Football games. Volunteers are needed for the snack shack at the games. Sign up here »


  • Read Principal Kara Butler's Weekly Bulletins here »

  • Read the Daily Bulletins created by our Activities Director, Anthoney Roe, here »
Camp Everytown at Leigh
Camp Everytown is a student club at Leigh that seeks to provide students with social and emotional growth and support. The Club is part of a nationally recognized program run by Silicon Valley Faces . Each year, 20 students and 2 staff members from Leigh travel to Camp Harmon in the Santa Cruz Mountains for a 4 day 3 night immersive leadership camp designed to create empathy and encourage emotional communication to make students more aware of their world and the people in it. The students then return to Leigh and, through their Camp Everytown Club, work to improve our school culture and climate. More info on the club website . The club is led by Leigh teacher, Mr. Castillo, who is doing amazing work with all of the students.

The students fundraise to raise money to attend the leadership camp. They are holding a "Free Hug Day" on Oct 30th. See flyer below. All proceeds from the t-shirt sales go to the Club to cover the cost of the camp.

The Home & School Club is proud to have sponsored two students last year and we plan to do the same again this year. We encourage you to watch this video which shows highlights from a previous Camp Everytown program at Mount Harmon attended by Leigh students.
Free Hug Day!
Sometimes life is rough. Sometimes school is stressful. Sometimes you just need a hug. Camp Everytown would like to offer you a hug on October 30th - the day before Halloween - and remind you that you're valued and you've got this.

Please join us for Free Hug Day at Leigh and support the club and general good vibes by buying a shirt! 

Earn FREE money for Leigh when you shop


Shopping on Amazon? 
Use our dedicated Leigh Amazon link when shopping with Amazon, and Leigh Home & School Club receives a % of the amount you purchased. Bookmark this link for future shopping 'trips'! The link is always available on our website. Does your company shop at Amazon? Then refer this link to the person in charge of purchases. Anyone can use this link and Leigh will benefit.

Shopping at Office Depot?
When you check out, let the cashier know that you want to support Leigh High School. Leigh will receive 5% of your purchase amount.

Shopping at Sports Basement?
On your next visit to Sports Basement, register as a Basementeer and select Leigh High School as your beneficiary. Basementeer's receive 10% and give 10%:

  • 10% off every item every day
  • 10% of your purchase is donated back to Leigh