San Benito High School District shares information with the public as it becomes available, including offering newsletter updates each Monday and Thursday. Make sure to follow us on social media as well through @BalerNews on Twitter and Instagram, @BalerSports on Instagram, and Hollister High School on Facebook.

Monday, January 23, 2023

Dear Hollister High School parents, students, staff and community:

Angela Heredia, Hollister High School’s school nurse, came to California as a travel nurse in 2005 and fell in love with the West Coast and decided to make California her home. She has been a nurse for 24 years, having spent 22 years as a hospital nurse and two years as a nurse instructor for the LVN Program at Unitek College prior to becoming a school nurse. Nurse Heredia said her favorite part of being a nurse is being able to advocate and take care of her patients and being able to provide personalized and compassionate care to the students at Hollister High. Having started working for HHS at the end of September, she is responsible for coordinating and providing vision and hearing screenings, assisting in the evaluation of students for special services, and more. Students may visit the nurse’s office when they have headaches, are feeling unwell, have a stomach ache, are experiencing anxiety, suffer broken bones, or are dealing with long-term conditions such as epilepsy or asthma. Nurse Heredia acknowledges that being a nurse can be challenging, but says the reward of providing compassionate care to students is completely worth it. - Story by Hollister High School senior Sarah Wafa

San Benito High School District's Strategic Plan team met with the Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum's Student Advisory Council last week. The students received information on what the Strategic Plan is and how it is focused on students. They participated in a brainstorming activity centered around student engagement in school. The feedback and data from that meeting will be used to continue exploring the topic of engagement at the next meeting in February.

Hollister High School will host the SAT and ACT tests during the school day in April. The fee for the test is $15. Limited spots are available, so students must sign up and pay at the Student Payment Center between Jan. 24 and Feb. 15. Late signs-ups will not be accepted.

Attention Hollister High School seniors: The deadline is approaching quickly for FAFSA / CADAA completion. All high school seniors are required to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) per the new state law, AB 469. South County Cal-Soap every Tuesday evening until March 2nd is offering free assistance to students and families who still need to complete their financial aid application. You can join via Zoom or in-person from 4 to 8 p.m. The flyer has additional information.

Tuesday, Jan. 24 is $2 Tuesday at Hollister High School. Students in first block classes will be asked if they would like to donate any amount of money to the ASB Beneficiary effort for Mrs. Alysia Taormina. The money will be collected in envelopes during that block only and picked up by ASB representatives. Any and every donation of any amount helps the effort!

There will be an informational boys swim team meeting this Wednesday, Jan. 25, right after school in Room 385. All are welcome to attend to get more information about the season, which starts February 1st.

The "Be the Bridge" group of Hollister will host a community-building event on Sunday, Jan. 29 at the local Elks Lodge. The event is partially sponsored by the San Benito Arts Council in coordination with Hollister High School's Black Student Union. For more information about "Be the Bridge," click here: https://bethebridge.com/groups/

Hello, Balers! Are you looking for ways to get involved in our community? Good news, Hollister High School’s California Scholarship Federation is heading up a Community Service Fair to showcase volunteer opportunities all around Hollister. The event will be held this Wednesday, January 25th in the O'Donnell Gym (a change from what's listed on the flyer) from 6-8 p.m. Organizations from all over San Benito County will be in attendance to inform you about community service opportunities as well as answer all of your questions. If you want to make a positive impact in our community, you are strongly encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Heather Nichols at [email protected].

Attention parents and relatives of Hollister High School seniors: The February 3rd deadline to purchase a senior tribute in this year's yearbook is fast approaching. Don't miss out on your opportunity to celebrate your graduate's accomplishment. The online system allows you to create and pay for your tribute all in one. 

Auditions for the Spring Musical "Rock of Ages" are fast approaching. They will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 1 and Thursday, Feb 2. All students who are academically eligible are encouraged to audition for the show. For more information, the director of the show, Derek Barnes, will be hosting an audition workshop on Monday, Jan. 30 at 3:15 p.m. in Room 223.

Rock the Mock is an opportunity for Hollister High School students to engage with community members in an unofficial interview while learning real life skills needed to obtain employment. The coordinators of the fourth annual event are seeking professionals and community members to interview and provide feedback to students during a mock interview. They want to connect our youth with the community while also teaching them valuable skills. 

If you would like to participate and are interested in interviewing students, please fill out the Google Form linked below. All students will be invited to participate.

Students who didn't purchase the Baler Pak can now order individual copies of the 2022-23 Hollister High School yearbook online for $75 through www.yearbookordercenter.com. Make sure to enter code 6779 when ordering.