Sequoia Sentinel
Sequoia PTSA's weekly eNewsletter in partnership with the Sequoia High School Education Foundation
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Hi Raven families,

Welcome to 2023! I hope you all had a restful, and dry, winter break.
 
Some reminders as we get back into school mode this week:
 
  1. Tuesday Jan. 10: Students return to school. Tuesday is an A day. 
  2. Monday, Jan. 16: MLK School Holiday.
  3. Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 7:00 p.m.: The next ELAC/PTSA meeting in the MPR with Sean Priest!
  4. Friday, Jan. 20 from 8:45-10:00 a.m.: Principal’s Coffee with Sean Priest (and a special guest!) in room 128. Join us as we rejuvenate pre-pandemic get-togethers.
  5. And last but not least, show your school spirit by supporting Raven athletics and activities — it’s all on the Sequoia calendar! 
 
Happy New Year, and GO RAVENS!
 
Karen Gebhart
Sequoia PTSA President
PTSA
Holiday lunch — thank you!
Almuerzo por las festividades — ¡Gracias!
Just before winter break, the ELAC and PTSA celebrated the Sequoia staff and teachers with a holiday luncheon. ELAC families provided homemade dishes, including tamales, and community members donated salads, desserts, drinks, and gift cards for a holiday gift raffle. 

So many community members came together to put on this event. Thanks to everyone who contributed and helped on the day of the event. A VERY special thank you to the ELAC family members who cooked and served the delicious food AND to Elvira Macias for her coordination and hard work. It was a very special event in honor of our very special Sequoia staff and teachers.
Almuerzo por las festividades – ¡Gracias!
Antes del descanso del invierno, ELAC y PTSA les celebraron al personal y maestros con un almuerzo por las festividades. Unas familias de ELAC proveyeron comida casera, incluyendo tamales, y miembros de la comunidad donaron ensaladas, postres, bebidas y tarjetas de regalo para un sorteo. 

Tantos miembros de la comunidad se juntaron para organizar este evento. Gracias a todos los que contribuyeron y ayudaron el día del evento. Mil gracias a las familias de ELAC quienes cocinaron y sirvieron la comida rica y a Elvira Macias por su coordinación y su arduo trabajo. Era un evento muy especial en honor a nuestro personal y maestros muy especiales.
It’s not too late to join the PTSA!
Have you and your family joined the PTSA? Did you know that spouses and Sequoia students can also join? Here's how to add family members to your membership: 

  1. Go to the Sequoia High School PTSA Webstore.
  2. Log in using your username and password.
  3. Click 'My Account' on the top right.
  4. Click on ‘My Family’.
  5. Click the green ‘Add Family’ button.
  6. Enter information for the new family member under ‘Add New’.
  7. Return to the store by clicking 'Product Categories' - 'PTSA membership'.

Not sure if you've joined? Have questions? Please contact Dana Rechin.
Jan. 20: Principal's Coffee
Join us for coffee with Sean Priest on Friday, Jan. 20, from 8:45-10:00 a.m. in room 128. We'll be bringing this event back, post-COVID. It seems like there are many families we haven't yet met, this school year. This is a great opportunity to meet other Sequoia parents and connect with the community. We hope to see some new faces (freshman families) and many sophomore, junior, and senior families. Coffee and treats will be provided!
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
January news from the Media Center
Check out our January newsletter, and click here to find out what’s happening at the Sequoia Media Center! We look forward to seeing you! Ms. Snow.
Classroom volunteer opportunity
Hello, Sequoia Community,

I am looking for two more volunteers to work on reading, writing, and speaking activities with recent immigrants who are learning English. The shifts are on Tuesdays, from 8:30-10:10 a.m. and/or 10:30 a.m.-12:10 p.m. Each volunteer works with one to five students at a time. 

Intermediate or advanced Spanish proficiency is preferred, but not required. I am also looking for a Vietnamese-speaking volunteer, and for volunteers to substitute when the regular volunteers are unavailable. 

The commitment is for the semester, and you are welcome to visit and observe the class before signing up. All volunteers are required to complete a volunteer clearance process. 

Please contact me, Stacy Wenzel, if you would like to volunteer or visit the classroom, or if you have questions.
SUHSD Middle College program now accepting applications
The SUHSD Middle College program at Cañada College has started accepting applications for fall 2023. Middle College is a collaboration between the SUHSD and Cañada College, and students earn both high school and college credits, enabling them to complete their high school requirements and earn college credit simultaneously. All classes are held at Cañada College, and there is no cost. Learn more here. 
 
Interested sophomores should speak to their counselor and attend one of our parent/student info sessions. Limited space for rising seniors. RSVP here.
 
  • Thursday, Jan. 26: SUHSD boardroom, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Jan. 31: Zoom webinar, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 9: SUHSD boardroom, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 1: SUHSD boardroom, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
 
The SUHSD boardroom is located at 480 James Ave., Redwood City, CA 94062.
 
All application components must be submitted by Friday, March 17 at 4:00 p.m.
Email us with questions, visit the website, or call 650-306-3120 for more information.
 
Hablamos Español. ¡Gracias!
Thank you.
CLASS NOTES
Jan. 13: Deadline to submit senior baby pictures
Seniors (or senior parents), please email baby pictures for the yearbook to Ms. Bray now. The deadline is Jan. 13. Please include “Baby” in the email subject line and use the student’s name for the file name, if possible.
SEQUOIA ATHLETICS
Come watch us play

Support the Ravens by attending home games. Complete winter sports schedules are now posted at SeqSports.com.

Let’s go, Ravens!
Conference games start this week
Jan. 10: Girls Soccer vs. Hillsdale — Varsity 4:30 p.m., JV 6:00 p.m.
Jan. 11: Boys Basketball vs. San Mateo — Varsity 6:00 p.m., JV 4:30 pm.
Jan. 11: Boys Soccer vs. San Mateo — Varsity 4:30 p.m., JV 6:00 p.m.

Wrestling, basketball, and soccer have away events this week.
New year, old tradition
After a three year hiatus, the Crab Feed Dinner & Auction is returning on Saturday, March 11! Help the Boosters bring back our biggest fundraiser of the year by donating auction items or volunteering for the event. Email to get involved.
EDUCATION FOUNDATION
SHSEF supports students in reaching highest potential
Did you know SHSEF supports staff, projects, and programs to ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their highest potential? We raise funds for college services, academic enrichment programs, staff professional development, and student and family support. 
THE PARENT EDUCATION SERIES
What is "radical inclusion"? And why is it important? Vikram K. Jaswal, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia, advocates for full-membership inclusion that will empower our kids, schools, and communities. 
 
¿Qué es la "Inclusión Radical" y por qué es importante? Vikram K. Jaswal, PhD, Profesor de Psicología de la Universidad de Virginia, nos ayudará a comprender cómo podemos promover la inclusión con una mayor conciencia y comprensión en nuestras familias, escuelas y comunidades. Enlace de zoom.
Dr. Ross W. Greene, renowned child psychologist and New York Times bestselling author of Lost at School and The Explosive Child, explains how to cultivate better parent-child relationships while also nurturing empathy, honesty, resilience, and independence.

Dr. Ross W. Greene, renombrado psicólogo infantil y New York Times autor superventas del Lost at School y The Explosive Child, explica cómo cultivar mejores relaciones entre padres e hijos y, al mismo tiempo, fomentar la empatía, la honestidad, la resiliencia y la independencia. Enlace de zoom.
STAY ON TOP OF THINGS AT SEQUOIA
There are many communication resources at Sequoia besides the Sentinel. Here are a few of our favorites:

Sequoia High School Website
  • Home page: Includes the Bell Schedule.
  • Calendar. Note: Sequoia only posts schedule abnormalities here, so unless otherwise noted, assume a normal week:
  • Mon. - A Day
  • Tues. - B Day
  • Wed. - Collab. Day
  • Thurs. - A Flex Day
  • Fri. - B Flex Day
  • Infinite Campus: Includes a student-specific daily calendar.
  • Sequoia 101: information on all things Sequoia.
  • Staff and Student Bulletin: everything from student announcements, to the sports schedule, to all the available clubs. Read it on the website, or subscribe to get it twice a week in your email.

PTSA Resources

Student News
  • That's So Raven Announcements: subscribe to Sequoia High School ASB's YouTube channel and set up alerts so you'll know when these fun and informational vlogs post.
  • Raven Report: The student news site of Sequoia High School.

Quick Links:
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SENTINEL
The Sentinel goes out to over 3,500 members of the Sequoia High School community on Sundays at 8 a.m. during the school year. Submissions are due on Wednesday — click the purple Submission button below. Include a Spanish translation from a native or bilingual speaker if you can (no Google translations please). To unsubscribe, use the Constant Contact link at the bottom of your issue.

En Español:
¿Quieres traducir este boletín ahora? En Español
  1. Mantenga presionada la tecla Control (PC) y la tecla A para seleccionar toda la página, a continuación, mantenga presionada la tecla Control y haga clic en la tecla C para copiar la página entera.
  2. Abra una página nueva del navegador web y vaya a google translate.
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