A Month of Gratitude and Connection | As we welcome November, I find myself reflecting on the many things we have to be thankful for this season. At the top of that list is our incredible school community and the dedicated board members who continue to show up, lend their support, and give their time and energy to make a difference for our students and families. Thank you for your continued commitment, collaboration, and heart. The work we do together makes our community stronger, and I am truly grateful to be part of it. | Coffee and Connection with Mr. Priest | A warm thank you to Mr. Priest and all the parents who joined us for our recent Principal’s Coffee! These meaningful moments of connection – sharing the joys, navigating the challenges, and reflecting on our hopes for both school and parenthood – remind us of the strength, warmth, and care that make our community so special. We are grateful for the conversations, the shared experiences, and the strong partnership between home and school that helps our community thrive. We also want to thank the Sequoia High School Education Foundation (SHSEF) for their continued support and Andy Kitt for his wonderful coordination of this event. | Upcoming: Joint PTSA/ELAC Meeting – November 3rd | A friendly reminder to mark your calendars for November 3 at 7:00 PM for our joint PTSA/ELAC meeting featuring Dr. Rosekind. We hope to see many of our families join us for this informative and engaging conversation. | Reflections and Mini-Grants | |
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it is hard to believe how quickly this school year is moving! Between the excitement of the season, the many activities on campus, and the ever-present deadlines, we are certainly keeping busy. Our Reflections program is in full swing! Submissions are due by November 9th, 2026, and we can’t wait to see the creativity our students bring to life.
I also want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who submitted mini-grant applications. We are so grateful for the thoughtful ideas, creativity, and dedication reflected in these requests. Your submissions remind us why supporting our school community is so meaningful.
A special shout-out and sincere thank-you to Stephanie Beauchamps for her outstanding leadership in guiding and leading the mini-grant program this year.
As we move through this season of gratitude, I hope we can all take a moment to appreciate the small victories, the connections we build, and the people who make our school such a special place.
Wishing you and your families a wonderful November filled with meaningful moments together.
Warmly,
Francoise Monet
PTSA President
Sequoia High School
| Deck the Halls and Support Safe & Sober Grad Night! | |
Get a jump start on the holidays while supporting a Safe & Sober Grad Night for our current sophomore class.
Shop our annual holiday evergreen fundraiser for fresh, fragrant wreaths, garlands, and festive reindeer sourced from a sustainably run family farm.
Orders will be available for pickup in San Carlos in early December.
Order by November 8, and share the sale with local friends and neighbors.
PayPal and credit/debit cards accepted. Questions or need another payment option? Please contact Trinity Murphy.
| Pies of Gratitude – Staff Appreciation | |
Show your gratitude for our Sequoia teachers and staff with pie on Friday, Nov. 20!
Sign up to donate pies, whipped cream or supplies, or to help serve at the event.
Drop off donations in Redwood City on Wed Nov 18 & Thurs Nov 19. Contact Stacie Ciraulo with questions.
Thank you so much for helping our Sequoia teachers and staff feel how grateful we are for them in this season and always!
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For the first time this year, your PTSA is pleased to announce cash awards for winning entries in the Reflections Art Program. Remember, the deadline to submit your personal expressions of “What my culture means to me“ is Nov. 9, 2026.
The Reflections Art Program is a great way to express yourself, be recognized for your artistic efforts, and get a chance at a cash award!
Learn More
| Programa de Arte Reflexiones | |
Por primera vez este año, la PTSA se complace en anunciar premios en efectivo para las obras ganadoras del Programa de Arte Reflexiones. Recuerden que la fecha límite para enviar sus expresiones personales sobre "Lo que mi cultura significa para mí" es el 9 de noviembre de 2026.
El Programa de Arte Reflexiones es una excelente manera de expresarse, obtener reconocimiento por su talento artístico y ¡tener la oportunidad de ganar un premio en efectivo!
Más información
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As a reminder, please follow and like the PTSA on social media to stay connected:
• Facebook: Sequoia High School PTSA
• Instagram: @sequoiaptsa
If you are not currently receiving our email blasts, please make sure to re-subscribe to both the General PTSA and e-blasts here:
https://www.sequoiaptsa.org/mailing-lists-and-newsletter
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Bridging the Gap: SHSEF Fills a Need – College & Career Preparedness
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We hope that our freshmen enjoyed their college campus visits last week – SHSEF is proud that our students were able to experience the full-day field trip. Juniors took the PSAT, and we hope they felt great about checking that PSAT box on their to-do list. Thank you to our donors for supporting these programs for College & Career Preparedness, and others, including:
- Additional credentialed College Counselor
- On-campus school day SAT for Juniors (Spring 2027)
- Multi-day college trip for AVID students
- Release time for teachers to write college recommendations
- Professional development & training
- Conferences for College Counselors
- Funding for College Counselors to visit schools and promote Sequoia students
To close the gap in state and local funding, SHSEF raises funds from parents, community members, and grantors. In addition to College & Career Preparedness, the donated funds also support Academic & Arts Enrichment and Mental Health & Wellness.
Our fundraising goal for the 2026-27 school year is $650,000, and our recommended ask per student is $1,800, or any gift meaningful to your family. Learn more and DONATE TODAY!
| | Looking for a way to get your SHSEF information and news and engage with our community? Follow us on Instagram: @SequoiaEdFoundation | | Seniors – Get Your Grad Night Tickets Today! | |
🎓 Celebrate Grad Night on the San Francisco Bay! 🎉
Join your classmates on June 4, 2027, for an unforgettable night aboard the San Francisco Spirit.
Tickets are $110 now – buy early before prices increase in January!
Ticket proceeds help cover the Grad Night cruise, transportation, onboard activities, and a delicious buffet featuring both savory and sweet options to keep students fueled throughout the celebration.
👉 Get your Grad Night ticket here!
More details will be coming soon. Questions? Contact tinahymer@yahoo.com.
| Estudiantes de último año: | |
🎓 ¡Celebren Grad Night por la Bahía de San Francisco! 🎉
Acompañen a sus compañeros el 4 de junio de 2027 para disfrutar de una noche inolvidable a bordo del espíritu de San Francisco.
¡Los boletos cuestan $110 ahora – cómpralos con anticipación antes de que aumenten de precio en enero!
Los fondos recaudados con la venta de boletos ayudan a cubrir el crucero de la Noche de Graduación, el transporte, las actividades a bordo y un delicioso bufé con varias opciones para que los estudiantes tengan energía durante toda la celebración.
👉 Compren su boleto para Grad Night aquí!
Pronto compartiremos más detalles. ¿Preguntas? Comuníquese con tinahymer@yahoo.com.
| | Upcoming Schedule Modifications | |
- November 4: Minimum Day
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November 11: Holiday – Veterans Day
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November 25–27: Holiday – Thanksgiving
- December 3: Minimum Day
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Sequoia Drama's Fall Musical Production
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Tickets for INTO THE WOODS On Sale Now!
Come and see Sequoia Drama's fall musical production of INTO THE WOODS.
Shows are Nov 12-15, Thur & Fri at 7pm and Sat & Sun at 3pm. Saturday's show is a pay-what-you-can performance.
Tickets are available at https://our.show/seqdramaintothewoods
| | Sequoia High School Woodshop: Share Your Career! | | |
Could your career inspire a student’s future? We’re looking for professionals in construction, engineering, architecture, industrial design, and related fields to share their career journeys and show students the exciting possibilities beyond the classroom. Your real-world experience could open their eyes to a future they’ve never considered!
Next Opening: January 13, 9:15 a.m.–1:45 p.m.
Sequoia High School, Redwood City
Sign Up to Speak with Woodshop Students
| | Still Time to Join Boosters | | Did you know that for only $10, you can join Boosters and be part of the community to support all Sequoia athletes. All levels of membership will receive 2 Sequoia Boosters magnets. Look for us at the entrance of the Meet the Ravens game and we can sign you up on the spot. | |
November 3 – Risks, Facts, and What's New: Opioids and Opioid-Like Substances (Fentanyl, Cychlorphine, Kratom/7-OH)
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Join Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, Stanford professor of Pediatrics and founder/director of REACH Lab, for an informative discussion on fentanyl and other opioids, emerging synthetic substances such as cychlorphine, and increasingly available products like kratom and 7-OH. Spanish interpretation will be available. Free admission.
Register here
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3 de noviembre – Riesgos, datos y novedades: opioides y sustancias similares a los opioides (fentanilo, ciclorfina, kratom/7-OH)
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Acompáñenos en una charla informativa con la Dra. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, profesora de Pediatría en Stanford y fundadora y directora del REACH Lab, sobre el fentanilo y otros opioides, las nuevas sustancias sintéticas como la ciclorfina y los productos cada vez más disponibles, como el kratom y el 7-OH. Habrá interpretación simultánea al español. Entrada gratuita.
Registro aqui
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November 4 – Building Belonging: Social-Emotional Learning and Learning Differences
Christina Cipriano, PhD, Professor of Education, UMass Amherst
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In this Neurodiversity Education Series event, Christina Cipriano, PhD, Professor of Education at UMass Amherst and longtime researcher at the Yale Child Study Center, explores the connection between SEL, learning differences, and belonging.
Register here
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4 de noviembre – Fomentando el sentido de pertenencia: aprendizaje socioemocional y diferencias de aprendizaje
Christina Cipriano, PhD, Profesora de Educación, UMass Amherst
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En este evento de la Serie de Educación sobre Neurodiversidad, Christina Cipriano, PhD, profesora de educación en UMass Amherst e investigadora con una larga trayectoria en el Centro de Estudios Infantiles de Yale, explorará la relación entre el aprendizaje socioemocional, las diferencias de aprendizaje y el sentido de pertenencia.
Registro aqui
| | Ms. Snow, the Library Media Specialist, sends a newsletter to students on the first of each month filled with book highlights, research links, and more. Click here to read the current newsletter. | | COSTA RICA YOUTH EXCHANGE | | |
Here is my parent testimony!
Thank you for your patience!
I would be happy to talk to any interested parents.
I would highly recommend the Costa Rica Youth Exchange program! Our daughter Sarah had an amazing, immersive, 4 week trip to Costa Rica during the summer between her Junior and Senior year. The host family was the perfect match for her.
They had a daughter with similar interests, were welcoming, caring, loving, and invited her in as their own family. During her time there she attended the local high school with her host sister, made new friends, attended a wedding with her host family, and went on amazing excursions around the area. During her 4th week, Ilba, the coordinator, encouraged and challenged her to teach a baking lesson (she loves to bake) in Spanish to a group of students at the vocational high school. While Sarah felt this stretched her out of her comfort zone, she came away with a greater sense of herself and her ability to do something hard.
She said it was one of the many highlights of her trip. This trip was a true immersion where she learned more about herself, the Costa Rican culture, and how others live so well without the luxuries she has here at home. She looks back on this experience and is so grateful for seeing the world from a different view.
She continues to be in contact with her host sister and they are planning their next meeting. Sarah came back more confident in her Spanish speaking skills, more independent, and wanting to do something like this again. - Katherine Schembri
Contact us ilba@youthcr.org
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