Sequoia
    Sentinel
            November 27, 2017

Sequoia PTSA's weekly eNewsletter in partnership with the Sequoia High School Education Foundation
Principal's Message
The long weekend provided some extra time to catch up on interests and oddities I've accumulated in my browser bookmarks over the past few months.  Apropos of just about anything (i.e., nothing), here are some highlights:

I've seen several math teachers at Sequoia using Desmos with increasing sophistication and confidence over the last two years.  Exciting stuff here via KQED's Mind/Shift.

Truth be told, if there's such a thing as clickbait for principals, nobody does it better than  Mind/Shift .  More good stuff: English Majors Can Be Doctors Too: Medical School Rethinks Pre-Med .  My gut tells me the pendulum is due to swing from the heavy emphasis in education on math, science, and engineering to a broader inclusion of the humanities.

As I've been saying for a while, cultural competency remains essential .

My bias as a liberal arts college graduate notwithstanding, the main takeaway for me is for kids to pursue academic interests that excite them, and a lucrative career in a high-demand field will follow.  And to be sure, math and science are everywhere and as vital as ever.

Speaking of science, these short films of chemical reactions are mesmerizing.  

Correspondence reporting from the LA Times on migration through the dense rainforest separating Colombia and Panama.  What families endure for the promise of opportunity is staggering.   "If you asked me to do this again, I could not."  

There are plausible scenarios wherein global warming is slowed or reversed.  As someone who is investing a significant amount of my life preparing a generation of future leaders, I'm very interested in what some of these scenarios look like.  Paul Hawken, author of Drawdown , has compiled a ranked list of solutions .  Hope -- let's get to work!

Extreme weather is nothing new, of course.  I can't believe the iconic Mr. Plow episode of The Simpsons is 25-years old.  I enjoy these kinds of oral histories because they bring to life the collaborative nature of most contemporary creative output (including the work Sequoia students and teachers deliver every day).    

Wonder what students and staff at Sequoia were feeling grateful about in the week leading up to Thanksgiving?   Wonder no more .

I hope everyone enjoyed a restful and joyous long weekend.  December awaits us with college applications, final exams, family events -- stress triggers galore.  Okay, deep breath, count backward from 3: you got this!  

One day at a time and we'll all make it through the semester just fine.

Have a great week!
Sean
News from the District
Read about the latest news from the SUHSD office and other high schools in the district -- see the November Sequitur here.

Did you know that the district has a Wellness Advisory Council (WAC)?  Read the fall issue of the WAC newsletter here.  The next meeting of the WAC is this Wednesday, November 29 from 3:45-5:15 PM in the Sequoia MPR to form work groups on  mental health, sexual health/sexual consent issues, and social advocacy (immigration/deportation/housing).    If you are interested in joining the committee, contact Wellness Coordinator  Karen Li.
Special PTSA Meeting Next Week 
Mark your calendars for our monthly PTSA meeting next Tuesday, Dec. 5. The meeting will start at 6 PM and will have a different format than usual meetings -- stay tuned for more details!
Just Sayin'...
"I just want to thank all the people who put the Sentinel together to publicize news about Sequoia.  I am a 1957 graduate, and am also very active with the Sequoia H. S. Alumni Assn.  Because I am also the editor of the SHSAA newsletter, Smoke Signals, I am able to find so many things to use in our column, 'Spotlight on Sequoia' so that our grads out there can continue to know what's going on at the campus and take pride in the wonderful things at Sequoia.  Keep up the great work!"
---Nancy Lebkicher Oliver (1957)
 
A big thank you from those of us who put the Sentinel together each week to all of you who send us material and read what we write!

If you have ideas for articles or news you want to share, feel free to contact Lisa Hane, VP of Communications, and Grace Schulz, Sentinel Editor, at sequoiaptsanews@gmail.com.
Pack Up Some LOVE This Holiday Season for Friends and Family!
We continue to run our Love Bags sale through mid-December. These bags are well-made, attractive and make great hostess and holiday gifts!  40% of each order placed goes directly to support our 2018 Safe & Sober Grad Week activities.

See this flyer for details.  Bags can be ordered at lovebags.com, enter code SEQUOIA.
Help the Class of 2018 When Purchasing Your Christmas Tree
Sequoia 2018 Grad Activities receives 15% of the purchase price when you buy a holiday tree at  HONEY BEAR TREESBring this flyer when you purchase your tree and wreath.  (If you happen to forget it, there will be extra flyers on the lot.) 

Sequoia 2018 Grad Activities recibirá el 15% del precio de compra cuando usted compre un árbol de Navidad en HONEY BEAR TREESSimplemente muestre este folleto cuando usted compre su árbol y corona. (Si se le olvida, no se preocupe en la parcela abra más volantes disponibles.)
 
There are three locations convenient to our Sequoia school community:
  • 955 Woodside Road, Redwood City
  • 651 El Camino Real, Redwood City (RWC American Legion lot - new this year)
  • 2495 S. Delaware Street, San Mateo (San Mateo County Event Center)
Hours are 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM, 7 days a week.
In This Issue
Calendar

THIS WEEK
Monday, Nov. 27
Collab day


UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, Dec. 5
6 PM - PTSA Meeting, MPR

Wednesday, Dec. 6
7 PM - Choir and Orchestra Winter Concert, Carrington Hall

Thursday, Dec. 7
7 PM - Bands Winter Concert, Carrington Hall

Tue-Thu, Dec. 19-21
Finals ( see schedule here)

Friday, Dec. 22 
Winter break begins

Quick Links
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Find past issues of the Sentinel: SequoiaPTSA.org 

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