Sequoia 
   Sentinel
June 12, 2017

Sequoia PTSA's weekly eNewsletter in partnership with the Sequoia High School Education Foundation
Principal's Message
The 2016-17 school year officially ended Friday with another spirited graduation.  The Class of 2017 will be missed.  My remarks from the ceremony here .
 
Closing out the year means expressing gratitude to all the volunteers who made 2016-17 such a memorable year for our kids.  To our amazing partners who put on the crab dinner, to the AP/IB proctor corps, tutors and classroom volunteers, grad night chaperones, the snack shack front and back of the house staff:  you are appreciated!  
 
Thank you to everyone who made this year's campaign for the Sequoia High School Education Foundation such a success.  The SHSEF is vital for all Sequoia kids. We are proud of our increased participation rate this year and optimistic about reaching our $375,000 goal with three weeks remaining in the campaign.
 
The work we're doing at Sequoia remains on the cutting edge.  Our smart, dedicated, and compassionate teachers and staff inspires kids to aim high.  I want to also give a shout to all our staff working hard this summer to provide an outstanding program for students to catch up or enrich their high school education.  Sequoia remains vibrant during summer months with our Compass, Team Ascent, Summer School, AVID Math Academy, and IB Summer Bridge programs.   
 
It's been a joy to draft these messages each week -- thanks for reading.  Now we shift our focus to a successful 2017-18.  Happy summer!

Best,
Sean

Is This Your Last Year at Sequoia?
For families who will no longer be at Sequoia - we will miss you!  If you no longer wish to receive the Sentinel or PTSA emails, please unsubscribe using the link  at the bottom of this newsletter or  email us.

Note that if you have additional children who will be attending Sequoia in the future, it is preferable for you to email us to remove you for our email lists. This way we can automatically add you back again later.  If you unsubscribe, you will have to sign up again manually. 

Sorting and Stacking Saints
Many parents helped out in the Library these past 3 weeks, sorting and organizing textbooks and library books.  A huge thank you to these folks, most of whom worked more than one shift:  

Maria Acevedo, Sue Anderson, Carolyn Arbuckle, Meredith Armienti, Kelly Bugos, Beatrice Carrot, Sian Davies, Patricia Eisenberg, Gayle Hoch, Susan Leathers, Rachel Levine, Leana Litchfield, Maria Martin, Gabriela Mendoza-Evans, Natalia Menendez, Betsy Parkhurst, Hilary Paulson, Bonnie Sachs-Fossenier, Anna Sanchez-Salgado, Grace Schulz, Jayne Sungail.  Thank you!

Grand Grad Week Celebrations!
From Grad Week Co-Chair Jill Berry: Safe and Sober Grad Night team -- we did it -- thanks to all of you for your dedication to coming to our monthly meetings this past year, and for the wonderful fundraising!  Special thanks to Donna Fiore who helped me chair the team (and did all of the communication - you are the best), and also to Gigi Casey and Jenny Bender for coordinating the BBQ and to Lisa Hane and Evelyn King for the Senior Brunch. Teams definitely WIN!!!

The Grad Committee TEAM: Jill Berry, Donna Fiore, Gigi Casey, Jenny Bender, Lisa Hane, Evelyn King, Karin Lubeck, Pam Scannell, Diane Holman, Janet Szelenyi, Marianne Cheatham, Dianne Stephens, Angel Becher, Rita Morin.

Thank you also to all the volunteers (too many to list) who donated food and/or time to the Grad BBQ last Wednesday and the Grad Brunch last Thursday.  Finally, thank you to all the parents who helped with checking in students for Grad Night, and especially those parents who chaperoned the Grad Night Cruise!


Above - Students enjoy a wonderful Grad Brunch before their graduation practice last Thursday.

Tradition-Filled Staff Appreciation Lunch
Last Wednesday Sequoia teachers and staff enjoyed delicious festive foods and drinks at the end-of-the-year luncheon hosted by the Parent Center and the PTSA.  Retiring counselor Guadalupe Navarrete was also honored.

Much gratitude to Mayela Ramirez for leading the amazing luncheon and all of the families who prepared and served homemade foods and drinks, including: Adriana Agustin, Victoria de la Cruz, Guadalupe Esquivel, Sandra Gamino, Yaneth Goches, Araceli Huerta, Ana Jimenez, Rocio Martinez, Nubia Pech, Reina Ramirez, Telma Ramirez, Leticia Ramos, Angelica Reyes, Abigail Rodriguez, Eva Sanchez, Olivia Villalobos, Maylin Villeda, Isabel Zamora, Martha Zavala and Guadalajara Grill Restaurant in San Mateo.

Many additional families helped by contributing food, drinks, or time in helping set-up, serve, or clean-up to make the luncheon a huge success. Thank you to: Maria Acevedo, Judy Adams, Carolyn Arbuckle, Annie Baker, Jan Benway, Janet Braisted (Burrill), Merce Carroll, Blanca Crispin, Yuko Danovitz, Sian Davies, Jennifer DiGrande, Meg Fitzpatrick, Anne Gaddini, Susie Gilbert, Lisa Haaga, Kate Hand, Catherine Heller, Torri Horovitz, Stacy Huisman, Barbara Jakoby, Lisa Hane, Katie Hultgren, Rachel Krueger, Andi Lanham, Susan Leathers, Susan Lier, Laura Lizundia, Maria Martin, Gabriela Mendoza-Evans, Grace Mizutani, Lauren Pachkowski, Luisa Pauga, Hilary Paulson, Jasmin Peccei, Erika Pretell, Veronica Pulido, Judith Ruhstaller, Grace Schulz, Hannah Soden, Jayne Sungail, Laura Vella-Fukuji, and Katie Zeliger. 

Also, a huge thank you goes to Jennifer DiGrande for being our Hospitality Chair this year, organizing all our teacher appreciation events!
Above  - Festive food and drinks at the Staff Appreciation last Wednesday.

Junior Class Grad Concessions Helpers
A big thank you to the many helping hands and donations to make the Junior Class Graduation Concessions a great success. Special thanks to those who spent the morning setting up, selling, and then cleaning up: Kim Rosenmiller, Ines Gomez, Heather Weber, Elizabeth Gomez, Adrienne Heist, Tammy Bene, Athena Bradley, Caitlin Schneider, Charlie Hultgren and Sherri Horan. A big thank you also to Jayne Sungail for organizing these concessions!

PTSA Executive Board Thanks
Gentle reader:
When you reflect on just about any Sequoia event you attended this year and then read the names below, you can pretty much bet they were a part of making it a success. 
 
Thank you to:
Jayne Sungail, 1st VP - for your amazing hospitality and "will-do" spirit!
Sian Davies, Executive VP - for your ability to see the big picture, and the little details!
Gayle Hoch, Treasurer - who is always ready and prepared when I ask, "How can we do this ?"
Rachel Krueger, Auditor - with precision and conscientious effort, you made it happen!
Sherri Horan, Recording Secretary - with your good-natured questioning: "Why do we do this?" made us a stronger team this year!
Marlena Griffin, Mini-Grants Chair - who in spite of a really full plate ran a team responsible for distributing thousands of dollars of grant money to deserving teachers.
Lauren Pachkowski, Parliamentarian - who with dogged determination helped secure a fantastic team of committee heads and executive board members for next year!
Donna Fiore and Jill Berry, Class of 2017 Grad Team - whose hard work for the past two years made for a fantastic Grad Week: well organized, well executed, and under budget!  Brava Ladies!
 
And last but certainly not least...to:
Grace Schulz, VP of Communications - who with good natured diligence, deft technical skills, and willingness to help anyone who asked, brought you the Sentinel each week, sent out e-blasts and communications to keep us all informed, and simply put, showed us what UNALIYI spirit is all about.
 
Thank you team!  It has been a great year!
Lisa Hane

And from the Executive Board to Lisa:
A warm thank you to our outgoing PTSA President, Lisa Hane, who attends every event and meeting at school with a genuine smile on her face all while juggling 3 children in 2 schools, a career, and life in general. Lisa has lead the PTSA these past 2 years with a straightforward and calm approach and while she'll be missed in her role as president, we are grateful she'll continue on the board as 2nd VP of Communications and Outreach.

Bricks, Trees and Benches
Sequoia Veterans Memorial, Carrington Hall and Inspiration Grove

Honor a family member, teacher, or friend with these Sequoia High School Alumni Association items! Purchase a brick ($100), tree with plaque ($1,000), or engraved bench ($3,000) for the Sequoia Veterans Memorial or Inspiration Grove or a brick for Carrington Hall.  

Net proceeds are used to help fund the Cherokee Grants Program, which funds teachers' instructional services and/or purchases of instructiional equipment and materials that are not included in the current District budget.  

Contact the Sequoia H. S. Alumni Association at   sequoiahsalumni@earthlink.net or 650-592-5822 for more information and the  special order form .  A maximum of 20 characters or spaces can be used for each of the three inscription lines.

Grad Year Special for SHS Alumni Association Membership
Seniors, don't forget about the Sequoia High School Alumni Association special membership price for your grad year: just $20.17 instead of the usual $50! This lifetime membership will allow you to follow your fellow grads, read about Sequoia events, get information on reunions and other activities, etc.   The Grad Year Special ends August 15.

What a great gift idea for the graduating senior!  To obtain a 2017 Grad Year Special Membership Form, contact SHSAA at  sequoiahsalumni@earthlink.net or call 650-592-5822. 

In This Issue
Calendar
Have a wonderful summer!

ON THE HORIZON
Friday, July 28
Due date for Fall Sports Athletic Clearance forms

Tuesday, August 15
9 AM - Freshman Orientation

Wednesday, August 16
First day of school for 2017-18
Quick Links
About Us 

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Find past issues of the Sentinel: SequoiaPTSA.org 

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