2021.09.04
First Week in Review, and a look ahead to next week.
Jump to
In Case You Missed It - Info from last week.
Welcome Back HTM!
[pictured above] students "saving Fred" in a critical thinking activity and building towers for team building challenges. So great to be back in person!
Meet the HTM Team
Reminder to keep students home if experiencing symptoms, identified as a close contact, or awaiting test results
Protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority as we welcome students back to full-time, in-person learning. We have implemented updated COVID-19 safety protocols in alignment with California Department of Public Health mitigation strategies to keep our students and staff safe while on campus.
It is our hope that through proactive safety measures and clear communication we can keep our schools open and students participating in in-person instruction for the entire year. It will take a collaborative effort between home and school to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 on our campuses and ensure a successful school year. Help us prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our school community by screening your student(s) before school each day.
Do not send your student to school if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
Fever of 100 degrees or higher
(Persistent) cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Loss of taste or smell
Headache • Sore throat
Muscle or body aches
Fatigue
Vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal pain
Runny nose, congestions, itchy or red eyes, or chills
Do not send your student to school if they have been identified as a close contact or have had possible exposure to a COVID-19 case and are awaiting COVID-19 test results.
Please email HTM site manager, Veronica Martinez to excuse your student’s absence.
COVID-19 testing is available for students and families at multiple locations throughout San Diego County. Please visit the San Diego County Public Health website for more information and to find a testing facility or call 2-1-1 for assistance.
As a reminder, COVID-19 vaccines are available at no cost to anyone 12 years of age or older. While younger children diagnosed with COVID-19 generally have mild symptoms or remain asymptomatic, they can still transmit the virus to more vulnerable populations such as those with preexisting conditions.
Notification Regarding Wellness Center Support
Copy of Consent for Social-Emotional Support (HTM).docxX-Block Starts Thursday Sept 09
X-block is an enrichment period that happens at the end of most days from 3:00 to 3:30, where teachers or students come together around their common interests such as knitting, American Sign Language, yoga etc. Students shared their preferences for which x-block they would like to be enrolled in with their advisors this week during advisory. We will share which option they received early this next week. Students will start in their new x-block on Thursday. See the available options in the slides above.
Community Expectations
Free Lunch and Snack for All
High Tech High is proud to announce that all meals will continue to be free of charge to ALL students this school year, regardless of eligibility status, thanks to the USDA and California Bill SB-364. Each High Tech school offers a nutritious breakfast and lunch, which students can receive at their designated foodservice counter or cafe.
HTM Benefits When ALL Families Apply!
We're still encouraging families to submit Free/Reduced Lunch (FRL) Applications to help the school get funding. They can do so at EZmealapp.com. For more information visit https://www.hightechhigh.org/lunch/
When search for district use "High Tech High" (image right)
Adjusted Lunch Schedule
Historically, the middle school lunch schedule has overlapped with high school lunch schedules. This year, for COVID safety reasons, high school students are not able to leave campus for lunch which had meant that middle school students were sharing space with high school students. While we have very nice high school students and did not worry about the interaction, we felt it important to adjust our middle school lunch schedule to allow more space for our middle school students to enjoy their lunch together, and to ensure that our staff are able to provide even better adult supervision during these times.
The new lunch schedule allows HTM students to have space all to themselves (see full and half day schedules below):
English Learner Advisory Committees (E.L.A.C)
Are you the parent of a student classified as "English Learner" (EL) or recently reclassified to English Fluent and Proficient? Are you interested in learning how our schools support your children or how your child came to be classified this way? Do you want to learn about the many program offerings available for students and families, both in and out of school? Or maybe you'd just like to meet other parents and school leaders to build positive relationships that enrich our community and sense of connection? If any of this sounds interesting, please consider joining ELAC committees! All are welcome, as official committee members or just join as guests to learn!
Check out the "What's an ELAC" video committee members made last year & take a moment to fill out our ELAC Interest survey
Updated COVID Decision Tree
We will rely on the Decision Tree provided by the San Diego County Office of Education to guide the extent to which community members may need to quarantine or be tested, if they come in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID (see full diagram here).
Important Dates
September 06 - Labor Day Holiday (No School)
September 23 - HTM: Back to School Night 5:30 to 7:00p (Zoom option will be available)
October 08 - All Schools Staff Day (No School for Students
October 11 - Indigenous Peoples' Day (No Staff or Students in Attendance)
October 19 - Picture Day
October 26 to 29 half days for SLC Week
