March
2006
March is a very
busy month in the life of a high school student. Not only are students
working to excel in the classroom, they are starting the process
of meeting with their counselor to fine tune their schedule for
next year. Please spend some time talking to your child about their
schedule. Encourage your son or daughter to take the most rigorous
courses. If you have questions, call their counselor...it is not
too late!
In a recently published article, admission officers from some of
the most highly rated universities in the nation talked about what
they look for in granting admission to prospective students. They
stated they “. . . look at a student’s high school grades,
grades that apply to a student’s intended major area of study,
the rigor of a student’s high school classes, class rank, grade
point averages overall and in core subjects and SAT or ACT scores.”
This is the order in which admission officers look at these factors.
Often times, a student may think they are doing themselves a favor
by taking less challenging classes in order to earn a higher GPA
only to find out that the student who took more rigorous courses
with a lower GPA actually gained admittance to the college of their
choice.
Our Counseling Department has embraced out vision of having the
most sought after graduates by colleges, universities and the world
of work. They are focusing on making sure our students are prepared
by offering a rigorous four-year program. It is not about just getting
our students to graduate from high school.
We continue to have students succeed at the highest levels. At the
time of this printing, we have had two of our seniors accepted to
George Washington University! Admittance letters are beginning to
come in and we will keep you informed of where Serra seniors are
going! Congratulations and good luck to all our seniors!
Please remember that March is the time of the year that begins the
very important testing window. Important dates for you to be aware
of are:
March 21 and 22
CAHSEE Testing (all 10th and some 11th)
April 27 and 28
STAR (all 9th, 10th, and 11th)
May 1 - 12
AP Testing
June 7 and 8
Senior Exhibitions
Although it is already March, it is never too late to reinforce
the importance of responsibility with your students. When your student
completes daily homework, long-term projects, and reports on time,
they are prepared for daily lessons at school and for long-term
learning goals within their grade level curriculum standards. Your
support of this follow-through can be achieved through effective
home-to-school communication and the use of school planners that
were given to students at the start of the year. Thank you for taking
the time to encourage and nurture this important life skill!
Finally, I want to thank all the parents and community members who
attend the meetings and forums we have in place to keep our partnership
strong. Among the calendared meetings are monthly Freshman Focus
and Sophomore School of Humanities Parent Forums, Second Cup of
Coffee parent meetings, PTSA and Foundation meetings, the School
Site Council, Serra Cluster Community meetings and our Small Learning
Communities Planning meetings. Please call Yvette Berry at 858.496.8342
extension 201 for more information if you wish to attend any of
these meetings. It is so vital that parents join with educators
in making the most of our educational programs so all students can
achieve at Serra. Over many years, I have seen the gains and successes
that happen when educators and parents work together as partners.
Please see the information about meetings and consider the many
opportunities to become more involved. Remember, together everyone
accomplishes more!
I look forward to seeing you at the Serra Foundation Dinner and
Auction on March 25 at the Town and Country Hotel!
Best Wishes,
Donna Somerville, Principal
