Daily Announcements

May 27, 2020

In order to best plan to meet the needs of our students for next year, please complete this survey by this Friday, May 29th by 4 pm. Thank you in advance for your attention to this.Just follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X28P59R

Remember, we have locker pick up and lost and found as follows:
9th and 10th grade - Friday May 29th from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
11th and 12th grade - Monday June 1st from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM

We also have 9th-12th book returns as follows:
Thursday 5/28 (11:00 am-2:00 pm)
Friday 5/29 (11:00 am-2:00pm)
Tuesday 6/2 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm)
Wednesday 6/3 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm)


May 19, 2020

In order to best plan to meet the needs of our students for next school year, please complete this survey by this Friday, May 22nd by 4 pm. Thank you in advance for your helping us to plan for 2020-2021
LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X28P59R

Please see the following information regarding book returns:
Soquel HS 9th-12th Book Returns
● Friday 5/22 (11:00 am-2:00 pm)
● Thursday 5/28 (11:00 am-2:00 pm)
● Friday 5/29 (11:00 am-2:00pm)
● Tuesday 6/2 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm)
● Wednesday 6/3 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm)

What is happening on these days:
● Return all books that are no longer required for your classes.
● Seniors only: Please return Chromebooks and hotspots at these times. 9th-11th grade students: Keep your Chromebook (and hotspots), for now! (Details on 9-11 Technology returns will come shortly.

How to participate:
● Please bring any books you have finished using for the year; textbooks and library books. Please wipe all materials that you will return prior to coming.
● Please arrive in a vehicle.
  ○ Curbside textbook and library book drop off will occur in front of the gymnasium
  ○ Do not exit your vehicle at any time during the process
  ○ Limit the number of people who come with you
  ○ Don’t catch a ride with a friend -- you should only share a ride with household members!
  ○ Everyone in your vehicle, age 12+, must wear a protective face covering (i.e., mask, bandana, etc.)
  ○ If you cannot come by car, you may bike or walk-up alone. Wait for directions from a staff member. Do not gather or walk together with other students.
● For your own safety and the safety of staff and other students, please follow social distancing guidelines at all times.

Our goal is to get ALL textbooks and library books returned!

Please click here to get to: How to Create an OPALS Account.  Once you’ve created an account you will see what you currently have checked out and need to return.

If you have questions please email:
Textbooks-- [email protected]
Library materials-- [email protected] or [email protected]


May 11, 2020

CLASS OF 2020 Cap and Gown Distribution Information:
We are having a DRIVE-THRU Delivery Event especially for YOU! Curbside Pickup of your Cap & Gown on Tuesday, May 19th In front of the Soquel High School gym from 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Last Names beginning with A-M, please come between 9:00-10:00
Last Names beginning with N-Z, please come between 10:00-11:00

Please Bring your Student ID or Better Yet, Print your FIRST and LAST NAME on an 8.5” x 11” Sheet of Paper and hold it up to your car window.

DRIVE-THRU DELIVERY Students & Parents, Please stay in your cars Staff will bring your items to you. Please Pop your Trunk so we can place it in there for you.

STILL NEED A CAP, GOWN or Tassel???? Please order online at Jostens.com prior to Friday, May 15th or bring Cash to purchase after 10:30 on May 19th Thank You & Congratulations to the Class of 2020!


May 8, 2020

Recently our seniors and their families provided feedback regarding preference for graduation recognition for the Class of 2020. Based on this feedback, along with guidance from Santa Cruz County Office of Education and Santa Cruz County Health, we are eager to begin planning.

The most popular option for graduation is to have a live, in person ceremony. After consulting with our County Health Department, we are tentatively planning a graduation ceremony sometime over Labor Day weekend, September 4-7. While we are hopeful that this date gives us time to plan and for the pandemic to subside, we are also required to adjust based on changing news or the situation. We will provide more information about graduation ceremony possibilities and preparation in the Fall.

There are other commencement-related items that we have planned for in advance of any graduation ceremony we may hold in September 2020:

Yearbooks
Yearbooks will be mailed home to seniors only. All other students will pick up their yearbook in the fall.
Caps and Gowns (Tuesday May 19, 2020 9:00 am -11:00 am)
Specific details to follow The County Health Department requires that students and families stay in their vehicle or pick up individually following the minimum 6 feet apart distance, wearing a face mask.
Diplomas
We have ordered diplomas and are planning a pick-up event on June 5th. We will share the process for picking up diplomas later this month.
Senior Awards
The Senior Awards Night program and award certificates will be distributed with diplomas, on June 5th. On June 5th, a recorded “Senior Awards” ceremony, complete with congratulatory messages from Soquel staff, will be shared with students and families.


May 6, 2020

Please see this helpful guide that will answer questions around student’s choosing Credit or Letter Grades. Please take a few moments to carefully review the information. Should you have specific questions, please contact your student’s counselor, or any member of our administrative team.
SHS FAQs on Choosing Credit/No Credit or Letter Grades

The Cabrillo College Accessibility Support Center (ASC) assists students on IEP's and 504 plans with education planning and explaining post-secondary support systems. Students and families may reach out to the ASC between now and the beginning of the Fall semester, to sign up for services at (831) 479-6370 or [email protected]


May 1, 2020

Please check out the Soquel HS Website for messages from teachers and staff.

SENIORS ONLY:
Please see the Google Form posted in the 2020 Google Classroom for the Class of 2020 Future Plans video. Submissions are due by next week.

If you have not ordered Caps and Gowns, you can order directly from Jostens. We will notify Seniors when a pick up date is determined.

Important: if you have moved in the last year, please provide us with your updated address. Email Jennifer Smith [email protected] directly. Your yearbook will be mailed directly to you.


April 29, 2020

Starting today, we will be communicating with you twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. If there is a need to get in touch with you earlier than that, we will do so of course.

College Board has released new online resources to help students prepare for the AP exams, including:
2020 AP Testing Guide
AP Exam Day Checklist
Explainer Videos

If you are still having difficulty confirming your email address, please visit the Confirm Your Email Address page.

We are working on the process to have your students pick up their belongings from their lockers. Expect information soon.

Soon we will also provide an update regarding our grading policy.


April 22, 2020

The College Board has released guidelines for students taking AP exams with accommodations. If your student uses pre-approved College Board accommodations, please visit the following website for important information: https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/coordinators/accommodations?SFMC_cid=EM302105-&rid=33028323

The College Board has also started emailing students instructions for testing. If your student hasn’t received an email yet, please have them log into their College Board account and verify their email. You can also use the following link: Big Future.


April 20, 2020

PE Locker Items may be retrieved from the Gym/PE locker rooms this week at the following times:
Tuesday 4/21/20 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Thursday 4.23.20 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Regarding other lockers on campus, we will get information to families soon. Buildings under renovation may cause a delay in retrieving items from 200 building


April 17, 2020

Attention all students taking AP tests - College Board sent out their first round of emails regarding testing information. Please check your email as soon as possible. If you did not receive an email from College Board, log into your College Board account and verify your email address.

We will be sending additional updates regarding graduation and end of the year activities. We are currently working on a plan.

Thank you for all your understanding and flexibility.


April 16, 2020

While we realize there are many new challenges to distance learning, it is still important that students make an effort to complete their own work. Please remind your student to use their own words when writing, cite sources when necessary, and reach out to their teachers if they are having trouble completing assignments on their own. For more information, see Soquel High’s Academic Integrity Policy.

PE Locker Items may be retrieved from the Gym/PE locker rooms on the following dates and times:
Tuesday, 4/21/20 10:00 am - 12:00 pm 
Thursday, 4/23/20 10:00 am - 12:00 pm


April 15, 2020

As we continue to refine our newly adopted practices of on-line teaching and learning, we are asking for student feedback to better serve their educational needs. We want to know what is working and also how we can improve. Students must use their SCCS Email Account to access this survey.

Below is a link for each student at Soquel HS to access and provide very important feedback on how “Distance Learning” is going for them. Please help us to ensure that all student’s access the link below and provide information by 4:00 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday 4.16.20)

LINK: https://forms.gle/NxFY1dAWaYDwBXKv9

Your student has received this link already in their email. Please ask them to access it and complete it.


April 14, 2020

April 13-17 is Career Week, and Soquel High Counseling has created a fun, and optional, “Imagine Your Future” activity for students. In lieu of our annual career expo, students are encouraged to log into their grade level “Counseling Services” Google classroom and try the career-minded activity. And as always, if you or your student have college and career questions, contact your counselor. They’re still here to help!

PE Locker Items may be retrieved from the Gym/PE locker rooms on the following dates and times:
Tuesday, 4/21/20 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Thursday, 4/23/20 10:00 am - 12:00 pm


April 13, 2020

Soquel’s team of teachers and administrators appreciate parent input and feedback. Based on your requests, we have created a Distance Learning Master Schedule to help you create consistent routines for learning at home. You can access the schedule by clicking here or going to the Distance Learning page under Academics on on the SHS website.

April 13-17 is Career Week, and Soquel High Counseling has created a fun, and optional, “Imagine Your Future” activity for students.  In lieu of our annual career expo, students are encouraged to log into their grade level “Counseling Services” Google classroom and try the career-minded activity.  And as always, if you or your student have college and career questions, contact your counselor. They’re still here to help!


April 12, 2020

Welcome back from a well deserved Spring Break! Here is our update:

There will be a limited number of internet access “Hotspots” available for check-out tomorrow (Monday 4.13.20) 10:00 am - 12:00 pm in the library.

Please be sure to access your teacher’s Google Classroom for important updates.


April 2, 2020

Thank you for your continued support of our students during our school closure, and distance learning. As you know, the length of our closure has been extended for the remainder of the current school year.

Please know that plans are now being developed to address important issues such as Graduation, Scholarships, Awards, access to personal belongings left at school, and access to Chromebooks and hotspots. We will keep you informed through our daily updates.

In addition, your student’s counselor is available to provide academic guidance and socio-emotional support during this Distant Learning process. Please contact them if your student needs this type of assistance.


April 1, 2020

The Final opportunity before Spring Break to check out a Chrome Book for Distance Learning will be tomorrow (Thursday April 2, 2020 10:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m.) in the Soquel HS Library.

Soquel’s team of teachers and administrators appreciate parent input and feedback. Based on your requests, we have created a Distance Learning Master Schedule to help you create consistent routines for learning at home. You can access the schedule by clicking here or going to the Distance Learning page under Academics on on the SHS website.

For online transcript requests please check the Official Transcripts page of the SHS website, under Counseling. 

If your Senior is planning on attending Cabrillo in the Fall, please encourage them to apply by this Friday. Students that apply by April 3, will be in the Running Start cohort and have priority access to classes. Students can apply at https://www.opencccapply.net/uPortal/f/u63l1s1000/normal/render.uP


March 30, 2020

We have additional Chromebooks available and they will be distributed tomorrow Tuesday 03/31/20 at the SHS Library. Pick up times are 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

We currently do not have internet hotspots but we expect to receive them soon. We will notify families when they become available.

Please continue to contact your student’s teachers if you have any questions regarding distance learning. Spring Break is next week, Monday April 6 - Friday April 10.


March 27, 2020

As you probably received notification from Superintendent Kris Munro, school closure is extended through May 5th, with the potential of an extension beyond that if necessary.

Distance learning instruction will continue until May 5th and students are expected to participate in their daily lessons and complete assignments as scheduled by their teachers. Please talk to your student(s) about their assignments and class participation. We still have some students who have not participated in distance learning instruction.

Although there are many questions about grading and assessments for our students, protocols and practices are currently being developed in our district. We will provide you with updates as they become available.

We still have Chromebooks available. If you need one, please email Mr. O’Meara, [email protected] to request one. We currently do not have internet hotspots but we expect to receive them soon. We will notify families when they become available.


March 26, 2020

A few quick notes and reminders as we continue committed daily communication to families:
Students still needing a Chromebook and/or Hotspot for internet access may contact Principal O’Meara via email ([email protected]) to make arrangements.

Teachers are doing all they can to be accessible to our students during normal school hours from 8:00 am to 3:05 pm Monday through Friday.

SHS Counseling has created grade level Google classrooms. This virtual classroom will be used by counselors to share important information, reminders, and updates from the Soquel High Counseling Department. Please encourage your student to join their class.

Please contact your student’s teachers directly if you have any questions regarding Distance Learning, assignments, test, etc. Teachers will be providing all details related to their instruction and class expectations.


March 25, 2020

Teachers are doing all they can to be accessible to our students during normal school hours from 8:00 am to 3:05 pm Monday through Friday. Please try and limit your communications with teachers to those hours of the day, and of course our teachers will do all they can to respond promptly.

SHS Counseling has created grade level Google classrooms. This virtual classroom will be used by counselors to share important information, reminders, and updates from the Soquel High Counseling Department. It is also a great place to ask questions about college and career issues, scheduling and classes, SAT/ACT/AP, and many other things you would normally visit the counseling office for. Please encourage your student to join their class.

While computer access may already be available in the home, we do realize there is a need for additional computers in any given household. Students needing a Chromebook and/or Hotspot for internet access may check one out in the SHS Library tomorrow (Thursday 3.26.20) 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.


March 24, 2020

We hope you are staying safe and taking precautions while following the recent “Shelter in Place” order from our Governor.  While our physical classrooms may be temporarily closed, all teachers are conducting “on-line” instruction and working hard to keep connected with students.

Please be sure the expectation for students to stay connected with their “on-line” classes is reinforced at home.  We fully expect students to be checking daily with their teachers and to engage in their teacher’s on-line forums for instruction.

Any student needing a Chrome Book may stop by the SHS Library on Thursday 3.26.20. Between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.   A limited number of Internet Access Hotspots will also be available. This may be the final opportunity to receive a chromebook. 


March 22, 2020

We are ready to start our adventure in distance learning this Monday, March 23rd! If your student has not already, please ask that he/she checks his/her student email account. Many of our teachers have set up a Google classroom where students will access lessons and students may have been invited to a Zoom or Google Meet session for which they would have received a join code. 

Teachers will be communicating directly with students about their office hours, lesson instruction, feedback, and more. We understand that some students may have obligations that prevent them from "attending" their distance learning class at the usual time class is held. We hope that students will make every effort to check in at the start of regularly scheduled class time, however, students will not be penalized if they cannot check in until later that day. “First” period class times are set by the teacher at another time of day and that will be communicated to students.

If you have any questions about your students' schedule or class, please contact their teacher(s) directly via email. This is our first attempt at transitioning from traditional classroom instruction to all remote learning--we will be flexible and adjust as we go to serve our students.

If your student is having difficulty with their student email account or the student's (or family's) Illuminate log in is not working or the information within needs to be updated, please contact Viviana Elizondo ([email protected]) for assistance. 

CHROMEBOOKS AND WIFI

If your student did not pick up a Chromebook this week and still need one, please email Ms. Britton )[email protected]) so we can arrange for pick up.  The internet hotspots for families without access to the Internet will be available soon and we will contact families as soon as they are ready for distribution. Only one is needed per household if you do not currently have internet access. You can also click on these links to learn about other free internet services that you can sign up for at this time:

  • Xfinity WiFi: Free for Everyone

Visit Xfinity.com/wifi

This means if neighbors have Xfinity, you can turn on the hotspot and make it available to families next door! Here is how to direct families to turn it on: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/disable-xfinity-wifi-home-hotspot  This will not affect home network, and home network stays safe!

internetessentials.com/covid19

FOOD SERVICE

Beginning Monday, March 23rd, we are moving some of our food service locations.  We are serving a packed lunch and breakfast to all children from age 1 to 18 at the following locations from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.  If you drive up, staff will hand you bagged meals through your car window. Families may also walk to the sites. 

  • Beach Flats Community Center
  • Bay View Elementary
  • Branciforte Middle School
  • Harbor High School

Our partners in Soquel Elementary School District are providing meals for our families at:

  • Soquel Elementary School
  • Emerald Bay Apartments

Please let me know if you have any questions. Our office staff is checking voicemail and email and we will return your messages as soon as possible.


March 20, 2020

As we prepare to leave for the weekend, we wanted to share some valuable local resources.

  • For up-to-date information regarding the Coronavirus outbreak in our community, and a list of resources and supports, including food assistance, please visit https://www.211santacruzcounty.org/ or text “COVID19” to 211-211.
  • With the increase of students learning online, and parents working online, technical difficulties are to be expected.  Cruz.One is a community volunteer organization started last week to support distance learning and remote working in our community. Tech-savvy volunteers are available to offer support.
  • And finally, continuing a quality education for your student, while maintaining a safe and healthy environment is a top priority for all Soquel High teachers and staff.  Please regularly check the Soquel website at http://soquel.sccs.net/, the Santa Cruz City Schools website at http://sccs.net/community/news/coronavirus_covid19_update, and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education website at 

https://santacruzcoe.org/superintendent/health-and-wellness/coronavirus/


March 19, 2020

  • For 11th and 12th graders, the CAASPP assessment has been waived for the 2019-2020 school year. Some of our 11th graders had started their test last week and were concerned about not being able to complete it due to the school closure. 
  • Final day to distribute Google Chromebooks is tomorrow Friday March 20 between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm 
  • We are expecting internet hotspots to be delivered by tomorrow. If you need one, please reply to [email protected] and double check with me before you come to the library.  
  •  The school Registrar will process and mail transcript requests on Thursdays.  If you need a transcript, email [email protected].  Please include the name and address where you would like the transcript mailed.

March 18, 2020

As we continue our daily communication, please note the following important info

  • If you need access to a Chromebook laptop, they will be available for pick-up tomorrow at the Soquel HS Library Thursday 03/19/20 and Friday 03/20/20 between the hours of 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. Either you or your student can come by to pick it up. A Technology  “Acceptable Use Agreement” will need to be completed.
  • We are working very hard to make internet hotspots available if you do not have internet service at home. We will notify families when they become available for pick up.
  • All teachers have posted information and/or assignments for your student. Please talk to your student about their classwork. If you have any questions about the assignments or expectations related to distance learning, please email your student’s teachers directly.
  • As a reminder, we will be communicating with you in this way daily. Please check email every evening for timely updates from administration at 5:00 pm.

March 17, 2020

Today marked the first day of the Santa Cruz County “Shelter in Place” status, and we certainly hope all families are faring well through this difficult time.  We have collectively decided to extend school closures through April 10, 2020.   We will continue to send you timely updates. Please check your email regularly.

As we look ahead to the upcoming weeks, Soquel High teachers are committed to providing learning opportunities for all our students.  As a way to address students’ needs, throughout this week (March 16- March 20) teachers are preparing lessons and selecting communication platforms to use for at-home “Continued Learning”.  As a teaching staff, they are committed to have full implementation by Monday, March 23.

Additionally, families in need of an electronic device to use for educational purposes, please refer to the attached letter.

Chromebook_Disbursement_Info_.pdf