HTe Explorer student DJ Mai, gifted us (and frankly tore the house down) with her amazing DJ musicality during our All HTH Staff Day a week ago. DJ Mai then shared words of appreciation to the hundreds of educators in that space. Her speech is below. DJ Mai’s words were a powerful reminder of how over the past 25 years, High Tech High continues to prioritize being a safe space where students can follow their passions, build, create, and belong. Thank you for the honor of building this special place with you all!

With appreciation,

Dr. Melissa

Hi everyone! My name is Mai from High Tech High Explorer, and I am so happy to be here today! I want to say a huge thank you to all the teachers. You are not just regular teachers—you make learning fun and special for all of us.

High Tech High is different from other schools because here, we don’t just sit and listen; we get to create, build, and learn by doing real projects. You help us think big and follow our passions. You work so hard to make sure everyone feels included, and you challenge us to be the best we can be.

Just like DJing, where I get to mix and create music to make people feel good, you mix new ideas and creativity every day to help us learn. You inspire us to try new things, just like how I get inspired to make the perfect playlist. I hope my music today helps bring a smile to your faces, just like you bring smiles to us in the classroom every single day.

Thank you for everything you do to make High Tech High such a special place!

Let’s celebrate our students voicing their learning experiences with us during their Student Led Conferences (SLCs)! SLCs are beautiful opportunities for us to practice learning how to listen well to their voices and respond in ways they feel most supported while on their journey of learning.  

Just as SLCs are opportunities for our students to pause and reflect. I encourage us to also pause and reflect on the wisdom we have gleaned after listening to our students’ voices.

• What surprised you about your child’s reflections?

• How may we all continue to lean into consistent rhythms of partnership with each other on how to support the goals your child expressed during their SLCs? 

We are always striving to serve our families better. Please fill out this exit survey to share your feedback and suggestions about your experience at the last Student Led Conferences. Keep in mind that specific, actionable and thoughtful feedback goes a long way! 

We are grateful for your continued support and partnership. Thank you also for  your generous meals for our staff! Special shout out to our HTeX Parent Association for providing a delicious potluck meal, a special sushi staff lunch, and healthy snacks to sustain us throughout the week!

Please mark your calendars for the following important dates:

• Mon, Mar. 17: Monthly Monday Mornings with Melissa & Brian - We will debrief SLC experiences 

• Wed, Mar. 19: HTeX Staff vs. Students Basketball Game

• Wed, Mar. 26: Full Day Dismissal at 2:45pm

• Fri, Mar. 28: Minimum Day Dismissal at 12:45pm

• Mar. 31 - Apr. 14: Spring Break

• Tues, Apr. 15: Students Return to School

Hello, Students and Adults,

We are absolutely thrilled to launch our third annual “Spring Into School Attendance Campaign” - a 3-week long attendance push to encourage all students to attend school, on time, every day.  As an organization we have a 93.7% attendance rate from the beginning of school to now.  We are aiming to have a 96% attendance rate for the month of March.  We can do this together! 

Get ready to build, create, and have a blast—March is officially March into Minecraft Month! Throughout the month, students will embark on an exciting adventure to build our very own Minecraft Tower.

To encourage attendance and engagement, students will have the chance to design their own unique Minecraft bricks and add them to our school's growing tower. As we hit our weekly tower goals, there will be awesome rewards, including:

• A Dunk Tank: Enjoy watching Mr. Brian and Dr. Melissa get dunked!

• Crazy Hair Day: Watch as Dr. Melissa and Mr. Brian rock some wild and wacky hairstyles!

• Choreographed Dance: Dr. Melissa and Mr. Brian will break out their best moves in a fun, fully choreographed dance!

We can't wait to see everyone’s creativity and teamwork shine. Please ensure your student is here daily and on time to create their bricks and to reach our school goal. Let's make this month unforgettable!

See you in Minecraft!

Mental Health Supports for Explorer Students

If your child is experiencing social, emotional, and/or behavioral difficulties that are impacting them at school, wellness check-ins are available to all students as a support. Wellness check-ins can take place as needed throughout the year.

This year we will also work to offer monthly lunch bunches for students struggling to connect with their peers during unstructured times. This support will also be available to all students throughout the year.

If you have any questions about any of these supports please email Ericah Edwards at eedwards@hightechhigh.org.

Let’s continue to work together this school year to create a community that connects all students to the supports that they need and deserve!

Mental Health Supports In-Home + Community

Rady Children's and SDCOE have collaborated to create a webinar series for parents and caregivers that addresses mental health challenges faced by youth. These are a great opportunity for families to connect to resources and have some of their questions answered by clinicians. Some of the topics include bullying, self-harm, and stress/resilience. 

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/12m2SwqAJ4O0C5WPu22eKa0Y7ut6PFoob/view

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VII7yBVVSxE56QH-WEA2dZ6JKywQ79oL/view?usp=drive_link

As part of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative’s (CYBHI) to improve equitable access to mental health support for all young Californians, two free programs — BrightLife Kids and Soluna — were created in partnership with CalHOPE.

• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wP4-T_E8TLewycrEVwdYIAMbPgexyzMN

Additional Resources:

• Parent Guide to Mental Health and Wellness/ Guia Para Padres de Salud y Bienstar Mental

• Call the National Parent Helpline: 1-855-4A PARENT (1-855-427-2736) to get emotional support from a trained Advocate and become empowered and a stronger parent. They are available Monday through Friday from 10 am to 7 pm

Dear HTeX Community,

Our monthly general PA meeting originally scheduled for March 19th will be postponed until after spring break. All 4th grade students will be attending a field trip that day and the timing conflicts. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Best Wishes,

Marissa

(On behalf of the PA)

Friendly Reminders: Absences

While we love to see your children’s smiling faces in school, and regular daily attendance is important to all we do, we do want to remind you to keep students home if they are ill, particularly if they have a fever.

COVID-19 Reminder For Students

• If they are symptomatic, they should be encouraged to test and/or share with parents they should test.

• If they test positive, they should also stay home if they are symptomatic.

• They can return to school when they are also fever-free for 24-hours without the use of fever-reducing medications and other non-fever symptoms are improving.

• If they test positive but are asymptomatic (no fever, and no other symptoms) they can remain at school unless symptoms develop.

• They should be encouraged to wear a mask through Day 10 (masks should be available at the front desk).

Tests

• Everyone can, once again, order four free boxes of COVID-19 tests via USPS. This can be done through this link.

Please continue to communicate with the school if your child will be absent due to illness by contacting Maggie at mfragoso@hightechhigh.org. Please notify Ms. Maggie the day of student absence.

We are looking forward to an exciting school year of learning and want to help keep our community healthy!

HTeX Community Meetings - Call for Presenters

The HTeX Community Meeting is a cherished time for our entire school community to unite, creating a space for collective learning, sharing valuable information, and celebrating the diversity and achievements within our community. It serves as a focal point where students, parents, and educators come together to strengthen the bonds that make our community special.

Our Community Meetings are co-led by our Student Ambassadors and mentor staff, Ms. Nikki, Ms. Clara, and Ms. Destiny! We hold our Community Meetings once a month on the black top.

If you are interested in presenting to our students for our school wide Community Meeting, please complete this form.This is an OUTDOOR event. Presentations will be up to 20 minutes.

We will reach out to you to follow up.

-Ms. Nikki, Ms, Clara, & Ms. Destiny

HTeX Staff vs. Students Basketball Game on March 19

Dear HTeX Families,

We are thrilled to announce a special event during our next community meeting on Wednesday, March 19th – a Staff vs. Students Basketball Game! This will be a fun and engaging way for our school community to come together and cheer on both our amazing students and staff.

Game Details:
Date: Wednesday, March 19th
Time: 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
Location: School Blacktop

How It Works:

• A team of 15 staff members will take on 15 lucky 5th grade students in three exciting 5-minute rounds

Spectator Information:

• All classes will sit along the outside of the blacktop to watch and cheer!

• Families are welcome to join and support both teams.

• Students are encouraged to make signs and cheer on their teachers and classmates!

We can't wait for this fun-filled event and hope to see you there! Thank you for your support in making this a memorable experience for our students.

Best,
Ms. Nikki

Dear Families,

We are excited to welcome two wonderful new members to our aftercare team, Taleeya and Bianca! Their enthusiasm and dedication to creating a safe, fun, and nurturing environment will be a great addition to our program. We look forward to the positive impact they will have on our Community! 

Hi, I’m Taleeya Samuel! I’ve been working with kids since high school, coaching youth field hockey and creating fun, supportive learning environments. I’m passionate about health, wellness, and teamwork, and I’m excited to be part of the team!

Important Information About Aftercare:

• Registration Required: Non-enrolled or part-time aftercare students must register due to limited staffing and space.

• Limited Availability: We cannot guarantee space for all students.

• Payment Accounts: Students must have an established payment account to attend.

• Invoices: Please check for your invoice from Square.

• No Fee for SLC Day: Aftercare is free on the day of your child's SLC.

• Full-Time Participants: If your child is already enrolled full-time, you can disregard this message.

https://forms.gle/CezcjSPbTmQ4PQXV6 

Copyright © High Tech Elementary Explorer. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
2230 Truxton Rd San Diego CA 92106

Questions?
Email us at htexpacommunications@gmail.com