Costume Parade Oct. 31st 8:30am @ HTeX Playground | Community Meeting Honoring Mr. Victor Nov. 5th 8:45 am @ HTeX Playground
Joyful Celebration!
Dear HTeX Family,
From September 15 to October 15, our classes celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, Filipino Heritage Month in October, and Indigenous Peoples Day on October 13th by honoring the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of these communities. This celebration was a time to uplift voices, acknowledge resilience, and foster a deeper understanding of identity and heritage within our school community through classroom activities, guest speakers, art, music, and storytelling. It has been a time of joy to celebrate the diverse traditions that shape our HTeX Community!
Warm reminder Student Led Conferences are taking place this week, Oct. 14-17 with dismissal at 12:45pm all week. It is a beautiful sight to behold transitional kindergartners through fifth graders recognize the power and voice they have to shape and lead their learning path and build their academic confidence and feeling of support by their adult allies. Research shows when students have voice, a sense of agency and responsibility for their learning, and develop the skills to monitor their progress toward learning goals, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to learn (Hewlett, NEP, d.School, 2020). This is the power of SLCs.
In celebration of the impact of student voice, we want to give Explorer shine to HTeX's former student, Abby Dutra for being selected with Oryan Navarrete, HTMMA 8th grade students, as finalists for NPR's 2025 National Student Podcast Challenge. Their podcast "Mixed Voices" is one of 11 chosen across the country. Below is a link to the article announcing the finalists. The title of their podcast links to an audio of their episode and their original cover art! The winner of the competition will be announced later this month. Abby is also being presented with a Certificate of Recognition by the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission for Abby's outstanding achievement along with other leaders in the Filipino community in honor of Filipino American History Month. Way to go, Abby!
Warm Reminders:
Reporting Absences: Please cc Maggie, HTeX Site Manager, in your email to teachers when your student is absent at mfragoso@hightechhigh.org
Toys: Please keep special toys at home for safe keeping.
Lost & Found: Please check our lost and found area near the Gathering Area for any items that belong to your family. We will need to clear the lost and found area on the last day of the month.
If you have any questions or need further information, please reach out to us. We are here to help!
With love,
Dr. Melissa
Linked HTeX 25-26 Calendar
October 13: No School - Indigenous Peoples Day
October 14-17: Student Led Conferences; Minimum Day Dismissal @ 12:45pm
October 18: HTeX Fall Festival @ 11:00am-2:00pm HTeX Playground
October 27: Monthly Monday Morning Meeting with Melissa & Brian @ 8:30am-9:30am
October 31: Halloween Parade 8:30am-9:00am HTeX Playground
Warm Reminder - please complete FASS form here
Warm HTeX Welcome to Alyssa!
Hello, my Name is Alyssa Quintanilla and I am the new RBT/ ABA Support Assistant at High Tech Explorer. I have my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Fresno. I have also been doing Applied Behavior Analysis for 4 years and I love to help children reach their educational and behavioral goals. I am so excited to be part of the high tech team to help the students here do just the same!
Dear Fabulous Community Members,
We want to emphasize the importance of consistent attendance for your student’s success in school. Regular attendance is essential to their academic progress, especially in literacy development and project based learning, which are core parts of our curriculum.
We are thrilled to announce our Third Annual Rockin’ Rocktober, a school wide commitment to supporting our students in attending school every day. When students attend regularly, they’re more likely to grow as their whole selves personally, socially, academically, and emotionally.
Throughout October and beyond, we look forward to demonstrating our collective commitment to attendance. You can count on regular communication from us to celebrate successes and identify areas where we can continue to grow together.
Let’s rock this month together!
We understand that some absences are beyond your control, and we’re here to help. We encourage you to prioritize regular attendance to support your student’s academic and emotional well being. Thank you for your continued partnership in guiding your child toward success. Please reach out if there are any barriers to regular attendance that we can support. We value our community, and we’re here to help.
10 Facts About School Attendance
In Partnership,
Brian Burr
Establish a Strong Home-School Connection
Attend school events like Exhibition and Student-Led Conferences (SLCs): These events provide crucial information about your child's learning and school community.
Communicate Regularly with Teachers: Maintain open communication with your child's teacher. Share any concerns or questions promptly.
Foster Positive Behaviors at Home
Establish a Consistent Bedtime Routine: Ensure your child gets enough sleep for optimal focus and learning.
Encourage Healthy Habits: Promote a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient water intake for overall well-being.
Build Your Child's Confidence and Skills
Read Together Regularly: Share the joy of reading and build literacy skills.Plan a trip to your local library!
Teach Organizational Skills: Help your child develop time management and planning abilities. Teach your child about strategies that have been supportive for you.
Encourage Problem-Solving: Foster critical thinking and independence. You can help develop these skills by providing time for your child attempt to solve problems independently before completing a task for them.
Get Involved in the School Community
Volunteer at School: Contribute your time and skills to support school activities.
Stay Informed: Look out for communication via emails from your child’s teachers, family newsletters, and Konstella.
By following these tips, you can create a supportive environment that helps your child thrive in school.
To learn more about supporting your student’s learning and development, please visit these additional resources:
https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/browse-by-topic
HTH Admissions: Spread The Word!
Please Complete Your 2025–26 FASS Form — All Families, Every Year
All families — regardless of income — can complete or update your Family and School Support (FASS) form:
Helps HTH secure additional state funding
Supports staffing, student services, and academic programs
Takes just a few minutes — no login required
Your information is confidential, protected by FERPA, and never shared with immigration authorities
MORE INFO — Family Info on FRL Applications & Income Form FAQ 2025–2026
Complete your FASS form here:
https://linqconnect.com/public/income-form/new?identifier=QYRZH4
Parent Association Information
Our next General Parent Association meeting will be on Friday, November 7th.
Fall Festival is this weekend!
Come join us for our community building event. There will be just about something for everyone!
Last call for donations
Whether it is water packs, pre-loved stuffed animals, costumes, or baked goods, any contribution is very much appreciated!
Jog-a-thon- Calling all Sponsors!
We are currently looking for sponsorships
Any contribution is greatly appreciated! Donations over $150 will include your business name on our sponsor banner, proudly displayed at the school, and donations over $500 will feature your business logo on our annual Jog-A-Thon T-shirts.
Gold Sponsorship Level $500
Gold Sponsorship includes:
● Vendor table at Fall Festival
● Medium logo on annual T-shirt*
● Name/logo listed on sponsorship banner
● Logo and hyperlink listed on HTeX PA Website
Silver Sponsorship Level $300
Silver Sponsorship includes:
● Small logo on annual T-shirt*
● Name/Logo and hyperlink listed on HTeX PA Website
*Payment and logo must be received by Oct. 31, 2025 for inclusion of logo on T-shirt. All logos will be printed on T-shirts in one color.
Information About Volunteering
We love and appreciate HTeX volunteers!
When volunteering, all volunteers will will need to review the orientation information and sign the HTeX Volunteer Acknowledgement form. Please submit the form to Dr. Melissa or Ms. Maggie. All volunteers will be required to review this orientation in preparation for volunteering opportunities for our HTeX community.
Chaperoning Field Trips - Please...
We deeply appreciate your generosity in volunteering as a chaperone on our field experiences! Please follow the following guidelines:
Make sure you are cleared to drive on PowerSchool
Abide by High Tech Chaperone guidelines. This is an academic trip, but also have fun!
Please make sure student medication and/or epipens are brought while on the trip and are kept with the student's parent or staff member in their group
No siblings or additional adults allowed without prior approval
Chaperones are not to buy students extra items (souvenirs etc.)
We ask this because if some groups get one experience but not all groups, it’s not equitable
DO NOT TAKE AND POST PHOTOS OF STUDENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
You may send your student’s teacher or other classroom teacher photos
DO NOT LEAVE FIELD TRIP PROPERTY WITHOUT CHECKING IN WITH HTEX STAFF
Quiet Recess Volunteers
Calling All High Tech Families!!
I hope this message finds you well. As we strive to create a fun and engaging school environment for our students, we are excited to extend an invitation for our students adults to volunteer during recess.
Recess is a crucial time for our students to unwind, socialize, and engage in playful activities. Your presence during this time can make a significant difference in enhancing their overall school experience. Some of our student population has messaged to us that being outside for recess can be overstimulating. We would like to offer our parent volunteers a chance to come in and support those students. Our goal is to keep all students engaged in an activity that meets their individual needs.
If you're interested in volunteering, please sign up for a specific date and time using this form. We appreciate any time you can contribute.. Our kids love consistency, and we would appreciate a recurring schedule. However, if you have a limited schedule and want to help, we can discuss those opportunities on a case-by-case basis.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to be involved in your child's school life. Your support is instrumental in creating a positive and enjoyable school environment.
Thanks kindly,
Mr. Brian
Dear families,
We’ve recently noticed an influx of students walking themselves into Before Care. For everyone’s safety, we want to remind you that all students must be signed in by a parent or guardian each morning.
This sign-in step is very important because it ensures;
-We know your child has safely arrived.
-Accurate attendance records.
-A smooth start to their morning in the program.
We’re writing to inform you that After School will begin invoicing families for the month of September, and we will be setting up a recurring monthly payment system through Square.
As part of our updated payment process, all invoices will now be sent via Square. You will have the option to securely add your credit card information and manage your payments directly through your Square account. If you believe you were charged in error and have not yet completed the FASS form, please do so as soon as possible using the link below
You will receive an email soon with more details about this new payment system, including step-by-step instructions on how to set up and manage your payments. Thank you for your attention and for helping us streamline the payment process for everyone.Please note: We will be sending out confirmation emails to those who have qualified for Free or reduced care very soon.
Thank you for your attention and for helping us streamline the payment process for everyone.
We kindly ask that you walk your child in and complete the sign-in with staff every day. Students will not be able to join Before Care unless they are signed in by an adult. Additionally if you’re interested in the before or after school program please take the time to fill out the form below. For safety, we cannot take any students who have not filled out the form.
Thank you for helping us keep our program safe and welcoming for all students. We truly appreciate your cooperation and support!
For HTeX After School Program general questions, please email htexplafterschool@hightechhigh.org. This inbox is monitored throughout the day, every day.
Thank you,
The Explorer Team
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