Dear Serra Families:

As you know, we have gone "green" this year. Therefore, we have not printed the Activities Calendar. Although you already have access to the most current calendar via our website, we will include for your convenience an electronic snapshot calendar each month that highlights some of our activities. You will receive these monthly calendars in this Spotlight e-newsletter to help you prepare.  We hope this helps you as we "go green."  Click here for our first e-calendars for September and October

Thank you,
Marybeth Ortiz, Assistant Principal, Student Life

Auction Meeting Next Tuesday

The next Hard Hats & Heels auction meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21. If you are interested in helping out, come on down! Hammers and nails welcome.

SAT Prep Classes

Serra High School offers SAT preparation classes for seniors on campus in the evenings, through an outside vendor, Revolution Prep. Although Revolution Prep offers classes at a number of other high schools in the Bay Area, the classes at Serra provide an added convenience for students in this area. Our school recommends that juniors wait until the spring of their junior year before taking the SAT and the ACT tests.

There will be additional test preparation opportunities for them at that time, as well as during the summer months. Additional information about college admissions testing will be presented at the College Information Night for Juniors and their parents at 7 p.m. on September 22 in the Cafeteria.

Whenever students sign up for these classes, they should consider the time commitment involved, and whether or not they will be able to balance their homework from school as well as other commitments. Keep in mind that the most significant factors that will impact your college admissions are your grades in your classes, as well as the rigor of your course work. If you have questions about how to approach standardized testing, please consult your counselor. The next round of SAT prep classes will begin on September 25, and will lead up to the November SAT test. For more information or to sign up for classes, please visit www.revolutionprep.com

Booster Club News

Our 2010-2011 membership drive is now on. You should have received information in the mail about joining the Booster Club. All money raised by the Booster Club goes straight to our athletic programs and benefits all 14 teams. We are off to a great start with our membership drive, and we want to take advantage of this momentum to make this our most successful year ever. Our goal this year is to have every family that has a son playing a sport to join the Booster Club. If you have not joined yet, please send in the membership form from our mailing or you can join online in the Booster Club section. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at padreboosters@gmail.com.

Please come to our merchandise table at the Encinal game on Saturday and check out our new Nike gear. We will have Nike gear that Coach Walsh and his staff are wearing. It is Nike’s Dry-fit material. We also have women’s polo shirts, men’s polo shirts and a great jacket with the embroidered Serra Football logo.We have a limited supply of these items and will not be receiving more, so please stop by the table to purchase them before they are all gone.

Thank you for your continued support!

Bob Noto and Joe Wood, Booster Club Presidents

From the Attendance Office

Lately, a number of parents have reported to the front office, requesting that we pull their son out of school for routine, pre-scheduled medical/dental/orthodontist appointments. Often, they are unaware that this is contrary to our attendance policies. Please become familiar with these policies, which are articulated in the Student-Parent Handbook, which is available online through our website: click here.

If your son must leave school before the end of the school day, he must bring a signed note from you to the Attendance Office. We will give him a Permit to Leave School, which he will show to his teacher and the campus supervisors when he leaves class. This policy is in place to ensure your child's safety, account for his whereabouts at all times, and eliminates the need to interrupt classes when your son needs to leave school early. Please do not put us in a situation where we have to choose between interrupting a class or not complying with your request. Sincerely, The Attendance Office.

Make a Window Statement

The Bookstore now has two very cool window decals. They are $4 each and can be viewed on the website under “Padre Store.”

Ping Pong Tables Needed

We are looking for three or four ping pong tables for the Serra Welcome Dance next Frday, September 24. If you have tables to loan, please contact Patti Ferretti at pferretti@serrahs.com Thank you in advance!

Yearbook Information for Senior Parents 

Attention Senior Parents: Order your yearbook recognition ad for your son today! Your space can be ordered through December 15. To congratulate your favorite senior, PLEASE CLICK HERE: 

Please submit photos and choose a design online by December 15, 2010 in order for it to be included in the book. If you have any questions, please email Meg Kelly at mkkelly@serrahs.com.

Asbestos Notification

Mandatory Asbestos Notification: The Archdiocese of San Francisco requires all of its schools to notify parents that we have participated in  a program to identify and control asbestos-containing materials in our school buildings This program is being conducted under the Federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1986 and the Asbestos Containing Materials in Schools Rule of 1987. For the full text of this notification please download this attachment. Any questions should be directed to the Director of Finance, Mr. John O'Sullivan: josullivan@serrahs.com

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Wishing you all a wonderful week! My door is always open if you have any news stories to pitch for our website or Traditions magazine.

Sincerely,
Antonia Ehlers, Communications Manager

Upcoming Events                        

September 21:
Auction meeting, 7 p.m. in the library

September 22:
College Information Night for junior students and parents; 7 p.m. - School Cafeteria

September 29:
Assembly Schedule
40-minute classes
First Bell:
8:10 a.m.
1st:
8:15 to 8:55 a.m.
2nd:
9 to 9:45 a.m.
Break:
9:45 to 10 a.m.
8th:
10:05 to 10:45 a.m.
Assembly:
10:55 to 11:55 a.m.
4th:
12 to 12:40 p.m.
5th:
12:45 to 1:25 p.m.
6th:
1:30 to 2:10 p.m.
7th:
2:15 to 2:55 p.m.

September 30:
Lower Division
Parent Formation Night
7 p.m. - Gym, cafeteria and auditorium

October 5:
Mothers' Auxiliary meeting, 7 p.m. in the library

October 7:
Freshman election speeches

Teacher conferences, 7 p.m.

October 8: Freshman Mother/Son Mass, 7:30 a.m. in the Chapel

October 11:
SCHOOL HOLIDAY

October 12:
Fathers' Club meeting; 6:30 p.m.

October 15:
Hall of Fame Dinner

October 20:
Serra Award Ceremony

October 22:
Homecoming Night Football Game

October 26:
College Night

October 28:
Fall play preview