Independence High School

Welcome back! I hope everyone was able to enjoy, and stay dry, during our break last week.

Today starts our 5th marking period and our LCAP Meetings. This Friday will be our Multicultural Assembly and Sadies Dance.

Congratulations to our students who placed in the Los Gatos NUMU Art Now juried art exhibition! Anjieneth Alonzo, Alena Angulo, Miaki Thao, Valeria Gomez, Diep Van, Pham Nguyen, Catharine Saechao, Willson Zeng, and William Zeng all placed in this contest. The exhibition opens on March 31st, Friday, at the Los Gatos NUMU museum and their work will be on display till June 25th. Several examples of their work are attached below.

What’s Happening This Week:

Friday, March 3rd

- Special Rally Schedule: IHS Annual Multicultural Rally

- Sadie Hawkins School Wide Dance (6:30pm -10:30pm)

Coming Soon…

Saturday, March 18th, 9am-2pm: IHS Main Parking Lot

Band Boosters Fundraiser: Goodwill Donation Drive. Accepting all used clothing, shoes, e-waste (printers, computers, televisions, etc), old appliances, textbooks & books, kitchen items, luggage, purses, etc. Come visit our convenient drop-off drive thru. All proceeds support the Calvary Marching Band & Colorguard.

Student Shoutouts

Congratulations to the IHS Winners of the Los Gatos NUMU Art Now~

The theme this year is 'Unarmed Truth'. The exhibition opens up March 31st, Friday, at the Los Gatos NUMU museum. Our students' work will be on display till June 25th. Read more: NUMU Art Now program

Ms. Inglefinger’s 2D Digital Art and Design class: Catherine Saechao, William Zeng, Willson Zeng, Diep Van Pham

Mr. Bischofberger's Photo class: Alena Angulo

Ms Fabricius' AP2D Studio Art and Design: Miaki Thao AKA Alexis Thao

Ms Fabricius' Crafts Class: Valeria Gomez, Anjieneth Alonzo

Check out the amazing art here in this VIDEO!

For a complete list of *ALL* Fall Semester Shoutout Winners, click HERE! Our Sixer Staff awarded 154 Sixer Shoutouts during the Fall semester! Congratulations to all!

On Friday, February 17, 2023, Psychology classes hosted Psych Fair 2023 in the large gym! The Psych Fair is an opportunity for students enrolled in a Psychology course to dive into the research process and collect data on research questions they created. Under the guidance of Ms, Jay, Ms. Kavanaugh, and Ms. Dang, students learn about documenting background information, outlining procedure, identifying independent and dependent variables, experimenter bias, formulating a hypothesis, and ethical considerations while doing research.

Some of the research questions investigated included:

• Was there a correlation between screen time and social skills?

• How is heart rate affected by fear?

• How reliable is eyewitness testimony?

• Do athletes or gamers have better hand-eye coordination?

Being innovative is not just about being creative! Authentic innovation comes from doing research, understanding the research process, and using research findings to impact our community in a positive way.

Check out a lot more photos of Psych Fair 2023 HERE!

View our School-Wide lesson on what it means to be “Innovative” HERE

Announcements

Congratulations to Gabe Arroyo, Qwavario Ford, Joshua Villanueva, and Shea Mattox for being named to the BVAL Mt. Hamilton West All-league team. Shea Mattox was also named Senior of the Year.

Congratulations to our Varsity Girls’ Soccer team for winning the BVAL West Valley Division League title. Terrific year for our team!

Sixer Study Hall Monday (3:45-4:45) in the school library. All are welcome. Contact Coach Carson w/questions carsona@esuhsd.org

Week of 2/27/2023

Tuesday, 2/28

Sixer Badminton vs Gunderson @ 5pm

Sixer Softball @ Mt. Pleasant @ 4pm

Wednesday, 3/1

Sixer Softball vs Del Mar @ 4pm

GoFan.co is now a vendor of ESUHSD. Now there are (2) options for purchasing tickets to basketball and volleyball games; pay via cash at the Box Office or electronically via mobile app/phone at IHS & GoFan.co. (Note: GoFan does charge a $1/ ticket fee for each transaction)

Visit Sixer Athletics for up to date information about athletics! Follow us on Instagram: @indyathletics

Financial Aid Application due this week, March 2!

All seniors must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or the CADAA (California Dream Act Application) according to Assembly Bill 469. Students must complete either financial aid application to qualify for:

• Cal Grants (FREE money!)

• Middle Class Scholarship (FREE money!)

• California Community College Promise (attend community college for FREE!)

• Work study programs

• Other financial assistance programs

If you and your student need help filling out either application, Mr. Garcia and your school counselor are available.

Counselor Availability:

Ms. Pham (A-Cg) - 8am-3:30pm

Mr. Ly (Ch-Garc) - 8am-3:30pm

Mr. Hennessey (Gard-Le, I) - 8am-3:30pm

Ms. Fernandez (Le, J-M) - 8:30am-4pm

Ms. Huynh (N-Ph) - 8:15am-3:45pm

Ms. Marquez (Pi-Ta) - 8:30am-4pm

Ms. Liang (Tb-Z) - 8:15am-3:45pm

Mr. Garcia (10,000 Degrees Fellow) - 9am-4pm | Tuesday-Thursday

Ms. Cuenca (USF Intern) - 8am-3:30pm | Monday & Tuesday

Ms. Serrano (USF Intern) - 8am-3:30pm | Tuesday & Thursday

Hey Seniors!

Did you know? There is a special Senior Newsletter! Check out the special link for ALL senior-specific information, such as: professional portraits, graduation, FAFSA, and Prom! Just scroll and CLICK on the Senior button!

Multicultural Spirit Week (February 27th - March 3rd)

Friday, March 3rd

- Special Rally Schedule: Multi-Rally

A traditional, cultural rally highlighting and honoring the many different cultures at Independence High School. (Note: Performers will meet for a special rally rehearsal on Thursday afternoon)

- Sadie Hawkins School Wide Dance (6:30pm -10:30pm)

The “Sadies” Dance is a long running tradition at Independence. The dance is designed, organized, and hosted by the IHS Spirit Squad. ALL proceeds benefit the Spirit Squad, ensuring they can continue to provide training and supplement the cost of cheer uniforms. Tickets can be purchased from any Cheer Squad Member, or during lunch (at Senior Stage) on designated dates, for $10. Tickets must be purchased in advance - they will not be sold at the gate.

Yearbooks & Yearbook Ads!

Yearbooks are priced according to a sliding scale, so purchasing earlier guarantees a better price. Right now, yearbook reservations/orders are at $70.Students and parents/guardians can order a yearbook at the school bank (A-06) or visit www.yearbookordercenter.com (enter code 6072) to purchase online (there is a processing fee). Yearbooks will increase to $75 in February so buy now!

Yearbook Ads are a great way to honor graduating seniors, memorialize social groups and clubs, and promote local businesses. One exciting way to celebrate you and your friends is to contribute to a photo collage of all your collective experiences! Select from a variety of packages, layout options, templates, colors, and fonts. Upload as many photos as you desire and submit for publication!

For further information, please review the Yearbook Frequently Asked Questions document.

Social Media Handles

Stay up to date on all student activities and events at IHS - follow your ASB-endorsed accounts:

• https://www.instagram.com/indyactivities/

• https://www.instagram.com/indyathletics/

• https://www.instagram.com/indyperformingarts/

And, be sure to also follow your class account for information specific to your year:

• https://www.instagram.com/ihsco2026/

• https://www.instagram.com/ihs.co2025/

• https://www.instagram.com/ihs.co2024/

• https://www.instagram.com/ihsco2023_/

The C-05 office will continue to focus on attendance as we would like to continue to remind SIXERs the importance of being on time, all day, every day and how there is a correlation between attendance and grades. We are happy to report that as a site we are making an improvement in the right direction. Let’s keep it up SIXERS

Semester Average: 85.86%

January Average: 85.77%

Last Week’s Average: 86.25%

We will continue diligently working with students, and having parent conferences with students to address attendance and generate a plan to help support and motivate the students to be in class.

One way to recoup a FULL DAY absence is by attending Saturday School.

Saturday School

Our first Saturday School of the semester was a HUGE success where we had over forty students present. Our next Saturday School is scheduled for February 18, 2023.

Saturday School is a way for students can recover a FULL day of absence. Saturday School does not excuse excessive tardies. You may sign up by clicking the following link:

https://tinyurl.com/SaturdaySchoolatIHS

CLOSED Campus

A friendly reminder to parents and students that we are a closed campus. Students should not leave the school grounds during school hours–particularly during breaks and lunch for safety reasons. The Public Library and Overfelt Gardens constitute as off campus as they are not on school grounds.

Additionally, this is a friendly reminder that students should not be hanging out in the parking lots during passing period, break and or lunch. Staff members will ask the students to go back to the main campus.

Short Term Independent Studies (STIS)

Please remember that if your student will be absent for 5 days up to 14 days, they may apply for short term independent studies through the C-05. Please have your student come by C-05 to speak with Ms. Vidal or Mr. Salgado regarding the process.

Student Parking Permits

This is a friendly reminder that if students are driving their car to school, they must fill out a student parking permit application.

The student parking permit application will be completed online. Once the form has been submitted, please bring your driver's license, current motor vehicle registration, and proof of auto insurance to C-05 to receive your parking permit.

The online application can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUdLoXqaupme8lYk5rdzpOl3hWnfXKSbJGF9PsL4WqSiYNjA/viewform

The IHS Attendance Office is located in N-01

Attendance Secretary

Naicila Vidal - 408.928.9521

Student last name A - L

Diana Castillo - 408.928.9552

Student last name M-Z

Thao Pham - 408.928.9542

Coffee with the Principal: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 @ 9am via Zoom.

Please mark your calendars for future Family Engagement Workshops:

• Communication With Your Child Thursday, 3/9 5-6pm

• Anxiety: Insight & Skills for Parenting Your Anxious Child Wednesday, 3/29 5-6pm

• Supporting Youth With Trauma & Traumatic Experiences Thursday, 4/20 5-6pm

• Healthy Relationships: Helping Your Child Develop Healthy Relationships Thursday, 5/4 5-6pm

• LGBTQ+ Support for Families Thursday, 5/18 5-6pm

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

• 988 Crisis and Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Get Help - Behavioral Health Services - County of Santa Clara (sccgov.org); informational flyer for mental health teams (attached)

• Black Youth & Suicide: A guide on suicide risk and mental health support for Black youth in Santa Clara County

• LGBTQ Youth Space (ages 13-25): https://youthspace.org/

• allcove: https://allcove.org/centers/palo-alto/

• Downtown Youth Wellness Center (ages 12-25) – flyer attached; Programs – Alum Rock Counseling Center (alumrockcc.org)

• Santa Clara County Office of Education - Department of Youth Health & Wellness

• Headspace for Teens: https://www.headspace.com/teens

• Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org

Our Independence Clothes Closet has a number of gently used clothing items. Please reach contact Ms. Maggie or Ms. Guardado in N01 if you are in need of any items (ie…sweaters, jackets, socks, blankets)

As a reminder please refer to the academic calendar to support you in the planning of any holiday vacations. As a reminder, vacations are not excuse absences in session days. For further questions please contact your attendance clerk.

For any questions or concerns please contact either Ms. Guardado guardados@esuhsd.org 408.928.9598 or Ms. Maggie rodriguezm@esuhsd.org 408.928.9541. Please ensure we have your email so you are able to receive Parent Meetings and school updates. Please complete the Parent Survey by using this link https://forms.gle/mY7aQo6c37KW5S64A to get your feedback regarding Parent Workshops.

The Mental Health and Wellness Center is located in Room D-05.

Office Closures:The office is closed on Wednesdays from 11:30 until 2:00 pm. If you need support from an adult, please go to C-05, N-1, or N-2 for assistance.

How do I submit a referral?

Students, parents, teachers, and community members may submit a referral for any student at Independence by visiting the link below and filling out a Care Team referral form. A social worker or intern will follow up with the student.

Care Team Referral form: https://forms.doc-tracking.com/48252/48252/2416

Educational Webinar for Parents: Daybreak, our community partner, is hosting educational webinars for parents on topics related to student mental health. All webinars are free to parents! The next upcoming webinar will focus on identifying changes in behavior. You can register by clicking here. The next upcoming training is Thursday, February 9th from 5-6pm

Calming Space: The Calming Space is designed as a space for students who are experiencing stress in class and need a short break to self-regulate. Before students visit the Calming Space, we ask that they check in with their teacher and request a pass. Students may spend 15-20 minutes in the Calming Space; if they need more time, a wellness center staff member will check in to discuss additional resources and support. We ask that students always check in with an adult when they arrive and before they leave the Calming Space, keep their phones away, and that they try at least one station in the space. Stop by to take a look!

Wellness Center Instagram @indywellness76

Independence makes use of the SaySomething Anonymous Reporting System from Sandy Hook Promise. If you, or your student, have a tip to report, you can use the following link, and it will be routed to the appropriate individuals. https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/say-something-tips/

Email: bergbj@esuhsd.org
Website: https://independence.esuhsd.org/index.html
Location: 617 North Jackson Avenue, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: 4089289500
Twitter: @IndependenceHS

Archives of previous newsletters can be found at https://independence.esuhsd.org/About-Us/Principals-Newsletter-archive/index.html