Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
We thank you for your patience as we continue to navigate the unchartered territory brought to us once again through the latest iteration of COVID. Our priority is to ensure that students remain in classes and co-curricular events continue unimpeded. We continue to make decisions in line with these goals, and we appreciate your support during these past two weeks.
Tonight we will once again make a shift, this time in our protocols surrounding spectators at our winter sports. Since the semester began, we have limited spectators to basketball and wrestling, both indoor sports, to no more than four family members. Tonight, we are opening our Padre cheering section to 100 seniors (who were given the opportunity via email on a first-come, first served basis today). Moving forward, we will phase in additional fans to allow for students to support their peers. These plans will be announced soon.
Students attending tonight’s game must have their student ID for entry and enter through Mary’s Courtyard by the cafeteria. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. tip off.
Again, we thank you for your patience as we move through these uncertain times.
Go Padres!
Sincerely,
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Charlie McGrath
Principal
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Virus Geeks Testing Remains on Campus Tuesdays and Fridays
Please remember that Virus Geeks is on site Tuesdays and Fridays for COVID testing.
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Government Sponsored Free COVID Testing Kits Available
The government sponsored free COVID testing website went live earlier today. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-home COVID tests. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in seven to 12 days.
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We welcome our entire Serra community to mark your calendars for our annual Fund a Dream Scholarship Benefit on March 12, 2022. This year’s theme, Faith in the Future, will feature some of Serra’s most influential spiritual leaders to speak about the critical need of tuition assistance at Serra’s largest fundraising event of the year.
This annual event brings together members of our community in a show of support to our school through an amazing evening highlighted with dinner, entertainment and so much more.
Now in its 18th year, the Fund A Dream event has raised nearly $6 million dollars -- every cent of which has gone directly to tuition assistance scholarships, shared amongst all qualified applicants who dream of becoming a Serra Padre, but cannot afford tuition. This event ensures that all potential Padres have the opportunity to attend our school.
More details will be provided as the date nears, but please mark your calendars for a night to remember on March 12, 2022. Learn more about Fund a Dream!
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Serra Global Speaker Tonight Discuss Autonomous Vehicles |
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The Serra Global Speaker Series continues with Carey Nachenberg, an adjunct professor at UCLA and former member of the Lyft Level 5 team designing and building self-driving vehicles.
Carey will talk about the fascinating complexity of the science and business of autonomous vehicles, providing an overview of the various, complementary technologies that can allow the car to do the driving.
Carey is also a published author; his first novel, a techno-thriller, The Florentine Deception. Carey earned his BS and MS in Computer Science from UCLA in '95.
The program will take place tonight, Wednesday, January 19, from 7-8 p.m. It is free for the Serra community, but one must register in advance.
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Immersion Trips Are Back! |
Service Immersion trips are coming back! Grow in Faith, Community, Wisdom, Service and Leadership! Immersion trips are a great way to experience the Serra brotherhood by connecting with communities in need, either locally or nationally over Easter Break (San Francisco) or in the Summer (Arizona, West Virginia) Trips are open to sophomores, juniors and current seniors before they graduate.
Find out more at the virtual Service Immersion Information by viewing trips online through the Immersion Website or contacting Immersion Coordinator Mary Dowden or by phone at 345-8207 x 507.
Application deadline is February 15.
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Attention Senior Parents: Yearbook Recognition Ads On Sale Now! |
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It's that time of year when family members can purchase a yearbook recognition ad!
This a wonderful opportunity for parents to recognize your son for for his successes and milestones. These personal ads are a lovely way to honor your son in the yearbook.
All recognition ads must be submitted no later than February 1, 2022. Go to www.jostensadservice.com to create your full color ad today.
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Parent Club Merchandise Pickup to be on Thursday and Friday this week |
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Madres and Padres, if you still have Serra swag to pick up, please consider doing so on Thursday, January 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or on Friday, January 21 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Serra. Have your son pick up your merchandise if you cannot make it! We are hoping to clear the shelves so we can make room for next year’s orders! This merchandise was ordered this year when moms and dads registered with the Madres or Padres clubs. Contact Theresa Stoye with questions. |
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Emotional Intelligence: Unlocking the Power of Emotions |
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Common Ground is featuring Marc Brackett, PhD, moderated by Scott Erickson, PhD, Phillips Brooks School HOS, to discuss Emotional Intelligence: Unlocking the Power of Emotions on
Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. -8:15 p.m.
Tapping into our emotions and naming them can help us make better decisions, build stronger relationships, perform better academically and professionally, and improve our health. In this talk, Dr. Brackett will discuss how giving our children and ourselves permission to feel our feelings and name them can increase our ability to regulate tough emotions and be our best selves in addressing day to day stressors.
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Parent Scheduling Information Night To Be Held on January 31 |
This optional evening event will be held on Monday January 31, 2022. Attendees will see presentations by the counselors, Mrs. Lee and Mr. Strange, that will help them understand how students are scheduled into classes for the 2022-2023 school year. We will also review the options that students will have for required and elective course offerings, review the scheduling information page of the PCR Parent Portal where we will be posting various resources and take questions from attendees. This event will take place over Zoom, starting at 7 p.m. Freshmen, sophomore and junior parents will all have separate Zoom meetings which will be focused on the issues most relevant to those student groups. This is an event for parents; students will receive a separate presentation at school that week. Although it is not a required event, parents are responsible for understanding how to submit scheduling requests through PCR, understanding the course prerequisites, and meeting all deadlines. Further information, including Zoom links, will be sent out to parents on the day of the event by email. Portions of the sessions will be recorded and shared with parents afterward. |
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Serra High School Begins WCEA Accreditation Process |
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Serra is beginning the first stage of its accreditation process, conducted through the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA). This includes surveying the parent community about many aspects of the total school program.
Please check your email for a message from Mr. Strange with a link to the online survey, which will be open until January 26. We hope that as many parents participate as possible!
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Reserve Your Spot on the Close Up Trip |
Experience history as it happens! During our six-day Election Week program beginning on November 6-11, students will meet new friends from across the country and experience the suspense of a presidential election in Washington, DC! As the upcoming election promises to shape politics and policy for the next several years, students will take part in activities, seminars, and visits to Washington’s most historic sites to help them understand what roles they, as citizens, can play in our democracy. Close Up’s
Election Week program provides students with the opportunity to meet face-to-face with their
Congressional delegation on Capitol Hill and with Washington insiders who play a key role in the
American political system.
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Blessing of the Rings January 20 |
All students who have ordered class rings have been invited along with their parents to our annual Blessing of the Rings. This year we are also including students who purchased rings last year. All the students' rings will be blessed by Father Nick Case as part of our morning mass in the auditorium. This blessing is part of our faith and tradition to bless the symbols that have meaning in our life. Class rings are an important symbol for some students since they represent their success and achievements at Serra. They are blessed as a reminder that God is always with them. |
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Shop Padre Family Businesses! |
If you would like to add your Padre-family business to our list, email us here.
Thank you for your community support and remember to shop small, shop local and shop Padre!
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Download our free Serra App TODAY!
Select your mobile app store below and download directly to your device. Or, search for the app on your phone. Once you download the app, you can log in with your last name and email address.
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Wishing you all a healthy and fantastic week!
Aimee Lewis Strain
Director of Marketing and Communications
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Junipero Serra High School | 451 West 20th Avenue | San Mateo, CA 94403 | serrahs.com
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