Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
This is a big weekend for us at Serra! We are hosting our first in-person Fund a Dream Scholarship Benefit since 2019. We are so excited to invite our community to campus to celebrate this milestone event, which raises funds for our tuition assistance program.
We want to remind you that there is no school on Monday, March 14. This is a holiday earned by students during the fall ThanksGIVEday fundraiser. When students return to school on Tuesday, March 15, they will not be required to wear masks at school.
The education and health agencies that govern us have advised that face masks are optional, therefore all members of the community will be free to decide regarding the use of masks. We will respect each person’s decision.
With masks now being optional, please make sure your son is clean shaven before arriving on campus. Any student that is not clean shaven will be given a razor to shave and will be assigned after school detention.
Another change that will occur when students return to school on Tuesday is our rules for eating on campus. Our students will be encouraged to eat outside, however students will also be permitted to eat in the cafeteria and at the tables in the "U-Shape" hallway. Students are reminded to clean up after themselves.
We look forward to seeing some smiling faces, both at our Fund a Dream event on Saturday, and also in our hallways come Tuesday!
Sincerely,
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Charlie McGrath
Principal
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Our Fund a Dream 2022 Scholarship Benefit is officially sold out! We are so excited to have so many members of our Serra community join us this Saturday night for this special social gathering and we thank you for your support!
We are excited to be able to bring this event to all of our community via livestream, so if you didn't purchase tickets, you are still welcome to watch the event via livestream. The link will be provided in the coming days. Also, if you haven't had a chance to donate to this great cause, you can still do so on our website under the Fund a Dream tab.
Many are asking what to wear, dress code is cocktail attire. Doors open for check-in at 5:30 p.m. We look forward to this exciting community event! See you all in person or via livestream on Saturday!
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Virus Geeks Testing
Remains on Campus
Tuesday and Fridays
Please remember that Virus Geeks on on site Tuesdays and Fridays for COVID testing.
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Serra Juniors Enjoy Mass With Their Moms Tuesday Morning |
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Serra moms and juniors spent a sunny morning together today for the annual Junior Mother-Son Mass in the school's Gellert Auditorium. Father Nicholas Case planned a lovely Mass, an annual tradition that brings together moms and their boys to worship together and enjoy a social breakfast gathering in Mary’s Courtyard.
A student reflection by Junior Evan Elwood likened mothers to farmers, for the sacrifices they make and the hard work and dedication they put into raising young men of faith and dignity. Toward the end of his reflection, he encouraged his peers to take a moment to verbalize their gratitude to their moms for all the kind things that moms do for their children.
This morning of reflection is a treasured experience for many moms, including San Carlos mom Cheryl DiTargiani.
“I love the Mother-Son Mass. Celebrating this special bond means so much to us and what a great way to start the day,” she said.
Her son, Ryder, agreed. “I really enjoyed being with my mom. I’m super close with my mom and being able to bring her on campus for this special Serra tradition is super fun, and a good bonding experience”
Redwood City mom Tatum Clark also enjoyed today’s Mass, calling it a special event.
“It was so wonderful for us to start our day together “just us” and reflect on our relationship -- I’m very much looking forward to the next one,” she said.
Each class spends one morning a year with their moms to worship together and give thanks for the special bond between mother and son.
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Tuition Agreements For Next School Year Due By March 25, 2022 |
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The 2022-2023 tuition agreements were recently sent out last week to each family to sign and choose a specific payment plan. To ensure your son's spot in the new year, the deadline to electronically sign the agreement is March 25, 2022. For any questions or concerns, please contact Arthur (Artie) Rios at or (650) 645-6404. |
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Common Ground Speaker To Discuss Screen Time on March 9
Common Ground presents The New Tech Normal: Creating Balance and Boundaries Around Screen time on March 9 at 7:15 p.m.
As technology increasingly dominates the lives of children, there is little agreement about best practices for parents. Anya Kamenetz, author of The Art of Screentime, assembles scientific research and expert advice to help parents navigate our complex relationship with screens.
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Outstanding Student and Leadership Award Applications Due March 30 |
If your son is an outstanding student involved in various activities, he should apply before March 30 for the Outstanding Student Award. In order to be eligible for this award, your student must have a cumulative 3.5 GPA (unweighted) or 3.7 GPA (weighted), have participated in two or more extracurricular activities (in at least 2 different areas) and have a good disciplinary record.
If your son is involved in any form of leadership at Serra, he should apply for the Leadership Award before March 30. This is an award where leadership points accumulate over his four years. We encourage all students to complete the form even if they do not have enough points to receive the award this year. In order to be eligible for this award, your student must have a good disciplinary record.
Links to apply for these awards are available in the Padre Week Ahead -- All applications must be submitted by the student before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 to be considered. No late admissions will be considered.
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Freshman Madres Bowling Event on March 20 - Evite Below
Freshman Madres -- The Serra Freshman Madre Committee cordially invites you to join them on Sunday, March 20 for a fun night of bowling, tasty bites and beer! Here is the link to the Evite: We look forward to seeing you there!
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Campus Ministry Offers Kairos to Seniors; OxFam Hunger Feast for All |
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Freshmen, Sophomore and Juniors - Christian Service Hours Are Due By April 1
Parents and students: This is a friendly reminder that the freshmen, sophomore, and junior Christian Service hours deadline is April 1. Contact Mrs. Ward for more information.
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Gellert Foundation Grants Serra $2 Million For Campus Improvements |
Junípero Serra High School is proud to announce that it has been generously granted $2 million from the Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Foundation to further modernize and renovate the Serra Campus, which includes the creation of a new Center for Learning and Innovation.
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Student Internships Available for Kevin Mullin '88 for Congress Campaign |
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Serra High School Class of 1988 Alumni Kevin Mullin is running for Congress and has some internship opportunities available for interested Serra Padres. If you are interested in finding out more about this amazing opportunity, go to the Mullin for Congress internship page.
Mullin was first elected to the state Assembly in 2012 and has served as Assembly Speaker pro Tem since 2014. He has made election reform and strengthening our democracy top legislative priorities.
Mullin is running for Congress in California’s new 15th District, which covers parts of San Mateo and San Francisco counties. The district includes the cities in Mullin’s Assembly District 22 along with Daly City and a portion of San Francisco. In late November, Mullin declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on June 7, 2022.
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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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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 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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