Dear Sea King Families,

As we head into our finals week, I want to take this opportunity to thank the entire Sea King community for a successful first semester. I continue to be impressed by our students and their amazing accomplishments. There is so much to be proud of this school year. We could not do all of this without the support of our faculty, staff, and families. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve as the principal of PVHS.

I hope each of you enjoys a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. Let's take this opportunity to unplug, decompress and rest. This is a well-deserved break for all of our students, faculty, and staff.

I know we are all looking forward to a smooth finals week and heading into Winter Break! Let's finish strong Kings!

Sincerely,

Dr. Trista Ramirez 

Principal

Our Student leadership group Be the Change organized a wonderful event for the last day of Wellness Week. BTC partnered with Bark Reading Dogs to bring therapy dogs to campus this past Friday. Students were able to sign up and visit the Mindfulness Room on campus to spend time with friendly pups of all sizes and destress on the last school day before entering finals week.

Finals Week Schedule

Monday, Dec 19th - B-Day (Normal Bell Schedule)

Tuesday, Dec 20th - 0 Period Final and then periods 1-6

(Review Day Schedule below)

Wednesday, Dec 21st - Periods 1 and 2 Finals (No late start)

Thursday, Dec 22nd - Periods 4 and 5 Finals

Friday, Dec 23rd - Periods 3 and 6 Finals

Tuesday, Dec. 20th Review Day Bell Schedule:

7:30 - 9:25  Zero Period Final 

9:30 - 10:17  Period 1 

10:22 - 11:09  Period 2 

11:09 - 11:16  Nutrition 

11:21 - 12:08  Period 3 

12:13 - 1:00  Period 4 

1:00 - 1:30  Lunch 

1:35 - 2:22  Period 5 

2:27 - 3:15  Period 6 

Finals Days: Minimum Day Schedule:

Wednesday 12/21 - Friday 12/23 are minimum days with dismissal at 12:30 pm.

The minimum day bell schedule is as follows:

8:30 am - 10:25 am - 1st Final

10:35 am - 12:30 pm - 2nd Final

PLEASE NOTE: We do not interrupt classrooms during final exams.

If your student needs to leave class early for an appointment, please make arrangements in advance with the attendance office.

We hope all Sea Kings finish this first semester strong and have a restful, two-week winter break!

Los Angeles Harbor College Dual Enrollment Pathway Informational Meeting

PVPUSD is partnering with LA Harbor College on Dual Enrollment courses (Culinary Arts, Business, or Data Analytics pathway) for the Fall of 2023. Please join us on Wednesday, January 11^th at 9:45 am in the PVHS Library for an in-person informational meeting!

Please help us gauge interest and determine course offerings by completing this simple questionnaire.  

For more information, please see the attached flyer.  

COVID-19 UPDATE



The Los Angeles Department of Public Health updated COVID-19 Protocol for TK-12 Schools with the RECOMMENDATION that all individuals wear well-fitting masks with good filtration when they are in indoor public settings. It is particularly important and strongly recommended for individuals who are at risk for severe disease to wear a highly protective mask in the following settings: 

1. closed spaces with poor airflow 
2. crowded places with many people nearby, and 
3. close contact settings especially where people are talking (or breathing heavily) close together. 

Mrs. Byrne's French Class learns to make the buche de Noel

On Thursday and Friday, the French program attended an interactive demonstration on how to make a buche de Noel, the most traditional French holiday dessert. Did you know that the buche (log) was the annual Christmas gift that lords gave their peasants so that they could heat their homes? Of course, in modern days, we don't need a wooden log to heat our homes, but the pastry chefs of France wanted to continue the tradition of gifting something at the holidays. They decided to create a yule log cake made with chocolate butter cream and sponge cake! Patrick Mogodin, a French pastry chef and owner of Adore Dessert Cafe in Redondo Beach, taught us how to assemble and decorate the buche de Noel, which they also tasted, of course! Miam! 

Mr. Pekich's students have been working all school year to create their own custom surfboards. Now that the semester is almost complete, the finished products have finally taken shape! Student's above are pictured with the boards they created from scratch. They turned out beautifully!

Mr. Pekich's surfboard shaping class is becoming one of the most popular electives on campus!

CSF held its annual Toy Drive the last two weeks with overwhelming success. This year, PVHS CSF members and friends donated to support the Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children.  Thank you to senior, Caroline Kelliny, and her Gifts of Joy club for partnering with CSF to bring toys to many deserving children.  Thank you to all those who supported the drive.  CSF wishes all families a happy holiday season!

Congratulations for Eugene Lee (12th), Christine Xie (11th), and Hanna Jung (9th) who qualified for the American Invitational Mathematical Examination!

 These students represent the top 2.5 to 5% scorers nationally on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) exam, a competition to identify talent and foster a love of mathematics. As their reward for their amazing AMC results, they get to participate in the AIME , a 15-question, 3-hour examination in which each answer is an integer number from 0 to 999. This exam provides another opportunity for these outstanding students to challenge their mathematical abilities and further their mathematical development and interest. Congratulations to Eugene, Christine, and Hanna for this great achievement and good luck to them as they prepare for the February AIME competition!

College & Career Center Updates & Events

OUTSIDE OPPORTUNITIES

LOS SERENOS DE POINT VICENTE JUNIOR DOCENTS PROGRAM is open to local high school students. The program is designed to complement the existing educational and support activities including museum tours, hikes support, whale wagon duty and special event participation. Junior Docent Training is now open for new applications.

If you are interested in becoming a Junior Docent, please click HERE for a more detailed description of the Junior Docent responsibilities; please click HERE for an application form in a PDF format. Please click HERE for complete instructions pertaining to completing this form.

Applications are due Sunday, December 18th.  

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES and DEADLINES:

Please make note of the following DEADLINES noted in RED.

Most of the scholarships listed here are for our seniors. Click on the name of the scholarship for further information and to apply. Other scholarship opportunities can be found HERE.

DECEMBER 31st - AYSO JEFF RICKEL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP ($2,000) - awarded to a college-bound senior who has played soccer in, and given volunteer service to the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Region 10. Applicant must demonstrate an understanding of the importance of good sportsmanship.

JANUARY 5th - GE REAGAN FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP (up to $40,000) – for seniors only who demonstrate at school, at the workplace, and within the community the attributes of leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship; demonstrate strong academic performance; be citizens of the United States.

FEBRUARY 7th - ELK’S LEGACY AWARD ($4,000) – seniors only; any child/grandchild of a living Elk who joined the order on or before April 1, 2020 is eligible to apply. Candidates who qualify are judged on knowledge, charity, community service, and integrity

FEBRUARY 23rd - COOLIDGE SCHOLARSHIP (full-ride for college) – JUNIORS ONLY who plan to enroll in college in the fall 2024. It can be used by recipients at any accredited U.S. college or university. The main criterion is academic merit. Additionally, it seeks those who are interested in public policy; demonstrate an awareness of the values of President Coolidge; display a sense of service and care for the well-being of others.

FEBRUARY 23rd – MARY P. WYATT SCHOLARSHIP ($877) – PVHS seniors only; min 3.0 GPA; demonstrates financial need; actively helps others.

MARCH 1st – SONS OF ITALY SCHOLARSHIP ($500 - $5,000) – seniors only; must be wholly or partially of Italian Descent; selection based on scholastic record, activities evidencing leadership, financial need, written personal goals statement, essay of Italian Origin, and letters of recommendation.  

City of Rancho Palos Verdes Internship Program

The program was designed to attract, develop, and mentor students interested in pursuing a career in local government; while the program’s goals allow students to apply, evaluate, test, and integrate academic knowledge and theoretical concepts in a work setting.  

To learn more about the internship program, you can use this link:https://agency.governmentjobs.com/rpvca/default.cfm?action=jobbulletin&JobID=3803161

We look forward to welcoming up to eight (8) interns to the City. Internships will be available in City Administration, Community Development, and Recreation & Parks.

Holiday Wellness Information

Our youth wellness partner, South Bay Families Connected, invites you to connect with their free and accessible online parent and guardian resources to help provide you and your children with self-care and greater connection this holiday season. Below are resources featured for the holiday season: 

• New Blog: Unplug and Reconnect This Holiday Break - Holiday activities in the South Bay 
• Mindful Parenting
• Empathy and Compassion
• Social Skills and Connection 
• Healthy Relationships

For resources created for teens, visit the SBFC Virtual Teen Center where a wide variety of mental health and wellness topics are covered. To see more youth wellness resources provided by PVPUSD and SBFC, please visit PVPUSD Families Connected. 

PTSAs STRAW BALLOT FOR 2023-24 EXECUTIVE BOARD

The PV High PTSA Nominating committee needs/wants your suggestions for next year’s officers. Please make your nominations by filling in and submitting this form by January 9, 2023. Self-nominations welcome and you may fill out more than one straw ballot!

Nominations are anonymous unless you fill in your name and/or email address (optional).

Questions?  Contact PH PTSA Parliamentarian Laura Lee at ptalauralee@gmail.com 

PLEASE LIST ONE OR MORE NAMES ON EACH LINE. If the individual(s) you nominate have expressed an interest in the position, it would be very helpful if you would indicate that in the comments.

The PVHS School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) was approved by the PVPUSD School Board at their last meeting on November 29, 2022. This plan outlines goals and action items related to student achievement using site-based data including CAASPP testing results, overall AP scores, and California Healthy Kids Survey data. This plan was developed based on feedback and input from the faculty, staff, parents, and students during department lead meetings, faculty meetings, and meetings with the School Site Council, PTSA, and Booster Club. We appreciate the support and feedback from our school community in developing this plan. To review the final approved SPSA for our school site, please click HERE.

PVPUSD Student Board Policy Handbook

Please see the link below to the PVPUSD Student Board Policy Handbook. It is also located on the main district website under the Parent & Students tab. The handbook was updated in June 2022 and includes the pertinent and updated board policies related to students. 

Student Board Policy Handbook

To view the 22-23 bell schedules,

click HERE. 

Just a reminder, all students in grades 9-11 are required to stay on campus during lunch unless they have an off-campus pass. 

Please remind your students!

PTSA News and Important Info

PTSA would like to extend a warm welcome to all Sea King families!

Click here to join!

Attend monthly meetings on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 9 am in the MPR. Each month you will hear from various speakers including our principal, Dr. Ramirez, PVPUSD Administration, PVPUSD School Board Members, and others on campus!

To provide feedback, please submit your questions/issues/suggestions here.