COVID Testing On Campus for Students
Serra has updated its testing guidelines in response to the recent changes in county guidance and the increased use of the campus with all grade levels on campus and increased athletics and activities on site. All students participating in on-campus classes, sports, clubs or activities are required to test every two weeks. You must test when your cohort is in distance learning. Students participating in football, water polo and volleyball must test weekly.
Serra is pleased to have partnered with Eurofins and Total Swab, both well-regarded testing services, to provide on-site testing to all faculty, staff and students. All testing will be administered by Total Swab on the Serra campus each Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students are asked to test when not in class. Eurofins shares testing results with Serra, eliminating the need for you to email the school. Eurofins also automatically retests positive results to guard against the potential of a false positive result.
Sign-up for a COVID test time HERE
You may also test off campus. Should students choose to test off campus, there are a number of available testing sites. Feel free to go through your provider or you can test at the various locations in San Mateo County, please see links below:
Reporting of results:
If you test off campus, you will need to share positive results with [email protected].
For off-campus testing, if your son is participating in water polo or football, please complete this form.
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Serra Teams Hit the Field, Pool Following Pandemic Year Off |
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A roar of the crowd could be heard over the weekend, as Padre athletic competitions made a safe return after a year off due to the pandemic.
Athletics commenced with a cross country meet at Golden Gate Fields at noon Friday, a varsity football scrimmage against Bellarmine College Preparatory at home on Friday afternoon and two football scrimmages at home on Saturday for junior varsity and the freshman team. Water polo also made a comeback with games on March 10 against Sacred Heart Preparatory and March 13 against Saint Francis.
"It was so exciting to see teams competing on campus this weekend,” said Athletic Director Justin Ferdinand. “The comradery, sense of purpose, and passion added such energy to the school,” he said.
With 77 student-athletes on the freshman team roster, Coach Ken Peralta said he couldn’t be happier to be back in the game.
“To me it is a real blessing -- it is so great to have the opportunity to work with 77 kids and 77 good attitudes,” he said.
Athletics during a pandemic have been tricky, as safety protocols have to be strictly adhered to.
“We are cautious but optimistic -- we are very conscientious of all of the safety rules and our kids know they can’t stand around each other for more than 12 minutes at a time,” he said.
Spectators, which are limited to two tickets per student-athlete, must sit socially distanced in the stands, with taped sections to indicate safe spacing.
“The participants and spectators from Bellarmine and St. Francis complied with our COVID policies and protocols, which allowed the health and safety to be at the forefront of the experience," Ferdinand said with gratitude.
The sound of the whistle and cheering of the crowds were welcome sounds on the Serra campus.
All events produced by Junípero Serra High School, including all home football games for all three levels and as many other games as possible, will be available to view live online and on demand free of charge. Fans can create an account using this link. Go Padres!
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Coach Walsh Inspired Hat Raises Money for Football Program
Support Serra football with a one-of-a-kind adjustable cap designed by Head Football Coach Patrick Walsh. To order your hat, visit our website.
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Outstanding Student Award Applications Due March 26
It is time for our Serra Padres to apply for the Outstanding Student Award. We are so proud of our students who excel at such a high level and are honored with the Outstanding Student Award. Last year, we had nearly 50 students who achieved this distinction.
In order to be eligible for this award, students must have a cumulative 3.5 GPA (unweighted) or 3.7 GPA (weighted), have participated in one or more extracurricular activities and have a good disciplinary record. When students apply, they need to mark each activity that they have participated in this school year. All applications will be shared with Mrs. Lee and Mr. Baldonado for academic and disciplinary clearance. In order to be considered, students must complete this application by 3 p.m. on Friday, March 26.
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Padres Enjoy Junior Retreat at Vallombrosa Center This Month
Serra junior experienced ‘A Call to Love’ retreat at the Vallombrosa Retreat Center in Menlo Park throughout the month of March. There were three different retreats, which inspired juniors to come with an open mind and heart to experience some solid time in reflection.
According to Serra’s Campus Ministry Retreat Coordinator Frank Bruno, the retreats involved the themes of love and community.
“We were beyond grateful to have shared such a gorgeous day with 23 wonderful beings,” Bruno said following the first retreat in early March. “Students spent the day reflecting on the themes of love and community.”
Bruno said he was grateful to the Padres that participated in this year's junior retreat and for the insightful Encounter leaders for their leadership. One last junior retreat opportunity is on March 26. Contact Mr. Bruno for more information.
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Zoph Library Blog This Week For Information on Public Libraries
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Save the Date for Serra's
First-Ever Senior Pandemic Prom
Please get ready to celebrate the Class of 2021 at Serra’s first ever Pandemic Prom! Now that the athletic schedules are out, we have had to make an adjustment to the senior prom date. It will be held on Saturday, May 22 due to a number of athletic contests being held on Friday, May 21. Please lookout for prom information which will be shared in the upcoming weeks!
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Junior Spring College Night Webinar
Please save the date for the Junior Spring College Night Webinar on March 29 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. We will be hosting Sara Sawrie from Purdue University as our guest speaker.
Join Serra counselors and learn more about admission updates, reminders and the financial aid process.
A webinar link will be shared with junior families prior to the event. Hope you all can join us!
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Appalachia Virtual Immersion
Trip During Easter Break
Padres interested in a retreat over Easter Break are encouraged to sign up to attend the Appalachia Virtual Immersion trip in partnership with Nazareth Farm and students from Presentation High School.
Focused on simplicity, community, prayer and service, this collaborative retreat experience will include elements of each to ensure an authentic immersive experience! For more information, visit Nazareth Farm or contact Madame Mary Dowden.
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Serra Tuition Agreements thru TADS Need to Be Signed
We are asking all returning families to please complete the 2021-2022 TADS tuition agreement for next year. There will be a registration fee of $750 for freshmen through juniors and $850 for seniors due at the signing of the agreement. You can log in to TADS to complete the agreement and set up your payment plan.
For further information, please contact Arthur Rios at (650) 645-6404.
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Class of 2022 Students Rising Above: Rising Stars Program Applications |
Applications for the Class of 2022 Students Rising Above: Rising Stars Program are due on March 4. The Rising Stars Program recognizes students with potential and understands the obstacles they must overcome. Investing in first-generation students in the nine county San Francisco Bay Area, Students Rising Above provides a unique level of support that’s comprehensive, student-centric, and highly personal. Students Rising Above Rising Star Program is looking for high school juniors graduating in Spring 2022, who have demonstrated strength of character in the face of challenging odds, and dream of a college education. Selected students come from low-income households and are rising above tremendous difficulties and succeeding in school and in life despite their circumstances at home. These difficulties may include poverty, neglect, violence, addiction, and homelessness. For more information, visit Rising Stars Program.
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Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program Offer Scholarships |
The Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program is a new needs-based scholarship program, providing up to $20,000/year, designed for eligible college-bound Black and African American students in the United States. Scholars will receive mentorship from Visa employees and have opportunities to grow their key technical, professional and leadership skills. Scholarship recipients who have met expectations will be invited to join Visa full-time after graduation.
The program is open to Black and African American high school seniors who are applying or intend to enroll in a full-time four-year undergraduate degree at any accredited college or university in the U.S. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have an intention to pursue studies in Technology or Business for the 2021 academic year with an expected graduation date between December 2024 and May 2025.
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During the month of December, we showcased Padre family-owned businesses. We had an overwhelming response to this effort and have decided to continue to showcase these businesses.
We hope this year, you'll shop local and patronize these Padre businesses!
Thank you for your community support and remember to shop small, shop local, shop Padre!
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Common Ground Tackles COVID and Stress on March 18
As we embark on the one year anniversary of the pandemic, we are all wondering, what will the long-term effect be?
Common Ground Speaker Series is hosting a talk titled, COVID and Chronic Stress: Healthy Coping with Long-Term Pandemic Impacts, featuring speakers Robert M. Sapolsky, PhD and Nadine Burke Harris, MD, MPH and moderated by:Fumiko Hoeft, MD, PhD.
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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 Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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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