PTO eNews - 8/23/2021
Calendar of Upcoming Events

  • August 27th - Welcome Back Rally
  • September 2nd - Back to School Night
Special Bell Schedule August 23rd - August 27th
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Welcome from Mills Viking Parent Teacher Organization
Dear Parents,

Welcome to the Mills Family (or welcome back)! I am honored to serve as your 2021-2022 Mills PTO President alongside an amazing PTO Board of dedicated parents and educators. Our plan is to continue working together to ensure that learning and connection take place safely and successfully again this year. Our goal is to provide vital and safe connections between parents, staff, and administration, keep our Mills community informed, and raise funds to support continued learning and student well-being, especially as we continue to face challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Who We Are
We are a dedicated group of parent volunteers, teachers, and staff who work directly with Principal Duszynski & the administration to support the needs of our school.

What We Do
Your $50 membership and generous donation of time allow our PTO to:
Provide parent volunteers & services to teachers, staff, and students of Mills High School.
Curate & send parent e-news coverage of important dates, events, activities, and relevant news to Mills. 
Educate & inform parents and the community on discussion topics, i.e. colleges, mental health, student activities/events, to better equip and assist the Mills community at Mills High School.
Spearhead the Annual Fund campaign to provide much-needed supplemental funding which directly benefits our students by elevating and enriching the exceptional educational experience for which Mills is known. More information will be coming your way in September regarding our campaign dates and Mills Mania Event! 

How YOU Can Help
Here are ways to support our PTO and keep informed and involved at Mills High School this year:
Visit and join the MHS PTO online https://www.millshspto.org/membership
Instagram account: millshspto
Facebook page: Mills High School PTO
Regular email updates - sign up to receive school updates by going online to http://tinyurl.com/millspto or by texting MILLSPTO to 22828
Join the PTO Board: We are looking for a fundraising chair (or co-chairs), and an 8th Grade Liaison! If you are interested or for more information, please reach out to president@millshspto.org
Attend our first PTO Meeting on Thursday, September 2 at 6:30 pm at Back to School Night (Come as early as 6 pm to learn about volunteer opportunities and all of our parent support organizations!) 

Once again, welcome (back) to the Mills Family and we look forward to your support and involvement during this year. Go Vikings!!!
Sincerely,

Karen Bettucchi
MHS PTO President
Counselors' Connection
School Counselors at Mills
 
The Mills Counseling Department is pleased to welcome two new school counselors this year, Jayde Nieve and Jonathan Fong! Below are the new counselor caseload assignments by the last name of the student:

Rachel Mack (rmack@smuhsd.org): A to F
Jayde Nieve (jnieve@smuhsd.org): G to Lim
Kalani Vasquez (kvasquez@smuhsd.org): Lin to Pi
Jonathan Fong (jjfong@smuhsd.org): Po to Z

Ms. Vasquez is also the counselor for families who have requested school communications in Spanish. Students' counselor assignments were listed on their class schedules, and may also be found in Aeries. Counselor contact information is on the Mills High website under Academic & School Counseling. 
Mills Athletic Booster Committee
Welcome to the Mills 2021-2022 new school year which we believe will be filled with exciting, competitive and spirit-filled Vikings sports!

With 500+ student athletes, Mills offers a rigorous academic and athletic experience for our students. The Mills Athletic Booster Committee, an all-parent volunteer organization, provides supplemental athletic funding support, volunteer services and enhances overall school and community spirit for all our student athletes, coaches, teams and Athletic Department.  

PLANNED SPORTS FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR

Fall (Aug - Oct)
Cross Country (Coed)
Football
Golf (G)
Tennis (G)
Volleyball (G)
Water Polo (B, G)

Winter (Nov - Feb)
Basketball (B, G)
Soccer (B, G)
Wrestling (B, G)

Spring (Mar-May)
Badminton (Coed)
Baseball
Golf (B)
Softball
Swimming (B, G)
Tennis (B)
Track & Field
Volleyball (B)

Year Round
Spirit Squad


Our funding is supported by athlete participation donations, membership fees, sale of concessions & Mills athleticwear, in addition to other community fundraising efforts and events.

Join us in enhancing and enriching your student’s athletic experience at Mills.

Find out more about Mills Athletic Booster Committee at ​​millshsathleticboosters.org

Questions? Contact us at info@millshsathleticboosters.org

Donate to MHS Athletic Boosters at millshsathleticboosters.org/donate

Look for us at Back To School Night - September 2nd - Center Court

SEPTEMBER 3rd

FIRST HOME BOYS WATER POLO MATCH vs. Santa Cruz 5:00PM

FIRST HOME VARSITY FOOTBALL GAME vs. Monta Vista 7:00PM

SEPTEMBER 8th

FIRST HOME GIRLS FRESHMAN VOLLEYBALL MATCH vs. Burlingame 4:30PM

SEPTEMBER 9th

FIRST HOME GIRLS VOLLEYBALL MATCH vs. El Camino
JV - 4:00PM
Varsity - 5:15PM

SEPTEMBER 15th

FIRST HOME GIRLS WATER POLO MATCH vs. Mercy 
JV - 3:00PM
Varsity - 4:00PM

GO VIKINGS!
Senior Portraits - Studio Now Open
Seniors,

Click here to make an appointment to take your senior portraits.
SMUHSD Board of Trustees Meeting
SMUHSD to Hold Public Hearings to Draw Maps to Transition to By-Trustee Area Board Elections
 

California Voting Rights Act Update
Board members in the San Mateo Union High School District are currently elected in “at-large” elections, where all board members are elected by voters throughout the entire school district. On February 25, 2021, the Board adopted Resolution No. 20-21-12, in response to a letter threatening to sue the District under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). SMUHSD intends to transition from at-large to by-trustee area Board elections, where each Board member must reside within the designated trustee area boundary, and is elected only by the voters in that trustee area. Voters would only vote for one seat on the school board.

Process and Next Steps
The District will hold the following public hearings related to the transition to By-Trustee Area Elections where members of the public are encouraged to attend and make public comments on proposed maps and determine how boundaries are created:

August 26, 2021 at 7 p.m. - Regular Board Meeting - Pre-Map Public Hearing #1. The District will hold the first public hearing in the process prior to maps being drawn. See the agenda and Zoom login information

Board Meeting Zoom Login Information
Webinar ID: 955 8452 1141
Passcode: 995656
GATE Parents Group
Getting In: Your Blueprint to College Applications
 
When: Wednesday, September 1st. 6 pm
 
How to sign up: https://www.varsitytutors.com/courses/star-john-gardezi/dp/843af70f-82d1-40c8-925e-a39369b3de34
 
What will you learn:
 
Between tests, essays, forms, campus visits, and more, applying to college may seem more arduous and stressful than going to college will. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Join former Harvard University admissions representative John Gardezi for an interactive session to demystify the college application process and develop your strategy for getting in.
 
You’ll learn what admissions officers look for, how to develop an academic and extracurricular narrative that provides that, and what steps you can immediately take to improve your profile and maximize your chances. With insight valuable for high schoolers of all grade levels, John will provide methods for conquering:
 
-- Application essays and personal statements
-- Recommendation letters
-- Course selection and demonstration of academic rigor
-- Standardized test preparation and overall strategy
-- Community service and demonstrating leadership
-- Early decision/action strategy
 
See what the application process looks like from the admissions office’s perspective, and then put those insights to use to get into schools perfect for you.
 
Join us on October 6th for a night on Standardized Testing with a special guest from Fair Test.
Join us on November 3rd for a night on UC admissions with a special guest from UCLA.
More info and RSVP info to come soon...

 
Register for Fall College Essay Strategies!
 
Virtual Space is limited.
To Register: Go to www.gateparents.com 
 
The change in testing requirements alters the balance of how colleges review application information. Given the change, Essays will play a vital role in the college admission process. This GATE Parents Group-sponsored class is tailored to support students addressing UC and Common Application Essay prompts and the development of quality drafts for essay/personal statements. Priority enrollment will be given to seniors. All sessions for this course are held virtually. 
 
Orientation and small group sessions - Virtual
Orientation: Wednesday, 9/8/2021, 7-9 pm
Two Small Group Sessions: Wednesday, 9/15/2021 and Wednesday, 9/22/2021, choice of 7-8 pm or 8-9pm. See website for current availability.
 
Two private one-on-one follow-up sessions with instructor - Virtual
45 minutes each (over the summer, variety of times to choose from)
 
Course Fee: $385
 
Registration dates:
 August 23 - August 25: GATE Students
August 26 - September 4: All Students (in or out of district)
 
Scholarships are available: Complete the Scholarship application
To Register and for More Information: Go to www.gateparents.com
Questions? Email the instructor Kevin Nelson at knelson@smuhsd.org or the administrator at essay@gateparents.com
Community Corner
400 Murchison Drive
Millbrae, CA 94030
Phone: 650.558.2599
Fax: 650.558.2552
https://www.millshspto.org/