Principal Matters

Wow, what a wonderful year! I can’t believe I’m writing the final newsletter for the 2010-11 school year. I want to dedicate this issue to all the students who have achieved beyond anyone’s expectations. I want to dedicate this issue to the teachers who have preserved and continue to nurture their passion for teaching and helping students. I want to dedicate this issue to all the staff that help make our school function. To all the parents, we truly appreciate the support you give our school and we thank you for being your child’s first teacher. And finally to my amazing administration team, thank you, I couldn’t do it without you!

In this issue you will also find information related to end of the year activities including graduation and senior award nights. We are also reconnecting with our freshman families and invite you to a year-end social hosted by the Capuchino Administration team on May 3rd at 6:30pm. We just want to close the year on a positive note and provide an opportunity to celebrate our freshman and their families.
 
We trust that you have enjoyed your experience at Capuchino this year, we only look to get better!

Principal Matters

Welcome back from Spring Break. I hope you had a much needed break and had time to enjoy your friends and families! The month of April marks the end to college acceptances and many of our seniors got accepted into esteemed universities and colleges and we want to say congratulations! It is also during this time, that some of our seniors realize that they did not get into their top choices, but I think it should be noted, that their college preparatory experiences at Capuchino will pay off in the long run.  Success in life has more to do with the ability to persevere than the name of your college, so it is my hope that our seniors take the good and bad news all in stride and pursue their dreams.

Next, we will begin STAR testing next week and we want to encourage all of our students to take this test seriously. Last year we jumped 39 points, when the federal government only requires a 5 point gain. I believe we made this leap due to targeted efforts of our faculty and our student body. For a detailed schedule please check Schoolloop.

And finally, with 8 weeks of school to go, you will notice several activities on the horizon. School activities include: Lockdown Safety Drill, Visit to St. Roberts to showcase our school, Latinos Unidos Dance, Spring Concert, and Dance Show. We hope to see you in the near future and we thank you for helping to bring this year to a smooth end. And as always, if you have questions and/or are in need of support, the administration, counseling staff, and teachers are available and can be contacted directly over the phone or emailed through Schoolloop.

Best,
Mrs. Shanks

Principal Matters

We are in full swing of 2nd semester and with that movement, there are several upcoming events that you should be aware of. First, I am happy to announce that the month of February is “Have a Heart” month and our ASB and administration will be facilitating events that bring awareness to issues like anti-bullying and providing blood to those in need during our annual Blood Drive. Please continue to check schoolloop.com for additional details.

It is this same heart that goes into our student athletes who participate in Spring sports including basketball, softball, soccer, baseball, swimming, wrestling, cheer and track. Our students continue to demonstrate their commitment to our school and to their own personal development. And now after a long wait, our community will finally be able to get a sneak peek of the new main gym as we will host the final 2 basketball games in that facility.  We also enter a season of high stakes testing as, our 10th graders will take the High School Exit Exam on Feb.7-8, followed by STAR tests coming after Spring Break.

In efforts to continue to promote our IB program, we are hosting two spring IB Parent Tours coming Feb. 1st and Feb.13th. Please RSVP with Rosa Ortiz at rortiz@smuhsd.org. And finally, our Spring program-ming is set to begin with our current 11th graders and they will register for classes for next year at the end of February. The counselors will meet with each student to ensure they are signed up for college preparatory classes, so please anticipate the course sheet at home and discuss this with your child. Clearly, there is a lot going on, so please stay connected and I look forward to seeing you soon!

-Mrs. Shanks

Principal Matters

It’s a new year and we are moving from good to great at Capuchino High School! We are proud to know that we offer an experience that prepares students for college and career. As the only IB World School in the San Mateo Union High School District, these guiding principles allow us to create courses that give students the essential skills to be successful in both high school and beyond. Our courses are rigorous and students learn by doing. They also learn how to research, write, critically think and demonstrate their knowledge of subject content.

We are extremely aware of the necessity to attain a college education and/or post-secondary training and this knowledge has shifted how we educate our students.
 

Moving into 2nd semester, students are one step closer to attaining a greater degree of knowledge and skills. With your continued support at home, we form the perfect partnership to see students meet their goals. As we shift from the holiday season, I encourage you to make sure your children continue to establish healthy study habits and form open lines of communication with their teachers. Most students have learned the ropes by now and should be off to a strong start in this new year. If you have any concerns about your child’s academic or social progress at school, please inform their teacher, counselor or administrator.

Principal Matters

‘Tis the season to be jolly and we have made it half way through the school year. As we approach 2012, we have a lot to be thankful for and we have more to expect in the new year.

In reflecting on the first semester we are happy to report the following:

• Over 200 freshmen have visited a college campus and have set their sights on attaining this notable goal.
• We have over 170 students registered for IB testing in the Spring (accounting for 431 exams).
• We have established an EL support team made up of teachers and support personnel to best support our English Learner population.
• We have established an Intensive team, made up of teachers and support staff in efforts to support our most at-risk students.
• We have successfully rolled out the 2nd freshman team and are looking to establish a team at the 10th grade level.
• We are articulating our School Action Plan and preparing for the WASC visit in March.
• We have continued to grow as professionals in our work with UC Berkeley’s Literacy Project.

And of course, we kept the Battle of Strip Trophy after our victory against Mills Varsity foot-ball team. But most noteworthy, our staff is thrilled to be apart of this special community of students and staff.
Wishing you a blessed holiday season and a Happy New Year!
 
-Mrs. Shanks

Principal Matters

We have completed the 1st 6 weeks of school and by now you should have received your child’s progress report. It is critical to support your child’s success in their classes. For those who are off to a strong start, continue to reinforce the efforts that helped make this a reality. For students who did not start this year with strong academic marks, it is time to take a more assertive role in ensuring that they maintain passing grades.
As a reminder, we have the Homework Club after school Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the Library. Athletes have Study Hall twice a week, and most teachers are available at lunch and after school. You can also make sure you register and check Schoolloop regularly as most of our teachers post classroom assignments and grades. Our goal is to use Schoolloop as our main communication tool and your use of this tool will prove most beneficial for you and your child.
Likewise, we are moving into the early enrollment window and we will host our 8th Grade Family Night November 3rd at 6:30pm, so please let your family and friends know about Capuchino if they are shopping for high schools. We will also host IB Parent Tours on October 4, November 16, and December 7th to give you an opportunity to see IB in action. See our website for more in-formation. Likewise, 8th Grade Shadow dates are set for Oct.11, 13, 18th.

Warmly,
Mrs. Shanks

September 2011: Principal Matters, New Staff Edition

This news-letter is dedicated to introducing our new faculty and staff. We welcome 10 new staff/faculty to the Mustang family. Most of our newest members come with experience and we are happy to have them add to our existing school community. We know they will bring fresh insight and create learning environments where students can be successful. I am encouraged to know that each department embraced their newest members and are beginning to show them the Capuchino way. In order to get them started on the right foot, we held a new teachers/staff meeting and plan to meet with them on a monthly basis to help ac-climate them to our site and give them helpful information about our school and relevant procedures. In this edition you will find their bio’s and contact information.

September 2011: Principal Matters

The first 3 weeks of school were a success! Students have acclimated to campus quite remarkably and are becoming clear on our academic and social expectations. The administrative team and our dean visited all class-rooms and reviewed the school goals and school rules. We are also excited about educating our students about essential skills that will help prepare them for their college and career experiences.

They include: Reading, Writing, Critical Thinking, Self-Management, College and Career Knowledge and Citizen-ship.
We also want to announce that Back To School Night is Thursday September 1, 2011 beginning with a presentation to freshman families at 5:30pm in the Cafeteria, followed by Q&A and class visits. Parents will have an opportunity to meet counselors, administrators and teachers.
 

In efforts to support technology and the growing needs of our departments, we have created a Growth Fund and ask that Capuchino families make a donation. All proceeds will pay for tech support and supplies. You will have an opportunity at Back-To-School Night to make your donation.  Again, we are excited about this year and look forward to seeing you!
 

Mrs. Shanks