NEWS IN BRIEF

COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL | Principal Lourdes De Santiago will be hosting a meeting on Nov. 9 in the Parent Center from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. This meeting is an opportunity for any student and parent to discuss campus issues with the principal and learn more about the school. Questions, concerns and suggestions about our magnet programs or just campus life in general are highly appreciated and welcome. Parents and pupils are encouraged to attend. Coffee will be provided. This is a chance to have informative conversations with Principal De Santiago.

OPEN HOUSE | In an effort to increase enrollment in our school for the next year, on Nov. 2 a Magnet Open House will be taking place in the Big Gym. This event is meant to introduce parents and potential new students to what the school is all about, as well as to get them excited about what our school has to offer. The STEM, Performing Arts and Medical Magnets will be showcased and promoted. There will be stations focusing on each program. Though it has not been detailed what the school has planned, the staff are determined to make this a fun and exciting experience for potential students and their families.

BLOOD DRIVE | The school is hosting a blood drive in the Small Gym on Nov. 14. Students 16 years of age and older can volunteer to donate blood by signing up using the QR code on Schoology. This year, students have to meet certain weight requirements depending on their height in order to donate. If the student volunteer is under 18, they also have to get a consent form signed by their parents. If you are eligible, it is highly encouraged that you donate blood for those in need.

MAGNET TOURS | The last days for Magnet Tours are Nov. 8 at 8:30 a.m. and Nov. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. These tours provide parents and potential students with a great opportunity to learn more about the community. They introduce students to the school’s campus, classes and extracurriculars. These Magnet Tours sometimes involve visiting classrooms where possible students and parents can see the environment in which they are going to be learning. If any of these Magnet Tours visit your classroom, be sure to act completely normal.

FINALS WEEK | The schedule for finals week will be in block period format.

Finals for periods one and four will take place on Dec. 13, periods two and five will take place on Dec. 14 and periods three and six will be on Dec. 15. On these days, the first exam will be from 8:30 to 10:34 a.m. and the second will take place from 11:10 a.m. to 1:13 p.m. With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, students must prepare for the home stretch. Though the holidays might be late, these finals certainly won’t be. With the long-awaited winter break coming soon after, students are encouraged to try their best on these exams and finish the semester strong.

SCHOLARSHIP SEMIFINALIST | Se- nior Tyler Chiu was named a semifinalist in the extremely selective Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation scholarship. He was selected from over 103,800 applicants, of whom only 150 will win $20,000. The school’s staff is beyond proud of his achievement and believe Chiu’s accomplishment serves as an example that dedication and effort can lead to amazing results, and should inspire fellow students to go above and beyond. All students are encouraged to see their counselors to apply for scholarships that can boost academic success and allow for greater opportunities when pursuing a post-secondary education.

DOWN ON DOUGH The school is struggling to make ends meet after losing almost 20 percent of last school year’s budget. Extracurricular activities and core programs might need to be scaled back due to this enormous cut