19900 Bastanchury Road * Yorba Linda, CA * 92886 * 714.986.7500

Page 1 Spring 2015 ● Volume 5 , Issue 2

Inside this Issue:

Principal’s Message

Mustang Pride

Mustang U

Page 2

Student Leadership

Page 3

Parent Education

Page 4

Academic Awards

PTSA Scholarships

Page 4

Feature Article

Page 5

Student of the Month

Reflection Winners

Page 6

Editor:

Michelle Mortensen

mishcomish@sbcglobal.net

PTSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE—Kristen You

We’ve had a terrific start to our 2015-2016 YLHS year, with 940 PTSA members! With over 200 PTSA parent volunteers, we hope to contribute greatly to YLHS’s success. It’s not too late to become a YLHS PTSA member or volunteer. Membership envelopes are located in the YLHS front office. If you would like to volunteer, please email Suzie at suzie714@gmail.com.

Recap of events…Over 50 PTSA volunteers helped out at Registration Week. Ten parents came out on the first day of school, to pass out smiles and schedules. Emergency Backpacks were replenished in September, one for every classroom. Teacher/Staff Appreciation Luncheon was delicious! Mock SAT/ACT Exams are offered to help students gauge their test taking skills. Followed by question/answer sessions hosted by Princeton Review, Stanley Kaplan or Prep by Prep during the Scoresback Night. Each company offers discounted courses to YLHS students. In October, we hosted over 40 different colleges for our 2nd Annual College Fair. Seventy five percent of our YLHS Reflections finalists received honors at the District Level. State and National awards have not yet been determined.

“Senior College Night” and “How to Write a College Essay” are only 2 of the informative Mustang U. programs that PTSA offers.

Career Day was so much fun with over 50 enthusiastic guest speakers. Student Leadership sponsored Kinship Center with gifts for foster care kids. Over 80 Student Leaders participated in Disney Leadership Training. CPR Training was offered to our YLHS community. Parent Education – Internet Safety/Drug Seminar was presented.1st Aid Night Course offered in the Library. Student Leadership dazzled our teachers with Valentine’s Cupcake treats.

Soon to come… 3/4 Honorary Service Award Submissions Due—Nominate someone who has gone “Above and Beyond”

3/9 Internet Safety/Drug Seminar, 6PM in Library—Learn about the different drugs

3/14 Mustang Pride Day – Come beautify our YLHS campus!—We would love to see gardner volunteers!

3/17 CAHSEE Exams – Proctor Exam—Exit exam for 10th graders

3/20 PTSA Scholarship Applications Available—More info in this newsletter

3/25 8th Grade Round-up – Donate Cookies—-Boosters are highly encouraged to come sell their attire

3/27 Honorary Service Awards Presentation—At the Renaissance Rally

3/28 Mock SAT/ACT—Take the test to get an idea how you will fare on the actual test

4/1 Scoresback Night—-Scores will be reviewed that night with parent and student

4/13 CPR Training Course – Register in Advance

4/27 Academic Mustang Achievement Awards – 4.0+ gpa students—Volunteers needed to help organize

5/6 Teacher Appreciation Luncheon – Donate Bottled Water/Desserts

5/30 & Bob’s Ice Cream Fundraiser – Last Fundraiser! Buy an ice cream for $3.50 at the OC Swap Meet and

5/31 YLHS gets all of proceeds to go towards programs

For more information on upcoming events, check out our calendar on the PTSA website. Thank you and wishing you a wonderful YLHS experience!

PTSA General Election

Board Meeting

March 16th at 7pm

YLHS Library

All PTSA members are

welcome to come.

Spring Break!

April 6th–

April 10th

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Mustang Families -

As we head into spring semester 2015, I want to take a moment to say – Thank You to our Yorba Linda High

School PTSA. Under the leadership of Kristen You, President, and the 43 members of the executive board and

programs, our PTSA is the largest school “booster” organization on campus. They help promote and support all

areas of academics, co-curricular programs, and special student parent presentations, along with staff and

community recognitions. Our PTSA has improved school facilities for student use, provided parent information nights on

important topics, recruited 50 community members for Career Day and continues to be a parent voice in building a positive,

supportive environment at YLHS. Thank you to all of our PTSA parents for the 1000’s of hours they dedicate to make the high

school experience for 1,750 students the best it can be. —Dave Flynn

Page 2 Spring 2015 ● Volume 5, Issue 2

MUSTANG UNIVERSITY MOCK TEST Saturday, March 28th

We will be partnering with Prep by Prep by hosting a MOCK SAT, ACT & ERA test on Sat. 4/28 at YLHS.

Scores review will be on April 1st.

This is a great opportunity to practice these tests at a low cost of $15.

Registration forms will be sent home with the students and will be posted on the website.

(Mustang U. event shown below)

MUSTANG PRIDE DAY

Saturday, March 14th, 2015

Calling all weekend gardeners and those who love to see YLHS clean and shiny! Saturday March 14th is Mustang Pride Day, our annual campus clean up day.

We are going to need a LOT of parents helping as the weed infestation is terrible this year! Bring your sunscreen, shovel, hoe and gloves to YLHS at 7:45am and meet at the student lunch tables.

Snacks and drinks provided. Working parents...this is your chance to volunteer on a Saturday. Woohoo! Please contact Maryann.Richardson@ERA.com to

commit/ask questions. See you there!

NEW TESTING

This spring your child will take the California State

Standardized testing, with individual scores provided to

parents and the district. Many of you are familiar with the

former STAR testing taken each spring for over ten years.

The STAR/CST testing process has been replaced with a

new system known as the California Assessment of Student

Performance and Progress (CAASPP).

PYLUSD students will take the following exams this year:

SBAC Test – Grades 3-8 & 11 in both Math/Language Arts.

California Standards Test (CST) for Science in grades 5, 8,

& 10.

The SBAC is taken online and is given over several days

(approximately 7-8 hours total).

PTSA STUDENT LEADERSHIP

PTSA Student Leadership Attends Disney Leadership Training!

Over eighty members of the PTSA Student Leadership Group attended a one-day training, Disney's Approach to Leadership and Teamwork, on a recent non-school day. The group discovered the Disney way of working and the management skills used to lead a Cast of thousands. Yorba Linda students overcame obstacles by working together as a team and thinking

creatively to develop solutions. They also were able to ride some of the attractions along the way! The training reinforces courage and curiosity to give participants the confidence to set goals and accomplish their dreams.

Student Leadership Executive Vice President Jace Jenican planned and organized the event. Jace stated, “We all learned so much about how to be better leaders both on campus and in the community, and we all had a great time too!'”

Special thanks to all the parent volunteers that attended and helped supervise the trip: Marnie Jenican, Lizette Spellman, Susan Chiappini, Laura Does, Valerie Balducci, Daniel Zormeir. Sondia Buscaino.

Sweet Treats for YLHS Staff

on February 14th

YLHS Student Leadership organized a sweet treat for the entire YLHS staff for Valentine's Day. This event was organized by Student Leadership Vice President of Hospitality Liz Tipping with the help of over 15 members that volunteered to bake.

Almost 200 assorted cupcakes were displayed in the Break Room for the enjoyment of all the dedicated administrators, counselors, teachers and support staff. Cupid would have been proud!

Page 3 Spring 2015 ● Volume 5, Issue 2

Heartsaver CPR Certification Monday, April 13th, 6-8pm YLHS Library $35

The course covers: Adult CPR/AED, Adult Choking, Child CPRAED, Infant

CPR, Child and Infant Choking. The Heartsaver CPR/AED course is for all

individuals who have a duty to respond to a cardiac emergency because of

job responsibilities or regulatory requirements and it is also appropriate for

any layperson who may have a need to respond to an emergency.

You must register to attend.

Please go to www.thecprhero.com/ylhsparented to register.

ACADEMIC MUSTANG ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Monday, April 27th at 6:30pm

The Academic Mustang Achievement Award (AMAA) is a program established by the PTSA of Yorba Linda High School to recognize the top scholars from YLHS. Each spring, the administration submits names of honorees to the PTSA. The criteria used for selection is based on a 4.0 or better grade point average or weighted 4.0 gpa for those involved in honors or AP (Advanced Placement) classes. The honorees will receive a certificate and medal or an academic letter for their achievements. —Silver medal goes to the first year recipient, —Gold medal to the second year recipient, —A letter to third, —And a special four-year medallion to be worn at graduation for all 4 yrs.

PTSA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

Page 4 Spring 2015 ● Volume 5, Issue 2

Internet Safety and

Drugs

Presentation

Monday March 9th

YLHS Library

Do you know what

Tango, wax, KIK,

Spice, Omegle and

Triple Cs have in

common?

The answer is that

your kids know all

about them and you

don’t!

Come join us for a

presentation given by

Deputy Holmes with

the Orange County

Sheriff’s Department

on cyber safety and

current drug trends at

YLHS.

Come to find out what

your kids are faced

within their peer

groups or might be

hiding right in front of

you.

This presentation is

intended for parents

only and is free of

charge.

The scholarship is open to ALL student members of the YLHS PTSA.

Applications available on March 20, 2015 for the annual YLHS PTSA

scholarship. Each applicant is required to be a graduating senior and

a current member of the YLHS PTSA. Applicant must have

volunteered in PTSA, the school, and/or community.

Scholarship money is to be used toward higher education costs.

Applications will be due by April 17, 2015 by 3:00 PM in the

Counseling office.

Please see application on website for full details.

FEATURE: A PTSA BOARD MEMBER

Interview with Tammy Brubaker, Parent and PTSA member

Serves as co-chair on Career Day and 8th Grade Round Up for the 2014-15 year

Q: Tammy, you have a Sophomore son who attends Yorba Linda High School. What made you decide

to jump right in to the PTSA his Freshman year, and continue in his Sophomore year?

I had served on both the Elementary and Middle School PTA board. I knew that I wanted to stay

involved when my son went to High School so I called the President of the PTSA at Yorba Linda High

before the school year began. I introduced myself and asked her if she had a place that I could serve.

I was presented with the opportunity to Chair Career Day. I asked a friend if she wanted to join me

and it has been great fun!

Q: Can you share with us any surprises about Yorba Linda High School and/or the PTSA?

A pleasant surprise has been how welcoming both the president of PTSA, Kristen You and the

principal, Mr. Flynn have been. I was an absolute newbie when joining PTSA and I’ve always felt

welcomed.

Q: Give me 5 adjectives to sum up your son Jake’s experience at Yorba Linda High so far?

Amazing – Jake has made amazing new friends in his last two years. His involvement in Athletics has

facilitated this. Uncomfortable (in a good way) – Jake’s involvement in Leadership has taken him out

of his comfort zone. Beautiful – The campus is astatically beautiful and provides a great learning

environment. Tenacity – Jake’s teachers’ are amazing! He is supported by them and has become a

very tenacious and diligent young man when it comes to academics. Independence – I have seen

Jake develop into a responsible and independent young man as he is challenged both academically

and athletically.

Q: In our principal’s message, Mr. Flynn says, our focus in 2014-2015 is “connecting” students to the total

High school experience...How have you seen this done?

Page 5 Spring 2015 ● Volume 5, Issue 2

There are dances, there is athletics, you can join different

groups and clubs. Jake is part of the Student Leadership

group and they assist at registration and have other

“connections” during the school year. There are so many

ways to get involved. There is no way someone could NOT

get involved.

Q: Sometimes parents don’t want to become involved

in PTSA because they don’t know what it’s all about.

How can a parent learn about PTSA?

First, don’t wait until the school year starts. Go to the

www.ylhs.org and begin to look at the PTSA pages. Then,

contact the president and ask questions. See what kind of job

it right for you. You’ll make new friends along with connecting

with staff, faculty and students to make Yorba Linda High

School even better!

Career Day with Allyson Thrasher (left) Medical

Device/Pharmaceutical Sales, (center) Tammy

Brubaker, (Right) Kari Vorhees Attorney/Law School

February 2015

Student Teacher

Theresa Parcell Ms. Atmadja

Isabella Wood Mr. Bloom

J.DeLira/F.Ortega Ms. Brothers

J.P. Dabu Mr. Cadra

Malia Busch Ms. Carson

Connor Clark Ms. Carson

Zachary Radford Ms. Collins

Kyle Young Ms. Gigliotti

Marissa Hernandez Ms. Gilfoy

Sara Mangiaracina Mr. Hay

Megan Le Mr. Herrick

Kevin Fukushima Mr. Lejano

Miranda Louie Mr. Linebarger

Bradley Mont Ms. Luxa

Sanaz Kharazmi Ms. Maes

Alex Low Mr. Mazurier

Brian Gollins Ms. Messick

Cherise Lewis Mr. Moore

Valerie Pham Ms. Nicholson

Ryleigh Robinson Ms. Pilkenton

Andrew Dirks Ms. Runge

Christian Muresan Ms. Shay

Thomas Kim Ms. St. Amant

Elle Ramirez Ms. Steinbergs

Jacob Henry Ms. Stephenson

Lauren Enrights Mr. Walls

George Allison Mr. Wright

Page 6 Spring 2015 ● Volume 5, Issue 2

REFLECTIONS 2014-2015

Congratulations to all those who participated in this year’s

Reflections Program “The World Would Be a Better Place If…”

YLHS has some truly talented students!

All students who submitted entries will receive a participation award!

First place winners will receive a $50 Visa card, 2nd and 3rd place will

receive a $25 Visa Card.

Of our twelve YLHS entries forwarded to PYLUC, NINE either placed

and/or advanced to the District Level! Winners in order of placement:

Photography—Justin Randall, Joshua Ball, Sara Jackson

Visual Arts—Seung-Hee Yoo, Rayah Shapiro, Joe-Hee Yoo

Literature—Heather Gammon, Heather Gammon, Sara Jackson

Dance—Cheyenne Kotick, Kyra Stevens, Mya Kough

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

At time of publication, not all Student of the

Month names had been turned in by their

teachers. Those students will be named in

the next issue of the Pony Express.