On the Thursday evening of the week prior to the start of the school year, Mt. Helix Academy holds its annual kick-off event. The PTG (Parent Teacher Group) organizes our Back-to-School Potluck Social. Each family brings a dish or beverages to add to the potluck buffet providing everyone in attendance an opportunity to sample food representing a wide variety of cuisines. The event has been a wonderful opportunity for our discerning parents and their children to meet Mt. Helix Academy’s teachers and to socialize with other caring Mt. Helix Academy families. The culmination of the social is a “make your own sundae” activity that you won’t want to miss.

Late in the month of October each year, Mt. Helix Academy’s PTG (Parent Teacher Group) sponsors a fun-filled Halloween Carnival for Mt. Helix Academy’s students and their families. Students and some of the parents come to the Carnival dressed in the most fascinating costumes and try their luck at a variety of games of chance. This is a great event to socialize with other families and have lots of fun!

Another of the wonderful social events sponsored by the Parent Teacher Group (PTG) is our Fall Feast, which takes place each year on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Parents are invited to join their child for a lunch consisting of turkey croissant sandwiches, chips, carrots and pumpkin pie! Blending tradition with opportunities to appreciate those that participate in such a fantastic learning environment makes the feast delicious in many ways.

Held each year on the last Thursday of March, Multicultural night has truly become one of the most popular highlights of the Mt. Helix Academy year. Hundreds of students, their families, and friends from the community immerse themselves in the multicultural world that is Mt. Helix Academy.

Visitors have the opportunity to roam our giant tent and sample delicious foods from the world’s many cuisines. It’s a virtual international food fair. Afterwards, participants can tour the school’s authentically decorated classrooms. Students and staff have collaborated for a month to make their rooms seem just like entering another culture, including Native America, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, India, Japan, Russia, China, Thailand, Egypt, Brazil, Mexico, and Latin America.

The annual effort has resulted in impressive student projects that have included writing original myths and Haiku poetry; making origami, carp kites, Kachina dolls, masks, sand paintings, totem poles, rain sticks, leather projects, terracotta soldiers, and Indian jewelry; planting and growing bulbs; counting in Dutch; and designing their own Coat of Arms with Celtic letters; and giving Power-Point presentations on the people of various lands.

Multicultural night is a great socialization opportunity, a terrific way to sample the world’s cuisines, and, most importantly of all, a valuable way for Mt. Helix Academy students to display what they have learned concerning other cultures. It is one way that the school has fostered multiculturalism to prepare our students for the modern world.

During the months of December and June, Mt. Helix Academy presents its Winter and Spring concerts. Students in Kindergarten through 5th grade showcase the songs and music they have been practicing in their regular music classes. Elementary module students, playing recorders, hand bells, and Boomwhackers, add to the variety of musical numbers. The musical talents of our students under the direction of our music teacher, Ms. Tanya Sussilleaux, are a perennial standout of our year.

Cast of the stellar performance of
"Beauty and the Beast."

Mt. Helix Academy is also recognized for its excellent drama program. Our fourth annual musical production, The Wizard of Oz, received rave reviews from the many people who attended performances at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Performing Arts Center this past May. Over 65 Mt. Helix Academy students participated in the play.

In previous years, productions were staged of Annie, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Rehearsals are currently underway for this year’s performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat.

This is another great social event that your family will not want to miss! In the spring, a Bingo Night is organized by the PTG. Families get together for great food and lots of fun playing bingo for a variety of prizes that appeal to all ages.

Jogathon is an extremely popular fund-raiser among MHA students is our annual Jogathon. Students gather sponsors who donate money per lap or a general donation. On the day of the Jog-a-thon, students put on their running shoes and jog laps along the perimeter of our playground area. There are wonderful prizes awarded to the students who raise the most money!

Information about Jogathon 2010 from Abena Soto, Jogathon Chairperson

Get Ready . . . Get Set . . . The 3rd annual Jog-A-Thon is scheduled for Friday, February 26th from
8:30am until 11:00am on the Mt. Helix Academy playground.

To date, our previous Jogathons have raised over $32,000 enabling Mt. Helix to purchase Smart Boards
for every module. This fundraiser has the potential to generate several thousands of dollars for our school
each year. More inspiring, 100% of the funds collected will go directly to Mt. Helix Academy for
computer equipment, sporting equipment, campus improvements, and programs. We are hoping profits
this year to be equally as inspiring, but we need 100% participation to make that happen.

Here’s how the event will unfold: First, the students will collect pledges from sponsors, which can be a
flat donation or per lap donation (ex: $5 donation or $ 1.00 per lap). On Jogathon day, the students will be
allowed to dress like a blast from the past or future (ex., 50’s, robot, alien, etc.) Next, the students will run
according to schedule earning pledge dollars for each lap they complete. So, the more laps run and the
more pledges signed up, the better the chances of winning a prize.

That’s right! Awards and Prizes will be given to the individual students who bring in the most money and run the most laps. The Grand prize will be a choice between Disneyland tickets or a Game Truck Party with their friends. Other prizes range
from $15 to $150. Prizes will be awarded at the Jogathon Award assembly on Friday, April 12th. We encourage all students to participate in the Jogathon. 100% participation earns each homeroom a free dress day. You can help your student by suggesting family, friends, co-workers or your place of business as sponsors. This Jogathon packet includes a calendar, permission slip, pledge sheet, business sponsor form and prize sheet. Please turn in permission slip by Wednesday, February 24th. Also, gather pledges as soon as you can. After the event, the students will be given a certificate with total number of laps run.

You will have approximately three weeks to collect what is owed. Checks must be made out to Mt. Helix
PTG.

We will need many volunteers for the Jogathon. Volunteer forms are also included in your packets.
You have also been given run times if you just want to come and cheer your child on.
If you have any concerns or questions about the Jogathon, please send me an email. It is very important
for the Jogathon to be a pleasant experience for everyone.

NEW!!
This year you will also be able to sponsor a teacher and make credit card payments on our
website. More information to come!!

Thank You
Abena Soto
Jogathon Chairperson
abenasoto@cox.

In June, MHA’s Activities Coordinator organizes a day of fun and games. Students in each module are organized into teams to play a variety of games such as water balloon toss, watermelon eating contest, team volleyball and more! In addition to the games, students have a BBQ lunch.

On the last day of school, graduation ceremonies are held for students in Kindergarten and in Grade 8. Graduating students, their friends and families are invited to celebrate this important milestone. At the Kindergarten graduation, Mr. Hanlon delivers short anecdotes about each of the Kindergarten graduates. At the 8th grade graduation ceremony, each graduating student delivers a short speech in which they share their memories of Mt. Helix Academy and celebrate their accomplishments during their years at MHA. A party organized by the class parents follows both ceremonies.