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Back to School Information for the 2026-2027 School Year

Jul 7 2026

Dear Helix Parents and Guardians,

Thank you for meeting with your Grade Level Teams during summer conferences. We truly value having our families on campus and hope your student is excited to kick off the 2026–27 school year! Here are some important reminders and resources for a smooth start to the year.

First Day of School: Thursday, August 6

Bell Schedule, School Calendar, and A/B Day Schedule: helixcharter.net/Calendar

Campus Hours:

School Day: 8:30 AM – 3:35 PM
Campus Supervision: 7:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Administrative Office: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Welcome Back Days (August 6 & 7)

We are continuing our tradition of kicking off the year with two "Welcome Back Days" focused on student connection and school spirit. We will run a shortened bell schedule both days, with the last two hours reserved for activities.

Thursday, August 6 (Club Rush & Start-of-Year Tasks): After 4th period, students can explore club booths in the quad, pick up Chromebooks, and handle tasks like getting parking passes, lockers, free-period stickers, or visiting the College Center and Grade Level Teams.
Friday, August 7 (ASPIRE Kickoff Party): After 4th period, we will celebrate our ASPIRE (before/after school programs) lineup with a DJ, free pizza, games, face painting, and ice cream trucks (available for purchase). Students can meet ASPIRE program leaders and sign up for activities

Please Note: 4th period ends at 1:30 PM, followed by lunch. The Welcome Back activities will run from lunch until 3:35 PM. While students are permitted to leave campus after 4th period on both days, we highly encourage them to stay and join in the fun.

Welcome Back Days - Adjusted Bell Schedule Thursday, August 6 & Friday, August 7
Period 1	8:30 - 9:20
Period 2	9:30 - 10:20
Advisory	10:30 - 11:15
Break	11:15 - 11:30
Period 3	11:40 - 12:30
Period 4	12:40 - 1:30
Lunch & Activities	1:30 - 3:35

Important School Policies & Procedures

NEW! Student Cell Phone Policy

Helix is implementing a new Personal Electronic Device (PED) policy to help minimize classroom distractions and boost student focus. From the start of 1st period through the end of 4th period, all student devices—including cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, personal laptops, and tablets—must be powered off or silenced and stored completely out of sight in a backpack or locker. This "not seen, not heard" rule applies everywhere on campus throughout the entire school day, including during passing periods, lunch, and assemblies. School-issued Chromebooks are exempt and remain permitted for academic use, and exceptions will be honored for documented medical or learning needs (IEPs/504s).

To support this focused learning environment, we ask that parents do not expect direct replies from students during school hours. For non-urgent matters, students can check and send emails via their Chromebooks, while urgent messages can be routed directly through the Main Office or your student's Grade Level Team. Please rest assured that in the event of a school-wide emergency, students will be permitted to use their phones to communicate with families as soon as it is safe to do so. For full details, please read the complete policy or review our comprehensive Phone-Free Policy FAQ Page.

Student Schedules

Please have your student check StudentVUE before the first day of school, as schedules may have shifted. Click here for an instructional video on how to access schedules online.

New Students: You will receive login codes during Chromebook Distribution on August 1. If you still need help accessing your schedule, you can pick up a paper copy at the Administration Building starting at 7:30 AM on Thursday, August 6.

Closed Campus & Food Deliveries

Helix is a strictly closed campus. Students may not leave during the school day without an official pass from the Attendance Office.

Food Deliveries: Commercial food deliveries (e.g., DoorDash, UberEats) are not allowed on campus. Students will not be given passes to pick up food delivery.
Free Meals: All students can receive two free cafeteria meals daily: Breakfast (7:30 AM - 8:30 AM) or Snack (10:02 AM - 10:12 AM), and Lunch (11:46 AM - 12:10 PM). To add funds for extra purchases, set up an account at EZSchoolPay.com (select Grossmont UHS District). If your student has dietary restrictions, please request a dietary restriction form from your Grade Level Team.
Off-Campus Behavior: Students visiting nearby businesses (Starbucks, Taco Shop, etc.) before or after school are not under school supervision. Please remind your students to be respectful neighbors.

Attendance & Off-Campus Passes

To report an absence, tardy, or early release, contact the Attendance Office via the ParentVUE Portal, email attendance@helixcharter.net, or call 619-644-1940 (grades 9-10: ext. 232, grades 11-12: ext. 231).

Off-Campus Pass Rules: Requests must be made at least one hour in advance, and at least 15 minutes before the end of the period your student needs to leave. We cannot process last-minute requests as they disrupt classrooms and require processing time.

Drop-Off, Pick-Up & Student Parking

Expect delays during the first few weeks and plan for extra time. There are two supervised areas:

The student parking lot at 4200 Lowell Street (please use the yellow curb or inner rows; avoid red safety curbs and turn off your engine while idling).
Highlander Way (accessible via a right turn immediately after turning onto Lowell from University Avenue, near the tennis courts).

Tip: Many families choose to arrange a pick-up spot a block or two off-campus to avoid gridlock.
Student Parking Permits: If your student is driving to school, fill out this vehicle registration form, then visit the Administration Office front desk to get their required parking sticker.

Student ID Badges

Students must carry their Helix ID badges at all times. Students who took photos during summer conferences will get their IDs in Advisory on Friday, August 7. Photo make-ups/retakes are on Monday, August 24.

School Supplies & Lockers

There is no general school supply list; teachers will share specific needs during the first week.

Lockers: For an upper locker ($10 fee), visit Ms. Yeagle in the Dawg House. If you already paid, check your student email for locker details from Ms. Cabrera. Bottom lockers are free and can be requested at the front desk before school, at lunch, or after school. Questions? Email jyeagle@helixcharter.net.

Our full policies are always accessible in the Student Handbook.

Upcoming Events Timeline

Thursday, July 30 (8:00 AM – 12:30 PM) | Scottie Pride Day Freshman Orientation: An interactive orientation for incoming 9th graders. Students only. Drop-off/pick-up at the large front solar lot. (Transfer student orientation is Wednesday, August 5 from 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM in room 440).
Saturday, August 1 (9:00 AM – 3:30 PM) | New Student Chromebook Distribution: Held in the Helix Library. New students will get devices and tech access. View the full schedule in the newsletter here. (Students not able to attend on this day will be able to pick up their Chromebooks after school on the first two days of school (Thursday, 8/6 or Friday, 8/7). Returning students keep last year's device).
Tuesday, August 11 @ 6:00 PM | Fall Sports Parent Meeting: Mandatory meeting in the gym for all fall sport student-athletes and parents, followed by individual team meetings.
Thursday, August 13 @ 6:00 PM | Helix Systems Info Night: Join us in ExL to learn how to log in and navigate our grading, assignment, and communication platforms. No registration required; siblings welcome and snacks provided. More info at helixcharter.net/FamilyFirst.
Thursday, August 20 @ 5:30 PM | Back to School Night: Come meet your student’s teachers and learn about their classes.
Monday, August 24 | Picture Make-Up Day: In the gym for any student who missed registration photos or needs a retake.
Wednesday, September 2 (8:30 AM – 1:05 PM) | Parent & Guardian Shadow Day: Experience a school day alongside your student. This is an observation-only event.
Monday, September 7 | Labor Day: School closed.

Important Parent Survey

On June 8, all families received an important, confidential survey from Elena Smith via Informed K12 (forms@informedk12.com). If you haven’t already, please check your inbox and complete it as soon as possible.This survey directly impacts our state and federal funding. Helix qualifies for critical additional resources based on student factors—including active military status, English language learners, foster youth, or specific family income thresholds. To ensure our teachers, academic programs, and campus events receive maximum support, we need to hear from every single family.

Stay Connected

We send a comprehensive parent newsletter via email every month. You can also get updates here:

Website: www.helixcharter.net (Check the "Announcements" section for important info)
Facebook: @helixcharterhighschool
Instagram: @helixstudentlife, Class of 2030, Class of 2029, Class of 2028, Class of 2027
Helix Family Connect: Join us on Thursday nights for presentations on topics that matter to high school families. Visit helixcharter.net/FamilyFirst for the full calendar.

School Safety Note: Safety is a team effort. Students can report any campus concerns anonymously via the Safety Tip Line located on the homepage or by visiting https://tips.anonymousalerts.com/helixcharterhs.

We look forward to a fantastic school year ahead! Please reach out if you have any questions.

Warmly,

Lauren Knuth

Community Relations, Helix Charter High School

Summer & Fall Athletics

Jul 2 2026

Click here for Summer Workout detailed info.

Welcome Back Days

We are excited to continue the tradition of kicking off the school year with two “Welcome Back Days” focused on student connection, community, and school spirit. We will have a shortened bell schedule, with the last two hours of each day reserved for fun activities.

Students may leave anytime after 4th period if they choose, but we encourage them to stay and join in the fun! Once they leave, they may not return.

Thursday Activities Schedule:
After 4th period, students are free to explore a variety of activities:

Club Rush in the quad (1:30-2:30)
Department-hosted events across campus (1:30-2:30)
Take care of important tasks like picking up a Chromebook, getting a free period sticker, parking pass or locker, checking in with the College Center or connecting with their GLT for questions or support (1:30-3:35)