News

FAQ’s: Vikings Return to School

By Anjuli Niyogi, Editor-in-Chief

Where can I access any district updates?

If you haven’t gotten emails or text messages linking to Superintendent Kevin Skelly’s updates over the last 6 months, you can access his past and any upcoming messages here.

What are the first six weeks of school going to look like?

The first six weeks of school will have students logging into scheduled zoom calls on Monday-Friday. With access to Canvas, students should find each class’s zoom link under each class homepage. Click here and scroll down to the “Your First Week of School” section for a schedule of the first week of school. 

How long will we be doing distance learning?

For the first 6 weeks of school (beginning on August 17th) the San Mateo Union High School District will be doing distance learning. After the 6 weeks, the district will reassess and decide where to take the next 6 weeks. 

I’ve never been to the Mills campus, what’s it like?

Visit the @mhsvikings Instagram page for posts on recorded campus tours by Leadership students.

If I decide I no longer want to take a class via synchronous learning and would like to take it as a concurrent enrollment course, what should I do?

Email your designated school counselor. Counselor emails and phone numbers can be found here.

Will I be graded this semester?

Unlike the spring semester of the 2019-2020 school year where a credit/no credit system was implemented because of unexpected circumstances, this semester will be graded with A-F letter grades. Expect a similar workload to your usual in-person learning. 

How can I access my school email account? 

Go to www.gmail.com, and enter in the following as your username: grad year + last name + first initial + last 2 numbers of your student id (you will find this on your schedule) + @stu.smuhsd.org

The password is the last 6 digits of the student ID and your day of birth (as a two-digit number)

What is Canvas and how can I access my canvas account? 

Canvas is the learning management platform used by Mills High School since 2018. Students can access their course content on their accounts, turn in assignments for these courses, work with classmates to complete projects, participate in discussions, take quizzes, check grades, and much more. Students should be checking their Canvas courses everyday for updates from teachers. Go to Mils High School Home Page (https://www.smuhsd.org/millshigh), click on the Student portal tab, and select Canvas…. Or visit this link. Click “Student Teacher Staff Login” and use your school email username and password to access. If you are having technical difficulties you can contact further assistance 8 am – 9 pm by calling 650-558-2480, texting 650-554-8431, or emailing help@smuhsd.org

How can I access Canvas on my phone?

Download the “Canvas Student” app in the app store. Select “Find my school,” search for “San Mateo Union High School District-Teachers/Students” as your school browser, then log-in through your school email account. 

Can I pick up breakfast or lunch at Mills?

Yes, you can purchase or use Free/reduced-price lunch credits to pick up breakfast or lunch from 7 am to 9 am on Mondays-Fridays at the drive-thru next to the student parking lot (along Sequoia Avenue).