Update ~ March 31-April 4, 2014

Celebrating Success
Great teachers find every chance they can to build relationships with students and create opportunities for students to feel a sense of belonging to school.  CHS is fortunate to have one of the masters of building relationships and creating opportunities for students to feel connected and accepted. Tim Fox finds a way to connect to every student he meets.  Last week one of our CHS students, was so happy and proud to have spent time with Tim learning how to throw a football. Aaron Denry who sadly does not have a dad in his life,  had a special day at school last week thanks Mr Fox!

Thank you Thank you!!!
This is for all of you who have given up your prep to help cover classes.  I know this is a hardship and a bummer when this happens. Mondays and Fridays are heavy call off days causing substitute teachers to be in short supply. When planning for personal leave (not when you suddenly fall ill), but when you are planning to take a personal day, if it is possible to avoid Fridays and Mondays, this would help a bunch. Thank you!

Reminder
This Wednesday, April 2 is 8th grade visitation.  8^th Graders will arrive at 10:50am and report directly to the main auditorium for a concert,  followed by lunch in the cafeteria. Our CHS students will be dismissed at 10:45 on Wednesday 4/2. The schedule for CHS Students is as follows:
Period 1 ~ 7:50-8:45
Period 2 ~ 8:50-9:45
Period 6 ~ 9:50-10:45
Buses will leave CHS at 11:00am sharp

At  12:20pm classroom rotations begin for our 8th grade guests.  The visitation will conclude at 2:18pm and their buses will depart at 2:30pm. 

STEM Night

Hope you can attend the first Flagstaff Community STEM Celebration at the NAU Skydome on April 2, from 5:30-7:30 PM.   At this event we will be showcasing the awesome science, technology, and math education that's happening at Coconino High School  and across FUSD.  More than 50 local businesses and organizations are scheduled to be in attendance. 

Dates to Remember
3/31 GDM  Room 204 8:00am
3/31 PBIS Meeting Room 211 3:00pm
4/02 8th grade visitation ~ CHS Early dismissal (11:00am)
4/04 MORP CHS Cafeteria 8:00pm

Update March 24-28, 2014

Celebrating Success
CHS Student Leah Weinzinger's winning streak journey continues-Leah was runner-up in the statewide Poetry Out Loud competition in Tucson during the break. I have to say that whenever I hear about the success of our students I can't help but think about how wonderful our teachers are.  Cheers! Also, if you see Leah, please join me in congratulating her for this well deserved recognition. 
Our CocoNuts continue to shine as they made history this weekend, they walked away from this weekend's championship undefeated, regional champs and won the coveted Chairman's award. To top it off, CHS student, Kinny Anderson is a FTR Robotics Dean's list finalist. See what I mean? Great teachers=great students. Congratulations Go Nuts! 

April Assessments
April is turning out to be a very busy assessment month.  I wish it weren't so, but it just is. Your patience, understanding and continued words of encouragement will help our students in every way. 
Please mark your calendars
April 8 ~ AIMS Math for all sophomores and Jr/Sr who haven't passed

April 9 ~ AIMS Science for all sophomores and 9th grade students currently in Biology
April 10 ~ Standford 10 All freshman
April 16 ~ AIMS Math Make up.
April 22, 23 ~ PARCC Field test (Limited participation)
April 23 ~ ACT All Juniors 

Reminders
Faculty Meeting ~ Wednesday, March 26, 1:15pm in the mini theater
8th grade visitation ~ April 2~Time to show off the awesome teachers, courses and programs at CHS

IEP Meetings
Our students need your input. It is most helpful if teachers can attend IEP meetings, but if you are unable able to be there in person, please remember to communicate any information about student progress to the case manager. THANK YOU!

SPRING
Lovely as it may be, any teacher knows what this means for high school students and their spring wardrobe choices. Please find below our CHS Dress code as stated in the Panther Agenda/Handbook, our CHS website and the paper copies in the front office.  
Students are expected to adhere to the following:

•        Students may not wear items that advertise alcohol, drugs, tobacco products, sex, nudity, or which allude to topics inappropriate for school or considered to be offensive to others.
•        Gang affiliated clothing and personal belongings deemed such by local law enforcement officials cannot be worn.
•         Chains and spikes are not permitted.
•         Other clothes that represent a safety hazard to school will not be permitted.
•         According to Arizona Law, footwear must be worn at all times.  (Slippers are not considered acceptable footwear for school.)
•     Head coverings (i.e. hats, stocking caps, visors, sunglasses, bandanas, hair nets, hoods) are not allowed to be worn during the regular school day.
•      Clothing should not expose areas of cleavage, stomach, sides or back.  Visible undergarments, such as bra straps and underwear, are inappropriate.  (Exposed undergarments are not permissible).

    It would be very helpful if we all remind students of the dress code.  If students do not have appropriate change of clothing at school, please send them to Mckenzie's (The nurses office)  for school issued change of clothing.  And, if the student's wardrobe choices continue to be a problem please send them to the RTR or administration. 

      

      Ten weeks to go, but who's counting? :) Hope it's the best quarter yet. Welcome back everyone!

Update ~ March 10-14, 2014

Celebrating Success
AIMS 2014 Writing and Reading is in the rear view mirror, and  guess what?...For the first time in many years and possibly ever, CHS had 100% participation by the 10th grade class. This is largely due to the team work of all of you and the extremely hard work and tenacity of our testing coordinator Carrie Johnson, thank you Carrie and to all of you! Next up AIMS Math 4/8 , Science 4/9 , Standford 10 4/10 and PARCC pilot 4/22 & 23 and 5/19 and 20 (Three pre-selected teachers and their students will participate in the PARCC Pilot). 

The long awaited Employment Encounter held this week at CHS was a tremendous success. Over twenty-five local employers shared employment information and held mock interviews for our students.  About 180 students participated, all  were courteous, respectful and extremely attentive. The employers were impressed and the students learned a great deal from their expertise. A special thank you to Gina Kugler, Maria Castillo, Lizett Castruita, Carol Gustafson and Russ Randall for organizing and hosting this important event. 

CHS Senior Jarred Key recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C. where he visited with Secretary of the interior Sally Jewell. After winning an essay contest, Jarred was invited to the Capitol to meet with the Interior Secretary to discuss the importance of public lands to America's heritage and economy. 

Congratulations are also in order for our CHS SkillsUSA club.  Students, Alicia Chavira, Isaiah Monroe, Emily Ralston, Joy Cratchfield, Aubrey Slayton, Elizabeth Talley and Emma Gordon. designed, built and donated the coolest CHS chair for the city wide fundraising event called Chairs for Change, held this weekend at the Coconino Center for the Arts.  Thank you to Laura Locke for your leadership with this team. (See photo in this week's Panther Report). 

Have you heard that CHS is, once again, home to one of three finalist for Coconino County Teacher of the Year?  We are so proud of Jennifer Hamilton who joins the ranks as a finalist. The winner will be announced in May...way to go Jen!

Registration
Begins March 26. (Please see email from Donna Lyons sent Sunday 3/8 for details and registration time-line). 

April 2
Two big events will be happening on April 2.  The annual 8th grade high school visitation and Flagstaff STEM City STEM Night Celebration at the NAU Skydome. ALL Flagstaff schools are working together to showcase student educational STEM successes at the first annual Flagstaff STEM Night....Click here for more information, hope to see you there:)
For your planning purposes 8th grade visitation schedule: Middle school students will arrive at  CHS at 10:50 AM.  Visiting students will gather in the cafeteria for lunch and then follow a six minute rotation schedule in the afternoon. (Steve will send the schedule out soon). The day will conclude at 2:20pm and students will be picked up to head back to the middle school at 2:30pm.   

Accreditation 
Surveys have been distributed to Department Chairs and to many of you all already.  Thanks in advance for taking the time to take the survey. Please complete and return the surveys to your department chairs ASAP. 

Have a great week!

Update~March 3-7, 2014

Celebrating Success
Thank you for sharing your student successes.  On my desk this week was a packet of poems written in Spanish by our upper division Spanish students. These same students as well as several other CHS Spanish Students have been asked to act as translators for Killip School during their Parent Teacher conferences next week, that's cool!!!
I wish you all could have witnessed the students at the annual JROTC Military Ball this weekend. The behavior was as honorable as respectful as you could imagine the most dignified dance might be. Congratulations and a special thank you to Chief Travis Workman and Sargent Dave Alves for instilling respect, responsibility and integrity in each and everyone of our CHS JROTC Cadets.

Reminders
Monday and Tuesday are AIMS Make-up days. Monday 3/3, AIMS make-up Writing will take place in the MLC and room # 211, and on Tuesday 3/4 AIMS make-up Reading will be the MLC only. Please note that the MLC will not be available for drop ins during these two AIMS make-up days.

CHS Accreditation
Heads up...The first step of the accreditation process requires that each one of us complete a rather lengthy school self assessment (Survey).  This survey is in paper form and your department chairs will be distributing these surveys sometime after March 6.

TPEC
If you have not already gone back in Truenorthlogic to sign off on your evaluation, please take a few minutes to do so by the end of this week. Click here for a brief tutorial should you need a refresher.

Dates to Remember
3/5 Grades due
3/6 Department Chair Mtg Conference room 2:30pm
3/7 First home Varsity  BB game 3:30pm