Update ~ February 23-27, 2015

Celebrating Success
You are awesome!  Thank you for your participation in DEAUYW.  It was fun to walk in to the library and see everyone gathered and working on webpage improvements. Thank you Jen Parker and Dean Shaddy for your guidance. I know that several of you who didn't come to the library also participated, and the web pages look great, again thank you!

As we begin our final sports season of the school year, I want to take a minute and congratulate our athletes and coaches for a great winter sports season! We even had one state wrestling champ, Isaac Cabrera, way to go Panthers!  Congratulations also to the many band and orchestra students for their successful auditions for the regional musical competition.  A special shout out to our Special Olympians; we had three CHS Teams participate in the state championship bringing home a gold and two silver medals. The games continue... Panther Strong!

Re: AIMS
Thought you might like to see the email message all Az HS principals received on Friday afternoon at 3:45pm from ASBA in Phx:

SB1191 (graduation; passing test score; moratorium) was signed into law today. 

 This prohibits the requirement for a student to obtain a passing score on a standardized test in order to graduate during school years: 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, or 2017-18 and exempts the civics exam from the moratorium. 

SB1191 includes an emergency clause, meaning it is effective IMMEDIATELY. This is critical as AIMS retesting is scheduled to occur in schools this coming Tuesday. 

As far as CHS is concerned...we will be set up in the gym for AIMS. Students who wish to test for scholarship purposes will still test.  We also have a few students who are signed up to take AIMS for credit waivers, they will still test.  First hour might be a little messy. We will have a list of students who were supposed to test, when students come to the gym and do not wish to test,  they will initial by their name, and then we will send them back to class.

SWEEPS
Thank you for your help with sweeps last week.  The majority of the students "Swept" were respectful and cooperative and promised to mend their evil ways :).  We will continue random sweeps for the the remainder of the school year.  Sweeps will only occur when Administration makes an announcement.  When the announcement occurs please remember to close your doors and direct students to RTR.  If we are not conducting sweeps please do not send students to the RTR when they are tardy.  If a student in not in your class when you take roll, please mark them tardy, or absent, as the case may be.  Thank you!

Calendar

• 2/23 S3 Meeting 2:50pm Room 204
• 2/26 8th grade Parent Information Night (Admin and Counselors only) 5:00-6:30pm Main Auditorium. 

Word of the month: Purpose

Please acknowledge that you have read this post by clicking here.

Update ~ February 17-20

Celebrating Success
A special thanks to Mr Ted Lyons. Aside from helping students in the connections room and in math classes, Mr. Lyons has been spotted more and more frequently sitting in the bleachers helping some of struggling students persevere through their academic tasks.  Our students are very fortunate to have Mr. Lyons by their sides, he truly makes a difference.  Thank you Ted!

Testing Frenzy
NAEP is behind us (kudos to the forty-eight seniors, who showed up and took the test very seriously) , next up is AIMS. Remember current 11th and 12th graders still have to pass AIMS to earn their diploma and graduate.

February 23 ~ AIMS Writing      February 24 ~ AIMS Reading      February 25 ~ AIMS Math

* Please note, school will be on a regular bell schedule during AIMS

Website Updates

DEAUYW...That acronym means nothing else than Drop Everything and Update Your Webpage.  Please plan to devote time on Wednesday, February 18 to update your teacher webpage.  The library computer labs will be open from 2:00-2:30pm. During this time Jen Parker and Dean Shaddy will be available to offer help to teachers who need webpage refreshers or ideas for updating teacher pages. There might even be snacks :)

Calendar

Other than DEAUYW and the regular GDM, there are no school wide meetings this week. Please consult your Spring Events document for upcoming events. 

Press on! Panther Strong! 

Update ~ February 9-13, 2015

Celebrating Success
In my opinion an optimal school design allows for teachers to share their expertise with one another. This is happening at CHS in both informal and formal ways.  Recently, in two separate sessions, both Chelsea Lohr and Amanda Stalvey have shared their expertise in the use and integration of technology in the classroom.  I have heard nothing but positive feedback about these sessions and how appreciative teachers are for their colleague's willingness to share. Also, Angela Buzon is holding a National Board Certification series of classes for a group of teachers not only from CHS but several other schools in the district.  A special thank you to all three Coco teachers for making the time to share their knowledge and inspire others, and thank you to all the participants for making the time to attend these workshops to help support and learn from one another.

CHS Student Council
I had the opportunity and distinct pleasure of accompanying our CHS student council members and their advisors and sponsor, Gaby Garcia and Theresa Freas, at the state student council convention.  This event was truly an extravaganza and I can't tell you how proud I am of each one of our students and the entire student council.  They represented Coconino High School with such grace, integrity and talent as they performed and spoke to an audience of 2600 of our state's student leaders.  It is no wonder these students have been selected to organize and host the 2016 state convention at CHS.  This is going to be big time for CHS...we will keep you posted with details as they unfold.

What the heck is PeachJar? 
FUSD is going paperless regarding flyer distribution.  Peachjar is a new electronic flyer communication tool.  To view school-approved e-flyers, simply click the Peachjar button on our CHS website homepage.  Should you wish to distribute an e-flyer to our CHS school community, please contact Joleen. 

CHS Website
To support our on-going efforts to improve our school website and teacher pages we are offering a mini training here at CHS on Wednesday, February 18.  This workshop is for everyone from those just getting started to those who want to add some bells and whistles to their already stellar teacher page.  Jennifer Parker, Dean Shaddy and several advanced digital media students will be available in the library computer lab from 2:00-2:45pm on February 18.  In the meantime, please review your teacher page and plan on updating, upgrading, editing or making any changes during that time on 2/18.  Also, keep an eye out for an email with a google form that you can submit if you would like the digital media students to make changes or help maintain your teacher page (anytime).

Calendar

• 2/9 PBIS Mtg 3:00pm room # 204
• 2/10 New Teacher Mtg 2:45pm Mini-Theater
• 2/11 Drug trend presentation/training 1:00pm mini-theater (Still room to sign up)
• 2/13 NAEP testing for selected group of 50 seniors

" Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question." 
-E.E.  Cummings

Press on! Panther strong!

Word of the month: Purpose

Please acknowledge that you have read this post by clicking here.

Update ~ February 2-6, 2015

Celebrating Success
We continue to strengthen our partnership with NAU. You may recall that we hosted a cohort of 8 graduate students from the NAU Masters of Arts in Teaching Science (Mat-S) in the fall.  These students rolled up their sleeves and helped us during the first days back with our students and went right into the classrooms to work side by side with CHS science teachers.  The goal was for these students to get to know the school as a system as well as to learn the ins and outs of teaching.  This project seemed to work incredibly well and we have found this partnership to be mutually beneficial for NAU and CHS.  This semester we are launching another lab school project here at CHS. Fifteen NAU,  P.E. students will be working directly with our CHS P.E. Teachers and Students.  This is truly an exciting partnership and I greatly appreciate all the teachers who are willing to host and mentor these aspiring teachers.

Power in your Presence
Thank you to the many teachers who are in the hallways and at your doorways during passing periods. Your presence is powerful in helping to create our positive school climate.  I came across this short video with a great message;  Dr.  Rosemary Wong on positive classroom greetings click here

Spring Events Update

• Please note we will NOT have a faculty meeting on February 10.  In its place we will have a make-up New Teacher Meeting in room 204. 
• Please add May 15; Spring Bash and Senior Service Day.  (Yes, both will be on the same day this year!)

National School Counseling Week
This week, February 2-6, is National School Counseling week. Please join me in honoring and thanking our CHS counselors and all those in the counseling department.  Thank you, Karen Hughes, LaShia Sharfenberger, Joyce Daoust, Loreel Scott, Donna Lyons, Carrie Johnson, Beth Mills, Tempest Smith, Marlene Hartmann, Jennifer Milius and Denise Vanwoerkem, for everything you do for our students.  Happy School Counseling Week!

This Week

• Prep Hour Meetings Room #204 (2nd period in room # 200)
• 2/3  G BKB @ home
• 2/6 Boys and Girls BKB @ home v. FHS.  Hope you can make it to the last Panther Girls and Boys home games.  Student Council is promoting "Keeping it classy Coconino" and asking everyone to come to the game in their Sunday best and support our athletes. It will be a great night, Go Panthers!

Press On! Panther Strong! 

Please acknowledge that you have read this post by clicking here.