Update ~ September 26-30, 2016

CELEBRATING SUCCESS...
Thank you for participating in our on-going CHS professional learning community.  There is something quite powerful in coming together as professionals to learn with and from one another. Seeing and hearing the openness and willingness to share ideas and experiences while exploring fresh ideas to enhance student learning is exciting  - Improved student learning is a collective endeavor and I am grateful for your willingness to meet the challenge. We look forward to seeing the ways you imbed and integrate the engagement strategies in the culture of your classrooms.  It is my hope that you see positive results and that the results energize you and our students.

LEAVE REQUESTS...
A special thank you to all of you who have been covering and substituting in classrooms when teachers are not here. I am sorry that we even have to ask you to cover a class on your prep.  I realize that there are times that you do not know when you are going to have to call off, but on the occasions you know in advance that you will be absent from school, it would help immensely, to call off as soon as possible.  More often than not, if an absence request is received by HR at least 72 hours in advance, we can count on a substitute being assigned to our school to cover teacher absences. 

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOMECOMING 2016...
Homecoming 2016 is the week of October 3-8, 2016.  Click here for HC Week bell schedule 

* As you are planning for HC week, lip dub, parade etc and find you are in need of butcher paper for posters, signs or projects, there are roles located in the teacher mail room.  Should you need additional supplies such as markers, paint, etc., please see Pat Therrien. 

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT...
Graduation!  Believe it or not, plans for 2017 graduation are already in the works. The Grad Night Committee is looking for volunteers to help with the planning for the annual post ceremony city wide graduation night celebration. If you are interested in serving on this committee, or would like more information, there is a meeting scheduled for October 20 at 5:30pm in the CHS Cafeteria (Participation on this committee, takes the place of serving on another CHS committee).

WHAT'S YOUR STORY?...
FEA and Alpha Delta Kapp (ADK) will be hosting a School Board Candidates Forum on Saturday, October 1, in the CHS Mini-Theater at 2:00pm.

Press on! Panther Strong!

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Update ~ September 19-23, 2016

Celebrating Success
With the beginning of the school year, comes a host of fall sports and activities.  School comes alive for many of our students who are involved.  Many shine in the classroom and some outside of the classroom as well.  It is truly heart-warming to see so many students participating in the various extra-curricular activities we have going on at Coconino High School, X-Country, Volleyball, Golf, Football, Cheer, Dance JROTC, Robotics, Marching Band, and numerous clubs and student led organizations. Go Panthers! I witnessed something noteworthy this weekend...after the football game on Friday night when most fans had already left the stadium several CHS students stayed behind to help the custodians pick up trash left by the spectators. Nobody asked them to do this,  they said they just wanted to help. I don't know the names of all of the students who pitched in, but I do know it was spearheaded by our student body president, Konner Bracken. If you see you Konner this week,  a pat on the back to Konner and his crew is well deserved.

Did you happen to see the newspaper this weekend? CHS got some positive ink for all around increases in our AZMerit scores. Niiiiiice! Keep up the great work everyone, Panther Strong!

301
There are very specific guidelines about which professional development courses are eligible for 301compensation. Please note, only FUSD sponsored trainings and workshops, that have been pre-approved by the FUSD Curriculum and Instruction Department qualify for 301 monies.
These FUSD sponsored trainings and workshops are pre-approved by the Assistant Superintendent of C & I and designed to target and enhance various district initiatives. Regional, state and national conferences offered through professional organizations outside of FUSD are not approved  for 301 money.
 Click here to be directed to the FUSD Human Resources page for details regarding 301.

Can we Tauuuuuwk? 
Dress code, dress code oh my goodness, dress code. The holes in the jeans seem to be causing some to lose sleep at night, and others, not so much. Therein lies the problem, inconsistency.
What's the Story? 
Last year a group of teachers came together via the CHS School Structures Team. Based on input from CHS teachers, they determined that we needed to focus more attention on our CHS dress code. Fast forward to SY 2016-17, in-spite of the attention to the dress code we are right back where we were last year; some are enforcing the code while others are ignoring the code all together. This begs some questions; Is a dress code important to us as a school? If so what are we willing to commit to in order to insist that our students follow the dress code? Is the current dress code itself appropriate?  Do holes in the jeans matter, or is it more about where the holes are located? The school structures team will be coming back together to discuss these questions and determine the best way to proceed. Stay tuned... in the meantime, please send students to McKenzie to obtain school appropriate attire (First offense) and if you have students who you you have already redirected due to dress code violations,  please complete and MI form and send the student to the RTR.

Happy Birthday CHS
To help celebrate our 50th anniversary, CHS is hosting an Alumni Tailgate Party on Friday, October 7 at 5:00pm in the outdoor classroom.   Hope you will plan to join us and stay for the homecoming game at 7:00pm and help cheer on our Panthers as they take on Bradshaw Mountain High School.

Coffee, Cookies and PD
This Wednesday, September 21, we have our all faculty school PLC/ Professional Development beginning at 1:15pm in the cafeteria. Come early for a special coffee treat from Caffe e Bici, that's a new coffee company owned by our very own CHS Teacher Eric Neat. Barista, Eric will be in the cafeteria before the meeting starts whipping up your favorite coffee.  Also, Tracey Penny and the CHS Culinary arts students will provide homemade cookies for us on Wednesday.

Dates to Remember
9/20 ~ PBIS Mtg Room 2014 2:45pm
9/21 ~ All Faculty PLC/PD cafeteria 1:15pm

Looking ahead
Please note we have two faculty meetings scheduled for October; October 4 and October 26  at 2:45pm.  The topic will be A+ School of excellence.
This week, Becky will send a schedule of the planned faculty meetings for the school year.


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Ciao!

Update ~ September 12-16, 2016

Celebrating Success
Blue ribbons all around. CHS was well represented at this year's Coconino County Fair.  A special thank you to Christine Sapio and the Robotics Team for sharing the wonders of the world of robots. Thank you Cheryl Vignoli, Ben Proctor, Keith Nicolson and Tom Viskocil for the impressive art and photography display.  Congratulations to Laura Locke for the best of show for her super yummy fruit cake.  Thanks Colonel Morris and Sargent Alves for providing our JROTC Cadets to present the colors for the livestock auction to an audience from all over the southwest. Thanks for making us Panther Proud!

What to say when you friend, mother or spouse looks at you with that look, when you tell them you are doing a flash mob at your school...
According to wikipedia, a Flash Mob is "A group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, to perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time and quickly disperse."
I hope you will join in the fun and be part of the faculty and staff flash mob this year.  We will perform (very briefly) at the annual Winter Pep Assembly on Friday, October 28. Our very own dance line coach, Erin Motes is our choreographer and will coach us through the simple dance moves.  We have six practice sessions scheduled, but if you can't make them all, or you are a quick learner, you can still participate. Practice sessions will be: October 12, 19, 20, 26 & 27 from 2:30-3:00pm back stage of the main auditorium.

Dates to Remember

• September 14, Links Crew Freshmen Check-In ~ 2nd Period

Planning ahead

• September 21 ~ All Faculty PLC/P.D. 1:15-2:30pm Cafeteria
• October 3-8 ~ Homecoming Week and 50th Anniversary Tailgate Party 5:00pm
• October 4 ~ Faculty Mtg 2:45-3:15pm
• October 7 ~ Homecoming Pep Assembly
• October 13 & 14 Fall Holiday, No school
• October 28 ~ Winter Pep Assembly 

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Update ~ September 6-9, 2016

Celebrating Success
We are one month into the 2016-17 school year and I can sincerely say, we're off to a great start.  A few speed bumps here and there (mostly technology related), nevertheless we're off and running and it feels pretty darn good. Thank you everyone for helping to make our transition from summer vacation to the seriousness of school, and helping kids ease into routines and expectations while finding joy in learning.  Thanks too, for keeping up the positive energy and continuing to make great things happen at CHS.
Our back to school open house was a success.  There is something comforting about getting to meet our students' parents and knowing that they support us and entrust us with their sons and daughters and being able to reassure them their kids are in good hands.  Press on! Panther Strong!

Feathers in our cap...
Congratulations to Brian Locke and Craig Howdeshell for being selected to serve on the Coconino Associations for Vocations, Industry and Technology (CAVIAT) Governing Board.
Congratulations also to Christine Sapio for being named the Governors Innovation 2016 Teacher of the Year.
Thanks for your hard work and for making us Panther Proud!

Looking for Good News to Report
A message from Karin Eberhard – FUSD District Relations Coordinator
Please let me know about the exciting projects and programs taking place in your classroom. I am happy to come over and take pictures.
Community Outreach includes:
Cityscape (3 times per year) 40,000 mailboxes
FUSD Newsletter (monthly except June and July) over 5000 e-mail accounts
Facebook up to 14,000 reach
Community meetings
Community events
*Banners and Posters. Please let me know what your needs are and I will print them as quickly as I can.
*Please make sure that your staff pages on the website are up to date and at least have your name, what you teach and how to contact you.
*Mark your calendar with the following dates. Flagstaff Community STEM Celebration (March 6) Sights and Sounds (April 29)
*Visit the following websites for discounts and opportunities for teachers
Our FUSD HR pages – discounts for teachers
Chamber – Flagstaff Values Teachers – sign up and all of the information on their website
*I will be sending out grant applications this year for the SEDI and FUSD Foundation grants. These are grants set up just for you and can help with classroom projects.

****If you have any questions  or good news to report, please contact me,
Karin Eberhard keberhard@fusd1.org

Reminder
Welcome to the new school year Pep Assembly Friday, September 9.

Planning Ahead

• Link Crew First Freshmen Check in- September 14 during second period
• All Faculty PLC, September 21, 1:15-2:30pm in the cafeteria Topic: Student Engagement

* Committee sign ups will be sent out in a seperate e-mail this week. 

Word of the Month ~ Integrity

Hopefully you can squeeze in time to talk to our students about our CHS guiding principles: Respect, Responsibility and Integrity and this month with a focus on Integrity.  There are a variety of definitions of the word integrity, but sharing with your students your ideas about integrity can help deepen their awareness and understanding of what integrity means and what it means to you. 

Quote of the week...

"Integrity is the essence of everything successful."

Cheers to September!

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