Update ~ May1-5, 2017

CELEBRATING SUCCESS...
Teacher / té' chàr
n.  one who inspires, guides, enlightens, motivates, tireless scholar.
Teaching is the highest calling.  Parents entrust their most precious treasures to teachers and we all know that everybody who is anybody was taught to be somebody by a teacher.
Thank you all for choosing this noble profession and for choosing to teach at Coconino High School and positively influencing the lives of our students and the future.  I hope this week is quiet and bright.
Monday~ Enjoy fresh fruit in the mail room
Tuesday~ Teacher appreciation breakfast hosted by CHS Student Council
Wednesday ~ Thanks a Latte.  Eric Neat's Cafe Bici will be set up in the south commons in the afternoon so you can enjoy a delicious cup of your favorite coffee
Thursday ~ Sweets for you all in your mailboxes
Friday ~ Cinco de Mayo treats
Happy Teacher Appreciation week!

CONGRATULATIONS!... 
How about our scholar athletes? All CHS softball, baseball and beach volleyball teams went the entire season without a single player being ineligible due to grades.  That's awesome!
Our CHS spring sports teams were superstars.  Congrats to baseball, softball, beach volleyball, tennis and track for a great season and making it all the way to the state championships.   Keeping an eye on Panther Baseball and Track as they continue to compete this week. GO PANTHERS!

EDUCATOR'S VOICES...
If you are you interested in being the Certified or Classified Liaison for CHS, please send Human Resources a one page or less document detailing why you would be the best possible person for this role by May 8th. This document will be used during a district wide election to be managed by the same 3rd party vendor we used last year.  Results will be reviewed by Human Resources and the current Liaisons (regardless if they are running again or not).
Timeline for applications:
April 26th - May 8: Candidates submit their detail documents to Human Resources
May 9 - May 15: Voting commences - Email access is required as the voting link will be issued via email.
May 16: Results are reviewed and announcements made

Tell Arizona survey... Last week in your mailbox you received a fact sheet which included a survey code in order to respond to the Tell Arizona teacher survey.  For more information click here, or see Angela Buzan or Derek Born . 

A SPECIAL TREAT...

The CHS 50 year birthday party continues.  If you haven't made it to a CHS Band & Orchestra performance, here's your chance.  This Tuesday, May 2,  CHS will be hosting a very special concert. Over the past 50 years CHS has had only seven band directors and six of these directors will be here at CHS on Tuesday with the extraordinary Jennifer Hamilton and Randy Colvart from SMS to direct a commemorative symphonic concert. The night will also include a beautiful documentary about the history of the CHS band program. I know you will love it and hope you can all make it to this very special event.  May 2, 6:30pm in the main auditorium at CHS.

DATES TO REMEMBER...

5/2 ~ Faculty Meeting 2:30pm Mini-theater.  The topic for this meeting is Emergency Response 

Looking ahead...

5/17 ~ Faculty meeting 2:30pm Mini-theater.  The topic for this meeting is end of year procedures. 

"A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, touches a heart and shapes the future."
                     ~ Author unknown

Twenty (Not including finals) and that's all I have to say about that.

Press on!  Panther strong!

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Update ~ April 24-28, 2017

CELEBRATING SUCCESS...
Last week two CHS teachers were recognized for being extraordinary teachers.  Angela Buzan was one of the three finalists in the annual Coconino County Teachers of the Year and Dean Shaddy was presented with the Arizona Technology in Education, Teacher of the year award.
Keep being awesome, we are so proud of you both!

WAIT SERIOUSLY?...
THE STORY...On Thursday, presumably the last official day of AZMerit testing, thousands of students around the state, were abruptly kicked out of their test and not able to log back on.  You might imagine that students were panicked, but really after three weeks of testing and what I will call testing fatigue, they just shrugged their shoulders and sighed "Oh wellll".  Here is the e-mail message schools received from ADE:

Today your schools may have experienced issues with connecting to AIR’s systems (TA Interface, Secure Browser, TIDE, or ORS). ADE has been working with AIR to find a resolution to this regional issue.

AIR is diligently working to get the issue resolved. Due to this problem, we will extend the Writing Test window through Monday, April, 24. This will also include the entry for the Writing into DEI. Please check the announcement section on the AzMERIT portal home page for the most current information.  Students who were testing today and were logged out will be able to have their tests reopened on Monday to continue testing.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CHS?...
This means math testing continues on Monday for approximately 180 CHS students.  We will not have a crazy bell schedule, we will resume our normal Monday schedule and these students will be called in two shifts to test in the library.  The students affected are students enrolled in Geometry (mostly 10th graders, but there are some 9th graders too). Please see Chelsea's email for details.

WHAT ELSE?...
So on top of math testing Monday, we also have make-up writing to do. Chelsea will be calling the individuals who need to make-up AZMerit on Monday and Tuesday. Aaaaaand, we have the CASA challenge on Monday as well. 11th and 12th grade students will come with their social studies classes to the mini-theater to hear the annual Citizens Against Substance Abuse message.

ANYTHING ELSE?...
Yup, please don't stone and feather me, but we will have a fire drill (sorry we have to) this Friday, April 28 at 8:00am.
On May 2 at 2:30pm we will have our safety debrief faculty meeting in the mini-theater.  Please mark your calendars.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT...
On Tuesday, April 25, I will be asking the FUSD Governing Board to approve a donation to CHS.
Dr. Dan Julien is donating a generous sum of money, $10,000.00, to the Coconino High School library on behalf of the Drs. Dan and Jane Julien family, with the hope that the library be named the "Dr. Jane A. Julien Library" in the late Jane Julien’s memory. A sign above the main entrance door(s) and a memorial plaque would be placed in the library, if approved.
History of Dr. Jane A Julien...
Of all of the jobs that Dr. Julien held during her thirty-eight years of employment, her absolute favorite was being the Coconino High School Librarian. She loved the school, the staff and the students. In 1966 Dan and Jane Julien visited Northern Arizona University and Jane was offered a contract at the Northern Arizona University Library, to begin in July 1967. While in Flagstaff in 1966, they visited the construction site of the new Coconino High School. Jane could have been the first CHS Librarian had she not already committed to NAU.
Jane was offered the CHS Librarianship with the understanding that she would remain for three years. She accepted the position in 1979 and was hired as the first and only Ph.D. in the district. She loved every day of her work at CHS. In the fall of 1984, Jane was invited to move to the FUSD central offices as Media Services Supervisor where she served until the fall of 1993. Under her leadership in the district office, with the help of a major book publishing company, she and her librarians were able to computerize the card catalogs in all eighteen school libraries. FUSD school libraries became one of the most advanced in the state. As computers were becoming more available, Jane established computer labs and provided computer instruction for librarians and teachers in a room at the district office using the latest equipment. There was competition for this equipment. Jane felt that one of her biggest accomplishments, under her leadership, was the library curriculum that she and a group of FUSD teachers and librarians and a couple of administrators were able to develop.

THIS WEEK...
4/24 ~ CASA Challenge
4/27 ~ Safety Committee Meeting 3:00pm room 203

Press on! Panther Strong! 

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Update ~ April 17-21, 2017

CELEBRATING SUCCESS
Thank you for your positive attitudes and continued words of encouragement to our students during this arduous testing season and thank for being creative with the extended periods.  The good news is AzMerit is almost over.
This week is AZMerit Math. Please let our students know how proud we are of them for pressing on through these exams and a pat on the back and a "you can do this", "you got this" goes a long way coming from their teachers.
Also Monday, April 17, CTE Testing in the mini-theater at 8:00am. Passes will be delivered to your first period classrooms for specific students.

BOYS AND GIRLS OF SUMMER, OR SPRING AS THE CASE MAY BE...
This week is filled with Baseball, Softball,  Sand Volleyball and Track. Click here for Schedule Star to view game schedules http://now.schedulestar.com/login/  Username ~ chs@fusd1.org and Password ~ Panthers

MIXED SIGNALS...
What's the story?
About four years ago teachers at CHS expressed concern to one another and their leaders, that the use of cell phones in their classrooms was a problem.  CHS teachers came together to find a solution.   Our School Structures team spent time focusing on the topic.  They read about other school districts and researched effective policies and practices.  The team learned that schools with zero-tolerance policies were not effective (the research still supports this). They met several times over the course of the year and devoted a lot of time and energy to develop a policy for CHS.  From this work, the Electronic Device Traffic signal was born. The first year, many teachers implemented the policy and we found the inappropriate use of cell phones to be reduced.  Fast forward to SY 2016-17...CHS classrooms still have traffic lights mounted on the wall, but what is happening in classrooms and the signals are not always aligned. The only way a policy will ever work is if it is implemented and used with fidelity. Cell phone use in classrooms is a distraction.  It is imperative we are all on the same page and our students are getting the same message. If the sign displays red, students should not have their phones out, but they must be reminded or retaught.  If it's yellow, you decide and if it's on green expect cell phone use to be rampant.  Until a better solution is developed, teachers should follow the current policy.

Thirty instructional days days to go...but who's counting?
Press On!  Panther Strong!

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Update ~ April 10-14, 2017

CELEBRATING SUCCESS...
Every now and again I get a letter worthy of sharing.  The following letter affirms what we talked about at our Spotlight on Success party last week:

Principal Zanzucchi,

First and foremost, I would like to say "Thank you" for taking time out of your very busy Monday to meet with Jaryn, Dana and me, and for giving us a tour of your school. We were all very impressed with, not only the amazing programs you offer but with the teachers and students who we had the opportunity to meet! We were especially impressed with the obvious collaboration of your teaching staff in order to provide the absolute best learning environment as well as the friendliness of your students. Honestly, we were a bit surprised at the eye-contact and friendly "hellos" we received just walking through the halls and classrooms...we just don't experience that at his current school of 4000! If nothing else, it absolutely confirmed that our decision to move to Flagstaff was the right one. We think we're going to love living there!

Although we also enjoyed meeting Mr. Cullen and touring FHS, Jaryn has decided that he wants to attend Coconino. He was sold long before we left your campus but kept an open mind as we toured Flag High. There were many things that he liked about that school too but really feels that CHS is the place for him.

Jaryn would like to continue his progression in the PTLW program. He has taken the PTLW Into to Engineering twice now (8th and 9th grade) and is looking forward to moving ahead in the program at CHS. With that said, I will complete the Boundary Exception form and the registration packet this week and email it over to you as soon as possible. It will most likely be the end of the week since we are playing catch-up with our clients today and tomorrow.

Again, thank you so much for your time and we look forward to the adventures that await!

Now that's what I'm talking about...

TESTING...

First I want to give a big shout out to Chelsea Lohr, our CHS Testing Coordinator.   Thank you Chelsea for all the behind the scenes work you have done to help testing go a smoothly as possible. 

And the beat goes on, up next...

Monday, April 10 AIMS Science 8:00am in the gym

Monday, April 10 AzMerit Writing Make-ups 11:30am Library

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, April 11.12 & 13 AzMerit Reading in classrooms

* Teachers, please remember to issue hall passes to students when they leave your classroom and if they have your permission to be in your classroom during lunch, they will need a pass to be permitted in the hallways. 

CIVIC DUTY...

In case you haven't heard, Cris Holmes was selected for jury duty.  Cris will be here at CHS this week Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Her schedule at school through May 5, will depend on the jury schedule. I might suggest you e-mail Cris should you need to talk with her about anything. 

SPORTS NEWS...

Please join me in welcoming our new CHS Men's Varsity Basketball Coach, Mr. Mike Moran.  Coach Moran returns to CHS after several years in Colorado. We are looking forward to Coach Moran's return to CHS. 

ANYTHING ELSE?...

The annual Spring Pep Assembly is scheduled for this Friday, April 14. Please let me know if you are interested and willing to host a quiet study hall in your classroom from 1:25-2:20pm, for students who would prefer to complete school work in lieu of attending the pep assembly. 

Period	Time	Duration
1	7:50-8:40	45 + 5(Pulse)
2	8:45-9:30	45
3	9:35-10:20	45
4/5	10:25-11:10	45
Lunch	11:10-11:40	30
6	11:45-12:30	45
7	12:35-1:20	45
Assembly	1:25-2:20	55

Thank you all for your patience, flexibility and cooperation as we make our way to the final days of the 2016-17 School Year!

As always, Press on!  and continue to be...Panther Strong!

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Update ~ April 3-7, 2017

CELEBRATING SUCCESS...
As has been expressed by emails and conversations, we have a loving and compassionate school community here at CHS, we are so fortunate.  Thank you all for being a part of the Panther Family.
This week, and actually for the rest of the year, it will be important to continue to support one another and be visible to our students. Being in the hallways and out and about is especially important now.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT...
Research shows that tragic events, like what we experienced here at CHS can cause people to be vulnerable, more impressionable and create risk of unhealthy behaviors. Dr. Andy Hogg is a psychologist in private practice who serves as a volunteer for the Flagstaff Unified School District. Dr. Hogg will be here at CHS on Monday, April 3, to speak to us about the grieving process and about ways we can support one another, our students and our CHS community.
This is an optional meeting, but I highly encourage all to attend. April 3, 2:30pm room 201
Terros will be here again on Monday, please send students in need of support to the counseling office and remember Terros is here for adults needing support as well.

CONGRATUALTIONS...
Last week JROTC passed the rigorous National Inspection with a 95%.  This means they retain the designation as Unit with Honor and Distinction.
Our CHS Band and Orchestra earned another Superior with Distinction at the recent California Competition
The CocoNuts walk away with the  First Team Spirit award at the Idaho Robotics Competition
Panther Strong!

AZMERIT...
It now begins. We start this week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday AzMerit Writing will take place in individual classrooms. Please see the modified bell schedule sent out by e-mail.
I would love to have you all join me Tuesday morning in the front of school, or at the bus lane, as our students arrive to wish then all the best on the AZMerit Testing.

AIMS SCIENCE...
Make-up for AIMS Science will be Monday, April 10 , 8:00am, both gyms

AROUND THE CORNER...
April 14, spring Pep Assembly

THIS WEEK...
4/4 ~ PBIS Committee Meeting
4/5 ~ Faculty Meeting ~ Spotlight on Success 1:15pm in the cafeteria

Karlyn Heilman will be dearly missed.  
There will be a service for Karlyn on Saturday, April 15, 2017.  If you would like to contribute to the faculty flower fund please see Becky.  I will send more information about the service soon.

Take care everyone, have a nice week.

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