THE COUGAR CONNECTION

The Catoctin High School Newsletter • August 19, 2025

https://edu.fcps.org/chs/

first day of school

wednesday, AUGUST 20

Here are a couple reminders to make your first day back a success:

- Arrive early and leave extra time for traffic!
- Drop-off and pick-up is in the UPPER LOT only! Do not attempt to drop-off or pick-up using the main entrance! For the safety of bus riders and walkers, please go to the second, upper parking (by the baseball fields).
- School doors OPEN at 7:00 am.
- Don't be late! You must be IN your classroom when the bell rings at 7:30 am!
- Breakfast is served daily in the cafeteria.
- Check the alphabetical lists on the office and cafeteria windows to find your first block.
- Access your full schedule in Schoology!

Helpful Back to School Links

Attendance Matters!

Regular school attendance is hugely important to student success. Our goal for every student is 100% attendance - if you are not here, we can’t help you. However, we realize that illness and other circumstances may occasionally cause students to miss school. When that is the case, please be sure to communicate with us so that we can document the reason for the absence and support your student in catching up on what they miss. You can call (227-203-3150 and press 2 for attendance) or email CHS.Attendance@fcps.org with any attendance updates or questions.

School Volunteers

Catoctin High School is excited to partner with family and community members who are interested in joining efforts to support our students and school with their time and talents by way of volunteering. If you’re interested in volunteering in the upcoming school year, please review the information at this page to get started: Volunteer Information

SchoolCash Online

SchoolCash Online is an easy to use and safe way to pay for your children’s school fees. Now, with a few clicks, you can pay for your child’s yearbook, class trips and so much more from your own home. All you have to do is register an account, attach your children and in no time you will be able to make payments online. Catoctin High School uses SchoolCash Online for a variety of items! For more information or to register: SchoolCash Online Registration Information

Mark Your Calendar!

August 29: Underclassmen Portrait Dates (for grades 9-11). Students must be photographed by Victor O'Neill Studios to receive a CHS ID Card and appear in the 2026 Yearbook. We do not accept outside photographs for the portrait section of the yearbook. Held during the school day. Schedule will be posted at school. Make-Up & Retake Portrait Date: Friday October 24, 2025.
September 26: Homecoming Football Game
September 27: Homecoming Dance
October 20 & 21: Senior Portrait Make-Up Dates for those who cannot make the July or August dates. Appointment sign-ups will be available in mid-September.
October 8: PSAT

New Bell Schedules

Our bell schedules are different from previous years (to accommodate FLEX* time on Wednesdays and Connections** time on Tuesdays and Thursdays). We will spend some time ensuring students understand the bell schedules and how the time should be used each day.

View the new schedules here: CHS Bell Schedules 2025-26

*FLEX - the second half of each block will be dedicated to reteaching, reassessment, make-up work, etc. (no new instruction).

**Connections - this is time in our schedule every Tuesday and Thursday during which clubs and Honor Societies will meet and students can also be pulled by a teacher for support.

New Smart Pass

We are excited about this new tool that we will be using when students have a need to leave class (to visit the bathroom, the office, etc.). Students will learn about the features of this system on the first day of school.

Important reminders regarding arrival, dismissal, and parking

Student safety is an important priority and we need the cooperation of everyone who enters our campus to ensure that, especially in our parking lots. Please take note of and adhere to the following guidelines - they are for the safety of all:

During arrival, the front bus loop is for buses only. All student drop offs should take place in the upper lot (near the baseball field).
During dismissal, car riders should also be picked up in the upper lot.
The lot directly in front of the building is for staff daily parking only (visitors who will only be in the building for a short time between 7:30 and 2:20 may use this lot for short-term parking).
Student walkers should take great care when crossing the parking lot and roads; use the crosswalks and cross Sabillasville Road at the crossing guard. Please do not walk out in front of vehicles and pay attention to the traffic around you.
All drivers (student and adult) are asked to exhibit caution and to drive slowly and alertly at all times. All vehicle drivers and passengers are reminded to wear their seat belts.

Thank you for your partnership in ensuring our students’ safety on the campus of Catoctin High School.

Food / item Drop-offs to the Office

We realize that students occasionally leave something behind that they need for the day and that they reach out to a parent/guardian with a request to deliver it to school. You are welcome to come to school for that purpose and we are happy to help facilitate that delivery. We would ask you to keep in mind the following:

- If you come at the exchange of classes, we may ask for your patience while we wait for the vestibule to clear.
- You are only permitted to bring food for your own child and we will hold the food in the office so that he/she may pick it up during the assigned lunch shift.
- Food deliveries (GrubHub, DoorDash, etc.) can not be accepted at school.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

School Meals Information

Breakfast and lunch is served daily for students. Breakfast is $2.00 and lunch is $3.05. Parents may visit https://LINQConnect.com to add money to student meal accounts, set up automatic payments, transfer money between your family’s student meal accounts, see student purchases and account balances throughout the year and more! There are no added fees to place money on a meal account for the 2025-26 school year!

Parents still have the option of sending cash or check with their student(s) for purchases or deposit in a meal account. Once you register for a LINQ Connect parent account, you can download the LINQ Connect app from the Apple App Store or Google Play for easy access from your smartphone.

Free and Reduced Meal Benefits

Breakfast and lunch is served daily for Catoctin High School students. You may add funds to your student's cafeteria account using Linq Connect.

FCPS participates in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program which offers free or reduced meals for students. We encourage families who think they qualify (or unsure if they qualify) to complete the free and reduced-price meal benefits application online. Families must reapply for benefits every year. Even if you were approved last year, you must reapply for this year or your meal benefits will end on October 6, 2025. For more information on school meals costs and reduced meals programs please visit: Meal Benefits

Special Dietary Needs

For students with special dietary needs, visit https://www.fcpsnutrition.com for Special Meal Accommodations instructions and school menus. A new special dietary form is required each school year. Parents may also place restrictions on snack/a-la-carte purchases by contacting the FNS office.

Student Password Reset

All student passwords will be reset to their student ID on August 19. After the reset, students will need to user their student ID number to log in and then will be prompted to change their password.

When adjusting their password students will need to change their password to something more memorable with the following restrictions:

- - Minimum password length 8 characters.
  - Passwords may not contain the user's Account Name or Display Name.
  - Students cannot use a password they used from previous years.
  - The password must contain characters from three of the following categories:

- - - - Uppercase letters (A through Z)
        Lowercase letters (a through z)
        Numbers (0 through 9)
        Non-alphanumeric characters (special characters): (~!@#$%^&*_-+=`|\(){}[]:;"'<>,.?/

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL

Dear Catoctin Community,

We are just days away from the start of the 2025-2026 school year…..the excitement is building, the preparations have reached a feverish pace, and our work together will begin very soon. Part of your preparations may be pulling together a stash of school supplies that likely includes writing utensils, notebooks, and maybe even a graphing calculator. Those are all important tools that we employ in education and having them available will support student’s effective and efficient work in school and at home. (On that topic - we are always willing and available to help families acquire the needed supplies - please communicate with your child’s teachers and/or counselor if there is a need we can help fill.)

I also want to suggest some less traditional school “supplies” that will foster learning and support student success:

A growth mindset - the belief that you can and you will learn new things (even in areas that may seem very hard to you)
A commitment to engage in your learning (students have to be an active part of the process)....this includes ensuring that your phone is silenced and away during instructional time so as not to distract your brain from the important work of learning
A promise to be respectful to all
Leadership - formal or informal, outward or quiet…..all students can serve as leaders and the more who do, the more positive our school culture will be
A resolve to attend school on time every day. Your best opportunity for success occurs every day you are in school and are taking an active role in your learning. Remember…..Attendance = Opportunity

I am excited about the potential for success that exists for every student as we start each year. I am confident that we will work together to make this a great school year for every Cougar.

Go Cougars!

Jen Clements

Principal

resources for families

Catoctin High School Pantry

Families in need of school supplies or other items should email kelly.gruber@fcps.org.

Local Food Banks

- Thurmont Food Bank, 10 Frederick Road, Thurmont. For more information call 240-288-1865.
- Emmitsburg Food Bank, 130 S. Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg. For more information call 717-642-6963.

FCPS Free and Reduced Meal Benefits

All FCPS students can apply for free or reduced-price meal benefits. Apply online here. Paper copies are available in the main office. You must reapply every year for benefits. You can apply at any time during the year.

Child Protective Services (CPS): 301-600-2464

- To get help for physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect.

Crisis Services: Dial 211

- To get help when you feel really anxious or really depressed and need someone to talk with so that you can stay safe.

Maryland Anonymous Tip Line: 1-833-632-7233

- To report threats or situations that put your safety or others’ safety at risk.

Suicide Prevention Hotline: 988

- To get help if you are thinking about suicide.

Free Mental Health Crisis Care Center Open 24/7

Free, walk-in services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for immediate, face-to-face support for anyone experiencing an emotional, mental health, family or relationship crisis in a safe, welcoming space. Frederick County Mental Health Association Crisis Care Center, 340 Montevue Lane, Frederick. For more information call 2-1-1 or 301-662-2255. Services are available for all ages. There is no cost for services and no appointment is necessary. For more information, visit https://fcmha.org/how-we-help/behavioral-health/.

PTSA - We Need You!

Membership in the PTSA helps us provide:

- School Improvement (Requests by Staff to Improve the School such as equipment or signage)
- Staff Appreciation (Luncheons and Teacher Appreciation Gifts)
- Honor Roll Awards
- Senior Appreciation (Signage, Awards, Graduation Gifts, Scholarships)
- New ideas to make CHS the best experience for all students and staff.

Parents, students, grandparents, staff, and community business are welcome to join! Join the Catoctin High School PTSA here: https://fspta-00020926.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true. For more information and a paper membership form visit: PTSA Membership Info

Follow the PTSA on Facebook! Search for Catoctin High PTSA or visit https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563952568524 Find out what the PTSA is up to and how you can help!

catoctin sports boosters

Catoctin High School Sports Boosters is a parent-based organization which provides support for all CHS athletes, sports teams and coaches. The Sports Boosters program is needed to cover the additional expenses not covered by the very limited Athletic Department budget. We raise money through fund raisers, concession sales, sponsorship and membership.

Al l of the money raised goes to support our athletic programs. With continued cuts to the Athletic Department's budget the burden falls on the Sports Boosters and the individual sports programs to come up with the needed funding to run successful programs. In addition, Catoctin is a 1-A school with a limited number of student-athletes and spectators which is how budgets are determined, because of this we are already at a disadvantage compared to the larger schools in Frederick County.

Please consider becoming a Catoctin High School Sports Booster Member. Help Catoctin Athletes by signing up now. Anyone can join. For more information: Sports Boosters

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