THE COUGAR CONNECTION

The Catoctin High School Newsletter  •  December 8, 2023

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

Students serve community

Five students from the Catoctin High School's Spanish Honor Society spent Monday evening serving as Spanish translators for a Christmas event at the Thurmont Community Closet.  The event is held annually at the start of the Christmas season.  The purpose of the event is to serve families in need and provide them a way to have clothing, gifts and home goods for their own needs or to give as gifts.  Spanish Honor Society Advisor Mrs. Griffin said "Catoctin students Olivia Baker, Keelyn Swaney, Kayla Delcid, Noah Delcid and Amy Eichelberger (pictured left to right) did a great job interacting with the Spanish-speaking community and providing translating services.  Please applaud their efforts when you see them!"

Hearing and Vision Screenings at Catoctin High School  

Hearing and Vision Screenings will take place at Catoctin High School on Wednesday December 20th, 2023 for ALL STUDENTS NEW TO MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Maryland State Law mandates these screenings.  

If your child requires glasses or contacts, please be sure they are brought to school with them or worn on screening days.  

Please keep in mind, this is just a screening and if you have concerns in regards to your child’s vision and/or hearing, please seek further medical advice.  

Parents/guardians who have an objection to this screening based on the tenets and/or practice of their church or religion must submit a written request for their child to be exempt from screening.  For further questions, please contact the health room at 240-236-8070. 

Local Fire Company Assists Forensics Class

Mr. Trice's CHS Forensic Science students received some real-life advice from the Guardian Hose Company of Thurmont for their arson experiment. This was a thoroughly engaging activity for the students! The fire company personnel provided very in-depth and interesting information about what they look for and how they can tell when a fire is not accidental.  They had some real scenarios that they shared with our students.  The students created the structures (shown below) and wrote a story of the events that occurred in the structure prior to the fire.  Many thanks to our local fire fighting heroes for sharing their time and expertise! 

boys cross-country wrap up

The CHS Boys Cross Country team had a phenomenal 2023 season.  They finished second at Counties and showed their competitors that CHS is strong and powerful.  This season was one of the strongest county finishes for CHS in almost 10 years.  

The team then went on to win the CMS championship with Tim McCarthy running to break a tie against another team from Frederick County.  At the 1A West Region, CHS dominated all the schools by easily winning Regions.  CHS had six runners finish in the top 25, with Gabe Riling overpowering all runners to win his first regional title.  

Then the team went off to States!  The boys ran their hearts out to take second place and Gabe Riling finished as state runner-up.  Overall, at the state meet, the boys pushed through injury and sickness to take their second place.  Gabe Riling then went to Nationals in North Carolina to compete with the best cross-country runners in the nation.  Gabe finished 75th out of 600-plus runners - congratulations Gabe for a great season!  Congratulations to the entire Boys Cross Country team on a phenonmenal season!

Girls Cross Country 2023

Media outlets everywhere reported that Catoctin Girls would finish 15th in the State of MD, but that turned out to be far from the truth. Led by the fantastic senior leadership of Jenna Conley and Keira Taylor, Catoctin Girls Cross Country took the entire state by storm very early on the season. Camila Canadas, Aniston Casne, and Isabel Brodsky brought up the remainder of the five-girl scoring squad that shocked the state to the tune of 4th place in the 1A State this year. Highlighted by three girls finishing All State (Jenna Conley, Aniston Casne, and Keira Taylor). This girl’s squad was the most successful Cross-Country team since 2014 that Catoctin has ever had. 

All five girls finished All Conference (Team 2nd in Gambrill Division of CMC), and 3 of 5 finish All-Region. This group shined on the stage at its brightest moment when adversity tried to strike it down the hardest with injuries, schedule conflicts, and other low moments. These highlights included Jenna Conley breaking the 20-minute barrier in the 3-mile run, Aniston Casne became the #1 Freshman in the 1A, Keira Taylor being the difference maker for competing for the title, and Isabel and Camila having their break-through races. The 2023 Girls Cross Country team at Catoctin High School wrote their names into the history books forever. 

Volleyball Season Recap

Girls Varsity Volleyball had a difficult year in terms of wins and losses, but competed against some of the very best teams in the state. The team was by far the least experienced with only one player with four years of experience, two players in their third year, and all others playing varsity in only their second year of playing volleyball.  Even without much team success, many of the girls had amazing accomplishments. Varsity team's season awards were:

JV Volleyball celebrated their end of season with a banquet at Morningside Inn. It was a great season and the team is building a strong foundation for Catoctin JV Volleyball.  There are at least four girls playing club volleyball during the off-season to get ready to dominate next year. The JV team's season awards were: 

Golf Finishes Season 10-6

The Catoctin High School Golf Team finished 10-6 in the CMC and had golfer Jordan Moore qualified for the State Tournament.  In addition, Peyton Cramer was nominated for First Team All CMC Conference-Gambrill Division and golfers Justin Mehall and Jordan Moore earned Second Team. Griffin Hench and Keagan Savage were named Honorable Mention All CMC Conference-Gambrill.  Peyton Cramer was also in the Top 5 in the County for scoring average as reported by The Frederick News Post. 

CHS Boys Soccer

The Boys Varsity Soccer Team had a season resulting in a .500 record - the first in over a decade. Each match, from thrilling victories to hard-fought losses, demonstrated the resilience and determination of this team. The motto from the beginning of this season was “BELIEVE in YOURSELF as an individual. BELIEVE in your TEAMMATES. BELIEVE in yourselves as a GROUP.” This is exactly what they did. 

A few End of the Season Highlights:

1. Elias Irons

4. Matthew Offutt

19. Erick Lopez

28. Robert Ruch, Jr.

Catoctin was also fortunate to have a JV Boys Soccer Team for the first time in many years as well. The JV squad was competitive in all their matches and are building the groundwork for a great future for Catoctin Soccer. We look forward to what lies ahead for Catoctin Soccer!

Fan Guidelines for Athletic Events

The Catoctin High School home winter athletic season is beginning soon!  Please help us maintain a safe environment by adhering to the following policies.

The following items are prohibited from being brought into the gymnasium.  We do not have a bag check or holding area; please plan to store these items in your vehicle:

Parking and Event Guidelines:

 Admission:

Show Your Cougar Pride:

World's Finest Chocolate Bars on sale at school

Get a delicious $1 World's Finest Chocolate Bar from any member of the Freshmen Class Club or from the club advisor Ms. Rachel (room 409).  Available in a variety of flavors.  Proceeds benefit the Class of 2027.

Senior Class of 2024 T-shirts & Sweatshirts

The Class of 2024 is holding their fall t-shirt and sweatshirt sale now through December 15th.  Cost is $15 for short-sleeve t-shirts, $20 for long-sleeve t-shirts, and $25 for crew neck or hooded sweatshirts.  Order yours today through SchoolCash Online. 


Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser

The Sophomore Class of 2026 is selling Double Good Popcorn as a fundraiser for their club.  Double Good offers premium popcorn flavors that have been perfected over 25 years. They are popped fresh daily and shipped directly to your doorstep.  The sale ends today so order your delicious popcorn now!  Click on the photo below to order by 8:00 pm TODAY, December 8: 

CHS Collection site for "Homeless for the Holidays" program

In response to the hardships our students, families, and community face, the CHS FCCLA Club is excited to lead the efforts as a donation site for this year's Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership (SHIP) "Homeless for the Holidays" program. 

You can drop off new, full-sized hygiene products at Catoctin High School through December 22nd.

Click here for a list of hygiene items that we are seeking to distribute to local young people in need as well as a full list of our 2023 drop-off locations.

Together we can make a difference through sharing and caring this holiday season. 

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL

Dear Catoctin Community,


At this very busy time of year, it is important to pause and reflect on ….

…where we are:

…and where we are headed:


There are 10 more school days prior to Winter Break; when we return, we will have just 9 school days before the end of the semester.  Every day remaining in this term is important to ensure a strong finish to students’ first semester courses.  Then comes the fresh start of a new semester and new courses.  We will continue to encourage and support students to end this semester successfully and to take good advantage of the excitement and opportunity of the new year and new semester.


If your child is doing well in his/her classes, please encourage him/her to maintain that focus.  If he/she is struggling, it is not too late to work with their teacher to increase their learning and their grade.  Let’s finish off 2023 and Semester 1 strong!


Go Cougars!


Jen Clements

Principal

MONTHLY GUIDANCE AND INFORMATION FOR PARENTS / GUARDIANS

Attendance Update

We are in the final days of Term 2 and Semester 1 - good attendance is as important as ever.  In order to finish strong in each class, to complete all of the work, and to come away with full mastery of the content, students need to be at school and engaged in their learning every day.  December and January are also the winter testing season - it is important (both for the students and the school) that students are on-time and present every day of testing.  Finally, attendance plays a role in a student’s final grade; credit may be denied if a student has an excessive number of unexcused absences from class.  When we are considering that outcome, a student’s total absences is reviewed, but so is the pattern of attendance (and an improvement can be an important factor).  Please let us know how we can support your child’s good attendance.

While we want and expect students to be in school every day, this is also the season of illness and there is certainly the possibility that a sickness will mean a student is unable to attend school for one or more days.  In those cases, please communicate regarding your child’s absence (a note when he/she returns and/or an email to chs.attendance@fcps.org).  If their illness results in a doctor’s visit, please ask for a note and submit that to the school to appropriately document the absence.  When absent, students should be in touch with their teachers and do work from home when possible. 

It is our strong partnership and communication that will support students’ good attendance which will support their academic success and social-emotional well-being.

Attendance = Opportunity

As a feeder, we continue our commitment to attendance knowing that being at school each day opens opportunities for our students.  Below is the attendance rate for November for each school: 

*Attendance rate: An overall school attendance rate of 94% or higher is considered proficient.

**Chronic absenteeism: A student is defined as chronically absent if he/she misses 10% or more of the  school days.

School Improvement

As a school and school system, we are always striving for continuous improvement.  Every summer (and even throughout the year), we review our data to assess our progress - what should we celebrate and where do we still have opportunities to improve?  We then set priorities for the next year, write goals to help better define those, and put in place strategies and tactics that are likely to affect positive change.  This is our School Improvement Process.  (I will note - we also encourage students to use this same reflective process for themselves…..identify areas of strength and struggle and make a plan to move forward positively).

It is important for us to communicate these goals so that we can all work together to achieve them.  The one-page document linked here highlights our goals for the 2023-2024 school year and notes ways in which students and parents can support this work.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about this process or these goals.  Thank you for your partnership in support of our school and our students.

Go Cougars!

CHS State Testing: Assessment Schedule

Catoctin High School will be administering state assessments Dec. 4, 2023 – Jan. 11, 2024. Most students will take the tests during their regular class block. 

Catoctin High School students:

High school RVP students testing at Catoctin High School:

Students should report to the high school front office by 7:15 am, and check-in at the front office upon arrival. RVP students should be finished by 11:00 am at the latest.

Important Notes and Reminders for Students:

Online Tutoring available 24/7

Our school is proud to announce that we’ve teamed up with TutorMe to offer 24/7 online tutoring to all students! 

TutorMe is a place where our students can build the connections they need to learn and thrive. Through TutorMe, students connect with a tutor who’s an exact match for what they’re looking for – whether you’re stumped by an algebra equation, craving a confidence boost, or looking for an extra challenge.  There’s more to TutorMe than live online tutoring. Through the TutorMe Writing Lab, you can submit drafts of any written assignment and receive detailed feedback from expert writing tutors in just a couple hours. Reference the TutorMe Support Guide to get started:  TutorMe Student Support Guide (English)  ESP. Guia de Apoyo- TutorMe (Spanish)

Click on the TutorMe icon in Clever to get started today.

FCPS-FCC Early College Program 

Frederick County Public Schools and Frederick Community College (FCC) invite you to attend one of four Early College Information Nights to learn about the FCPS-FCC Early College program: 

The Early College program allows high school students to earn an associate's degree and high school diploma simultaneously by attending FCC full-time during your junior and senior years. The program was created to increase participation and completion for students from populations historically underrepresented in higher education and is open to all FCPS high school students. 

FCPS students apply to Early College during their sophomore year of high school. 

At the Information Nights, members of the Dual Enrollment Team will go through the details of the Early College program and acceptance process, and they will answer questions from interested students and families.

Register to attend one of these sessions at tiny.cc/earlycollegenight. A confirmation email will be sent with further information regarding the location and/or meeting link.  

Contact the DE Office at DualEnrollment@frederick.edu, or visit www.frederick.edu/de for more information!

Financial Aid/FAFSA Finish Night

Wednesday, December 13th 

5:30 - 8:30 pm CHS Auditorium

Frederick Community College's Assistant Director of Financial Aid will explain the federal financial aid process and how to navigate paying for college.  Immediately following will be 1:1 assistance completing the FAFSA application** with financial aid experts.  Parents and students are welcome. 

**The FAFSA application will not be available until December 2023 due to updates and changes to this application. 

resources for families

Catoctin High School Pantry 

Local Food Banks

FCPS Free and Reduced Meal Benefits

NEED HELP?

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

Crisis Services:    Dial 211

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

Suicide Prevention Hotline:    988

Free Mental Health Crisis Care Center Open 24/7

catoctin Safe and Sane

Catoctin High School Committee for a Safe and Sane Graduation Inc. is not sponsored by Catoctin High School

Safe and Sane is a non-profit, parent-run, tax-exempt corporation established to address the very serious issues of youth drinking, drug use and driving behavior during one of the highest risk social events of their lives. This will be our 33rd year of providing an alternative way for graduates to celebrate and “JUST SAY NO” to drugs and alcohol! 

Want to get involved? Follow us on https://www.facebook.com/groups/catoctinsafeandsane.  This is the best way for you and your Senior to stay up-to-date on events. 

Catoctin Safe and Sane Class of 2024 t-shirts are now on sale!  Visit this link to order: Class of 2024 T-shirt 


cATOCTIN SPORTS BOOSTERS

Catoctin High School Sports Boosters supports all CHS sports teams and coaches, all money raised goes to the athletic programs. We raise money through fundraisers, sponsorship, concession sales and membership.  To become a member, please fill out this form.

For more information on CHS Sports Boosters or to make a donation, please visit our website.

ptsa news

CHS PTSA – A PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION

We need your help!  The CHS Parent Teacher Student Association exists to help support all of our kids and the professional staff that works so hard on their behalf. We want to continue that level of support and we are looking for volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering you can send an email to CatoctinPTSA@gmail.com.   Join PTSA by filling out this membership form!

CHS PTSA meetings will be held at 7:00 pm via Zoom Meeting from your home. All are welcome to attend! For more information, email CatoctinPTSA@gmail.com or contact:

community news

These flyers have been approved for electronic distribution by FCPS: