THE COUGAR CONNECTION

The Catoctin High School Newsletter • October 20, 2023

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

Winter Paint Event!

The CHS National Art Honor Society will host a winter gnome paint event in the school cafeteria on Saturday, November 11, 1:00-3:00 pm. All proceeds will benefit the Catoctin chapter and their community outreach plans this school year.

This is a family-friendly event and community members of all ages and ability levels are welcome. CHS Art Honor Society students will be in attendance to assist with the painting.

The cost is $45 per ticket and there are only 30 seats available for the event. All tickets must be purchased online at: https://bit.ly/3RYupAv. Don’t delay, buy your ticket today!

GIRLS Flag Football Fan Gear

You can now order FCPS Girls Flag football items through BSN Sports! Click here to order now through October 30. Please note that the shop is being housed by GTJHS, but all items are FCPS-specific, not school specific.

YEARBOOKS NOW ON SALE

The CHS yearbook company for the 23-24 school year is Jostens. Order your book now at the lowest price of the year! Orders placed, with Jostens, before the October 27 deadline will save $5.00. All pre orders must be placed with Jostens. You can order online at jostensyearbooks.com or call 1-877-767-5217. For more information: Jostens Yearbook Flyer

Underclass Picture Make-Up Day is October 23

This is the last chance for underclass & staff portraits for the year!

This the last chance for students to have their portrait taken for the yearbook and to receive an official CHS school ID. Students that do not have their photo taken on school picture day will not receive a school ID and will be featured in their grade section of the yearbook with a not photographed icon. Due to the school’s contract with Victor O’Neill Studios, the yearbook cannot accept portraits taken by other professional studios.

Students can access the picture make-up day schedules in each "Class of 202#’" Schoology group or by visiting: Portrait Make-up Schedule. To purchase portraits online prior to picture day visit: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001030408#login. Please note that students are not allowed to wear hats/hoods in school ID/portrait photographs.

Underclass photos from the original August picture day were distributed during STEP. If you would like to view and purchase the original picture day photos, please visit: https://vosphoto.com/uc.

Students that were dissatisfied with their original portrait package (purchased photographs) may choose to have their photo retaken. These students must be turn in the old picture package to the photography staff for their retake. No retake will be done without the old package. Visit https://vosphoto.com/retakes or contact Victor O’Neill Studios directly at underclass@vosphoto.com or 703-532-0013 for additional information regarding photo retakes.

Advanced Placement (AP) Testing - Mark Your Calendars!

Fall semester and year-long Advanced Placement (AP) students were given registration paperwork for AP exams. Students are to return the pink registration paper to their AP teacher on or before Thursday, November 2.

The College Board sets the dates and times of the exams (see schedule below). Please add the date of your child’s exam to your family calendar now in order to avoid a possible conflict later.

Students who are enrolled in CHS AP classes will not pay to take exams. Students, therefore, are expected to sit for the exam affiliated with their class.

More specific testing information will be provided to students and parents as we draw closer to exam time.

If you have any questions about AP classes or exams, please contact your child’s teacher or AP Coordinator Mary Jacques at 240-236-8100 or mary.jacques@fcps.org.

coming soon - The Curious Savage!

The CHS Drama program will present The Curious Savage! on the stage November 10 and 11 at 6:00 pm on both nights.

This play by John Patrick revolves around the character Mrs. Ethel Savage who has been left ten million dollars by her husband and wants to make the best use of it, in spite of the efforts of her greedy and spiteful stepchildren to get their hands on it. Trying to take control, they commit her to The Cloisters hoping to "bring her to her senses." In the sanatorium she meets social misfits, men and women who cannot adjust themselves to the real world. Among them, Mrs. Savage may just discover her true family.

Tickets are on sale now at showtix4u.com and will also be sold at the door.

catoctin ffa fundraisers

Personalized Blue & Gold Catoctin FFA Hoodie - $47.00

Optional personalization at no charge; any size 2XL and up extra $4

Order here: https://bit.ly/46z1UND

Catoctin FFA Sweatpants - $24.00

Gray pants with drawstring waistband and side pockets. Printing on left leg. Any size 2XL and up, extra $4)

Order here: https://bit.ly/46vGv80

The Emblem's Got Your Back T-shirt - $15.00

Any size 2XL and up extra $3)

Order here: https://bit.ly/3RNo5fa

View items: Catoctin FFA Spiritwear

Annual Citrus and Nut Sale

This annual fundraiser is going on now through November 15. To order, contact a Catoctin FFA member or email Sarah Shriner at Catoctin High School for more information.

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL

Dear Catoctin Community,

Our school and community are strong because of the commitment and dedication of those who volunteer and serve their neighbors. At Catoctin High School, there are many who already serve our students and our school, but there is also the opportunity for more.

One of my favorite quotes is:

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

There are also a lot of strong research findings that tell us about the benefits of service to all those involved. The Mayo Health Clinic sites the benefits to those who serve that include: improved physical and mental health, providing a sense of purpose and teaching valuable skills, and nurturing new and existing relationships.

I extend a heartfelt thanks to those parents, family members, and community friends who have and continue to support our students and our school - your contributions, presence, and service is greatly appreciated. I also want to extend an invitation to others to get involved - every contribution (big and small) supports our efforts. There are opportunities to volunteer in the concession stand, join one of our parent/guardian organizations (PTSA, Boosters, etc.), assist with performing arts events, and many more. FCPS requires all volunteers to complete a very quick training; you can access that here: https://www.fcps.org/student-services/family-community-involvement . At the end of this training, you will have the opportunity to indicate the areas in which you want to help. You are also welcome to email me (jennifer.clements@fcps.org) - I would be happy to connect you with opportunities to serve at CHS.

We also have many, many CHS students who are engaged in service in our school and community. Some of this work happens through organizations (for example: FFA, honor societies, clubs, etc.), but some of our service projects are opportunities for every student to participate. For example, our SGA and FCCLA clubs are organizing a school-wide canned food drive to benefit our local community. It would be awesome if every student took part…..even by contributing just one item (that would be over 750 items we could donate to support our community!) We plan to create more service opportunities for our students in the coming months. My hope is that all will get involved so that they can experience the benefits that will come to both them and those they serve.

Thank you for your service and support - it makes our school and community strong!

Go Cougars!

Sincerely,

Jen Clements

Principal

MONTHLY GUIDANCE AND INFORMATION FOR PARENTS / GUARDIANS

Catoctin is an outstanding school for many reasons. One of those is the fact that our students consistently demonstrate our tenets of ROAR (respect, ownership, accountability, and readiness). Most of our students come to school every day to learn and to be a positive member of our school community.

Unfortunately, however, we do have some occasions when students don’t always make good or safe decisions. This year, we have already had several physical altercations between students. We also continue to fight the battle against students vaping in the bathroom and/or being under the influence of substances while at school or school activities. These situations are unfortunate as they don’t involve most of our students, but they do impact all of us. The FCPS Code of Conduct outlines the general responses to these infractions; those consequences can (and almost always do) include a suspension from school. At CHS, we have also started to impose an exclusion from extra-curricular activities (usually for at least a month) for serious infractions. Our thinking on this is twofold:

Students must first demonstrate their commitment to learning (that and safety should be priorities each day) in order to be eligible to attend extra-curricular activities.

Students must also demonstrate appropriate behavior at school so that we can have confidence that they will behave in the less-structured environment of extra-curriculars.

I would ask and encourage you to talk with your child about these issues. If he/she is not involved, the conversation might include your child sharing about school experiences and a discussion of the importance of strong leadership and good decisions

If your child has struggled to stay focused on priorities and/or has had trouble making good choices, please remember that we are ready to partner with you to affect positive change. Please also remind your child that there are many adults and resources we have in place to help prevent conflicts from escalating and to help encourage good and healthy decisions.

None of these concerns are unique to Catoctin High School. However, what is special about Catoctin is our strong community with a collaborative spirit that will help us to encourage and support healthy and positive choices and behaviors for our students.

Go Cougars!

Attendance Update 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 September for each school:

*Attendance rate - An overall school attendance rate of 94% or higher is considered proficient (and 96% or higher is considered excellent).

The research strongly correlates good attendance with school success and, ultimately, high school graduation. Below are some facts related to attendance that highlight the importance of good school attendance (from Attendance Works, www.attendanceworks.org):

1. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
2. Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade
3. By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
4. When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.

We appreciate your support in establishing positive attendance habits at home and reinforcing the importance of coming to school on time each day. Please let us know how we can support your efforts.

Attendance = Opportunity

BOE Student Member Nominations Open (SMOB)

High school sophomores and juniors who attend Frederick County Public Schools may apply to serve as the 2024-2025 Student Member of the Board of Education (BOE) of Frederick County.

The role of the student member of the board is to bring a student viewpoint on educational issues to BOE meetings, generally held two evenings per month. The function is not to represent any particular special-interest group of students on an issue, but rather to respect the diversity of students’ points of view, to improve communication between the student body, staff and BOE members and to inform students of policies and decisions executed by the BOE.

Interested sophomores and juniors should contact their student government advisor for a nomination packet or visit www.fcps.org/boe/student-board-member-election. Applicants must complete the entire packet, including nomination form, letter of recommendation and question response by Monday, October 30, 2023, at 4 p.m. All materials must be submitted electronically to Colleen.Bernard@fcps.org.

A selection panel including members of the Frederick County Association of Student Councils’ (FCASC) Board, Student Government Association (SGA) advisors and other district personnel will review applications and conduct in-person interviews at the FCPS Central Office, 191 S. East Street, on November 7 from 3-5 p.m. This committee will narrow the field to five candidates by November 8.

Candidate orientation will take place November 15; those selected will present speeches at the December 11 FCASC General Assembly and participate in a Candidate Town Hall on Thursday, January 4, 4:30-7 p.m. at the FCPS Central Office. Candidates will also submit a one-page statement to post online.

Online voting will occur January 4 - January 26 for students in all middle and high schools. Voting will determine whom the school’s SGA representatives support in a February 6 General Assembly. Student enrollment determines a school’s number of representative delegates. The FCASC will submit the name of the candidate with the majority of representative votes cast by school delegates to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Cheryl L. Dyson. The new student member will have the opportunity to job shadow the outgoing member in May and June.

The next student member of the board’s term begins in July 2024.

For further information, please call FCPS Secondary Social Studies Curriculum Specialist, Dr. Colleen Bernard at 301-644-5256.

Maryland General Assembly Page Program

The Maryland General Assembly seeks six Frederick County senior high school students to serve as five pages and one alternate page during the coming legislative sessions. Interested students should contact Mr. Metzgar for an application and information.

Civics & Law Academy

Registration is now open for this year’s Civics & Law Academy to be held at Frederick High School Saturday, November 11 from 8:30 AM until 1:00 PM. High school students interested in the legal field are encouraged to participate in this program. Students can find more information about the program and register using this form. Please contact Colleen.Bernard@fcps.org if you have questions.

College Visits to CHS

The following colleges will be visiting Catoctin High School and representatives will be available to meet with students during STEP. Students can find the link to sign up in the Schoology "Class of 202x" groups. For questions, contact Mr. Stack.

- Bridgewater University - October 24
- Washington College - October 24
- Shippensburg University, November 29

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.

CHS CALENDAR

OCTOBER 2023

23 Underclass Make-Up Picture Day
27 Schools Closed

NOVEMBER 2023

10, 11 The Curious Savage! on stage, 6:00 pm
11 Winter Paint Session, cafeteria, 1:00-3:00 pm

ASVAB Career Exploration Program

The ASVAB Career Exploration Program is designed to help your child:

Learn more about themselves and the world of work.
Explore occupations in line with their interests and skills.
Discover all the ways to enter the career fields they are best suited for.
Develop an effective strategy to achieve their career goals.

The ASVAB CEP and Military Entrance Exam Aptitude Test will be held at Catoctin High School on Friday, November 17, 7:30-11:00 am. The test is free to all interested 11th and 12th graders. In order to take the exam, students need to sign up on Naviance under the college visit tab no later than November 8.

Financial Aid/FAFSA Finish Night

Wednesday, December 13th

5:30 - 8:30 pm CHS Auditorium

Frederick Community College's Assistant Director of Financial Aid Mrs. Shelby Metzgar 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.

CTC and AFA Virtual Information Session

Did you miss the in-person Career & Technology Center (CTC) and the Academy for the Fine Arts (AFA) info session at your high school? No problem!

There will be a virtual information session for high school students in 9th,10th and 11th grades on Monday, Oct. 23 from 10:25 -11:00 a.m. During the info session, students will learn about the various programs offered at both CTC and AFA, the application process and how to sign up for a shadow day. A question and answer session with current students and staff will also take place.

Interested students should sign up using this link or contact Aimee Fisher at aimee.fisher@fcps.org.

For more information about the Career & Technology Center go to https://edu.fcps.org/ctc/.

For more information about the Academy for the Fine Arts go to https://sites.google.com/fcps.org/academyforthefinearts/home/.

To learn more about all of the college and career pathway programs (including the CTC and the AFA) available to FCPS high school students, please visit: https://sites.google.com/fcps.org/county-widecollegecareerprogra/home.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are an important part of our FCPS community. Catoctin High School welcomes your voice and your involvement in our many organizations, activities, boosters programs, and PTSA.

You can become involved by applying at the FCPS Volunteer Center. The FCPS volunteer process and training is conducted on an annual basis and is required for all volunteers. Each year on June 30 our current volunteer pool expires, regardless of date of application. The volunteer application process has reopened for the 2023-2024 school year and will remain open throughout the school year.

Parents - We Want to Hear Your Voice!

Each year, school leaders reflect on what went well the prior year, as well as what goals should be focused on for the upcoming year. This is known as the School Improvement Process (SIP). We have a commitment to improving attendance, as well as increasing academic excellence and engagement. As a parent or guardian of our students, your voice is welcomed and necessary in meeting these goals. We would love to hear your insights and ideas related to this! You can reach out once, or look for opportunities for ongoing engagement throughout the year. Please email jennifer.clements@fcps.org and/or darlene.kerr@fcps.org with your thoughts.

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 fundraisers, concession sales, sponsorship and membership. All of the money raised goes to support our athletic programs. Please consider becoming a Catoctin High School Sports Booster Member. Anyone can join. Help us to help Catoctin Athletes by signing up now: Sports Boosters Membership Application

Catoctin High School PTSA

The CHS Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) exists to help support the students and staff at Catoctin High School. Through one fundraising activity a year (Colorfest parking at CHS), the PTSA helps fund many enrichment activities and rewards for students, teachers, and staff at CHS. Please consider showing your support of this organization by becoming a member: Membership Application You can also show your support by becoming a volunteer! To volunteer, please email Peggy Davis at Cowgirlproud@AOL.com.

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. Paper copies are available in the main office. You must reapply every year for benefits.

NEED HELP?

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.

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:

Traci Tatum (President) / tracitatum41@gmail.com
Vacant (Vice President) / WE NEED YOU!
Peggy Davis (Secretary) / cowgirlproud@aol.com
Vacant (Treasurer) / WE NEED YOU!

community news

These flyers have been approved for electronic distribution by FCPS:

The Frederick County Commission for Women (FCCFW) is inviting any young woman in high school to apply to the 2023-2024 SheLEADS program. The link for registration can be found here. Click here for the flyer.
The Salvation Army is offering their Angel Tree for Christmas assistance once again. Please see the flyers for application information: English Spanish Deadline to apply is October 31!
The 4th Annual Seed to Root Black history celebration will be held on February 16, 2024. Interested grade K-12 student performers should apply by December 8. See the flyer for more information.
The Weinberg Center for the Arts is presenting the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Year-In-Review featuring bestselling author, Clint Smith. Click here for details.

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