Report to the Parents 2021-2022
Catawba Ridge High School SIC, August 2022
Be The Why
The Catawba Ridge School faculty and staff set high expectations for all students in academics, the arts, athletics, character, extra-curricular activities, and community involvement. This school year the faculty and staff continued to grow the #BeTheWhy culture by creating opportunities for students to be selected as Students of the Month. These students are voted on by each department and embody the culture of #doright with positive attitudes, kindness and citizenship. The students receive a shirt that says, "I Am The Why," a certificate and free entry into athletic events for that month.
Also new this school year, CRHS students were afforded the opportunity to connect with local/state/national businesses & military to correlate what they are learning in the CTE and STEAM classes to future career opportunities. On May 6th CRHS hosted a STEAM day in collaboration with Celebrate Freedom Foundation, Duke Energy, Michele Branning (Keller Williams Realty) and Fort Mill School District. The stations allowed students to have conversations with professionals about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.
Daimler Truck Station
Celebrate Freedom Drone Tent
Celebrate Freedom Static Helicopter
Excellence in Academics
CRHS JROTC Program
CR JROTC Area 6 Drone Champions
NJROTC Annual Military Inspection
NJROTC: Back to Back Champs at Area 6 Meet
National Merit Scholar
Congratulations to Sam Rich, our finalist in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition.
High School students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT as a Junior. The selection of some 7,500 Merit Scholarship winners from the group of more than 15,000 Finalists is now in progress. In March, NMSC will begin notifying scholarship winners. Please join us in celebrating Sam in this very prestigious competition!
Excellence in CTE
Catawba Ridge News
Our Media Technology (television) program, CopperHEADSUp!, through CRN-TV, received numerous awards including 5 Best of Show and the highest rating of All Southern at the Southern Interscholastic Press Association Conference in March. In addition to the daily morning show, CopperHEADSUp!, CRN provides leading edge reporting on school and community events, as well as entertaining features throughout the school year. Example of such excellence in reporting may be viewed at the Catawba Ridge News channel on YouTube.
Digital Art & Design
ECE & DAAD
Foods & Nutrition
AgSci
PLTW BioMed
PBS students collected baseline data for a polygraph experiment.
Excellence in our Staff
Christy Slater - CRHS Teacher of the Year
Rick Lewis - SCHSL Region 4A Athletic Director of the Year
Libby Freeman - CRHS Support Staff of the Year
Kay Connor - FMSD Student Nutrition
Excellence in Athletics
Our athletics program continued to grow and excel this year with 21 of our 21 varsity sports teams qualifying for 4A playoffs. Cross Country boys were the 4A runner up in their division. Two of our teams played in the 4A upper state finals. We had 4 region player of the year winners and five coach of the year winners. We had 15 region championships this school year.
Team Records:
Baseball- 22-8 Region Champs, District 3 Championship Finalist
B Basketball- 20-6 Playoff Qualifier
W Basketball- 23-3 Region Champs, Upper State Finalist
Football- 6-5 Playoff Qualifier
B Soccer- 20-3 Region Champs, Upper State Championship Finalist
W Soccer- 16-4 Region Champs, Playoff Qualifier
Volleyball- 23-9 Region Champs, Upper State Championship Finalist
Softball- 22-4 Region Champs, Still in playoffs
W Lacrosse- 6-8 Playoff Qualifier
M Lacrosse- 7-8 Playoff Qualifier
M Tennis- 8-3 Region Champs, Playoff Qualifier
W Tennis-14-4 Region Champs, Playoff Qualifier
Wrestling- 19-7 Region Champs, Playoff Qualifier
M/W XC Region Champs (M/W), 4A Runner up (Mens)
M/W Track and Field Region Champs (M/W), State Championships in two weeks
M/W Swimming Region Champs (M/W)
M/W Golf Region Champs (W)
Competitive Cheer- Region Champs
Ladies Golf
Cheer
Cross Country
Girls Basketball Competed In Upper State
CR SWIM
CR Football Playoff Qualifier
Excellence in Performing Arts
BAND
The CR Band had a record setting year throughout the program.
- The marching band made the Bands of America Orlando regional finals, completing against some of the best bands in the Southeast placing 6th overall in finals. The marching band was also named the grand champion of the BandBeat Marching Band competition, beating both the Fort Mill and Nation Ford marching band. Finally, the marching band won its first state championship, sweeping all competitive captions, the only band in the state to do so this year.
- The CR concert band, comprised mostly of Freshman, received superior ratings on stage at the South Carolina Band Directors Association (SCDBA) Concert Performance Assessment, and an excellent rating overall. The CR Wind Symphony received a superior rating with distinction, the highest award given by the SCBDA, at their Concert Performance Assessment in mid-March.
The CR Band also had record setting indoor seasons.
- The CR Colorguard made finals at their first Winter Guard International (WGI) regional in Rock Hill, SC, placing 3rd out of 25 competing teams. The guard went on to win their first SCBDA Winter Ensemble Championship in Mid-March and finished their season winning a Carolina Winter Ensemble Association (CWEA) A class Gold medal.
- The CR Indoor Winds, a brand new performing ensemble to the CR band program, won their first SCBDA Winter Ensemble Championship in Mid-March. They also won the CWEA Open class Gold medal and placed 5th at the WGI Winds World Championships held in Dayton, Ohio in late April.
- The CR Concert Percussion Ensemble also won their first SCBDA Winter Ensemble Championship in Mid-March, won a CWEA Gold medal in World Class, and placed 3rd at the WGI Percussion World Championships held in Dayton, Ohio in late April.
Individually, the Catawba Ridge band had a record setting year with 27 students making All-Region Band, and 4 making All-State Band.
The CR Band also held several community blood drives, is hosting our 2nd Annual Golf Tournament, and the Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble are performing at the first ever Fort Mill School District Music Showcase at Walter Elisha Park in late May.
THEATER and CHORALE
The Choral Program produced two shows this year: a winter concert in collaboration with Forest Creek Middle School, and Nunsense the Musical Comedy in the spring. Four students auditioned and were accepted to the SC Choral Directors Association Honor Choirs and three students were accepted to the South Carolina All State Chorus. The choral department collaborated with theatre to produce All Together Now!, a musical revue global effort to raise awareness of the arts during COVID.
The Catawba Ridge Repertory Theatre had a massive production season. Everyone was so ready to be able to have an audience this year! In the fall, Theatre 3 performed Peter/Wendy in conjunction with All Together Now, a Broadway fundraising concert that celebrated the reopening of theatres across the country and the impact the art form has on students. Spring was also a busy semester for Theatre. In February, we performed Puffs, a parody of a certain boy wizard named Harry. In April, we performed Legally Blonde: The Musical Jr. to rave reviews. Additionally, students in Theatre 2 and Dual Credit Theatre performed class plays titled The Audition and War At Home, respectively on May 13th. Lastly, drama club members with enough accrued points were inducted into the International Thespian Society on May 14th. Next year, we will produce Elf: The Musical in December, a student directed one-act in February, and The Diary of Anne Frank in April.
CR Percussion: WGI World Class Bronze Medalists
Legally Blonde
Nunsense
CR Percussion & Winds 1st at CWEA
CR Winter guard
Puffs Performance
Band 1st at Upper State!
All Together Now & Peter/Wendy
CR BAND
Excellence in Visual Arts
The Catawba Ridge Visual Arts Program was actively involved in collaboration, community service, and cultivating a vibrant school culture. Visual Arts produced several gallery shows including Freedom Quilts, Design Principles, and an AP Art Showcase.
Gold Key Winner
10th grader Ethan Sellers Soto received a Scholastic Gold Key for three of his paintings and was recognized this week at the FMSD Board Meeting for his achievements. He is pictured with his art teacher, Mrs. Quinn. Congratulations, Ethan!
Culture Totems
Beginning Ceramics created Culture Totems. Each section is a representation of the students' heritage.
Drawing 1 Student Colored Pencil Art
Excellence in Organizations, Activities & Community
Clubs:
Clubs as diverse as our population. CRHS offers over 40 Clubs for every interest and passion. A complete list of clubs is listed on our webpage, including Diversity Club, Walk for Water, FCCLA, Sewing Club, Yearbook, Writer's Club, and Copperhead Cookie Club through Special Services. Club info was posted in the Art Gallery with remind or QR codes for more information.
Social Responsibility:
Our student organizations contributed to their community through Food and Cold Weather Gear Drives for the Fort Mill Care Center, the Copperheads Care initiative (Angel Tree), Care Packages for local First Responders, a Book Drive for the Historic Paradise Foundation, and monetary donations for Special Olympics through our Ice Bucket Challenge.
Building Community:
- STEAM Day
Senior Special Events
Student Council: Spirit Week & Traditions Tuesdays
Ridge Fridays
#BeTheWhy
The Ridgies Academic Awards Show
Hispanic Heritage Month
Black History Month
Disability Awareness Month
Polar Plunge for Special Olympics
Miss CR Pageant
Community Blood Drives
Coat Drive and Community Volunteers sponsored by Athletics Teams
Club Rush
Model UN
1st Ever Club Unified Track Meet
Catawba Ridge hosted our first ever Unified Track Meet vs North Central High School. Unified track and field is an opportunity for athletes with and without disabilities participate and compete in various track events.
Miss CRHS
Miss Catawba Ridge High – Janelle Ilacqua
Miss CR Sweetheart – Layla Gaskins
Miss Congeniality – Jolie Nguyen
Miss Freshman – Kylee Mathis, Runner Up – Ja’Leeah Jones
Miss Sophomore – Julianne Bott, Runner Up – Layla Gaskins
Miss Junior – Brantley House, Runner Up – Kylie Booth
Miss Senior – Tori Koerner, Runner Up – Christine Honeycutt
The Venom Yearbook
Mu Alpha Theta (Math Club)
National FFA Week
Diversity Club
Several Copperheads were selected to attend the HBCU Fair. It was an opportunity for students to explore next steps and multiple students received college acceptances and scholarship offers.
The Diversity Club creates awareness and understanding in our campus community of different points of view and cultural backgrounds. Watch this feature from Wednesday's CHU for more info on how the club is making an impact at The Ridge!
Eagle Scout Award
Excellence in Building Our Culture
Homecoming King & Queen
Polar Plunge
CRHS students raised almost $1,100 during the Blitz for Special Olympics! 2nd Block Class Winner: Major Studley!!! They collected $629 from their class and their fundraising page. Club Unified was the Team Winner with $2,566.
Our grand total: almost $7,500, well over our goal of $4K. 50% of all funds raised go directly back to CRHS Special Olympics. OUTSTANDING!
Staff Lunch
Holiday Spirit Week
Spirit Week
Students and adults always enjoy the Spirit Week with the dress up days and events!
Teacher Appreciation
About the CRHS School Improvement Council (SIC)
This year, the SIC focused on the following areas: Continuing to build a student driven culture #doright #bethewhy, safety protocols and overall building security, and recognizing diversity in our school and community.
SIC Members 2020-21
The Mission & Beliefs of Catawba Ridge High School
Beliefs
We believe each student possesses the ability to learn.
We believe each student deserves a safe and supportive learning environment.
We believe communication among parents, faculty, staff, students and members of the community is essential and all are responsible for student success.
We believe each student can maximize learning through career-based educational opportunities integrated with business, government, and the community at large.
We believe in providing students with a relevant, challenging program of study.
We believe it is essential to use student achievement data and program evaluations to ensure continuous improvement.
About Fort Mill and Catawba Ridge High School
Fort Mill
The town of Fort Mill, South Carolina is located just south of the North Carolina state line. Nearly 20,000 people live inside the Fort Mill corporate limits with a total of nearly 50,000 people residing within the entire township. The Township of Fort Mill currently supports three high schools with a Catawba Ridge High School opening in the fall of 2019.
Catawba Ridge High School
The faculty of Catawba Ridge High School consists of teachers, one principal, four assistant principals, four school counselors, a media specialist, and numerous facilities and faculty support staff.
More than 200 course selections are offered, including Advanced Placement, Honors, and College Preparatory courses.
Catawba Ridge High School has more than 40 co-curricular activities and 22 athletic teams.
Purpose of the Report
For more information regarding the Catawba Ridge High School SIC please contact Holly Logan at loganh@fortmillschools.org.
Contact Us
Catawba Ridge News (CRN) @CatawbaRidgeNews and on YouTube
Email: loganh@fortmillschools.org
Website: http://crhs.fortmillschools.org/
Location: 1180 Fort Mill Pkwy, Fort Mill, SC 29715, USA
Phone: 803-835-5200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catawbaridge
Twitter: @CatawbaRidge