Husky Highlights Newsletter
December 2021
Principal's Message
I hope each of you had an opportunity to pause this Thanksgiving holiday and share valuable time with friends and family. As we continue into the holiday season, I need to express my gratitude for the partnership between students, families, the community, and our school. It is through this continuous partnership that we build community and work together in pursuit of the success for each of our students.
During the month of November, we closed out the first quarter of the 2021-2022 school year and recognized a number of Huskies for their fantastic accomplishments. Congratulations to all on the AB Honor Roll students. This has been a challenging school year as we navigate back to full-time face-to-face instruction. I commend each of you for your perseverance and dedication to excellence!
We also recognized a number of students who excelled in the different content areas and those who exemplified the tenets of RISE, Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence. Please continue to read on into this newsletter for the names of our award recipients.
There are more opportunities for students to be recognized this year. I encourage students to continue to strive to do your best and seek support when it is needed. Be aware that Credit Recovery is available for students to recover from a grade of an 'F' during the first quarter.
In this newsletter, you will find much information to keep you connected with upcoming events and important reminders. This newsletter also includes multiple opportunities for students to seek additional help in multiple subject areas. Please connect with classroom teachers, Advisory teachers, school counselors, assistant principals, staff members, or with me. Let us know how we can support you and help your student succeed.
Pamela Croft
Principal
Husky Honors!
2021-2022 Quarter 1 Department Awards
RISE Awards
A special recognition, the Husky Award, is reserved for two students who exemplify all four tenets of RISE.
The RISE Awards for the 1st Quarter of 2021-2022 are as follows:
ACDA Honorees
Students from the Southern states will be rehearsing and performing in Raleigh, NC on February 23-26, 2022. They will work with world renowned conductors and observe choirs from all over the world. Way to represent Tuscarora!
ALL-STATE Jazz Band
ATTENTION PARENTS!
Positive Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Possible duties/activities: Helping fundraise, organizing focus groups (annually), monthly attendance at PBIS meetings. If interested, please contact Anne Cobb, PBIS chair at anne.cobb@lcps.org
Seeking a Special Education Parent Representative
If you are interested as serving as a parent representative for Tuscarora on SEAC, please contact Anne Cobb, Special Education Dean, at anne.cobb@lcps.org. For more information about SEAC, please click on this link.
News from the PTSO
Happy Fall everyone!!!
The PTSO is excited to announce our Holiday Fundraisers!
Funds raised will be used for Senior Rise Scholarships and Teacher Appreciation Events.
Our HoneyBaked Ham and Holiday Greens Fundraisers are detailed on our PTBoard page:
https://thsptso.ptboard.com/home
To join the PTSO Remind for updates:
Send a text to 81010 and type this message:
@THSPTSO.
News from School Counseling
Teacher Cadet Program
Attention all 10th grade students, are you interested in pursuing a career in education? LCPS has opened the Teacher Cadet program to students in grade 10. Click here for more information. https://bit.ly/lcpsteachercadet
Students interested in the Teacher Cadet program must express interest in the student opportunities portal in LCPSGO by Friday, January 28, 2022.
Academies of Loudoun: Student Information Q&A
Information from the Content Departments
Updates from English
It’s hard to believe it’s almost time for students to think about what electives they would like to take next year. These are three fabulous English electives Tuscarora students may take:
Creative Writing- Taught by Brandon Wheelbarger. This semester-long course looks at the creative aspects of writing such as storytelling and poetry as well as building on each phase of the writing process. Students get a chance to explore the overall creative process of writing instead of just writing analytically for an assignment.
Public Speaking- Taught by Brandon Wheelbarger. This is a semester-long course that helps students develop their speaking skills. Great for both the timid and shy, and students who just love speaking. Students will explore multiple public speaking topics ranging from job interviews and persuasive speeches to graduation speeches and skits.
African American History and Literature- Co-taught by Valeria Austin and Debralee Roach. This combined history and English course studies both the history and writings of African Americans. In each class period, students examine how African American history and literature answer the essential question of “How do we see the themes of identity, power, culture, resistance, and self- expression?”
Making Math Count
Students enrolled in Algebra 1 and Geometry will be taking the second administration of the MAP test in January. Teachers will notify their classes of the specific dates. The results of this assessment will be used by teachers to assist students in setting learning goals and to differentiate instruction based on identified strengths and needs.
Math department teachers are working hard with our Math Honor Society students to pair students with peer tutors during their study halls. If you are in need of help during study hall, please talk with your mathematics teacher, or Portia Bagley, regarding the availability of a tutor or teacher that may be able to assist you during your study hall block.
Seeking Science Support?
Help from a Science Peer:
To schedule a Science National Honor Society tutor to meet with you during your study hall or library, please contact Ms. Georgarakis at Chris.Georgarakis@lcps.org, Dr. Sulek at Nancy.Sulek@lcps.org, or Ms. Cheatham at Abby.Cheatham@lcps.org.
Help from a Science Teacher:
Specific science teachers are available before school, after school, during a specific study hall, or by appointment. To find out which teachers are available to support you and how to connect with the teacher, please visit this Googledoc.
Support in Social Science Courses
Individual history tutors are also available during study halls. Please email Mrs. Lane at stefanie.lane@lcps.org if you are interested.
Updates from Fine and Performing Arts
TRAP!
Upcoming Concert Series
Come check out our Music programs and get in the holiday mood with the following concerts:
2nd @7PM Choir Concert
7th @7PM Strings Concert
9th @7PM Band Concert
14th @7PM Guitar Concert
15th @ 7PM Shenanigans
Beauty & The Beast Auditions
AP ART Features
Mackenzie Haskell
Emma Allen
THS Band: Shoe Donation Drive
The THS Band program is still collecting ANY USED shoes in their year-long shoe drive. The soles of the shoes are used to create newer shoes for those in third world countries and our band program receives some revenue in return. It’s a win-win and tis’ the season!
Collect all your old/worn shoes, put them in a garbage bag and deliver them to the band room at Tuscarora at any time.
Key Club News
During the month of November, Key Club participated in a trail cleanup of the W&OD Trail. We had a great turnout for the trail cleanup and were extremely successful in taking large amounts of trash off the trail.
Key Club also ran a bake sale at a football tailgate to benefit Morgan's Message, a program focused on the mental health of student-athletes.
During the month of December, Key Club is focusing on a food drive for the Lucketts Food Pantry, as well as a toy drive for the head start program at Tuscarora. The initiatives in the month of December will be geared towards providing resources for the Holidays, and we hope the food and toy drives make a difference for the families in need in our community.
THS PEER Mentor Program
During the month of November PEER led a Thankful For campaign, where students shared what they were thankful for and shared it on a posterboard in the cafeteria.
During the month of December… [STAY TUNED FOLKS]
Husky Athletics
Happy End of 2021 Huskies!
Information regarding what is needed for upcoming Spring Seasons:
Forms needed include a current VHSL Physical dated after May 1, 2021. The online registration is open for the entire year at the athletic website. Please visit www.huskyathletics.info to access the online registration and for schedules and general information.
Covid Updates Regarding Athletics:
UPDATE ON STUDENT-ATHLETE AND STAFF VACCINES
LCPS announces that we are suspending screening testing requirements for non-vaccinated student-athletes and staff indefinitely while we continue to work with the State’s Virginia School Screening Testing for Assurance (ViSSTA) program for testing services. We had previously announced the extension of the deadline to December 8.
We have enrolled in/been paired with the state’s VISSTA program, which prioritizes diagnostic take-home tests, staffing and processing over screening tests. While we are providing diagnostic tests on demand for students that are symptomatic or identified as close contacts through this program, the rollout for screening tests is incomplete, largely due to ViSSTA program’s high demand for staffing.
We will continue to monitor the progress of the VISSTA and other diagnostic testing programs, and keep the community informed of any updates for testing requirements for non-vaccinated student-athletes and staff.
QUARANTINE REDUCED TO 7 DAYS WITH NEGATIVE TEST
LCPS announces that beginning on Monday, November 8, 2021, students and staff that are close contacts of those diagnosed with COVID may return to school after seven days if they provide a negative COVID test performed on or after day 5 and remain symptom free. Those who have had COVID-19 in the past three months or been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are not required to quarantine as long as they do not have symptoms. LCPS has take-home diagnostic COVID tests available on demand while supplies last. To get a school-provided take-home test, families would ask the clinic in their school about a free test. Families may also provide test results from an outside medical provider. Take-home tests are provided through the Virginia School Screening Testing for Assurance (ViSSTA) program and are proctored through the ViSSTA vendor. Unproctored tests will not be accepted.
TicketSpicket is our exclusive online ticket provider. Please follow this link to purchase tickets for all Tuscarora Athletic Events: TicketSpicket
Remember to search for the home venue to purchase tickets for Husky events. (Ex. If a game is at Heritage you will look for tickets by typing in Heritage on the school lookup)
*ALERT* The physical form has changed and must be competed on the new form: 2021 VHSL Physical Form
Our social media sites are @TuscaroraHusky on twitter and TuscaroraHusky on Instagram. We encourage you to follow those to receive immediate updates when they occur.
If you have other questions please email Athletic Director Tony Tallent; tony.tallent@lcps.org or Assistant Athletic Director William Moses; william.moses@lcps.org
Below is the Winter and Spring Coach contact information for the remainder of the year:
Notable Dates
Choir Concert
- Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 7:00PM
Strings Concert
- Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 7:00PM
National Honor Society Inductions
- Wednesday, December 8, 2021 during Advisory
Band Concert
- Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 7:00PM
Academies of Loudoun Question & Answer
- Friday, December 10, 2021 during all lunch blocks at the Career Center
Guitar Concert
- Tuesday, December 14, 2021 7:00PM
Shenanigans
- Wednesday, December 15, 2021 7:00PM
Beauty and the Beast Auditions - Spring Musical
- Monday - Thursday, December 13 - 16, 2021 After School
Winter Break
- Monday, December 20, 2021 - Friday, December 31, 2021 (Classes Resume Monday, January 3, 2022)
Holiday - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Monday, January 17
End of Quarter 2
- Friday, January 28, 2022
Moveable Student Holiday (Teacher Workday)
- Monday, January 31, 2022
Holiday
- Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Tuscarora High School
Website: lcps.org/Tuscarora
Location: 801 North King Street, Leesburg, VA, USA
Phone: 571-252-1900
Twitter: @TuscaroraHS