Panther Pause
26 years of Pride at Colleyville Heritage High School
08.13.21
Hello Panther Family,
I hope you are all safe and well. Here we go...the last weekend before we start school. I hope to see you at Panther Pride Night tomorrow evening at the PAC (Information below). I cannot begin to express my excitement for having you all back in the building. It has been an interesting last year and a half since we’ve had a full-capacity building and we are excited to feel the buzz of excitement that only our students can bring.
For many of you this will be the first time you’ve entered a school in nearly two years for a variety of reasons. With that comes varied amounts of stress, anxiety, and trauma that has impacted your lives throughout that time. I want you to know that we are here to support and welcome you with open arms and understand just how important this back to school experience is for you. We will make it great, together! As we did over the last year and a half, let’s extend grace, patience, understanding, and encouragement to one another while we’re making this transition.
I know that many of you have concerns with the state of the pandemic. While there is not a possibility of social distancing in all classes, we will do so to the best of our ability. While there is no mask mandate in place, we strongly encourage you all to wear a mask while in the building to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Again, masks remain optional as of today’s current guidance. Please see the latest GCISD COVID-19 guidance which outlines how we will operate as we start the school year on pandemic-related issues.
We look forward to seeing you Wednesday morning. We have missed you. We have so many great things in store for you. We love you! Enjoy this last weekend of summer break and we will see you bright and early on Wednesday morning!
With PRIDE,
Dr. James E. Whitfield
CHHS Principal
#CHPantherPride
Highlights:
House Bill 4545
Given the disruptions of the 2020-2021 school year, the 87th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 4545, signed on June 16, 2021, which provides additional learning opportunities for students who did not meet standards on the STAAR exam in the form of extra tutoring.
For Families of Students Who Did Not Perform Satisfactorily on STAAR Exams
If a student does not perform satisfactorily on a STAAR, STAAR End of Course (EOC), or STAAR Alt exam, in any STAAR assessed grade levels and subjects, the District will provide accelerated instruction.
For a student who does not perform satisfactorily on the math or reading assessment in grades 3, 5, or 8, the District will establish an Accelerated Learning Committee (ALC), which includes the student’s parent, to develop an educational plan for accelerated instruction to enable the student to perform at the appropriate grade level by the conclusion of the next school year. Accelerated instruction entails delivering supplemental instruction (i.e., tutoring) before or after school, or embedded in the school day and meeting HB 4545 requirements.
For Families of Students Who Did Not Take STAAR Exams for the 2020-2021 School Year
For students who were absent or otherwise unable to take the STAAR or STAAR EOC for the 2020-2021 school year, the district may administer an assessment to determine student grade level proficiency on the state standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). If the student earns a passing score, then the student can be exempted from the House Bill 4545 tutoring requirement.
GCISD will also provide more information to parents as we work with and gather additional insight from TEA to support our students with HB 4545 requirements.
Additional information on HB 4545 can be found at https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news-and-multimedia/correspondence/taa-letters/house-bill-4545-implementation-overview
Back-to-School Tech Check
GCISD students and families are getting excited for the 2021-2022 school year! Before you return on Wednesday, August 18, what are some steps you can take to ensure a successful start to the year? The first is a Back-to-School Tech Check!
Each year, GCISD technology staff see an influx of devices that need repair during the first week of school. This can lead to students missing valuable time in class in which their device is needed. To ensure students start the year in the best possible way, please complete the simple steps of GCISD's Back-to-School Tech Check.
2021-2022 Free Meals Update
For the 2021-2022 school year, students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade, and also at Collegiate Academy, will be eligible to receive a free healthy meal every day at school. Typically, a student’s household must meet income eligibility requirements to qualify for free or reduced-price meals; however, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued guidance that allows schools to offer meals to all students at no cost for the 2021-2022 school year. While a free and reduced application is not required for free meals, GCISD will process socioeconomic forms to determine student status which may provide other benefits such as discounts on bus services, academic testing fees, school fees, and college applications. In addition to these discounts, local community services and free hotspots for internet services are available.
For more information on the Seamless Summer option and the USDA Waiver #85, please click here.
Students that attend Colleyville Heritage High School and Grapevine High School must apply to determine eligibility to receive free or reduced-price meals. The application may be accessed at www.schoollunchapp.com. Questions may be emailed to child.nutrition@gcisd.net.
Reconnect w/CHHS
For anyone who's interested, CHHS will be open on Tuesday, 8/17, from 9-11 a.m. for students to re-familiarize themselves with the building and find their classes. Your official schedule will be available in Skyward for you to follow. You can also use this building map
Counselor Corner
8/12: Official student schedules viewable in Skyward
8/31: Last day to level up (on level to Advanced, Advanced to AP)
9/13-15: First level down window (AP to Advanced, Advanced to on level)
Please join Canvas:
Student Fees and Parking Permits
Please log into your parent portal to check all student and course fees. Some courses do have fees associated with them, along with the $5 student photo id that is charged each year. Parking permits are $100 for the full year and additional fees do apply for the painted parking spaces that are sold through StuCo. The information below will show you the steps to view and make payments online:
Log in to the Skyward Parent Portal using the desktop version only
Click on Fee Management on the left hand side of the list of activities. (Fees can be viewed here)
Click on Make a Payment
Select the fees you want to add to your cart, you can also add the fee for parking at this time.
Click Checkout, which will direct you to the RevTrak page for payment.
Log into RevTrak and complete your payment
The $5 online processing fee will be waived from August 3rd - 11th. Should you wish to pay these fees in person, this can be done once school is back in session or payment can be mailed to the school with attention: Ashley Chaney.
For any questions or concerns regarding fees, please contact the CHHS Bookkeeper, Ashley Chaney at 817-305-4746 or ashley.chaney@gcisd.net.
Sports Updates:
Red Rail Game tickets
Today (Friday, 8/13) from 8am-1pm at the Mustang Panther Stadium main gate, they will be selling tickets for the GHS vs CHHS Red Rail game on 8/27. They will only be accepting cash, but individual online tickets will be online soon.
Panther Tennis
Panther Volleyball
We had a great first week of Panther Volleyball action! Come out and support the Panthers in our upcoming games this week, especially our first HOME GAME! Follow us on Twitter for game updates - @VB_CHHS
Varsity:
8/17 - CHVB vs. Highland Park @ 6:30 in GYM 1
8/20 & 8/21 - CHVB in the Allen Tournament - games TBA
JV:
8/17 - CHVB vs. Highland Park @ 5:30 in GYM 1
Freshman Black:
8/17 - CHVB vs. Highland Park @ 5:30 in GYM 2
Freshman Red:
8/17 - CHVB vs. Highland Park @ 6:30 in GYM 2
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:
Red Rail Rivalry T-shirt
PANTHERS! GET YOUR RED RAIL RIVALRY T SHIRT!
Ready to beat Grapevine?!?! You bet we are! Order your Red Rail Rivalry t-shirt today using this link!
PANTHER PRIDE NIGHT IS BACK!
Come out to the PAC on Saturday, August 14th from 4-6 for a family friendly carnival and school organizational fair supporting CHHS Panther Football. There will be a silent auction, blow up activities, food, and spirit wear for sale. AT 6 PM we will transition to our 50/50 Raffle Drawing, Live Auction, and auction checkout leading up to our Panther school wide pep rally which runs from 7-8 PM.
The silent auction begins on Saturday, August 7th. Visit HERE to see the great items we have up for bid including vacations, dinner packages, water park passes, and much much more!
CHHS ORGANIZATION FAIR AT PANTHER PRIDE NIGHT
Panther Students, Parents, & Community Invited: The CHHS PTSA is partnering with the CHHS Football Booster Club to host an Organization Fair at the August 14th Panther Pride Night from 4-6pm. All CHHS affiliated clubs and activities are invited to participate in the fair.
Visit the CHHS PTSA website for a list of attending organizations. Clubs and organizations wanting to participate must reserve a spot by August 13th. We look forward to seeing you on August 14th!
CHHS PTSA 2021-2022 MEMBERSHIP
WELCOME BACK PANTHERS!!
IT IS TIME TO SIGN UP OR RENEW YOUR
CHHS PTSA 2021-2022 MEMBERSHIP
Sign-Up table at Panther Pride Night or go to Join | CHHS PTSA
Questions? Email Janeece Garlish at vpmembership@chhsptsa.org
CHHS Will be open on Tuesday
Student schedules are now viewable in Skyward. Skyward (not Canvas, etc.) is the official schedule. Please check back Tuesday evening to confirm that no additional changes have been made.
Please watch this counseling introduction video!
SUMMER PARENT VOLUNTEER HOURS
If you did any volunteering for your favorite CHHS program this summer, please submit your volunteer hours for June, July, and August 2021 and encourage other volunteers to do the same. PTSA collects the number of volunteer hours so that GCISD can use them for applying for grants and other uses. This is only parent hours, not students’ Community Scholar hours (see CSAP program guidelines on the Counseling website about that). Submit your hours in 2 minutes at this link: Volunteer hours
Back to School Luncheon for CHHS Staff
Welcome to the 2021-22 School year! Please help us welcome our CHHS staff back to campus with a back to school luncheon. Thank you for your help in making this lunch a success.
Jr. Pantera Dance Clinic
Calling all 4 year olds to 8th Graders to join us on Saturday, October 9th, for our Annual Jr. Pantera Dance Clinic!!
Sponsored by: Ambition Dance Productions
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER YOUR JR. PANTERA!
Early Bird Registration Fee: $55 per participant or $45 per sibling
Runs from August 3 - September 17
Regular Registration Fee: $65 per participant or $55 per sibling
Runs from September 18 - October 9 (Day of Clinic)
*Register BY 9/29 to secure a T-shirt!!
Save the Date
Make sure to order your CHHS Yearbook!
SCHOOL PICTURES
All grades 9-11 will have school pictures taken on Thursday, September 16th and Friday, September 17th during all English classes.
**All seniors that did not get their senior picture taken in June for the yearbook will have a final opportunity on Wednesday, October 6th from 8-4pm in Gym 1.
Ongoing Important Information:
VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECK
Panther Pause
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colleyville-Heritage-High-School/520058474676460?fref=ts
Twitter: @CHPantherPride