Phoenix News
Health Careers High School, April 29, 2024
Attention AP Students
You have been working hard all year to prepare for your AP exams. Well the time has come. On May 6th, which is only a week away, we begin our two-week marathon. Please remember that you will need to be here by 7:45 if you have an 8:00 exam. Late students will not be admitted to the exam room and will incur a $40 unused test fee, so please plan accordingly. In addition, afternoon exams sometimes do not end by 4:20, so you may need to plan for transportation. If you are scheduled to take two exams on the same day, you should bring your lunch so you can eat quickly between exams. We will provide a small snack for each exam. So, rest up this next week. We wish all of you the best.
April Poem Submissions
Scenes flicker before my eyes
Gold and white or red and black
Which is real? I can’t tell.
I’m losing my mind— But things are well!
Swept into this endless waltz
Of smiles and pain, of love with loss
Dancing, dancing in this eternal night
Why is there no end in sight?
Waltzing, waltzing, waltzing away..
I have no worries— Not today!
Let myself fall into this trance
Pushed forwards by this cyclic dance.
--- Sreerachana Manthati
Perpetual Moon
Another long day in the books
Life is harder than it looks
I’ve been running, running, running
Up and down and round and round
Just so they’re all safe and sound
The clock is still ticking
But my mind is now spinning!
Up and down and round and round
Clock is ticking, ticking, ticking
Footsteps tapping, tapping, tapping
Gears are turning, turning, clicking.
Up and down and round and round
Can’t keep up? You’ll fall to the ground.
Life’s like this, going in circles
Perpetual motion, up and down.
Up and down and round and round
— Sreerachana Manthati, 9th Grade Student
Parent Directions to Access STAAR Results
Families can access their child’s Spring 2024 scores along with tailored resources on the dates included in the attached parent letter. (June 7th for EOC)
Parents can view their child’s score history 24/7 by logging into NISD’s Home Access Center (HAC) and choosing the Texas Test Scores tab. This connects parents to the Texas Assessment Student Portal for families.
As always, the results will include detailed information in each subject, including areas of strength and gaps in learning, actual test questions, and tailored resources parents can use at home to support learning.
If parents do not currently have a HAC account, they may follow the instructions here to create one. Once the account has been created, parents may view their child’s state assessment score history by following the steps attached.
Congratulations Academic Decathlon Team!
This past weekend, the Health Careers High School Academic Decathlon team traveled to Pittsburgh, PA to participate in the USAD National Academic Decathlon Competition.
The team placed 5th overall and won several individual medals and honors. Jack Cantelli, a junior at HCHS, received the highest score in Speech and was invited to deliver his speech to all of the students in Speech Showcase on Friday.
The team members are Sophia Pokorney, Alyssa Mestrovich, Yuvan Buchaiahgari, Riley McDaniel, Jack Cantelli, Abigail Gearheart, Alanny Morales, Suhani Pant, and Isaiah Luna. The coaches are Diana Johnston and Anthony Bosnic.
The following awards and medals were received by the students:
Sophia Pokorney earned a GOLD medal in Art;
Yuvan Buchaiahgari earned a BRONZE medal in Music and a SILVER medal in Interview, as well as earning the teams highest overall score (along with a $250 scholarship);
Riley McDaniel earned a GOLD medal in Literature, a GOLD medal in Art, and a SILVER medal in Speech
Jack Cantelli earned a GOLD medal in Speech and was one of four participants in Speech Showcase
Suhani Pant earned a BRONZE medal in Interview
Alanny Morales earned the Most Valuable Team Member award and a $250 scholarship.
Attendance Recovery is Available Now
In order to meet the TEA attendance requirements (90% Rule)for the first semester, students cannot have more than 4 absences for any class. If you have more than four absences, you will need to go tot attendance recovery. We will be begin attendance recovery on April 8th. It will be every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. Each attendance recovery session will help you regain one absence (one class period). Attendance Recovery will be in Mrs. Anguiano's room (142) and Ms. Snow's room (158). You must be on time and stay the entire time in order to receive the credit. Students are not able to bank hours ahead of time. Only students who are over the allowable amount of absences are permitted to stay in attendance recovery. Students will not have access to the their cell phones and technology use is only available for school assignments. Students must work on school assignments or read a book while in attendance recovery. No sleeping or playing games is allowed.
Attendance--What is the Difference Between Excused and Unexcused?
Excused absences: personal illness, family funerals, medical appointments, court appointments with a subpoena, church/religious trips with documentation, and family emergencies with explanation.
Unexcused absences: family trips, car trouble/flat tire, missing the bus/ride, oversleeping,, caring for a sibling, busy traffic, court appointments for traffic violations, notes without all pertinent information, and of course, a confirmed truancy.
The accrual of multiple unexcused absences will result in a parent conference, a warning notice, and possibly, legal action. In addition, juniors and seniors will not qualify for off campus lunch if they have any unexcused absences.
Health vs. EADN (Excused Absences - Non-Health -Doctor Note): Health absences do not count against a student's attendance. However, a student must be on campus for part of the school day and bring in a doctor's note. A doctor's note counts as an excused absence if a student is absent for the whole school day.
IMPORTANT--ID Badges
Friendly Reminder--Lunch Deliveries
Due to allergies, COVID and other health concerns, parents may drop off a lunch for their student only. Parents will need to sign in at the front office and show ID when dropping off lunch for their child.
Spring Final Exams
Students in courses earning high school credit shall be required to take an exam at the end of each semester.
Exemptions
A student enrolled in courses earning high school credit (full-year or semester) may be exempt from the spring semester exam if the following criteria are met:
- For the Spring semester, the student has three or fewer absences, excluding school business absences;
- The student's final average for the spring semester is 80 or higher;
- The student's conduct grade in that class is satisfactory or better; and
- The student is in attendance during the scheduled exam time.
A student who is eligible for exemption may take the exam if desired.
Exam Weight
The two graded quarters of each semester shall weigh 90 percent of the semester grade and the semester exam shall weigh 10 percent of the semester grade. If a student is exempt from the semester exam, the semester grade shall be calculated using only the two grade quarters of the semester.
Health Careers High School
Email: hchs.attendance@nisd.net
Website: www.nisd.net/healthcareers
Location: 4646 Hamilton Wolfe, San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone: 210-397-5400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HealthCareersNISD
Twitter: @NISDHCHS