Fall is officially here. Hopefully, cooler weather will soon follow.

Tuesday, September 26th, is the last day for 10th and 11th graders to sign up for PSAT. The link can be found in the section below. Also, Wednesday, September 27th, is Senior Parent Night and College, Career, and Military Fair from 5:45 to 7:15 pm. Everyone will be meeting in the Taft Auditorium.

UIL Eligibility Check

Please be aware that if your student participates in one of our UIL sports or activities, eligibility for those activities is determined at the 6-week point of the first marking period. Students must pass all classes before October 6th, when grades are uploaded, to ensure their continued participation in those activities. Students, please work with your teachers to ensure you have addressed any grade concerns, and parents, please check your student's progress in HAC. We encourage parents to contact their child's teachers if they have questions.

Comm Arts Grade Guarantee Day - UIL Eligibility Check

Comm Arts implements a Grade Guarantee Day for major grading checkpoints to encourage timely completion of student work and to prevent our teachers from being swamped with late work turned in on the last day of a grading period. The first Grade Guarantee Day will be this Friday, September 29th.

This means that students who have missing assignments must have those assignments turned in by September 29th if they want to guarantee that the teacher will grade them so it can be reflected when grades are uploaded the following Friday, October 6th. A student can still turn in missing assignments after October 6th. Still, a teacher may not have enough time to grade those late submitted assignments in time for them to be reflected on the UIL Eligibility Check.

Next Tuesday, October 3rd, Comm Arts will be hosting an Advanced Academics Night. Come learn more about opportunities to earn college credit through OnRamps, Dual Credit, and, of course, AP programs. We will be meeting in the Taft Auditorium from 6:30-7:30 pm. See you there!

Northside ISD is hosting a College Board Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test, or PSAT, on Wednesday, October 11th. The PSAT/NMSQT exam is the route of entry to the National Merit Scholarship Program for 11th-grade students. For more details, click here.

Last chance! The PSAT is optional this year for 10th and 11th graders. Students who do not register will be unable to participate.

Comm Arts students will have a separate registration process from Taft High School. To register, students should click on the following link: www.TotalRegistration.net/PSAT/446139. Make sure to answer all of the required questions. The student's email is their NISD email provided by the district.

Here are the important dates for the registration process:

• Tue, Sep 26, 2023, at 11:59 PM - Registration Ends
• Tue, Sep 26, 2023 - Registrations that have not been paid for will be canceled, and exams will not be ordered.

Please contact Ms. Elizabeth Lewis, elizabeth.lewis@nisd.net, if you have questions or concerns.

Court applications must be turned in by September 27th at 4:30 pm.

Voting:

All voting will be done through student email addresses.

• The first round of voting will occur from October 2nd to October 5th.
• The second round of voting will occur from October 9th to October 12th.
• 9th, 10th, and 11th grade winners will be announced on the intercom announcements on October 13th.
• Senior King and Queen will be announced at the football game on Friday, October 20th.

The court will be recognized at halftime during the football game on October 20th. The Homecoming Dance will be held in the Taft cafeteria on October 21st. Ticket information will be shared once it's available.

Starting September 25th through the 29th, CAHS Counselors will be visiting with 11th-grade students to conference with them one-on-one. CAHS Counselors will advise students about their credits, GPA, Rank, courses, and other graduation requirements. All students will be visited through their US History AP course.

Wednesday, September 27th, is Senior Night at Taft High School. We will begin the evening in the Taft Auditorium. After the presentations, parents and students will have the opportunity to visit with college admissions representatives.

September is Suicide Prevention Month - #BeThe1To is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s message for National Suicide Prevention Month and beyond, which helps spread the word about actions we can all take to prevent suicide. The Lifeline network and its partners are working to change the conversation from suicide to suicide prevention to actions that can promote healing, help, and give hope.

• Ask - Research shows people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way. Findings suggest acknowledging and discussing suicide may reduce rather than increase suicidal ideation.
• Be There - Individuals are more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to someone who listens without judgment.
• Keep them Safe - A number of studies have indicated that when lethal means are made less available or less deadly, suicide rates by that method decline, and frequently, suicide rates overall decline.
• Help them Stay Connected -Studies indicate that helping someone at risk create a network of resources and individuals for support and safety can help them take positive action and reduce feelings of hopelessness.
• Follow-Up - Studies have also shown that brief, low-cost intervention and supportive, ongoing contact may be an important part of suicide prevention, especially for individuals after they have been discharged from hospitals or care services.

Are you interested in a future in Public Service? Apply to be a part of the United States Youth Program. The United States Senate Youth Program, established in 1962 by U.S. Senate Resolution, is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service. Two students from each state will be selected to attend the weeklong Government and Education Leadership program in Washington, D.C.; each will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship. Students must attend the entirety of the program to receive the scholarship.

Texas students must submit the completed application and supporting documentation by October 1st, 2023. The primary purposes of the qualifying leadership position must be a representation of a constituency and service to others. A student who graduates high school at the close of the fall semester/quarter is not eligible to apply for the program. Only one application per school will be accepted. To learn more about the program, see the following website: https://ussenateyouth.org/selection_process_qualify/.

Applications will go through a screening process before ONE is decided upon. If you have questions about the application, email Ms.Reynolds- at michele.reynolds@nisd.net

If interested, you must submit the following form and information to michele.reynolds@nisd.net on or before October 1, 2023.

Please click HERE to pre-register.

Location: Thomas Edison High School

701 Santa Monica St

San Antonio, TX 78212

When: Saturday, October 7, 2023

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Maybe you have never considered the U.S. Naval Academy, but we think you belong here. Did you know that every student:

• receives a full scholarship...yes, you read that correctly: FREE TUITION (including room and board and health insurance),
• is guaranteed employment upon graduating as an officer in the Navy or Marine Corps,
• receives a Bachelor of Science degree from the #1 public school in the nation (according to U.S. News & World Report).