The Trojan Scoop
August/September 2023
Greetings from Administration
Greetings Catalina Community!
I can’t believe the month of August just flew by! We are off to a great start with this new school year. I am pleased to announce that we have every vacancy filled with full time, awesome teachers. We are extremely fortunate to have the faculty that we do. Our moto is “Graduate On Time” and with our outstanding faculty students are supported to graduate on time. Progress reports will be available through ParentVue by Wednesday, September 6th.
Our new bell-schedule is going great. We have our block schedule running Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We also have conference period on these days providing time for students to get additional help with teachers. Tutoring is soon to start afterschool on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays in the library. Please encourage your student to attend if they need additional support in math, ELA, social studies or science.
Our focus on academic excellence is highly dependent on student daily, on-time attendance to every class. Students must be in class 95% of the time to be successful (this means that your child should only have up to 4 excused absences per semester). Parents/guardians are an essential component of a students’ success. Let’s work collaboratively to ensure that your student is academically successful and prepared with the needed skills to pursue their life’s goals beyond high school. Please monitor your child’s attendance. Already, first period tardies are a concern. We have anywhere between 80-100 students tardy for first period. Again daily, on-time attendance is essential, please ensure that your child gets to school on time for a successful year. Let’s work together to get students graduated on time.
We are implementing the “No Credit” policy for any student who has 12 or more unexcused absences in a class if they have a passing grade. The passing grade will have to be appealed. The No Credit policy and all our policies are in the Student Handbook located on our website. Please visit our website to access the Student Handbook and know our policies.
Fall sports have started! Come out and support our sports program and cheer our athletes on! On September 22nd we will have home coming to include our home coming dance.
Reminder that this weekend is a long weekend. No school on Monday due to Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend!
Reminders
Dresscode
CATALINA DRESS CODE EXPECTATION:
While allowing for expression of individual taste, student dress must not interfere with the educational process or student safety. Accordingly, the goal of Catalina’s Dress Code is to foster a high standard of grooming and attire, which will reinforce the academic preparation for future success expected by the Catalina professional learning community. In order to minimize disruptions, the dress code has been developed with students and staff in mind.
Shirts, Shoes and Lower Body Covering are required everywhere on campus!
IF IT’S QUESTIONABLE, IT’S UNACCEPTABLE!
Acceptable Attire:
Tops: Must be long enough to cover the midriff at all times. Sleeveless tops must cover undergarments, including sports bras. See-through tops must have a dress code- appropriate top underneath. Shirts must be shorter than accompanying shorts/skirts. Muscle shirts or basketball shirts must be worn with a T-shirt. “Tanks” are acceptable provided there is no plunging neckline, the armpit opening is no larger than a fist, and all seams are hemmed.
Lower Body Covering: Shorts, skirts, dresses and skorts must be long enough to fully cover undergarments. Shorts and skorts must not be cut in a bikinistyle fashion. Pocket linings must not be visible and there cannot be holes in the crotch/pocket area. Pants must stay at/above the hips; sagging is not permitted and undergarments need to be covered.
Shoes: Must be worn at all times.
Unacceptable Attire:
1. Swimsuits, halter tops, tube tops, crop tops, strapless tops, exposed undergarments (including sports bras), shirts that bare the midriff, shorts/dress/skirt/skort that does not cover the buttocks or undergarments while sitting or standing, garments with plunging necklines and white sleeveless undershirts (muscle shirts) or basketball shirts without an accompanying T-shirt.
2. Clothing, accessories and/or head coverings which identify or have been altered to identify with illegal organizations.
3. Clothing that portrays racial statements, profane or inflammatory language, sexual depiction/innuendos, and /or portrays/advocates violence.
4. Accessories that can be used as a weapon, such as, spiked rings, spiked collars, leashes.
5. Clothing that advertises or advocates the use of alcohol, illegal substances or tobacco may not be worn.
6. Sunglasses in buildings.
7. Slips, undergarments or lingerie worn as outerwear.
8. Sagging pants
9. Bra Straps, sports bras, or other underwear exposed.
Consequences:
· Students wearing inappropriate clothing to school will be given the opportunity to change or clothing or will be provided.
· If the student has a 2nd dress code violation the same day, the student will be assigned lunch detention.
· If a student borrows a shirt, the student will return the shirt by the end of the school day before their garment is returned.
· Any confiscated items in violation of the Catalina Dress Code will be returned after the last bell of the day.
Mrs. Schull in the Student Success Center
Hola From the Success Center!
This is a reminder that students can visit me, Mrs. Schull, during lunch, passing period, or after school if they need School Supplies, Personal Hygiene items, or food to bring home from the Food Pantry. If you are in need of something specific or would like to connect about your Student, feel free to email me at amy.schull@tusd1.org
Trojan Athletics
From the Counselors
Mr. Freitag
Mr. Freitag is our “Social/Emotional” Intervention counselor who will be visiting the classes soon to discuss his role at Catalina High School.
Mr. Freitag helps students with any issues or concerns that get in the way of their learning. If you need to speak with him, please let your teacher know and they will contact Mr. Freitag.
You can also put your name on the sign in sheet on his door (in Student Services with the other counselors) BEFORE 1st period, during lunch or AFTER school.
He is very cool and was once a famous guitar player!
Update from the Library
September 2023: News from the Library Media Center
Welcome back to another great year at Catalina! This is my second year here as the Library Media Specialist and I’m excited to work with you and your students this year to help them find great books, do good research and become confident, ethical digital citizens. Here are some items in the works for August and September:
We have brand new furniture in our library this year thanks to some ESSER funding last year!
Freshman orientations are underway and students are learning how to use the library through scavenger hunts to find good books and do research! More of this information is available right on our Catalina library website!
This month we are celebrating the freedom to read by highlighting some of the books that have been historically challenged or banned in some libraries across the country. We also have a great display of New books for students to check out! September is also ‘sign up for a public library card’ month. We have forms in our library and information about Pima County Library on our website.
The student library aides have done an excellent job in creating our beginning-of-the-year displays welcoming the new freshmen and celebrating the Seniors!
Our student Sign-IN is now digital! We have finally joined the 21st century and our students now sign in to the library with their Student ID or Matric number!
Our Library Media Website is the best place to get the most updated information about what’s going on in the Media Center as well as information on our books, research, events, and digital citizenship.
As always, you can contact me at karin.bernal@tusd1.org if you have any questions or concerns. My office hours are: Monday - Friday 7:40AM to 3:30PM. 520-282-8424TUSD Resource Center Family Mixer
I would like to know if any schools in the Arroyo Chico region have student performers available for the event. Last year, we had Tucson High School's Folklorico dance team perform. We have a highly diverse region, and I hope to have a group of students perform, showcasing cultural diversity.
Please let me know if someone on your team works with students in this capacity. Feel free to share my email address with them. The performance would take place at the beginning of the event and would last about 5 minutes.
Yearbook Updates
School Picture Day
School Picture Day
Upcoming Events
Hiking Club
Bus Route Changes that will negatively impact our students
The City's new transit plan calls for
Bus Route 5 on Pima to be discontinued.
The plan is NOT finalized.
This is your opportunity to comment and
let the City of Tucson know we do not
want Route 5 eliminated.
Proposed Transit Changes call for discontinuing
the following routes 5, 1, 3, 19, 23, AND 34.
Bus Route 5 runs from Udall Park west along Pima to Tucson Boulevard (basically the entire length of Pima). Then it continues on Tucson Blvd. south to Speedway, west past the U. of A. to PCC West.
The City's new transit plan proposes the elimination of Route 5 so that they can increase frequency of services on Grant and Speedway. They believe it reasonable to eliminate Route 5 since residents are within a half mile walk of a bus stop on Alvernon, Swan, Speedway or Grant.
A half mile, 15- 20 minute walk on streets without sidewalks in 110° heat is a lot to ask of our residents, especially for our senior citizens, those with young children, and those who are visually impaired, in wheelchairs, etc. So many residents in our area rely on the bus for getting to work, to school, to health care, to the store, to recreation. What about all the students at Catalina High School who depend on the bus for transportation to school? It is a huge disservice to our community to eliminate a bus route that is so well used by residents the length of Pima.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
We strongly recommend you do more than one of these.
Your feedback matters.
Provide comments on proposed transit service changes before Sept. 8!
- TAKE THE SURVEY! (Important: see notes below before you take the survey.)
- POST A COMMENT ON THE DRAFT PLAN MAP - On the menu on the left hand side of theTHE TRANSIT WEBPAGE, click on "Explore the Draft Plan". In the top right corner, click the "Post Comment" button and post a comment on the map.
- ATTEND A TOWN HALL IN PERSON! (See Schedule below.)
- ATTEND A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL! (See Schedule below.)
- WRITE TO YOUR COUNCILPERSON STEVE KOZACHIK and KEVIN DAHL
SURVEY - PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE TAKING THE SURVEY. Nothing in the public survey says specifically that Route 5 will be eliminated. The survey questions are extremely general and vague. Ideally you should watch the 17 min video or read the transcript of the video. On the transcript, on Slide 24 (pictured above), the narrator says. "Route 5 will no longer operate on Pima St due to the focus on the one- mile grid." More information about this is also included in the "Individual Route Changes" document.
Answering the questions on the survey -- how you can show you disagree with the elimination of Route 5:
- What route(s)/service(s) do you ride most frequently? Indicate Bus Route 5.
- "Please let us know whether you agree with the following proposed changes in the draft service plan" You can mark "disagree" or "Strongly Disagree" on ITEM F which says "Discontinuing service on neighborhood and/or collector streets to provide more frequent service on major streets." The question that follows it is open-ended and you can explain at that point that your are only referring to Route 5.
- "Do you have any additional comments on why you agree or disagree with the changes listed above? If so, for which lettered item(s)?
- Do you have any additional comments on the proposed changes? If so, please provide which route(s) and suggested change.
Town Halls:
CLOSEST TO GDNA:
- Wednesday, August 23, 5:30 PM University of Arizona | 1303 E University Blvd, Sabino Room, Tucson, AZ 85719
- Thursday, August 24, 12 PM Tucson City Council Ward 6 Office | 3202 E 1st St, Tucson, AZ 85716
- For other locations: https://tucsoncoa.com/
Virtual Meetings (Zoom):
Wednesday, Aug. 16, 5:30 p.m.
- Link: https://bit.ly/tcoa-1
- Phone: 1-408-638-0968
- Webinar #: 993 1466 1320
Wednesday, Aug. 30, 5:30 p.m.
- Link: https://bit.ly/tcoa-2
- Phone: 1-408-638-0968
- Webinar #: 955 4616 9254
Congratulations Mr. Heredia
Girls who Code Flyer
Catalina High School
Email: catalina@tusd1.org
Website: catalinahs.tusd1.org
Location: 3645 East Pima Street, Tucson, AZ, USA
Phone: (520)232-8400