BRAVES BULLETIN
January 14, 2022
Upcoming Dates
January 17 - Schools Closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 20 - Forrest Center Virtual Tech Expo, 5 pm
January 21
- Two Hour Early Dismissal Day - End of the 2nd Marking Period
- Marking Period 1 grade recovery must be completed - no exceptions
Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honors. He continues to be remembered as one of the most influential and inspirational African American leaders in history. (Biography.com https://www.biography.com/activist/martin-luther-king-jr)
Guidance for Parents Regarding Sending Children to School
Please do not send your child to school if your child is experiencing ANY signs/symptoms of illness. If your child required fever-reducing medication within the past 24 hours to maintain a normal body temperature, your child should NOT be in school.
More information may be found on the SMCPS Health & Safety page.
CSM Dual Enrollment Information
- Because of the inclement weather (and maybe COVID issues) and lots of students potentially missing the information we have extended the form submission deadline until this Friday, January 14. We want to make sure that everyone who wants to participate has the ability to submit the form. We have had a huge response last week and hope to capture more this week.
Forrest Center Virtual Tech Expo January 20, 2022
For health and safety reasons, this event has been changed to occur on a virtual platform and not in-person at the Forrest Center. The Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center (Forrest Center) will facilitate its twenty-second annual Forrest Center **Virtual** Tech Expo on Thursday, January 20, 2022. The following sessions will be available for students to virtually visit their three favorite programs.
- Introductory video/Explore Tech Expo website: 5:00-5:30 pm
- Session 1: 5:30-5:50 pm
- Session 2: 6:00-6:20 pm
- Session 3: 6:30-6:50 pm
- Q&A with Teachers: 7:00-7:20 pm
- Q&A with Counselors/Admin: 7:30-8:00 pm
The purpose of the Forrest Center Tech Expo is to familiarize students and parents with Career and Technology Education (CTE) career options offered by the St. Mary’s County Public Schools. This is an opportunity to meet Forrest Center staff and learn about the 22 completer programs (including the MFRI Fire and Rescue/EMS program) as well as our four elective classes. High school counselors will be available to answer questions about career clusters and to assist students in planning their academic pathway.
For more information, visit the Forrest Center website, http://schools.smcps.org/tech or email questions to techcenter@smcps.org .
AP Exam Update
Parents and Students:
If you have registered for your AP exams and have paid your deposits of $40.00. Please pay the remaining balance by March 1, 2022. You may pay at the school bank or online using the following link https://bit.ly/CHSAPPayment
PSAT Update
Important Information Regarding Athletic Events
Dear Chopticon High School Community,
Winter Sports for Chopticon High School are underway. We are excited to bring our Braves back to competition season. MSDE Covid 19 guidance states that all spectators and patrons must wear their face coverings during all indoor school events.
All spectators, including parents/guardians, must wear a face covering when arriving, attending, and departing the event (non-negotiable).
Failure to comply with the policy will result in removal from the event.
Please be respectful and courteous to all game workers and event staff at both home and away events. Let's enjoy the time watching our student-athletes compete.
Thank you!
Registration for Spring Athletics is Open
Athletic Try-Out Dates
Braves Giving Back to Our Community
Chopticon Grad Performing in "The Prom" at the Kennedy Center
This is his bio from the program - Patrick Wetzel (Barry Glickman) (he/him). Broadway: All About Me, Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone, Thou Shalt Not, The Producers, Annie Get Your Gun, and Ain’t Broadway Grand (debut). Also Broadway: Tuck Everlasting (Associate Director), Aladdin (Asst. Resident Director), Something Rotten! (Stage Manager), and Frozen (Stage Manager). National Tours: Billy Elliot (Mr. Braithwaite, Helen Hayes nom.), Cinderella (with Eartha Kitt), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (with Donny Osmond). Regional: Bay Street Theater, NC Theater, North Shore Music Theater. TV/Film: The Prom (with Meryl Streep), The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (with Jennifer Hudson), A Christmas Carol (with Jim Carrey), The Producers. Agent: CGF Talent.
Superintendent's Student Leadership Steering Committee Meets
It was sport officials appreciation week - thank you to all of our game officials!
AVPA Students Sculpture Face Castings
Combined High School Indoor Guard Begins Work
Work in Progress on New Turf Field
Kylie Denham is College Bound
BECA Common Scholarship
Senatorial Scholarship Program - Senator Bailey - Application Now Open
Athletes - NIAAA Scholarship
Class of 2022
Mrs. Christine White, College & Career Specialist
cmwhite@smcps.org or 301-475-0215, ext. 38139
Google Site information on college visits, scholarships, jobs, technical/trade schools, etc.
Boosters Have Braves Apparel for Sale
Please complete this form. All available sizes are listed. Pick-Up will be scheduled once the order is received and pulled from inventory. Payment can be made by check or cash only. Please have exact cash or check made payable to CHS Athletic Boosters. We are not able to accept credit card payments at this time. If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Welch at 301-672-0891 or you can email: Chopticonathleticboostersclub@gmail.com
Class of 2022
Families of the Class of 2022,
This year has been unique, to say the least, and so will this year's yearbook. Each year, senior families are offered the opportunity to surprise their students with a recognition ad in the yearbook. You have an opportunity to not only purchase a yearbook that will be unlike any other, but you can also document your student's personal story within the pages! If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please visit the website below, click on "Get Started", search for Chopticon High School and begin building your own personal advertisement for your senior. Attached, you will find a flyer with information, as well.
The deadline to complete this is January 31, 2022, so please, do not delay!
https://www.jostens.com/yearbooks/students-and-parents/yearbook-ads
Please contact the yearbook advisors, Mrs. Hooven (rlhooven@smcps.org) or Ms. Duriez (kbduriez@smcps.org) with any questions.
Chopticon Athletic Boosters
Parking Lot Safety & Visitor/Temporary Parking
In addition, if you are dropping off your student in the morning please be aware of pedestrian traffic in the parking lot and students or staff who may be trying to pull into a parking space.
If you are dropping a student off in the morning, do not stop along the driveway but follow the directions of the Safety Assistant. We are doing the best we can to keep traffic moving.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Information About School Fundraisers
To the Chopticon Community:
In an effort to keep our community updated on approved Chopticon fundraising activities, we have created this document with information on the approved fundraising activities for the 2021-22 school year. This document will be updated throughout the year to provide you with the most current information.
Marc Pirner, Principal
Grading Information
Teachers will be using the following grading marks:
Excused = Communicates to the student that s/he is exempt from this assignment- it neither helps or hinders their grade.
Missing = Communicates to the student that the assignment was never received but the student can still turn it in. Giving a student a Missing flag is the calculation equivalent to giving the student a zero.
Zero = Communicates to the student the grade is final and cannot be recovered.
Grade Level Teams
9th Grade
Administrator - Shelly McDaniel, samcdaniel@smcps.org, ext.38117
Counselor - Cara Grysko, clgrysko@smcps.org, ext 38121
10th Grade
Administrator - Brook Anthony, baanthony@smcps.org, ext. 38115
Counselor - Meg Walewski, mmwalewski@smcps.org, ext 38122
11th Grade
Administrator - Joseph Wysokinski, jrwysokinski@smcps.org, ext. 38116
Counselor - Julie Correll, jacorrell@smcps.org, ext 38123
12th Grade
Administrator - Vernetta Smith, vhsmith@smcps.org, ext 38116
Counselor - Mapri Gray, mdgray@smcps.org, ext 38124
COMMUNICATIONS
There are several ways to keep on top of what’s happening at Chopticon High School. Please use any of the following:
- School Telephone # 301-475-0215
- Staff email addresses can be found on our website here
- Braves Bulletin - Weekly Updates for students and parents sent out via School Messenger. The latest edition is on the homepage of our website
- Twitter- @CHS_smcps
Remember - if you are having trouble logging into Schoology, try clearing your cache!
Bus Transportation
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to the 2021/22 school year. This information will provide you with transportation details for the 2021/22 school year. Below you will find important transportation links from the SMCPS Transportation website. We look forward to a wonderful school year. If you have questions regarding bus transportation at Chopticon High School contact Joe Wysokinski at jrwysokinski@smcps.org. Please click on this link for more information.
Backpacks and Water Bottles
Students are also encouraged to bring their own water bottles. The water fountains will only be available for bottle or cup fill. Students may not bring coffee/soft drinks in cups into the building.
Important Links & Information
Reminder - No Food or Other Deliveries for Students
Students may not bring cups (coffee/soda) into the building.
Our cafeteria staff will offer take home meal bags, Monday through Thursday, at 3 different locations throughout the school at the end of the day for the students.
Here is a link to the daily menu.
For Our Spanish Speaking Families
Chopticon High School
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/chs/
Location: 25390 Colton Point Road, Morganza, MD, USA
Phone: 301-475-0215
Twitter: @chs_smcps