Note from Dr. Baker:

Hi parents!

Thanks so much for joining us for Prep Day! It makes your child's start of school so much smoother. It is our hope to reduce those butterflies in their bellies. As I am positive you already perused in the Taft Newsletter, they are still working on the Master Schedule. So, if your child still has gaps on HAC, that is the reason. Know that the two CAHS counselors are working very diligently to enter the corrections (they even did so prior to being on contract!). Please continue to model kindness and patience with them as they have a tough battle ahead. Typically, we are not changing much at this stage of summer. If you have any questions or need to vent, call or email me. I am happy to help explain what is occurring and how the counselors are on top of it once everything is settled. I assure you that the updates will be fixed before we commence school. Thank you so much for your patience!

Lisa Baker, Ph.D.

Principal

If you missed our Prep Days on August 3rd and 8th, stop by the Comm Arts front office on August 15th from 1-4 pm.

Transportation information will be available for students and parents on Monday, August 21st.

Northside ISD has implemented a few changes for the 23-24 school year. They include:

• No deliveries for students or faculty/staff members
• The addition of twenty fully-commissioned police officers to the NISD Police Dept.
• Access to silent panic alert technology at each school

Additionally, all students, faculty, and staff will need to wear their school IDs while on campus for safety purposes.

Here is the link for more information: Safety First, 2023-2024

All Comm Arts students have a summer reading assignment. The pdfs attached below are the instructions for all grade levels. Happy Reading!

Northside ISD is hosting a College Board Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test, or PSAT, on Wednesday, October 11th. The PSAT is optional this year for 10th graders. Sophomores who choose to participate must register in advance to participate and pay a $20 testing fee. Information on registering 10th graders for PSAT will be available on August 28th.

There is a reduced fee of $10 for students who receive free or reduced lunch. All 9th and 11th graders will be registered to take the PSAT.

Comm Arts students will have a separate registration process from Taft High School.

STAAR EOC final assessment results for 9th graders will be available on August 19th via HAC.

As back-to-school shopping begins, please keep the NISD district dress code in mind. Students with dress code violations will be required to change.

1. Shorts of mid-thigh length may be worn at all school levels. Suggestive and/or indecent shorts will be prohibited.
2. Mid-thigh length skirts, skorts, and dresses may be worn at all levels. There should not be a cut or slit in the clothing that extends above the mid-thigh. Suggestive and/or indecent styles will be prohibited. These requirements also apply to school uniforms.
3. Appropriate footwear must be worn; footwear which has toes reinforced with steel, hard plastics or similar materials are specifically prohibited.
4. Hair must be neat and clean. Unconventional hairstyles that distract from teaching and learning will be prohibited.
5. Any clothes that are suggestive or indecent or which cause a distraction will be prohibited. Specifically, oversized clothing, tank tops, muscle shirts, halter/crop tops, spaghetti straps, exposed backs or midriffs, and see-through garments are prohibited.
6. Indecent/inappropriate patches, writings, or drawings on clothing are prohibited. Undergarments must not be visible.
7. All pants are to be worn at the waist (no "sagging") Tight fitting pants (e.g. tights, spandex, bicycle pants, etc.) are also prohibited. Frays or holes above the knees are prohibited.
8. Body piercing jewelry is prohibited except for rings, studs or other traditional jewelry. Any piercing that distracts the teaching and learning environment will be prohibited.

Because fads in dress and grooming are subject to sudden, and sometimes radical change, a basic rule to remember is that student dress and grooming should not be suggestive or indecent, or so bizarre and unusual as to detract from the classroom environment.

All students attending Communications Arts HS are expected to adhere to the standardized attire requirement.

The Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is a nationwide competition intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM. Launched in 2015, the CAC allows students to compete with their peers by developing software applications (apps) for mobile, tablet, or computer devices. App submissions should demonstrate some level of functionality. However, the app does not need to be finalized, if the students can demonstrate their programming skills and provide a detailed outline explaining the app concept and design. Students may compete as individuals or in teams of up to four, as long as two of the teammates are residents of the Texas 20th Congressional District.

Students interested in participating can register for the competition on the Congressional App Challenge website at www.congressionalappchallenge.us. The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2023. Participating apps will be judged by a panel of local judges who work within the academic, software, and entrepreneurial fields. The app of the winning student or team will be featured on the U.S. House of Representatives’ website and displayed in an exhibit at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

If you have any questions, please contact Emily Tarango-Chavez of my San Antonio Office at (210) 348-8216 or email at Emily.tarango-chavez@mail.house.gov.

All AP Exams Have Benefits
Completing an AP course and exam means students took college-level coursework in high school. No matter the score, preparing for and taking an AP Exam sharpens students' skills to transition from high school to college. Research shows that students who take AP courses and exams have better college outcomes than their peers. Whatever the score, taking an AP Exam can keep students on track for college. Most students who score a 1 or 2 on their first AP Exam are likely to improve their score on a future exam. Students who achieve an exam score of 2 do significantly better in introductory college classes. Students who achieve exam scores of 1 or 2 are still more likely to attend college and graduate on time (than academically similar students who don’t take AP).

Helpful Resources:

• Do you want to understand better what your scores mean? Click HERE.
• Click HERE to learn more about AP Awards & Recognitions.