We have had a great first week welcoming back our students! We held grade-level meetings where we met with the full study body to discuss the expectations for the year ahead, reviewed school policies, and shared information about portfolio, summer study, 1:1, and the importance of academic integrity. We welcomed students to join our School Improvement Team (SIT) and are also looking for parents to become involved as well. As a leadership team, one area that is really important to us is establishing connections with our parents, students and the Chariho community. One way to build connections is through SIT. We welcome students, parents and community members to join us for our first SIT meeting, which will be held on September 28th at 2:30 in the CHS library. After this initial meeting, we will then develop sub-committees that will focus on specific goals developed by the School Improvement Team. Please email Andrea.Spas@Chariho.k12.ri.us if you are interested in joining SIT or a sub-committee. We are looking forward to a great year ahead and are ready to kick-off the 17-18 academic year!
We welcome you to our Open House on Wednesday, October 4th, from 5:30pm-8:00pm. We are excited about the design of Open House this year, which will be similar to last year with a few improvements. Our goal is that parents have the opportunity and flexibility to meet their students' teachers, to learn about course themes and pathways for future study, and to connect to our school community through a Parent Outreach Fair in the cafeteria.
Some points about Open House:
- Parents and students are encouraged to come together so students can introduce their parents to teachers.
- Parents can move to department "zones" mapped in the building at their own pace.
- Students and teachers will participate in showcases of departmental learning.
- Teachers of common courses will offer presentations at times arranged to allow parents to hear a formal presentation, or simply stop in and introduce themselves.
- CTC programs will offer 4, 20-minute tours of the 17 programs.
If you want to follow your student's schedule, you may. This evening is not about conferencing with your child's teachers. It's an opportunity for introductions and education on all the supports available to help your student succeed. We will send out a map and schedule of presentations in advance of October 4th. We want to see all Chariho parents and their students in the building on Wednesday, October 4th!
Please contact us if you have any questions about this important event. We look forward to another great year!
Craig M. MacKenzie, Principal Twitter: @dflamturnover
Andrea J. Spas, Assistant Principal Twitter: @Andrea_Spas
Susan J. Votto, Director of CHARIHOtech Twitter: @CHARIHOtech
#my3 Challenge
At our grade-level presentations last week, we informed students abut our #my3 challenge, where we challenge them to tweet 3 pictures of themselves engaged in the following: Working Hard, Having Fun, Being Nice. We think these values speak to what it means to be a Charger and to Lead the Herd! The grade level that best participates will earn an incentive. We will tally the results by 9/21. Below are examples of what we have tweeted out to promote this cause. Please encourage your child to share their 3!
“We need people who think with the creative side of their brains—people who have played in a band, who have painted…it enhances symbiotic thinking capabilities, not always thinking in the same paradigm, learning how to kick-start a new idea, or how to get a job done better, less expensively.” –Annette Byrd, GlaxoSmithKline
Upcoming events for 2017-201
- Independent Studies in Arts and Humanities - Spots still available!
- The 5th Annual Chariho Student Film Festival
- The Chariho Charger, School Newspaper - Journalists and Photographers still needed!
- Poetry Out Loud & Shakespeare Recitation Contest
- The Green Light, Chariho’s Literary Art Magazine
- Inkstigators Creative Writing Club
For more information, contact Dana, Humanities Specialist dana.hall@chariho.k12.ri.us
Write Rhode Island Awardees!
Last year, Marissa Alfiero (class of 2017), and current sophomore, Andrew Ackroyd, entered the Write Rhode Island short story competition and represented CHS well by writing two of the top five stories in the state! This month, the top five winners will read their stories and sign copies of the print anthology as part of Teen Book Fest at Barnes & Noble Warwick. The event will take place on Saturday, September 23rd at 2pm.
Rhode Island College - Early Enrollment Offerings & Info
Students have the opportunity to obtain college credit for their course work through Rhode Island College and their Early Enrollment Program. There will be a meeting this fall for all students enrolled in courses that are eligible for Early Enrollment Program (EEP) credits. We will share this date with students, once finalized. EEP eligible courses include the following: French IV & V, Spanish IV & V, AP Biology, Personal Finance II, and AP Chemistry (pending). In order to register for credit, students must attend the meeting for any eligible courses, including those that run second semester. If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Charpentier at Elizabeth.Charpentier@chariho.k12.ri.us. To view a complete list of all courses that are eligible for college credit among the various universities and colleges, please see page 14 of our Program of Studies.
Vaccinate Before You Graduate!
If interested, we have partnered up with the Wellness Company to offer 11 important immunizations for free. The Wellness Company is in partnership with the Rhode Island Dept of Health. Many jobs and colleges require certain immunizations. This will save you on co-pays. Here is a link to the Vaccinate Before You Graduate site with relevant information and a place to register your child. If you have further questions please contact our school nurse, Marc McGiveney at: Marc. McGiveney@Chariho.k12.ri.us for more information. Please make sure to consult with your physician about needed immunizations.
School Counseling
Financial Aid: The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is available starting October 1st for seniors. It is a required component for students exploring the RI Promise Scholarship (free tuition at CCRI for up to two years). Come to a Financial Aid presentation by Mrs. Haines-Mayne on October 3rd at 6:30 in the high school library to learn more!
PSAT Testing: The PSAT will take place here on October 11th starting at 7:30am. Juniors who would like to participate (and be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship program) must pay $16 (cash or checks payable to SAF #211G). Juniors should see their school counselor by 9/22 if interested. The results of the test include personalized SAT prep material and a customized online site. Juniors will be provided the opportunity to take the SAT at no cost this spring during the school day on April 10th. All sophomores will be taking the PSAT at no cost on April 10th however they are welcome to participate in the October testing for the $16 fee.
What else is happening?: School counselors will be conducting two group presentations this month with seniors on college applications and financial aid. Freshman presentations introducing who we are and what we do are next on our schedule. We are starting to meet with all seniors (to discuss future goals) and freshman (to discuss transition to the HS) individually as well. Next month we will turn our focus to sophomores and juniors.
PARCC results
Attention 9th and 10th grade parents: student PARCC results will be sent home with students on Friday, September 22, 2017.
1:1 Technology Information
Parents can have access to their children's courses through Canvas. See the steps below to get a Parent Observer account.
How to become a Canvas observer:
- You will need the child's login and password to Canvas (same one they use for Powerschool and to log onto the laptop). You may ask your child for the login or call guidance to request the password be mailed to you.
- Use any computer or device with internet connection.
- Go to chariho.instructure.com
- Click the ribbon that states "Click Here for an Account"
- Fill in the prompts and begin to navigate as an observer (your child will have to provide you his/her password).
Parent Workshops Offered by RIPIN
The Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) offers workshops and training sessions to parents throughout the year. For a list of upcoming workshops offered, please visit the following link: http://www.ripin.org/workshops.html.
