December 1, 2017
From Mr. Berry's Desk
Dear Titan Families,
Welcome to December, a month where we celebrate traditions and a number of student activities at Tuscarora. Our Future Business Leaders of America are engaged in a terrific fundraising project, and Local Love is collecting items for the Frederick Rescue Mission. Our Titan Choir scored evaluation marks of all “1” (superior) at today’s FCPS Adjudication. The Poetry Out Loud Competition crowned two winners to compete in the regional competition, and next week we induct new members into the National Honor Society. Last night at the stand-room-only Academic Awards Program, we recognized over 130 students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher for the 2016-17 academic year. And on Saturday, December 2, our Senior Class will be sponsoring a “Santa’s Workshop” for the entire family from 10-3 here at THS. Please join us for games, crafts, cookies, pictures with Santa and more. It’s the first time we’ve done this and we’d like to see the whole community turn out. There is a great deal to celebrate this month for so many Titans and their families.
Our winter athletes are in full swing with practices and we will soon begin the competitions on the court, mat, track and in the pool. To kick things off, we’ll be hosting a beginning of the season Pep Rally here at Tuscarora. It’s a great thing to see our students and their families support each other, win lose or draw.
And as festive as this time of year is, it also can be a difficult and challenging one for some families. The loss of family members, as well as challenging home or friend situations only reminds us that this is an important time of year to really look out for one another.
And finally, while we also look forward to the Winter Break, this is an important month to really buckle down and focus on putting good grades “in the bank”. The end of the semester comes quickly after the first of the year, so the more students do NOW to booster their grades, the less pressure they have after the calendar turns to 2018.
Have a wonderful weekend! Christopher Berry Principal
Looking Ahead
Saturday School, Media Center, 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM THS Senior Class Santa’s Workshop, Cafeteria, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Boys Basketball at River Hill High: JV 4:00 PM; Varsity 5:30 PM Girls Basketball Home vs. River Hill High: JV 5:30 PM; Varsity 7:00 PM Guidance Program – Sophomore Night, Auditorium, 7:00 PM
Wrestling Home vs. Catoctin High and Century High, 5:00 PM Swimming vs. Catoctin High at Walkersville High Pool, 6:00 PM
Girls Basketball at Hedgesville High: JV 6:00 PM; Varsity 7:30 PM National Honors Society Induction, Auditorium, 7:00 PM
Boys Basketball at Quince Orchard High: JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 7:15 PM Girls Basketball Home vs. Western High: JV 5:30 PM, Varsity 7:00 PM
ACT Exam at THS, 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Wrestling Home vs. Atholton High, 10:00 AM Girls/Boys Indoor Track at Terry Baker Invitational at Hagerstown Community College, 1:40 PM
*Dates and times are subject to change.
Keeping You Informed - School News
Santa's Workshop
Join us for Santa's Workshop on Saturday, December 2 in the cafeteria from 10 AM - 1 PM Hosted by the THS Senior Class 2018
**$5 per child at the door
Parent's please sign-up to donate items for event. Thank you for your support!
Sophmores and Parents
Please plan to attend SOPHOMORE NIGHT on Tuesday, December 5th . We will meet in the THS auditorium at 7 PM. This unis a very important meeting to help guide you with course selections that will prepare you for your Post-High School goals Registration for your junior year will be in two months! It is crucial that you select the course that will lead to opportities.
SAT School Day
Parents of 11th Graders: Save the Date for SAT School Day Wednesday, March 7, 2018.
FCPS no longer administers English 11 or Algebra II PARCC exams to students to meet the College and Career Readiness (CCR) requirements set forth in the CCR Completion Act of 2013.
To reduce testing time and increase educational equity and opportunity, all FCPS 11th grade students will participate in a FREE administration of the SAT in school on Wednesday, March 7, 2018.
There are many benefits of this change:
The SAT creates opportunities for more students (in all student groups) to achieve CCR requirements than ACT, Accuplacer or PARCC.
Students test with one exam that covers both English Language Arts and math and takes only 3 hours. This is a considerable reduction compared to the English 11 and Algebra II PARCC exams.
School-day testing leaves students free for their regular weekend work, sports, extracurricular activities, or family obligations.
Student stress is reduced because testing happens in a familiar setting with familiar people.
Students who have already taken the SAT will benefit, as repeat test takers tend to increase their scores with each administration.
More low-income students will have access to tangible benefits like college application fee waivers and free SAT score sends.
Students with special needs who require accommodations will no longer have to go through complicated accommodation applications. Instead, FCPS takes the burden off parents and handles the application process. Approved accommodations stick with the student for all future administrations of any College Board exam including AP exams and regular Saturday SAT exams.
Even students who do not meet CCR benchmark scores may score high enough for entry into many colleges and universities. This leaves behind the old notion that the SAT may not be appropriate for some students.
The FCPS SAT school-day administration is in addition to all regularly scheduled, nationally advertised, Saturday administrations. Parents should keep the March 7th date in mind when planning additional national administrations for their students.
If you have additional questions regarding the SAT school day, please contact your school's SAT Test Center supervisor. Additional information is found at https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/33903/86de7fb0-3a18-11e6-b537-22000bd8490f/1586909/01333c37-81ef-11e7-bf32-124f7febbf4a/file/SATSchoolDay.pdf
Attendance
Daily attendance is one of the single most important factors in a high school student’s success. 96% or better attendance each day is the goal for Tuscarora High School. Please help students meet the goal every day! Talk with your student about the importance of attending school as well as the importance of being engaged in every class Here is our attendance data for this week:
School Counseling
Accuplacer
Accuplacer is being held here at THS on December 5th. All students that have submitted their permission to test form will be required to attend FLEX on Monday, December 4th to receive their testing room location. Students will need to bring their Chromebook or laptops.
Freshman and Sophomores Interested in Biomedical Science
If you are a 9th or 10th grader interested in applying to the Project Lead the Way Biomedical Science Program at THS next year, please sign up to shadow. This will be an opportunity for you to check out the program and see what it is all about. Click here (please open in Google Chrome) or use the link on the THS homepage to sign up.
CTC Shadowing
It is that time of year again!! Time for the CTC shadowing and application to begin! We have some new and exciting things happening this year here are a few important notes: Sign up for Shadowing will begin October 9th, Shadowing will begin on November 1st.
The process to SHADOW at CTC has changed this year if you are interested in shadowing you must do the following:
Pick up a SHADOWING PERMISSION SLIP form at the THS Guidance Office
Some programs take longer than others to be assigned to shadow due to the amount of students interested in the program.
There is chance it may take up to a few weeks to receive a date and time of shadowing.
Scholarships, Internships and Job Opportunities
FCC's Bernard A. Adams Open Campus Scholarship
Each award will cover tuition and fees for one course. The award may be renewed based upon successful academic performance. Deadline is Friday, December 1, 2017 for Spring consideration or July 1 for the following Fall semester. See guidance or Naviance for the application.
The Routzahn Family Business Scholarship
The Routzahn Family Business Scholarship provides $1,000 scholarships ($250/semester) to one student from each Frederick County High School who will be attending Frederick Community College (FCC). Student must enroll full-time (12+ credits) and declare a major in Business Administration or Accounting. Student must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA for the scholarship to renew each semester. Deadline is May 1, 2018. Please see Naviance or guidance for the application.
Maryland JCI Scholarship
Seniors are eligible for a $500 scholarship which could lead to a $1,000 scholarship. The deadline is Monday, January 1, 2018. Please see Naviance for the application.
FCC's Bernard A. Adams Open Campus Scholarship Application
Each award will cover tuition and fees for one course. The award may be renewed based upon successful academic performance. Deadline is Friday, December 1, 2017 for Spring consideration or Sunday, July 1, 2018 for the following Fall semester. See guidance or Naviance for the application.
USAMRIID Internship
Science Internships at United States Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Ft. Detrick for current juniors -- Applications for the science internship at USAMRIID will be available November 1. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and be 17 years old by Saturday, September 1, 2018. Application deadline is Thursday, January 12, 2018. See Mrs. Mummert for more information and the application.
Werner H. Kirsten Internship
Applications for the NCI at Frederick, Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program for next school year open on Wednesday, November 1!! These are scientific/research support internships on base at Ft. Detrick. Access the application at https://ncifrederick.cancer.gov/careers/student_programs/internships/sip/
Deadline for application is Monday, January 1, 2018. See Mrs. Mummert for more information.
Apprenticeship Opportunities
Several positions are still available for seniors to participate in a youth apprenticeship:
To find out more:
http://www.fcps.org/academics/Apprentice-Program The Maryland General Assembly seeks six Frederick County high school seniors to serve as five pages and one alternate page during the coming legislative session. For additional information, please see the full news release: http://?http://www.fcps.org/about/news/1618683/general-assembly-seeks-student-involvement
Frederick Parks and Recreation
Frederick County Parks and Rec. is looking for students to help coach gymnastics and cheerleading at local rec. centers this winter. Must enjoy working with children and be able to teach beginner and intermediate tumbling skills. See Mrs. Mummert at THS for more information.
Senior Class News
Graduation Gown Ordering Information
In order for the company to custom make the graduation gowns, we need information from each senior. Go to the following form to complete the information. This MUST be done by each senior. https://goo.gl/forms/MN2IqRsd5hibdURB3
Herff Jones distributed graduation ordering information today at senior meeting. Orders may be placed in the following ways:
If you order during lunch or at the grad fair, many products are available for pick up at the time of the order
PTSA
Website
The THS PTSA is pleased to announce that we now have a web site. Thank you to Mary Atwell for all of your hard work with developing the site. We encourage everyone to visit https://tuscarorahsptsa.org/ for information regarding meetings and upcoming events. Please keep in mind it is a work in progress so keep checking back for updates.
PTSA Application
On the web site you will find a link to download an application for the PTSA. Applications can be turned in to the front office in a envelope marked PTSA Membership. Remember Seniors, you must be a member of the PTSA by December 22nd to be eligible to apply for the scholarship in the spring and staff members must be a member of the PTSA to apply for the Staff Grant that has a deadline of December 4th.
Safe And Sane
Doughnut Sales
Don't forget your dollar this Friday! Every Friday is Dollar Donut Day on Main Street from 6:55 - 7:25 am. All proceeds go directly to Safe and Sane.
Smoothie King Fundraiser
Safe and Sane will be hosting a fundraiser at Smoothie King on Monday, December 4th, from 4:00 - 8:00 pm. You must mention the fundraiser for us to receive credit. Smoothie King offers $1/smoothie AND 15% on any product purchases.
2018 Graduates
Time for registration to the best party of the year! The registration form (found at education.fcps.org/ths/safensane), or pick one up in the front office or around the school next to posters. Mail completed form and check or drop off in the front office ASAP for the discounted rate of $60, by Jan 31, 2018. Prices go up after that. Your payment includes your entire night at Adventure Park, all food, fun, buses to and from the school and Adventure Park, plus the prizes you may win when you attend!
Students with paid registration by December 12th will be entered in a prize drawing! Two winners will receive a Chipotle giftcard good for two burritos, bowls or tacos including chips & guac plus fountain drinks! REGISTER NOW!
We are bringing back Mr. Titan! It will be Mr. Titan AND Lip Sync Battle! We need 12 contestants for Mr. Titan and 12 groups/individuals for Lip Sync Battle. Auditions will be held on January 11, 2018 from 2:30 - 6:30 pm, in the chorus room. Sign up at the Sign up Genius to save your spot. Please bring your music with you. Mr. Titan & Lip Sync Battle
PRINCIPAL Christopher Berry Tuscarora High School 5312 Ballenger Creek Pike Frederick, Md 21703 Phone: 240-236-6400 Fax: 240-236-6401
Follow Us on Twitter @THSTITANPRIDE Visit Our Website: Tuscarora High School
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS Lisa Smith Helen Golibart Cindy Zimmerman Mark Smith John Milliman Helpful Links: School Cash Online Menus & Meals Grades Online www.fcps.org