September 19, 2019
News from the Principal's Desk
Dear THS Families,
This has been a busy week at Tuscarora, with our normal classes, evening meetings, sports, performing arts, and practices just about every evening. It's always exciting to see students not only engaged in the classroom, but also outside of it during what we sometimes like to call "the second shift." It is proof that a high school student's education is much broader than formal learning. The lessons that sometimes leave the deepest impression are the ones where a student learns to balance their time, make choices among many great options, accepts adversity or defeat, or understands the true meaning of teamwork in seeing a project to completion. The staff at Tuscarora is invested in your students, both inside and outside the classroom. When you see that teacher who serves as an extracurricular sponsor or coach, spending long hours away from their own family for little or no extra compensation, remember that they not only love their classroom subjects and activities. They love and want the best for your students.
Schoology is on the mind of a lot of parents as I speak with them. The feedback that I've gotten is two-fold: parents that are taking the time to learn are liking the classroom that they are invited into, and how it gives them a picture of student learning. But the second thing is that they acknowledge that there is a bit of a learning curve. Toward that end, if you're interested in Schoology beyond grades in HAC, I would encourage you to dedicate a little time in the near future to checking our the numerous resources that FCPS has created to help families better understand this "learning management system", the term for what Schoology is. Bookmark: https://www.fcps.org/student-services/schoology for a wealth of information on Schoology and it's use for parents and students. As an FCPS parent myself, I have found it to be user friendly and always there, depending on how much time I wanted to dedicate to learning more.
Enjoy an extra day with your students this weekend!
Christopher Berry Principal
Looking Ahead - The Weekly Calendar
Saturday, September 21
Varsity Volleyball at Oakdale Tournament
Cross Country at Hereford High
Boys Soccer at Frederick High (Golden Mile Classic)
TBA
9:00 AM
JV 5:30, V 7:00 PM
First Day of Autumn
FCPS ACE Orientation, Auditorium
7:00 PM
Army Lunch Time Display
Golf at Black Rock Country Club for Districts
Unified Tennis home vs. Walkersville High
Varsity Field Hockey at Catoctin High
Girls Soccer at S. Hagerstown High
Boys Soccer home vs. S. Hagerstown High
Volleyball home vs. S. Hagerstown High
3:30 PM
4:00 PM
JV 5:15, V7:00 PM
JV 5:45, V. 6:45 PM
JV Football at N. Hagerstown High
5:00 PM
PLTW PBS Class to National Museum of Health and Medicine
Field Hockey at Frederick High
Boys Soccer home vs. Urbana High
Girls Soccer at Urbana High
Volleyball at Urbana High
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
V 3:30, JV 5:30 PM
JV 5:45, V 6:45 PM
THS Reading Buddies to Ballenger Creek Elementary School
Varsity Football vs. N. Hagerstown HS
10:20 AM – 11:05 AM
6:30 PM
See the FCPS calendar. *Dates and times are subject to change.
Keeping You Informed - School News
Dance Club is Getting Underway
Dance Club will begin meeting this week. Dance Club will offer free technique class after school in the auditorium and/or D100, Tuesday evenings from 5:00PM-6:30PM. Later in the semester auditions will take place for the THS Competition Team, which will begin competing in the Spring. See Ms. Moore in D100 for more details.
Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Has Begun - Tues and Thurs
Tuscarora's Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) has begun. Students are invited in for extra academic support in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies, and the Titan Learning Lab is available for other subjects. Titan Teachers work with students in whatever areas they need assistance. This is one-on-one tutoring support, with a snack provided. After ELO, bus transportation is provided at 4:15 for students to the following stops:
Crestwood Middle, Lincoln Elementary
Cawley Drive and Tivoli Road
Tuscarora Elementary and Carroll Manor Elementary
Adamstown, Buckeystown, Countryside
Students are encouraged to stay after school to get support, make up work, and prepare for upcoming assessments. Contact Assistant Principals Mr. Ratti or Ms. Smith with any questions.
#THS Reads - Show Us What You're Reading!
THS wants to promote reading for the THS community: staff, parents, and students. We hope you will play along! If you begin reading a new book for pleasure, work or class, pick up a magazine, a newspaper, etc. snap a quick picture and Tweet it with the #THSReads. We are going to track the data. Also monthly we will highlight & reward readers.
Tuscarora High School National Honor Society
All Juniors and Seniors with a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher are invited to apply to the National Honor Society. Application materials can be located on the THS website by going to Extracurricular, then Co-curricular, then NHS, and NHS candidate information. Applications must be submitted no later than 2:30pm on Monday, September 23, 2019 to either Ms. Crowell in B127 or Mrs. McGrew in A178. If a student has questions they can stop by an advisor's classroom or email at patricia.crowell@fcps.org and karen.mcgrew@fcps.org
Our New Attendance Communication Tool - One Call Now
Tuscarora has developed a school improvement goal this year to increase student attendance, broaden communication with parents around attendance, and lessen chronic absenteeism. We have recently contracted a program, "One Call Now" that automatically places a call to the indicated number of all students who miss one of more block during the school day. When families receive these calls, is is good to first ask the student why they may have missed a class. Parents should also check attendance records in HAC to determine which Block(s) the student may have missed. If parents or guardians feel this absence is in error, they are encouraged to email or contact the class teacher to clarify the record. Daily notification will help families be more in the know about missed class time and, at the extreme, class cutting. Parents are also welcome to call the attendance secretary at Tuscarora if they have general questions about attendance or "One Call Now".
Heath Class Curriculum - Parent Preview Night
Tuscarora High School will host a Parent Preview Night for parents to learn about high school health education materials on Thursday October 3rd at 6:00pm in Room A120.
The high school health education course is updated with new lessons on contraceptives. In addition to a chart that shows effectiveness rates of contraceptive methods, the class includes examples of different methods including a demonstration of condom use. FCPS continues to promote abstinence as the best method for preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The preview opportunity will allow parents to see the contraceptive kit and talk to the teachers about instruction.
2019-2020 Tuscarora Titan Athletic Annual & Season Passes NOW Available through the Athletic Office or at Home Games AVAILABLE THROUGH GoFan or at the main gate!
Season Passes will be available to purchase for the entire school year as well as for each athletic season as noted below. Make checks out to THS Athletics Passes can also be purchased online and sent to your phone at GoFan. Simply login and add the free App (GoFan) and purchase. No need to bring passes to games anymore - you can just show the pass on your phone at the ticket booth
Click Here to Order!
See FCPS absence procedures.
Congratulations, Commendations and Kudos
Kailyn Farmer - 11th Grade
Nominated by Ms. Steinhoff
A student in my class started crying after presenting to the whole class. I didn't notice, but Kailyn did. Kailyn informed me in a way that was respectful of the student and me. She was compassionate, thoughtful and respectful in an extraordinary way.
Here is a list of all 42 nominations! If the student you nominated did not win this week please still take the time to let them know you did nominate them.
howard.putterman@fcps.org
Lutonde Kyimbe
sophia.hamilton@fcps.org
Laura Crocker
Emily Shreiner
lizabeth.mummert@fcps.org
Khalil Jones
charles.zitrick@fcps.org
Jordan Boggs
katherine.bartman@fcps.org
Yahir Rojas
kierstin.rosensteel@fcps.org
Angie Rivas
jennifer.creter@fcps.org
Chase Fisher
Cameron Sweigart
laura.taylor@fcps.org
Alexandra Kish
ashley.robinette@fcps.org
Aaron Roberts
Kabien Biggus
Omegan Wright
Elijah Olssen
daniel.neuland@fcps.org
Michaeal Clne
cara.dawes@fcps.org
Jayden Tipton
nayibe.neuland@fcps.org
Brent Peate
terence.moore@fcps.org
Eliza Humphrey
judith.jorgensen@fcps.org
Milca Barou
kayla.steinhoff@fcps.org
Kailyn Farmer
christine.banovic@fcps.org
Fiorella Davila Gonzalez
lindsey.beck@fcps.org
Danielle Flippen
meredith.nickles@fcps.org
Antwon Brooks
Camille Martin
Julianne King
richard.hartman@fcps.org
Emma Morton
Azzoria Bowie
deanna.englar@fcps.org
Tyler Durham
Stephanie Orellana
caroline.ditullio@fcps.org
ISAIAH BARBER
heather.heitzer@fcps.org
Evan Miller
james.jensen@fcps.org
Lana Williamson
kelly.fogle@fcps.org
Narineh Tekeyan
meghan.schickton@fcps.org
Shea Taylor
Alex Zarate
sarah.biddle@fcps.org
Liam Jennings
patricia.crowell@fcps.org
Kamiyah Cox
francisco.derose@fcps.org
Roni Madilo
amanda.kremnitzer@fcps.org
Rebecca Rudy
sarah.welker@fcps.org
Kaleem Ricketts
Bryan Majano
lydia.kowalski@fcps.org
Alejandro Zentino-Fernandez
Senior Class of 2020 News
Internships, Scholarships and Job Opportunities
Booster Club Scholarship Available
Mid-Atlantic Emergency Management & Public Safety Career Day
FCC will host this informational event on September 26th from 2-6p.m. This is a networking event appropriate for individuals who are actively seeking work, as well as for those who are exploring career possibilities. The event will be located in the Conference Center. The following organizations will be attending:
Internship Opportunity at Rock Creek School for Current THS Seniors
If you are a senior interested in Special Education, Speech Pathology, or Occupational Therapy, Rock Creek School is looking for high school interns to work in their classrooms with their students.
You would need to meet grade, attendance, and discipline requirements. See Mrs. Mummert in A115 if interested.
Maryland Youth Apprenticeships
The new apprenticeship opportunities for Fall 2019 are now available on www.fcpsyouthapprentice.org
All application instructions and materials are available on the website. For further information, contact Mrs. Mummert at 240-236-6603 or at lizabeth.mummert@fcps.org
Counseling Office Updates
College Bound Sophomores and Juniors - PSAT Registration is Open!
PSAT Registration is now open and space is limited! The Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test (PSAT) is taken each year primarily by Sophomore and Junior students to help them gauge their readiness for the SAT or ACT exams. It also serves as a gateway to information about colleges and universities. ALL sophomore and junior students who potentially will attend a 2 or 4 year college should sign up to take this examination, which will be given during the school day.
WHEN: Wednesday, October 16th during Blocks 1 and 2
PAYMENT: $17.00
Please pay on the following link: https://frederickcounty.schoolcashonline.com/
If you are not able to pay through the above link, you may bring a CHECK payable to Tuscarora High School to Ms. Muby Pampori in the Guidance Office. Registration closes on Thursday, October 10th.
Student practice guides are available in the Guidance Office. Students should stop by after they have registered to get their copy!
FCPS Academy of Fine Arts College Night
The Academy of Fine Arts at Governor Thomas Johnson High School will be hosting an Arts College Night on Wednesday, September 25th from 6:00-8:30 p.m. There will be 25 institutions that will be in attendance. Please see the link below for more detailed information.
https://www.smore.com/ueasm
6:00-6:30-Presentation in Auditorium (types of colleges, types of degrees, and questions to ask during your college search)
6:30-8:30- Interact with admissions and faculty from represented universities.
Leadership Opportunity for Juniors and Seniors
The Rotary Club of Carroll Creek will be hosting a fall leadership program for junior and senior students in the county. This program will be an intense experience for up to 30 students who are interested in exploring the dynamics and day-to-day challenges of contemporary leaders in our community. These sessions will include: discussions of leadership principles, skills and behaviors, and group experiences to county/city facilities.
There is an application process and a $25 participation fee for this program. If you are interested in this program, please speak with your counselor for more details. Applications will be available in the THS Counseling Office.
October 15th - How to Get Money to Help Pay for College
This evening program, geared especially for Juniors and Senior parents and students features a college Financial Aid Director will explain the financial aid decision making process, the forms that are required, and the typical timeline when applying for financial aid. Please mark your calendars for this very important presentation on October 15th, 7:00pm in the THS Auditorium. Please enter through the Guidance side doors.
FAFSA Finish Programs
Registration begins October 1: frederickcountygives.org/FAFSAFinish
These programs will give you the opportunity to work individually with a Financial Aid expert who will help you complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Participants could receive one of eight $1,000-$2,000 scholarships upon completion of a post-event survey.
October 7
Catoctin High School
7:00-8:30 p.m.
October 12
Frederick Community College
1:00-4:00 p.m.
October 15
Hood College
October 16
Brunswick High School
October 17
Frederick High School
6:00-8:00 p.m.
October 21
Oakdale High School
October 24
Walkersville High School
October 29
Thomas Johnson High School
College, Trade, and Scholarship Information Fair
When: Sunday, September 29th 2p.m.- 4p.m.
Where: C. Burr Artz Public Library
110 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701
The following organization will have representatives at this event:
College Representatives at Tuscarora High School
The School Counseling Department has begun scheduling college representative visits at Tuscarora--starting as early as this coming Monday! Please check your Naviance account by going to "Colleges I'm Thinking About" and then "College Visits." From here, you will see the list of colleges that are visiting THS and this is where you sign up to meet with the college's representative. Register for the college visit by simply clicking on "Register Now."
Counselor Breakdown by Student Last Name: A-C Danielle Moore D-I Jessica McDonald J-N Carla Goto O-Sv Kay Wilson Sw-Z Joshua Harrison
PTSA and Booster Organizations
PTSA Membership
Thank you for your support to our membership campaign at Back-to-School Night, we are happy to share 94 MEMBERS gave us their positive response that evening! Our goal is 142 and this is very much attainable- we are close and with your help, we can deliver. If you are interested in joining and/or donating, a membership form can be found at https://tuscarorahsptsa.org/ in the forms section.
Other PTSA News
PTSA Monthly Meeting is this Tuesday, Sept. 17, 6:30pm-7:30pm at THS Media Center.
PTSA’s Restaurant Night for the month of September is at Chipotle on Wednesday, 9/25. Please don’t forget to mention THS PTSA.
Not a member of the PTSA yet? Find out how to Join the PTSA
See names of PTSA Board and Committee Chairs and more
Safe and Sane Graduation Celebration
Safe and Sane Planning Meeting - Wednesday, Sept 25th 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Roy Rogers 301 Ballenger Center Drive Frederick, MD 21703
Roy Rogers Fundraiser Night Wednesday, Sept. 25th 5-8 pm at Roy Rogers 301 Ballenger Center Drive Frederick, MD 21703
THS Class of 2020 Safe and Sane T-Shirts and Tumblers order form attached.
Dollar Donut Day on September 27. Safe and Sane will be selling Krispy Kreme donuts Friday mornings on Main Street $1/donut. If you would like a dozen or more donuts, you can pre-order them by emailing merearick@gmail.com by Wednesday evenings for that Friday. Please include your name and phone/extension number.
Puravida Bracelets will again be for sale on Dollar Donut Fridays! $10/bracelet.
Take advantage of the Early Bird Discount and register for Safe and Sane in September! $65 registration until Sept. 30th. Price increase to $75 on October 1st.
Like the THS Class of 2020 Safe and Sane Facebook page to get up to date information.
Email ths2020safeandsane@gmail.com with questions.
Future Starvin Marvin Days - Mark your calendar!
Tuesday, November 5, 2019, Tuesday, January 7, 2020, Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Learn More
Media Center Updates
Media Center Hours
Monday – Friday: 7:20 am – 2:40 pm
Media Center Website: https://education.fcps.org/ths/mediacenter
Media Center Twitter: @mediacenterTHS
Media Specialist: Carrie Palmer
Visit Our Online Resources
Titan Health and Wellness Health Room Technician: Bruce Thompson School Nurse: Tae Ju, RN Health Room: 240-236-6400, option 4
PRINCIPAL Christopher Berry TUSCARORA HIGH 5312 Ballenger Creek Pike Frederick, MD 21703 240-236-6400 Phone 240-236-6401 Fax
Follow Us on Twitter @THSTitanPride Visit Our Website
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS Helen Golibart Cynthia Hanlon Jody Ratti Tanisha Smith Helpful Links: School Cash Online Menus & Meals Grades Online www.fcps.org
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