September, 2005 PTSA Newsletter

Message from the Principal

Panther Parents:

As I begin my second year as principal at CHHS, I am excited about the possibilities of a new school year. I am thankful for all of the volunteers and CHHS staff members who have helped us get off to a wonderful start.

We are fortunate to have thirty new teachers to CHHS and approximately eighty new students this year. I am confident that we have warmly welcomed our new students and staff to one of the best schools in America.

Our staff has had a busy summer. Together, we revised our mission statement and beliefs. We ratified our new mission at our August staff development and it is prominently displayed throughout our school. Every staff member will individually recite these tenets at future staff meetings and this will become a part of "who we are". Our new document follows:

Mission: Colleyville Heritage High School: A community of excellence.

We believe in:

Cultivating relationships with dignity care and respect.
Highly effective instruction.
Honest, open, and responsive communication.
Success for each student.

Our Campus Excellence Committee has set our goals for the year. They are:

• to maintain a commitment to character development.
• to improve TAKS scores for all learners, increasing scores for all students in our sub-populations as well as increasing the numbers of commended scores in all areas
• to increase the number of students taking the ACT/SAT and AP tests.
• to increase the number of CHHS teachers who integrate technology into their lessons.

Our district has implemented a random drug testing program for all of our extra-curricular students. This program is in response to parent feedback gathered last spring. Our view is that this program will help our students make good decisions with respect to the use of illegal substances.

Finally, I want to encourage you to continue to be involved in your student’s education. Ask them about their homework, stay in contact with their teachers, take advantage of some of our volunteer opportunities, or attend some of our many activities where our students are competing or performing.

PTSA President’s Message

Welcome to our initial issue of the 2005-2006 PTSA Newsletter. I want to especially welcome our new parents and students to Colleyville Heritage High School. You will find CHHS has an outstanding reputation for excellence in academics, athletics and extracurricular activities. One of the goals of the PTSA is to make your student’s transition to CHHS as easy as possible. Please feel free to contact me or one of the PTSA officers if you have any questions about CHHS.

This year we are sending all our newsletters via email. The annual savings from printing and mailing hardcopy newsletters is over $8,000. We will use these savings to provide needed improvements throughout the school. Besides the monthly PTSA newsletter, you will be receiving periodic "Panther News" emails from the CHHS Administration and Staff. You also have access to several other key communication tools at CHHS and GCISD. The CHHS web site at www.gcisd-chhs.org has detailed information about all aspects of CHHS and provides links to web pages for various academic and extracurricular activities. The District web site at www.gcisd-k12.org will keep you informed of district-wide activities and events. The District also has an email newsletter named GCISD FastNews. It is a great source for timely information from the District. You can signup for FastNews on the District’s web site.

CHHS will be celebrating its Tenth Anniversary this year. There will be numerous events planned during the year to commemorate our "Ten Years of Excellence." The first of these events will be at our Homecoming Football Game on September 16^th. I hope you will join us for the Homecoming Parade, Fireworks and football game plus all our other anniversary festivities throughout the year.

Over the past several years, the PTSA has significantly increased its involvement at CHHS. PTSA provides extensive volunteer services for CHHS including support for registration, copy room volunteers, teacher appreciation events, cultural arts programs, special drug and violence prevention projects, campus bookstore and many other supporting efforts. The PTSA also provides scholarships and financial support for school improvements. Based on events this summer in Austin, it does not appear there will be any near term help from the state to increase school funding. So if we want to continue improving CHHS for our children, we will have to rely on financial support from the PTSA. "Greenback Night" is our annual fundraiser, which was held in conjunction with the Back-to-School Night on August 29^th. We had a goal of $15,000 this year and we are very close to reaching that goal. Thank you to all who have donated so graciously. If you have not turned in your Greenback Night donation yet, please have your student bring it to the CHHS Administration Office. Your donations will be put to excellent use.

PTSA volunteers are an essential element of the school environment at CHHS. The response of our parents has always been tremendous and I thank all of you who have contributed to make CHHS an outstanding high school. Please signup for one or more of the many PTSA volunteer opportunities. I would particularly like to invite our new parents to volunteer at a school function. Volunteering is a great way to become familiar with the school, faculty and other parents. Contact the PTSA Volunteer Coordinator, Judy Atwood at CHHSPTSAVolntr@yahoo.com , if you have any questions about volunteering.

It is only the third week of school but our athletic teams are already off to a good start. I encourage you to come out and support the extracurricular activities and athletic events at CHHS. We have very talented students in our school and they deserve your support and participation.

I am sure you are aware of the upcoming school bond election on September 10^th. This bond package includes many improvements for CHHS and will have a significant impact on all schools in the district. Bond election information is available on the district’s web site for your review. Early voting is available at the GCISD Administration Office next to Panther-Mustang Stadium on Highway 26.

Last but not least, CHHS has opened its doors to students from Louisiana who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Join me in welcoming these students and their families to our school and community. Relief efforts are underway to provide basic necessities for these unfortunate victims. If you want to help with these relief efforts, contact the school office at (817) 305-4700.

Sincerely,

Judy Davisson,
CHHS PTSA President

NEWS FROM THE COUNSELORS

Seniors: Don’t Miss these Special Events in September!

Darlene Tate, M.Ed., LPC, CHHS Counselor, darlene.tate@gcisd.net

CAMPUS EXCELLENCE COMMITTEE UPDATE

The Campus Excellence Committee, a committee composed of administrators, faculty members and parents, met several times over the summer to compile a list of performance objectives and strategies for the 2005-2006 school year. The campus improvement plan objectives are as follows:

1. Efforts will continue to ensure the educational stakeholders of CHHS maintain a commitment to character development that values individuals, and creates a safe teaching and learning environment.

2. CHHS will successfully prepare students from all sub-groups for college, evidenced by a continuing increase in numbers of students taking the ACT/SAT and AP tests with scores on those tests exceeding national averages.

3. The CHHS staff and administration will target instruction to improve TAKS scores for all learners. Evidence of completion will be an increase in 2006 TAKS scores for students, a decrease in achievement gap among sub-populations, and an increase in the number of commended performances in all subjects tested.

4. CHHS will improve technology education with an increase in technology availability and emphasis on integrating technology into the curriculum.

BOOKSTORE CUSTOMERS – EXCHANGE TIME ENDS SOON

Did you purchase books at the PTSA Bookstore during registration and have to exchange any titles? Please hurry over to the bookstore by September 30^th and complete the exchange. Contact Jan Mogged at 817.545.7111 for more information.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY UPDATE

Habitat for Humanity has changed its rules. Students must now be 16 to participate in construction projects; 14 to 15 year olds may work on landscaping assignments. CHHS's assigned workday is the second Saturday of each month. Mrs. Melissa Lamprich makes an announcement the week before, so that students may sign up to work.

If you need more information, send email to melissa.lamprich@gcisd.net

CHHS IS TEN YEARS OLD!

Plans are underway to celebrate the tenth anniversary of CHHS! Look for the page of special events in this issue of the newsletter and check out website for more information (www.gcisd-chhs.org) Just click on the anniversary logo (the "X") for more details. Fun activities are planned for the 10^th day of each month.

The celebration continues during Homecoming week with special events for the CHHS Alumni, starting with a float in the parade and followed by an alumni Tent Celebration on the stadium parking lot from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. on Friday night. There will be lots of food, a DJ and time to visit with fellow graduates. The Hall of Honor will be dedicated during homecoming week. Alumni can RSVP for the Tent Celebration on the website: http://www.gcisd-chhs.org/reunion/index.html

Ms. Gina Gourley and her students have painted a beautiful mural down the F Hall depicting the 10 years CHHS as been in existence. Be sure and drop by to see it if you are on campus.

CHEERLEADERS FUNDRAISER ON SEPTEMBER 24

The Colleyville Heritage Cheerleaders and the Grapevine Cheerleaders will be hosting their 3rd Annual Bingo/Silent Auction Night on Saturday, Sept. 24th. The fundraiser begins at 6:30 p.m. in the CHHS Panther Den. There will be Bingo games (with cash prizes), a bake sale, a silent auction, and a raffle drawing. The organizations will be raffling a 7 day Caribbean cruise for two, a mini iPod, and a BOSE stereo. See a cheerleader for tickets or contact CHHS Coach Laura Silva at 817-305-2071. All money raised will help both cheer groups attend Nationals. It's fun for the entire family!!

VARSITY CHEERLEADING IS A FINALIST FOR TLC SHOW

The CHHS Varsity Cheerleaders were selected as finalist to be cast in an upcoming reality show about cheerleading in Texas that will air on TLC (The Learning Channel). The production company has narrowed a search that began with looking at programs across the state of Texas. If selected, the company will film and follow the cheerleaders for the entire school year, taping community service projects, school events and competition.

SENIOR CLASS FUNDRAISER

The senior class will be holding their annual pen fundraiser to raise money for the senior prom. The pens and other products make excellent Christmas and employee appreciation gifts. Brochures and sample pens will be delivered to the school on Sept. 7 and students who signed up to participate in the fundraiser will be able to pick up their materials at lunch. Seniors who sell 20 items will receive one free prom ticket, and seniors who sell 30 items will receive 2 free prom tickets. Other prizes, including $50 American Express gift cards and a $100 cash prize for the top seller, are also available.

THEATRE NEWS

The Colleyville Heritage Theatre Department has got some very exciting evening going on in the next couple of months. The Oral Interpretation team has met with incredible success at their first tournament, winning first place in many events. We expect more success in the upcoming tournaments. If interested in going to a tournament and supporting our team, one can find our schedule at www.joyoftournments.com. The next tournament will be at Grapevine High School, September 9th and 10th.

We also have our fall show, Boys Next Door, coming up in October. It's a very challenging show for our actors, and should be very impressive. The story is about a group of mentally handicapped gentlemen living together and trying to function as active members of society. It deals with friendship, loyalty, and the human spirit's ability to overcome unbelievable odds. It has lots of laughs, but will also have you reaching for the tissues. The dates of Boys Next Door are October 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, and 16. Also in October is our annual Haunted House. The theme this year is once again Hollywood Horror, and each room in the Haunted House will be transformed into one of your favorite scary movies! Last year it was a huge success and should be even scarier this year, so definitely come check it out. If curious about what's going on with the Theatre Department, one can always check at the Colleyville Heritage website, www.gcisd-chhs.org Click on Activities, then Theatre and one can always stay informed. We'll see you soon!

The Value of Your PTSA Membership
Did You Know About the Following PTSA Member Benefits?

Barnes and Noble
National PTA and Barnesandnoble.com have developed a discounted online bookstore for PTA members featuring over one million titles of books, textbooks, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, and videos. Members will save 5 percent on all purchases ordered from this site in addition to any normal site discounts of up to 40 percent. New titles and special discounts will be featured periodically.

FedEx Kinko's
FedEx Kinko’s offers an exclusive 25 percent discount to PTA members on all of its products and services (some restrictions apply). Members can access the customized FedEx/Kinko’s/PTA website and sign up to receive their individual discount card. PTA leaders can also visit the site to receive a Diamond level discount card, which entitles them to even greater discounts.

S & S Worldwide
S & S Worldwide has been a leader in catalog and online products for education, crafts, recreation, and therapy for more than 90 years. As a National PTA Member Benefits Provider, S&S Worldwide offers PTA members a 10 percent discount on all purchases from their catalogs and with any online purchases.

Local Retailer Discounts

The Owl’s Nest – 10% Discount
The Perfect Petal - 10% Discount on corsages, boutonnieres, and mums
Luxor Custom Jewelers – 10% Discount
The Spa at The Village – 15% Discount
The Village Baking Co. – 10% Discount

These are just a few of the many benefits that come with being a member of the CHHS PTSA. Don’t forget the most important benefit – being an important part of your child’s educational growth.

Membership is just $6.00 – Join Today!

¿QUÉ ES EL PTSA?

¿QUÉ SON LOS PTA Y PTSA? El PTSA (y el PTA) es una organización de gente común que esta formada por padres de familia, maestros y otras personas en todo el estado que tienen un interés especial por los niños, las familias y las escuelas. Los miembros que integran el PTSA son tan diversos como lo es Texas en sus culturas, niveles de educación y su habilidad para formar buenos padres de familia. Al ingresar al PTSA, un miembro automáticamente comienza a formar parte de la organización más grande del estado que lucha por la defensa de los intereses de los niños y que actualmente cuenta con una fuerza de más de 750,000 miembros a lo largo de Texas. La diferencia entre las dos organizaciones es que el PTSA incluse estudiantes en los secundarios.

¿QUE HACEN LOS PTA Y PTSA? Los PTSA trabajan para los niños. Los PTSA se reúnen, estudian problemas, soportan a los maestros, hacen trabajos voluntarios en las escuelas, asisten a talleres de entrenamiento de como ser mejores padres y se informan de los problemas que están relacionados con los niños y la juventud. Como resultado, los miembros del PTSA llegan a ser mejores padres, maestros y ciudadanos.

¿CÓMO ESTA ESTRUCTURADO EL PTSA? Muchas de las unidades locales del PTSA se reúnen en un campo escolar. Con frecuencia, grupos locales de PTSA se unen para formar consejos. Por encima de los consejos hay 18 presidentes de distrito y una Junta Directiva del PTSA de Texas formada de voluntarios. La junta establece las pólizas de los PTSA en todo Texas. En Austin, un personal profesional ejerce funciones de soporte a la asociación.

¿PORQUÉ TENGO QUE ESTAR ENVUELTO? Por sus niños y su comunidad. Los estudios han demostrado que ser miembro del PTSA le provee a su niño y a otros alrededor de usted, con una mayor posibilidad de completar la escuela. Como miembro del PTSA, es más probable que usted sea un padre envuelto e informado. Esos son unos momentos muy peligrosos para los niños. Más que nunca, es importante para los padres aprender las maneras de mantener seguro a los niños, libre de problemas y envueltos en la escuela. El PTSA es el mejor lugar para adquirir ese conocimiento.

¿CÓMO ME PUEDO BENEFICIAR? El PTSA provee la oportunidad de conocer y hablar con otros padres que tienen las mismas preocupaciones que usted. Si comparte las preocupaciones comunes, usted se sentirá más capacitado para hacer el trabajo tan difícil de ser padres. Siendo parte del PTSA usted obtiene más soporte como padre y le resulta más fácil envolverse en la escuela. Usted no se sentirá más "solo" en la crianza de su niño. El PTSA le provee también oportunidades educacionales. Desde reuniones educacionales de padres a nivel local hasta la Convención Anual del PTSA de Texas, el PTSA fomenta el aprendizaje y el compartimiento de los logros. Fundamentalmente, el PTSA provee la oportunidad de servir, ser voluntario y contribuir al bienestar de todos los niños, ya que los niños son nuestro futuro. El PTSA lo introducirá a una gran variedad de actividades y oportunidades en donde usted puede compartir sus talentos especiales. El PTSA le dará la oportunidad no solamente de impactar a su comunidad local, sino también la de participar en diseño de leyes y pólizas que afectan a los niños en todo el estado.

¿CÓMO PUEDO ESTAR ENVUELTO? Contacte Dawn Patterson del CHHS PTSA a dgenepatt@aol.com. Para ser un miembro, el costo es $6.00. ¡Gracias!

THE "4-1-1" ON THE PTSA STUDENT PHONE DIRECTORY
HOW DO YOU WISH TO SEE YOUR INFORMATION IN THE STUDENT PHONE DIRECTORY?

It is our goal to include all the students attending CHHS this year in the CHHS PTSA Student Phone Directory. We hope to obtain our information from the enrollment listing in the attendance office. This way we will be able to make sure all of our wonderful students enrolled at the school, can also be included in the directory, unless you request otherwise. We will also be using the information that was turned into the PTSA at enrollment and during the membership drive. This year we plan on using the family home phone numbers, and not the students’ cell numbers since we all know that the students know how to get hold of each other, but in reality, the parents and teachers rely on the directory for their communication needs. This will be the biggest change that I know of at this time.

Also, if you did not like the way your information was listed in the directory last year, you may want to send me an email to make sure your I know exactly of any corrections. We realize there are sometimes circumstances that need to be addressed on a individual basis and will do everything we can to help carry out your wishes, but you will need to contact me in order to have your wishes carried out specifically.

If you DO NOT wish to have your student listed in the directory, I suggest that you call me personally or send me an email and let me know - without any further delay.

It is our intent to make this Student Phone Directory a great source of information for the students and families here at CHHS.

Thanks for all your updates and your positive comments!
Diane Dunlap, (817) 283-9470, dcdunlap@mac.com

STAFF APPRECIATION NEEDS YOU!

Do you like to bake or decorate? Do you have an hour or two to spare? Then Staff Appreciation is the volunteer opportunity for you! CHHS PTSA needs your help in showing our wonderful staff how much we appreciate them!

We will need help on the following dates this semester to assemble goodie bags:

• September 20
• October 18
• November 15
• December 13

If you can help on any of these dates or would like to help plan ways to show our gratitude by serving on the Staff Appreciation Committee, please call Laurie Turner at 817-858-0331 or e-mail LKTurner5@aol.com

THANK YOU, TINSELTOWN!

Thank you to Cinemark-Tinseltown of Grapevine for loaning CHHS equipment to use during registration days.

CHHS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEPTEMBER

We have a long-standing tradition of parental involvement, a tradition PTSA strives to continue in each year. At CHHS – you make a difference. So come join the volunteer roles. Sign up on-line at the school PTSA web site: www.gcisd-chhs.org Click on "PTSA" and then "Volunteer". Follow the instructions to send to the PTSA Volunteer Coordinator. This site location also gives you more details on all areas for volunteering.

Attention Students who would like to earn Volunteer Hours:

Student Volunteer Emailed Data Base: We are creating a separate database for CHHS students who would like to be aware of volunteer opportunities to earn community volunteer hours. Please email your interest and I will make sure you are notified of all opportunities.

September areas of help needed:

Office Support: Have you thought about helping in the front office? If you have a few hours, there are several opportunities for assisting the front desk and office staff on a regular basis. Judy Atwood, Volunteer Coordinator email address: chhsptsavolntr@yahoo.com
 

ATTENTION PARENTS OF COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS!

The PTSA, in conjunction with our counseling office, is sponsoring an informative parent program, "Countdown to College, on Monday, October 17th, in the auditorium. The General PTSA Meeting will begin at 6:45 p.m., followed by the program at 7:00. The major steps involved in a successful college admissions process will be addressed and information on the financial aspects of college including grants, scholarships, and financial aid will also be presented.

This will be an informative presentation for parents and students alike, particularly for those who are juniors and seniors. It's an evening you won't want to miss!

DESTINATION IMAGINATION SIGN-UPS ARE UNDERWAY

Come join a Destination ImagiNation team! Click here to download a signup form, get one on the 'activities' section of the school website (www.gcisd-chhs.org) or from the front office. Join today! New teams can start their creative engines to solve this year’s challenges. Please contact Barbara Love at 817-421-1474 for more Destination ImagiNation information. To read the complete challenges, check out the website www.destinationimagination.org

SHARE THE NEWS

Welcome to the first issue of PANTHER PAWS for the 2005-2006 school year. The newsletter will be delivered electronically to all CHHS households in the PANTHER PAWS E-MAIL LIST. Please share this newsletter with your friends and family members who may not have signed up yet. Encourage them to visit the school website: www.gcisd-chhs.org. All you have to do is click on the red "E-mail News" link on the upper right hand of the screen and sign in. Periodic updates will be sent to the mailing list. Check out the school website; it’s updated daily and contains links to all departments at schools, athletics and activities. Just add a shortcut to your computer’s desktop and you are one click away from all the happenings at CHHS. Send newsletter articles for the October issue by September 26^th to Mary Alice Rippe, macrippe@comcast.net.