Sept 1, 2018
Centennial High School Community:
It’s here! We promised you three weeks ago that your summer was coming to a close and, just like that, we’ve arrived at Labor Day weekend. We are so stinking excited for you to come back! Since my last email, the 3-year roof construction project has nearly come to a close. While there is still some work left to do, it is primarily cosmetic and clean-up in nature, so the facility is safe, secure and ready to be inhabited. As I write this, our custodial crew has been on site this lovely Saturday morning since about 5:00 am giving the hallways a final scrub and wax in preparation for the return of all 1,700+ students and staff on Tuesday. We can’t thank them enough for all they do to keep our school community safe and secure.
This weekend, the county will make students schedule available online. On Tuesday morning, students will report to first period where they will receive a hard copy of their schedule. In addition, there will be a poster in the main lobby of students first period classes in the event there is some roadblock to finding the information online. Morning ARL students are report to the cafeteria and morning release time students will report to Student Services.
While you’re looking up student schedules, please take care of your homework. That’s right, you have tasks to complete already. Remember that Family File update I asked you to take care of in early August? Well, 40% of you have. That’s pretty good, but not quite where we want to be. You see, I’ve been challenged by some of my colleagues to see who can get to 100% first. I’ve got a track record for winning this friendly wager and I’d appreciate it if you could help me do it again this year. Also, it’s really in the best interest of our students when this information is current and up to date; which is the real motivator for getting this done early. I appreciate you for taking the time to visit HCPSS Connectand taking care of this important task.
Finally, I’d like to to take a moment to thank our PTSA, Booster, and Friends of Music organizations for all they have done to contribute to our school community over these past several weeks. The time and support you have given to our students and staff is the most valuable asset we could ask for and you have given in spades! I also want to personally thank the folks who have welcomed me into the Centennial fold. I already feel right at home here and am truly looking forward to serving this great community.
Have a fabulous Labor Day weekend,
Cindy Dillon, Principal
OPENING DAY PROCEDURES
Students will report to their first period classes following the schedule posted in Synergy.
All students should note that they will receive a Personal Organizer the first day of school. This serves as a student’s hall pass throughout the year and should be used to help organize assignments and commitments both within and outside of the school day.
All students and parents are required to sign and return the Student Honor Code and Academic Integrity, Alcohol and Drug Policy Agreement, and other documents that will be distributed the first day of school.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT
Thursday, September 6th, 6:00 – 9:00 P.M It is suggested parents and guardians who attend BTSN arrange to carpool or if you choose to walk, arrive early. We ask that you support our efforts to reduce the impact of our event on our school neighborhood by following these suggestions. Please do not park on the road or in our neighbors’ driveways.
GETTING TO SCHOOL
The official school hours for Centennial High School for the 2018-2019 school year, as set by the HCPSS Board of Education, will be 7:25 am to 2:10 pm. Bus schedules will be printed the week prior to school in the local newspapers.
We believe that the safest way for students who do not drive themselves to get to school is by accessing the transportation provided. However, we do understand that there may be occasions when it is necessary to drive your student to school. When that happens, please follow the procedures listed below to help ensure the safety of all students during school arrival time:
Students who must be driven to school are to be dropped off at the gymnasium doors at the side of the building following the established traffic pattern.
Students may not be dropped off along Centennial Lane.
Parents are to refrain from making U-turns on Centennial Lane as it impedes traffic and contributes to unsafe conditions for students and drivers.
Students who are driving themselves to school are encouraged to arrive early to avoid being tardy. Traffic jams occur daily during the morning rush along Centennial Lane. We very much appreciate your partnership to ensure our commitment to student safety.
STUDENT SCHEDULES
Schedule Changes Will Only Be Made for one of the following reasons:
Students fully scheduled, who wish to make changes will be able to do so Tuesday, September 11ththrough Friday, September 14th.
Questions about schedules should be directed to Student Services: 410-313-2857
WELCOME VISITORS
In order to ensure the safety of all students and staff, all visitors must press the buzzer located to the right of the main entry doors to be admitted to our building. When we greet you, please provide us with your name and the reason for your visit. For example: 'I'm Mrs. Suber and I'm picking up my daughter, Tracy, for early dismissal.' -or- 'I'm Mrs. Dillon and my son, Cameron, forgot his lunch - again.' ...you get the idea. We will buzz you right in and direct you to report to either the main office, student services, or the health room, as indicated. All visitors must sign-in at the front office during regular business hours 7:10-2:40.
As a gentle reminder, please remember to bring in a valid form of identification (e.g. Drivers License) if you are picking up one of our students. It's also a good idea to double check your Emergency Procedure information to ensure the list of individuals authorized to pick up your student during the school day is up to date.
FAMILY FILE UPDATES NEEDED
All families must update their emergency contact information annually. While we recognize many of you may not have any changes to make, you must click through all of the screens and click submit in order to have this task completed. Some decisions require annual permission, such as permission to photograph your student, for example (this one is pretty important if you want your student to appear in the yearbook or in team/activity postings). We’d like Centennial to be the first high school to have 100% of the Family File information to be fully updated, so visitHCPSS Connect today and click submit on the final screen!
Common Roadblocks to Successfully Updating the Family File:
You can now reset your password with or without a security Q&A. So, if you've tried to update and hit a roadblock, please try again.
If you are having trouble remembering your username (which is the full email address for an adult responsible for the student account), call or email us and we'll let you you know what you should be using to access the initial time. Please note: You can not complete this task using the student login/account. It can only be completed via a guardian account.
Families new to HCPSS should receive an authorization key in your email. Follow those instructions.
If you've requested a reset, and haven't received an email, we need you to check your junk or SPAM folders. That seems to be where a bunch of those things are ending up. If you still don't have it, give us a call.
PARKING PERMITS AND SAFE DRIVER PRESENTATIONS
Seniors and juniors who wish to park at Centennial High School must complete a parking permit application AND attend the required driving seminar with a parent. The final driving seminar @ CHS for students will be held on Wednesday, September 5th at 6:30 p.m. A parent/guardian and the student must sign an attendance sheet upon completion of the presentation. Please be prompt! Doors close at 6:30 p.m. Parking applications will be available on our website or may be picked up in the front office. All Howard County students are required to pay a fee of $15 to park at school during the school day. Additionally, neighboring high schools offer subsequent safe driving seminars throughout the year. The complete schedule of dates/times are posted on the HCPSS website.
Students may mail in or drop off their completed parking application signed by parents together with a copy of a valid driver’s license and $15 fee in the form of a check payable to Centennial High School or online school payment at https://osp.osmsinc.com/HowardMD/.
STAY CONNECTED
Centennial High School’s website is a great source of information at www.chs.hcpss.org
On Twitter @hcpss_CHS
Visit the CHS PTSA website at www.chs-ptsa.org and CHS Boosters website atwww.centennialboostersonline.com.
Also another source to receive school news via email is the HCPSS News. To register please go to www.hcpssnews.com, click on Subscribe and select Centennial High School.
GOT BOOKS? IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO TURN THEM IN! - Outstanding Financial Obligations:
If you spent part of your summer vacation cleaning your room and you found some CHS Textbooks or Media materials, you should bring them in to school as soon as you get a chance. Any fines that were previously paid will be refunded in full. Because textbooks will be withheld from all students with outstanding obligations, those students should contact the Front Office as soon as possible to clear their obligations.
Students who ended the year with outstanding balances left on MySchoolBucks accounts will also need to take care of those tabs. You can clear those obligations by visiting www.myschoolbucks.comor by bringing funds owed on the first day of school. For more info about school meals programs, visit:https://www.hcpss.org/food-services/
MEDICATION FORMS
Students who require medication to be administered during the school day need to have new forms completed for this fall. Summer hours book fast and some physicians require a wait time for medical forms to be completed so schedule your appointments now! For your convenience, you can find these forms on-line at the HCPSS website by clicking on the link for Physician’s Orders (http://www.hcpss.org/aboutus/forms.shtml).
DIPLOMA SIGNATURE CHANGE FORM (Seniors Only)
The Howard County Public School System has instituted a Diploma Name Form for graduating seniors. A high school diploma is an OFFICIAL document. Accordingly, diplomas will be printed using the senior’s full legal name as it appears on the birth certificate, passport or court-ordered name change document. Any family that wishes to have the printed diploma use a name other than that which appears in Synergy should download a copy of the Diploma Signature Change Form and submit it to Student Services no later than Friday, October 5, 2018.