Welcome to the 2025-26 School Year

August 8, 2025

Dear CHS Families,

It’s almost that time!!! School starts on Monday, August 25, and we are so excited to welcome our students and their families to the 2025-26 school year! Throughout the school year, we keep in touch with our community through our weekly CHS News, which highlights news and upcoming events, as well as  student, staff, and community celebrations. We hope you enjoy celebrating our incredible students as much as we do!!!

As you prepare for the first day of school, everything you need to know may be found on the CHS website: https://chs.hcpss.org. The A to Z Reference Guide on the website is your one-stop information finder: attendance policies, parking permit applications, food and nutrition services, student technology support, and much more.  Here are just a few items to get started…

Our school hours are the same as last year: 7:50 AM to 2:35 PM. Please check the bell schedule to help plan for your first day. 

Thursday, August 21, is a big day on campus:

  • 9th Grade and New Student Orientation on Thursday, August 21,  from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Parents/Guardians, please drop your student off at 8:45AM. Students will report to the auditorium. We will have a copy of their class schedule ready for them. Students will then follow their schedules and meet their teachers.  Parents/Guardians are welcome to join their student at 10:30 AM for our open house and freeze pop social from  our PTSA, CHS Boosters, and Friends of Music.  Students can buy spiritwear, decorate their lockers, tour the Club Fair, and get help with their Chromebooks in the Media Center, turn in health forms, add money to their lunch account, and meet with their counselor if a schedule change is needed.  Locker numbers and combinations can be found on the student's schedule. Anyone with a locker issue can come to the Front Office for help. 

 

  • Open House for all students and families on Thursday, August 21, from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Parents/Guardians and all students are welcome to join us for our open house and freeze pop social from  our PTSA, CHS Boosters, and Friends of Music.  Students can buy spiritwear, decorate their lockers, tour the Club Fair, get help with their Chromebooks in the Media Center, turn in health forms, add money to their lunch account, and meet with counselors if a schedule change is needed.  Locker numbers and combinations can be found on the student's schedule. Anyone with a locker issue can come to the Front Office for help. 

 

  • Back to School Night on Thursday, August 21,  from 6:00 PM to 8:15 PM. Administration, PTSA, and CHS Boosters are hosting a general information presentation beginning in the auditorium at 6:00 PM. This presentation will be posted on our CHS website. Classroom rotations, when parents follow their child’s schedule, begin promptly at 6:30 PM.  All parents are welcome to attend. Please do NOT park in our bus loop. We suggest that 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.

 

TIPS FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL

Students –  IT’S TIME FOR LEARNING!!!!!! Here are some tips to help you get ready for the first week of school:

  •  It  is VERY important that you start waking up early! August 25th, will be here before you realize. We start school at 7:50 AM, and the first warning bell is at 7:45 AM.  

 

  • Ride your bus if you have one! If you drive, give yourself PLENTY of time in the morning! Traffic along Centennial Lane moves slowly in the morning and our parking lot gets crowded. You really want to be at school by 7:35 AM to have time to go to your lockers, get breakfast, and make it in time for class.  Students can begin entering CHS at 7:00 AM but must remain in the cafeteria until the bell at 7:30 AM. 

 

  • Phones and earbuds are not allowed during the school day per HCPSS Policy 8080. Families are reminded that students must abide by Board of Education Policy 8080: Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media. A dedicated phone is available in the main office for students to use during the day. 

 

  • Get your school supplies! Come prepared for learning on the first day of school. If you need school supplies, no worries – stop by Student Services or the Front Office for anything you may need.

 

  • CREATE a study space at home – get an area prepared now for you to study and do your homework. Start getting your school supplies ready and clear off a study area in your room.

 

  • All ARL students need to be prepared to attend ARL on the first day of school. Morning ARL students should be outside – at the bus loop – ready to board their bus by 7:45 AM. 

 

STUDENT SCHEDULES

Beginning August 8th thru 15th, students will have access to review their scheduled courses for the 2025-2026 school year through their Synergy account. This will be a list of courses only and will not include periods or teachers.  

We strongly encourage each student to review their listed courses for accuracy. All students should be scheduled for seven (7) credits. Total courses include college courses, work release time, and seniors who are aiding. If any student needs a schedule change they can contact their counselor or visit them during the Open House on August 21st. 

Please note that students will not be able to make course changes outside of a correction or a level change. No schedule changes will be made after Friday, August 22nd. 

We welcome some new faces to our counseling team this year! Please find your student’s counselor below. Please reach out to your counselor if corrections or level changes need to be made. 

Student last names A – C; Tracey Jones; tracey_jones@hcpss.org

Student last names D – Jn; Jim Tobin; james_tobin@hcpss.org

Student last names Jo – Ma; Ellen Mauser; ellen_mauser@hcpss.org

Student last names Mb – R & Seniors Mb – Sg; Chris Sanders; christian_sanders@hcpss.org

Student last names S–Z & Seniors Sh – Z; Irene Khaksari; irene_khaksari@hcpss.org

Student schedules will be available via Synergy on August 20, at 8:00 AM. Please note we are continuing to balance classes based on changing enrollment so please have your child check their schedule again on August 22. We will have printed schedules for all of our students. All students should bring a notebook and a pen/pencil on the first day of school to copy their schedules. 

Viewing Student Schedules: 

Starting on August 20, to view the student class schedule:

  • Log into Synergy > hcpss.me
  • Click on Class Schedule on left side

To see the student locker number & combination as well as Food Service PIN number:

  • Log into Synergy > hcpss.me
  • Click on  Student Info on left side
  • Scroll down to bottom to see locker number, locker combination and Food Service PIN number

FAMILY FILE

Please help us by taking a moment to update your emergency contact information in the Family File!

Parents/guardians must verify and/or update emergency information for each child every school year. This is completed online in Family File, which has several new updates including how and where to access. Full details on updating your Family File are available online.

One exciting new feature is that families now can submit a change of address via Family File, rather than completing a separate form and sending it to their school. Full directions and information for families on this new process can be found online.

SCHOOL MEALS

For the 2025-2026 school year, the meal prices are as follows: breakfast $2.00, lunch $3.30, and milk $.50. You can access your student's lunch account here. Students will be given a PIN # to pay for lunch. Please ensure your student has this number before the first day of school.

Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits. Families are encouraged to verify their eligibility and submit a FARMs application as soon as possible. Families must submit a new application every school year. Details on Free and Reduced Meals can be found here. 

 

FALL SPORTS

Fall Sports Begin Wednesday, August 13th!

Are you interested in playing a fall sport? If so, now's your chance! Tryouts for Cheerleading, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Field Hockey, Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Football, and Golf begin on WEDNESDAY, August 13. 

Complete the following before Wednesday to make sure you're ready for tryouts:

  1. Register for Athletics through Synergy's Parent Portal. Directions for Registration
  2. Upload a current Physical
  3. Upload a June, July or August utility bill

Reach out to Centennial's new Athletics & Activities Manager, Mrs. Clark, if you have any questions! You can reach her at rebecca_clark@hcpss.org or 410-313-2865

Check out @centennial_hs_boosters on Instagram for the most up-to-date tryout schedule!

 

TRANSPORTATION

The Office of Transportation will be sending out information regarding bus routes in mid-August. Stay tuned. 

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 either on the sidewalk next to Burleigh Manor, in front of the tennis courts,  or at the auditorium entrance at the side of the building following the established traffic pattern.
  • Drivers are NOT to use the parking aisles to drop off students. This is dangerous as we have students coming across the BMMS parking lot.
  • 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 arrive at/after 7:50 AM must enter the building by the main entrance (bus loop). Students are considered tardy after the late bell and may receive disciplinary consequences for multiple tardies. Students who arrive before 7:30 AM may wait outside or go to our cafeteria. Students enter through the doors in the front of the building that lead directly into the cafeteria. Students may NOT enter the school building before 7:30  AM without a teacher pass (with the exception of the cafeteria).

SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL

Please remember to support the groups who do so much for our school, staff, and students!We have an incredible community:

  • The CHS PTSA offers programs, services, and supports to enhance the high school experience for all students, teachers, and parents. Join the PTSA now by logging into the  CHS PTSA website.
  • The CHS Boosters serve all student extracurricular activities, including sports teams, school clubs, and student organizations. Join the Boosters now by logging into the CHS Boosters website.
  • Friends of Music supports vocal and instrumental music at CHS to guarantee the sustainability of these programs and to provide vital support to our music directors. Help our talented musicians thrive by joining us today through the FOM website: http://www.centennialmusic.org/.

Looking forward to seeing you,

Dr. Miller

SAVE THE DATE

August 13 – Fall Sports Tryouts Begin

August 19 – Fall Sports Parent Meeting, 6 PM

August 21 – 9th Grade & New Student Orientation, 9 AM - 11 AM

August 21 – Open House – 10th, 11th, 12th graders, 10 AM - 11 AM

August 21 – Back to School Night, 6 - 8:15 PM

August 22 – Marching Band Pass & Review, 7:30 PM in the Stadium

August 25 – First Day of School

September 1 – Labor Day, Schools and Offices Closed

September 11 – Back to School Night for ARL, 6:30 PM

September 17 – Professional Work Day, Schools Close 3 Hours Early

September 18 & 19 – Underclass Pictures

September 23 – Schools and Offices Closed

September 26 – 3rd Annual Boosters Eagle Golf Classic

September 27 –Homecoming: Breakfast, Parade, Game, Dance

October 5 – Emily Scott Memorial Walk, 11 AM

October 8 – Senior Crab Feast

 

MESSAGE FROM THE CHS FRIENDS OF MUSIC

Help Donate to Welcome Back CHS Staff!

CHS Music Department Families and Friends of Music are organizing a staff appreciation initiative to stock the lunchroom with light snacks and refreshments to help fuel their busy school days and bring smiles to their faces!

 Please consider donating any of the items on our list or if you prefer we do the shopping for you, you can make a cash donation by August 15th. Items can be dropped off to the CHS Cafeteria: Monday, August 18: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Use the following link to signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA2F8CF8-57412839-chsstaff

 Your generosity means the world to our staff and helps create a supportive school community. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference! Please contact Soon with any questions:soonbartlett@gmail.com

 

STAY CONNECTED

 

COMMUNITY NEWS

HCPSS Family Academy Kick-off Event

Join us for the HCPSS Family Academy Kick-off event on August 16th, from 9AM – 12 PM  at Guilford Park High School, a free event designed to support families as we prepare for a successful 2025–2026 school year! This event will feature valuable school and community resources, opportunities to connect with staff and partners and a keynote address from Superintendent Bill Barnes. Registration preferred, but not required. Childcare is provided with registration. All families are welcome!

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Shereé Tilley-Whitaker.

Event Flyers: