EAGLE NEWS

September 22, 2023

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

New School Hours

Thanks to all of our students and families for making the adjustment to the new school hours: 

7:50 AM to 2:35 PM

Remember, the doors and breakfast open to students at 7:30 AM. If you arrive at school before 7:30 AM please report to the cafeteria. The first warning bell for students is at 7:45 AM. 

 

Last Week to Donate!!! 

Please consider donating to the class of 2027!  Incentive prizes will be awarded.  Donations will not be accepted after September 30.   Read More

 

Get Ready for Homecoming!

Mark your calendar and join us for the student, family, and community homecoming events at CHS:

• PTSA Pancake Breakfast, October 14, 7:00 – 10:00 AM

•   Homecoming Parade, October 14, 10:15 – 11 AM

•   Varsity Football Game vs. Mt. Hebron, October 14, 12 PM

The Homecoming Dance for students is on October 14, from 7:00 – 10:00 PM.  Dance tickets are on sale now thru 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 8. The tickets for the dance are $20. Payment for tickets will be made through the HCPSS Online School Payments system. 

Students bringing a guest to the Homecoming Dance must complete a guest form. Guest forms are available in the front office, student Canvas community, and CHS website. All guest forms must be completed and returned to the front office by 3:00 PM on Friday, October 6. No guests 21 or older and no guests from middle school are permitted. Read more.

 

PTSA Homecoming Pancake Breakfast – October 14!

Get your tickets to the PTSA Pancake Breakfast! Enjoy a wonderful meal to start off your Homecoming festivities! All you can eat pancakes, sausage, fruit, drinks, and more... Be part of this CHS Homecoming tradition! Tickets are on sale now. 

 

Volunteers Needed for the Pancake Breakfast - October 14, 7:00 - 10:00 AM 

PTSA needs help to put on this community favorite event! Please consider volunteering for a shift during the pancake breakfast.  Use the Signup Genius link to sign up now. 

Thanks in advance for lending a hand!

 

Homecoming Spirit Week

 Hey eagles! Homecoming Spirit Week is the week of October 9th.  Here are the official themes:

 Monday, 10/9 – No School

Tuesday, 10/10 – Barbenheimer Day: dress in pink or business attire or even both

Wednesday, 10/11 – PJ Day: come to school in your comfiest PJs

Thursday, 10/12 – Adam Sandler Day: show up in your best Adam Sandler outfit

Friday, 10/13 – Color Day: represent your class at the pep rally! 

• Freshmen – black

• Sophomores – blue

• Juniors – white

•  Seniors – red

• Staff – gray

 We can't wait to see your school spirit!

 

RTA Bus Passes

Thanks to a continued partnership between HCPSS, Howard County Government, and Regional Transportation Agency (RTA), all HCPSS middle and high school students have access to free RTA bus passes through summer 2024. Students have full access to the RTA system and are not limited to transportation to and from schools or to school-related activities.   

If your child is interested, they can visit our front office to request a free pass. Read more. 

 

Assessment Results for SY 22-23

 Students who participated in the 2023 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) for grades 3-8, English 10, Algebra I and II, and Geometry in the 2022-2023 school year will be hand carrying home individual score reports.  They will be distributed by September 29, 2023. 

These results will be used in combination with other assessments and class work to gauge overall student performance. For more information on MCAP, please visit https://www.hcpss.org/academics/testing/mcap/.  

 

BSAP College and Career Opportunities Night – October 12

The HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program invites you to attend the upcoming  BSAP College and Career Opportunities Night  on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at Long Reach High School. This College and Career Opportunities Night invites scholars in grades 8 - 12 countywide to network with working professionals, colleges, and universities, explore post-secondary opportunities, and learn more about HCPSS pathways. The evening will highlight a variety of colleges and universities as well as local businesses and organizations. To register, please complete the Registration Form linked here. 

 

2nd Annual Emily Scott Memorial Walk

Please join us for the 2nd Annual Emily Scott Memorial Walk on Saturday, September 30th at 10 AM right here at CHS! Registration is closed, but feel free to come to the walk and make a donation. Bring your friends and family to help honor the legacy of 2018 graduate, Emily Scott, who tragically passed away in May of 2022. For more information please visit here. Last year, we were able to award two Centennial Seniors a scholarship in the amount of $2,500. If you have any questions, please reach out to emilyscottmemorialscholarship@gmail.com. We look forward to walking with you on September 30th!

 

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Date Changes for PSAT

The dates for the PSAT have been changed. Please take note of the new dates:

October 11 - 10th grade

October 18 - 11th grade

 

Calling all Sophomores in the Class of 2026! 

Our annual donation campaign is up and running. Families received a letter home in the mail last week. This year we will be in charge of securing a Prom location and beginning the early planning process for next year's Prom. We can't do this without your support! Read more

 

Attention Seniors – Fall Discretionary Day!

October 11, 2023, will be a discretionary day for all seniors. Seniors should use this time to conduct college visits, complete college applications, participate in job shadowing and/or schedule doctor's appointments, etc.  English teachers will be holding a College Essay Writing Workshop in the cafeteria. Seniors are highly encouraged to attend.  Please contact Ms. Somerville (jeri_somerville@hcpss.org) if you have questions.  

 

Update Your Family File

All families must update their emergency contact information annually. We’d like Centennial to be the first high school to have 100% of the Family File information to be fully updated, so visit HCPSS Connect today and click submit on the final screen! Read more.

 

Apply for Financial Aide

The HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

Parents/guardians must submit a new application every school year to maintain their student’s eligibility.

 

Student Technology Supports

Students, please remember to bring your chromebook fully charged to school every day.  We have a limited number of loaner chromebooks reserved only for students with broken chromebooks.  If your chromebook is not working, please bring it to the media center.

 

Student Meal Payments

New this year, HCPSS will use LINQ Connect, a secure, online portal that allows families to make payments to their child’s meal account, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more. More information, including how to set up your account, is available online.

 

Lockers

Lockers are available to all students throughout the school year. Students may come to the front office before the school day begins, during their lunch shifts, or during Eagle Time to request a locker assignment.

 

Parking Permits

Permission for students to drive and park vehicles on school system property is a privilege. Parking spaces for students at Centennial High School are limited. Accordingly, in order to be granted this privilege, applications for parking permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis in priority order: 1) Seniors; 2) Students enrolled in Work Study/Intern Mentor Programs; and, 3) Juniors.

Permits will be issued in this order through the end of the third week of school. Beginning September 18th, remaining permits will be issued in the order applications are received. Permits will not be reserved for students who do not yet have a valid Maryland Driver's License. Students ARE NOT required by the school system to attend a ‘Safe Driving’ presentation this school year.

To apply for your permit:

• Login to HCPSS.me.

• Complete the application packet and save as a pdf.

• Take a photo of your driver’s license.

• Follow this link to submit the online application. The information collected through the online application is required by HCPSS.

• Your submission will be reviewed, and you will be notified via email once it is accepted.

For questions about applying for a parking permit at CHS please contact Kristen Forman at Kristen_forman@hcpss.org.

 

Attendance

Please follow these procedures to report an absence:

Absence notes and tardy notes for excused absences are to be emailed to CHSabsence@hcpss.org. Students who bring in physical notes may drop them off in the front office before the start of the school day. 

Discretionary absence requests must be completed and attached through email in advance of the absence. The last possible day of school for the 23/24 SY is June 18th. If there are any make-up days added to the end of the year, we need you to be available to take exams on any day from June 7-18. Any requests for Discretionary Absences during that window of time will not be approved. Likewise, Discretionary Absences will not be granted during the week of January 16th, mid-term exam week. For questions about attendance, please reach out to our Attendance Secretary, Diane Howse at diane_howse@hcpss.org.

 

 Support the Groups Who Support Us

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/.

It is important to support organizations that do so much for us and our students. We are a community! 

 

Stay Connected

•  Centennial High School’s website is a great source of information at https://chs.hcpss.org.

• On Twitter @hcpss_CHS and Instagram @CentennialHS.

•  CHS PTSA https://www.chs-ptsa.org/and  CHS Boosters https://www.centennialboostersonline.com/.

• CHS Friends of Music http://www.centennialmusic.org/

•   Register to receive school system updates and alerts at https://www.hcpss.org/hcpss-news/, click on Subscribe and select Centennial High School.

  

 UPCOMING EVENTS

Date	Time	Event
September 25		Schools closed for Yom Kippur
September 30		Emily Scott Memorial Walk at 10:00 AM
October 4		Band Concert at 7 PM
October 9		Schools closed for students
October 11		Choir Concert at 7 PM
October 11 **This is a date change		PSAT - Grade 10
October 12		Orchestra Concert @ 7 PM
October 13- 14		Homecoming Weekend (Pancake breakfast, parade, game, and dance)
October 18 **This is a date change		PSAT - Grade 11
October 18		Senior Tropical Night
October 20		Schools closed for students
October 25		Flu Vaccination Clinic
October 26 - 9		CHS Theatre presents Lost Girl  Performances at 7 PM on October 26, 27, and 28 Performances at 2 PM on October 28 and 29
October 31		3-hour early dismissal; end of first marking period ASVAB Fall administration
June 11		Last scheduled day of school  Last inclement weather day weather day June 18

 

CECongratulations to the following seniors who achieved the status of Commended Students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program:

Max Balakirsky                    Ramy Kaddouri                    Evan Salter 

Katherine Bell                       Varshitha Kasiraman            Elizabeth Sedor

Joanna Blackman                  Evan Kim                            Sanika Shah

Eric Bush                             Srikar Kodali                        Sumedha Shastry

Abigail Chao                         Seonyoung Lee                    Nivedha Srinivas

Peter Chen                           Allie Liu                               Jack Stachera

Michelle Fradlin                    Andrew Liu                           Luis Valerio

Stephanie Gao                      Daotian Ma                         Arif Vempalle

William Gao                         Varsha Makkapati                Rohan Vyas

Ishani Ghosh                        Gordon Mei                         Renee Wu

James Hawkins                    Dia Nawathe                        Devin Yildirim

Joshua Herren                      Chloe Ng                             Jason Yu

Ming Huang                         Clara Pan                             Justin Yu

Abishek Iyer                        Jason Pang                           Kevin Zhang                             

Vijay Jagarapu                     Nithya Sai Parepally            Patrick Zhang

Viraj Janeja                         Michael Parker                     Madison Zhao

Kirankishore Jayaprakash     Olivia Roh                            Lanting Zhu

 

We are Eagle Proud!

 

Congratulations to the following students on Perfect AP Scores:

Hannah Chen, Class of 2023: 2-D Art and Design (1 of 337 students with perfect scores   worldwide)

Jaden Li, Class of 2025: Computer Science Principles (1 of 459 students with perfect scores worldwide)

Sakina Ibrahim, Class of 2023: 2-D Art and Design (1 of 337 students with perfect scores worldwide)
 

COMMUNITY NEWS

SAT Prep

The Answer Book is teaching a two-day SAT prep class in the CHS Media Center on Saturday, September 30th and Sunday, October 1st from 9:00AM to 1:00PM.

 

Howard Lions' Pride Third Annual Craft Fair

Saturday, October 21ST,  from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Howard High School. Our 100+ vendors will be selling crafts, books, candles, kitchen goods, jewelry, home decor, clothing, accessories, and much more! General Info link: https://tinyurl.com/3tzxuhme.