September 2012 CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Principal: Clinton H. Giles Our job is to improve, not just maintain. Vice Principals: Daniel Ramezan Wendy D Bailey Susan M Young Angela S Cruikshank

Opening Day of School

Friday, August 17, 2012 was the official first day of school for all Kanawha County School students. Capital High School has opened its doors to 1293 students. Administrators, teachers, service personnel and students remarked that this was the smoothest opening we have had in the 24 year history of the school. We had few unscheduled students. A few student schedules needed alterations and additions to some class periods. The vast majority of teacher rolls were up-to-date. We did open school with two teacher vacancies. Although we have several long term substitute teachers in the building, all have certifications and endorsements in the subject areas they teach. Only a few of the 28 school buses that serviced Capital High School that first morning had any difficulty making the rounds and they were only as few minutes late. After school there was no significant delay in any bus departure. There were a few students who reported they had missed their bus that afternoon after school had been dismissed promptly at 3:05 P M. There was a bit of difficulty in establishing the correct bus for a moderately large group of student athletes. However, after a few days this issue was satisfactorily resolved with the assistance of the Elkview bus terminal supervisor. We thank the supervisor for her generous assistance. I'd like to take this opportunity to extend to Mr. Clinton Cope and the custodial staff much-deserved commendation for the outstanding condition that the building was in on the first day. Clearly, the entire custodial staff had worked tirelessly in order to ensure that everyone was welcomed back into a sparkling clean, brightly lit, well-maintained environment that continues to be a source of great pride for us all. Although the building is not fully occupied, space is at a premium. Ms. Patti Bumpus and our two clerks, Ms. Connie Hanna and Mrs. Laura Woolwine, have worked feverishly since we returned to work on July 9, 2012. We could not possibly have had an opening this smooth without their efforts.

Our classroom aides did an outstanding job assisting the teachers in their preparations for the students to arrive. Most all have gone above and beyond the call of duty on several occasions already this year. Students have been receiving some of the best meals ever served at Capital High School. We thank Mrs. Brenda Morris and the food service staff for that. Only on a few occasions have the meals been served on anything other than standard cafeteria trays! Recognizing the additional effort required of the cooks to provide this added touch everyone is deeply appreciative of the changes that they have seen so far while the food service program is undergoing a continuing transitional period. As I have remarked recently, whenever an organization - especially a large complex organization - experiences success in any way, shape, form, or fashion, there is no single person who can take credit for that success. Many, many people in the background working hard and putting forth their best efforts without seeking any personal recognition or gain deserves the credit for the success - not one single individual.

Open House 08/30/12

Our annual Capital High School Open House was hosted on the evening of August 30, 2012 beginning at 7:00 PM. During Open House parents were able to pass through a mock schedule of the school day here at Capital High. The parents were afforded the same six minute walk time between classes that the students have. While they were in each classroom, parents were able to become acquainted with the teachers, especially those they had not met before. The teachers shared with the parents their course syllabi, expectations for behavior and performance in class and their grading scales, among other things. The middle of our mock school day was a time for rest and relaxation from the hectic schedule being followed. Parents and students present observed lunch in the commons during the respective lunch period (4th, 5th, 6th) of their student. This enabled us to provide parents with an opportunity to sit and recover a bit or congregate together and meet other parents. During the lunch period, healthy snacks consisting of various fruits and juices were served. After the lunch periods, the schedule was resumed with all remaining classes meeting through the completion of the regular schedule. Subsequently, our mock school day ended and everyone was able to leave and travel safely to their respective homes, we hope. We want to thank the many hundreds of parents who attended the Open House. Without your presence and the demonstrated concern for and support of education you so abundantly provided, the evening would not have been nearly as successful.

A special thank you is extended to the faculty and staff of Capital High School. The gracious extension of your time and the effort you displayed working to prepare for the evening were generous gestures that will not go unrecognized neither will they soon be forgotten!

New Faculty and Staff Members

Several new faces appear at Capital High School for the 2012 - 2013 school year. We ask that you join us in giving them a hearty welcome to the home of the Cougars! Together, they assist in ensuring that one of the most capable, competent, qualified professional faculties ever assembled in a public school in West Virginia continues to be employed at Capital High School. Several recently retired Capital teachers are serving as long-term substitutes. Additionally, we have added another Capital High School graduate/alumnus (Anne Endres) to our fine faculty. Subject fields and names for our newest faculty and staff members are: Regular Teachers English-12 English-9 CSU Exceptional Students Math Social Studies Spanish Fine Arts/Art Speech Therapist School Nurse Ms. Jennifer Cogar Mrs. Mary Harrah Mrs. Julia Garnes Ms. Toni D. Marino Mrs. Valerie Hanshaw Leasure Ms. Anne Endres Mrs. Donna Young Ms. Elizabeth Jordan Mrs. Rebecca Barr

Substitute Teachers Applied Arts & High School 101 English Math Day (Returning) Math Day (Returning) Mr. Bob Scott (Retired) Mrs. Pat Edwards (Retired Mr. Terry Ferrell (Retired) Mr. John Vencill (Retired)

Service Personnel Secretary Custodian Custodian Mrs. Cheryl Gray Mr. Denny Taylor Mrs. Diane Laughlin

Cook I

Mrs. Millie ODaniel

Over the course of the summer and until the beginning of this new school year several former faculty and staff members left Capital High School through retirements and transfers. They all contributed immeasurably, in a positive way, to the education of thousands of students. We miss them and wish them all well in their present and future endeavors.

Local School Improvement Council 08/30/12

Our first meeting of the 2012 2013 school year was held Thursday evening August 30, 2012 at the school. The regular Capital High School Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) will always meet at 6:00 PM the Thursday before the Instructional Support day unless otherwise specified. The agenda for the first meeting included the following entries: Principal Information/Updates Mr. Giles School opening enrollment -1293/ new teachers & substitutes *Seniors last day May 17, 2013 Graduation/Commencement - Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - CCCC* - A Limited Number of tickets for each graduate will be provided. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates. Pupil Services and Facilities Assistant Principal Presentation Ms. Bailey, Mrs. Cruikshank, and Mr. Ramezan Discipline program overview, Discipline referral process, Suspensions, Expulsions. Curriculum Presentation Mrs. Young West test scores, Advanced Placement (AP) data, Staff Development The annual Capital High School Attendance Area LSIC meeting will be held at West Side Elementary School on Thursday December 6, 2012 beginning at 6:00 PM. This meeting will be hosted by the Superintendent of Schools and the Kanawha County Board of Education. Below are the dates for the Instructional Support days and the meeting dates for the Capital High School LSIC. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend and participate in the Local School Improvement Council meetings. Created by an act of the West Virginia Legislature, the LSIC affords parents and guardians important opportunities to participate in the decision making of the school. A viable Local School Improvement Council is an essential advocacy group that can serve to ensure the success of the school, in general and the highest levels of student achievement in particular! Instructional Support Days L SIC Meeting dates IS Day - October 15, 2012 December 06, 2012 IS Day - December 21, 2012 *LSIC - October 11, 2012* Area meeting at West Side Elementary LSIC - December 13, 2012

IS Day - February 11, 2013 IS Day - April 08, 2013 *IS Day June 03, 2013

LSIC. February 07, 2013 LSIC- March 28, 2013 LSIC May 16, 2013 Instructional Support Day

The first Instructional Support Day (IS) of the 2012 -13 school year will be held at Capital High School on Monday, October 15, 2012. As usual, teachers will be in their respective rooms to meet with parents from 8:00 AM until 10:00 AM. Beginning at 10:00 AM the Capital High School Faculty Senate will convene and will conclude its business at 12:00 PM. Lunch will be observed from 12:00 until 1:00. After lunch, staff development will follow lasting from 1:00 until 4:00 PM in various locations throughout the building. Instructional Support Days for 2012 - 2013 IS Day - October 15, 2012 IS Day - December 21, 2012 IS Day - February 11, 2013 IS Day - April 8, 2013 *IS Day June 3, 2013 How to Avoid Tardiness to Class (Suggested Locker Routine & Time Management) (When to Go to Your Locker) 7:10 To Locker Obtain all books and materials for 1st and 2nd period classes. Take all of these books and materials to Home Room with you. 9:38 To Locker - After Home Room during Extended Walk Time Discard books and materials from previous periods. Obtain all books and materials needed for all classes prior to your respective lunch period To Locker - When going to your respective lunch Discard books and materials from previous periods. Obtain all books and materials needed for classes before 6th period Take these books and materials to lunch with you! (Students who have 6th period lunch may need to carry materials for 3 class periods prior to then.) 1:10 To Locker - After 6th period during Extended Walk Time Discard books and materials from previous periods. Obtain all books for 7th and 8th period classes. Extended Walk Time Extended Walk Time (8 minutes) is provided to afford both students and teachers an opportunity to accommodate personal needs at strategic points during the school day. An opportunity is provided mid-morning. Additionally, an opportunity is provided midafternoon. You are encouraged to condition yourself to take advantage of the opportunity established within the routine suggested above to provide for your own comfort and convenience. (The respective student lunch period is a naturally occurring, mid-day opportunity.)

Points of Emphasis Always proceed directly from one class to the next. Stopping to talk will practically ensure that you will be tardy to your next class. Always go to class first to obtain permission from your teacher for that period to go to the R/R between classes. Always go to class first to obtain permission from your teacher for that period to go to a locker; see a counselor; see an administrator; see another teacher about an assignment, etc.

2012 2013 Fall Honor Society Application Opportunity

Monday, September 10, 2012 will mark the date that applications will be made available for a select grouping of students who wish to have their names considered for induction into the Capital High School Chapter of the National Honor Society. This select group will be limited to members of the 2013 graduating senior class of Capital High School whose applications as underclass persons may have been declined previously, and other senior class members who may not have attempted to apply previously. We have established a GPA standard for this and future application requirements at 3.5, either weighted or non-weighted. Also, we feel that by establishing this additional application opportunity during the first nine weeks of the school year we provide the largest number of seniors the opportunity to include this distinction on their college and scholarship applications by extending the invitation to qualified applicants to join the National Honor Society here at the Capital High School. The established policy of Capital High School is to establish this early application opportunity during the first weeks of the school year, in perpetuity. The tentative timelines established for this is as follows: Applications obtained and completed September 10 to September 21 Applications are evaluated September 24 to September 28 Notification to applicants and parents - October 1 to October 5 We will continue to offer the traditional early spring application opportunity beginning at the conclusion of the first semester (middle of January) and concluding with induction ceremonies - both on school time and after school - by the end of March. All early applicant inductees (1st nine weeks) will be included in these ceremonies

STUDENT SIGN-OUT, SIGN-IN, RETURN TO CLASS

(From pages #12 and #13 of the 2011 2012 Capital High School Student Handbook)

The following procedures cover signing out, signing in after an absence or when tardy, and returning to class after an absence:

Signing-Out
1. The student should have his/her agenda book. 2. The student must bring a note signed by the parent or guardian to the

Attendance Office one day in advance of the sign-out date. 3. The parent or guardian must call the Attendance Office one day in advance of the sign-out date. 4. All medical or legal appointments must be verified in writing on an appointment card or official stationery, by a physician, dentist, law enforcement official, legal agent, or a representative of the office/firm visited. NOTE ADDED: Absent compliance with items #2 and #3 above a parent/guardian must be present in order for a student to be signed out of school. NOTE: There should never be an occasion wherein a student leaves the campus before the scheduled end of his/her school day without signing out through the Attendance Office. Students who do so will be considered as having skipped and will be dealt with accordingly. They will be credited with an unexcused absence for the day as well. Signing In Following an Absence or Tardy The student arriving late to school and/or returning to school after three (3) or more consecutive days absence: 1. Must appear at the Attendance Office window and have his/her admit processed before being allowed to return to class. 2. Shall not be permitted to sign in tardy or late for school, for reasons other than those authorized under the State Department of Education guidelines covering excused and unexcused absences.

Counselors Corner
Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year. We have been off to a busy, yet positive start. All students should be appropriately scheduled and on track for this year. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to connect, please feel free to contact your childs counselor. Each counselor works with grades 9-12 and is assigned a certain part of the alphabet. Below you will find your childs counselor and contact information. A-E- Lori McNabb, Ext. 108, [email protected] F-K- Lisa Dorsey, Ext. 106, [email protected]

L-R- Anne Flynt, Ext. 104, [email protected] S-Z- Jennifer Stowers, Ext. 105, [email protected] PSAT test will be administered on October 17th. Students should see Mrs.Woolwine in the career center to register for test. SENIORSSenior Parent Night will take place on Thursday, September 6th @ 6:00P.M. in the LGI at Capital High School. There will be a lot of important information given out regarding FAFSA, credits, transcripts and much more. ACT Test dates: Test Date Required September 8, 2012 2012 October 27, 2012 5, 2012 December 8, 2012 2012 February 9, 2013 2013 April 13, 2013 2013 June 8, 2013 2013 Test Fees ACT- No Writing $35.00 ACT Plus Writing $50.00 Registration Deadline August 17, 2012 September 21, 2012 November 2, 2012 January 11, 2013 March 8, 2013 May 3, 2013 Late Fee August 18-24, Sept. 22-Oct. Nov. 3-16, Jan. 12-18, March 9-22, May 4-17,

From the Studio

As usual, while many were enjoying the summer, the Dance Company was already hard at work. After performing at Festivall, they endured four weeks of classes and two choreography sessions. Now that we are back at school the dancers are taking technique class twice weekly, creating new Hip Hop choreography and working on new dance works. We just finished two wonderful workshops with professional dancer/choreographer/instructors Daniel Hunalp and Nic Harris. The fun never stops!

Other dance classes have started their year with a unit about how dance can be used as a means of healthy living. We have discussed eating habits and how to use dance to stay toned and keep the body moving. We will continue with this idea in mind as we move into our first Jazz Unit. We have more boys than ever involved in dance here at Capital and they are doing great work. Athletes are using dance to gain greater flexibility and agility. Other students are just taking class for the love of the art. It has been a great start to the year. The Dance Company continues to work hard in preparation for upcoming performances. Our first scheduled performance so far will be our Homecoming Pep Assembly where we will test out some of our new skills. It should be one to watch this year as we are incorporating some throwbacks. Put December 1st and 2nd on your calendar as it will be our first showcase and will include all the work we have done so far, as well as some other guest performances. We are currently selling Save Around books and, as always, have Kroger cards available. Please contact Ms. Legg if you would like one of the books or cards. Below you will find some bullets regarding things we have upcoming. Please feel free to email or call Ms. Legg for more information on ANY of these events or to book us for a performance. Email: [email protected] Phone: 304-348-6500 ext. 159 September 16th Dance Company Cookout October 12th Homecoming Pep Assembly December 1st or 2nd Contemporary Holiday Performance December 22nd Performing Arts Holiday

The 2nd Tuesday of Every month is the Dance Booster meeting at 6PM.

Physical Education
The Physical Education department kicked off the year with new activities for this year. We are doing a lot of teamwork activities that we hope will allow our students to get to know each other, help each other feel more comfortable and have better sportsmanship as we move through the semester. We are building towers, forming letters with our bodies, and many more team building activities. We have also started into our Frisbee unit where we are using much of our new equipment we received for this year. Students are throwing, catching, laughing and having fun!

Spotlight on VIPs
Stay Informed! Communication is critical to the success of the Capital High School Choral Music program. We communicate with choral students and their families by email with monthly newsletters which contain information about VIP events, important dates and times, and occasional last minute bulletins. The Capital High School Voices In Perfection Show Choir worked July and August with body conditioning in preparation for the school year. Student exercised by running and dancing designed to teach the fundamental dance combinations for this years competition show. August 9-11 the VIPs held their annual camp at Cedar Lakes in Ripley, West Virginia. They had a jam-packed 2-1/2 days of choral and vocal technique while learning approximately eight new songs they will perform throughout the year. Two weekends later they had their first choreography workshop with Gates Crisler from San Francisco, CA. They completed the first two songs of their competition show, which is amazing. Thank you to the students for their HARD work and to parents who provided lunch and snacks both days of the workshop. Two songs down and three to go! Keep up the good work. September 11th is our first VIP Choral Booster, Inc. meeting at 7 PM in the Choral Room (322) where we will be discussing our Spaghetti Dinner and Auction to be held on October 15 in connection with Parent-Teacher Conferences. More details will be given about the Dinner-Auction in the October newsletter.

Foreign Language
While we wished Mrs. Ayers a happy retirement, we worried about finding her replacement. Mrs. Ayers very successfully taught Spanish I and II for fifteen years, and we knew it would not be an easy task to replace her expertise and dedication to the school. However, fortune favored us again, and one of our very own scholars came to us ready to teach Spanish I and II. We are so proud to announce that Miss Ann Endres, recently graduated from Concord College and still working on her masters degree, has joined the teaching staff at Capital High School. Miss Endres spent the summer in Spain perfecting her language skills and acquiring the cultural background that she needs to teach Spanish. It is with great pride that we welcome one of our own students back home to Capital High School.

English Department News

This summer several of our teachers in the English department participated in a variety of family, community, and continuing education opportunities that broaden and deepen their content knowledge and skills in their classrooms. Susie Garrison took a weeklong training in the new Next Generation/Common Core Standards. Says Mrs. Garrison, This summer, I was fortunate enough to attend Teacher Leadership Institute with the State Department of Education in Morgantown. The Next Generation standards were introduced to us so that we could work within our county teams to facilitate the implementation of these standards to all Kanawha County middle and high school English teachers. The standards are more challenging, more detailed, and hopefully will provide our students with an ability to tackle the challenges and issues theyll encounter as adults. Im very excited about the implementation of this new idea of teaching! Our newest addition to the department, Jenn Cogar, is now just one credit away from an additional certification in special education. Carol Buckalew continued her work with the West Virginia Writing Project and its collaboration with Marshall University. Kristen Olsen worked with the Upward Bound program. Describing her experience, Ms. Olsen said, I spent five weeks of my summer teaching English at West Virginia State University for the Upward Bound Program. This is a program in which I have participated for the past two summers. I have found it to be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. I also spent time in Dawson, WV, taking a graduate class which focused on classroom technology and strategies during a weeklong AFT retreat. Rosalie Blaul served for her third year as an Advanced Placement Reader in Louisville, spending a week scoring AP Exam essays, then she participated in a four-day Advanced Placement Summer Institute here in Charleston. She also was trained in Common Core Standards in Morgantown for an English initiative known as CR12. Ann Miller noted her summer was especially full as she served as a juror on the Kanawha County Circuit Court for four weeks, completed a Bible study of the book of Esther, helped her daughter move to a new city, added a new grandson to the family, and danced through the summer with my two-year-old granddaughter-- also enriching experiences that make us even better classroom teachers!

Capital Success University (CSU) Ninth Grade Transition Academy September 2012 News
Our ninth grade students are off to a successful start at Capital High School. Faculty and staff have welcomed the new class of 2016 to our school, and together we have made the Commitment to Graduate (C2G). The C2G concept is shared and being implemented with our partners from Jostens Corporation. It is our goal to educate and graduate every student who enters Capital High School. Mr. Wendall Sampson will be making a C2G presentation to our new ninth grade class on Wednesday, September 12, 2012.

We are pleased to announce a new addition to our CSU staff, Mrs. Mary Harrah in English. Mrs. Harrah is excited to be part of the CSU team and is pleased to be working with our newest class. Additionally, we have also added Ms. Donna Young, a fine arts teacher in the CSU area of our building.

Mrs. Donna Young is a highly experienced professional artist and teacher who has exhibited and received numerous awards for her own works of art including the WV Juried Exhibition, Cedar Lakes, and Whiting Art Museums. She has taught art at George Washington High School, Sissonville High School, East Bank High School and Cabell Alternative School. She identifies her favorite quote as the following: "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." - Albert Einstein. We are looking forward to the creative expression that will be demonstrated by her students. Returning faculty to CSU include, Mrs. Susie Garrison, Mr. Jon Carpenter, Mrs. Angela Roach, Mrs. Cynthia Phillips, Ms. Soo-Kyong Choi, Mrs. Ann Miller, Mr. Bradford Clark, Mr. Matt Greene, and Mr. Scott Swayne. Additionally we have the added support of other teachers in our area of the building, Mrs. Ruth Miller, Mr. Adam Drake, Mrs. Christy Pennington, Ms. Connie Kittle, as well as Cpt. Armstrong and 1st Sgt Riley. Accelerated Reader Program Ninth Grade Students are automatically enrolled Accelerated Reader Program at Capital. Students who read books from the AR list (contact the school librarian), and successfully pass the AR test that accompanies the book, will be in competition for rewards/prizes that are funded by the schools faculty senate. Students are provided 20 minutes of uninterrupted reading time in each of their core classes one day per week in an effort to establish good reading habits, and to emphasis the importance of reading and comprehension skills. All students are encouraged to read and test their comprehension skills with the Accelerated Reader Program. Students may test under the supervision of our librarian, Mr. Allen Burgess, or their respective English teacher. Student Agenda Books Your student should be utilizing their student agenda book to remain organized and meet important deadlines and due dates in each of their classes. Please ask your student to share their agenda book with you on a weekly basis. Help them manage and maintain order to their class workload. In CSU this year, we have established designated days for homework assignments. We are focusing on the students completing their agenda books daily in an effort to help them stay organized. In CSU this year, we have established

designated days for homework assignments. Though your student may have homework in every class each night, there are specific days that they will definitely have homework Monday-Math Tuesday-Science Wednesday-English Thursday-Social Studies Edline You and your student should check Edline on a regular basis. If you need assistance gaining access to your students Edline Account (online grades), please contact a counselor or your students English teacher.

Student Council News

Student council is off to a busy beginning! We started the year by assisting the counselors and administration with Freshman Orientation on Thursday, August 16. Our freshman student council elections took place Friday, September 7, 2012. We are awaiting the results from the voting, and hope to have them announced the week of September 10-14. In addition to this, 30 student council, honor society, and mentors members are assisting the United Way on Wednesday, September 12. Our students will be working with Charleston Parks and Recreation on beatification projects around the city. Finally, we are throwing a tailgate for the first home football game of the season! We play Princeton on September 14. The tailgate begins at 6:00 right outside the gate at Laidley Field, and any student wearing blue and gray will eat FREE! Please join us in cheering for our football team as they take on the Princeton Tigers!