Dear Camden Catholic Families, 

I hope the summer months have afforded you the opportunity to relax, rejuvenate, and reflect! The CCHS faculty, staff, and administration are excited for the school year to begin in just a few weeks. Whether your child is a first year student, transfer student, or returning student we are so glad you have decided to make Camden Catholic High School your academic home! 

Our school team has worked diligently this summer to lay the foundation for what will be our school’s 137th year offering an innovative education steeped in the Catholic tradition of mercy. We are committed to offering learning opportunities for your students to nourish their mind, body, and spirit. 

During my first month as President of CCHS I have been greatly impressed by the dynamic spirit of generosity and collaboration that is so deeply ingrained in our school community. Our Student Government Representatives and their moderators have eagerly engaged with the school administration to build a calendar of events and activities that will extend learning opportunities beyond the classroom and build a strong community of learners. Furthermore, our Campus Ministry team is poised to lead our school in living out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy through a thoughtfully constructed service and retreat calendar that provides opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and administration to engage in spiritual encounter and reflection. 

Through the efforts of our devoted Parents Association the opportunities to engage in the CCHS spirit of generosity and collaboration while building community extends to our families! The leadership team of the Parents Association and their dedicated faculty moderator are committed to building a network of support to ensure students and families are socially connected and positioned to thrive. Please keep a lookout for updates from the Parents Association and consider participating in an event! 

Thanks to the generosity of the Grandi Family Foundation, our Innovation Lab will soon be outfitted with a laser engraver, the most state-of-the-art 3D printers on the market, and other hardware/software to keep CCHS on the cutting edge of education. The opportunities at CCHS to engage in hands-on project based learning are second to none. We are blessed to offer students the opportunity to cultivate their God given talents in a 21st century high school learning environment.

It is an honor to welcome you to the 2023-2024 school year! Please familiarize yourself with the information contained in this newsletter and other important opening of school communications from CCHS. If you have a question or concern that is not addressed in this newsletter or another opening of school communication, please contact us and we will be sure to respond promptly to your inquiry. 

On behalf of the administration, faculty, and staff of Camden Catholic High School I thank you for entrusting your student’s education to our care. We are grateful for our partnership with your family and look forward to providing the transformative Catholic education you have come to expect from us. 

Please enjoy the remainder of the summer and be assured of our prayers for you and your family. 

Go Irish! 

Rory Sweeney, President

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

CCHS is excited to announce that there will be some new student government moderators in the 2023-2024 school year. Questions about class events can be directed to the level moderators. We thank these teachers for their service and work for our students!

• Freshman Class Moderator - Mr. Joseph Nawn [email protected]
• Sophomore Class Moderator - Ms. Gina Bittinger [email protected]
• Junior Class Moderators - Mr. Jared Clark & Mrs. Christina Cadet [email protected] and [email protected]
• Senior Class Moderator - Ms. Joya Oasin [email protected]
• Executive Government Moderator - Mrs. Noemi Merenyi [email protected]

SENIOR CLASS TRIP

Planning for the senior trip is underway. Our lead chaperone is Mrs. Noemi Merenyi. First payments for the trip have been posted to your FACTS accounts. Mrs. Merenyi will be in communication about trip updates once school starts.

GRADUATION PLANNING

While it may seem far away, CCHS starts graduation planning in September. Mrs. Diane Crowell and Ms. Julie Bittinger, two seasoned faculty members, who are experienced in graduation planning, will be sending emails home, meeting with students, and working with the administration to plan these events.  

NEW FACULTY!

• Ms. Brianna Vassallo will be joining the English department as our new English teacher.
• Ms. Maggie Schoening is joining CCHS from the University of Notre Dame's Institute of Service Learning Echo Apprentice Program. Ms. Schoening will teach a class and assist with Campus Ministry projects and events. 
• Mr. Matthew Pluta will be joining CCHS full time in the guidance office at the new 9th grade and 10th grade counselor.
• Mrs. Mia Descrescenzo will be on maternity leave in the first semester, and Ms. Mia Ippolito will be joining the General Arts Department teaching both fine and Graphic Arts.
• Mrs. Amanda Weber will also be on maternity leave in the first semester, and Ms. Lauren Campbell will be joining us in the guidance office during the first semester.

2023-24 Course List has been emailed to each individual student. This list can be used for ordering consumable books via the Follett Website.

• CLICK HERE for full instructions on how to order, book orders can now be placed
• Not every class requires that you purchase a book/books. If there is not a book listed for a specific course then there is nothing to purchase.
• If you have questions about your course list, please email Mrs. Crisci .

Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 7PM-Dining Hall

Freshman Parents, Transfer Parents, and Transfer Student Orientation

Freshman parents and new parents to CCHS are invited to attend this meeting to hear important reminders, updates, and procedures about the coming year. During this parent only evening, you will receive important information about what to expect during the school year. Transfer students are invited to attend a special transfer student orientation with upperclassmen Link Crew Leaders. Students should wear their green uniform polo shirt, as we will be taking ID photos. Transfer students should come to the dining hall and check in at the table and we will have students greet them and escort them to the Information Commons. Both orientations will end at 8pm.

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 from 8AM-12:25PM 

Freshman Link Crew Orientation

Our day will start at 8:00am with a 12:25 pm dismissal. Students should wear comfortable clothing, we suggest a t-shirt, comfortable shorts/pants and sneakers. Please do not bring bags, backpacks or purses. 

Thursday, September 7, 2023 from 8AM-2:40PM

Freshman Full Day of Classes

The freshmen will have a second full day of orientation. Students will have Mass in the morning and meet to complete orientation items. They will get their lockers, schedules and be prepared for the first day of school. They will spend the afternoon going through their schedule and meeting teachers. Students must pack a brown bag lunch. Students should be in full CCHS uniform. 

Friday, September 8, 2023 from 8AM-12:25PM

Grades 10 – 12 only. 12:30 pm dismissal. Mass and Orientation Students will have Mass in the morning and meet individually with their class to complete orientation items. They will get their lockers, schedules and be prepared for the first day of school. Students should be in full CCHS uniform.  

Monday, September 11, 2023: ALL students 9-12 have a full day of school and must be in uniform. Dining hall food service is available beginning September 11 (see below for instructions on signing up for MySchoolBucks account).

SENIOR PORTRAITS & SCHOOL PHOTOS

Senior Portraits: 8/28 - 8/31

Senior Portrait Retakes: 10/2 - 10/3

Grades 9-11 Pictures Dates: October 4 and 5

Grade 9-11 Retakes: November 15

CLICK HERE for the full list of uniform guidelines.

ARRIVAL PROCEDURE

1. All students will enter through the Door C3 in the rear of the building near the Gym
2. Students must be in full uniform when entering the building, this includes every student wearing their ID cards daily
3. Students should arrive at school between 7:15 am and 7:55 am. As a reminder to all, please be mindful of the traffic on Cuthbert Road in the morning and leave earlier to arrive on time. Students must be in homeroom by 8:05 am.
4. For students who arrive between 7:15 and 7:55 am: Grades 9 and 10 will report to the dining hall, grades 11 and 12 will report to homerooms. All students should by in homeroom by 8:05 am.
5. Students who are late to school must enter through the C2 doors and report to Room 114 with their late note immediately after entering.

Dress Code:  All uniform guidelines can be found in the Student Handbook and on our website. Please see the Student Handbook for full details.

Arrival Procedures for Guests, Parents, and Vendors: All guests, parents, and vendors must enter through the main office doors after a visual inspection via camera and verbally explaining the reason for their visit via intercom. Once a guest, parent, or vendor has been allowed into the waiting area, they must sign in with main office staff and wait there for further instructions. All guests must be approved beforehand and all vendors must be accompanied by the person who has engaged their services while the vendor is on campus. 

Attendance:

CLICK HERE for important notices regarding attendance and absences.

Parking Lot: 

Parents and guardians are reminded that the main driveway is ONE WAY at all times. This is necessary to allow the busses access to the property and for the general safety of all. Parents please remind your student drivers that they too must observe the one-way system in the parking lot; failure to do so can result in demerits, and/or the loss of their driving/parking privilege.

Parents who drive their children to school must drop passengers at the rear of the building in the marked lane. Cars are to pull forward to the end of the lane (closets to the football field) to drop off passengers. No stopping or standing is permitted in the driveway or unoccupied parking spaces or on Cuthbert Road. The speed limit in the parking lot is 15 m.p.h. For safety reasons, drivers picking up students at the end of the day must remain in their vehicles.

In the interest of parking lot safety, all parking spaces will be assigned. Students who drive to school beginning in September must purchase their parking spaces by September 9, 2022.  Students who will commence driving later in the school year are required to purchase their space prior to the first day they begin driving to school. Students and parents must complete and sign the Student Parking Agreement, complete the Vehicle Registration Form and pay the $50.00 fee before a parking space will be issued. Forms can be picked up and processed in the Student Affairs Office, Room 114. Failure to abide by the provisions of the parking agreement and/or illegal parking can result in demerits and the loss of one's parking privilege. Hangtags must be hung on the rearview mirrors. The Student Parking Agreement can be obtained from the Student Affairs Office, Room 114. Please make sure the Student Parking Agreement & Vehicle Registration form is complete, including parent and student signatures, before coming to the Student Affairs Office between 8:30 am and 2:30 pm to select a space.

Student Lateness: 

Students are expected to be in their homeroom at the 8:05 am bell. A student who enters first period or the school building after the 8:05 am bell is considered late for school and must report to the Office of Student Affairs, Room 114 for a late pass to gain admission to first period. Students who arrive after 8:45 am with an unexcused lateness are not allowed to participate in athletic or other extracurricular activities that day. Students who accumulate 4 unexcused latenesses will be issued a detention. Followup detentions will be issued in increments of four unexcused latenesses (4, 8, 12, 16, etc.). 

Early Dismissals:  We request that all appointments are scheduled after school hours. For those appointments that must happen during school and require an early dismissal, the student must bring a note to the Office of Student Affairs before 8:05 am. 

Before School Policy: Doors to school open at 7:15 AM. All juniors and seniors may populate their hallways upstairs. All freshmen and sophomores MUST wait in the dining hall until 8:00 AM. Our foodservice vendor, Brock & Company, will provide breakfast for purchase daily during this time. 

After School Policy: Only students who have a supervised activity or permission from a school official may remain in the school building after dismissal. Students who are waiting for transportation home must report to the dining hall by 3:00 pm. Students waiting for rides will wait in our after-school study hall. Students may not remain on school property after school hours unless attending an official school function or the after-school study hall. The afternoon study hall closes at 6pm. Students will be required to sign in to After School Study and will not be allowed to leave the school building and then return for safety reasons.

Official School Detention: 

Detentions are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:45 – 4 pm. Students receive at least twenty-four (24) hours’ notice; therefore, students may not reschedule a detention.

TUITION OBLIGATIONS

Thank you in advance for your responsibility to pay tuition for the excellent education your students are receiving. Please remember, as of August 1, 2023. Camden Catholic will follow strict tuition policies and procedures, which have been verified by our Board of Trustees to be sure that Camden Catholic remains fiscally responsible. The following are the rules stated in the tuition contract to be strictly enforced. 

1. All payments 60 days late will receive a letter and students will NOT be able to participate in any practices, games, or after school activities or clubs. This includes dances or any trips. This will be strictly enforced. All coaches and moderators will receive this letter to make them aware. For example, if at the end of August if your tuition is 60 days late, your student will NOT be able to participate in the sport they practiced all summer. This policy will follow all year. 
2. All payments 90 days late will receive a letter and the student will be suspended and not able to return until their balance is paid in full. This disrupts the academic welfare of the student and it is not a favorable rule, however, we need all families to understand the school has bills to pay each month. 
3. All families who have an invoice, may NOT pay at school. ALL payments must go through FACTS in one of three ways: 1) online through FACTS (online.FACTSmgt.com), 2) phone payment (866-441-4637), 3) check/money order (be sure to put your customer # on the check) mail to: FACTS MGT, PO Box 2597, Omaha, NE 68103-2597
4. All calls for balances, account changes, etc. must go through the Parent Information number provided by FACTS (866-441-4637) This is the service that FACTS provide to all families.
5. If you have not set up your username and password to make these things possible, you should call this Parent number above. Without a username and password, you cannot do much on FACTS. It is part of your responsibility to manage your own tuition information. 
6. Payment date changes can no longer be made by the school tuition office. Each account is allowed 6 payment date changes. Please call the Parent information number provided by FACTS.
7. All parents of seniors, please know that students do not walk in graduation or participate in senior trip and activities if balances are not paid by May 1, 2024.