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In addition to this week's Grenadier success stories and happenings, I want to point out two valuable opportunities for our families coming up in the next few days: 1) the Financial Education special event on Tuesday evening (sponsored by Hispanic Honor Society); and 2) the impressive list of upcoming OCPS Parent Academies lined up for the month of February (both in-person and virtual). Given the prevailing U.S. economic uncertainties and the importance of long-term household financial planning, Tuesday's financial education special event is something I think many of our community members will gain great benefit from. As for the February OCPS Parent Academy events, if you have never participated in one of these, they are excellent. Please take a moment to look over the information below for details. |
With January coming to a fast close, I invite all of our Grenadiers to go back and revisit their 2024 goals. Check your progress after one month and make any necessary adjustments keeping in mind that all of your teachers, coaches, and counselors are prepared to help you achieve your goals as able. Tens of millions of Americans set out resolutions every new year, but time and time again, high percentages of them fall off in just a matter of weeks. Do not quit on your goals. Stay focused and ask for help if you need it.
Thank you for reading and remember...
It's Great To Be A Grenadier!
Betzabeth Reussow
Principal
Colonial High School
Pictured at the top of this issue: On Friday, January 19th, the six student officers of the National FFA Organization visited the 670 members of the Orlando Colonial FFA. All students in the Agriscience and Animal Science classes gained the opportunity to learn from the officers as they led interactive workshops on individual values, team collaboration, and personal growth. With a national membership of 945,988 members representing 9,163 schools from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, the opportunity to host the National FFA Officers is an incredible honor. (Please see our FFA segment in this week's issue below).
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Main Campus:
6100 Oleander Drive
Orlando, FL 32807
(407) 482-6300
Freshman Campus:
7775 Valencia Collage Lane
Orlando, FL 32807
(407) 249-6369
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Tuesday, January 30
- Parent Leadership Council (Media Center)
- HHS Financial Education - Addition Credit Union workshop (Media Center)
- Varsity Wrestling Match @ Apopka High School
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Wednesday, January 31:
- Varsity Home Wrestling Match vs Cypress Creek (Senior Night)
Thursday, February 1:
- Start of Black History Month
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Florida's No. 1 and No. 2 Girls Basketball Teams meet Thursday: |
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Source: FHSAA (As of Jan. 23 )
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DP and Colonial scored impressive wins last weekend vs. 3-time defending 6A champion Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (14-7) in the LeDawn Gibson Classic at Winter Haven.
Colonial won 51-46 in double overtime as Jasmine Bocca totaled 16 points and Carmen Richardson (5 rebounds, 5 assists) and Jasmynne Gibson (14 rebounds) each scored 11.
Lake Highland, ranked No. 1 in 4A, ends its season next Thursday at Colonial at 7 p.m. LHP has won seven in a row in the series since 2014, including the past two meetings by single digits.
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Friday, February 2:
- School Crossing Guard Day
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- Boys Basketball Game vs Celebration
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On January 18, the Florida FFA Association held the state finals for the Environmental Science and Natural Resource Career Development Event (CDE) at the Florida FFA Leadership Training Center in Haines City. Earlier this year, the state preliminaries were held and the top 10 teams from across the state advanced to the state finals.
We are excited to announce that after all results were tabulated, the Orlando-Colonial HS FFA team earned the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP and the STATE HIGH INDIVIDUAL SCORE.
The purpose of the Environmental and Natural Resource Career Development Event (CDE) is to stimulate student interest and to promote environmental and natural resource instruction and to provide recognition for those students who demonstrate skills and competencies through classroom and laboratory learning. In this competitive event, the students had to take a comprehensive exam covering environmental science, demonstrate skills in water quality testing, properly use a global positioning system (GPS), discuss and share proper environmental management practices in a team presentation and correctly identify tools and species of plants & animals (wildlife, reptiles, amphibians, etc.) found in the environment.
By winning the state championship and placing in the top 5 at the state level, the Colonial FFA team will be recognized on stage at the Florida FFA State FFA Convention in June where they will receive their team awards.
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Ryan Jimenez, Victoria Justiniano, Ashley Simmons (2nd high in state), Veronica Haley (State high individual) |
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January 2024 SAE Newsletter |
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This past week, students and parents came out for a magnet fair to learn about Colonial’s magnet programs! Please remember that the deadline for 2024-2025 magnet program applications is February 15.
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Ms. Green’s Algebra 1 class. |
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Mr. Nolan’s English 1 class. |
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Mr. Torres Feliciano’s Reading class. |
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Tutor Mr. Green working with Mr. Amaro’s Algebra 1 class. |
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Algebra 1 with Mrs. Cancel (Guest from OCPS District) |
A big THANK YOU to Mrs. Cancel from Curriculum and Design who has been working closely with our Algebra 1 team to strengthen student performance. She is pictured above with our Algebra 1 PLC (Professional Learning Community) to develop new processing strategies and then below in Mrs. Will’s classroom working with students. |
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Congratulations to Coach Pitts on his 100th win as our wrestling coach!! |
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Students who are eligible to vote participated in a voter registration drive last week! |
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SGA students on the Ninth Grade Center took time to leave positive messages (washable) in the bathroom for students! |
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Mrs. Vargas and Ms. Azucery (Ninth Grade Center Counselors) visited feeder middle schools this past week along with Air Force JROTC to register future Grenadiers for classes next year!! |
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The OCPS Family Engagement team is excited to announce the Parent Academies for February 2024. |
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There will also be six virtual mini-academies this month. All virtual mini-academies are on WebEx Webinars from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the dates listed below. Click here to register.
Building Resilience in Stressful Times
● Date: 2/1/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades K-12
● Description: Parents will learn how to recognize when stress is concerning and how to help your child cope in times of stress.
● Language/accessibility options: Bilingual session live presented in English and Spanish. Closed captioning is also available in over 100 languages.
Rigorous and Advanced Course Options for Middle and High School Students
● Date: 2/6/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades 5-11
● Description: Parents of middle and high school students will gain important information about Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, International Baccalaureate and Cambridge course options just in time to turn in course enrollment forms for next school year! Join us as we have our partners share the opportunities available to OCPS students. We will share the types of programs, the process for students to participate, and keys to success.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
Enrolling at Valencia College
● Date: 2/7/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades 11-12
● Description: High school students and their parents will meet admissions representatives and gain information from The Valencia College Outreach Department about the opportunities available at Valencia College and detail the steps to enroll.
● Language/accessibility options: There will be two separate sessions provided. One session will be provided in English and one session will be provided in Spanish. Both sessions have closed captioning available in over 100 languages.
Parents as Leaders
● Date: 2/15/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades K-12
● Description: Parents will learn about how schools keep a safe and secure learning environment Strategies related to physical and psychological safety will be reviewed and information to help parents understand safety drills will be shared.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
College Disability Services and Accommodations: What to Expect
● Date: 2/22/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades 11-12
● Description: The transition to college for some students with disabilities can be tough. The transition without the appropriate support and accommodations can make it even tougher. Join us as we explore common college disability services and accommodations.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
Advocate for YOUR Child | The Question Formulation Technique
● Date: 2/29/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades K-12
● Description: Parents will learn about the Question Formulation Technique which helps generate questions and participate effectively in decisions. This can be used by all parents to enhance their ability to partner with educators to support, monitor, and advocate for their children.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
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FREE Mobile Crisis Services |
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If your child is having an emotional crisis and/or you feel like they are a threat to themselves or others, you can take immediate action by contacting the resources below:
Call 911 if you need immediate emergency assistance
Devereux Mobile Crisis Unit: The Mobile Crisis Unit is a 24/7 free community resource that will send a Mental Health professional to your home to evaluate and de-escalate a person that is experiencing an emotional crisis. You can contact them by dialing 2-1-1 on your cell phone or dialing 407-839-4357.
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Valencia College Horizon Scholars (for 9th Grade Students - Application deadline is this Thursday): |
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The Valencia Horizon Scholars – Take Stock in Children Program is a scholarship, mentoring, and college readiness program designed to provide students with professional, academic, and personal support. This program culminates in students receiving a two-year Florida Prepaid scholarship that can be used at any public university, college, or vocational/technical school in Florida upon high school graduation and successful program completion.
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OTC Program Fair (Feb. 28): |
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High school students with jobs are on the rise again: |
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Grenadier footnote: New data from the Labor Department reveals that US teenagers today are increasingly picking up part-time jobs, with 37% of 16-19 year-olds either being employed or seeking employment last year — the highest proportion since 2009.
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Monday's Motivational Moment! |
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WISDOM TO LIVE BY
Read inspirational quotes for our Grenadiers about finding joy from hard work, prioritizing action over words and building others' trust in you.
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Pele On Passion
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and, most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.
~ Pele, Brazilian soccer legend
Ann Landers On Effort
Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them.
~ Ann Landers, advice columnist
Stephen R. Covey On Actions
You can't talk your way out of what you've behaved yourself into.
~ Stephen R. Covey, author and speaker
Booker T. Washington On Accountability
Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him.
~ Booker T. Washington, educator
Grantland Rice On Self-Assurance
Depend upon yourself. Make your judgment trustworthy by trusting it. You can develop good judgment as you do the muscles of your body — by judicious, daily exercise.
~ Grantland Rice, sports writer
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IT'S GREAT TO BE A GRENADIER!
Mrs. Reussow, Principal
Colonial High School
Monday, January 29, 2024
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Assistant Principal: Mr. Daniel Caliari
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This communication may contain information that is legally privileged, confidential or exempt from disclosure, and intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Anyone who receives this message in error should notify the sender immediately by telephone or by return e-mail, and delete the message from their computer and any printout thereof. Please note that OCPS utilizes spam and junk e-mail filtration applications in its e-mail systems. That filtering process may prevent or delay delivery of certain e-mail communications. If you do not receive a timely response to an e-mail communication, please contact the intended recipient by phone.
OCPS EEO Non-Discrimination Statement
The School Board of Orange County, Florida, does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law. The following individuals at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, 445 West Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida 32801, attend to compliance matters: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer & Title IX Coordinator: Keshara Cowans; ADA Coordinator; ADA Coordinator: Jay Cardinali; Section 504 Coordinator: Tajuana Lee-Wenze. (407.317.3200)
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Copyright Notice
Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and OCPS-Colonial High School is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and OCPS-Colonial High School. Please contact Dr. Tayler Boyer (assistant principal) at tayler.bray@ocps.net with any questions.
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