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I hope this first edition for March finds your month off to a very positive start! We only have nine instructional days left in this third quarter before our Grenadiers will be on spring break. (There is no school on Friday, March 15 for students, but that remains a teacher work day.)
In our our weekly calendar below, you will find information on the 2024 Family Survey. The survey will open this Monday, March 4 and it is my hope that all of our Grenadier families will invest a few minutes to answer a few questions about our high school. This survey only runs once per year and we depend upon community feedback for school improvement. If this applies to your household, please support us by sharing your opinions. Keep in mind that we do not see any individual surveys, but the combined Colonial results are returned to help us make any adjustments where able. (Kindly remember the survey opens on Monday so should you open on Sunday, it will not yet be active.) |
All pictures above and just below: Advanced Placement Art and Portfolio students met with College Art Professors and Professional Artists to present their art portfolios for review at the Orlando Museum of Art.
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Thank you for reading about some of our Grenadiers' latest successes and good luck to our girls' basketball team this coming Friday morning! They will be competing in the FHSAA Class 7A Final 4 in Lakeland vs. Doral Academy from Miami-Dade County.
It's Great To Be A Grenadier!
Betzabeth Reussow
Principal
Colonial High School
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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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As featured further above at the Orlando Museum of Art, more Colonial AP Art and Portfolio students are pictured visiting with professionals regarding the work found in their individual art portfolios. |
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Modified Bell Schedules this Week
PMA3 Testing (Final round before EOC Exams)
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Monday, March 4:
Boys Volleyball vs. Hagerty, Double Header
Annual Family Survey opens-
- Visit bit.ly/ocpsfamily and select a school name
- Select the language in which the family would like to take the survey in
- Complete one survey for each school that the family has a child attending
- Press submit once completed
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Tuesday, March 5:
Water Polo vs. Edgewater
Flag Football vs. Oak Ridge, Double Header
Wednesday, March 6: MODIFIED BELL SCHEDULE
Weightlifting vs. East River
Thursday, March 7: MODIFIED BELL SCHEDULE
CTE Career Fair
Boys Volleyball vs. Lyman, Double Header
Baseball vs. Jones
Flag Football vs. Timber Creek, Double Header
Friday, March 8: MODIFIED BELL SCHEDULE
Girls Basketball Final Four vs. Doral Academy, Lakeland, FL at 9:00am
Saturday, March 9:
SAT Testing
Algebra 1 Camp
Sunday, March 10:
Daylight Savings Time - Set clocks ahead 1 hour
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Monday, March 11:
Flag Football vs. Boone, Double Header
Water Polo vs. Freedom
Boys Volleyball vs. Lake Nona, Double Header
Military Monday during lunches
Wednesday, March 13:
Pencil Boy Express visit (School supplies for teachers)
Thursday, March 14:
PTSA/SAC Meetings, Main Campus
Flag Football vs. Cypress Creek, Double Header
Last day of 2023-2024 Quarter 3
Friday, March 15:
No School for Students (Teacher workday)
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Girls Basketball Playoff Update |
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Grenadiers road to the 2023-2024 State Championship. |
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Superintendent's Weekly Message |
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This week on Mondays with Maria presented by Addition Financial, Dr. Vazquez sits down with our 2024 Stellar Awards winners for Principal, Assistant Principal, Support Person and Teacher of the Year!
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Ninth Grade Campus HERO Teacher |
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Mrs. Diaz-Orozco, ELL teacher |
Congratulations to Mrs. Diaz-Orozco from the Ninth Grade Campus on being named “HERO Teacher”. Mrs. Diaz was nominated by her assistant principal for always going above and beyond in the classroom. She works with our ELL students and has made incredible progress with them throughout the year. She is a team player and contributes to her PLC in meaningful ways. |
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Mr. Kisala (English), Principal Mrs. Reussow, HERO Teacher - Mrs. Diaz, Assistant Principal Dr. Boyer, and Mrs. Garay and Mr. Nolan (English) |
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*** Special Feature ***
Meet our Addition Financial Grenadiers!
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Colonial High School has a Addition Financial branch office on the main campus near the front office. This is a unique program offered by OCPS in partnership with Addition Financial Credit Union. The branch office is run by Colonial students and below they share personal insights on the High School Branch Program for our community. |
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Jaycie, Class of 2024, serves as head teller with oversight responsibilities (please see short video below). Addition Financial members, which include high school students, may come in to handle transactions, open new accounts, get their questions answered, and more.
* Did you know??? The Florida Department of Education now requires one-half credit in financial literacy and money management as part of high school graduation requirements. That started this year beginning with the incoming 9th grade class. Having a financial institution branch office on our campus helps with this expectation plus it provides real-world experience.
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* What is your main job here at the office?
My main job here at the office is to help members with transactions they may need or help with opening applications.
* Who is the office open to?
The office here is open to the faculty and staff of our school plus any Addition Financial member.
* What is a product or service that could be helpful to others, in your opinion?
A service that would be helpful to others is that we offer members our personal service right here while at school to assist them with transactions they may need or with any financial questions.
* What do you enjoy most about serving in the branch office here on campus?
I enjoy making connections and helping our members!
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* What is your main job here at the office?
My main job is to assist members, post transactions, promoting the products we offer such as bank accounts, and to have an opportunity to sign up for an internship. We also deliver memos to members to correct any application mistakes.
* Who is the office open to?
Everyone who’s a member of Addition Financial.
* What is a product or service that could be helpful to others, in your opinion?
Students have the opportunity to open a bank account and start their journey without the consent of a parent.
* What do you enjoy most about serving in the branch office here on campus?
Making transactions and speaking with the other tellers.
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Outside of handling transactions with members (branch customers with credit unions) and branch operations, Colonial students also get support with preparing effective resumes, how to go about a successful interview, professionalism in the workplace, etc. |
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* What is your main job here at the office?
I am a head teller for Addition Financial at this branch.
* Who is the office open to?
The office is open to everyone. Anyone with an Addition Financial account or anyone interested in opening an account.
* What is a product or service that could be helpful to others, in your opinion?
Financial literacy and transparency with bank accounts and banking help.
* What do you enjoy most about serving in the branch office here on campus?
The convenience and experience the branch provides. Also, helping members with withdraws, deposits, etc.
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* What is your main job here at the office?
I’m the MSR so my main job is to process new accounts but I also help members with issues in with their accounts.
* Who is the office open to?
The office is open to students, staff, and everyone with an Addition Financial account.
* What is a product or service that could be helpful to others, in your opinion?
In my opinion, the product that might be most useful to others is high school checking accounts. It provides valuable guidance for students who are budgeting for the first time and want to gain financial education.
* What do you enjoy most about serving in the branch office here on campus?
What I enjoy most about serving in the branch office here on campus is the opportunity to directly interact with our members and help them with their financial needs.
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Logan, student teller, completes a financial transaction at his teller window. This is one of Logan's daily class periods which counts as an elective credit. |
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* What is your main job here at the office?
As the head teller, I am responsible for managing the branch. I oversee the activity by the student tellers and keep constant contact with the main branch to ensure that the branch runs smoothly. I also organize promotions to invite more members into our credit union.
* Who is the office open to?
The office is open to anyone with an Addition Financial account, which may include students, staff, and parents.
* What is a product or service that could be helpful to others, in your opinion?
I think we can benefit from expanding our services to include other options, such as changing account details for our members to save time from having to travel to the main branch for assistance.
* What do you enjoy most about serving in the branch office here on campus?
I enjoy the experience that comes with being a head teller. I have a passion for leading others, and I value the responsibility I have when it comes to managing the branch. The student tellers make the moments enjoyable as well, and I am glad they are part of my team.
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Monday's with Maria (Dr. Vazquez, Superintendent of Schools) featured Colonial Addition Branch Office in February: |
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Superintendent Maria Vazquez takes the show on the road again to highlight the Addition Financial High School Branch Program in six high schools across the district. |
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Colonial community footnote: We are always pleased to see one of our Partners in Education earn positive news all along. Addition Financial Credit Union currently carries a 5 STAR SUPERIOR rating—the highest possible—by the independent rating service, Bauer Financial. This is not a recommendation by either OCPS or Colonial High School in the choice of a financial institution, but Bauer is closely followed within the financial sector and by Wall Street. Please click here to view the Bauer ratings for any US commercial bank or credit union. |
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OCPS Counselor Champion at Colonial! |
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Congratulations to Mrs. Jennifer Stuart, Lead School Counselor for being recognized by the district Student Service team on being an OCPS Counselor Champion! We are so thankful for all she does each day to ensure the success of our students and school counseling team. |
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Mrs. Roviaro (Assistant Principal) with Mrs. Stuart. |
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From the left: Dr. Hammons,
Mrs. Stuart, Ms. Contreras (District Student Services)
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From the left: Mrs. Roviaro, Mr. Wolfe, Mrs. Maguire, Mrs. Stuart,
Mrs. Romero-Escobar, Mrs. Mercedes
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Hospitality has been up to all sorts of amazing things this year!! Please read below for the awesome things happening on and off campus! |
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One of our adopted hotels, Marriott, came out to present to classes with speakers from their properties about how students can get involved in different areas of hospitality. Marriott also helps with field trips and resume writing!
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When it comes to hotel dining, our students have learned how to properly set a table and the different ways to fold napkins. In hospitality, presentation is critical. |
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Hospitality students also go on various field trips throughout the year to different hotel properties learning about the industry on-site. This gives our students real world exposure to operations plus the opportunity to interact with staff. |
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Hospitality at Colonial created their very own logo this year and are starting social media pages for the community to follow along on their adventures. Please follow them on Instagram at @CHS_Hospitality |
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Drone operations and safety with Ms. Arnoux: |
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Ms. Arnoux’s class practices flight patterns and safety precautions with their drones. Students who have already obtained their FAA part 107 certification helped other students while they practiced their responsibilities related to earning the certification. |
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2024 Music Performance Assessments |
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Recently, the CHS Band program participated in the first MPA (Music Performance Assessment) events of 2024, which includes Jazz and Solo & Ensemble. The CHS "Grenadier Groove" Jazz Band and its members participated in the event for the first time since the pandemic and were awarded a rating of 3 from 1-5. Solo and Ensemble events are outlined below:
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Luis Amalbert and Enmanuel Taveres rated "Excellent" on a percussion duet
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Rylee Woerner rated "Excellent" on a mallet solo
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Ashley Bucher and Leonel Perez rated "Excellent" and a flute duet
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Karen Romero rated "Excellent" and a percussion solo
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Natalie Cabrera and Vanessa Perez rated "Superior" on a flute duet
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Aniah Porter and Aisha Pagan rated "Superior" on a percussion duet
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Rylee Woerner and Aniah Porter rated "Superior" on a mallet duet
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Israel Rodriguez rated "Superior" on a trumpet solo
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Kayden Bolt rated "Excellent" on a sabre solo and "Superior" on a flag solo
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Kaya Benjamin rated "Superior" on a flag solo
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Rylee Woerner, Aniah Porter, Israel Rodriguez, Kayden Bolt, and Kaya Benjamin also qualified for State Solo & Ensemble for receiving a "Superior" rating on works that are Grade 5 out of 6 or higher or has choreography of sufficient difficulty.
Congratulation to all of the participants and to the students advancing to State!
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The CHS Winterguard Team has recently been participating in competitions at University High School in Orange City, Oviedo High School, and Freedom High School during the past three weeks. They have competed in classes with 7-10 other guards at each competition. At UHS Orange City, they scored 51.92, earning 8th place out of 10. At Oviedo HS, they scored 56.28, earning 6th place out of 7. At Freedom HS, they scored 62.96, earning 4th place out of 7. This marks the highest scores and most-rapid improvement in scores and placements in the 3 years since the team was started.
Congratulations to the CHS Winterguard team!
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HBCU Virtual College Fair (March 5): |
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UCF Health Leaders Summer Academy:
The Health Leaders Summer Academy (HLSA) is sponsored by the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Office of Access, Belonging & Community Engagement. It is an immersive, educational summer experience for high school students (10-12th) who have a strong passion for pursuing a career in one of the allied health sciences or medicine. The goal of the HLSA is to support students from low-income groups to plan their future educational goals in their areas of interest and connect with healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds and specialties. The program presents opportunities to learn about health-centered education tracks and programs at UCF, tour university campuses and facilities, and engage in activities designed to increase interest, awareness and passion for healthcare and research professions.
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Summer Volunteer Opportunity: |
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Monday's Motivational Moment! |
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Green Eggs and Ham, Anyone?
In recognition of of Dr. Seuss' birthday: March 2, 1904 - September 24, 1991
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Theodor Seuss Geisel — Dr. Seuss of children's book fame — is loved by many readers for his storytelling. Today, no children's author/illustrator's work is more immediately recognizable worldwide than that of Dr. Seuss. His most popular book, "Green Eggs and Ham," has sold 8 million copies since 1960.
While most of our Colonial families have likely heard of Dr. Seuss, many probably do not know that he struggled with success early on. In fact, his first children's book, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," was rejected 27 times before its publication in 1937 by Vanguard Press. It actually took many years for Theodor Seuss Geisel to reach fame, but he was fiercely persistent. He never quit on his goals.
One of Geisel's writing tricks was that his books were deceptively simple. His "Green Eggs and Ham" contains only 50 words, a challenge thrown to the author by his editor at the time.
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Dr. Seuss' lessons for our Grenadiers:
#1 Success comes through gritty perseverance. You must never give up.
#2 Practice self-discipline at all times.
#3 Whatever you are doing, have fun with it. Channel all thoughts about school or your work as something you "get to do" vs. something you "have to do."
#4 Be humble and whenever possible, share the credit.
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IT'S GREAT TO BE A GRENADIER!
Mrs. Reussow, Principal
Colonial High School
Sunday, March 3, 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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