Trailblazer Weekly | September 16, 2024

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Overland High School

BLAZER GREAT. BLAZER PROUD. BLAZER EXCELLENT.

Bell Schedule & Calendar
Overland Website

The Overland Parent Teacher Community Organization (OPTCO) is the Parent, Teacher, and Community Support group organized to help promote better communication between the parents, students, faculty, and administration. Join us!

OPTCO Information

Fall Craft Fair October 26

The PTCO will be hosting a Craft Fair on October 26 to raise funds for our school. We hope that you can make plans to attend and check out the many vendor offerings. Please help us by spreading the word to your friends and family members in the area. For all details, including information on how to register as a vendor, please visit overlandhsptco.com. Students can help the day of the fair and earn volunteer credit or a donation to their club, team, or ensemble. Go here for more details. Please email questions to president@overlandptco.org.

Parent Help Needed with HOCO Coat Check

The PTCO has been asked to host a coat check for our students' Homecoming Dance on Saturday October 5. The dance runs from 8pm to 10:30pm and we need a few parents to help out.

Sign up to help with coat check

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Report an absence before 2:00pm on the day of the absence.


Attendance Google Form

click here


All-day absence or late arrival

720-747-3995


Early release

720-747-3996


Español

720-747-3997



In Cherry Creek School District and Overland School, our top priorities are your child’s safety, academics, and whole wellbeing. In order to maintain and excel in these areas, it’s critical that our kids come to school every day. 


Did you know that 1 in 3 students in CCSD in the 2023-24 school year were chronically absent? Chronic absenteeism is defined by the state as missing more than 10 days in the school year.


Chronic absenteeism has a significant impact on the academic performance of a child and their classroom. Over 4 out of 5 students who miss more than 10% of kindergarten and first grade are unable to read on-level by third grade. By 6th grade, chronic absenteeism is a critical warning sign that a student may not graduate high school. Missing just one lesson or period in class can have a serious impact on a student’s understanding of academic concepts. 


We also know that strong attendance improves our students’ Whole Wellbeing. Our students who experience anxiety about school often find care in our counseling staff and their support team in our school building. Missing school often exacerbates anxiety when our students then need to make up work that they missed, causing them to fall further behind. 


To improve this process and best support our families, this year CCSD is shifting the way that attendance is tracked and changing the notification process to guardians. 


If your child is chronically absent, or misses more than 10 days of school (or 40 class periods), parents or guardians will receive a letter from the district on behalf of our school notifying them of the issue. You will receive a second letter if your child misses more than 15 days of school. Our hope in automating this process at the district level is to provide our school staff with more time to meet with caregivers and problem-solve if your child or family needs extra support to attend school every day. We understand there can be challenges and barriers that we would like to work together to address. 


In order to accomplish our goals of student safety, literacy, and wellbeing, caregivers and staff will need to work together to support our students. If your family anticipates an issue with attendance this year, please reach out to our office and we will make a plan to ensure your student gets to class.

myCherryCreek

Check grades

Check attendance

Email teachers

Access classwork


LINK: myCherryCreek


VIDEO: How to use myCherryCreek



Check Your Student's Grades and Attendance


Just a reminder that CCSD allows parents/guardians to access their student's grades, attendance, email teachers, and access student classwork via myCherryCreek. This is a great way to help you monitor your student's academic success at Overland throughout the academic year.  


Questions? 

Yvette Rolison

yrolison@cherrycreekschools.org

720-747-3624

More Information

Cell Phone Expectations


For the 2024-2025 school year we will be partnering with Yondr to strengthen and better align with Cherry Creek School District's Policy on Student Use of Electronic Communication Devices Policy (JICJ), these expectations will promote and support the student learning experience by:

  1. Minimizing Distractions
  2. Enhancing Academic Performance
  3. Promoting Respectful Behavior
  4. Maintaining Classroom Integrity
  5. Encouraging Responsible Use

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thursday, September 19

4:00–7:30pm

Overland gyms

Parent Teacher Conferences


Parents, you are invited to attend Parent Teacher Conferences on Thursday, September 19, 2024, from 4:00 to 7:30 PM in the gyms. No appointments are necessary.


We will have computers available to assist with accessing PowerSchool and Schoology. Interpreters will also be present to assist as needed.


We look forward to seeing you on September 19!

Homecoming Dance

Saturday, October 5


Guest Pass Due

September 24

Homecoming Dance Guest Pass


Overland students who would like to bring a non-Overland guest to the Homecoming Dance must submit a Dance Guest Pass application to the Activities Office by September 24 at 4:00pm.


Download Dance Guest Pass
Homecoming Information

SEL Survey


Students will be taking an SEL survey in their social studies classes to help us provide them with the best education possible. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a method of teaching that helps students develop skills to manage their emotions, set goals, and build positive relationships. It's also known as "socio-emotional learning" or "social–emotional literacy."

College & Career Readiness Day – Oct 9


EVERY Blazer will have the chance to prepare for their future on October 9. Better yet, our SOPHOMORES & JUNIORS will take the NMSQT/PSAT for FREE!


Freshmen: CollegeBoard Bluebook PSAT 9 Preparatory Exam

Sophomores: National Merit Scholarship Qualifying PSAT

Juniors: National Merit Scholarship Qualifying PSAT

Seniors: College & Career Planning

Click here to see how you can help with the Donation Drive.

Registration for Winter sports will open on 10-21-24. 

Registration Information

Winter Sports


  • Basketball – Boys
  • Basketball – Girls
  • Basketball – Unified
  • Cheerleading
  • Ice Hockey
  • Poms
  • Swimming – Girls
  • Wrestling – Boys
  • Wrestling – Girls


Club Directory

Clubs & Activities


Want to join an Overland club? Check out the list of clubs, and attend one of the meetings. Be sure to check if the club has an audition or application process. Contact the club sponsor with any questions.

LITERACY CORNER

“The best indicator of being college-and-career-ready is the ability to read complex text.”

(Thomas G. Gunning, 2018).

In August and September, teachers will be examining their use of complex texts in the classroom, which is related to Cherry Creek School District’s Literacy Framework. Complex texts are those texts that contain complex ideas that require the reader to think critically by constructing and reflecting on the meaning.


One way you can help build your child’s ability to read and comprehend complex text at home is to show them some complex texts that you encounter as an adult. Some ideas include:

  • graphs from the water bill
  • auto loans
  • leases or mortgages
  • technical manuals
  • lab reports for medical care
  • tax returns or tax documents
  • pay stubs
  • insurance policies
  • voter guides

Model for your child how you read those texts and discuss any vocabulary that is important to know. What areas can be tricky to understand? How do you problem-solve any challenging parts of those texts?

Steps:

  1. Preview the text together and activate your child’s background knowledge: What does your child already know about this topic/text?
  2. Discuss important vocabulary to know/understand. Are there any words that were unfamiliar to your child that you can help them learn?
  3. Ask questions to measure your child’s understanding of that particular complex text
  4. Share your personal experience of reading these types of ‘complex texts.’

SENIOR SECTION

Senior Information

Class of 2025


Get ready for your senior year by looking through the information on our website.

  • Order cap & gown
  • Yearbook
  • Senior pictures
  • Senior sunrise
  • and more

Senior Panoramic Photo


The senior panoramic photo was taken on Wednesday, September 11 during Advisory. You may purchase one photo for $35 or all three poses for $55.

Payment Options

SEPTEMBER 2024 

9/19 Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:30pm in Gyms 

9/25 College and Career Info Night @6pm 

9/31–10/5 Homecoming Week 


OCTOBER 2024 

10/4 Last day to buy yearbook for $60

10/4 Senior Pictures +$10 due 

10/5 SAT: National Testing Day 

10/9 College and Career Readiness Day 

10/10 Academic Letter & AP Scholars, 7am Aud (morning) 

10/26 ACT: National Testing Day 

10/29 CCHS/CR Night College Fair @6pm 

10/30 Senior Class Meeting in Auditorium w/ Jostens 


NOVEMBER 2024 

11/7-8 Jostens in cafeteria during both lunches 

11/2 SAT: National Testing Day 

11/30 Senior Ads due 


DECEMBER 2024 

12/7 SAT: National Testing Day 

12/10–11 Cram Fest 

12/14 ACT: National Testing Day 

12/17 Final Exams—1A, 2A, 3A 


JANUARY 2025 

1/23 Jostens in cafeteria during lunches 

1/26 Last day to order cap & gowns for $40

1/26 Jostens in cafeteria during lunches 

1/27 Cap & gown price increases to $50 

1/30 Culture Night 

1/31 Last day for yearbook refund 


FEBRUARY 2025 

2/8 ACT: National Testing Day 

2/10–14 Wish Week 

2/16 Last day to buy yearbook for $80 

2/20 Parent Teacher Conferences @4-7:30pm

MARCH 2025 

3/1 Cap & Gown Photos in cafeteria during lunches 

3/8 Cap & Gown Photos in cafeteria during lunches 

3/8 SAT: National Testing Day 


APRIL 2025 

4/1 Mandatory Parent/Grad Meeting (A-Ln) @7pm (Jostens will be here) 

4/2 Mandatory Parent/Grad Meeting (Lo-Z) @6pm (Jostens will be here)

4/5 ACT: National Testing Day 

4/7 Graduation Performance Auditions @3pm 

4/10 Parent/Grad Makeup Meeting @6:45am 

4/16-17 SAT/PSAT, no school for seniors 


MAY 2025 

5/1 Senior Field Day

5/4 Yearbook Distribution 

5/3 SAT: National Testing Day 

5/5–16 AP Testing 

5/5–/8 Senior Exams 

5/8 Senior Clapout end of 4B

5/9 Senior Field Trip

5/10 Prom/After Prom 

5/12 Senior Checkout Day 

5/14 Senior Academic Awards, 6pm 

5/23 Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal, 12–4pm @OHS Luncheon, Rehearsal, Slideshow, get Cap/Gown if fees paid 

5/24 Grad Performers Rehearsal, 6–8pm @DU 

5/25 Graduation at DU Ritchie Center @8am Arrive no later than 6:30am


Dates and times are subject to change. Please check the Overland website for updates.


Questions?

Abby Cate, Activities Director

acate8@cherrycreekschools.org

HEALTH + SAFETY

Call Nurse Brian at 720-747-3789

Report Positive COVID Result

Fax 720-747-3588

Immunization Clinic Hosted by CDPHE at Overland


September 20, 2024

Overland High School

12400 E Jewell Ave, Aurora, CO 80012

9am-1pm (last appointment slot is at (12:45pm).


Registration Information: Patients can pre-register or come as a walk-in. We highly encourage pre-registration to ensure a smooth clinic flow and to limit patient waiting time. To register, please follow the steps from the link below. Search within ‘Any distance from’ and the clinic will pop up. The clinic name in our registration portal is "Overland High School". Appointment blocks are set at 15 minute intervals.

 

Use the Registration link or QR code to sign up.


Kind Regards,

Brian Kornreich, BSBME, BSN, MS, RN

Student ID's


Overland students must have their OHS Student ID at all times. Need a replacement ID? Please go to the IST Main Office.

North Entrance


The Jewell Avenue (north) entrance to the Overland-Prairie campus and the STRIDE Health Clinic will be closed during school hours. Vehicles may enter from Pacific Drive.


The STRIDE Health Clinic parking lot is for patients only.

COMMUNITY

Email Ms. Hassan

Community Liaison


Meet Najma Hassan, our new Community Liaison. She can help students and families with various needs such as

  • Food/clothing
  • Mental health support
  • Economic hardship/homelessness
  • Uninsured or medical difficulties
  • Free and reduced lunch
  • Transportation
  • School supplies

Blazin' the Trail: Requesting Resources


Hello Blazer Community! I hope you’ve all been hanging in there. The first few weeks of school were a whirlwind, but seeing the support we’ve already been able to provide makes me hopeful for the rest of the year! While we are always looking for ways to support our students, I want to take this moment to highlight how we can support YOU, our families.


Overland High School, in its collaboration with Prairie Middle School, helps to provide resources for our families who may benefit from them. In case you are not already familiar with our community space, let me give you a quick rundown of what we offer:


Community Closet: Our community closet provides clothes and hygiene products for families. We offer winter coats, hats/scarves, shoes/socks, t-shirts, pants, etc. In terms of hygiene products we offer vanity kits, toothbrush kits, deodorant sticks/wipes, face masks, menstrual products, diapers, training pants, etc. If you're ever wondering if we have a specific item in inventory, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me! Make sure to keep an eye on this space! We have big plans for the remainder of the year!


Community Pantry: Our community pantry is a means to provide snacks and meal kits from families who may benefit from them. While we try our best to accommodate dietary restrictions, we are currently limited in what we carry. If you would like more options for food resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out and I may be able to provide more pantry options/programs.


School Supplies: We do our best to offer school supplies to any of our students who need them. From notebooks, folders, binder, pens/pencils, to a backpack to keep them in, we try to maintain a good inventory of the products our students need to engage in class and succeed!


How can you access these resources?

Please use the following links to fill out a request for resources.

Donations?

We are currently only accepting donations of gently used winter coats, gloves, and clothing hangers for the community closer, as well as notebooks, binders, and paper for our school supply donations. If you have more donation suggestions please email me and I can better assist to see if it’s something our community would use!


Sincerely,

Najma Hassan

Community Liaison - Overland High School

nhassan3@cherrycreekschools.org

720.747.3439

Make an appointment today! 

(303) 7STRIDE 
(303-778-7433)
STRIDE Community Health Center
Services
  • Behavioral Health Services 
  • Chronic Disease Management 
  • Dental Screenings 
  • Developmental Screenings 
  • Immunizations 
  • Minor Injuries
  • Newborn Care & Well Child Checks 
  • Physicals 
  • Sick Visits 
  • Sports Physicals 
  • Sexual & Reproductive Health and Education

Insurance Information
While STRIDE is a non-profit healthcare organization that provides healthcare to the underserved, uninsured and working families who cannot afford these services, they are NOT a free-service clinic.  
 
STRIDE participates with following discount and insurance programs and also offers families financial screenings to determine sliding-scale discounts or help find health plans patients qualify for:  
  • Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP)
  • Colorado Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+)
  • Medicaid
  • Medicare
  • Colorado Access
  • Access Advantage
  • Self Pay
  • Some private insurances
STRIDE Health Care Coverage Information

When schools are on a delayed start High School bus pickup is delayed 90 minutes. School starts at 9:50 a.m.

Weather Delays and Snow Days


Winter weather can happen at any time. Ensure that you receive weather delay and closure notifications by making sure your phone numbers and email addresses are correct in myCherryCreek.


Just log in to myCherryCreek, click on the Oracle tile, then on Contact Info in the menu on the left. Make sure your Home Mobile Phone and/or Home Phone numbers and Work Email address are correct, so that you will receive weather delay and closure notifications.

More Information
OHS Weather Station

Overland Weather Station


Overland is now offering meteorology as a science elective, and students get to work with our very own professional weather station. Our station is one of over 250,000 professional and amateur weather stations connected to the Ambient Weather Network around the world. This network is free to use by all, no login or sign up required. You can also find the Ambient Weather Network on most app stores if you want access on your phone. 

Translation Help

FUNDRAISERS

Six Ways to Support Overland Wrestling

Join King Soopers Community Rewards Program. 

If you are a King Soopers shopper and have a rewards login, please connect your account to the Overland High School Wrestling Team!

Just log in to your account, click My Profile, Scroll down to Community Rewards, then search Overland High School Wrestling, and enroll. Then every time you shop under your rewards, a percentage comes back to us.


Use Mile High Ducts for duct cleaning. 

We have an exciting opportunity to raise funds for our wrestling program. OHS Wrestling Alumni and Business Owner, Andy Fitzpatrick, owner of Mile High Duct, is offering an amazing opportunity to have a percentage of funds come back to our program if your household or business uses their service of duct cleaning! All you have to do is say that you were referred by the Overland High School Wrestling Program. 

Check them out online at 

https://www.milehighducts.com/ or call them at Phone: (720) 422-9953.


Become a Wrestling Sponsor. 

Each wrestler is required to pay a $100 wrestling fee, which helps to pay for their practice gear pack for the season. While money is necessary for our program, it is never a barrier. If there is a student-athlete who is unable to pay, then we find community sponsors to cover all or most of their fee. If interested, respond to this email. 


Use Jose Ramirez with Keller Williams Realty DTC for Real Estate Needs

Contact Jose through this email and a portion will go back to Overland Wrestling - JRam@kw.com 

Learn More - https://www.kwdtc.com/KW-DTC-Agent-Roster/Jose-Ramirez


Use Eva's House Cleaning for your Home or Business Cleaning

Just say you are referred by Overland High School Wrestling and a portion will go back to the program! 

Phone number - 720 229 7698

Email address is: Evahousecleaning03@hotmail.com 


Join Go Green Now to join a Community Solar Program 

Use the link below to read more about the program, and enroll at the bottom. All you need is to be an Xcel Energy user. Use referral code OHS for a $100 donation to come back to the OHS Wrestling Program. 

Go Green Link


Support OHS at King Soopers

If you do not already have a charity associated with your King Soopers card, please consider selecting one of the OHS groups below so some group earns that free money. 


Log in to your King Soopers account and select Community Rewards on the left-hand side and then select one of the groups below:



  • Overland PTCO - GA375
  • Overland High School Band Parents Association (Band and Orchestra) - HK700
  • Overland High School Choir and Theatre – BC026
  • Cherry Creek School District Overland Baseball – KT631
  • Overland High School (goes to Student Council) – TR572


Need an outfit for Homecoming, Prom, or other formal occasions? K&G Fashion Superstore will donate 10% of purchases made by Overland students back to Overland High School!


K&G Fashion Superstore

13940 E Mississippi Ave

Aurora, CO  80012

303-369-1015

website

overland.cherrycreekschools.org

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