Keeping Up with Comm Arts
~ May 6, 2024 ~
Hello Comm Arts Family and Friends!
AP Testing is here! Parents and students, morning AP exams begin promptly at 8 am. Students need to be on campus for their exam by 7:30 am. Students who usually ride the bus will need to arrange for alternative transportation. The start time is a College Board requirement. Any student arriving late after the start time will be charged an additional $40 late exam fee. Email Ms. Lewis (elizabeth.lewis@nisd.net) with any follow-up questions. Seniors have one afternoon exam on Friday, May 10th. They will eat lunch during 4th period, in the cafeteria. There will be no off campus lunch for seniors on Friday. Students need to report to their testing room by 12:15 pm.
Due to AP testing, students cannot hang out in the Comm Arts building before school. Non-testing students can enter the building at 8:50 am and quietly move to their classroom. Before school, there will be limited seating in our Comm Arts LGI, or students can hang out in the cafeteria at Taft.
Senior AP Exams are on May 6th, 8th, & 10th. Junior AP Exams are on May 10th & 14th. Sophomores will take their exam on May 15th, and freshmen have their AP Exam on May 7th.
AP English Literature (12th), US History (11th), English Language (11th), and World History (10th) exams are digital. Please charge your device the night before and bring your charger with you. If you have a mouse, you may use it during your exam. Please double-check your login before the morning. Also, please restart your Chromebook and log into the Bluebook app. This will allow for the needed updates. Also, know your login information. You will need to call the College Board if you need to reset your password on the morning of your exam.
For those planning ahead, semester exams will be June 3rd-6th. Exempt students will still need to be in attendance to remain eligible.
AP Exams
AP World History Review session
Mr. Harris will host his final AP review session after school this Thursday. Sophomores, if you owe AR hours, this counts.
Free Resources to Prepare for AP Exams
Is this your first time taking an AP exam? If so, here is a good read for you! - Click here to read
Here is a good read on building your confidence for taking an AP exam. - Click here to read
AP Daily Practice Sessions - Starting April 22nd, a new video series will be available on AP Classroom and Youtube. Experienced AP teachers will provide practice on free-response and multiple-choice questions.
AP Daily Videos - On AP Classroom, there are short videos led by experienced AP teachers that you can review at your speed.
AP Daily: Live Review Recordings - Last year's recordings are also available on AP Classroom.
Other AP Classroom Resources - Topic Questions, Progress Checks, My Reports, and Additional Tips are all available.
Other Free Resources - Use the About the Exam tab to learn more about the exams. Also, your teacher has provided many resources throughout the year that can be used to review. Don't forget that you can form study groups to review together.
For more information, click here: Prepare for AP Exams.
AP® Daily Practice
To find these videos in AP Classroom, AP students need to click on the Course Guide section in the blue navigation bar on the left of their screen. Then, they'll click on the Review tab. Finally, they should select 2024 AP Exam On-Demand Review to see the list of new videos available. Note: Students can also watch review sessions from previous years in AP Classroom.
AP Daily: Practice Sessions are about 15 minutes long each and provide a walk-through of both multiple-choice and free-response questions so students can become familiar with the types of questions they’ll see on exam day. The videos are available for students to view at any time and will remain accessible through the AP Exam administration so they can watch whenever works best for them.
AP Exams
Payment:
- $40 per exam
- Free/Reduced Meals $10/exam - parents/guardians need to re-apply each school year.
- See the pdf below for more details of payment
All other exams will be processed through Taft HS.
Highlights
Thank you!
Last week, Wednesday was Principal's Day. Dr. Baker, you are an inspirational campus leader! You are a true pillar of support to the students and staff. We appreciate you.
It's Teacher Appreciation Week! We have incredible teachers here at Comm Arts! They make an impact and truly care about our students. Teachers, thank you for all you do to make Comm Arts a wonderful place!
Wednesday, May 8th, is School Nurse Appreciation. Nurse Flores and Nurse Pettigrew, we are grateful for the kindness and care you show our Comm Arts students every day. Your patience, understanding, and comforting presence make a world of difference. Thank you.
2024 Joci Awards
Congratulations to Jake Burris and Ella Cruz, who participated in the Majestic Empire Foundation's Joci Awards on May 4th.
Jake was selected as a finalist in the Best Lead Actor category. He competed for over $150,000 in scholarships and a trip to NYC to compete in the Jimmy Awards on Broadway. The Jimmy Awards is the single largest scholarship program for the Performing Arts in the United States.
Jake and Ella were selected out of 333 students in San Antonio and South Texas. Way to go!
Ella won a scholarship to the prestigious NEXUS Musical Theatre Camp at Texas State this June.
BSU Field Trip
BSU attended the St. Philips College Open House and CultureFest.
AP HUG Review
ISM Presentations
Several seniors gave their final ISM presentations last week. Everyone did a fantastic job! Our freshmen enjoyed learning new things and watching our expert presenters.
Fiesta Medal Designs - Voting Results
Our Spanish classes had to create a design based on a charity that gives back to our community, and the students outdid themselves in the designs they created. It was SO difficult to narrow it down, but here are the winners:
Most Artistic – goes to Tess K9 Rescue & Adoption by Liliana Estorga.
Best Idea – goes to Meals on Wheels by Denise DeLuna.
Most Festive – goes to the San Antonio Food Bank by Elianna Ortega.
Best Charity Design – goes to San Antonio Botanical Gardens by Mercedes Laboy.
Best Overall – goes to the Animal Defense League by Emery Saenz.
UTSA Screening
Two SkillsUSA productions were showcased at UTSA's screening last Wednesday at the Palladium. What a great experience!
CAHS Screening
AV production also hosted a screening last week in our LGI to show our seniors' dedication.
Meet & Greet
Congressional Art Showcase
Gabriela Vega Rosario's artwork was showcased this past weekend as part of the Congressional Art Competition.
Senior College Parade
Announcements
Stuco & Class Officer Elections
Applications are due May 10th. Keep in mind that you can only hold one officer position at CAHS. So, you pick either an STUCO or class officer role.
You may immediately begin campaigning on Monday, May 20th, upon receiving an approval email from Mr. Harris. Please campaign in a positive manner on @commstuco = Twitter and Instagram.
Elections will be held on Monday, May 27th, and Tuesday, May 28th, via Google Form voting. Look for a form on May 27th in your Social Studies teacher's Google Classroom. Voting ends May 28th at 4:20 p.m., and winners are announced on May 29th.
Campaign reminders - Only two posters per candidate. Before you can hang them in the hallway, they must be pre-approved in the Comm Arts front office. No pizza, stickers, or other items can be used—only your two posters.
Panoramic Pictures
You can still order our campus panoramic pictures. Click HERE to order.
Seniors
Cap & Gowns
Seniors, Jostens was on campus last Friday for cap and gown delivery. You must visit Jostens if you still need to pick up your graduation items. They have the items at their store for pick up. Jostens is located at 2102 Mannix Dr, San Antonio, TX 78217
Prom Tickets
To purchase prom ticket(s), you will need to download the MORP app. It is available on the Google Play Store and IOS App Store. It is important to turn on notifications to get all the latest information regarding prom. Register as the Taft High School class of 2024.
Students can add a credit card/debit card to their account for prom ticket purchase. A student's credit/debit card is not charged until they are approved to purchase their ticket. You will get one of the following messages: *Students can be approved to be part of the school but not approved to purchase tickets, for various reasons. Approval can take up to 24 hours*
- Approved : The student joins the guest list and receives a QR code digital ticket. The student's card is charged. The student gets a notification of the approval.
- Denied : The student's card is not charged and will remain in the student list. You will get a notification of the denial and why.
- Come See Me : The student's transaction remains on hold in the pending approvals list. The student is notified that he/she needs to come see the admin prior to approval.
*Student Purchasing Options
- Buy a single ticket. The student purchases a single ticket for themselves.
- Buy a ticket for themselves and a date who attends the same school. The student selects the name of his/her date from the student list. You will need their contact info and student ID number.
- Buy a ticket for themselves and a date who does not attend the same school. The student fills out this google form that will go into "Pending Status" awaiting administrative approval. GUEST ID MUST BE UPLOADED, If guest ID is not uploaded then the form will automatically be denied! 2024 Taft/Comm Arts Prom Guest Request
Ineligibility: If a student has excessive absences or has outstanding fines/fees due.
Ticket Sales: ID will be required to enter prom.
April 25th - May 8th ~ Ticket price increases to $80
*Last day to purchase a ticket will be May 8th*
Send your AP Scores for Free
Beginning on April 10th, students signing in to My AP will see a pop-up window prompting them to choose a college, university, or scholarship organization to receive their AP scores for free. Seniors will have to make a selection to access AP Classroom and their course resources and assignments. Students have until June 20th, to change their free score send selection.
Senior Walks
Seniors, below are the elementary schools that shared their information with us. If you don't see your school below, you can contact your elementary school directly for senior walk details.
Leon Springs ES
May 15th
Fields ES
May 23rd
Linton ES
May 24th
Summer Programs
Summer School
Official summer school information is now available. June 17th - June 27th (holiday: June 19th)
and Session 2 is July 1st - July 11th (holiday: July 4th). For more course information and costs, click the link below. Please keep in mind, due to campus requirements; Comm Arts students cannot register for the Social Studies and English courses. Registration opens April 10th and ends Friday, May 17th.
Counselors' Corner
Wise Words with Dr. Rosales & Ms. Skidmore
Summer School Credit Advancement is in full swing. Please email your respective counselor if you would like to take a class this summer. The deadline to register is May 17th. Registration is completed once the student has paid for the class(es).
Please also check HAC to review the courses you signed up to take for the 2024-2025 school year. Notify your respective counselor if you want to make a change.
Go Center
Calendar
May 2024
June 2024
Important Links & Documents
Spring Semester Exam Exemptions
A student enrolled in courses earning high school credit (full-year or semester) may be exempt from the spring semester exam if the following criteria are met:
- For the Spring semester, the student has three or fewer absences, excluding school business absences; (Spring semester begins January 3, 2024)
- The student’s final average for the spring semester is 80 or higher;
- The student’s conduct grade in that class is satisfactory or better; and
- The student is in attendance during the scheduled exam time.
A student who is eligible for exemption may take the exam if desired.
Exam Weight: The two graded quarters of each semester shall weigh 90 percent of the semester grade, and the semester exam shall weigh 10 percent of the semester grade. If a student is exempt from the semester exam, the semester grade shall be calculated using only the two grade quarters of the semester.
Adobe Access
Adobe Creative Suite Software at Home for Personal Devices
ComArts CTE students, please remember you can download and install Adobe Creative Suite software onto your personal laptops and computer (not Chromebooks) for FREE using your NISD student login credentials. Use the attached instructions for guidance. Keep in mind the Adobe software version installed at home will be a newer version than what is available at school. Please contact your Communications teacher (Cleveland, Barton, Sabogal, or Flores) if you have questions.
Communications Arts High School
Mission: Our school promotes curiosity while providing rigorous academics in a supportive and collaborative environment.
Vision: Communications Arts H.S. students will be confident, capable, communicative leaders.
Email: cahs@nisd.net
Attendance Email: CAHS.attendance@nisd.net
Website: https://www.nisd.net/communicationsarts
Location: 11600 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78253, USA
Phone: (210) 397-6043
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CommunicationsArtsHighSchool/
Twitter: @NISDComArts