Cholla High School December News

🎶 Hark! The district angels sing,

Vacation’s near—it’s happening!

Parties, projects, kids run wild,

Counting days till grades are filed.🎶

Charger Community,

I cannot believe we are already in December! This is a crucial time for students as we near the end of the semester. Parents, continue to push your children and encourage them to get their grades up and be prepared for Final Exams. We are planning a special celebration for all students to celebrate our “B” letter grade. We want to make sure we recognize you the students for all your hard work to reach a B! We will provide more information once we finalize the details.

Students, remember to wear your Buffalo Check on Wednesday, during the month of December to celebrate a festive Red for Education.

Thank you and have a great December!

Students, as we are less than 3 weeks away from the end of the 1st semester, I wanted to remind you that you need to stay on top of your assignments. Reminder, at the end of the semester you will receive 2 grades,1 grade for the 2nd Quarter and 1 grade for the semester. The semester grade is important as this will be utilized to calculate your GPA. Please attend tutoring/office hours if you need help in any of your classes. If you need help understanding your credits, please make an appointment with your counselor.

We look forward to our December Graduation. Graduation will take place on Tuesday, December 17th, 2024, at 6PM at Palo Verde School. Graduates need to arrive by 5PM.

We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. We look forward to finishing the school year strong.

Congratulations to Gabriel Rocha, our boys' soccer coach, for being selected as one of this year's Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 40/40 recipients! We are proud to have him as part of the Chargers family and look forward to the positive impact of his guidance and coaching on our young men.

Greetings Cholla Chargers!

As we approach the winter break, we hope you reflect on the many accomplishments you’ve had this semester.

And although many look forward to having two weeks of vacation, we also understand that the holidays can bring a unique set of challenges. Even though the school will be closed, here are some services that are available to help:

The Student Services Department wishes you all a peaceful and restful holiday season! We are proud of everything you have accomplished this semester and look forward to supporting you in the new year.

It's been a busy month for our IB students and in particular those involved in the IB Club!

Students volunteered their time participating in the Homecoming Tailgate Party on November 8. There was face painting and whipping cream pie-in-the-face available for students attending the tailgate party to enjoy. A huge thank you to our volunteer pie-in-the-face staff: Mr. Alegria, Ms. Slade and Ms. Worthman for allowing the students the fun of throwing a pie at you!

The IB Club students also helped plan for the Youth-on-Their-Own (YOTO) luncheon held Wednesday, November 27. The students went around with a sign-up sheet asking teachers to bring items for the luncheon. They also had teachers sign a banner for the YOTO students. The IB Club students helped decorate and served both students and staff at this event. Hearts and stomachs left full!

The luncheon could not have happened without the generosity of the Cholla staff who provided food, decorations and time setting up for the event. Thanks also go to community partners who provided items for the luncheon. A huge thanks to Texas Roadhouse for their donation of two gift baskets and 7 dozen rolls with their wonderful honey-butter. Thank you, Tucson Subaru, for the donation of two buckets of Eegees for the students! They enjoyed the sweet treat. We'd also like to show appreciation for Dave & Busters for their donation of gift bags for each of the attending YOTO students and to Main Event and Raising Canes for their donation of gift cards. Thank you, Officer Figueroa, for your help in procuring these donations. We appreciate all the support received and are thankful for all of you who had a hand in making this event special.

In other IB news, all required paperwork and evidence of proficiency has been submitted for the IB Diploma Programme's 5-year review and evaluation. Much like schools that are required to be accredited, IB World Schools are required to go through a year-long evaluation process every 5 years. This process began November 2023 and finished December 1, 2024. Input was provided by IB staff, students and administration. Once we receive the final report back from the International Baccalaureate Organization, we will announce the outcome. We are looking forward to including parent voice over the next 5 years to continue to improve the IB programmes offered at Cholla High School.

Registration for IB and AP exams is now closed. Any changes to registration will now incur additional fees and/or fines. For more information on exam registration for either program, please reach out to Dr. Teresa Green at teresa.green@tusd1.org.

• Wednesday 12/18 Early Dismissal 12:55PM
• Thursday 12/19 Early Dismissal 11:55AM
• Friday 12/20 No School Grading Day

Currently we have 701 students with outstanding books out. Please have students check backpacks, cars, homes, and even your classroom for any books that may be out. Students with outstanding books/fines are not able to check more books out until these are taken care of. Overdue library books can be returned to the library, and fines can be paid in the business office.

Cholla's Santa Rita Exchange ACE Student of the Month for November is Ayleen Cruz. Ayleen was awarded November 26th at The Hungry Fox restaurant and was joined by her parents, grandfather who drove from Nogales, IB Coordinator Dr. Green, and Social Worker Ms. Fragozo.

Here are some kind words from Mr. Loya , "I have had this student going on for 4 years and I have never seen anybody so kindhearted and determined to do so good at her academics, not to mention she is very talented. One of the most beautiful hearted person I have ever met."

Words from Dr. Green, "Ayleen has consistently proven herself to be a student that strives for academic achievement. She currently holds a weighted GPA of 4.279. She is a full IB Diploma candidate. This requires determination and persistence. In addition, she is required to complete a 4,000-word extended essay (research paper) relating to one of her six subject areas. She is involved in the Cholla Mariachi group outside of school and a leader on the school's cheer team. She is an active member of the NHS and the IB Club. Ayleen served for two years on the Cholla Site Team as a student member. She is kind, caring and thoughtful towards others. She strives to bring out the best in those around her."

Cholla's San Javier Kiwanis Student of the Month for December is Johnathan Titus. Johnathan was awarded December 5th at the Bumsteds restaurant and was joined by his parents and Social Worker Ms. Fragozo.

Here are some kind words from Richard Rubin, "Johnathan is determined, tenacious and responsible. Despite physical challenges he has persevered to achieve his academic goals and is taking advanced classes in Mathematics and as well as taking a full load of classes, he is taking JTED classes off campus in 3 D Animation and Game Design. He is interested in Cyber Security. Johnathan is very active in school events and part of the Marching Band."

Kind Words from Ms. Munoz, "Johnathan Titus is a remarkable Algebra 2 student who consistently demonstrates hard work, dedication, and a genuine passion for learning. His polite and respectful demeanor creates a positive atmosphere in the classroom, and his sweet nature makes him a joy to teach. He approaches challenges with determination, always striving to do his best, and he is a wonderful example of both academic effort and kindness."

Words from his mother, "Despite having 9 surgeries and a form of muscular dystrophy, Johnathan does not let his physical limitations slow him down. He is determined and always pushes forward to accomplish his goals."

It is time to think about purchasing a Yearbook with your Senior’s Tribute Ad included! Honor your senior’s growth and accomplishments through the years in pictures and words. This is the section that most students immediately turn to when they first pick up their yearbooks, and it always brings a laugh, a tear, a smile, a sigh… and we know you will want to be part of this section. You will design your page directly on the yearbook website. You may wish to look through previous yearbooks or search “senior yearbook ads” on-line for some ideas. All ads must be purchased no later than February 14, 2025 and submitted by March 1st . But don’t delay – we only have 20 pages reserved for senior ads!

Please contact Yearbook Adviser, Mr. Bernardo Jimenez by emailing Bernardo.jimenez@tusd1.org , if you have any questions.

Buy the 2025 Yearbook and/or Senior Tribute at ybpay.com with yearbook code 14475525

Senior picture retakes/makeups will be on Thursday, January 30. We will have loaner cap and gowns for you.

The yearbook picture will be without a cap, so please let the photographer know if you want to take one with the optional cap.

Thank you for a fantastic start to what promises to be an incredible school year! We're excited to continue the journey with all of you, and we look forward to finishing this year strong as we head into 2025.

This month, we’ve had the opportunity to update our website, and we are thrilled to see more community engagement on our Facebook page than we’ve experienced in years past. If you haven’t had a chance to check out our new website, please take a moment to explore and see all the great things happening at Cholla.

Also, be sure to like and follow our Facebook page to stay connected with us and enjoy a daily glimpse into the life of your Charger!

Thank you for your continued support—let’s keep making this year one to remember!