CHS News

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

~Lionel Hampton

We are thankful for the students, families, staff, and community members who make a difference in our lives every day. We wish you a Thanksgiving holiday filled with many reasons to be grateful.

Students in Ms. Comito's classes used their Spanish language skills to write five things for which they are thankful to feather this bountiful turkey.

The CHS Dance Companies and Drill Team performed at the grand opening of the new Dash In store in Ellicott City! It was a great opportunity to create community connections and participate in a commercial dance experience.

Thank you, Dash In, for your generous donation to our programs!

The Region 5 FBLA competition was held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at River Hill High School. Centennial had 41 members compete in 17 different events. We had 17 members finish in the top four spots to automatically qualify to go compete in the state competition.

Way to go, Eagles!

Writing for the Wingspan, students highlight the stories, celebrations, traditions, opinions, voices, and events that shape our vibrant community.

Ava Rudy was court side at the volleyball state championship game and wrote an outstanding piece that captured the intensity of the match, celebrating the team’s run for the title.

You can read her article here: https://chswingspan.com/18403/sports/centennial-volleyballs-journey-to-the-state-finals-a-triumph-of-resilience-and-unity/

Kaitlyn McManus was also part of our press team as our photographer. Tavroop Kaur, Abby Rothrock, Hannah Elpus, and Ryan Doody served as our editorial team managing the coverage, and Hibah Mehreen handled the publishing of the piece on our website.

We are very proud of all of our Eagles who go above and beyond, on and off the field!

A BIG Eagles Congratulations to our Volleyball Team on their AMAZING SEASON, finishing as 2A State Finalists!

So Proud of our Volleyball Team and Coaches Michael Bossom and Rachel Valenti!!!

Breakfast of Champions for our INCREDIBLE CHAMPIONS, both our Boys & Girls Cross Country Teams, who racked up 6 (SIX) Championships between the two of these programs! Both teams were Howard County Champions, 2A Region Champions, and 2A State Champions — a Cross Country Triple Crown!

Two CHS parents graduated from the Multilingual Parent Leadership Program (MPLP) on November 22, 2024. MPLP is a six-week program designed to help multilingual parents navigate the school system and develop the confidence to advocate for their children. The program also provides training for multilingual parents to assume leadership roles in schools and the community.

Congratulations to:

Mrs. Hannah Lee (Priscilla Lee's mom)

Mrs. Assya Mohammed (Abdulbari Mohammed's mom)

• November 25 - 3-Hour Early Dismissal; Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30 - 8:30 PM (in person); AM ARL in session; no PM ARL
  
• November 26 - 3-Hour Early Dismissal; Parent/Teacher Conferences 12:30 - 3:00 PM and 3:30 - 8:30 PM (virtual); AM ARL in session; no PM ARL
  
• November 27 - Schools Closed for Students; Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM (virtual)
  
• November 28 - 29 - Schools Closed for Thanksgiving
• December 5 & 6 - Winter Showcase, 7 PM, tickets on sale here thru December 4
  
• December 7 - Dinks for Dunks Pickleball Fundraiser, 6 - 9 PM, register here
• December 12 - GT Research Parent/Student Information Night, 6:30 PM (virtual)
  
• December 16 - Choir Concert, 7 PM
• December 17 - Band Concert, 7 PM
• December 18 - Orchestra Concert, 7 PM
  
• December 23 - January 1 - Winter Break, Schools Closed
• January 2 - School Opens
  
• January 17 - Full day of School; midterm exams; AM/PM ARL in session
  
• January 20 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Schools and Offices Closed
  
• January 21- High Schools Close 3 hours early; midterm exams; no AM ARL
• January 22 - High School Close 3 hours early; midterm exams; no PM ARL
• January 23 - All Schools Close 3 hours early; midterm exams, no AM ARL
• May 19 - 30 - Class of 2025 Graduation Window
  

The Performing Arts Programs will present their annual Winter Showcase on Thursday, December 5, and Friday, December 6, at 7 PM. Advanced tickets are available for $10 each now through December 4th using

https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/DA041-1461 Tickets will be sold at the door for $12.

With the return of our amazing opener, Snowbusiness, this show is sure to make you smile!

There's a standing tradition of giving flowers to show your love and support to performers after a concert. Here's an easy way to celebrate your favorite winter showcase performer without going out of your way! Purchase single roses or a trio of roses all wrapped and ready for you to pick up the night of the show! Use the OSP link to place your order before Friday, November 29th. https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/DA041-402

Our CHS Dance Store is open!! Check out the new spirit wear—PJ pants, athletic T, game jersey, sweatpants, our classic hoodie, and a cozy blanket 🙂

Use the link below to get your gear before the store closes on 12/8!!

https://chsdanceholiday24.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

Save the date! CHS GT Research Parent/Student Information Night!

Who: Parents, students and Ms. Ireland, GT Resource teacher, along with former/current GT students

What: To discuss the GT Independent Research, GT Intern/Mentor, and AP Seminar (New for 25-26) courses for 2025-26

Where: Virtually, via GoogleMeet: https://meet.google.com/jsi-xkci-kdq

Dinks for Dunks is our annual fundraiser to help support the Centennial High School Boys' Basketball Program. All proceeds will be donated to the program. This event will take place indoors at Dill Dinkers Pickleball from 6:00 - 9:00 PM on December 7, 2024. The event will include round-robin play, a beginners' clinic, and social play. The cost is $30 per person for the event.

Payment can be made here

Checks can be completed and mailed to the address below:

Made out to: Centennial Boys Basketball

Mailed to:

C/O Rob Slopek

Centennial High School

4300 Centennial Lane

Ellicott City, MD 21042

**Please put the referring player's name in the memo line if possible**

In order to best fit the needs of each player, we ask that you complete this form prior to December 5. If you have any questions, please email Coach Slopek at robert_slopek@hcpss.org.

• On November 25, CHS PTSA will host a Baked Potato Bar to give teachers an opportunity to have dinner before kicking off their Parent-Teacher Conferences. SignUp Genius sign-up is open, please sign-up. This gives our generous parent population a great chance to show their appreciation too!
  

• CHS PTSA will also host our annual Holiday Cookie Drive on December 16. This is a fun and much-enjoyed event for our staff and our bus drivers! Parents provide home-baked holiday cookies and teachers come to the cafeteria after school to fill a cookie box with the tasty homemade treats! SignUp Genius sign-up is open, please sign-up.

Current 8-11 grade students and their parents/guardians are invited to attend in-person information sessions on HCPSS career academies on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at the Applications and Research Laboratory, 10920 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD. The evening will include two 15-minute information sessions beginning at 6:45 PM Details below.

https://news.hcpss.org/news-posts/2024/09/career-academy-info-sessions-nov-12-and-dec-11-2024/

As we head into the winter months, families are reminded that in emergency situations (including inclement weather), information will be shared with the community only through the HCPSS website, email and text, Twitter/X and the HCPSS weather hotline. Be sure your Family File is up to date and that you have opted into texts to receive emergency messages.

Our lost and found bins are overflowing – jackets, shoes, pants, water bottles, lunch boxes, and so much more!

We encourage students to look for their missing items during their lunch shift, and we will set up a table of lost and found items for in-person fall conferences on November 25.

All items that are not claimed by November 27, will be donated.

The Carson Scholars Fund supports two main initiatives: The Carson Scholars Program and The Ben Carson Reading Project. The scholarship program awards students who have embraced high levels of academic excellence and community service with $1,000 college scholarships. If you are interested, please submit a resume and an essay describing your volunteer work for the school and community above and beyond the 75 required service-learning hours to Mr. Kriner in Student Services by Monday, December 2nd. You will be informed by December 18, if you are one of our three school nominees. This will give you ample time to complete the application and submit it by January 13th.

Sweeten your Holidays with See's Chocolates and Candies!

Anyone who has tasted See's chocolates and candies knows they're some of the finest candies you'll ever find. Lucky for us, CHS PTSA has a See's Candy Storefront this year!

See's will donate 20% of all sales to PTSA. Place an order by Dec. 6, and See's will ship directly to you.

Order your chocolates today!

The Reflections Program Theme for this school year is Accepting Imperfection.

Students submit their completed works of art in one or all of the available arts categories:

• Dance Choreography
• Film Production
• Literature
• Music Composition
• Photography
• Visual Arts

All submissions will be electronic. Please complete this entry form and submit it with your artwork to CHS PTSA Reflections Coordinator, Faith Ayers, at faithayers17@gmail.com. You do not have to complete the top section of the entry form, just fill in the second section.

Parents/guardians who work on a federal property in Maryland and/or are a member of a uniformed service can qualify HCPSS to receive federal funding by completing the Impact Aid form online by Dec. 20. Impact Aid supplements the HCPSS operating budget to enhance the teaching and learning that takes place in Howard County classrooms.

Forms are due by December 20, 2024.

World's Finest Chocolates have arrived! Support the CHS Dance Program while satisfying your sweet tooth. We have a variety of bars and they're only $1 each! Buy 1, 2, 3...or a case of 60 to share with your family and friends! Contact rebecca_clark@hcpss.org for more information or use OSP to make a purchase.

The Howard County Film Festival is a county-sponsored festival in its 21st year that honors and showcases the incredible talent of aspiring filmmakers across Howard County. Participating high school and middle school students are entered to win trophies, recognition, and prize money for their work.

Donations from the community help keep this amazing program running each year. All proceeds donated will go towards acquiring prize money and awards for our student recipients.

For more information visit the website: https://hocofilmfest.weebly.com/.

Yearbook sales are here!

To purchase your copy, visit: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1066907/Centennial-High-School/2025-Yearbook/2024100304183132083/CATALOG_SHOP/

The HCPSS Career Readiness Advisors (CRAs) are excited for the 2024-2025 school year, and we would love your help!

Last year, CRAs implemented a Monthly Career Cluster Spotlight series across the county. The Monthly Spotlights allowed students to explore a wide scope of careers while connecting those careers to both the HCPSS curriculum and student strengths and interests.

Each month, we spotlight a different career industry/cluster. We provide students with information about career cluster pathways, curricular connections to that pathway, and opportunities for students to engage with professionals in those clusters.

Here is where you come in: we are looking for community members to share your experience, advice, and insight in your professional line of work.

Please fill out the following form if you are interested in donating a bit of your time and wisdom to HCPSS students.

Thank you!

As a token of appreciation, Lifetouch is offering discounts on school photography!

• 50% off a purchase of $50+ with code USNOV50
• 40% off a purchase of $40+ with code USNOV40
• 30% off a purchase of $30+ with code USNOV30

Valid through 12/1/24

To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an online account. Don't forget to order your FREE Digital SmileSafe card!

More about the Smilesafe program here.

HCPSS today announced the window for the Class of 2025 high school graduations as Monday, May 19, to Friday, May 30, 2025. No graduations will be held on weekends or on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26.

HCPSS makes the early announcement of the graduation window to accommodate planning by parents, students, schools and community members. Specific information regarding the dates and times of each graduation ceremony will be finalized in collaboration with Merriweather Post Pavilion and provided by mid-April.

Ceremonies will be held in person at Merriweather Post Pavilion, except for Cedar Lane School, which will hold its graduation ceremony at the school.

Full HCPSS commencement information can be found online.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is scheduled to open Dec. 1. Parents/guardians and students can prepare now by creating an account and gathering necessary documents. Additional information is available online.

Did you miss the cap and gown orders in school on Tuesday? No worries...Cap and gown packages for the Class of 2025 are available at Jostens. The online order window is October 23 – November 9.

If you have any questions, please contact our Jostens Representative, Karen Stewart. She would love to hear from you!

Email: karen.stewart@jostens.com

Office: (301) 206-3999

We are collecting parent/guardian names who might be interested in helping with the Senior 2025 events (Class of 2025) throughout the school year.

Please provide your contact information in the signup genius form - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4FA5AF2AABF8CF8-51782315-chssenior/172901958#/

If you have any questions about the senior events, reach out to the senior CHS advisors for the class of 2025 - Toni Ireland and Cheryl Beall.

If you have any questions about the signup genius, you can contact Beth at bemoll196@gmail.com. Thank you.

Senior Portraits are available through Prestige Photography by Lifetouch. Photo sessions are available at our school on the following dates: January 8 and 9.

To schedule your appointment, visit schedule.prestigeportraits.com, click the “Locate My School” link, enter the city and state where our school is located. Once you find the school, click the schools’ name and it will take you to the account to schedule and appointment.

Information about session details and pricing may be found here.

For tips about your upcoming session and outfit inspiration, visit prestigeportraits.com.

Keep current on news and events throughout the school year by checking the CHS website: https://chs.hcpss.org. We have added an A to Z Reference Guide to the website as your one-stop information finder: attendance policies, parking permit applications, food and nutrition services, student technology support, and much more.

All families must update their emergency contact information annually. We’d like Centennial to be the first high school to have 100% of the Family File information to be fully updated, so visit HCPSS Connect today and click submit on the final screen! Read more.

Eagle's Soar tutoring will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays immediately after school in the Media Center from 2:35-3:05 PM for the entire school year. All content areas will be represented with teaching faculty, and honor society students will be supporting as well in many of the content areas. Please make arrangements for your child to attend, as this is a great resource to help them be successful this year. This is a GREAT place to get extra math help if your child is struggling. Unfortunately, transportation is not provided at this time.

EXTRA HELP:

• Eagle's Soar Tutoring – Every Tuesday and Thursday 2:35-3:05 PM in the Media Center (Starts September 17th)
• Math Tutoring – Monday through Thursday after school 2:35-3:05 PM in Room 508 (starts September 19th)
• Eagle Time – Every Wednesday 9:25-9:55 PM (they sign up on the CHS website with the teacher they need help with)

Registration for Fall 2024 conferences will be available online 8 AM, Friday, November 8 through 4 PM, Thursday, November 21. Conferences will be held Monday, November 25 - Wednesday, November 27.

Parents/guardians must log into HCPSS Connect with their own credentials. Please check to be sure you are not logged in as your child. Contact our school if you have questions.

Click here for registration directions and more information.

Conference Dates & Times:

• Monday, November 25, 3:30 PM – 8:30 PM (in person)
• Tuesday, November 26, 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM - 8:30 PM (virtual)
• Wednesday, November 27, 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM (virtual)

PSAT scores are now available to students. They should log into their accounts to view their scores. If they have issues, they can reach out to College Board for technical assistance, or see their counselor. Students and families can access the following resources below to access and read their score reports.

Understanding PSAT/NMSQT Scores for Students and Families

Understanding Your Digital PSAT/NMSQT Score Report video

Understanding Your Digital PSAT 8/9 Score Report video

Parking passes have now been issued to Seniors and Juniors. It is important for all students parking on campus to make sure that their parking permit hang tags are visible. Also, please remember that students park in the white-lined spaces.

Still need a permit? Permit applications are on the CHS website.

The CHS Food Pantry was established during the 23/24 school year and has proven to be a great resource for our CHS families in need. We have exhausted many of the items and it needs to be replenished for the new school year.

Donations are requested from our CHS families. Supplies needed include the following items: granola bars, pasta, spaghetti sauce, cereal, mac 'n' cheese, rice, beans, snacks, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, and soup. We with regard to non-food items, we are in need of socks.

Items may be dropped off in Student Services with Ms. DeVore.

Thank you for your support!

Led by the Maryland Center for School Safety (MDCSS) within the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), Safe Schools Maryland is an anonymous tip reporting system that allows students, parents, and community members to easily report anonymous safety concerns anywhere in Maryland. Tips received are routed to local and state education, public safety, heath, and/or social services support personnel for follow-up.

Android

Maryland Safe Schools

Apple

Maryland Safe Schools

Check out the October Newsletter from Skyward Theatre - Centennial's Theatre program for information about our upcoming production of 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, auditions for our Winter Musical Alice by Heart, merch, field trips, and more! LINK: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kEx3UlbQcZ0VUQ2PawiKaXnSaYPOcZHQBd_z_8xrIDU/edit?tab=t.0

After school pizza sales begin next week! Students staying after school can purchase a slice of cheese pizza ($3 per slice, cash only) before heading to their club meeting, extra-curricular program, study session, or athletic practice/game.

Sales will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and will be fundraisers for the Dance Program, Alpha Achievers, and Science Olympiad. Buy your slice by the gym. All sales are first come, first served.

1. Regular Season Tickets are $5.00 and are only available on the App at GoFan.co.
2. Backpacks are PROHIBITED inside the Stadium.
3. Spectators are to adhere to ALL HCPSS Policies & CHS Procedures in the Student Code of Conduct.
4. No outside food permitted in the Stadium.
5. ALL Students in Grades K thru 8 MUST EACH be accompanied into the Stadium, seated throughout the entire event, being supervised by their parent or guardian.
6. No admittance after the 3rd quarter.
7. Once you leave the Stadium, you may not return.
8. Noise makers are prohibited inside the Stadium.
9. Cheer loudly for your team, not against the opponent, their fans, their band, their cheerleaders or the officials.
10. Students arrange for a ride during the 3rd quarter and notify your ride to pick them up immediately after the game.

The HCPSS Partnerships 2023-2024 Annual Snapshot has just been released. The snapshot includes a link to school system partners including each school’s partners, as well as system wide, curricular, and program office partnerships. The snapshot highlights how partners play a vital role in encouraging students to reach their full potential.

Please remember that all families are required by Policy 9000 to notify HCPSS if they move to a new home address. Current residency documentation must be updated each time residency changes.

On the Regular Bell Schedule:

• AM ARL bus departs at 7:50 AM and returns to CHS at 9:35 AM
• PM ARL bus departs on A DAYS (M, T, TH, F) at 12:45 PM and returns at 2:30 PM
• PM ARL bus departs on B DAYS (M, T, TH, F) at 11:15 AM and returns at 2:30 PM

On the Eagle Time Schedule – Wednesdays:

• AM ARL bus departs at 7:50 AM and returns to CHS at 9:35 AM
• PM ARL bus departs on A DAYS at 12:55 PM and returns at 2:30 PM
• PM ARL bus departs on B DAYS at 11:20 AM and returns at 2:30 PM

Each month, the Career Readiness Advisors spotlight a career industry/cluster. We provide students with information about career cluster pathways, curricular connections to that pathway, and opportunities for students to learn from industry professionals in those clusters.

We are ALWAYS looking for speakers to participate in our monthly virtual panel discussions, and/or to engage with our students as an in-person speaker.

Please click on the following link to share your information:

HCPSS Career Related Speaker Interest Form

The next LGBTeaQi&A is scheduled for Saturday, December 7th from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM at the Plot Twist Horse Farm. If you aren't familiar with LGBTea, this is a social as well as learning and connecting opportunity for LGBTQIA+ parents, parents of LGBTQIA+ youth, and parent ally's to connect over refreshments and to provide their students (grades 3-12) with a separate space to connect and learn with peers.

This partnership event at Plot Twist Farm will provide students with an opportunity to earn service hours through activities on a working farm. This is not a drop off event. If students attend, they must be accompanied by an adult. All participants will be required to sign a waiver to participate in any activities on the farm.

If you would like to join us, you can do so by registering here.

Learn more about events and programs at HCPSS Pride.

QuHacks is a day-long hackathon created for middle and high schoolers. Join our 9th hackathon this winter on Saturday December 14, at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory in Building 201! There will be free food, free swag, and cool tech prizes. Competitors can have absolutely no coding experience or be extremely advanced; QuHacks provides a universal experience for everyone to compete. You'll learn in workshops, partake in fun mini-events, network with professionals in the CS industry, and most importantly, build cool stuff. At the end of the day, you'll present your creations to the world in an open showcase for a chance to win prizes. Learn more and register at https://quhacks.tech/ — hope to see you there!

Help us share the warmth and support local families by donating new or gently used coats, jackets, or toiletries during the months of October and November. All donations will go to the Howard County Public School System Pupil Personnel Services.

Drop Off Locations:

• Terrific Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, 5850 Waterloo Road, Columbia, Maryland
• Atholton High School, 6520 Freetown Road, Columbia, Maryland
• Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, 8045 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, Maryland

Both in-person and live, virtual, eight-hour college prep classes are being offered in partnership with Atholton, Centennial, Hammond, Howard, Marriotts Ridge, Mt. Hebron, Reservoir, and Wilde Lake high schools and are open to students from all high schools.

CHS students can register for ANY Answer Class at ANY location or online – and a percentage of tuition will be donated to CHS PTSA! School year classes are being regularly added – check here often!

CHS PTSA teams with HC DrugFree to help spread the word about keeping drugs out of Howard County classrooms and communities.

HC DrugFree offers these educational opportunities for parents and adults.

Guiding Good Choices® is an evidence-based, interactive prevention program that helps parents, guardians and/or grandparents develop stronger relationships with their kids, while also providing skills proven to reduce the risk of children engaging in substance use or other risky behaviors. These free classes are for families with children 9 - 14 years old (or slightly younger and older) and held on Zoom on November 12, 15, 19, 22, and December 3 from 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Visit the HC DrugFree website to register for these free classes.

HC DrugFree’s Teen Advisory Council provides the youth perspective to the staff and Board of Directors of HC DrugFree to increase the effectiveness of HC DrugFree’s programs, newsletters, website, and other services. The Teen Advisory Council is composed of Howard County students in grades 8 through 12 (public, private and homeschool) who meet monthly during the school year to discuss teen use of alcohol and other drugs, and to develop educational messages that promote HC DrugFree’s vision of a county where teens are drug-free by choice.

Learn more about the Teen Advisory Council on the HC DrugFree website.

• Centennial High School’s website is a great source of information at https://chs.hcpss.org.
• On Twitter @hcpss_CHS and Instagram @CentennialHS.
• Read the Wingspan, CHS student newspaper
• CHS PTSA https://www.chs-ptsa.org/and CHS Boosters https://www.centennialboostersonline.com/.
• CHS Friends of Music http://www.centennialmusic.org/
• Register to receive school system updates and alerts at https://www.hcpss.org/hcpss-news/, click on Subscribe and select Centennial High School.