Weekly Update #11
September 30, 2024
Mission and Vision
Our Declarations:
- ALL STUDENTS WILL FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL
- ALL STUDENTS WILL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT
- ALL STUDENTS WILL LEARN AT HIGH LEVELS
- WE WILL EDUCATE STUDENT BY STUDENT, SKILL BY SKILL
- ALL STUDENTS WILL ENHANCE THEIR SPARK TO THRIVE AS LIFELONG LEARNERS
- WE ALL WILL IMPROVE EACH DAY
- WELL-BEING MATTERS FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY
MISSION
All CGUHSD students will graduate College or Career Ready.
For a more detailed accounting of our commitments to our community and students, please click here.
PROTECT THE DEN!!
Message From the Principal
Hello Cougars...last week was another great week at CGUHS! We had a ton of great things happen this week, and at the same time, unfortunately we had some who made the decision to vandalize our bathrooms. We celebrated our first Renaissance Celebration this past Friday, we gave students their cards recognizing their outstanding academic and behavioral choices, and attendance. To learn about Renaissance, you can follow them on social media @CGUHS.Renaissance on both facebook and Instagram.
Regarding the criminal damage this week, we have received information and are moving forward with disciplinary and legal consequences for these individuals. I will say again, if you were a part of this and want to come forward, I will work with you to limit / avoid legal recourse. If you do not come forward and we have evidence that you were damaging our property, you will be responsible for paying for the damage, face legal consequences, and disciplinary consequences in line with our Governing Board Policy. Cougars, we need your help in keeping our campus clean and safe. We have started a "See Something, Say Something" tipline on our campus. You can scan the code from any number of signs we have throughout campus, or you can save this link ( https://forms.office.com/r/K7M0FaRddn ) so you can access it any time. We have to take better care of our campus, from stopping the wreckless, pointless, and expensive damage to our restrooms, to ensuring that trash is picked up on our campus every day. I put together a short video demonstrating the clean up process. Click here for the video.
When it comes to safety we have to be sure that when walkers are leaving our campus that they are exiting the walking gate, we have too many students moving around and walking through the crowded parking lot with buses. Additionally, the Staff Parking Lot / Bus Entrance and Exit is not a parent drop off or student parking. We are doing this for your safety! Please, comply the directions we have set forward to ensure that all students, staff, and community members stay safe while on our campus.
- Student parking and Parent Drop Off / Pick-up - STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK TO LEARN MORE. STUDENTS, YOU MAY BE FINED FOR A FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH OUR PROCESS.
We continue to offer tutoring after school, the schedule is pictured to the Right. Please, check out our kindness wall......students, staff, and parents can give shoutouts of positivity to one another here and it will be displayed for all to see! This will go through a filter / approval process. You never know how a positive word can positively impact another person. Please click here to participate.
Some of the information below is new, however, there is also new information included weekly, so PLEASE take the time to read through the newsletter every week; I send them out on Sundays.
Please check out my podcast interview with JROTC Leader Savanah Halbert here. Great job Savanah! There are 2 issues we are working to address that have been ongoing at our campus: 1. Tardiness 2. Dress Code.
Tardniness UPDATE: This past week we started to send students who are late to first period to SWEEP. SWEEP means that students go to a separate classroom from their assigned class and are assigned an Y in the attendance portion of PowerSchool. Some parents and students have asked, "Why are you guys doing this?". The answer is simple, last semester alone we had 30,000 (yes, 30,000) tardies. 30,000 in 90 days, an average of over 330 a day! Students and parents, the good news is that our Cougars are responding and responding well. Every day fewer and fewer students are being sent to sweep. It is important that students are on time and ready to learn when class starts. We open the gates out front and at the buses at 7:15, if you need to be early to avoid being late, there is plenty of opportunity for that.
Additionally, we will do random SWEEPS throughout the week and school day, meaning that if students are tardy to class, they will go to SWEEP instead of class. We have got to get students to class on time. As we roll out our Renaissance Rewards program right before Fall Break we will be putting rewards into place to thank those students who are doing what must be done. Don't be late, you'll miss something great!
Dress Code: We are still having a number of students come to school out of dress code. Please familiarize yourself with the criteria required by our governing board for students to be in compliance with the dress code. You can find information on student expectations here. The process is as follows:
1. Students will receive an email from Mr Raymond's office, Ms. Mendoza, notifying them that they have been dress coded and the number of strikes they have.
- Once a student reaches strike three, they will be given IFS (intervention for success) the following day.
- Consequences will increase with each violation up OSS.
- Dress code violations will reset at the end of the semester.
- I humbly ask for the opportunity to earn your trust. You will always receive accurate, honest, timely, and concise information from me. I have created a "Back To School"website where you can get a lot of important information. Parking, schedule changes, etc can all be found here. Additionally, you can listen to past episodes of our Podcast, "The Consummate Cat" here. We will be doing student interviews at least once per month. If you are a student and are interested in being featured on our podcast and being interviewed, please click here to complete the Interest Form.
- Our administrative team met with all students on campus. We have reviewed our behavioral expectations; however, below is a summary of what we will / have reviewed and a link to the presentation is here:
- Personal Electronic Devices
- Off and away during class time, including if leaving the classroom to use the restroom or go to the office.
- Hall passes. Security has been directed to inquire with students who are out of class and ask to view their pass. Please help us with this by ensuring you are in compliance with having a pass.
- Restroom
- Office/Counselor/Teacher/etc.
- Nurse
- Be the Three
- Respectful, Responsible, Reliable
- Fighting / Vaping - Please see district policy, violations may result in short-term suspension (1-10 days out of school), Long-term suspension (a hearing with up to 365 day suspension), and applicable criminal charges as they may apply.
As this semester continues to move forward, there are a number of important items that I want to share. Please remember that , Mr. Raymond ( Student Discipline), Mrs. Telles (Climate / Culture), Mr. Robbins (Athletics / Activities), and Dr. Gardner (Academics) and I remain available to assist you in any way that we can.
Protect the Den!
Dr. Chris Lineberry
Principal
Casa Grande Union High School
Thank you JROTC!!!
Our Marine Corps JROTC did our school and community a tremendous service by picking up trash from our campus on Friday. Thank you to these tremendous students and human beings for your kindness and service.
Cell Phones
Nationally, there has been a significant spike in cyberbullying and classroom disruptions from cell phones in the classroom. We know that teen mental health continues to decline across the country from excessive screen time and social media. You can read some of the latest research on this important topic here. Our policy is OFF AND AWAY (Cell phones and Earbuds) during classtime.If there are extenuating circumstances, ex. diabetes and need to monitor, a caregiver with severe illness, etc please send Mr. Raymond an email and he and our staff will work with you to come to a solution.
Between classes and at lunch, there is no problem with students having their phones out or listening to music with their earpods, etc.
Student Fines / Fees
Any student fines or fees can be paid online. Students can purchase parking passes, pay class fees, technology fines, etc. All of this should be done online. You can access the payment center by doing the following:
You will need a PowerSchool Parent Portal account to access TouchBase.
If you don’t have a PowerSchool Parent Portal account, please call your
student's school office to get an account set up.
Please sign into to PowerSchool to access TouchBase. The steps below
can only be done using an internet browser such as Google Chrome, Internet
Explorer, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Android browser, etc. (computer, tablet, smartphone) and CANNOT be done using the Powerschool Mobile App.
- Sign in to PowerSchool.
- Once signed in, click the icon in the left panel labeled Purchases and Payments (see image on left).
You will immediately be taken to TouchBase without having to sign in.
CHALLENGES
We face and a few challenges as we begin the school year. I still see two major challenges as we approach the beginning of our second week of school: incoming metal detectors and student drop off / pick-up.
Magnetometers (Metal Detectors)
We have purchased 4 metal detectors that are being utilized on our campus. We began using these on Wednesday, Aug 8. Thus far, we have had a very smooth and successful experience and I would like to say thank you to ALL of our students and parents for arriving a bit earlier and for your cooperation with this new process. It is going to take some time to work through the process of getting everyone through in a timely fashion. STUDENTS AND PARENTS WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED HELP WITH THIS. Students, you will need to pass your laptops to security as you walk through the detectors. Nothing else needs to come out of your bags. We will have much more in depth discussion and training for our students once school begins. This process will be starting next week......STUDENTS WHO DRIVE, and who are DROPPED OFF, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ARRIVE EARLY, OTHERWISE WE WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT BACK UP AT THE GATE.
Moving Forward:
1. Counselors are very busy meeting with students right now. All counselors will begin to meet with all students in order to discuss the creation of their "4 year Plan", a plan designed to help them know what needs to be done in order to graduate and how they intend to achieve this goal.
Student Academic Responsibilities
CGUHS Student Responsibilities 2024 - 2025
This school year we will be discussing academic responsibilities at length with all of our students. It is important that students not only familiarize themselves with these responsibilities, but that they practice these responsibilities on a daily basis. We reviewed these expectations with students this week. If students follow the guidelines below, they will experience tremendous success at Casa Grande Union High School.
- Acquire Knowledge of Content - Students understand the content they are learning in class.
- Come Prepared for Class - Students bring the needed materials for class.
- Take Notes - Students accurately and completely take notes.
- Ask Questions - Students ask questions when a lack of understanding occurs.
- Complete Homework - Students complete assignments on time.
- Attend Tutoring/Seek Help - Students attend tutoring or seek help when they need it.
- Attend Regularly - Students attend class regularly and arrive on time.
- Take Assessment Seriously – Students bring their best effort possible on assessments.
- Appropriate Work Ethic/Attitude/Behavior - Students display appropriate work ethic, attitude, and behavior.
- Put cell phones and ear buds off and away while in the classroom
- Be Kind
TRACKING SENIORS TO GRADUATION
Our counselors and Dr. Gardner will be working closely with parents and our students / families to ensure that students are on track to graduate. Seniors must complete 22 credits in order to graduate. Additionally, every senior must take and pass the AZ Civics test, and must complete ECAP (Education and Career Action Plan). Additional information can be found here. We will be rolling out our ECAP (Education and Career Action Plan - state requirement to graduate) program as well as ensuring that students have opportunities to take and pass the Civics test and CPR (both state requirements to graduate) in the coming weeks.
We Don't Puch Down
Cougar Clean Up Rocks!
Athletics and Activities
Athletic Events:
Athletic Events:
September 30, 2024 - (Monday)
- Girls Volleyball vs Rio Rico
Rio Rico High School (A)
- 4:00 pm - Freshman
- 5:00 pm - JV
- 6:00 pm - Varsity
October 1, 2024 - (Tuesday)
- Varsity Boys Golf vs Apache Junction, Skyline & Poston Butte
Apache Creek Golf Course (A)
- 3:00 pm
- Freshman Boys Tennis vs Mountain View (Mesa)
Casa Grande Union High School (H)
- 3:30 pm
- Girls Volleyball vs Mica Mountain
- Casa Grande Union High School (H)
- 4:00 pm - Freshman
- 5:00 pm - JV
- 6:00 pm - Varsity
- Varsity Girls Flag Football vs Mountain View (Marana)
Mountain View High School (Marana) (A)
- 6:00 pm
October 2, 2024 - (Wednesday)
NO EVENTS SCHEDULED
October 3, 2024 - (Thursday)
- Freshman Boys Tennis vs Millennium
Millennium High School (A)
- 3:30 pm
- Boys & Girls Swimming vs Mica Mountain & Desert View
- Casa Grande Union High School (H)
- Palm Island Family Aquatic Park
- 4:00 pm
Freshman Football vs Buena
- Casa Grande Union High School (H)
- 6:00 pm
October 4, 2024 - (Friday)
- Varsity Football vs Buena
Casa Grande Union High School (H)
HOMECOMING
- 7:00 pm
October 5, 2024 - (Saturday)
Boys & Girls Cross Country
Glendale Heroes Regional Park (A)
Varsity Invitational Tournament
7:00 am
CGUHS Activities Week of 9/30/2026 – 10/4/2026
Sunday 9/29/2024
DECA Carwash – First Interstate Bank 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Monday 9/30/2024
Yearbook Pictures 9th grade – L Building
Boys Basketball open gym – Large Gym 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Homecoming Float Building 4:30-7:30 – Under the home side bleachers
SPIRITLINE Team Shop w/ K&S Sports – Online
Homecoming Ticket Sales – gofan.co or can be purchased in the bookstore
DECA Leadership Camp – Williams AZ
FFA Country Store is now open – Monday – Friday 8:30 – 3:00 in L107
Spirit Week for Homecoming!!!
Monday-Missed my alarm Monday (pajama day, not slippers)
Tuesday-Anything but a backpack (no living things)
Wednesday-On Wednesdays we wear pink (Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month)
Thursday-Class Colors: Seniors-Black, Juniors-White, Sophomores-Blue, Fresh-Yellow, Teachers/Staff-Red
Friday-White-Out