Freshmen Prep Day was a success! It was great to see our new students here on campus.

Sophomores, juniors, and seniors, your Prep Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 8th. More details are in the newsletter below. Parents, you are more than welcome to join.

There are only a few short weeks till school starts. Students, please make sure you are working on your summer reading project. Assignments can be found in this newsletter.

10th-12th graders have prep day on August 8th

• 9-11 am = Sophomores
• 12-2 pm = Juniors
• 2-4 pm = Seniors
• 2-4 pm = Band, athletics, and other camps

Prep day stations will include schedules, pictures, AP exam payment (see AP Exam section), cafeteria, IDs, lockers, transportation, nurse, and Dual Credit. Please return any outstanding books or computers from last year, as nothing else may be issued without a clear record. Students must be in the dress code for pictures. School IDs will only be issued if the student adheres to the dress code. Student pictures with dress code violations will not be included in the yearbook. Students will have an opportunity to retake their photos later in the year.

If you are unable to attend on August 8th, stop by the Comm Arts front office on August 15th from 1-4 pm.

Important: Students who owe textbooks, Chromebooks, overdue AP Exam fees, or other fines/fees will not be able to participate in Prep Days.

If your child does not attend a Northside school, please complete the online registration process. Ms. Torres, our registrar, will contact you with the next steps. Thank you! Here is the link: https://www.nisd.net/schools/registration

Please click on the 'CAHS Shirt Size' link below. Dr. Baker orders every new to Comm Arts student a t-shirt. Please make sure to list your child's first and last name, then click the shirt size needed. Thank you!

Attached below are the athletic pre-enrollment form and procedures for magnet/program transfer students.

This form is to be filled out by Northside students who have been given District approval to attend or transfer to a magnet/program outside of their attendance zone in which he/she resides in order to participate in any athletic activity prior to the first day of school (August 28). Ex. summer strength & conditioning, sports camps, etc.

All Comm Arts students have a summer reading assignment. The pdfs attached below are the instructions for all grade levels. Happy Reading!

Below are the school supplies lists for Comm Arts classes. Students will receive lists for the Taft classes on the first day of school.

Did you take your yearbook picture during prep days? Want to order pictures? Click HERE to order your pictures online.

Seniors, if you haven't already done so, please call Prestige at (210) 691-1284 or visit our local Prestige website to set up your senior portrait session. Only pictures taken with Prestige will be in the yearbook. Please keep these things in mind:

1. Make sure they have you as a Communications Arts student NOT Taft.
2. Our yearbook pose is a cap and gown NOT tux and drape. Be sure that the cap and gown you are given is WHITE with a red and white tassel, and for those in NHS, our stole is blue NOT white. The yearbook pose is cap on, and you MUST BE DRESS CODE COMPLIANT. We will NOT be Photoshopping pictures.
3. Yearbook ONLY sessions are free, but we encourage you to choose a package with a variety of outfits and poses to reflect your personality and interests.
4. Please consider purchasing a portrait package. A percentage of each sale is returned to our yearbook account to cover the cost of printing the portraits in the yearbook.
5. Be sure to have your pictures taken by Nov. 15, so you can be included in the yearbook. The sooner the better, so you have time to do retakes if you are unhappy with the first session pictures.
6. Prestige will be on campus Sept. 12th for those without transportation to their studio or for any yearbook pose retakes. The date is for yearbook pictures ONLY.

It's a campus expectation that all students take the AP exam for their CAHS course(s). College Board does require a fee if students need to take a late exam. Please mark your calendars for the following dates.

Freshmen:

AP Human Geography - Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Sophomores:

AP World History - Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Juniors:

AP US History - Friday, May 10, 2024

AP English Language and Composition - Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Seniors:

AP Government and Politics - Monday, May 6, 2024

AP English Literature and Composition - Wednesday, May 8, 2024

AP Macroeconomics - Friday, May 10, 2024

Payment:

Students will sign up for the exams during their AP course(s). Northside ISD does cover the majority of the cost of the exam. Exam fees are $98, but NISD students only pay $40 per exam. For those that qualify for Free and Reduces Meals, AP exams are $20/exam. Parents/guardians need to re-apply each school year. See the pdf below for more details of payment.

The deadline to pay for exam(s) is Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.

Freshmen/Sophomores - $40

Juniors - $80

Seniors - $120

All other exams will be processed through Taft HS.

August 11th: STAAR EOC Final assessment results available to students & families through HAC

The 2023 football season ticket sales will begin Monday, August 7 at 8:00 am through Monday, August 21 at 8:00 pm. All tickets are general admission. Tickets can be purchased online only at http://www.nisd.net/athletics.

Comm Arts will have its own yearbook this year! Online yearbook sales will go live on August 1st. The pdfs below have additional information.

As back-to-school shopping begins, please keep the NISD district dress code in mind. Students with dress code violations will be required to change.

1. Shorts of mid-thigh length may be worn at all school levels. Suggestive and/or indecent shorts will be prohibited.
2. Mid-thigh length skirts, skorts, and dresses may be worn at all levels. There should not be a cut or slit in the clothing that extends above the mid-thigh. Suggestive and/or indecent styles will be prohibited. These requirements also apply to school uniforms.
3. Appropriate footwear must be worn; footwear which has toes reinforced with steel, hard plastics or similar materials are specifically prohibited.
4. Hair must be neat and clean. Unconventional hairstyles that distract from teaching and learning will be prohibited.
5. Any clothes that are suggestive or indecent or which cause a distraction will be prohibited. Specifically, oversized clothing, tank tops, muscle shirts, halter/crop tops, spaghetti straps, exposed backs or midriffs, and see-through garments are prohibited.
6. Indecent/inappropriate patches, writings, or drawings on clothing are prohibited. Undergarments must not be visible.
7. All pants are to be worn at the waist (no "sagging") Tight fitting pants (e.g. tights, spandex, bicycle pants, etc.) are also prohibited. Frays or holes above the knees are prohibited.
8. Body piercing jewelry is prohibited except for rings, studs or other traditional jewelry. Any piercing that distracts the teaching and learning environment will be prohibited.

Because fads in dress and grooming are subject to sudden, and sometimes radical change, a basic rule to remember is that student dress and grooming should not be suggestive or indecent, or so bizarre and unusual as to detract from the classroom environment.

All students attending Communications Arts HS are expected to adhere to the standardized attire requirement.

The Congressional App Challenge will close on November 1st.

The Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is a nationwide competition intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM. Launched in 2015, the CAC allows students to compete with their peers by developing software applications (apps) for mobile, tablet, or computer devices. App submissions should demonstrate some level of functionality. However, the app does not need to be finalized, if the students can demonstrate their programming skills and provide a detailed outline explaining the app concept and design. Students may compete as individuals or in teams of up to four, as long as two of the teammates are residents of the Texas 20th Congressional District.

Students interested in participating can register for the competition on the Congressional App Challenge website at www.congressionalappchallenge.us. The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2023. Participating apps will be judged by a panel of local judges who work within the academic, software, and entrepreneurial fields. The app of the winning student or team will be featured on the U.S. House of Representatives’ website and displayed in an exhibit at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

If you have any questions, please contact Emily Tarango-Chavez of my San Antonio Office at (210) 348-8216 or email at Emily.tarango-chavez@mail.house.gov.

Students can now sign in to their College Board account and access their AP scores. Use the link below to log in and access your AP scores.

All AP Exams Have Benefits
Completing an AP course and exam means students took college-level coursework in high school. No matter the score, preparing for and taking an AP Exam sharpens students' skills to transition from high school to college. Research shows that students who take AP courses and exams have better college outcomes than their peers. Whatever the score, taking an AP Exam can keep students on track for college. Most students who score a 1 or 2 on their first AP Exam are likely to improve their score on a future exam. Students who achieve an exam score of 2 do significantly better in introductory college classes. Students who achieve exam scores of 1 or 2 are still more likely to attend college and graduate on time (than academically similar students who don’t take AP).

Helpful Resources:

• Do you want to understand better what your scores mean? Click HERE.
• Click HERE to learn more about AP Awards & Recognitions.

Registration is now open for the August–December SAT. Here is the link for registration.

Practice Builds Confidence

Take advantage of free Official SAT Practice at Khan Academy®. Take a practice test, set a target score, and feel confident on test day.

Full Band Week 2 - August 7-11: 7:30 AM - 4 PM
Full Band Week 3 - August 14-18: 7:30 AM - 4 PM
Full Band Week 4 - August 21-23: 5-8 PM

Mixed Region Choir Camp

When: August 7th and 8th

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location: Auditorium

Who is invited: All Mixed Choir and Tenor-Bass students planning on competing in the Mixed Choir Region/All-State Choir Competition.

Choir Camp

When: August 14th - 18th

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Location: Choir Room

Who is invited: All incoming and current Taft and Communication Arts Choir Students

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
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