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This past week we began spring assessments with the B.E.S.T. Writing exam for freshmen and sophomores. We have our testing calendars posted in this issue below to now include AICE/AP testing. Please look these over and mark the dates as they are critical attendance days.
This Thursday, April 11 is our Spring Into Senior Year special event for students and parents in grades 9-11 (additional information below in the calendar). This has been organized to give all of our new and returning students an edge before the summer break and the start of the 2024-2025 school year. If this applies to you or your student, please do not miss out on this evening. We only ask that you be kind enough to register in advance as we need to order pizza & refreshments for our attending families (Thursday from 5:30pm to 6:00pm).
Parents, I realize that we are all continually receiving surveys from various businesses via email and text throughout the year. However, our 2024 Family Survey is coming down next Friday, April 12 and it is very different from all these others you see. For one thing, we actually act upon these surveys. Colonial's entire leadership team closely studies the results that become the basis for our school improvement plan which we begin on rather quickly. And secondly, we share our progress vs. the Family Survey recommendations with the community during our ongoing PTSA/SAC meetings. Please -- if you have a student at Colonial, kindly make a short time investment and let us know what you think about our school today while you are reading this issue. Your help before Friday, April 12 is greatly appreciated.
It's Great To Be A Grenadier!
Betzabeth Reussow
Principal
Colonial High School
Picture at the top of this issue: Prom 2024 - "Old Hollywood"
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Main Campus:
6100 Oleander Drive
Orlando, FL 32807
(407) 482-6300
Freshman Campus:
7775 Valencia Collage Lane
Orlando, FL 32807
(407) 249-6369
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Grenadier Spotlight!
Prom 2024
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Prom 2024 was one for the books! Thank you to the Junior Class Council for pulling out all of the stops! |
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On March 30th, we welcomed over 600 students to the Hard Rock for our “Old Hollywood” themed event! Students came dressed to the nines and we loved seeing everyone having such a good time! Thank you to all of the chaperones who also attended the event to ensure a safe night! |
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Monday, April 8:
Beach Volleyball vs Titusville away
Softball vs Winter Park
Boys Volleyballl vs Olympia (Double Header)
Baseball vs Horizon
Tuesday, April 9:
Beach Volleyball vs Ocoee away
Wednesday, April 10:
Softball vs Jones
Thursday, April 11:
PTSA/SAC Meeting - Main Campus
Cap and Gown distribution (PAC - Details below)
Boys Volleyball vs Crooms (Double Header)
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Friday, April 12:
CTE Engineering students visit Universal
Saturday, April 13:
ACT Testing
AP Mock Exam
Monday, April 15:
Beach Volleyball vs Apopka away
Boys Volleyball vs Boone (Double Header)
Baseball vs Wekiva
Tuesday, April 16:
CTE Industry Certification Exams - Freshman
Boys Volleyball vs Evans (Senior Night)
ACT School Day - 11th
Wednesday, April 17:
CTE Industry Certification Exams - Freshman
Boys Volleyball vs Evans Senior Night
Thursday, April 18:
CTE Industry Certification Exams - Main
Beach Volleyball vs East River away
SOUL Mentoring Banquet
Undecided/Career Fair Day (4th-6th periods, Media Center)
Friday, April 19:
CTE Industry Certification Exams - Main
Saturday, April 20:
Geometry Articulation Day (Main)
Transition Fair at Colonial (Information below)
Monday, April 22:
Earth Day
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Tuesday, April 23:
CTE Industry Certification Exams - Main
Wednesday, April 24:
Administrative Professionals Day
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Thursday, April 25:
CTE Industry Certification Exams - Main
Common Final Exams (CFE) - 12th
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*** Please note that the tests on May 2nd and May 9th have been flipped.
Biology and US History on May 2nd and then BEST Algebra 1 EOC May 9th.
May 14-16 are underclassmen final exams.
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Quarter 4 activities for Seniors will include the following: |
Cap and Gown Distribution Day (April 11th) |
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Grad Bash (April 26th)
Senior Sunset (in May, Date TBD)
Graduation (May 22nd)
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Superintendent's Message
Dr. Maria Vazquez
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Superintendent Maria Vazquez talks about the importance of oral hygiene for children as it relates to their overall health. |
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PTSA Executive Board Nominations |
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Transition Fair at Colonial
Saturday, April 20
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2024 Family Survey Closes on Friday |
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Steps to completing a family survey:
2) Select the language in which the family would like to take the survey in
3) Complete one survey for each school that the family has a child attending
4) Press submit once completed
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Forensic Science 1 with Mr. Venable |
As we came back from Spring Break, Mr. Venable’s forensic science 1 classes had the chance to perform practical autopsies. Not to be confused with a dissection, in these autopsies, they had to show proper technique in how to investigate the outside of a cadaver, arrange it for opening, perform the correct incision technique, follow the Rokitansky method for organ block extraction, and perform the appropriate measurements and recordings for each organ before its return to the cadaver, just as a real pathologist would do in an investigation. Some photos have been cropped for censorship purposes.
Thank you to Mr. Venable for sharing what his students are up to in the classroom!
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Student Achievement
Freshmen Art Talent
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The following 9th Graders are the 2024 winners from the Central Florida Fair's Creative Arts exhibit:
- Yandel Velazquez -- Honorable Mention
- Ashley Sanchez -- Honorable Mention
- Eva Ortega -- Honorable Mention
- Yessenia De Jesus -- Honorable Mention
- Liliana Campos -- 2nd Place
- Layla Alicea Laureano -- Honorable Mention & 2nd Place
- Fransheska Espinal -- 1st Place
- Yoselyn Villa -- Honorable Mention
- Andrea Parra Martinez -- Honorable Mention
- River Pagan -- Honorable Mention
- Nahiara Cortes Nieves -- Honorable Mention
- Isabel Velez -- 2nd Place
- Angela Sun -- 1st & 2nd Place
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Ashley Sanchez, Scratch Art - Honorable Mention |
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Eva Ortega, Pencil - Honorable Mention |
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Layla Alicea (left) - Honorable Mention & Second Place (Graphic Pencil)
Fransheska Espinal, Digital Media - First Place
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Liliana Campos, Color Pencils - Second Place |
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Yandel Velazquez - Honorable Mention |
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Yessenia De Jesus, Color Pencils - Honorable Mention |
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State of Florida FAFSA completion rate: |
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Note for our Grenadiers: Through March 29, 2024, 22.6% of the Florida Class of 2024 has submitted a FAFSA. Not completing the FAFSA can leave more than $100 million on the table in federal Pell grants. Florida is currently ranked second to last among all the states in FAFSA completion.
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The Wall Street Journal (Feb. 28, 2024) - "What is FAFSA??
Even if you don’t expect to qualify for financial aid, here’s why you should fill out this form. Read full article
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Excerpt from The Wall Street Journal story:
College tuition has been increasing year after year, and many families aren’t able to foot the bill out of pocket. That’s where financial aid comes in.
Financial aid helps students pay for college through grants, scholarships, work-study and student loans. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid awards more than $114 billion in federal financial aid to students each year.
To access this financial aid, you must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
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Monday's Motivational Moment! |
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Sometimes in life, gifts are wrapped up inside of a problem. Very often the bigger the gift, the bigger the problem. If you seek the valuable lesson within every problem or difficulty, you will become more successful in the future. Sometimes this gift, or valuable lesson, can be of far greater value than the cost of the problem itself. However, your job is to find it.
If you talk to most anyone who is successful in their field—sports, business, military service, any professional with a positive attitude—they see problems as opportunities to learn, grow, improve, or adjust in a way that leaves them better off than before the problem existed. They don’t feel sorry for themselves when things go wrong. Instead, they seek to find the hidden lesson that will help them in the future.
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My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best things in my life. And being embarrassed when you mess up is part of the human experience. Getting back up, dusting yourself off and seeing who still wants to hang out with you afterward and laugh about it? That's a gift. The times I was told no or wasn't included, wasn't chosen, didn't win, didn't make the cut…looking back, it really feels like those moments were as important, if not more crucial, than the moments I was told ‘yes.'
~ Taylor Swift, singer/songwriter
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IT'S GREAT TO BE A GRENADIER!
Mrs. Reussow, Principal
Colonial High School
Sunday, April 7, 2024
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Assistant Principal: Mr. Daniel Caliari
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This communication may contain information that is legally privileged, confidential or exempt from disclosure, and intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Anyone who receives this message in error should notify the sender immediately by telephone or by return e-mail, and delete the message from their computer and any printout thereof. Please note that OCPS utilizes spam and junk e-mail filtration applications in its e-mail systems. That filtering process may prevent or delay delivery of certain e-mail communications. If you do not receive a timely response to an e-mail communication, please contact the intended recipient by phone.
OCPS EEO Non-Discrimination Statement
The School Board of Orange County, Florida, does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law. The following individuals at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, 445 West Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida 32801, attend to compliance matters: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer & Title IX Coordinator: Keshara Cowans; ADA Coordinator; ADA Coordinator: Jay Cardinali; Section 504 Coordinator: Tajuana Lee-Wenze. (407.317.3200)
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Copyright Notice
Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and OCPS-Colonial High School is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and OCPS-Colonial High School. Please contact Dr. Tayler Boyer (assistant principal) at tayler.bray@ocps.net with any questions.
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