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Happy New Year and Welcome Back Grenadiers!
I would like to extend BEST WISHES to you for a Happy and Healthy New Year. The start of the second semester on Tuesday will give us a chance to start something new, fresh and positive. It is an opportunity to reflect on the past, look ahead to the future and work hard to achieve our goals. I challenge all of our Grenadiers to stay focused on their personal goals every week, not just in terms of a New Year's resolution. Check your progress all along and parents, please take advantage of the Skyward student information system in 2024. This will help you to help your child shore up any shortcomings and to also recognize their progress. Many school districts to not offer this wonderful tool; OCPS has for several years now. |
As we continue to strive for excellence in 2024, please remain focused on making every instructional day count: strive to be on campus, on time, every day. I also challenge all students to please take advantage of our tutoring opportunities and to never hesitate to ask for extra help if needed. We want each student to maximize the opportunities offered at Colonial this year and that begins with academic success across the board in all classes.
I am looking forward to having everyone back on both campuses Tuesday as we prepare to make 2024 an outstanding success.
Again, Happy New Year and remember, It's Great To Be A Grenadier!
Betzabeth Reussow
Principal
Colonial High School
Pictured very top: Congratulations to our cheer team! For the third year in a row they will be representing Colonial at the National High School Cheerleading Championship at Walt Disney World! We are so proud of all their hard work this year, we are rooting you on!
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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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Curriculum Night is this Thursday, January 11th!
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Back-to-Back Monday School Holidays |
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Latinos in Action
The 2023 Toy Drive was a smashing success!
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A message to the community from Latinos in Action sponsors Mrs. Martinez Esteban and Ms. Nieves: |
Thank you very much to everyone who donated toys for our Toy Drive. We dropped off the toys this week at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Our goal was to get over 100 toys and we got 289 toys!! You cannot imagine how thankful and happy we are, our hearts are so full. |
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Thank you Lima Family!
Christmas tree and presents for our Grenadiers
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A huge thank you goes out to Austin Lima’s (9th grade) family for donating a tree for the Ninth Grade Center, as well as gifts for both students and staff. Ninth Grade Center SAFE Coordinator Mrs. Carballea worked to identify students who could use a little extra magic this holiday season and staff gifts were passed out randomly throughout the week. We appreciate all the Lima family has done and shown their kids what a blessing it is to give to others. |
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Grenadier Athletics
Girls Basketball is currently ranked #1 in Florida!
Home game this Wednesday vs. Daytona Mainland.
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Colonial ( 16-2) dealt New Jersey power Manasquan (7-1) its first loss, 52-43, to win the Siesta Key championship bracket in the girls basketball Tampa Bay Christmas Tourney.
The 7A Grenadiers have won nine in a row and ascended to No. 1 in the FHSAA’s first girls basketball power rankings — just ahead of 4A Lake Highland Prep — which has lost only to nationally ranked teams that own a combined record of 46-5. |
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Fazoli's boasts breadsticks, "Pizza Baked Pasta," spaghetti and fettuccine alfredo! |
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Grenadiers in the Spotlight!
Meet our Teachers of the Month for both
November and December!
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Colonial's Teacher of the Month for November is Ms. Robles, one of our Digital Media teachers. |
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Colonial's Teacher of the month for December is Ms. Saladaga, one of our 11th grade English teachers. |
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Special Recognition at the Holidays |
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Premium Water Restoration recognized our ELL and LIA students just before winter break. |
Thank you to Premium Water Restoration for sponsoring a lunch for our ELL and LIA students last month! They were treated to a wonderful meal and able to celebrate together before the holidays! A special shout out goes to Mrs. Bermudez for organizing this event for the students. |
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Premium Water Restoration
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Curriculum
Snapshots from just prior to the Winter Break . . .
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1) SAE December Newsletter (Agriculture): |
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2) Remote Pilot Ops students flying drones through the obstacle course they built in class! |
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3) Culinary students spent some time during the last week of 2023 making various types of flan and donuts! |
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1) Valencia College Dual Enrollment |
Valencia Dual Enrollment offers high school students the opportunity to take college classes for FREE while still enrolled at Colonial.
Fall 2024 Application Dates and Virtual Information Sessions:
- Application opens: Jan. 29th
- Application closes: Feb. 28th
- Assessment score deadline: Apr. 12th
* Applicants must have: 3.0+ unweighted GPA (9th-11th), 3.0+ weighted GPA (12th grade) and obtain college-ready test scores through PERT, SAT, and/or ACT.
** SAT/ACT scores must be sent to Valencia through CollegeBoard or the ACT website. This takes several weeks, so send ASAP.
The next PERT at Colonial will be January 16th. Deadline to sign-up is this Wednesday, January 10th.
PERT Test Prep:
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1. UNCF: 2024-2025 Fidelity Scholars Program
a. Deadline: January 11, 2024
b. Award:
2. Coolidge Scholarship- for JUNIORS ONLY
a. Deadline: January 18, 2024
b. Award: Full-ride, four-year scholarship
3. Oakland Presbyterian Scholarship
a. Deadline: February 12, 2024
b. Award: up to $30,000
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3) College & Career after-school tutoring plus FAFSA application assistance begins Tuesday, January 9th: |
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* The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is used to apply for college financial aid.
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4) Rapid growth in the percentage of Orange County persons 25 years and older who have an Associate's Degree or higher (2022 latest count = 48.4%): |
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5) Top 20 fastest growing central Florida job categories to 2031: |
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Note: Top 20 list is based on fastest growth in the number of jobs here in central Florida, not the percentage change from 2023 to 2031. Please see the database for more information.
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OCPS Top Talent applications open Jan. 22, 2024: |
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Top Talent LIVE 2024 is May 4, 2024!
Our casting call will run January 22 – February 23. What does that mean? It is time to start preparing for auditions.
Proceeds from our Top Talent event will help support the Foundation and provide arts enrichment for students experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Top Talent LIVE finalists will be announced on March 29.
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This Week's Motivational Moment! |
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Don't Wait a Year to Make Resolutions Grenadiers - Try the "Week Game" in 2024 |
Any meaningful change in life requires momentum and the determination to build on it. But fresh starts—especially the expectations we apply to New Year’s—are endued with a kind of officiality that makes them intimidating.
Often when we set out to make important life changes we can feel as if we must first have everything in order in our lives. For example, think about writing an essay, short story, or really any writing project for class or that is important to you. You may feel that everything has to be precisely in place—desk cleared of stray papers, pencils all sharpened and in a row, the computer screen just exactly so—before starting to write. But that’s not really how stories are composed or most anything gets done.
In life, things are not always so perfectly set up to get going and once you do get underway, other things which you had not planned for pop up. There is an old expression that goes like this: If you wait for all the lights to turn green, you will never back out of the driveway. Take action sooner vs. later! However, please know that setbacks will likely occur. To handle this, make 2024 about the "Week Game." This means breaking your personal goal(s) down to weekly targets that can help you stay the course. Think of each new week along the lines of a fresh mini-start.
On Saturday, as the week ends and another is about to begin, look back on what you did over seven days. I was on time at school for so many days, I studied/read this many hours, I went to so many practices/rehearsals, I exercised so many times or ran so many miles, my backpack was ready & computer charged up the night before these many nights, I earned or saved so much money; whatever it may be for you.
If you dissolve your largest goals for 2024 this way it will remove a lot of stress. This is because with the "Week Game" you start over and over. It should give you more energy and purpose when life is very hard. And when things start to pile up, it helps to keep you from giving up.
Remember Grenadiers, there will be stumble points during the year; everyone has them. When these happen, bounce back—fast. The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that they can loom so large you can feel paralyzed when things go astray. (Plus, few people truly stick them out beyond a few months.) We can feel colossally let down if we falter with New Year’s resolutions. Then you’re supposed to wait a year! That’s not going to help you, whether you are striving to boost your GPA, exercise more, or simply want to spend more times with friends, family, or even your pet.
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According to the latest Forbes magazine survey, the average New Year's resolution lasts just 3.74 months. The majority of respondents tend to maintain their goals for 2-3 months. Only 1% of individuals manage to persevere until the final month.
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A series of constant fresh starts adds up to a life well-lived. As we begin 2024 and this second semester, consider your "Week Game." Start today by writing down a few seven day goals that you feel are truly challenging, but doable. And as time goes on, if you need to tweak them a bit due to circumstances, then do so. But "check-in" on your progress every week.
Welcome back Grenadiers!!
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IT'S GREAT TO BE A GRENADIER!
Mrs. Reussow, Principal
Colonial High School
Sunday, January 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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