November 5, 2009

Dear Cape Central High School Parents:

As of Thursday, October 29, twelve weeks of our 2009-10 academic year have passed.  Please find enclosed grade reports for our second six-week term.   Please remember, these are cumulative grades, which means that had courses ended on October 29, the grades reported would have been the final course grades.  If you have concerns about any of the grades your daughter or son has earned this term, it is critical you talk with your daughter or son and with the teacher of the course as quickly as possible.  If you need assistance contacting a teacher, please contact your counselor/assistant principal team.  To assist you, our teams are as follows:

                        Last names A – D        Sarah Foster and Pete Frazier

                        Last names E – L         Amy Sutterer and Nancy Scheller

                        Last names M – R        Nita DuBose and Nancy Scheller

                        Last names S – Z         Katy Andersson and Josh Crowell

CAP Exams:  Tuesday, December 15 through Friday, December 18

Our first semester CAP (Central Assessment Program) Exams will be December 15-18.  For our freshmen and new upper-grade students, our semester exams are cumulative and comprehensive and count 15% of the semester grade.  Please know, we will be involved in semester exams through the moment we dismiss for holiday recess on Friday, December 18, 11:15 A.M.  Unlike some schools, we do not have parties and free time on the last day of our academic term.  At Cape Central, we work until the last bell and then we celebrate robustly.  Please know, all students must be tested according to our exam schedule, and all exceptions must be cleared directly through me. 

First Semester Grades Mailed Friday, January 15, 2010

If all goes well, we will have first semester grades in the mail by Friday, January 15.  I realize that seems like a significant amount of time after exams; however, inevitably, some of our kids will be ill exam week, and it takes a few days to complete and grade make-up exams after the holidays.  In addition, it is at semester that we calculate class rank, grade point average and publish our semester honor roll.  As many of you know, many of our seniors will use seventh-semester grades for college admission and scholarship application throughout the spring, and it is critical that we take the time required to be accurate.

Attention seniors and Senior Parents

Please know, we have extended our deadline for the submission of senior photographs and Grad Ads for our Cape Central Girardot Yearbook until Thursday, December 17.  Grad Ad pricing and information can be found on the CHS webpage under the ‘Students’ tab.  Our goal is to have every graduating senior included; however, some have been very slow about submitting their pictures.  We do not want to omit any senior who wishes to be included.  We also understand this is often more important to senior parents and families than it is to some of our seniors, at this time of their lives, anyhow.  Please help us be certain your senior is included.  Someday, your senior will thank you for doing so.

We will award our Cape Central Academic Letters and Bars at an evening reception on Monday, November 9, 6:45 P.M.  Based on grade point average accumulated at the end of our 2008-09 academic year, all 67 students (sophomores, juniors, seniors) to be recognized and their families should have received invitations by now.  If you believe your daughter or son should have been included and you have not received an invitation, please call your guidance counselor immediately.

Enrollment of 2010-11

Yes, I realize it is hard to believe; however, we will begin to enroll current juniors—next year’s seniors—immediately after we return from holiday recess.  Once the seniors are enrolled, we will move to next year’s juniors, sophomores and freshmen in that order throughout the spring.  If you are willing to be involved in our enrollment conferences—and we truly hope you are willing—please call your counselor immediately so that she will know to contact you when it comes time for your daughter or son to enroll.  These are critical decisions, and we need student, parent and school working collaboratively in order to make the best choices possible.

American Education Week

Central High School’s theme for American Education Week, November 16-20, is Celebrating Academic Freedom.  In our Cape Central Library, we will feature book displays and encourage conversations in our classrooms about this long-term value of academe.  Throughout the week, we will encourage all of our age-appropriate students to register to vote in our Library as a means of honoring one of our most invaluable freedoms for which so many have fought during the proud history of our nation.  On Wednesday, November 18, we will celebrate the contributions of our Faculty and Staff with a complementary continental breakfast served in our Library.  Throughout the day on Wednesday, we will host our Annual Open House for members of our greater Cape Girardeau community and offer all who attend tours of our campus between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M.  Also on Wednesday, we are pleased to invite members of our community to join students, staff and faculty to Shakespeare in the Library as we proudly host the Knighthorse Theatre Company on our campus sponsored by our Cape Central All-School Booster Club.  Certainly, this year’s recognition of American Education Week will be replete with a plethora of activities as we enjoy Celebrating Academic Freedom.

An Invitation for Parents of the Senior Class of 2010 

The 2010 Planning Committee for our Senior All-Night Party and Baccalaureate has sent a letter to all senior parents regarding these events.  Your timely response to this letter will help with their plans. Donations and volunteers are needed for our Senior All-Night Party as outlined in the letter.  If you did not receive a letter, please contact Liliana Visscher at 573-979-0011 or email chs2010sanp@yahoo.com.   Our Parent Committee asks you to share this letter with other family members such as grandparents or aunts and uncles who may be willing to contribute to this worthwhile cause.  The Senior All-Night Party provides students a much needed place to celebrate that is chaperoned and drug and alcohol free. We want to keep our newest graduates safe while honoring them with a wonderful celebration of all they have accomplished.  

An Academic Celebration

We are pleased to announce the success of five members our 2010 Senior Class who have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their success on the PSAT.  Meg Goodman and Adam LeGrand both attained scores that earned them the designation of Commended Scholar, and Nina Scheibe, Janna Trautwein and Josh Wen all three attained scores that earned them the designation of National Merit Semifinalist for the 2009-2010 academic year.  Nina, Janna and Josh will now apply to be selected as National Merit Finalists.  Please understand, all five of our seniors have attained a level of academic accomplishment that only the most capable high school seniors in America attain.  Needless to say, we are profoundly proud of all five of our senior scholars. 

Joyous Moments of Celebratory Wonder!

Mike Cowan, Ph.D., principal