The True Meaning!

I have had the blessing of hanging banners that read exemplary and recognized on the outside of a school.  It felt great at the time.  We had reached a threshold that the state had set and were able to hang banners.  It still feels great because I know we did what was best for our students.

When I finished the day today I reflected on why I went into the business of education.  I can remember the many days that my parents came home with smiles on their faces.  They loved what they did because they were in it for the right reasons.

We hosted a prom today on campus for our special needs students.  It was amazing to see the bright smiles on all of their faces.  I was tearing up, the parents were crying and many of the other folks in attendance.  They were crying tears of joy.

 It was also great to see so many of our students that escorted our special needs students.  They were just as happy to be part of the process.  What I saw today at Corsicana High School was a family.  A family that truly has love for one another.

While the prom was going on there were many other students from Corsicana High School out in the community and at elementary schools giving back through service.  

Yes!  You can be great and do things besides take STAAR tests!  We will always work hard to prepare our students for standardized tests, but we are much more than that!

Corsicana High School is an amazing school with amazing people!  I am glad to serve as the principal!

Prom King and Queen

Go Tigers!

Home of Champions!

Info!

Several students have come to me and said that they heard that I would not allow the color black to be worn at CHS next year.  I am not sure where this is coming from, but it is not true!  We will continue with the CISD standardized dress policy.  There have been no changes at this point with the standardized dress policy.  I also have no intentions to propose a change.

You can find the Corsicana ISD standardized dress policy here:  CISD Standardized Dress Policy

I always appreciate those students that come to me and ask about things that affect you as a CHS student.  I am always available to take your questions and to hear what your concerns are.  The school year is almost over.  If you are not exempt from your finals, please make sure you study so you can do great!

Go Tigers!

Home of Champions!

Mr. O'Neil 

Almost There!

Today was great because I was able to attend the distinguished scholars banquet (Top 10%) at the Cook Center.  It was an amazing program.  The Corsicana Education Foundation put on a first class program that honored our top graduates.  It was great seeing the students with the educators they selected to honor.  I also found out how much of a comedian our Valedictorian (Ben Goodrich) really is.  He will be a special guy simply because he is so well-rounded.  I know he will do great in all his future endeavors!

Distinguished Scholars

Distinguished Scholars

Academic Updates

**Dual Credit
Thank you to all of the students who attended the dual credit meeting last Friday.  We are so fortunate to have a district that encourages students to take dual credit courses.  It is such a great investment into the lives of our students.  Please do not forget that if you wish to leave campus during your dual credit classes you must have parent permission.  The parent letter must be taken to Mrs. Armstrong in the attendance office.  You must also sign out each time you leave.  If Mrs. Armstrong does not have a signed parent letter from you in the attendance office you will be counted absent.

**STAAR
We have officially finished all STAAR testing for the school year!!!  Thank you to all of the students, faculty, and staff who have worked hard this school year to prepare for the tests, and the administration of the tests.

**TAKS
Junior TAKS scores are here!!!  Students, we will begin telling you your scores this week.  Your class did great overall!  The scores were amazing!!!  Shout out to you for working hard, and to your teachers who helped to prepare you for them.  Teachers, I will give you more details in an email.

**Classroom Instruction
It's the end of the year, but we are working hard at CHS.  There are great things happening in classrooms all across the school.  It's what we do!  Each department in the building has innovative projects that our students are completing.  Walter Torres, student, gave me the low down on some of the projects that has been assigned to him.  Check out my twitter @ONeilCHSPrincip to see brief details of his projects.

***Graduation

High school graduation is one of the most memorable times in a person's life.  I am so excited about the Corsicana High School Commencement exercises.  I know our seniors have waited their entire life for this big day.  Students please click on the graduation link for more information.  This letter is the same letter you received at your meeting.  CHS Graduation

School-wide Updates

What's up with lunch???

I know many of our students have had concerns about our lunches.  I share your concern.  I love to eat, and I eat the food in the cafeteria often.  The United States Department of Agriculture and the Texas Agriculture Department provide oversight to our Corsicana ISD Child Nutrition Department.  Because of changes that must take place immediately, they had to change what we could offer in the cafeteria.  For instance, crispitos, aren't offered each day because we can only have so many calories on the line at a time.  I know it's hard to understand, but it is what we must do.  If you want to talk with me about it, or a member of Child Nutrition I would be glad to do that.  We are all in this together!

Who are those people in the hallway?

Yes, your friendly principals and SROs have more of a presence in the hallway at CHS.  Your safety is very important to us.  We ask you your name and where you are going so that we always know where every student in the building is at all times.  Of course we know about all of the funny things that have been said about it.  Some of your comments have been funny to us as well.  We care about you, and only want the best.

Awards Day

The Corsicana High School Awards Day program is this Tuesday.  It will begin around 8:30 am.  We will start as soon as we get all students in the gym.  Hope to see you there!

Special Prom

Corsicana High School will host its first ever prom for special needs students.  This is an exciting event for CHS.  Mrs. Whiteley has been working hard to put on this prom for her students.

Extracurricular Updates

The end of year band concert will be tomorrow at 6:30 pm in the CHS auditorium.  The band program will have a surprise for all in attendance.

The end of year choir concert will be Saturday, June 1 at 7:00 pm in the CHS auditorium.


Go Tigers!

Home of Champions!

Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you to all the mother's that send us their best each day to Corsicana High School.  We are thankful that you invest so much into the lives of your children.  Corsicana High School could not be the great school that it is without your unwavering support.  A mother's heart is truly special.

I often reflect on my own mother who invested, and still invests so much into my life.  She is the perfect example of a mother.  My mother taught school for 35 years all in the Hearne Independent School District (the only job she ever had). During those 35 years she served Hearne ISD in the following capacities: coach, PE teacher, health teacher, high school English and reading teacher, and librarian.  Beyond her teaching duties one thing did not change: She was always a Hearne Eagle.  You would always see my mother participating in every Hearne High School pep rally, and at every event that centered around HHS.  She did it because she couldn't help it.  She loved every bit of it.  She was Hearne High School!  You should have seen her this past weekend at the state track meet yelling for the young lady from Hearne who participated in several events.  I learned through her how to have amazing love and support for my school.  

My mother, Estella O'Neil. 

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This week we will celebrate Teacher Appreciation at Corsicana High School.  I can't wait!  We have awesome teachers that must be celebrated!  

We will continue with STAAR testing this week.  

Week 2:

Monday, May 13th-World Geography, US History

Tuesday, May 14th-World History

Wednesday, May 15th-Make up day

Thursday, May 16th-Make up day

I know our students will continue to destroy the STAAR test!

Shout out to Dzifa Mallet and Noah Gilfillan who participated in the state track and field meet this past weekend.  They both represented Corsicana High School in a great way.  Noah came away with a silver medal!  

Have a great week!

STAAR EOC's

We begin STAAR End of Course exams this week at Corsicana High School and across the state of Texas. We will have four testing days this week and two next week.  If you do not know, students get four hours to complete a STAAR exam.  The former TAKS test allowed students to take all day on the test.  Students please remember to get a good night's sleep the night before you take a test.

The STAAR schedule:

Week 1:

The dates are as follows:
Tuesday, May 7th-Algebra I & Algebra II

Wednesday, May 8th-Biology and Physics

Thursday, May 9th-Geometry

Friday, May 10th-Chemistry

Week 2:

Monday, May 13th-World Geography, US History

Tuesday, May 14th-World History

Wednesday, May 15th-Make up day

Thursday, May 16th-Make up day

Advanced Placement (AP) testing will begin this week as well.  There will be various AP exams given for the next two weeks.

Please take time to read my previous blog entitled "Changes to the Schedule", it has information about a proposed new schedule and offers an opportunity for feedback.

The Corsicana High School distinguished teachers were named last Friday.  These teachers are another reason that CHS is such a great place!  

They are:

Cathy Privitt-Mathematics (Department chair)
Lindsay Franks-English

John Griggs-Social Studies/Coach

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Extracurricular Updates

A big shout out to the Calico Dance Team on an amazing Spring show.  All of the young ladies did a great job.  There is so much talent at CHS!  It was also great to see the auditorium packed full of parents, staff, and community members.  Go Calicos!

The baseball team wrapped up their season with a tough loss against Waxahachie.  It has been great following the team!  I am proud of you!

The tennis program had their annual banquet last week. I enjoyed seeing our tennis athletes being recognized for all of their hard work.  Tennis is one of our most successful programs at CHS.  They represent us so well!

State track qualifiers:

Dzifa Mallet (high jump) will jump at 11:00 am on Friday, May, 10.
Noah Gilfillan (pole vault) will vault at 4:00 pm on Friday, May, 10.  

I will include a link of the full UIL State Track and Field Meet schedule:
State Track Meet

National Teacher Appreciation Week is this week across the United States.  We will have our official festivities next week at CHS because of state testing.  I do want all of the faculty and staff of Corsicana High School to know that I appreciate you.  Teachers are the heartbeat of the school, and you pour your hearts into your job for our students.  Thank you!

Random picture of "Mr. A" at whataburger at the CISD Education Foundation "Voteat" event!

Some of the members of the baseball team about to begin game 2! 

Have a great week! 

Changes to the Schedule

We are looking at changes to the bell schedule at Corsicana High School for the 2013-2014 school year.  The proposed changes are:

*Classes that meet 45-55 minutes in length each day.

*A longer school day that would begin around 7:40 am and end at 3:15 pm.  Our students currently attend school from 8:00 am-3:10 pm.  Corsicana High School currently has the shortest school day in CISD.

*An embedded advisory period that will assist with tutorials/interventions/UIL Academics, SAT/ACT Prep, focused study hall, school organizations, etc.

**Our current schedule has two classes that meet each day (1st & 8th period-51 minutes).
     ***All other classes currently meet 90 minutes every other day

**The proposed schedule would have two classes that meet for 90 minutes every other day.  

If you have questions or any feedback, please comment on this blog, email me at honeil@cisd.org, or tweet me @ONeilCHSPrincip.

Thanks for your continued support of Corsicana High School.

Herbert O'Neil, Jr.
Principal