Class of 2024

Choose To Be….  

Upcoming Events:

First Day of SENIOR Year!!  – August 16, 2023

Meet The Wildcats & Meet the Teacher – August 14, 2023

First Day of “Two-a-Days” for Football and Volleyball – July 31, 2023

Important Information:

SUPPLY LIST!!!  – High School really doesn’t have a supply list.   I always go by the rule of something to write with, something to write on, and some way to stay organized.   So pens & pencils, paper or spirals, and a few folders or binder.   Of course, you will need a backpack.   Then on the first day of school teachers will let you know if you need anything else specific to their class.   

Remind – Our class code is @CW2024. This is a great tool for communication between home and school!  I use this grade level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates. Most teachers also have accounts to send classroom-specific updates such as test reminders

Google Classroom – Our class code is ptbmd2x. This is a great tool for communication about all sorts of topics including testing, prepping for college, school events, and miscellaneous information! Mrs. Baggs and I use this grade-level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates and post helpful materials.  

Schedules – Here at Callisburg we work hard to ensure our Seniors are ready for graduation! They must be enrolled in at least 5 courses and are often eligible for late arrival or early dismissal. During this year most students will take their final four core courses and one elective.  Dual Credit courses are also an option for those who have shown to be college ready, met GPA requirements, and registered in the previous semester.  

How to Get Ready for College in Your SENIOR Year

During the Summer, rising seniors should:

• Plan college visits. 

• Narrow down the colleges under consideration. 

• Make decisions required by colleges’ early-decision or early-action programs. 

• Complete the Federal Student Aid Estimator. 

In the Fall semester, seniors will need to:

• Register for and take (or retake) the SAT and/or ACT, or TSIA2 if not already done. 

• Complete and submit college applications prior to deadlines. 

• Request transcripts and letters of recommendation at least 30 days before they are due. 

• Work with parents to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA® form). Before each year of college, you’ll need to apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans with the FAFSA. 

• Complete and submit scholarship applications prior to deadlines. 

• Meet with a counselor to verify that they’ll meet graduation requirements on schedule. 

During the Winter months, seniors should:

• Review and make any necessary changes/corrections to their Student Aid Report. 

• Finish submitting scholarship applications. 

In the Spring semester, seniors will need to: 

• Visit colleges on their “short list.” 

• Consider college acceptances; compare financial aid packages offered. 

• Call college financial aid representatives with questions. 

• Decide on the college to attend (typically by May 1) and contact its offices. 

• Make informed decisions about student loans. 

Class of 2025

Strive!

Upcoming Events:

First Day of JUNIOR Year!!!  – August 16, 2023

Meet the Wildcats & Teachers – August 14, 2023

First Day of “Two-A-Days” for Football and Volleyball – July 31, 2023

SUPPLY LIST!!!  – High School really doesn’t have a supply list.   I always go by the rule of something to write with, something to write on, and some way to stay organized.   So pens & pencils, paper or spirals, and a few folders or binder.   Of course, you will need a backpack.   Then on the first day of school, teachers will let you know if you need anything else specific to their class.   

Remind – Our class code is @CW2025. This is a great tool for communication between home and school! Mrs. Baggs and I use this grade-level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates. Most teachers also have accounts to send classroom-specific updates such as test reminders

Google Classroom – Our class code is 2vyrvsc. This is a great tool for communication about all sorts of topics including testing, prepping for college, school events, and miscellaneous information! Mrs. Baggs and I use this grade-level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates and post helpful materials.  

Scheduling – Here at Callisburg our Juniors are putting in the work to prepare for their final year of high school!   During this year most students will take their four core classes and finish up with the second year of foreign language (Spanish).   That means they have room for three electives in their schedules.  We encourage kids to work on Career and Technical Education classes as they investigate pathways after high school.   Career Prep is an amazing opportunity that opens up this year and helps those working students to balance work and school.  

In the fall semester, juniors should:

• Take the PSAT if they have not already. Students should generally take the test no later than fall semester of the eleventh grade to qualify for National Merit scholarships and programs. 

• Attend in-person or online college fairs. 

• Explore careers and their earning potentials in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.  

In the spring semester, juniors need to:

• Register for college admission exams—SAT, the SAT Subject Tests, and the ACT—and take practice tests. College admissions professionals recommend students have at least one standardized score before the end of their junior year. 

• Research how to pay for college and what federal student aid may be available to you. 

• Identify scholarship opportunities to pursue; note deadlines on the calendar. 

• Contact colleges to request information and applications.

Class of 2026

Leave Your Mark!!

Upcoming Events:

First Day of SOPHOMORE Year!!!  – August 16, 2023

Meet the Wildcats & Teachers – August 14, 2023

First Day of “Two-A-Days” for Football and Volleyball – July 31, 2023

SUPPLY LIST!!!  – High School really doesn’t have a supply list.   I always go by the rule of something to write with, something to write on, and some way to stay organized.   So pens & pencils, paper or spirals, and a few folders or binders.   Of course, you will need a backpack.   Then on the first day of school, teachers will let you know if you need anything else specific to their class.   

Remind – Our class code is @CW2026. This is a great tool for communication between home and school! Mrs. Baggs and I use this grade level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates. Most teachers also have accounts to send classroom-specific updates such as test reminders

Google Classroom – Our class code is 66v3var. This is a great tool for communication about all sorts of topics including testing, prepping for college, school events, and miscellaneous information! Mrs. Baggs and I use this grade-level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates and post helpful materials.  

Schedules – Here at Callisburg, the Sophomore class enjoys their four core classes, their first year of foreign language (Spanish), and BIMM.  Their schedule is pretty full leaving room for two electives.   Hopefully, they have gained insight through their principles class and are diving deeper into their interests.   

Sophomores preparing for college should:

• Consider taking a practice test to prepare for the PSAT.
• Attend college and career information events. 
• Start learning about funding for college, including scholarships, grants, loans, work-study jobs, etc. 
• Consider the types of careers that fit their interests and what college majors they require.  
• Reach out to school counselors and/or mentors to discuss occupational interests and college requirements. 

Class of 2027

Kaizen

Upcoming Events:

First Day of HIGH SCHOOL!!!  – August 16, 2023

Meet the Wildcats & Teachers – August 14, 2023

First Day of “Two-A-Days” for Football and Volleyball – July 31, 2023

SUPPLY LIST!!!  – High School really doesn’t have a supply list.   I always go by the rule of something to write with, something to write on, and some way to stay organized.   So pens & pencils, paper or spirals, and a few folders or binder.   Of course, you will need a backpack.   Then on the first day of school, teachers will let you know if you need anything else specific to their class.   

Remind – Our class code is @CW2027. This is a great tool for communication between home and school! Mrs. Baggs and I use this grade-level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates. Most teachers also have accounts to send classroom-specific updates such as test reminders

Google Classroom – Our class code is rjkzupg. This is a great tool for communication about all sorts of topics including testing, prepping for college, school events, and miscellaneous information! Mrs. Baggs and I use this grade-level account to send out school-wide announcements and updates and post helpful materials.  

Schedules – Here at Callisburg we encourage our Freshmen to take their fine arts and PE credits along with a principles class if that was not taken during 8^th grade, in addition to their four core classes.  This leaves room for between 1-2 additional elective classes as part of our 8-period day.  

Freshmen preparing for college should plan to:

• Take challenging classes in core academic courses. 
• Work with their school counselors to create a yearly schedule to meet graduation and college admissions requirements. 
• Talk to an advisor or school counselor about taking Advanced Placement®* and honors courses. 
• Identify interests and potential career fields through online resources, like this interest profiler, and by attending career fairs and other events. 
• Get involved with community-based and leadership-oriented activities that best reflect their interests. 
• Browse the College Scorecard to see what types of schools interest them. 
• As they find and review them, bookmark resources for college planning. 
• Start a running list of accomplishments, awards, and recognitions to use when completing college applications and writing résumés. 

Dual Credit Homepage

STAAR / EOC Testing Dates

December 5, 6, 7, & 8 == EOC Retest for English 1, English 2, Biology, Algebra 1, & US History.  **This test administration is only for students that have tested at an earlier date and have not met standards.  

April 9, 2024 – 3^rd through 8^th Grade Reading STAAR

April 9, 2024 – English 1 & English 2 EOC

**All Reading and English 1&2 tests missed due to absences will be scheduled as quickly as possible and must be taken by April 19. 

April 16, 2024 – 8^th Grade Science STAAR

April 16, 2024 – Biology EOC

April 17, 2024 – 8^th Grade Social Studies STAAR

April 17, 2024  – US History EOC

April 25, 2024 – 5^th Grade Science STAAR

**All Science and Social Studies tests missed due to absences will be scheduled as quickly as possible and must be taken by April 26.

April 23, 2024  –  3^rd through 8^th Grade Math STAAR

April 23, 2024 – Algebra 1 EOC

**All Math tests missed due to absences will be scheduled as quickly as possible and must be taken by May 3.

Resources for Parents and Families:

Please visit https://www.texasassessment.gov/families.html for access to your child’s STAAR scores, practice and preparation materials, and additional information.  

**Page in Progress**

I am excited to announce that Callisburg High School will be offering the TSIA2 assessment each month for students who are interested in taking the assessment to show college readiness.   Students will be charged $20 for the full assessment which is broken into subsections of English Language Arts & Writing and Math.   Or a student may choose to test only one subsection for $10.   Payment will need to be paid in cash to Mrs. Whittington.  CHS is also planning on offering the TSIA2 test to any Sophomore that is would like to test at no cost during the February administration.   

Test Dates:

August 30^th  & 31^st 

September 27^th & 28^th 

October 25^th & 26^th

November 29^th & 30^th

January 10^th & 11^th 

February 7^th & 8^th 

March  7^th 

April 3^rd & 4^th 

May 1^st & 2^nd 

**Students must register to test using the GOOGLE FORM (linked) 

**Students will test beginning at 8:15 and will return to class when finished.   

**Students will test on Wednesday, in most cases. Thursdays are primarily for students testing both sections. 

**Students must wait one month between retesting at CHS to allow for remediation or study time

HELPFUL LINKS

TSIA2 Accuplacer Website – Student Portal – Test Day Login

TSIA2 Website – College Board – Study Materials – Practice Tests

About Mrs. Whittington

Family is the most important thing in my life.  My husband, Corey, and I have been married for twenty-three years and have two amazing kids. Mr. Whittington also works here at Callisburg in the technology department. Our twins, Caden and Callie, are Sophomores this year.  I am super excited to have them up on our campus with us. They keep us on our toes and we love every minute of it!! We also have a crazy pocket beagle named Dax and a hyper Aussie/Border Collie mix Cooper. Both of my parents taught school and are now retired. I am very blessed to have them living nearby.

  I am a proud graduate of Texas A&M Commerce. I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Elementary Math.  I have taught many different things throughout my career including first grade, middle school history, reading, math, computers, and a few elective classes. In May 2016, I graduated with my Master's Degree from Texas A&M University (College Station online), I studied school counseling and am a certified school counselor. 

  When I do get time to myself I love to journal in a Happy Planner, play mindless games on my phone, exercise, watch reality TV & sports, read,  and play games with family!  I believe there are so many benefits in journaling and love keeping my planner as both a forecast for what is coming up and a reflection tool for what I accomplished. I make sure I note my goal for the week and keep track of a few important items each week. And I'll admit I may be as addicted to my phone as many teens. I can put it down when needed, but I love to just play games while watching TV or riding in the car also.  Recently I have worked hard to make a commitment to my health and have found immense benefits and therapy in exercise.  I have been riding my bicycle, running, and attending classes at the gym. I'm not fast and don't go too far, but I love the open road, just me and my music. My other favorite past time is to watch sports. I am a true nerd and klutz myself, but LOVE to watch sports of all kinds.  I am at as many of the high school and middle school football, volleyball, basketball, softball, baseball, etc games that I can make. 

One really weird thing about me is that I have a give-up day. It all started as a "bet" with my teaching partner Coach Hutson.  At the time I was a Dr. Pepper nut and was cranky when I didn't have my soda. He bet me I couldn't make it a day without one. The day turned into a week, the week a month, and then I went almost 5 year with NO soda at all (and I don't think I was cranky every day).   It has also turned into on April 11th each year I give up a food that is not the healthiest for me. In 2017 I gave up soda, 2018 was donuts, 2019 was french fries, 2020 was candy (which I failed at, but did greatly reduce the amount of candy I eat), and 2021 was ice cream, (I allowed myself a small amount during the summer, but again greatly reduced the amount I ate).  During the 21-22 school year I fell apart and slipped back into old habits of soda and fries and junk eating in general, and didn’t even set a give-up for 2022.  This year I took I different route and tried to add things in instead of cutting out things but also to get back to the things I had given up.   Now I set six goals to really focus on healthy mind, body and soul for six weeks at a time, then I change the goals up for the next six weeks.  But it proves to myself that I can achieve anything I put my mind to and works to keep me healthier.  I also love that when I focus on a few things at a time I can do it, but if I were to have tried to tackle all these at one time I would have never been able to succeed.

    My "BEST POSSIBLE DAY EVER" would include a nice morning spin class, then family time watching some sporting event, sipping on a big glass of Lemonade from Chick-fil-A, and munching on Pepper Jack Cheez-Its then coming home to doodling in my planner.

A Few of My Favorites:

Snack: Fruit and Pepper Jack Cheez-Its and fruity gummy candies like Starburst gummies or Life Saver gummies

Drink: Ice Cold Water with lemon,Chick-fil-A Lemonade, (I gave up soda on 4-11-17!! And this is really a big deal for me because I LOVED Dr. Pepper!!) 

Color: This is a hard one... I love MAROON, but also really like girly colors like turquoise, pink, purple, and lime green

Animal: Turtle

Flower: Daisy

Restaurant: Any & All...  No cooking and cleaning its a busy mom's dream :) 

If I had to pick one probably Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden, or Mooyah

Sport: I can’t pick one of my own, but both my kids love basketball right now so we will go with that. 

Team: Texas Rangers

College: Texas A&M  - Gig'em Aggies!

Collection: Crosses and Lego Minifigures

Music: Contemporary Christian

What makes me weird:  I really don't like Chocolate or Coffee which is pretty strange for most grownups!

**Page in progress**