Connections Newsletter
April 10, 2026
Class of 2026
Class of 2027
Mrs. White will be in junior history classes this month to talk about what they should be focusing on now and this summer to have a great start to the busy senior year college application season. In class, Juniors will be creating a Common App account and learning how to fill out the Common App. Juniors can use the Common App and also the search tools in Naviance to continue narrowing down their college list. Also discussed was the importance of working on their resume, finishing volunteer hours, how to ask for/request letters of recommendation, tips for writing a personal essay, and why they may want to take the ACT.
Class of 2028
Sophomores attended a “Choosing a College and More” session in the auditorium on March 31 during flex. A panel of speakers in higher education answered questions about what to consider in choosing where to gain additional training and education. For the past two years we have been exploring the WHY (who am I) and the WHAT (what do I want to do) of their PWR Path (Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness). Our speakers provided more information on taking the next steps in their PWR PLAN: Where do I want to do it? During our Junior/Senior Family Night in the fall, students and families will have the opportunity to learn more about post-secondary options such as service academies, apprenticeships, college admissions, writing essays, scholarships, and financial aid.
Class of 2029
Last week, Mrs. Dahl visited Classics 1 classes to complete assigned tasks in Naviance and to demonstrate entering community service hours and papers into X2VOL from anywhere. As we finish up our freshman year, some students may still need to complete some unfinished tasks. It has been a fun year of career exploration and self-discovery. Connections lessons are based on previous ones, and we recommend that every student complete all tasks. We will build upon these results and explore post-secondary options in class again next year. Students can find their outstanding tasks in Naviance under the Planner tab. So far, in Naviance, we have completed the Learning and Productivity Inventory, Career Cluster Finder, Career Interest Profiler, and Skills Explorer under the Self-Discovery tab. Students have created a high school course plan, set an academic goal, and started a resume this year. Have an amazing summer and keep a lookout for Sophomore Family Night in September.
AP Testing May 4-13
Room assignments for AP exams will be posted in the short hallway by the Connections Center. Here is the exam schedule. Students are reminded to arrive at their testing room at 7:30 for morning exams and 11:30 for afternoon exams.
Important: Students must have their College Board account login information on exam day, as they will not be able to test if not signed into their College Board account. There will be no testing fee refunds for students unable to test due to an inability to log in to College Board. Students do not get tickets as they do for PSAT/SAT. ASAP, please install BlueBook and log into your College Board account to make sure all of your exams are listed. Please see Mrs. Dahl ASAP if you do not see your exams listed in BlueBook or on the room assignments list.
If school is closed, the AP exam will be rescheduled for the make-up AP exam day (May 18-22). If school is on a delayed schedule, all morning AP exams will be rescheduled for the late testing day, and all afternoon exams will follow the original schedule. Here is the late testing schedule.
Students must bring photo IDs, as our proctors are subs in the building. Here is a list of what students should and should not bring on exam day. All 2026 AP Exams that allow or require the use of calculators will have the appropriate built-in Desmos calculator in Bluebook. Please review the AP Exams Calculator Policy if you want to bring your own calculator to use. Students must leave their phones, smartwatches, lunch boxes, backpacks, and other prohibited items in their cars or lockers. Students will not have access to lockers or cars during testing. All prohibited items will be taken to Connections to be picked up after testing.
AP Exam Terms and Conditions
All current AP students: The 2026 AP Exam Terms and Conditions are now available to be read through here. Students will need to review these terms and conditions and accept them on test day before taking each exam.
Be sure to prepare for your AP exams using your AP Classroom and use your free score send before the deadline.
Save the Date
Upcoming Events in Connections
- April 9, 9:35: Purdue University
- April 21, 1:15: Savannah College of Art and Design
- April 23, 12:20: Trades - Heather Malone-Peak, Lincoln Tech
- April 30, 11:25: US Air Force
- April 30, 1:15: Career Talk: Maj Joshua Quinnett, USAFA: STEM to Sky
Upcoming Events in the Community
- April 22, 6:00: US Service Academies, ROTC, and Congressional Virtual Event Representatives from the Service Academies, ROTC programs, and Congressional offices to learn about the application and nomination processes.
Apprenticeships and Internships in Colorado
Colorado offers a Registered Apprenticeship Program Directory to help you find apprenticeship opportunities. Here is the link to the Colorado Registered Apprenticeship Programs Directory.
Casa Bay Photography Summer Internship Program – Ideal for students with a passion for the arts, looking to explore a creative career path, or simply seeking a unique learning experience. Apply by April 24.
Apprenticeship Career Expo - Tuesday, April 28, 10:30-1:30 at the African American Trade Association (1635 Paris Street, Aurora, CO 80010).
SAT and ACT
College Board offers free SAT practice resources, including Khan Academy to help you prepare for the SAT, which will be in April at TCA.
Schoolhouse offers free SAT Tutoring Bootcamp
March2Success offers free online SAT, ACT and ASVAB test prep
More test prep resources available on our Connections page
Connections Center (Career & College)
Katina Dahl: 9th/10th grade college/career readiness, AP, PSAT/NMSQT
Amanda Tagtow: 10th/11th mental health and academic support
Kenneth Schell: 9th/12th mental health and academic support
Jodi Hoffman: Office Manager, College & Career Visits, Community Service
Email: tcavisits@asd20.org
Website: tcatitans.org
Location: 975 Stout Road, Colorado Springs, CO
Phone: 719-484-0091 1104