Keeping Up with Comm Arts

Summer is officially here. Thank you to all the students, parents, teachers, and other valued community members for the fantastic school year. We appreciate everyone's support!

Many summer camps are happening. More information can be found in this newsletter.

End-of-year report cards will only be available on the Home Access Center (HAC). They will not be printed and mailed home. Students and parents/guardians can use the attached click sheet below to access report cards. Report cards will be available after May 29th.

The Comm Arts Class of 2026 will graduate this Friday, May 29th. Seniors need to be at the Alamodome no later than 1:15 pm. Seniors, please leave your house no later than 12:30 pm. The dress code for graduates is business casual; this means no jeans and wear your nice shoes. The only cords and stole allowed are the ones approved by the District. Don't forget to bring your flash photo card if you want pictures.

Hello Comm Arts students and parents,

If you are like us, you may be in disbelief that the school year is coming to an end. The end of the year always brings a mix of relief and excitement as we prepare to send another senior class out into the world and work towards bringing a new class of students into the fold.

This year's ending is also bittersweet as we have changes to the Comm Arts staff. With heavy hearts, we will say goodbye to Ms. Martinez, one of our counselors. The District has decided to eliminate her position here at Comm Arts. Ms. Martinez has been a key part of the Comm Arts family. She will be greatly missed professionally, where she have served our students and parents with understanding and compassion. More importantly, we are sad to be saying goodbye to a friend.

As we prepare for next year, we will keep families informed of any adjustments and changes to procedures and processes we will need to make for the 26-27 school year. Thank you, as always, for allowing us to serve your students and have a great summer.

Summer is often a busy time for new drivers. Our Verification of Enrollment (VOE) is available digitally. Use this Google Form to request a copy. The VOE will remain valid through the summer months.

Scores from April's EOC will be live on June 10th.

Your child's state assessment score history is available 24/7 through Northside ISD's Home Access Center (HAC), where attendance and grades are also available. If you do not currently have a HAC account, follow the instructions at www.nisd.net/parents to create one. Once your account is created, you can view your child's state assessment score history.

If this will be your first school year with Comm Arts in the fall, please read through this section carefully.

CAHS Bootcamp will be on July 15th and 16th. This is an excellent opportunity for students to meet other Comm Arts students. Additionally, students will work on skills necessary for success in their Comm Arts classes. There are two sessions: 8–11 am and 1–4 pm.

If you have not completed the fall registration process, complete the steps below that apply to you.

• Currently attending a NISD middle school - Complete the registration online. Records will transfer at the end of the school year.
• Out of District or currently attending a NISD high school - You will need to contact Ms. Rosa Torres, Taft registrar, at 210-397-6000. The majority of the registration process is handled online.

To secure bus transportation for the 2026–2027 school year, eligible families must register their students in advance.

• New to Northside ISD, families can register for bus transportation when completing the New Student Registration process.
• Currently enrolled families will register for bus transportation when completing the Returning Student Registration process. This is through HAC.
• To update your transportation request, use this link - https://transportationregistration.nisd.net/

New members must ensure they register for the 2026-2027 school year in the band database. Please fill out the following link with updated and accurate information to be counted for the next big step in the Taft Band legacy! Register at: https://form.jotform.com/253345319168158.

Please complete the Google Form below. Our amazing principal, Dr. Baker, orders a t-shirt for every new Comm Arts student. List your child's first and last name, then select the requested shirt size. Thank you!

Attached below are the athletic pre-enrollment form and procedures for magnet/program transfer students. This form is to be filled out by Northside students who have been given District approval to attend or transfer to a magnet/program outside of their attendance zone in which he/she resides to participate in any athletic activity before the first day of school (August 10th). Ex. summer strength & conditioning, sports camps, etc.

Transcripts - NWV & OnRamps

• Northwest Vista College Transcript: link with everything you need to know
• OnRamps College Transcript: link with everything you need to know

NISD Google Drive

Here are the instructions regarding transferring your school's Google Drive to your personal Google Drive. The district will remove your access quickly, so please do this quickly. See the Google Takeout PDF below.

Comm Arts/Taft High School graduation is Friday, May 29, 2026, at 2:30 pm. For more information, click HERE.

Prep Day for 9th graders will be held on July 30th from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Students receive their locker information, collect their school IDs, and have their yearbook photos taken. 9th-11th graders, you must be in dress code to take your yearbook picture. 10th-12th graders have their Prep Day on July 31st from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

The Comm Arts school supplies list will be shared out in late July.

If your child is interested in extracurricular activities, we encourage you to watch the Taft HS website and organizational X accounts for summer program information. As information is released, it will be added to future newsletters.

What an incredible, fast-paced, and deeply rewarding year it has been. As your CAHS school counselors, we have had the unique privilege of seeing your students grow not only academically but also personally. This year, we have watched your students' creative talents to navigate complex ideas, build deep friendships, and speak their truth with incredible eloquence.

Whether they conquered a stressful AP exam week, finally hit a breakthrough on a major media project, or took a brave step into our offices to chat through a tough day, we are immensely proud of their resilience and vulnerability.

To our parents: thank you for partnering with me this year to support our students' mental, emotional, and academic well-being. It truly takes a village, and the CAHS village is unmatched.

Below, you'll find essential updates regarding summer wellness, final transcripts, and preparing for the next chapter.

Wishing you all a safe, restful, and joyful summer,

Ms. Martinez and Dr. Rosales

Senior Reminders

1. Order your Final Transcript to be sent to the college or university you plan to attend in the fall. Be sure to indicate that you are requesting the Final Transcript.
2. Order your transcript that reflects your dual credit coursework through Northwest Vista - your ACES account to be sent to the college or university you plan to attend in the fall.
3. Order your transcript that reflects OnRamp's coursework through your UT Portal to be sent to the college or university you plan to attend in the fall.
4. Take advantage of College Board's Send Scores Free. Seniors can request one free score report sent to the college or university they plan to attend if they ordered by June 20. Students will need to activate the Send Scores Free My AP Profile, then Send Score.

Summer to-do list for Juniors

1. Register for a Campus Tour for your prospective universities. Go to the university's website and search for Visits.
2. Build your Resume - see Sample Resumes and Templates
3. Continue working on your college essays.
4. College Planning Checklist: College Planning Checklist for Juniors
5. Research College Scholarships - Scholarship Opportunities for Juniors

Your mental health does not take a summer vacation! While taking a break from schoolwork is essential, the shift in routine can sometimes feel jarring. Here are a few tips to keep your mind as healthy as your body:

1. Protect Your Sleep: It's tempting to stay up until sunrise editing videos or playing games, but try to maintain a semi-regular sleep schedule to keep your mood steady.
2. Limit the Digital Overload: As communication students, you love media—but give your brain a break from the endless scrolling. Disconnect to reconnect with nature, family, and yourself.
3. Practice Mindfulness: Take walks through our beautiful San Antonio parks, journal, paint, or sit in quiet reflection.

10th and 11th graders can qualify for $500 and $40,000 scholarships from BigFuture®! The scholarships are open to all students, with no GPA, test score, essay, income, or citizenship requirements. Every month, BigFuture will award $500 and $40,000 to students who take steps toward their career and the education they need to reach it.

For more information: BigFuture Scholarships

SAT scores are now available for students who participated in SAT School Day. Juniors, use the link below to view your scores. A second link is below to learn more about your SAT scores.

Every year you take AP Exams, you can send one score report for free to your chosen college, university, or scholarship organization. This report includes both this year's and past AP Exam scores. If you're heading to college this fall, use your free score send to ensure your college receives your scores on time for credit or placement. For high school juniors, sophomores, or freshmen, this also shows your early interest. The deadline to submit is June 20th.

For more information, visit: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/sending-scores/free-score-send.

Students can request a fee waiver directly from College Board. Eligible students can receive SAT fee waiver benefits by logging in to their College Board account and submitting a request. Learn more on the College Board website.

Practice Builds Confidence

Take advantage of free Official SAT Practice at Khan Academy®. Take a practice test, set a target score, and feel confident on test day.

Yearbooks should be arriving in July. You will receive a notification once they are here and ready for pick up.

Juniors, take time to schedule your senior portraits with CADY this summer.

The Home Access Center (HAC) allows parents to access grades and attendance information.

Adobe Creative Suite Software at Home for Personal Devices

ComArts CTE students can download and install Adobe Creative Suite software onto their personal laptops and computers (not Chromebooks) for FREE using your NISD student login credentials. Use the attached instructions for guidance. Keep in mind that the Adobe software version installed at home will be a newer version than what is available at school.

Mission: Our school promotes curiosity while providing rigorous academics in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Vision: Communications Arts H.S. students will be confident, capable, communicative leaders.

Email: cahs@nisd.net

Attendance Email: CAHS.attendance@nisd.net
Website: https://www.nisd.net/communicationsarts
Location: 11600 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78253, USA
Phone: (210) 397-6043
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CommunicationsArtsHighSchool/
X: @NISDComArts