Greetings, Warrior Families!

It was a short week but I am truly excited for all that our students and staff were able to accomplish!

I want to send a quick shoutout to Lailyn Hodges for representing Pieper High School and Comal ISD at the Texas Dance Educators Association Convention. She was nominated to participate as a part of an All-State Dance Team and we could not be more proud of the work she has accomplished. Congratulations to Lailyn and to our Dance Instructor Mrs. Olivares! We are PieperProud!

A few general reminders…

• Final Exam exemption information is included in this newsletter below. Please pay close attention to these details as there are attendance criteria attached to exemption eligibility.

• Our front doors open for students at 7:30 every morning for students who may need to be dropped off early.

• Parents/guardians are able to drop off lunches for students, but please do not set up a delivery service to bring food (Door Dash, Grub Hub, Uber Eats, etc.). All of these food deliveries are refused when they arrive.

Even though the weather has cooled off, we have a lot of programs on campus heating! Be sure to come out and support our students as they continue to forge the new era of the Warrior Empire!

Have a great weekend and week ahead!

With Warrior Pride,

Jaime Alvarez-Calderon

Principal

Below is the CISD exam exemption policy for final exam exemptions for students enrolled in high school credit courses, including while in middle school.

Second semester final exam exemptions are available in all high school credit courses for students that:

• have a minimum of an 85 second semester average in the high school credit course applicable for exemption
• have no more than 3 absences total for the second semester in the high school credit course applicable for exemption
• including excused absences such as illness, doctor visits, non-school related absences but
• excluding college visits per the Higher Education Visits found in the Student-Parent Handbook or school sponsored activities
• any appeals must be referred to the campus principal (This process will beoutlined for students in May)
• have no more than 3 tardies in the course for which he/she is seeking a final exam exemption
• have no referrals that result in OSS, CDC, or JJAEP
• have cleared all outstanding fines or fees prior to the semester exam

NOTE: DUAL CREDIT AND DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES MAY BE REQUIRED TO TAKE FINALS AS ASSIGNED BY THE INSTRUCTOR.

ALSO NOTE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, HAVE NO MORE THAN 10 TEMPORARY STUDENT ID'S ISSUED.

Message from our Principal

Final Exam Exemptions for High School Courses

Dance TDEA All-State

February Upcoming Events

March Upcoming Events

Message from our School Nurse

Academic Career Advisor Information

Junior / Senior Prom Fundraising Information

Graduation Cap & Gown Ordering Information

Senior Class Information

Save the Date: SAT Testing Information

Note from Attendance Office

Counselors Corner

Personalized Yearbook Sale

Yearbook Ad Information

Any Vape Device = DAEP

A Look Ahead

Congratulations to Lailyn Hodges for being Pieper High School's first Texas Dance Educators Association (TDEA) All-Stater! Lailyn is an integral part of the dance program. She was a founding member of the Pieper Ranch Charmers and the Pieper Legends and Legacies! She currently serves as Colonel for the Varsity Legacies Dance Team and is planning to attend TCU.

Last week she attended TDEA where she performed with the All-State Dance Team, attended workshops, a collegiate fair, and made friends across the state. We are so proud of her, she represented Pieper High very well!

• Please remember students must be fever free (less than 100.0)for 24 hrs before returning to campus, without the use of fever reducing medications.

• Just because your student leaves campus from the clinic, it doesn't mean his/her absence is nurse excused! The nurse will let you know if the student is being sent home or if it is a parent request absence when they speak with the parent. If you havent spoken with a nurse, feel free to call 830 885 9712 or 9745 to reach us.

• Please continue to report covid + test results.

• If your student has a Telehealth visit or Telemental health visit scheduled during school hours, a parent must be present. Students should plan to be checked out for their doctor/counselor visits and then may return once it has concluded.

• Students should not carry any medications with them, unless an epipen/keychain meds, diabetes supplies, or asthma inhaler if MD authorization has been provided to the clinic yearly. Please contact the clinic if your student needs any medications during the day so arrangements can be made to leave it at school.

Junior and Senior parents!

Prom season is upon us and our Prom fundraiser is open now until February 29th. We want to give the students the best prom experience we possibly can, and we need your help. The fundraiser is a vote for a theme where every $1 equals 1 vote to the theme of your choosing. Every dollar raised goes straight back into prom and paying our vendors.

Prom is May 4th, 2024 and ticket sales details will be announced soon.

Parents,

No one needs a measuring tape or to stress – Gradtogo makes it easy to order! All you need is the height and weight for your student(s) gown.

YOUR cap/gown/tassel/stole UNIT is all 4 pcs for the $64.00.

Here are the steps for easy online ordering.

• STEPS FOR ORDERING SR. GRAD ITEMS ONLINE at OUR website www.Gradtogo.com
• READ the pop up with info then close out of that and
• click on HJ Products & Payments Tab,
• under girls in cap & gowns image, use Purchase Now button,
• Type in YOUR SCHOOL (confirm city), Year: 2024,
• Next, Shop Grad Products.
• Choose from 3-4 Tabs at top for shopping for packages or individual products.
• The Grad Gear & Apparel tab shows the Cap and Gown unit details at bottom.

(if ordering from phone you will need scroll to the end/right)

If you have any QUESTIONS please email – Office@Gradtogo.com

NOTE:

You do NOT need to put a size for the cap. It comes as a “Sure-Fit – XL” with elastic in the back and fits MOST students. However, when graduation cap & gowns are delivered, students can try on their cap and the representative can exchange it for a 2XL size if needed at that time.

SAVE THE DATE! All juniors will be taking the SAT on Tuesday, March 5th. Check your appointments now to make sure that your junior will be on campus that day. We will start promptly at 8:55 am and should be finished by 1:00 pm for our standard time testers.

Let’s continue getting motivated to be the best versions of ourselves each day forward! “New Year = A New Life! Decide today who you will become, what you will give how you will live.”

Talk to your student about the importance of outlining goals for the new year and the small daily routines and habits to achieve these goals! Remember perfection is not the goal, but rather consistency! Consistency in all things helps us create great habits for healthy and successful living.

Consistent school attendance provides your student with valuable opportunities to be successful not only academically but also socially and emotionally. They are building their academic skills while also learning how to navigate social and peer interactions. This is an important skill that teaches them how to communicate and problem solve in the future.

Attend Today! Achieve Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond!

The counselors next Tranquil Tuesday will be Tuesday, February 6th, and in this session, students will be making origami. Students can sign up for this session and other upcoming Tranquil Tuesday dates in the Counseling Suite.

The counseling department is working to form counseling groups for the spring semester. Please see the list of topics that will be offered for group and if you are interested in your student participating, please contact one of the counselors or student support specialists.

Healthy Relationships

Anger

Motivation

Self Esteem

Grief

Anxiety

Stess Management

Coping Skills

Last chance to get your 2024 personalized PHS yearbook is January 26th. See QR Codes below, visit your google class cohort, or see Mrs. Speck in room C224 to order your yearbook before the deadline. You can also use the link here.

Yearbook Recognition Ads are the perfect way to commemorate achievements and celebrate milestones. In addition, revenues from Recognition Ads help our school create a better yearbook. To purchase your ad online, follow the instructions listed on the attached page. Jostens is responsible for our school's yearbook ad sales. Please not not contact or send materials to the school. Please also consider our school's ad content guidelines while creating your ad online.

All orders must be placed by February 1, 2024.

January Calendar

Friday, January 19:

Band TMEA Region 12 Jazz Clinic / Concert @ New Braunfels High School

Theatre Pieper Ranch Middle School UIL One Act Play Public Performance @ PHS Auditorium

9th Grade Boys A & B Teams Basketball vs. Wagner High School @ Wagner High School

JV / Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Wagner High School @ Wagner High School

9th / JV / Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Wagner High School @ Pieper High School

JV / Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Fox Tech High School @ Pieper High School

Varsity Girls Soccer Governor’s Cup @ Georgetown Texas

Varsity Boys & Girls Wrestling @ Canyon High School

Winter Guard Practice @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Saturday, January 20:

Band TMEA Region 12 Jazz Clinic / Concert @ New Braunfels High School

Varsity Girls Soccer Governor’s Cup @ Georgetown Texas

Varsity Boys & Girls Wrestling @ Canyon High School

Monday, January 22:

HCHS #7 Golf: New Braunfels Invitational Boys Varsity @ Landa Park Golf Course at Comal Springs

Winter Guard practice @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Tuesday, January 23:

Forever 15 Fentanyl Presentations @ Pieper High School Auditorium

Support Services Art Show

9th Grade Boys A & B Teams Basketball vs. Veterans Memorial High School @ Pieper High School

JV / Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Veterans Memorial High School @ Pieper High School

9th / JV / Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Veteran’s Memorial High School @ Veteran’s Memorial HS

JV / Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Seguin High School @ Pieper High School (Middle School Night)

JV / Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Seguin High School @ Seguin High School

Winter Guard Practice @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Swim District Dinner @ Pieper High School Learning Stairs and Café Area

Wednesday, January 24:

Comal Academy Fall Graduation

Fentanyl Presentation to Parents & Students @ Pieper High School Auditorium

Senior Ovation Celebration @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Wrestling Dual @ Pieper High School Gym

Thursday, January 25:

Choir Social Event

Comal ISD Board Meeting @ Support Services

JV Tennis vs. San Marcos High School @ San Marcos High School

Winter Guard Practice @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Friday, January 26:

SPED STAR Dance

9th Grade Boys A & B Teams Basketball vs. Canyon High School @ Canyon High School

JV / Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Canyon High School @ Canyon High School

9th / JV / Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Canyon High School @ Pieper High School

JV / Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Wagner High School @ Wagner High School

JV / Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Wagner High School @ Pieper High School

Varsity Tennis vs. San Marcos High School @ San Marcos High School

Saturday, January 27:

Band Of Warrior Winter Guard Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Orchestra UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest @ Churchill High School

JV Boys & Girls District Wrestling @ Canyon High School

Monday, January 29:

HCHS #8: JV Boys Golf Invitational @ Landa Park Golf Course @ Comal Springs

Winter Guard Practice @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Tuesday, January 30:

9th Grade Boys A Team Basketball vs. Champion High School @ Pieper High School

JV / Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Champion High School @ Pieper High School

9th / JV / Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Champion High School @ Champion High School

JV / Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Veterans Memorial High School @ Pieper High School

JV / Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Veterans Memorial High School @ Veterans Memorial High School

Winter Guard Practice @ Pieper High School Cafeteria

Wednesday, January 31:

Comal ISD Spring Dance Showcase @ Pieper High School Auditorium