CMHS Times
September 2026
Accolades
Macs of the Month
Macs of the Month is the high school's initiative to recognize our outstanding students and staff! Each month, a staff member will be recognized, voted on by their colleagues and students. Students will be recognized by their peers and staff in the categories of creative arts, kindness, academic achievement, school pride, athletic achievement, and leadership.
We proudly announce our September Macs of the Month below! Congratulations to everyone on the well-deserved recognition!
National Merit Commended Students
A big congratulations to Faye S. (12) and Carson W. (12) on being named National Merit Commended Students! This is a wonderful achievement, and we are proud to celebrate their hard work and academic success.
Classroom Activities
9th Grade English
When Mrs. Farrell saw The Outsiders musical on Broadway in New York City last year, she was absolutely captivated by the dynamic performance, powerful soundtrack, and beloved story she has taught for so many years. She knew she had to bring that same energy and excitement back to her classroom at CMHS!
This year, 9th grade English students kicked off their The Outsiders unit by stepping into the world of 1960s Tulsa. Students worked in stations to explore 1960s slang, learn about S.E. Hinton, compare and contrast the Socs and Greasers through Venn diagrams, and enjoy music from the era, including songs by The Beatles and Elvis.
The excitement continued with “Tulsa ’67,” the introduction song from the Broadway musical. Students watched the music video, which features landmarks from the original movie and references to the novel. They then received copies of the lyrics and annotated them, focusing on connections to the story and the literary devices used throughout the song.
Mrs. Charriere and Ms. Iskey joined Mrs. Farrell in the fun, bringing the song study and creative activities to their 9th grade students as well. By blending history, music, nonfiction, and literary analysis, our students are building background knowledge and excitement before diving deeper into this classic novel.
10th Grade English
Team 10 English teachers Kristin Jakiel, Kendra Moxon, Dr. Hoolahan, and Kaleb Susko collaborated to host the annual "Masque of the Red Death" Escape Room competition for 10th Grade students in General, Academic, and Honors English. The activity took place in the library, and students worked in small groups to compete against each other to be the first to escape the room.
AP Calculus AB
Students are working on a matching activity in the atrium. They were matching functions, limits, descriptions, and graph cards!
Environmental Science & AP Enviornmental Science
Environmental Science students conducted labs outside researching biodiversity of flora and fauna on our school’s property.
AP Environmental Science are practicing FRQ writing and had their first dissection of an owl pellet to conclude our food chain/web unit.
CHS Zoology
CHS Zoology completed two dissections: squid and earthworms. Students are preparing for a crayfish dissection on Friday.
Zoo in the Classroom
Zoo in the Classroom is researching every animal in our classroom and preparing for their first presentations in October.
Academic Chemistry
Ms. McDivitt's Academic Chemistry class investigated physical and chemical changes in the lab
Business Classes
In Mrs. Carney’s business classes, students started out the year by going “back to basics”. Students wrote down what motivates them and what they really care about in life. Their responses are hanging outside the classroom in the hallway.
Student Activities
Academic Ambassadors & Peer Tutoring
Looking for a little extra academic support?
Academic Ambassadors and Peer Tutors will be available starting in October!
Peer Tutors provide one-on-one support and will be matched with students based on their needs and subject area. To get paired with a Peer Tutor, please see or email Ms. Humbertson.
Academic Ambassadors will be available in the Library for drop-in help sessions. Check Mrs. Shuman’s weekly schedule email for days and times.
If you are interested in being a Peer Tutor or an Academic Ambassador, please connect with Ms. Humbertson!
Book Mobile
The library is hitting the road! This year, CMHS Library launched an official Book Mobile—a fully loaded, custom-decorated book cart stocked with top-tier fiction, non-fiction, and curated classroom reads. Designed to bring the library straight to the students, the mobile book cart will be rolling through the hallways, visiting classrooms, and dropping by every lunch period throughout the week. The Book Mobile is currently featuring Gothic Literature to supplement the 10th grade English unit. It will frequently showcase different genres and themes to appeal to the greatest number of students. Various contests and prizes will be offered throughout the year to promote student reading.
National Honors Society
Mrs. Hartmann and the NHS officers applied to be recognized as an NHS Chapter of Distinction and just found out that they were approved!
The NHS Chapters of Distinction is a national recognition program created by NHS to honor chapters that demonstrate strong leadership, sound operations and a deep commitment to the pillars of the Honor Society. This distinction recognizes chapters that meet all Essential Standards and excel in key areas such as student governance and leadership development.
National Celebrating Art Competition
Students at Canon-McMillan High School are being recognized for their creativity and artistic accomplishments through Celebrating Art, a national art competition for K–12 students across the United States, sponsored by Blick Art Materials.
Three of our talented students, Mayley D. (10), Campbell G. (11), and Amber M. (11), have been selected for the opportunity to have their artwork published in the Celebrating Art keepsake art book. Being selected for publication is a special honor. Each year, students from across the country submit their artwork to the competition, and only the top entries are invited to be published. The contest is designed to celebrate young artists, showcase their creativity, and provide students with a professional outlet for their work.
Entries are reviewed by a panel of judges and educators who carefully consider each submitted piece. The top 45% of entries are invited to be published in the hardbound Celebrating Art book, making selection a meaningful achievement for students and their teachers.
The goal of Celebrating Art is not only to recognize talented young artists but also to encourage students to continue expressing themselves through art. Having their work included in a professional publication gives students a lasting keepsake of their accomplishment and allows them to share their creativity with family, friends, and their community.
Congratulations to these talented young artists on earning this well-deserved recognition!
Senior Parking Spot Painting
For the second year in a row Seniors who purchased a parking spot were able to exercise their artistic talent by painting their parking spots. They enjoyed the sunshine, comradery and some even made it a family affair!
Veteran's Day Event
In preparation for an upcoming Veterans Day event, Mr. Dill and Mrs. Schepis would like to gather some information about families of veterans in our own district. If you are a veteran, or have a veteran in your family, please fill out the following form by October 5th.
Please contact Ashley Schepis with any questions (schepisa@cmsd.k12.pa.us).
Yearbook
The CMHS yearbook staff is working hard to make this the best yearbook yet! This yearbook will include over 200 pages to truly capture all the memories that were made this school year. Don't forget to place your order to ensure your copy of the yearbook!
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. White at whitem@cmsd.k12.pa.us.
Class of '27 Senior Photos
All Senior Photos are due by November 25, 2026.
Counseling Department
FAFSA
Thank you to everyone who joined us for FAFSA Night! It was a great success. If you were unable to attend, you can review the presentation provided by our PHEAA representative, Abby Gabner. (2026-09-14 FAN Canon-McMillan.pdf)
Mac Pack Donations
A huge thank you to our families who donated food and monetary contributions at Open House to support our Mac Pack Program! Your generosity helps make a difference for our students.
If you have any questions about Mac Packs, want to donate or could benefit from the program please contact Mrs. DelVitto.
Pet Search Visit
We were excited to welcome Pet Search and their rescue dogs to CMHS! Our students enjoyed some time with our furry visitors, providing a little extra comfort, connection, and therapeutic support throughout the school day.
Caring Place Grief Summit
Mrs. Humbertson and Mrs. Seifert spent the day at The Caring Place Annual Grief Summit, joined by CMHS seniors Audrey W. (12) and Sophia H. (12). We are proud of their participation in this meaningful opportunity to learn, connect, and support others experiencing grief.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Day - September 25
We extend our sincere thanks to Nikki from SPHS for providing valuable mental health resources and interactive “pop-it” keychains for our CMHS students and staff during lunch periods. In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Day, students were able to get sunflower seed packets to “plant a seed of hope” and spread encouragement across our school community.
Our staff also participated in a dress down day, wearing purple to promote Suicide Awareness!
Upcoming Events
South Hills College & Career Fair - October 6
📍 Bethel Park High School | 🕕 6:00–8:30 PM
Explore college, career, and post-secondary opportunities
WGFCCA College & Career Fair - October 20
📍 PennWest California | 9:00-11:00am
School Counseling Department will take students by bus. Students must sign up by October 15th to attend.
FAFSA Completion Event - November 4
📍 CMHS
Need help completing the FAFSA? Join us to meet with our PHEAA representative, Abby Garner, who will help you submit your FAFSA and answer any questions you may have. More information to come!
Student/Parent Information
Dates to Remember
Upcoming Events
Monday, October 5 - WACTC No School
Tuesday, October 6 - M&M Photography - Senior Photos - 5:00pm-7:00pm - CMHS Cafeteria (only if needed)
Wednesday, October 7 - "Roblox Safety & Online Predators" Presentation - 6:00pm - CMMS Auditorium (See Flyer Below)
Friday, October 9 - Homecoming Parade
Saturday, October 10 - Homecoming Dance - 7:00pm-10:00pm - CMHS Gymnasium
Monday, October 12 - Staff In-Service (No School)/Parkway West CTC No School
Tuesday, October 13 - ASVAB (See Ms. Humbertson if interested)
Wednesday, October 21 - PSAT/Future Ready Day
Monday, October 26 - 2nd Quarter Begins
Friday, October 30 - 1st Quarter Report Cards Distributed
Health Office Information
Requirements for 11th Grade
Please provide the nurse with a copy of your immunization records either in person or via email at: speerk@cmsd.k12.pa.us
Medication Authorization
If your student needs to take a daily medication or needs to have an as needed medication available at school please use the following form . It must be completed by a doctor and signed by the parent/guardian. The medication must be brought in the original pharmacy container or unopened over the counter container that matches the paperwork.
The medication authorization form must be completed each school year by the physician and turned in to the school nurse for the new school year.
Helpful Links
Attendance
Handbooks
Homebound
School Calendar
Contact Information
Student Affairs
School Nurse
Kristen Speer - School Nurse (724-745-1400 ext. 5013)
Athletics
Jackie Jacoby - Athletics Secretary (724-745-1400 ext. 5007)
Mike Evans - Assistant Athletic Director
Kenny Klase - Athletic Director
School Counseling
Katie Seifert - A-E & ESL
Shadia Delvitto - F-L
Julie Hughes - M-R
Phoebe Dailey - S-Z
Susan Humbertson - CTC & 504's
Administration
Denielle Bickmeier - Main Office Secretary (724-745-1400 ext. 5000)
Brittany Taylor - High School Principal
Jenna Handra - Academic Principal
Thomas Orr - Assistant Principal
Jamie Hopkins - Assistant Principal
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