NEWS from the NEST

The Winter Giving Assembly is a beloved tradition for students, faculty, and staff each year 🎉. It’s a chance for our Visual and Performing Arts departments to fill the gym with holiday spirit 🎶✨, while Student Government reminds us of the joy that comes from giving back ❤️. This year, we’ll support our community by collecting toys 🎁 and providing a monetary donation to Lake Murray Elementary 🏫.

CATS students taking part in the Winter Giving Assembly will have their Center attendance excused once teachers submit their names to Ms. Manning. Seniors with CATS classes who want to attend must check in with Ms. Manning or Ms. Register prior to the beginning of the assembly; they will be by the senior section of the gym bleachers.

🔔 Reminders

Counselors will review course requests during IGPs to align with college/career goals 👥

11th Grade: starts Jan 8

10th Grade: starts Feb 9

📣 PLEASE READ! Attention Junior & Senior Parents! December deadline approaching! 📣

This spring, students in their third year of high school or beyond (Juniors and Seniors) have the opportunity to take or retake the ACT or SAT during the school day — at no cost! It's FREE!

➡️ Parents, please log into the Parent Portal to select your student’s preferred test:
ACT or SAT — The Choice is Yours!

🗓️ Deadline to choose is December 15, 2025! Once the form closes your opportunity to take the test for the FREE test at school closes. You will need to pay and register to take the test through Act.org or collegeboard.org and take the test on the weekend if you choose to.

Chapin High students are encouraged to job shadow once per semester (with Career Specialist approval*). It’s an amazing way to discover careers, gain real-world insight, and grow your network! 🌟

📋 To participate:
1️⃣ Complete the D5/CHS Job Shadow Application
2️⃣ Get parent/guardian + teacher signatures
3️⃣ Submit to Mrs. Moseley in the Career Center (Room A101) at least 1 week before your job shadow date.

💼 Stop by the Career Center for your job shadow packet and start exploring your future today!

Now that we have spent a full semester learning the ins and outs of our new Necessary Enrichment Study Time (NEST) program, we will begin holding students accountable for attending their assigned NEST sessions when they have a grade below 60 in a course. 📘📉

If a student is assigned NEST, they will have two weeks to complete the required sessions. ⏳ If they do not attend, the absence will be treated as skipping class and appropriate consequences will be assigned. 🚫📚

NEST is designed to provide students with structured time during the school day to study, receive extra help from their teachers, and complete assignments. ✍️👩‍🏫 Students will continue to learn about their assigned NEST sessions during their bi-weekly MAST lessons. 🗓️

We appreciate your partnership in helping ensure your student takes advantage of the academic supports available to them throughout the school day. 🤝💛

Attendance for all semester classes will continue to accrue recapture until the last day of the semester on December 18. Your student may owe seat time recapture if any unexcused absences are accrued before that time. All recapture for semester classes must be served by Friday, January 23, 2026 in order to receive credit for a course. The opportunities to serve recapture are the following:

Saturday, December 13, 2025 (8am-2pm)

Monday, January 12, 2026 (4pm-6pm)

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 (4pm-6pm)

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 (4pm-6pm)

Thursday, January 22, 2026 (4pm-6pm) last day to recapture for 1st semester classes

Seniors must complete any recapture that is owed in order to exempt a Senior Exams in that course. Please reach out to Ms. Manning (kmanning@lexrich5.org) or Ms. Register (lregister@lexrich5.org) if you have any questions.

✅ Attendance policies. Please watch the this video for full details on District Five’s updated procedures for Seat Time and Truancy, especially if you are the parent of a new student to Chapin High School.

Click on the graphic to purchase a yearbook or senior ad!

🎄 The Holiday Spirit Wear Store is NOW OPEN! 🎅

Get ready to show your CHS holiday pride — our festive spirit wear is here! Choose from our holiday t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, and cozy holiday PJ pants and sets — perfect for students, teachers, and even siblings!

DECEMBER

13th - Recapture - Students will receive an email if this affects you. (4pm-6pm)

15th - Junior and Senior deadline to make a choice for the ACT or SAT in Powerschool. Selection can be made via a form in PS.

15th - 1A & 3A Midterm & First semester exams

16th - 5B & 7B Midterm & First semester exams

17th - NO LATE START & 2A & 4A Midterm & First semester exams

18th - 6B & 8B Midterm & First semester exams

18th - End of Quarter 2 Semester 1

19th - Teacher Work Day, no school for students

WINTER BREAK - December 19th - January 2nd

JANUARY

2nd - Teacher Work Day, no school for students

5th - Students return to school. It's an A Day!

12th - Recapture - Students will receive an email if this affects you. (4pm-6pm)

15th - Recapture - Students will receive an email if this affects you. (4pm-6pm)

18th - End of Quarter 2 Semester 1

19th - Martin Luther King Holiday - No School.

20th - Recapture - Students will receive an email if this affects you. (4pm-6pm)

22nd - Last day to Recapture for 1st semester classes. Students will receive an email if this affects you. (4pm-6pm)

31st - Winter Semiformal Dance. Details coming at a later date.