Keeping Up with Comm Arts
~ July 28, 2026 ~
Hello Comm Arts Family and Friends!
There are only a few short weeks till school starts. Students, please make sure you are working on your summer reading project. Assignments can be found in this newsletter.
Just a friendly reminder that Monday, August 10th, is the first day of school for our wonderful students!
Prep Days Dates
9th graders have their prep day on July 30th from 9-11 am & 1-3 pm
10th-12th graders have prep day on July 31st from 9-11 am & 1-3 pm
Students receive their schedules, locker information, chromebooks and collect their school IDs. There is a scheduling change with the 9th-11th grade pictures. Non-seniors will take their picture during the school day. Picture day will be September 4th. Make-up pictures will be on October 1st. Seniors will need to schedule an appointment with Cady. Senior pictures will not be available on campus this year—more details found in the School Pictures & Yearbook section.
25-26 yearbooks will also be ready for pick-up during prep days. If you ordered a yearbook after May 29th, please be ready to show proof of purchase.
9th graders taking an AP course will set up their College Board account. If they are attending without a parent, they will need a non-NISD email to create their account.
This is a self-paced event and usually takes about an hour. Parents, you are welcome to join.
Cue the Updates
CAHS Bootcamp
Thank you to those who participated in CAHS Bootcamp last week. We had around 40 students in attendance. All had a great time working on their communication and teamwork skills. We can't wait to have them back on campus for the beginning of the school year.
PE Uniforms
Parking Permits
Bus Transportation for Magnet Schools
Bus information will be available on August 3rd.
VOE
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.
STAAR Scores
Scores from April's EOC went 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.
Off Campus Lunch 26-27 School Year
Senior Off Block for 26-27 School Year
The Congressional App Challenge (CAC)
News from our Nurse
New to Comm Arts
Shirt Sizes
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!
Athletic Pre-Enrollment Form
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.
Summer Information
Summer Reading Assignments
All Comm Arts students have a summer reading assignment. The PDFs attached below are the instructions for all grade levels. The summer reading is below. Happy Reading!
CAHS/Taft
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.
Counselor's Corner
Welcome Back, Comm Arts HS Students!
Welcome back to a brand-new school year: 2026-2027! I hope you all are having a restful and rejuvenating summer break. It'll be amazing to see our hallways filled with energy again! I am looking forward to supporting you as you navigate your academic journey and personal growth over the coming months.
Important Information Regarding Schedules
As we settle into the beginning of a new school year, I want to provide some essential information regarding your course schedules. My primary goal is to ensure that every student is placed in the correct classes required for graduation and academic success.
Please be advised that schedule changes will only be processed for necessary corrections. These include:
Missing Periods: If you have a gap in your schedule or are missing a required class period.
Prerequisite Issues: If you have been placed in a course for which you have not completed the required prerequisite.
Duplicate Courses: If you have already received credit for a course currently on your schedule.
Please note that we are not able to process schedule changes based on elective preferences, teacher requests, or course interest changes at this time. The master schedule is built based on initial requests, and many courses have reached their maximum capacity.
How to Reach Me
As your only Communications Arts HS Counselor, I am here to help you have a successful year. If you need a correction in your schedule or have any other counseling-related inquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out.
The best way to contact me is via email at Minerva.Rosales@nisd.net
I am excited to work with each of you. Let's make this a fantastic school year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Minerva Rosales
Communications Arts High School Counselor
Scholarships
BigFuture Scholarships
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
College Board
AP Exams
2026 AP Scores Now Available
Students can now sign in to their College Board account and access their AP scores. Use the link below to log in and access your AP scores.
All AP Exams Have Benefits
Completing an AP course and exam means students took college-level coursework in high school. No matter the score, preparing for and taking an AP Exam sharpens students' skills to transition from high school to college. Research shows that students who take AP courses and exams have better college outcomes than their peers. Whatever the score, taking an AP Exam can keep students on track for college. Most students who score a 1 or 2 on their first AP Exam are likely to improve their score on a future exam. Students who achieve an exam score of 2 do significantly better in introductory college classes. Students who achieve exam scores of 1 or 2 are still more likely to attend college and graduate on time (than academically similar students who don’t take AP).
Helpful Resources:
School Day - PSAT & SAT
In school year 2026-2027, NISD will offer College Board's SAT and PSAT/NMSQT assessments.
On Wednesday, October 21, 2026, PSAT/NMSQT will be administered at high school campuses to 10th and 11th grade NISD enrolled students who register in advance to participate. There is a fee for this optional test for Grade 10 students. There is no fee for Grade 11 students since the PSAT/NMSQT exam is the route of entry to the National Merit Scholarship Program for 11th grade students.
On Wednesday, April 7, 2027, all 11th graders will be able to take the SAT or TSIA2 at high school campuses.
Weekend SAT
SAT Fee Waivers
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.
SAT Practice
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.
School Pictures & Yearbooks
Yearbook Delivery for the 25-26 School Year
Yearbooks will be ready for pick up during our Prep Days on July 30th and 31st. See you there!
Class of 2027 Senior Portraits
Seniors, take time to schedule your senior portraits with CADY this summer.
2025-2026
Important Links & Documents
HAC
The Home Access Center (HAC) allows parents to access grades and attendance information.
Personal Communication Device Policy
We would like to remind everyone of our No Personal Communication Device Policy during school hours. This includes cell phones, earbuds, smartwatches, and similar devices, in line with Texas House Bill 1481, to support a focused learning environment.
Students may use personal laptops for classwork as directed by their teachers. Specific devices, such as Adobe-equipped iPads for certain courses, are also permitted. However, all devices must be powered off and kept in backpacks during passing periods, lunch, and non-applicable classes.
Please use laptops responsibly for educational purposes only. Misuse will result in loss of privileges. Thank you for your cooperation!
School Safety Reminder
Northside ISD joined the Texas School Safety Center's public awareness campaign, "Threats Are No Joke!" aimed at educating students and parents about the serious consequences of making or sharing threats. The campaign highlights that even joking about threats can have legal repercussions and endanger safety, as shown in the PSA video linked below. Students are encouraged to report any concerning information through NISD's Safeline. We encourage everyone to watch the video at https://txssc.txstate.edu/videos/threats-are-no-joke/ to understand better the importance of keeping our schools safe. Thank you.
Here Comes the Bus
Safety
As a safety reminder, NISD does not allow food deliveries for students or faculty/staff members. Additionally, all students, faculty, and staff must wear their school IDs on campus for safety.
Here is the link for more information: Safety First, 2026-2027
Additionally, any visitors to campus will need to apply and pass a background check. This does need to be completed every year. It will not roll over. Here is the link to the background check: https://www.nisd.net/community/volunteer-mentor
If you notice anything unusual or a potential safety concern throughout the school year, please contact the NISD Safeline. The Safeline is anonymous and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone number: 210-397-7233
Email: safe@nisd.net
Adobe Access
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.
Communications Arts High 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


