The Cougar Connection

Back to School Edition - August 18, 2026

Dear Catoctin Community,

We are just one day away from the start of the 2026-2027 school year…..the excitement is building, the preparations have reached a feverish pace, and our work together will begin very soon. Part of your preparations may be pulling together a stash of school supplies that likely includes writing utensils, notebooks, and maybe even a graphing calculator. Those are all important tools that we employ in education and having them available will support student’s effective and efficient work in school and at home. (On that topic - we are always willing and available to help families acquire the needed supplies - please communicate with your child’s teachers and/or counselor if there is a need we can help fill.)

I also want to suggest some less traditional school “supplies” that will foster learning and support student success:

• A growth mindset - the belief that you can and you will learn new things (even in areas that may seem very hard to you)

• A commitment to engage in your learning (students have to be an active part of the process)....this includes ensuring that your phone is silenced and away all day (7:30 - 2:20) so as not to distract your brain from the important work of learning

• A promise to be respectful to all

• Leadership - formal or informal, outward or quiet…..all students can serve as leaders and the more who do, the more positive our school culture will be

• A resolve to attend school on time every day. Your best opportunity for success occurs every day you are in school and are taking an active role in your learning. Remember…..Attendance = Opportunity

I am excited about the potential for success that exists for every student as we start each year. I am confident that we will work together to make this a great school year for every Cougar.

Go Cougars!

Sincerely,

Jen Clements

Principal

CHS is hosting a tissue drive for our classrooms! Please consider donating a box of tissues to help us supply classrooms. Donations accepted in the main office. Thank you!

Students who have not yet received their chromebooks should ask their teacher for a pass to see Mr. Harris in the media center.

• The Big Reset: Late in the day on August 18, 2026, all student passwords will be automatically reset to your Student ID number.
• First Login: When your teacher gives the green light to open up your Chromebook for the year, you’ll log in using your Student ID. You will immediately be prompted to create a new, custom password.

🔒 The High School Password Rules (Grades 6–12)

When creating your new password, make sure it meets the district security requirements. If it doesn't match the criteria, the system will send you back to the drawing board!

📋 Password Rules at a Glance

• Minimum Length: At least 8 characters long.
• Variety Pack: Your password must include characters from at least 3 of the following 4 categories:

1. Uppercase letters (A–Z)
2. Lowercase letters (a–z)
3. Numbers (0–9)
4. Special characters (e.g., ! @ # $ % ^ & * _ - + = ! ?)

🚫 The "No-Go" List

To keep your account secure, the system will block your password if:

• It contains your Account Name, Display Name, or Student ID.
• It is a password you have used in previous years.

💡 Quick Pro-Tip: Pick Something Memorable!

Accounts have a 1-day minimum password age rule. This means you can only manually change your password once every 24 hours.

Make sure you choose something you won't forget 10 minutes later! A great trick is taking a short phrase, swapping a few letters for numbers or symbols, and throwing in a capital letter (e.g., 3xpert-G@mer or Coffee!247).

Breakfast and lunch is served daily for Catoctin High School students. You may add funds to your student's meals account using Linq Connect. FCPS participates in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program which offers free or reduced meals for students. We encourage families who think they qualify (or unsure if they qualify) to complete the free and reduced-price meal benefits application online. Families must reapply for benefits every year. Eligibility is based on annual income eligibility guidelines effective from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. For more information on school meals costs and reduced meals programs please see the Back to School flyers below:

• School Meals Information 2026-27 - English
• Comida escolar Información 2026-27 - Spanish

All fall semester Dual Enrollment courses will start at the beginning of the school year to complete the onboarding process. Students should plan to attend their first class on either Wednesday, August 19th (for Monday/Wednesday classes) or Thursday, August 20th (for Tuesday/Thursday classes).

An announcement will be coming soon regarding the date and time of an important Dual Enrollment meeting to review expectations, processes, and updates.

• August 3 - Schedules visible to students and parents in Schoology
• August 3 & 4 - Senior Portraits (must schedule an appointment)
• August 12 - Fall athletics begin (Try-out Schedule)
• August 17 - Back to School Night, 5:30-7:00 pm, FAQ session at 6:30
• August 19 - First Day of School!
• August 25 - Last day for Schedule Correction requests
• August 28 - Picture Day for Grades 9-11
• September 7 - Schools Closed, Labor Day
• September 18 - Mid-term, 2 hr. Early Dismissal
• September 21 - Schools Closed, Yom Kippur
• October 16 - Schools Closed, Homecoming Football Game
• October 17 - Homecoming Dance *

*Homecoming - It is important that students know now that we will be imposing attendance and behavior criteria for students wishing to attend the Homecoming dance. It will be expected that students maintain good attendance and remain in good standing (with little to no referrals) in order to be eligible to attend the Homecoming Dance on October 17.

When Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) welcomes students back on Wednesday, August 19, an important change will take effect to our cell phone expectations. Starting this year, for all students and all grade levels, students may not use cell phones, smart watches, or other personal communication devices “bell to bell.” FCPS will follow an off and away model, where students must keep their devices out of sight and use while in school.

This change is a result of recent legislation passed during the 2026 Maryland General Assembly. The Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act requires all Maryland public school systems to implement policies governing the use of personal communication devices beginning with the 2027-28 school year. In support of a smooth transition, the FCPS Board of Education requested we begin implementing these expectations during the 2026-27 school year.

As a result, FCPS has updated Personal Mobile Device, Regulation 118-01 to reflect these expectations. This regulation is also aligned with the FCPS Student Code of Conduct . Exceptions may be made as outlined in Regulation 118-01, including for documented medical needs or approved accommodations.

We recognize this will be a significant adjustment for some students, in particular students at the high school level. Across the country, schools have reported many benefits when personal devices were removed from the classroom, including:

• Students being more engaged in class.
• Students being more connected to one another.
• Students being less distracted during their studies.

Parents/Guardians are encouraged to discuss digital device expectations and review the FCPS Student Code of Conduct with students prior to the start of the 2026-2027 school year. We look forward to your continued support in setting our students up for success.

Additional information about our updated personal mobile device guidelines, including a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list can be found at https://www.fcps.org/cellphone

Helpful Back to School Links

• Back to School Night Slides (with useful information for students and parents)

• School Supply List

• Student Code of Conduct

• Register for SchoolCash Online

• Parking Permit Application

• School Meals and Free Breakfast and Lunch Information

• Find Your Bus Stop Information

• Bus Delay Notifications

• School calendar and handbook

Student safety is an important priority and we need the cooperation of everyone who enters our campus to ensure that, especially in our parking lots. Please take note of and adhere to the following guidelines - they are for the safety of all:

• During arrival, the front bus loop is for buses only. All student drop offs should take place in the upper lot (near the baseball field).

• During dismissal, car riders should also be picked up in the upper lot.

• The lot directly in front of the building is for staff daily parking only (visitors who will only be in the building for a short time between 7:30 and 2:20 may use this lot for short-term parking).

• Student walkers should take great care when crossing the parking lot and roads; use the crosswalks and cross Sabillasville Road at the crossing guard. Please do not walk out in front of vehicles and pay attention to the traffic around you.

• All drivers (student and adult) are asked to exhibit caution and to drive slowly and alertly at all times. All vehicle drivers and passengers are reminded to wear their seat belts.

Thank you for your partnership in ensuring our students’ safety on the campus of Catoctin High School.

We invite families and community members to partner with Catoctin High School by volunteering throughout the 2026-2027 school year. Whether you're helping in the classroom, supporting school events, or sharing your time and talents in other ways, volunteers make a meaningful difference in the success of our students and school community.

NEW FOR 2026-2027! Volunteer training is now built directly into the online application.

Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has launched a new, streamlined volunteer registration process that combines the required volunteer training and application into one convenient process. There is no separate training platform or additional account to create.

How to Become an FCPS Volunteer:

Complete the online application using the appropriate language link below:

• Volunteer Application - English
• Volunteer Application - Spanish

Before beginning the application, please note:

• The required volunteer training video must be viewed in its entirety before the application becomes available.
• The training is approximately 25 minutes in English and 31 minutes in Spanish.
• The video cannot be skipped or fast-forwarded.
• If you exit before completing the training, your progress will not be saved, and you will need to restart the training from the beginning.
• We recommend setting aside enough time to complete both the training and application in one sitting.

Once your application is submitted, no further action is required. The FCPS Volunteer Center will review your application, and you will receive an email notification once your volunteer status has been determined. After receiving approval, please contact the school to learn about volunteer opportunities available through the school year.

If you have questions or need assistance with the volunteer process, please contact the FCPS Volunteer Center at FCPSVolunteers@fcps.org. For additional information about the FCPS Volunteer Program, including volunteer expectations, eligibility requirements, frequently asked questions, and program guidelines, please visit the FCPS Volunteer webpage.

Thank you for partnering with our school to support student success. We look forward to welcoming out volunteers this school year!

Frederick County Public Schools uses SchoolCash Online as our preferred method of payment for school fees — from field trips and yearbooks to athletic fees and more. It's free, secure, and takes less than two minutes to set up.

Get started HERE.

How It Works
SchoolCash Online is the industry-leading platform for safe and secure school fee management, trusted by schools across North America. After you create a free account, you will be notified automatically of all your child's associated fees — so you're always in the loop. You can then browse, purchase, and pay online at any time, from any device.

Why It's Worth Signing Up

• Pay anytime, anywhere — no cash sent to school with your child
• Automatic notifications when new fees or activities are posted
• All your children's fees are managed from one account
• Full payment history and receipts available at any time
• Your payments go directly to the school's bank account, freeing up teachers and staff to focus on students

Register in Under 2 Minutes
Visit https://frederickcounty.schoolcashonline.com/ and click Register. You'll need your name, email address, and your child's school details. Need help? Visit schoolcashonline.com/Home/Support to reach the SchoolCash Online parent help desk.

SchoolCash FAQ
For detailed information on creating and maintaining a SchoolCash account, click HERE