As we enter this season of gratitude, I want to take a moment to express how incredibly thankful I am for the students, staff, and families who make Colonial High School the exceptional place it is.
The energy and spirit on our campus have been remarkable, marked by a number of wonderful accomplishments and activities:
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Academic Success: Our Aviation Program soared to a fantastic 3rd place finish at the prestigious UCF Aviation Challenge, with future pilots Jada Fowler and Gabriel Colon competing with distinction. Meanwhile, our Speech and Debate Team brought home the gold, with AJ Thomas taking first place in Impromptu Speaking and Camila Garcia Morales and Cristina Roark securing second place in Congressional Debate.
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Campus Initiatives: We celebrated the positive impact of our Key Club Officers, Melanie Reyes, Mia Arolfo, Diosmani Juarez, Briana Fraire, and Ammaar, for their Chalk Walk initiative to spread encouraging messages across campus. Our students have also been busy giving back to the community through the SGA's Thanksgiving Food Drive and HOSA's Blanket Drive.
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Engagement and Enrichment: Students are actively engaged in learning, from Mr. Velez's AP US History "jigsaw" activity to Ms. Lilavois's immersive Macbeth trail walk. We also continue to strengthen our community ties, as demonstrated by our recent collaboration with the Engelwood Kidz Zone (EKZ) team.
A Crucial Note on Campus Safety
As always, the safety of our students is our top priority. We need your continued partnership to ensure a safe environment for everyone during arrival and dismissal. We ask all parents to strictly follow the designated drop-off and pick-up procedures for both campuses. Please review the detailed instructions in the flyers below this message. Your adherence to these procedures is critical and helps us maintain a secure and efficient traffic flow for all Grenadiers.
Finally, please note that the next edition of the Colonial Connect will be published on Monday, December 1. We look forward to a successful end to the semester and a wonderful holiday season!
It’s Great To Be A Grenadier!
Betzabeth Reussow
Principal
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All student-athletes MUST have a completed physical on AthleticClearance.com prior to participating in any tryouts. The physical process includes an EL2 (physical), an EL3 (student and parent signature section), and an ECG. All of the necessary forms can be found on AthleticClearance.com. Please note that the EL2 physical form is different than the school physical, and a school physical will not satisfy the requirements for athletics.
All athletes must maintain a cumulative unweighted GPA of 2.0 or higher to be eligible for athletics. Freshmen are exempt from this requirement for the first semester only since they do not have a high school GPA. Cumulative GPAs are only updated at the conclusion of a semester, so an ineligible athlete cannot become eligible until the following semester begins. Below is the list of our Fall Sports contacts.
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Curriculum Night is Coming! Believe it or not, it's already time to plan for the 2026-2027 school year. Course selection begins in January—yikes!! To help you navigate the process, please join us for Curriculum Night on Thursday, December 10, from 5:30-7:30 PM. This event will take place in our Main Campus cafeteria, PAC, AND the Media Center!!! We look forward to seeing you there to help prepare for a successful school year!
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SGA is collecting non-perishable food for our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. You can turn in food to your 5th-period teacher, your club sponsor, or your team's coach. The food is due by November 18. First place has the chance to win a prize.
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Colonial High School's HOSA Chapter is conducting a blanket drive until Nov. 17! GENTLY used blankets and towels. Proceeds of the drive will go to children's hospitals and the county's ANIMAL SHELTER. Donations can be dropped off in Dr. Visetsouk's class in 4-137, Mrs. Jennings' class in 4-135, and Mr. Pavelick's class in 2-208. The more donations you make, the HIGHER the chance for YOU to win a $25 Chick-fil-A gift card! One blanket makes a difference.
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Colonial High School recently hosted the OCPS Speech and Debate League tournament, an initiative founded to support and grow Speech and Debate programs within our district. As a founding school and the first to ever host a tournament, we were delighted to host our second one last night!
We are incredibly proud to announce that our students brought home the gold! A huge congratulations to AJ Thomas for taking first place in Impromptu Speaking in his very first competition! We also celebrate Camila Garcia Morales and Cristina Roark for securing second place in their respective Congressional Debate chambers.
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Our students recently enjoyed a wonderful outing that included a special lunch and a trip to Lake Eola Park. Many of our students had their very first experience visiting the park and seeing downtown! It was a beautiful sight to see them simply being kids—laughing, exploring, and having a blast feeding the ducks and pigeons. They all thoroughly enjoyed the trip, with many saying it was the highlight of their week! Be sure to check out the attached pictures! |
Colonial High School's (CHS) Aviation program achieved an outstanding 3rd place finish at the prestigious University of Central Florida (UCF) Aviation Challenge. Future pilots Jada Fowler and Gabriel Colon competed against 53 highly skilled teams to secure the remarkable achievement.
The Event: This was Colonial High School's first time participating in UCF's annual Aviation Challenge.
Participants: 31 CHS students from the flight academy and AFJROTC traveled to the UCF innovation center to collaborate and compete with aviation students from other Orange County High schools.
Impact: The event raised student awareness of aviation challenges and opportunities in central Florida. Students engaged with and learned from sponsors like Signature Aviation and other private/commercial companies. A highlight was the virtual reality simulators for manned and unmanned flight, two of which will be available for use at the CHS curriculum night on December 11.
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A huge thank you and congratulations to the Key Club officers who came up with the fantastic idea for the recent Chalk Walk:
● Melanie Reyes
● Mia Arolfo
● Diosmani Juarez
● Briana Fraire
● Ammaar
These dedicated students organized the event to spread positivity and encouraging messages across the campus using sidewalk chalk. Their creative initiative brought smiles to many faces and helped foster a wonderful school spirit. Great job, officers, on making a positive impact!
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We want to take a moment to shine a light on the incredible staff members who go above and beyond every day to make Colonial High School the exceptional place it is. Their dedication is essential to making it great to be a Grenadier!
A heartfelt thank you goes out to:
● Mr. Slone
● Ms. Gonzalez
● Ms. Jusino
● Master Deputy Sheriff Lappas
● And many more…
We appreciate your hard work, commitment, and positive impact on our students and school community!
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Our campus was abuzz with activity these past two weeks! Our dedicated ROTC students were busy preparing for the Veterans Day Parade, showcasing their commitment and spirit. In the classroom, Mr. Velez had his AP US History students actively engaged in a lively "jigsaw" activity, analyzing and debating different historical perspectives. Meanwhile, Ms. Lilavois took her English 2 Honors class on an immersive learning experience with a Macbeth trail walk, bringing the classic tragedy to life outside the classroom. |
Colonial High School Principal Betzabeth Reussow, Senior Manager of UPI Community School Adrian Thomas, and Program Assistant Diosamarra Rivera recently met with Jesenia Colbourne, Zone Manager of Engelwood Kidz Zone (EKZ), along with Student Advocates Heidy Heredia and Carla Rodriguez, to discuss ongoing and future collaborations between Colonial High School and EKZ.
Colonial High School continues to enjoy a strong and positive relationship with Engelwood Kidz Zone, whose programs provide vital support to students and families in the community. Over the past decade, the City of Orlando has steadily increased its investment in Engelwood’s children, creating a pipeline of opportunities from Kindergarten through 12th grade. These initiatives include a 21st Century Community Learning Center at Engelwood Neighborhood Center and Roberto Clemente Middle School, an Operation AmeriCorps program at Colonial High School, and philanthropic funding through Orlando After-School All-Stars for the Opportunity Jobs Academy at Colonial High School.
Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to empowering students, strengthening families, and building brighter futures for our community.
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Why Daily Attendance Matters
Attending school every day is crucial. Excessive absences can lead to a suspended driver's license. Punctuality is also key, as five tardies will result in one day of absence.
New Extracurricular Activity Requirement
This year, a 90% attendance rate is mandatory for all students who wish to participate in extracurricular activities.
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The Freshman Campus Grenadier Closet is now open every Tuesday during A and B lunches for all your school supply and wardrobe needs! |
A Focus on Well-being: Mindful Moments at Home
In today's fast-paced world, it's normal for students to experience stress and anxiety. You can help your child manage these feelings by introducing Mindful Moments into your daily routine. Encourage them to take a few deep breaths when they feel overwhelmed, or try a short, guided meditation before bed. Simply naming the emotion they are feeling ("I feel frustrated because...") can also be a powerful tool for self-regulation. Creating these small pockets of calm helps them build a stronger awareness of their emotions and how to respond to them.
Building Resilience: Strategies for Grit and Perseverance
We want our students to thrive, and that means teaching them to bounce back from setbacks. This is all about resilience. Help your child develop grit and perseverance by celebrating effort over immediate results. When they face a challenge, encourage them to break it down into smaller steps. Use phrases like, "You haven't figured it out yet, but you can keep trying," or "What's one new strategy you could try?" This teaches them that mistakes are part of learning and that their ability to stick with a tough task is what matters most.
Positive Talk Toolkit: Affirmations and Growth Mindset
The language we use at home profoundly shapes a child's self-perception. Adopt the Positive Talk Toolkit by using affirmations and growth-mindset language.
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Affirmations: Encourage your child to say positive things about themselves daily, such as "I am capable," or "I can learn anything."
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Growth Mindset: Shift from praising innate ability ("You are so smart") to praising effort and strategy ("I'm so proud of how hard you studied" or "That was a clever way to solve that problem").
This practice replaces self-limiting thoughts with empowering beliefs, fostering a confident and adaptable learner.
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Want to improve your SAT/ACT score for college admissions and/or the Bright Futures Scholarship?
Every Wednesday in October and November, visit the College & Career Center from 1:30 PM-2:30 PM for SAT/ACT test prep! The College & Career Center (CCC) is located upstairs in Student Services in the Administration Building.
SAT/ACT test prep is provided by Elevation Scholars in partnership with UCF and will be held on Wednesdays in October & November!
Sign up to attend! Space is limited!
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Parents, your voice is crucial to our school community! We encourage all Colonial High School families to get involved by joining our School Advisory Council (SAC) and Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). These groups play a vital role in shaping our school's future, providing valuable input on everything from academic programs to school events. Your participation ensures that the needs and perspectives of our students and families are heard and addressed. Come be a part of the conversation and help us make Colonial High School the best it can be for every Grenadier! |
Betzabeth Reussow, Principal - Betzabeth.Reussow@ocps.net
Tayler Boyer, Assistant Principal - Tayler.Boyer@ops.net
Daniel Caliari, Assistant Principal - Daniel.Caliari@ocps.net
William King, Assistant Principal - William.King2@ocps.net
Paul Maldonado, Assistant Principal - Paul.Maldonado@ocps.net
Krystin Roviaro, Assistant Principal - Krystin.Roviaro@ocps.net
Adrian Thomas – Senior Manager, UPI Community School - Adrian.Thomas@ocps.net
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