Letter from the PTO President as the 2022-2023 Year comes to a Close

05/05/2023 

Dear CVHS PTO Members,

I hope this message finds you all in good health and high spirits. Our latest board meeting was held on May 2nd, 2023, via Zoom, and I am thrilled to share with you the updates from our executive Board, committee chairs, and upcoming events.

First, thanks to Aparna Jotwani for taking on the role of minute transcriptionist after the meeting. Your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated. You are going to be missed next year!

Updates from our Executive Board followed. First, Danielle Batchelor, our 1st VP of Fundraising and Development, gave an update on our recent Crash Bash event, which was a huge success! I speak for the whole Board when I say we are overwhelmed by the generosity of spirit that the Carnegie Family has shown in planning, preparing, and participating in our first annual CrashBash. Our CrashBash Committee started small many months ago and continued to grow and gain steam, despite this busy end-of-semester season. Our CVHS Friends & Family donated time & treasure exceeded our expectations. We are excited to put these funds toward supporting our school and community. In fact, Mala Gupta, our Treasurer, presented the accounting at the Board meeting. The estimated amount raised: Over $18,000 so far!! (and still rising during our second chance auction for remaining items!

Next, Mary Mathias, our 2nd VP of Communications and Information Technology, shared updates on our social media presence and plans to complete our transition to Membership Toolkit in early Summer 2023.

I updated the Board on the upcoming Teacher Appreciation Week plans, which will occur from May 8th to May 12th. We have ordered a sign to be placed outside the school all week and have a week of activities planned. Stop by the sign and take a selfie, #CVHSTEACHERS, and post it on our social media telling everyone why you love our CVHS Faculty & Staff! Check out our campaign page here: https://vanguardian.org/teacher-and-staff-appreciation-week-campaign-cvhsteachers/

If you want to pick up something off the CVHS PTO Teacher Wishlist, Click Here.

Then, Andreea Acevedo, our Student Events/Field Day chair, provided details on the upcoming Field Day event, which will take place on May 15th. We plan on having Kona Ice, inflatables, and refreshments, and we are currently seeking volunteers to help make this day a success.

Elan Krishnan, our PTO Senior Awards chair, gave an update next on the Senior Award Banquet, which will take place on May 15th from 5-8 PM. More information on joining the committee and volunteering is HERE and on the PTO PAGE HERE or the CVHS site for all senior events: https://www.houstonisd.org/Page/197085.

I was excited to discuss the upcoming election of the 2023-2024 board and the approval of the financial review committee, which will take place on May 18th at 7 pm via Zoom. So please mark your calendars and make sure to REGISTER to attend this vital Meeting.

SAVE THE DATE 05/18/2023 at 7 pm via Zoom

PTO MEMBERS: REGISTER PRIOR TO THE ZOOM MEETING https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86228523125?pwd=UHJFWkVUaTFndWhxNndsc1R0dTdLdz09

Meeting ID: 862 2852 3125

Passcode: 77019

Lastly, Principal Moss gave the Board a detailed, positive, forward-looking fiscal & scholastic report for our school for the next semester and year based on his projections and the hard work of all involved at Carnegie. 

We have much to be thankful for and look forward to in the coming year.

Thank you for your continued support of the CVHS PTO. Together, we can make a positive impact on our school and community.

Best regards,

Maria Castro Calzada, CVHS PTO President

Home of the Carnegie Vanguard Rhinos

Letter from the PTO President

Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year!

Welcome to the CRASH*

You did it! You got your child to Carnegie!

Take a moment to stop and take it in.

Do you recall the anxiety you felt… BEFORE?

Before you knew your child’s GT status.

Before you figured out what a Matrix score was.

Before you read 1,000 blogs, Facebook posts, and email articles and took a dozen magnet tours.

Before your child agreed to go here.

Before you decided it was a good idea.

Before, you maybe changed your mind… and then changed it back?

Before you got off the waitlist!

Before Orientation.

Before FISH CAMP!

Before those first-day jitters.

Now, take a deep breath and smile because, parents and families, you did it!

Now, it is YOUR turn to help US keep Carnegie at the top of the rankings and make this the best experience for your student it can be.

As the proud parent of one recent Carnegie Graduate and one Carnegie Freshman, I can tell you what I have learned so far from my heartfelt experience:

the days may be long (and seemingly endless, sometimes)… but the years are painfully short.

So, make the most of your time at Carnegie. You cannot learn their lessons for them, sit for their exams, or do their projects (no, seriously, you really cannot do that!).

But. what you can do is be an active part of the CVHS PTO.

Our mission is to support the students, teachers, and families at Carnegie, as stated in our bylaws; the PTO purposes shall be as follows:

1. To provide a way for parents, guardians, and family members to support CVHS through
   fundraising and volunteer efforts.
2. To promote and provide social and cultural opportunities for CVHS students.
3. To improve the CVHS school environment.
4. To foster the development of the gifted and talented program at CVHS and other gifted and
   talented programs both within and without the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

However, we can only meet that challenge with everyone’s help. Please take a moment to Meet the PTO Board, update your PTO Membership Directory listing, and DONATE TIME or TREASURE or both.

Read on for more details about what is coming up next in PTO.

Donate to the CVHS PTO and contribute to our mission:

DONATE to CVHS PTO

DONATE TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAMPAIGN

THANK YOU, ALL EARLY-BIRD 2022-2023 DONORS!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE UPDATED DONOR LIST!

Want to stay informed? Get invited to all our Special Events. Be the first to know. You have to Sign up to be in the PTO Directory! Or update your previous entry:

Complete your directory information, both new and returning families. You can also now purchase CVHS Spirit items online on the same website:

#StayConnected on our Carnegie Vanguard High School PTO Community Social Media Pages & Mobile Apps:

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Join the Facebook Page conversation

Check us out on Twitter

Follow our Instagram

See our LinkTree

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SUBSCRIBE TO THE PTO CALENDAR

Looking for the Carnegie High School Website? We can help! It is a click away; hit the button below.

Find out official stats about CVHS here at the HISD SCHOOL PROFILE PAGE

*Why does everyone keep saying that? “Welcome to the Crash!”

What Is a Group of Rhinoceroses Called?

A group of rhinoceroses is called a crash.