It's that time of year when the leaves begin to change, and our October calendar fills with exciting fall activities, fantastic events, and opportunities coming your way this month.

On Friday, October 6, we invite all students to explore their interests and passions at our annual Club Fair in the cafeteria at 9:30 AM.  Whether you're into debate, art, science, or anything in between, there's a club waiting for you. Students will learn more about the various clubs and organizations New Canaan High School has to offer.

Please join us at a gathering for families new to the NCPS district and/or who have recently moved to New Canaan. Meet other new parents, Principal Bill Egan, and members of the PFA Board. We look forward to seeing you there!

EVENT LOCATION: Carriage Barn Arts Center, Waveny Park

Please join us as we hear from our College and Career Center Coordinator Susan Carroll, as well as numerous guidance counselors, as they speak about the various ways to research colleges and plan your upcoming road trips. They will also discuss what is new in the college admissions landscape and the college admissions timeline. Q&A will be addressed at the end. Please contact 11th grade parent education chairs Meaghan Kupchak and Meg Saunders with any questions.

EVENT LOCATION: Wagner Room

Join us for an informal coffee and conversation in the Wagner Room. It will be great to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones! Members of the NCHS administration, including Principal Bill Egan, grade-level Principal Larry Sullivan, and guidance counselors will also be on-hand to field questions about life at NCHS! Please click HERE to submit your NCHS questions by Monday, October 10. You won’t want to miss this special event!

EVENT LOCATION: Wagner Room

Grab your 10th grader and join us for an instructive seminar featuring a panel discussion on teen driving. Our experienced panel includes representatives from Lewis School of Driving, the New Canaan Police Department, and Brown, Thayer and Shedd Insurance Company. We will discuss how to be successful on the driving test, safety on the roads, tips for keeping your insurance rates down, what to do in the event of an accident, and more. Please contact 10th grade parent education chairs Elizabeth Boccaccio and Sara Sharma with any questions. This event is for 10th graders and their parents.

EVENT LOCATION: Wagner Room

The NCHS Student Coalition is currently planning the 2023 Homecoming Dance. This year's theme is disco fever! We need parent volunteers to help with decorating for the event and we need a parent volunteer to create a Sign-Up Genius to solicit sweet treats, pizza, candy and water donations. Last year, we had around 700 students attend the dance! 

Parent involvement has been instrumental in the success of the event. Please contact StuCo advisor Jessica Cullen if you would like to volunteer. Thank you in advance for your help and support! 

Calling all book lovers! The NCHS Library is looking for volunteers to help with shelving, signing out materials to students, and other creative projects. 

The shifts are 90 minutes long every other week. Past experience is not necessary. Please contact Liz Orelup if you are interested in volunteering in the library.

The College and Career Center is up and running for the new school year! Please visit our School Counseling page and follow the College and Career Center on Twitter (@nchscolcar) and Facebook (@NCHS College and Career Center) for the latest news on college admissions, financial aid and youth employment.

College visits begin the week of September 11. Seniors who wish to attend college visits and hear first-hand the latest news from colleges in which they may be interested must register for the visits on Naviance and ask for permission from the faculty to miss class. 

Students who are unable to meet with the reps should stop by the CCC before the visit time and fill out a form indicating their interest in the visiting school. Attendance is taken at these sessions which will be conducted in person or via  Zoom. 

The visit schedule may be viewed through Naviance and on the School Counseling page of the NCHS website. 

SAT 10/7* 

PSAT 10/10* (Juniors and Sophmores, no registration needed) 

ACT 10/28 

SAT 11/4* 

SAT 12/2 

ACT 12/9 

* NCHS is a test site 

Attention seniors! If you have not had your senior portrait taken yet you must sign up for an appointment HERE  to reserve a spot. This is the last week to have this done. Appointments are for the week of October 23-27. Thank you, from the yearbook staff.

EVENT LOCATION: NCHS Front Foyer

NCHS is looking for new or like-new games to supplement the supply available to ALL students at NCHS. Please see the below list of specific requests: 

• Decks of UNO cards 
• Decks of regular playing cards 
• Deluxe Scrabble (hoping for 5 sets total) 
• No-Stress Chess (hoping for 10 sets total) 
• Velcro Axe-Throwing (hoping for 6 sets total)

All games should contain all pieces. You or your student may drop off your donation in the NCHS Main Office. Please label your donation with either “Arri Weeks” or “Darcy Smith.” Please do not leave items on the table in the lobby breezeway. Thank you for your generosity! 

Are you interested in joining the NCHS Alpine Ski Team? If so, please join us for our annual Kick-Off Meeting and Information Session on Thursday, October 11 at 7:00 PM in the cafeteria. Learn how our racers work with experienced coaches to develop and improve their racing technique and athletic conditioning in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

EVENT LOCATION: NCHS Cafeteria

The NC Rams All Sports Booster Club supports all New Canaan High School athletic programs. We raise and distribute funds to provide necessary athletic program components which are above and beyond those provided by the NCHS athletic budget and assures equity of resources for all CIAC-recognized sports. Each year, the Club funds additional coaches for every team, raising the skillset and abilities of all athletes.

More than 70% of all NCHS students participate in school athletics in any given year. For these students, athletics are an integral part of the educational process. Through athletic participation, students learn teamwork, work ethic, time management and a responsibility to others.

Click HERE to join now.

Tuesday, Oct 10 | 10:00 AM

Join us as we continue the conversation about the book "Never Enough—When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic," by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. This follow up to our October 5 book talk will discuss how to incorporate the mattering movement into your home. Click HERE for more information and to register.

EVENT LOCATION: New Canaan Library

Wednesdays through Oct 25 | 3:00-4:30 PM

Please join us at the Carriage Barn for Acrylic Painting Workshop for teens grades 7 and up. Taught by local New Canaan artist Evelyn Harvey, students will learn the foundations of painting, using painting tools, manipulating the acrylic medium, setting up a palette and creating an image on canvas. This course looks to enrich the students knowledge of painting. All levels are welcome. The class runs five Wednesdays, from September 27 through October 25. Click HERE for more information.

Learn to row this fall at the Connecticut Boat Club's all-girls performance rowing program. Now accepting new athletes for the fall season. No experience is needed and there are no tryouts. Practice times are 4:15-6:15 PM on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Athletes will learn to row, develop athleticism, leadership, and learn to compete. For more info contact head coach Liz Trond at (203) 843-8177 (call or text) or visit ctboatclub.org.