January Family Newsletter 2024
1.15.24
Principal's Message
AHS Students and Families,
Happy New Year! It's great to have students back in the building working hard to achieve their goals. A crucial part of their success is the connection between school and families. On Thursday, January 18th from 4:00-7:30 we are holding Family Conferences at Altoona High School. This time is set aside for you to connect with teachers about your student. This night will be an open house format. If you want to ensure a teacher is available, please schedule a time to meet with specific teachers. You can schedule a conference by reaching out to the teacher(s) through email or a phone call to coordinate a time. If you have general questions about Family Conferences, please call the AHS office at 715-839-6031. We look forward to seeing you!
Thank you for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your child. Here's to a year filled with growth, accomplishments, and shared successes!
Best,
Becky Bauer
Principal
Students of the Month
9th - BRYNN BAUMAN
10th - SHEYENNE HER
11th - HADLEY ANDERSON
12th - RILEY MILLER
OFFICE UPDATES
Trimester 1 Pride Award Winners
Congratulations!
After School Tutoring
The after school tutoring/homework help program is offered every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3:45-5pm and is available to all students who need support or a space to work on school work.
Who: All AHS students
Where: Mel Calkins's room - 4180
Days: Mon, Tues, and Thurs
Times: 3:45-5pm
Please contact Mel Calkins at mcalkins@altoona.k12.wi.us if you have any questions.
JAG-Jobs for America’s Graduates at Altoona High School
Participants acquire valuable knowledge through Project-Based Learning in the classroom. They enhance their communication, life survival, organization, and decision-making abilities.
Participants become college and career/job ready and participate in life
changing experiences through their JAG programs. They are prepared to
attain quality employment and begin their life’s journey!
JAG research has proven over four decades that we gain the greatest impact by serving
those participants that face significant challenges to graduation, employment, and/or
pursuit of a postsecondary education.
Overall goal-For students to reach their full potential and achieve economic and academic success.
- Must qualify for free and reduced lunch
- Will be invited to an interview
- Must be motivated
- Wants to discover their interests
- Attend field trips
- Meet employers
- Resume writing
- Interview Skills
- Life Skills and more!!
Amanda Burkart-JAG Career Specialist
Upcoming Events
January
15 - No School - Staff Professional Development
18 - Family Conferences from 4:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
18 - Mid Trimester 2
Meet our Departments
CTE/Virtual/LMC Department
L to R: Kathy Brock, Lindsey Jentzsch, Jess Richards
Art Department
L to R: Kim Youngberg and Carla Haley
Senior Info
Scholarship Information
All scholarship information received in the Counseling Office are posted on the Altoona High School Counseling webpage: https://sites.google.com/altoona.k12.wi.us/academiccareerplanning/high-school-counseling
Or for direct access to the Scholarship List you can bookmark this link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EUeu0bJ1SIhiwO63e_R56DadVSpa9XQBKCV3RuO_42c/edit#gid=0
ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES DEPARTMENT
Locopalooza
The Altoona Show Choirs, In Training and Locomotion will be hosting the 24th annual Locopalooza show choir invite on Saturday, January 27th, 2024. Eighteen groups from Wisconsin and Minnesota will be competing throughout the day in the AHS gymnasium to see who will take the prize as the day’s grand champion. Performances will start at 8:00 a.m., and daytime competition will conclude with an exhibition performance from In Training at 5:30 p.m. Final performances will start at 7:00 p.m. and will conclude with an exhibition performance from Locomotion at 10:00 p.m. with awards being presented at 10:30 p.m. All day passes are available the day of for $20. Kids 5 and under are free. However, if you’d like to get in free you can! Sign up for a 4 hour volunteer slot that weekend, and get a free admissions wristband for the day’s event. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48ADAD2FA2FEC70-46759696-locopalooza#/
Multiple dates and times are available, sign up today to make sure you get the job you want. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Ranek.
Altoona Basketball Alumni Night
Calling all proud Altoona Basketball Alumni! Join us for an epic night of nostalgia and hoops celebrating Altoona Basketball Alumni Night on Friday, February 9th! The Roundhouse will be alive with the spirit of Altoona's basketball legacy as our Boys and Girls Basketball teams face off against the Somerset Spartans in a thrilling MBC matchup.
4:30pm Boys C Red vs Somerset C (Upper Gym)
5:45pm Boys Varsity vs Somerset (High School Gym)
5:45pm Girls JV vs Somerset (Lower Gym)
7:00pm Girls Varsity vs Somerset (High School Gym)
7:00pm Boys JV vs Somerset (Lower Gym)
7:00pm Boys C (Upper Gym)
If you are an Altoona Basketball Alum who plans on attending, fill out the following form to receive complimentary tickets to the event!
Sportsmanship Summit
The WIAA, in collaboration with Rural Mutual Insurance Company, organized the Sportsmanship Summit on December 13, 2023, at the Holiday Inn & Convention Center in Stevens Point, Wis. Among the attendees were Jude Kane (11), Brayln Siverling (10), Sheyenne Her (10), and Graysen Becker (9), accompanied by Mrs. Upward, Director of Athletics/Activities. The group engaged in breakout sessions and had the opportunity to hear from guest speakers and students across the state. Another memorable moment involved sharing a table and meal with the Ellsworth Panthers, establishing new connections with students from another MBC school.
Following the summit, students met with Mrs. Upward to initiate the establishment of a sports leadership organization within Altoona High School. The group looks forward to the continued work throughout this school year in promoting this important work! On Altoona!
Creating Tomorrow Ready Citizens: Student Volunteerism and Co-Curricular Activities
The A.D. Office has been focused on providing opportunities for students engaged in co-curricular activities to take part in community service projects. When volunteer opportunities arise, the A.D. Office shares this information with co-curricular groups. Coaches and Advisors contribute by sharing these opportunities and may even choose to support them as a united team or group effort.
Students have been actively involved in initiatives such as the Altoona Lions & Altoona Athletics Booster Club Lights in the Park, youth athletic camps and sporting events, and the Shop with a Cop Event this year. These hours can be logged in Xello, an online platform aimed at helping students explore careers, plan for their future, and offers personalized tools for assessments, goal setting, college planning, and skill development.
Feel free to reach out to the A.D. Office if you have details about a potential community volunteer opportunity!
CTE Experiences/ACP Experiences
Educators Rising is doing a mini book/article study once a month where they read a section of "A New Teachers Guide to Common Challenges" and discuss it. The focus for December was classroom engagement and building relationships. Students are also planning activities in groups that are to take place at the 4K, AES and AIS building later this school year.
ATHLETICS ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY - MID TRIMESTER 2
COUNSELING CORNER
FAFSA Session - January 18th
A representative from the UW-Eau Claire Financial Aid Office will present general information about the Federal Financial Aid process and the importance of completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. All seniors and their parents should plan to attend. The meeting will take place on January 18th at 5:30 p.m. at Altoona High School in the Auditorium. This event is the same night as Family Conferences.
Career Expo at Ayres' Corporate Headquarters
Greetings,
As you heard earlier this fall, Career Expo is back, and we look forward to hosting the event on Monday, February 19, 2024!The National Engineers Week event allows students in grades 8 through 12 the chance to explore career opportunities in the fields of architecture, engineering, environmental science, surveying, and related technical careers through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and presentations. Students’ parents, teachers, and counselors are invited to attend as well.
What: Career Expo
Date: Monday, February 19, 2024
Time: Registration begins at 5:15 p.m. with a formal presentation to begin at 5:45 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Ayres’ corporate headquarters, 3433 Oakwood Hills Parkway, Eau Claire
Attendance is limited, and advanced registration is required. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please spread the word of this great event by forwarding this email and/or printing and distributing this poster.
Youth Apprenticeship Day
Altoona High School will host this year’s YA Interview Day on February 28th. Schools from around the region are invited to attend. Businesses from our communities who are interested in hiring a YA conduct interviews of our students. Altoona was asked to host this year because of Jess Richard’s amazing work in preparing our students to participate last year.
A Youth Apprenticeship requires that a student earn 450 hours working in a career field of interest while also taking employability skills training and coursework in the field. Students earn a Department of Workforce Development Certificate upon completion.
We have over 30 students interested in interviewing!
Start College Now & Early College Credit Program
We are writing to inform you about the Start College Now Program and the Early College Credit Program available to 11th & 12th grade students (2024-2025) that currently have an accumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. This program allows students to enroll at an institution of higher education (IHE) in Wisconsin and take courses that lead to credit earned toward high school graduation. The Altoona School Board is responsible for the cost of tuition if the course is approved for high school credit and is considered not comparable to a course offered at the Altoona School District.
Students who intend to take a Technical College (Start College Now) course(s) at CVTC for the 2024 Fall Semester must complete the following forms: Technical College Course (Start College Now) Application and the Supplemental Data Form https://www.cvtc.edu/admissions/college-credit-opportunities-in-high-school
PLEASE NOTE: CVTC START COLLEGE NOW ADMISSIONS CRITERIA IS LISTED BELOW:
Students who intend to take a Start College Now class(s) at CVTC may need to meet prerequisites and/or provide minimum test scores to determine eligibility for some courses the student intends to take.
All forms must be submitted to the High School Counseling Office by: March 1, 2024
Students who intend to take an Early College Credit (ECCP) course(s) at UWEC for the 2024 Fall Semester must complete the following forms online:
1. Fill out a UW System application online
2. Complete the UW System Early College Credit Program and High School Special Agreement Form at: https://www.uwec.edu/admissions/high-school-special-student/
(signed by the parent if the student is not 18 years old)
PLEASE NOTE: UWEC EARLY COLLEGE CREDIT ADMISSIONS CRITERIA IS LISTED BELOW:
Open Enrollment:
You must be a junior or senior ranking in the top 25% of your class OR ranking in the top 50% of your class with an ACT composite of 24 or greater (SAT V+M of 1110 or greater).
Exception Enrollment:
You must be a junior or senior ranking in the top 50% of your class who can provide substantial and convincing letters of recommendation and/or data demonstrating high ability in a specific area of University study.
The UWEC and CVTC courses listed below are NOT eligible for Early College Credit or Start College Now because Altoona High School offers courses that are considered comparable. This is not an all-inclusive list. Most classes at UWEC or CVTC would be considered non-comparable and therefore eligible for Early College Credit or Start College Now.
UWEC (non-eligible courses for Early College Credit)
ALTOONA HS (Comparable Course)
Psychology 100
AP Psychology
CVTC (non-eligible courses for Start College Now)
ALTOONA HS (Comparable Course)
English Composition 801-219
AP Literature and Composition
All forms must be submitted to the High School Counseling Office by: March 1, 2024
ACP-Couse Selection Process
A very important part of our ACP process for students is choosing their courses to meet graduation requirements, align to interests, and prepare students for the future. Our students use a variety of resources to accomplish this. School counselors prepare students by having them review or retake the Matchmaker inventory in Xello to help point students towards courses that will impact future college and career plans. Afterwards, students work with their Rail Time teachers to watch a video related to course planning and select courses in Skyward.
Students use a variety of resources when planning, including graduation requirements and 4-year college entrance requirements. Students can also look at our course offerings organized by Career Cluster (including virtual courses) to select courses and electives in the areas of interest and college / career readiness. By making course selection part of the high school ACP process, we are helping students begin to see how their choices and learning in K-12 education can help them make decisions about their futures.
Weekend Meals & Care Closet
Weekend Meals Grades 4K-12
Who is eligible to sign-up? Families of Altoona students 4K-12 who are facing financial difficulties and need some extra assistance.
How does this program work? Each week, meals will be packed and delivered to students to take home.
How to apply? Please fill out the attached form and send it to your child’s school counselor.
Forms are also available at
Weekend Food Program Application
Programa de Comidas de Fin de Semana
Care Closet
For more information, or to sign up, please contact your child's school counselor or access forms at
2023-2024 INFO
Parking Permits
Skyward Family Access
Skyward is our student management system. This is where you can find all of your student's information regarding attendance, grades, schedule, etc... If you have not done so already, please log in and complete the registration process. This needs to be done each year to ensure we have the most up-to-date information.
#AltoonaRails Social Media
What: The School District of Altoona is growing our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.