Friday Falcon
Avon High School Newsletter - February 2018 - Volume 1:10
Principal's Newsletter
Dear Students, Parents and Guardians and members of the Avon High School Community,
In 1999, on April 20th we were all traumatized by the Columbine High School shooting. Since then there have been many others, including Sandy Hook here in Connecticut, and most recently, Parkland, Florida. This is obviously a growing concern in that the frequency of this type of event seems to be increasing in recent years. I view this through several lenses in that my own children go off to school every day, my wife works at Hall High School in West Hartford and I am the principal of Avon High School. As such, I am responsible for the safety of more than 1200 people.
Please know that I take this responsibility very seriously. We are reviewing our existing policies, procedures, and physical structures. These conversations are happening at multiple levels. Our safety plans are constantly being revised and updated as we learn more. We work closely with the Avon Police Department in conducting our lock-down drills, which are unannounced, to evaluate our procedures.
Based on our ongoing evaluations, two changes have been implemented this week. First, all adults checking into the building must show an identification without exception. Second, all students that are entering or exiting the building between 7:40 and 2:15 must also show a student identification. Thank you for your understanding.
Lastly, I think it is very important that we remain vigilant. If you have a concern, or notice anything suspicious, please be sure to act on that by contacting school administrators or the district’s confidential tip line at 860-409-2187.
Best Regards,
David Peling Sr.
UpComing Events
- February 23rd - Acoustic Night at 7pm in AHS Gallery (see details below)
- March 21st - CT School Day SAT (no registration is required, as all juniors will test during the school day)
- March 27th - AHS/SHS Annual College Fair - 6:30 pm @ Avon High School
- March 30th - No School - Good Friday
- April 6th - Early Dismissal - Teacher In-Service
- April 9th - 13th - No School - Spring Recess
- April 26th & 27th - Early Dismissal - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Congratulations Due
Reminders
Just a reminder to sign up for spring sports online and get payment in as soon as possible.
If you are interested in learning more about softball sign up on the bulletin board outside the Athletics Office.
Attention students enrolled in an AP CLASS: Online AP Exam registration has begun and ends on Tuesday, March 6th, 2018. In order to register, students should click on the link provided on the school website. If you have any questions, please see Ms. Mirabello or Mrs. Mouning.
Attention Sophomores and Juniors: The Capital Region Inter-District Leadership Academy is now accepting applications. This program includes an Outward Bound experience, community service projects, and the chance to earn honors high school credit. Please stop by the guidance office for more information and to pick up an application. Applications are due March 23rd.
March 21st, 2018 - CT School Day SAT (no registration is required, as all juniors will test during the school day)
March 27th, 2018 - AHS/SHS Annual College Fair - 6:30 pm @ Avon High School
Attention Seniors: Avon Dollars for Scholars applications are available now. Please create an account and begin the application process.
Follow this link: ADFS for directions on how to set up your account for scholarships.
Specific scholarship info includes:
At least 3 scholarships for students going into the military.Rotary Vocational scholarship - student going directly into a career path (ie job), trade school, or 2 yr associates program.
Scholarships for students interested in: law enforcement; elementary education; performing arts Scholarship - second generation immigrant, or going to Trinity
Parents & Students: Be sure to "like" the Avon Dollars for Scholars Facebook page to stay up to date on deadlines, events, and fundraisers.
Link to the Facebook page: ADFS Facebook
Save The Date
AHS Music Society
Friday, February 23rd at 7:00pm, the AHS music service society will be hosting an Acoustic Night in the gallery. Admission is a new winter weather item or $5. Proceeds will go to Immacare Shelter in Hartford. Don’t miss it!
How to Survive (and Thrive) in Junior Year
Attention Sophomores and Sophomore Parents
- Are you feeling overwhelmed by the thought of junior year?
- Do you have questions about what you should be doing to prepare?
- Would you benefit from some candid, expert advice?
If so, then please join us for a special forum designed to put sophomores and their families at ease.
How to Survive (and Thrive) in Junior Year
is being presented on
Wednesday, March 7th at 7:00 pm in the AHS cafeteria
And it’s just for you!
- Learn about in-school and online student resources
- Gather practical planning tips for managing junior year demands
- And hear suggestions from a panel of AHS students, graduates, and parents on how to relax and enjoy this most exciting year.
Questions? Contact the AHS PTO at srietano@gmail.com
Avon High School Updates
Avon High School Scholarships
School Counselling News
Important Dates To Remember
On March 21, all grade 11 students will participate in a school-day administration of the SAT test.
No prior registration is required. Additional information about the schedule for the day will be sent in the near future.
On March 21, School Counselors will meet with all grade 9 and 10 students in small groups to review the year, discuss next year, and prepare for our Career Day.
On March 27, we host our annual AHS/SHS College Fair. The fair will take place at Avon High School in the gymnasiums from 6:30-8:00 pm. A preliminary list of colleges attending can be found on the School Counseling Website, and will be updated in the near future.
On May 22, all grade 11 students will participate in the Next Generation Science Exam.
On May 22, all grade 9 and 10 students will attend a Career Expo hosted in the AHS gymnasium.
Attention Students!
ALL STUDENTS- Please explore the “My Planner Tab” in your Naviance account as there are tasks that we want you to complete. Other great resources to explore in Naviance include “Road Trip Nation”, which can be found under the “Career Tab”.
SENIORS- Be sure to update your Naviance account as you receive your college admissions decisions.
SENIORS- Be sure to explore scholarship opportunities posted in your Naviance account, as well as through Avon Dollars for Scholars and our website.
JUNIORS- If you have not already done so, please schedule an appointment with your parents and school counselor to discuss Post High School Planning using your AHS GMail Calendar. Here is a video that will walk you through the process, if needed: http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/coliqPhtAM
Prior to meeting with your School Counselor, please complete a few self-reflective surveys in Naviance. These are found on the "About Me Tab" in your account. The Junior Questionnaire Survey is on the left-hand side under "Surveys to Take". The Game Plan Survey is listed under the "Interesting Things About Me" on the "About Me Screen".
SENIORS
- Semester 1 grades, unless you report otherwise to your counselor, are automatically sent out to all colleges.
- There are a number of great scholarship opportunities available. Please visit your Naviance account, and the AHS School Counseling website for additional details.
JUNIORS
Please schedule a time to meet with your School Counselor to discuss post-high school planning. The initial meetings usually run about 30-45 minutes, and will include information on the College Process- Naviance, Course Selection, Testing, and the College Search. Parents are welcome to attend these meetings if it works with their schedule. If needed, please use these links on how to schedule: Video Instruction Written Instruction. Be sure to wait for a confirmation of the meeting request, as this serves as verification of your meeting date and time.
- Prior to meeting with your School Counselor, please complete a few self-reflective surveys in Naviance. These are found by logging into your account and clicking on the "About Me Tab"- Junior Questionnaire Survey is on the left-hand side under "Surveys to Take". The Game Plan Survey is listed under the "Interesting Things About Me" on the "About Me Screen".
GRADES 8 - 11
The course selection process is now open for grades 9-11, and will open on Monday the 12th for grade 8 students. Please see the following for important information and resources for selecting your courses in PowerSchool. Please note that while early completion of course requests in encouraged, their is no immediate urgency to complete your requests. We are asking all students to check in with their counselor to review their requests.
The Course of Studies booklet is now available online to students and parents. Course descriptions will also be available in PowerSchool as you complete the course request process. Any student or family without access to the required technology to complete this process may utilize the Media Center or Computer Labs at Avon High School or Avon Middle School and/or contact your child’s school counselor for support.
Commonly used resources to aid you in this process:
Course of Studies, written and video instructions for selecting courses, four-year course planning sheet, graduation requirements, and more, are available on the AHS school counseling website.
- February 5th - PowerSchool Class Registration Portal will open for current grade 9-11 AHS students.
- February 12th - PowerSchool Class Registration Portal will open for current grade 8 AMS students.
- February 15th - Current grade 8 students will complete their on-line registration at AMS during the school day with AHS School Counselors.
- February 23rd - All students need to finalize course request by no later than this date.
- By March 15th - If they have not done so already, all students should meet with their School Counselor to review their course requests.
- May 2018 - School Counselors to review potential course conflicts with students.
- May 28th - Anticipated release of schedules.
** No schedule changes will be processed after June 1**
PLEASE NOTE: Course sections are built based on course requests, so make sure much thought and care is used as selections are entered for both academic and elective courses.
Please take the time to review the teachers’ recommendations with your child, as they finalize their course requests. While these recommendations should serve as a guide for your course requests, please know that as long as you have the proper prerequisites completed, you can select a course at any level. Please be very thoughtful in the process by discussing all options thoroughly with your current teachers and school counselor. If you would like to select a level other than what was recommended, students and parents must discuss this with the current teacher. Since course sections are scheduled based on requests, if you select a level different than what was recommended, be aware that you may not be able to change levels. By default, electives are requested at the College Preparatory level. Once the course begins, you can discuss with your teacher the opportunity to contract for Honors Level. If you have a question about a teacher’s recommendation, we encourage you to call or email that teacher.
All students are required to return a printed and signed copy of their course requests to their school counselor for review and verification. Incoming freshmen should return their requests to their homeroom teachers at Avon Middle School.
As has been true in the past, we may need to defer enrollment in specific courses to senior status and/or lottery assignment in cases where the number of requests exceeds the spaces available in the course. Also, we may not offer all courses in the Course of Studies due to low enrollment or lack of student interest. Every effort will be made to honor all requests within these parameters. Thank you for your cooperation with this very important process.
Check Out Our Students
In Our Classrooms
Art
Congratulations to the following visual art students who have their artwork currently being featured at Avon Old Farms.
Special Congratulations to Hannah Boruchov, grade 11, who won BEST IN SHOW!!!!
Ogunquit, Maine by Hannah Boruchov
The Avon High School Art Department is pleased to announce the following Advanced Placement Studio Art students’ artwork being displayed at the exhibit NEXT: Emerging Talent. The exhibit runs during the month of February 2018 at the Farmington Valley Arts Center! The exhibit dates are Saturday, February 10 through Saturday, March 3, 2018 and the opening reception will be Sunday, February 11 (1-4 pm) in the Drezner Gallery at FVAC. Awards will be presented at 2 pm. There will also be a closing reception during the FVAC Open Studios on Saturday, March 3 (12-2 pm).
Congratulations to Junior Mia-Sun Floryan and Seniors Meghan Fuge, Hayley Dougela, and Molly Alexander! Special Congratulations to Hayley for winning the Dick Blick Award!
Hayley Dougela, Grade 12
Meghan Fuge, Grade 12
Molly Alexander, Grade 12
Mia Floryan, Grade 11
Athletics
Spring Registration is open! For those of you who didn’t register for a winter sport, the process has changed as we are using a new ONLINE REGISTRATION program called FamilyID (which was a big hit with the winter with families and coaches). Through Family ID, you now have the ease of paying online or by check. All of your athlete’s registration info is stored electronically for easy updating, re-use, and retrieval by the coaches - saving us over 4000 pieces of paper a season! If your athlete registers but does not make a team, or switches teams, the change can be easily made online or with a simple click the athletic office can refund your payment.
In other news, we are amending our Fee waiver policy , and you can find this information on our website. If you believe you will need an fee waiver, please begin the process for approval as soon as possible so it can be processed and your athlete will have
no risk missing tryouts or practice time.
All this information can be viewed on our website. Go Falcons!
Avon High School's Athletics Booster Club
Please click here to see the latest Bulletin from the Booster Club and all of the exciting and informative news they have to share.
F.A.M.E.
Do you have a student who participates in AHS music or theater? If so, please consider ordering an item of Music or Theatre Spirit Wear from Friends of Avon Music Education (F.A.M.E.). We are selling hoodies, crew neck sweatshirts, and short- and long-sleeved T-shirts from now until January 2. The items are cute and comfy and are a great way to show off your student's musical or theatrical talent! The shirts are being produced by CT Sportswear, the same company that makes clothing for our student athletes, so everything will be nice quality. Delivery will be directly to your student at school in mid-January.
See order form below and extra forms can be picked up in the main office. Any questions? Please contact Susan Lybeck at susanlybeck@hotmail.com. Thank you for your support!
The next F.A.M.E. meeting will be held on Monday, February 26th, 2018 at 7 pm in the Choir Room. All are welcome!
Avon PTO
The AHS PTO introduces Konstella!
Publishing a directory is an extremely labor intensive project and finding volunteers to take it on has been difficult. It is also costly as we have had a decreased numbers of members over the years and our printing costs go up. Other Avon schools have utilized the online directory and have had great success. The concept is growing and we are in the learning stages, so I request your patience in getting this all together. So without further ado...welcome to the world of Konstella...
Konstella is a communication channel for parents of school-aged children. This website/app allows parents to efficiently reach other parents and teachers, and participate in school-wide discussions and activities. Avon High School PTO will have a secure site that can only be accessed by verified members of our school community. We hope to have Konstella used as the vehicle for communication throughout the Avon School District by next year - so sign up today! It will be so efficient to have directory information at your fingertips on your smartphone or tablet as well as on your home computer.
With Konstella, you will be able to:
- Volunteer for PTO committees and events
- Access the online student/family directory (there will be no printed directory this year!)
- Receive communications from the PTO
Steps to sign up for Konstella:
- You will first need to set up your Konstella account via computer, but after you have the account - you can download the Konstella app to your tablet or smartphone
- Type this URL into the address bar https://www.konstella.com/cd/xjg05i
- Enter your email in the provided space.
- You will then be sent an invitation email.
- Follow the directions in the email to complete the registration for Konstella.
Some notes on using Konstella:
- Please add Konstella.com to your email program's safe list..
- Once you are registered, please be sure to customize your privacy settings within Konstella by clicking your NAME, then SETTINGS. You may enter in as much or as little personal information as you prefer. In order to get PTO communications this year, you must include your EMAIL at a minimum.
- Use Konstella online and/or download the app to your tablet or smartphone.
- It is FREE to be listed in the directory, but to access other families' contact information, we request that you please contribute to the AHS PTO membership with a $30 donation by check made payable to AHS PTO.
If you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you!
Heather Maguire
Attention all Stop & Shop Shoppers!
Help us raise money for AHS! Register online and designate Avon High School to receive cash points each time you shop at Stop & Shop using your S&S card. These points can be redeemed to meet many of our educational needs.
To register, click here or visit http://www.stopandshop.com and sign into your account.
Click on:
· Savings
· Rewards & Programs
· Under A+, click on Register. AHS code # is 06278.
This simple effort will make a huge difference for our school!
This program runs from October 6 – March 15, 2018 and does not affect your gas points.
If you registered last year, you do not need to re-register, however, we encourage you to log on and verify your AHS designation. Remember, you can support up to two schools and each school will receive 50%.
Any questions, please contact your AHS PTO Co-Ways & Means Chairs:
Sue Chadha (sue@chadhafamily.com)
Susan Lybeck (susanlybeck@hotmail.com)