Friday Falcon
Avon High School Newsletter - October 2017 - Volume 1:3
Principal's Newsletter
Student Mental Health
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, Faculty, and Members of the Avon High School Community,
I have been working with young people in one capacity or another since 1983, when I first started working as a swimming coach at the Rocky Hill School of Swimming. Since then I have taught at Hall HS for nineteen years, coached various sports for twelve years, and was principal at East Granby for five years. I am also a father of school age children.
During that experience I have observed that students are increasingly feeling greater anxiety and depression than in previous years. I am not suggesting for a moment that these didn’t exist thirty years ago. They surely did. My observation is that that the percentage of students that are having trouble negotiating the challenges of their teenage years is increasing. A recent New York Times article takes a deep and insightful look at the issue.
Here at Avon High School there are many supports for students that are struggling with anxiety or depression. In addition to our school counselors, we also have three school psychologists on staff. We are looking to increase our supports for our students with regard to their mental health. One possibility would be to partner with Farmington Valley Health to provide additional opportunities for mental health supports.
Based on my thirty plus years of teaching, coaching, administrating and parenting, I have two recommendations for any parent of a teenager relative to mental health. First, teens need to move. Like adults, they really benefit from getting exercise. There are numerous studies that speak to benefits of both body and mind when people exercise. Studies show that there is a strong correlation between exercise and student achievement.
Second, students need to sleep. Too many students huddle over the phone all night. The blue light coming from the phone tricks the brain into thinking that it is day time. This then interrupts a student’s much needed sleep. In our house we require that our children’s phones are shut off and plugged in downstairs at 10:00 pm.
Please enjoy the rest of the newsletter as we celebrate the many accomplishments of our students.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or just want to have a cup of coffee and talk about Avon High School, please reach out to me at dpeling@avon.k12.ct.us.
Best Regards,
Dave Peling Sr.
UpComing Events
October 16th - AHS PTO Meeting at 7:45am
October 16th - AHS Booster Club Meeting at 7pm
October 18th - MotoPhoto Makeup Photo Day
October 23rd - F.A.M.E. Meeting at 7pm
October 25th - Student Council Blood Drive in the Large Gym
November 8th - 15th - Turkey Trot
November 9th & 10th - Parent -Teacher Conferences (sign up information to follow)
November 10th & 11th - AHS fall play - Midsummer Night's Dream at 7:30pm in the auditorium
November 30th and February 8th - Shelter Dinners
Congratulations Due
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE...
Local Student Achieves Top ACT Score
Ayushi U Hegde, daughter of Upendra and Poornima Hegde and a senior at Avon High School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. On average, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2016, only 2,235 out of nearly 2.1 million graduates who took the ACT earned a composite score of 36.
The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, each scored on a scale of 1–36. A student's composite score is the average of the four test scores. Some students also take the optional ACT writing test, but the score for that test is reported separately and is not included within the ACT composite score.
In a letter to the student recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda stated, “Your achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. While test scores are just one of multiple criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, your exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as you pursue your education and career goals.”
ACT test scores are accepted by all major U.S. colleges. Exceptional scores of 36 provide colleges with evidence of student readiness for the academic rigors that lie ahead.
National Merit Students
National Merit Commended Students of Avon High School
National Merit Semifinalist Students of Avon High School
All of our outstanding National Merit Students
Statewide Testing - Avon High School is #6!
For a town by town comparison, click here.
Avon High School Updates
Avon SEPTA
Picture Retake Day
CAPSTONE PROJECT - Graduation Requirement for Class of 2018
All Avon High School students are now required to complete a Capstone project as part of their graduation requirements. Through the Capstone project, students will independently tackle a complex real world problem or engage in an intellectual pursuit that is guided by a personal passion or intellectual curiosity. Students will ultimately demonstrate that they have acquired the requisite knowledge and skills through developing and implementing an action plan, and defending their process and product, results, or position to an authentic audience. The Capstone project is taken in student's senior year, but can be started in the summer prior to senior year. Completion of a Capstone project is a graduation requirement. Full details, including the timeline, are available in The Capstone Handbook, which is available on our website or just click here.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Last spring the Avon Board of Education revised the high school graduation requirements, moving from the required 25 credits for the class of 2019 back to the original 22.5 credits. The original requirements were maintained with four additional requirements to be managed within the 22.5 credits. These include a 1.0 credit of World Language, a 0.5 credit of personal finance, a 1.0 STEM elective credit, and a 0.5 credit for a Capstone project. With these changes the elective choices dropped from 7 credits to 4 credits. A complete breakdown of the credit requirements and elective choices can be found in the Course of Studies, which is available on our website.
ECE Courses Update
By enrolling in an ECE course, students could graduate from high school with an official UConn transcript verifying highly transferable college credits, better understanding of the academic requirements, a belief in his or her ability to succeed in college courses, a competitive advantage when applying to college, significant financial savings in paying for college, a head-start in a chosen field of study, and the potential to study abroad, volunteer and intern while in college and still graduate in four years.
Morning Basketball
AHS Reminders
Spirit Week at Avon High Schol
October 23rd - PJ Day
October 24th - Hawaiian Day
October 25th - U.S.A. Day
October 26th - Pink Out Day
October 27th - Pep Rally (Disney Theme Day) 1:10-2:10 (B Day)
Spirit Week Athletics
Volleyball plays on October 25th at 6:00pm in the New Gym
Field Hockey plays on October 26th at 6:30pm on the Field Hockey Field
Football plays on October 27th at 6:30pm on the Football Field
Boys Soccer plays on October 28th at 6:30pm on the Football Field
Girls Soccer plays on October 30th at 6:30pm on the Football Field
Farmington Valley Visitor's Associations Haunted Miniature Golf
UNICEF Club Fundraiser
Attendance Update
Parents are encouraged to leave messages on the Absence/Attendance voicemail rather than calling the main office. This includes Early Dismissals and/or Tardies. Messages left on that voicemail are picked up on a regular basis for constant updates in PowerSchool.
Thank you!
Yearbook
Avon MotoPhoto
11East Main Street
Avon, CT 06001
(860)470-7939
Parents: Please send us candid photos for the 2018 yearbook. To upload photos for use in the yearbook, go to yearbookforever.com and click the "Community Upload" link. Access code is avonfalcon
We particularly need:
-Group photos (2 or more seniors) during PGS, RBS, TBS and AMS years
-Group photos (2 or more seniors) during high school years
But we can also use:
-Any photos (any grade) from sports, concerts, or special school events
-Any other particularly great photos of any Avon High school student
Thanks for your help!
Community Conversation: "Your Voice Matters - Selecting the Avon Superintendent of Schools"
The Board of Education will be hosting two evening opportunities for community members to share their insight on the selection of the next Avon Superintendent of Schools.
The Avon Board of Education has contracted with search consultant, Dr. Joseph Erardi, to facilitate one hour meetings dedicated to gathering community input for the superintendent's hiring process. These meeting are open to the public and will be held on October 4th and October 11th in the Community Room of Avon High School, 510 West Avon Road, and begins at 7:00pm.
If you are unable to attend the above mentioned gatherings, you are invited to drop in anytime between 7:00pm and 8:00pm on either October 16th or 23rd to share your thoughts with Dr. Erardi.
Any Avon resident needing additional information on the community conversation should contact Dr. Erardi at (860)417-3111.
Hurricane Relief
By Scott Tinker
If anyone's interested in setting up a similar drive or wants more information they can email Scott Tinker at sntinker@avon.k12.ct.us.
School Counselling News
- All seniors should be checking in with the School Counselor to discuss their post-Avon High School Plans. If you have not done so already, please stop in, or schedule an appointment using the Avon Gmail Calendar. In case you need it, a video walking through this process can be found here: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/coliqPhtAM
- On Wednesday, October 11th, all sophomores and juniors completed the PSAT. Notifications about score reports will be sent in early December. For additional information on the PSAT program, please visit CollegeBoard.
- On Wednesday, October 11th, all freshmen met with their School Counselor in small groups. Topics of discussion included: the transition to Avon High School, the role of your School Counselor, support services that are available at the high school, goal setting, and brief career exploration using Naviance.
- On October 2nd, AHS hosted a Financial Aid Presentation. If you would like a copy of the presentation and materials, they can be found here. Additionally, here is a an article from NACAC with tips for the FAFSA
FYI...GPA Scale Change
On April 18th, 2017, the Avon Board of Education adopted a change with regards to the grade point values awarded to our “college preparatory” courses. This change came into effect on July 1st, and will be applied towards grades earned during the 2017-2018 school year, and all subsequent years. This change will only be applied to students in the Classes of 2019, 2020, 2021, and any future class to enter Avon High School. Please see the chart below, as it will show what GPA scale was used for “college preparatory” prior to this year, and how the “college preparatory” GPA scale will look moving forward. (Please note that there was no change to the GPA points that are awarded to honors and AP/ECE courses.)
OLD SCALE (used during the 2015-16 & 2016-17 school years)
NEW SCALE (used during the 2017-18 school year & all subsequent years)
Athletics
Due to the positive response from the online sports registration the past two seasons we have moved up to a new and improved program. It is called FamilyID. We have had a huge request to accept credit cards and this program will allow that. Another benefit is the purple pass from the nurse will be eliminated. Initially, you may have to call the nurse to get the last physical date but then it will store it. And when it is due again you can send it to the nurse so she will update the program or even UPLOAD it into the program.
Winter Registration begins 11/1/17. View the Athletic website and click to view more info about what our new program offers.
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.
Falcon 5K
The Avon High School Booster Club is proud to host the 2017 Falcon 5k Road Race on Sunday, October 29th. Please click here for more information.
F.A.M.E. - Avon's Music Booster Club
Come join F.A.M.E., Avon High School's Music Booster Club. Friends of Avon Music Education (F.A.M.E.) is a music and theater booster club at Avon High School which supports each of the music disciplines along with the theater department. Our organization was founded in 1996 by a group of parents who were interested in supporting the AHS music program.
Our first meeting of the school year will take place on Monday, September 25 at 7 pm in the Choir Room. All are welcome. Any questions? Please contact any of our board members:
Robin Lazinsk (rdlazinsk@hotmail.com ), President
Gwendolyn Hahn (Gwenhahn64@gmail.com), Vice President
Lynne Zemaitis (lzemaitis1973@gmail.com), Secretary
Susan Lybeck (susanlybeck@hotmail.com), Secretary
Meredith Jobe (the4jobes@gmail.com), Treasurer
Student Activities and Clubs
Avon High School GSA - The meetings for the Gay Straight Alliance at Avon High School will be on Friday after school in room W202. All are welcome. See Mrs. LaBrosse or send an email to jlabrosse@avon.k12.ct.us for more information.
The Avon High School Math Team has started practicing for it first meet on October 11th at Bristol Eastern High School. The team is practicing on Tuesdays after school in Mr. Lukowicz's room, W210. See Mr. Lukowicz or Mrs. LaBrosse for more information.
Math Team
By Ben Lukowicz
Science Olympiad and Envirothon Teams
The AHS Science Olympiad team and the Envirothon team is currently looking for grade 9-12 students that have enthusiasm for science and a competitive spirit. Any student interested in joining either team or any parent interested in getting involved is asked to contact me: Mrs. Andrea Galuska in Room N200 or via email at agaluska@avon.k12.ct.us for more information. Here are links to include that provide more information:
Click here for Science Olympiad
Andrea Galuska - agaluska@avon.k12.ct.us
Janet Loynes - jloynes@avon.k12.ct.us
Greg Dunford - gdunford@avon.k12.ct.us
Study Tour
AHS Theater
A group of AHS students will be attending the Connecticut Educational Theatre Conference, a one-day event sponsored by the CT Chapter of the International Thespian Society. This year’s conference will take place on Saturday, October 28th, from 8am to 5:30pm at Simsbury High School, where our theatre students will be attending several exciting workshops in the areas of performance and stage craft.
Fall Play
Student Government
AHS Student Government is a student-centered organization that works to improve both the Avon High School community as well as the local community around us. We have been busy planning service projects and in-school events to foster school spirit and create a sense of camaraderie amongst the student body. New members are always welcome to join anytime throughout the school year. We typically meet Wednesday nights at 7:00 P.M. Contact Mrs. Mascoli, mmascoli@avon.k12.ct.us if interested in joining.
We will kick off our school year this month with spirit week and pep rally!
Spirit Week
10/23 PJ Day
10/24 Hawaiian Day
10/25 U.S.A. Day
10/26 Pink-Out Day
10/27 Pep Rally (freshmen: Hollywood Studios; sophomores: Epcot; juniors: Animal Kingdom; seniors: Magic Kingdom)
American Red Cross Blood Drive 10/25
Turkey Trot 11/8-11/15
Shelter Dinners 11/30; 2/8
Stay tuned for dates for our upcoming dance and our military care package service project.
Class Is In Session...
Mrs. Greene's Geometry classes created and maintain their own class websites. Students regularly update their webpages with summaries and reflections on topics from class, create tutorial pages on those topics, and upload how-to videos of geometry problem-solving. You can visit those websites by clicking here for Mrs. Greene's main website or you can visit them individually at A2, A3 and/or A4.
Advanced Health
Advanced Health students had a great time working out at Barre 44.
Computer Modeling - Gaming 1
By Justin Schumacher