The Mountain Lion's Pulse
Altoona Area School District May 2022
NOTE FROM DR. PRIJATELJ
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,
It’s the beginning of May and we’re finishing up PSSA testing. Keystone Exams will begin Mid-May. Soon, we will have fieldtrips, Olympic Fun days, Academic Awards, Prom and Graduation. Also, our student athletes are fighting for playoffs spots and competing various District, Regional and State competitions. It is an exciting time for our students as our Seniors plan what the next stop is on their journey and students at all levels get ready for summer. Looking forward to summer, Summer Enrichment Courses and Camp Programs registrations are open to all students K-12. Registrations for Credit Recovery and Remediation courses will be out later this month.
The Graduation ceremony for Seniors will be Friday, June 3rd at 6:00 pm at Mansion Park Stadium with a rain date of Saturday, June 4th at 10:00 am. See the high school webpage and your senior for specific graduation information regarding parking, tickets, and special seating needs.
This year will be the first complete year of in-person schooling in three years. We all hope the worst of COVID-19 is behind us.
To the Senior Class, please make good decisions and be safe during this time of festivities and celebration. You are very precious to us and your future has never looked brighter.
Sincerely,
Dr. "P"
Charles A. Prijatelj, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Mobile Device Collection
As the school year begins to wind down for students, staff in the Technology Department are gearing up for their busiest time of year – device collection and summer device preparation.
Beginning in April, staff members meet to discuss the locations for Chromebook collection in the AAJHS and AAHS and map out a plan for disinfecting and repairing the devices over the summer months. The devices are then organized and stored until student distribution the following school year.
To help us prepare, as in previous years, we are asking that students bring their devices - fully charged - to their designated collection site. A fully charged device ensures that the battery does not completely drain over the summer and is able to power on successfully when it is reassigned for use in September.
Devices also need to be charged during collection to ensure that they turn on for staff to inspect them. Visible damage to a device will result in a fine being entered on the student’s account. A fine letter will also be sent home. After the fine is paid the fine amount is removed from the student’s account so that it does not prevent the student from participating in future activities.
Please remember that mobile device insurance is offered at a cost of $25 at the beginning of the school year. Look for the insurance paperwork provided by your school principal. It is considerably less than the cost of a fine for damages or lost/stolen device.
Summer Vacation Voyage
Summer Vacation Voyage is a fun and exciting opportunity for AASD children throughout the month of June! This FREE three week themed camp is for children in grades K-5 during the 21-22 school year. Children will have the opportunity to Travel to the Amazon Rainforest, Brave an Arctic Adventure, and Dive into the Ocean! The Summer Vacation Voyage provides enriching opportunities for children to create a sense of normalcy and foster a love of learning!
Use the link tinyurl.com/3z5rjcv7 or Scan the QR Code
Summer Camps For Kids
First In Math - April's School of the Month
For the fourth consecutive month Mowrie A. Ebner Elementary is the AASD’s First In Math School of the Month earning 184,149 stickers! Way to go, Panthers! Keep up the great work and enjoy housing the traveling trophy for another month!
We are excited to announce that First in Math will be available to all K-5 AASD students throughout the Summer! More information will be sent home with your child prior to the end of the school year!
Kindergarten Registration
Join us for ABC (Awesome Beginnings Camp) Camp the first week of August! Children will meet Kindergarten teachers, work in a small group setting, and navigate the school and classroom to better prepare for their transition to Kindergarten! We can’t wait to meet our new class of children!
We are extremely busy in secondary schools with AP testing, final exams, PSSA and Keystone testing, and preparations for end of the year activities. We will be celebrating with many concerts, awards ceremonies, and induction programs throughout the month! Our students have truly shined this school year as we return to the new normal. Please consider attending one of our celebrations including high school graduation scheduled for June 3rd at 6:00 PM at Mansion Park. It has been a challenging and fruitful year. Thank you to all of our parents, friends, and guardians for supporting our students and staff!
We celebrated Teacher Appreciation week during the week of May 2. We have an amazing group of teachers that are the heart and soul of the Altoona Area School District. Please recognize a teacher the next time you see them and thank them for all that they do for our children.
Summer school opportunities and secondary enrichment camp information is being shared with students and parents. Please consider taking the opportunity to enroll in one of these programs.
Have a great and restful summer!
Just after the dust cleared from our show tear-down, we were off on a trip with the rest of the Fine Arts Department to Disney World! Our drama students had the opportunity to learn from Disney staff about how they design their parks, tour the rarely seen backstage, and even design and model a park of their own. The kids had a wonderful experience.
Looking ahead, we have the Isaac Awards coming up at the Mishler Theatre on Saturday, May 28th at 7:30pm. The Isaac Awards are a regional competition similar to the Tonys between approximately 20 high schools throughout the central PA region. Each year, they award thousands of dollars in scholarships to our students for achievement in various categories of acting and technical design. We look forward to finding out our award nominations in the next few days. Tickets go on sale to the public in mid-May and can be purchased through the Mishler box office.
As we come to the end of the school year it can get more difficult for students to keep their focus on school work. Even the most dedicated student can get distracted by the warmer weather, the longer days, and thoughts of summer vacation. There are some things that may help keep your student focused until school ends in June.
Here are some tips to help your student keep focused: finish the year strongly:
1. Stick with Your Routine: As days get longer, it may be more difficult for students to go to bed and wake up at their regularly scheduled times. Make sure to keep the same routine that has been working for your family all school year. Keep dinner times, study, and homework times the same too. Keeping these routines remind students it’s not quite summer vacation yet.
2. Stay Engaged in Your Student’s Education: Stay involved by keeping contact with teachers and up to date with grades, and attendance. You can do this by using your Skyward login.
3. Go Outside: According to the EPA, The average American spends 93% of their lives indoors. Take advantage of the warmer and longer spring days. Schedule some family time to go for a walk or go to a nearby park. Getting some fresh air and getting a daily dose of Vitamin D is a great way to rejuvenate after a long day of school indoors.
We hope these tips are helpful in making the end of the year a successful one.
With the end of the year approaching, it is also Prom season. Click here for some tips to make this event safer and unforgettable.
May is also the time for finals and other tests. Here is a link to some test taking tips that may help.
Whether you have a graduating senior or a student who has a few years until graduation, it is always a good time to learn about the financial aid process.
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency website can provide a wealth of information and answer many questions about paying for higher education.
Below is the information for upcoming SAT and ACT registration deadlines . More test dates and information about the SAT can be learned by going to http://sat.org/. For more ACT test dates and information please go to act.org.
SAT:
Test Date: June 4, 2022
Regular Registration Deadline: May 5, 2022
Late Registration Deadline: May 25, 2022 (Late Fee Applies)
ACT:
Test Date: June 11, 2022
Regular Registration Deadline: May 6, 2022
Late Registration Deadline: May 20, 2022 (Late Fee Applies)
Summer School Dates:
1st session: June 9th – June 24th
2nd session: July 7th – July 22nd
Please contact your student’s school counselor if you have questions about summer school.
For additional information please visit the Counselor page on the AAHS website.
AAHS Fine Arts Department Trip to DIsney:
The AAHS Fine Arts Department just came back from a very successful trip to Walt Disney World. The Marching Band, Orchestra, and Chorus had outstanding performances and the Drama students participated in a clinic.
May Concerts:
- Tuesday, May 10 - JHS Orchestra / Chamber Orchestra Concert - 7:30pm
- Thursday, May 12 - HS Orchestra / String Ensemble Concert - 7pm
- Tuesday, May 17 - JHS 6th Grade Chorus / Orchestra Concert - 7:30pm
- Thursday, May 19 - HS Chorus / Vocal Ensemble Concert - 7pm.
- Friday, May 27 - HS Concert Band / Wind Ensemble Concert 7pm.
Tickets for all concerts are $3 and will be sold at the door the night of the concert.
Memorial Day Parade:
The HS Marching Band will be marching at the Juniata Memorial Day Parade and the JHS Band will be marching at the Altoona Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30th.
JHS Fine Arts Department Spring Trips:
The JHS Fine Arts Department will be taking their 7th and 8th grade students to Hershey Park on Thursday, May 26 and their 6th grade students to Kennywood Park on Wednesday, June 1 for their respective Spring Trips.
AAHS Drama Spring Showcase:
The AAHS Drama Department will hold its Spring Showcase on Monday, May 23 at 7pm in the Black Box Theater in the HS. Admission to the event is free.
Jake Adams Places 3rd at Penn Relays
Altoona Track & Field took fifteen athletes to the 126th Penn Relays last week. Jake Adams placed 3rd in the Long Jump Championship with a jump of 23-2 3/4". Adams is currently ranked 1st in the state of PA in the Long jump.
Five (5) girls competed in two events.
Girls events included:
4x100m Relay – Brooke Long, Haley Kravetz, Lauren Kiser, Ashtyn Hileman
4x400m Relay – Lauren Kiser, Haley Kravetz, Reese Wilber, Ashtyn Hileman
Ten (10) boys competed in six events This is the largest number of boys the team has ever taken to compete at the Penn Relays.
Boys events included:
4x100m Relay – Ty Friedenberger, Jake Adams, Tyson Reid, Branson Adams
4x400m Relay – George Boutiller, Branson Adams, Gabe Ebersole , Ashton Bardell
4x800m Relay – George Boutiller, Braeden Ferguson, Aidan Kelley, Gabe Ebersole
Long Jump Championship - Jake Adams
Triple Jump Championship – Ty Friedenberger
Javelin Throw Championship – Ethan Stroup
Due to an injury, the boys 4x100m relay was unable to complete. Athletes participating in this year's Penn Relays represented 33 states as well as Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad
Altoona Track & Field will compete in the District 6 track Championships at Mansion Park on May 19, 2022 and the PIAA State Championships at Shippensburg University on May 27 & 28.
Altoona Baseball will compete for the District 6 Championship at PNG Park on May 27, 2022.
Tentative Fall sports physicals offered by AASD are June 2, 2022 and July 14, 2022.
Open Positions
- 3 Summer maintenance positions remain open. Current employees are encouraged to apply. Summer positions assist with general maintenance this summer. Some of the duties include, but not limited to: painting, cleaning, light general maintenance, landscaping, moving furniture, etc.
- Custodian / Laborer Substitutes Custodian/Laborer Substitutes needed for maintenance and cleaning of buildings and grounds. First, second, and third shifts available starting at $10.00 per hour, for the first 90 working days, then $11.00 per hour with possibility for advancement when regular positions arise. Strong consideration is given to substitute employees demonstrating a superior work ethic.
- Visit www.aasdcat.com to apply.
Altoona Area School District
Email: CPrijatelj@aasdcat.com
Website: https://www.aasdcat.com/
Location: 1201 8th Avenue, Altoona, PA 16602, USA
Phone: (814)946-8350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltoonaSD
Twitter: @AASDSuper