The APHS Look AHEAD-December 2020
News and Notes from the High School Leadership Team- v.20
The APHS Look AHEAD
Dear APHS Students, Faculty, Staff and Families,
Welcome to December! There is no question that this has been an interesting couple of weeks for everyone, both within our school community and beyond.
As we made the transition from hybrid to remote instruction, and then back again, we aimed to deliver a model that looked markedly different than it did in the spring. The good news is that our structured daily schedules and consistent synchronous sessions in each class have made a difference. Of course, we are continuing to assess how we deliver instruction, what assessment looks like, and how we can continue to keep students truly engaged in a changing and often remote landscape. There are no easy answers to these questions, but we will persist in working to improve, both in our hybrid and fully remote models. On the community end of things, we certainly appreciate your continued support in keeping our students focused on their classes, and keeping a healthy daily routine, as well as providing us with feedback.
Believe it or not, just prior to the December Holiday Break, we will also begin the early stages of preparing for the 21-22 school year! That starts with the publishing of the APHS Course Catalogue for upcoming school year during the third week of December! This will give folks plenty of time to begin to look over our course offerings before the course selection process begins. In early January, our Counseling Center will be reaching out with more information about this topic!
2020 has been a difficult year in so many ways. One thing that can hold us together and help us get through is kindness. Although we can't change our circumstances, we can choose to respond to others (and ourselves) with kindness. And when we're kind, everything goes better. We can help others, we can help ourselves and we can encourage others to be kinder too. I would like to share a link to a kindness calendar which outlines daily "do good activities" we can be engaging in as we support one another, show kindness, and keep ourselves focused on the positive.
https://www.actionforhappiness.org/december
I wish you all a very happy and joyous month with your loved ones, families and friends. Please reach out to us if there is anything that you need, and in the meantime, be well, stay healthy, and remain Warrior Strong!
Serving every student every day,
The APHS Building Leadership Team
-Mr. Heath Quiles, High School Principal (quilesh@apcsd.org)
-Mrs. Christina Mein, Assistant Principal, Grades 10 and 12 (meinc@apcsd.org)
-Mrs. Rebecca Leach, Assistant Principal, Grades 9 and 11 (leachr@apcsd.org)
#AP_EveryStudentEveryDay
"Creating passionate learners who contribute positively to their community and the world."
Free Meals for ALL Students Extended Through the School Year
The Food Service Department of the Averill Park Central School District is proud to be an important partner with our families during the pandemic. We firmly believe our District's mission of meeting the needs of and creating opportunities for Every Student, Every Day includes your child's nutritional needs.
Thanks to an extension of the US Department of Agriculture's program currently providing for free breakfast and lunch, we will continue to be providing free breakfast & lunch to ALL students through June 30, 2021. We strongly encourage all our families to participate in this essential child nutrition program, as we continue to support each other through these challenging times.
Reminder: Meals are available for 100% Virtual and Hybrid Students. Please contact Colleen Wise, Food Service Director at wisec@apcsd.org with any questions or to sign up for meal pick up.
January Regents exams cancelled
The New York State Education Department announced that it has cancelled the January Regents exams due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (January 26-28) will be regular days of instruction for students in the high school. Friday, January 29, will remain a K-12 Superintendent Conference Day, resulting in no instruction for in-person or virtual students.
After school help available for students
We will continue to offer after school time for students to get extra help from their teachers.
So that we can assure the safety of our students and staff, both while in the building and on our late bus runs, we ask that you follow the procedures outlined below (and in the accompanying video).
After school extra help will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays, on the following rotational schedule:
- A-Days (both for Cohort 1 and 2) will be for after school extra help in Social Studies, Math, Art, Music, and Study Skills.
- B-Days (both for Cohort 1 and 2) will be for after school extra help in ELA, Science, LOTE, Tech, and PE/Health.
Students who are interested in receiving extra help should work with their teacher to select the appropriate day(s). Once you have selected a day, you must complete the following form by 9am on the day that you plan stay: https://forms.gle/Dd5sBvagFMjtTGaU6 Only students who have signed up to stay with specific teachers, with that teacher's consent, are allowed to stay after school.
This form is a shared one, which will be used by both AMS and APHS students. It will allow for us to know how many students will be in our buildings, track usage and needs, and allow for the buses to plan for safe runs, for both the middle and high schools.
For students who provide their own transportation, no late buses are needed. Please be sure, however, to complete the form to sign up to stay.
For those students who would like to take advantage of our late buses, we will be able to offer these, departing from the high school at approximately 4:30 pm. When you have finished your extra help session, please report directly to the HS Cafeteria/Student Union. Supervision will be provided in this location until the late busses have departed.
Thank you to everyone for your flexibility, and for helping to do your part in keeping everyone safe and secure each day. It's been a lot! In the weeks to come, as we assess how this plan looks and operates in real life, we will consider ways through which we can continue to expand student engagement outside of the school day.
If you have any questions, please contact the high school office at 518-674-7002.
Tutor Time
There is a local service available to K-12 students that we want to share with you. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) education students offer a service called "Tutor Time". Here, RPI students are available for 1 hour tutoring sessions, by appointment only, for students in grades K-12. At this time, "Tutor Time" sessions are meeting via Zoom on select Saturdays.
Please visit the RPI Website for more details. While we are sharing this opportunity with students and their families, we ask that those who take advantage of this not use their school accounts for accessing this service since this is not an APCSD service. We ask that students use their private email accounts only for this service.
APHS Yearbook
Order your 2021 APHS Yearbook!
Order forms are in the Main Office and Room 205.
You may order through the school or online at www.jostens.com
Photo Retake Days - Mark your calendar!
APHS Picture Retake Dates are NOW scheduled for:
- Tuesday, January 5th and Wednesday, January 6th from 10 - 5.
- Location: APHS Library
- If you are having your picture retaken, bring your picture package with you to return to the photographer.
Both days will continue until 5:00pm, in the HS Library, for our virtual students who would like to drop by.
If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Bailey or Mr. Blostein at baileya@apcsd.org or blosteinm@apcsd.org
Horticulture class looking for canning jars
Cleaning out your closets for the fall? If you have piles of canning jars collecting dust and taking up space, consider donating them to the Horticulture program at the high school. We will take all size jars off your hands!! Ms. Boulay boulayv@apcsd.org.
Career Exploration Workshops
Hudson Valley Community College’s Center for Careers and Transfer will be hosting two upcoming Career Exploration Workshops specifically for high school students. A workshop for 9th and 10th grade students will be held on December 8 at 6:00 p.m. A workshop for 11th and 12th grades will take place the following evening, December 9 at 6:00 p.m.
News from the Counseling Center
ATTENTION SENIORS: COLLEGE APPLICATION DEADLINES
Please review your college applications carefully for specific deadline dates. If college recommendations are necessary, please forward a request to your counselor two (2) weeks prior to the deadline date. If the deadline is January 1st please forward the request to your counselor no later than December 11th due to the holiday recess.
FRESHMAN:
Counselors continue to meet with the freshman class, through google meets. These meetings are to introduce themselves to the freshman class and to help navigate any questions they may have and check in with how the school year is going so far.
Counselors will begin annual review meetings with freshmen starting in January. During these meetings, freshmen will be provided an opportunity to choose their classes for their sophomore year. Please stay tuned for how these meetings will be scheduled.
Working papers:
If you need your working papers. Please print out the application at:
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/working-papers
Once all forms are completed and the physical form, AT-16, is signed by a medical professional, email carneyj@apcsd.org to complete the process.
Want to meet with your Counselor?
Students can find the Request to meet with a counselor form on the Averill Park H.S. Family and Instructional Resource page under Guidance. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_stNvi148d0oDNaYZC4rra6MPgzcwb47ihGL28wqRfU/edit
Once the form is submitted the Counselor will reach out to the student and make arrangements as needed.
Upcoming SUNY Events
If you are interested in possibly attending a SUNY college or if you are interested in learning about a SUNY Education, feel free to visit the following link to register:
www.suny.edu/studentevents or call 1-800-342-3811
SUNY is offering information sessions. They are also offering a program related to Which SUNY is Right For You, the Educational Opportunity Program, How to apply to SUNY and Financial Aid Events.
COLLEGE ENTRANCE TESTS:
SAT I & II:
December 5, 2020 (Registration deadline is November 5)
March 13, 2021 (SAT 1 only) (Registration deadlines is February 12)
May 8, 2021 (Registration deadline is April 3)
June 5, 2021 (Registration deadline May 6)
ACT:
December 12, 2020 (Registration deadline is November 6)
February 6, 2021 (Registration deadline is January 8)
April 17, 2021 (Registration deadline is March 12)
June 12, 20201 (Registration deadline is May 7)
Students with disabilities who wish to apply for accommodations on college placement testing should pick up an information sheet in the counseling center or refer to the website for the test they wish to take. Decisions regarding accommodations for College Board and ACT testing rest with the testing company.
News from the Health Office
Annual BMI Notification Survey
Averill Park School District has to send a BMI survey to NYS. The school nurses only use the information that was provided on your child’s physical from their medical provider from the 2019/2020 school year. The letter to opt your child out is below. Please send this letter to the nurse no later than January 2, 2021.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LmHfKGfWXTr2tdvMKEMjoMBNK9YNlGpDFZLAixEa0xE/edit?usp=sharing
Updated Physicals
All 9th and 11th graders are required to have an updated physical for the 2020 school year on file in the nurse's office. Please send your child's physical into Mrs. Miller by December 1st, 2020.
Reminders for this year:
* Remember to call your child out absent if they are ill.
* Any illness whether or not a nurse sends them home or if they stay home sick (no matter what their hybrid day is) will need a doctor's note to return to school AND a negative COVID test.
*If your child is sick, please send me an email with what is going on with your child It would be very helpful and may decrease the number of phone calls that you get in a day.
Please see the link below for two important documents:
One is the permission slip for Tylenol and Ibuprofen. I need updated written permission every year on each student. The second is the guidelines for when your child is ill this way it is right at your fingertips and you don't have to worry about trying to rummage through the website.
Visitors at the High School
Parents wishing to pick up students, or drop off items for students, should use the intercom at the main entrance of the building. Our staff in the main office will guide you through the appropriate procedures.
Meetings between parents and staff will be expected to be conducted in a virtual format. In cases where a face-to-face meeting may be required, staff will need the permission of the building principal.
Visitors approved to enter the building, by the principal, will complete a health screening, have their temperature taken, and will wear a mask.
IMPORTANT LINKS TO CALENDARS AND SCHEDULES
The APCSD District Calendar for 20-21:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jt88sLKd7FM8YcCvSvaO_c_jzl9rvLaf/view?usp=sharing
This is a fixed schedule, and will not change based on snow days.
Marking Periods/Grade Reporting at the HS for the 20-21 School Year:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F42UlhjAEOfnCx2qgrwEZ1r9ceMhiLkT2bEAhpIAQHQ/edit?usp=sharing
Our Daily Bell Schedule for 20-21:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1choS5fPUhRfBX03ChMuUtGkLvjlZ2kvpIQ4ZEBXbZV4/edit?usp=sharing
*Please note, students are expected to arrive to school by 7:30 am.
Upcoming Events/Important Dates
24-31 - Holiday Recess - NO SCHOOL
January 2020:
1 - Holiday Recess - NO SCHOOL
4 - Classes resume
Averill Park High School
Email: quilesh@apcsd.org
Website: https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/
Location: 146 Gettle Road, Averill Park, NY, USA
Phone: 518-674-7000
Twitter: @APHS_Leaders