AVHS Update Newsletter
Sunday, January 9th
Important Upcoming Dates at AVHS
Jan. 10 Registration Opens for 2022-23 Classes (grades 9-11)
Jan. 14 NO SCHOOL/Staff Development Day
Jan. 17 NO SCHOOL/Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 20 AVHS Evening Conferences
Jan. 21 NO SCHOOL/AVHS Morning Conferences
Jan. 28 Registration Window Closes for 2022-23
Feb. 11 NO SCHOOL/Staff Development Day
Feb. 21 NO SCHOOL/President's Day
Mar. 9&10 Tri 2 Finals Schedules/End of Trimester
Mar. 11 NO SCHOOL/Staff Development Grading Day
Principal's Message: Better Together by Taking Care of One Another!
Dear AVHS Families,
COVID-19 case rates continue to be high across Minnesota and in District 196 due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. At AVHS and across the district, we utilize a range of mitigation strategies including district COVID-19 testing for staff and students, vaccination clinics, frequent sanitization of classrooms and common areas, the use of HEPA filtration systems in each classroom/meeting space, and providing additional face masks at the front doors to ensure that each member of our school community can follow our masking expectations during the school day. Please help your students take care of themselves and others by having them stay home when they are sick.
As is the case across the nation, we saw a significant increase in our case numbers following Winter Break. Many people have no idea as to the amount of effort and work that so many are putting in to sustain in-person schooling. This typically starts at 4:30 am each day with bus drivers' routes being reconfigured to ensure students are able to get to school before they can be fed by our kitchen staff and greeted at the classroom doors by their teachers. Our typical fill rate for substitute teachers has been nearly 80% in the past. Currently, it is between 50-60% meaning many of our teachers routinely step up to sacrifice their planning periods to cover the classrooms of other teachers who are out for whatever reason each day.
The students are always at the center of our work, but the teachers, counselors, nurses, bus drivers, custodians, cooks, clerks, paras, and administrative assistants are the glue that holds it all together. I am inspired by their commitment to their craft, colleagues, and especially, our students every day. Whether it is sending a quick note of gratitude or reminders to our students of the importance of an extra "please" and "thank you", let's celebrate our incredible AVHS staff and lift them up. Please feel very free to email me a note if you'd like me to share it with a staff member directly or to include your message in my weekly staff newsletter.
Our AVHS COVID-19 Team continues to provide information to families who report positive cases. If your student tests positive for COVID-19 and has symptoms, they should stay home and isolate for at least 10 days until symptoms have improved AND they have been fever-free for 24 hours. Please use any of the following options to report your student’s positive test results:
- CLICK HERE to Report an Absence Electronically
- Email Jackie Preble Jacqueline.Preble@district196.org
- Call 952-431-8224
We all need to do our part and work together to keep our school community going during this time. Thank you for staying safe and helping those around you do the same - Go Eagles!
Drew Mons
Principal
Registration for 2022-23 Begins Tomorrow/Closes January 28th
The registration window will open on January 10th. Current 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade students will begin meeting with AVHS counselors for pre-registration. Prior to the final submission of course registrations, students will have multiple days to review course selections with their families and check-in with their advisory teacher on the week of January 24th.
If you would like to review the information we will share with students and look over our registration offerings, please go to our Registration One-Stop-Shop at https://tinyurl.com/Reg2022-23
Please visit the AVHS Student Services Newsletter for more details.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Winter Conferences - Thursday, Jan 20 & Friday, Jan 21
Families will receive an email this week to sign up for a conference time slot via the PTC Fast system that we used in the past. You will have the option to come to AVHS at the time you selected and meet with the teacher in person or access the teacher’s zoom link for a virtual conference during the time for which you registered.
Credit Recovery Begins on Tuesday, January 11th
Students who did not earn credit in a core class or required elective (Science, English, Math, Social Studies, Wellness, Art), should plan to enroll in our Winter Credit Recovery program.
If you have questions, please email Ms. Moren at jennifer.moren@district196.org or contact your child's counselor.
10-Day Isolation Period Remains In Place
Bus Schedules May Change Due to Driver Shortage
To stay up to date on your child’s transportation schedule, parents are encouraged to download the mobile app Here Comes The Bus. The app allows parents to monitor arrival and drop-off times of their child’s bus, and is used by the District 196 Transportation Department to communicate directly to parents in real time about delays in bus arrival, bus number changes and more.
To set up an account, download Here Comes The Bus and use the school district’s ID number 73500 and your child’s lunch account number/PIN (available in Infinite Campus Parent Portal). Parents can monitor buses for multiple children from a single account. More information can be found at www.District196.org/services/transportation/here-comes-the-bus.
Testing and Vaccination Options
If you or a family member is experiencing symptoms or have been identified as a close contact to a positive case, please make an appointment at one of the community testing sites. There are some in-district testing appointments available for symptomatic students and employees. Contact your school to schedule an appointment. More testing and vaccination information can be found on the district’s COVID-19 Dashboard at www.District196.org/COVID19.
Be Prepared for Possible Schedule Changes
While in-person learning remains our top priority, staffing shortages and the unpredictable nature of the pandemic continue to make day-to-day operations a challenge. Similar to last school year, families should always have a backup plan for alternative care for their child if their school, grade level, or the district needs to shift to distance learning on short notice.
COVID-19 Notification
If you or a household member develops COVID-19 symptoms, stay at home, contact your physician and call 952-431-8224 or email Jacqueline.Preble@district196.org to report a positive test result.
What If My Student Tests Postive for COVID?
Anyone experiencing illness should follow the Minnesota Department of Health Recommended COVID-19 Decision Tree, stay home, and are strongly recommended to get tested. If a person tests positive for COVID-19 and has symptoms, they should stay home and isolate for at least 10 days from the time the symptoms begin until symptoms have improved AND they have been fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medication. Please use any of the following options to report your student’s positive test results:
- CLICK HERE to Report an Absence Electronically
- Email Jackie Preble Jacqueline.Preble@district196.org
- Call 952-431-8224
Common to other illnesses, once our nurse is notified of an extended absence, she contacts our Assistant Principal, Pete Buesgens, who in turn reaches out to teachers to let them know that the student will be working on school from home and to ensure that all assignments are available in Schoology, or to make arrangements if assignments need to be sent home or picked-up as needed. We do not share private data about the health condition unless it is pertinent to the class activities.
Mask Reminder
A reminder that all students, staff, and visitors are required to wear a face mask indoors when inside District 196 buildings during school hours.
Masks are REQUIRED to be worn by all staff and students riding in District 196 school buses and other vehicles as part of instructional programming (e.g. to and from school, field trips, educational outings), and co-curricular activities (e.g. after-school sports and other activities, high school athletics, etc) per the CDC’s federal order.
Masks are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for participants and spectators at South Suburban Conference- and Minnesota State High School League-sponsored events at District 196 facilities, regardless of vaccination status
Apple Valley High School and District 196 Text Messages
GETTING STARTED
- Text Y to 67587, you will receive a confirmation message stating you are registered to receive SchoolMessenger notifications via text.
For help information, text HELP to 67587.
To opt-out at any time, text STOP to 67587.
Here to Help!
Our Assistant Administrators, Attendance TOSA, and Student Support Specialist are part of a larger Student Assistance Team that includes School Counselors, Psychologists, and our Family Support Worker. We will feature members of our Student Services Office and how they can help to support your student next week. CLICK HERE for links to our various teams and a full directory of staff phone numbers & email addresses.
Who Do I Go To For Help?
Technology. Click here for AVHS Tech Help. The AVHS Tech Help page is for parents and students and is for issues with Schoology, Campus, iPads, internet support, and more.
Contacting counselors. Click here to find your student’s counselor. Counselors are available to assist with concerns about scheduling, academic progress, and mental health. Contacting a student's counselor is a good first step if there are concerns about multiple classes and can help coordinate and streamline communication.
Contacting administrators. Click here to contact an AVHS Assistant Administrator. Assistant Administrators assist with questions about attendance, behaviors, credit recovery, and school climate/safety concerns. Ms. Moren works with students with the last names A - K and Mr. Tinder supports students with the last names L - Z.
Student Schedule. Click here to log in to Campus Portal and see Student Schedules.
Grades. Click here to log in to Schoology and see in-progress grades.
Contacting teachers. Click here for a list of teacher e-mail addresses.
Apple Valley High School
Website: avhs.district196.org
Location: 14450 Hayes Road, Apple Valley, MN, USA
Phone: 952-431-8200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/avhsscholar
Twitter: @avhsacademics
A School-Wide Approach to Cell Phones
Our AVHS school-wide approach allows students the flexibility to use cell phones to stay connected to their family and friends during passing time, lunch, and before/after school, but also to keep them from becoming a diversion from the learning in the classroom. This is how it works:
Expectations: What We Do During the School Day
During all class periods, cell phones and personal devices are turned off or on airplane mode and stored out of sight.
Students may use personal cell phones and mobile devices before and after class, during their lunch periods, and between classes.
To prevent usage in hallways and restrooms, students will exchange their cell phones for a pass to leave the classroom during instructional periods. If a student does not have a cell phone, they may exchange their student ID.
Non-Negotiables: What We Don’t Do
It is never acceptable to send threatening or harassing messages or phone calls.
It is never acceptable to take photos or videos of others without their permission.
It is never acceptable to take pictures or videos of fights or dangerous situations.
It is never acceptable to use your cell phone or electronic communication devices with messaging or picture-taking options to be visible in locker rooms or restrooms.
Students who violate this policy regarding cell phones and electronic devices are subject to appropriate disciplinary consequences.
Formal warning. Teacher notifies parent/guardian of the violation (email or call).
The teacher notifies the parent/guardian of the violation with a phone call. Referral to document call in Infinite Campus.
Referral to Student Support Office. The administrator will meet with the student and contact the parent/guardian to establish appropriate consequences.
NOTE: If a student refuses to surrender an electronic device to an administrator they are subject to additional consequences.
EXCEPTION: Students who use a personal mobile device to monitor a medical condition (i.e. diabetes, epilepsy) may carry devices with them at all times.
IMPORTANT! Have you completed the Educational Benefits Application?
All Apple Valley High School families are encouraged to apply for the Educational Benefits Program (formerly known as the Free and Reduced-Price Meals Program) for the upcoming school year. These funds directly affect our ability to hire additional teachers, family support workers, tutors, and other classroom resources for our students. Families who qualify also benefit by receiving discounts or waived fees for...
- participating on AVHS athletic teams, arts and activities
- applying to colleges
- costs associated with participating in graduation
- academic tests (ACT, SAT, and Advanced Placement/AP)
- Community Education classes and programs
Educational Benefits
Support Apple Valley High School (AVHS) by completing this application today