The APHS Look AHEAD - October 2019
News and Notes from the High School Leadership Team- V.10
The APHS Look AHEAD
Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year. As always, the high school faculty and staff is extremely excited to have our students back in the building. This is a wonderful time of year, full of new beginnings and fresh perspectives, and there is no question we have a great deal to celebrate at APHS.
As we open this year, we are thrilled to report that last year's graduation rate of 95% is the highest we've ever experienced. More students are meeting with higher levels of success than ever, and this is happening for students in all of our different pathways. We now have 12 new courses available to students, 8 new extracurricular opportunities, and we are quickly increasing the number of college-credit bearing courses available in our program. In the first week of October, we will be revealing our new cafeteria and Student Union, featuring booth, high top, and flexible lounge seating.
Our faculty and staff will be focusing this year on the development of collaborative academic teams which are tasked with examining four critical questions that are imperative to our continued improvement as an educational institution:
- What do we want for students to learn?
- How do we know that they have?
- What do we do when they don't?
- What do we do when they already have?
There is no question that we are poised to take the experiences offered to our students at APHS to the next level, and we will continue to share good news with you often. As always, please reach out if there is anything you need! We are looking forward to a positive year.
Serving every student every day,
The APHS Building Leadership Team
-Mr. Heath Quiles
-Mrs. Christina Mein
-Mrs. Rebecca Leach
#AP_EveryStudentEveryDay
"Creating passionate learners who contribute positively to their community and the world."
New Cafe at the High School
A sneak peek at the new high school cafeteria, opening today! This new space will not only offer flexible seating to students during lunch, but will serve as a student union throughout the day. This will also allow for the cafeteria space to be used in a variety of other capacities!
AP Education Foundation announces 2019 nominees for the Community & Educator Awards
The Averill Park Education Foundation announced the 2019 nominees for the Community and Educator Awards.
Educator: Dr. Gregory J Panzanaro
Community: Kim & Tim Murdick, Nopiates Committee
Scott Bendett, APEF President said, "We feel our success as an organization really comes from the collaboration between dedicated teachers, volunteers, community members and parents - all with the goal of supporting a school district that values creativity, variety and excellence."
The recipients of this year’s educator award and community award have been nominated by both their peers and parents alike. This highlights the countless ways each recipient has enriched both our educational community and the Averill Park community at large.
Please help us in congratulating these nominees. They will receive their awards at the Averill Park Education Foundation's annual Gala on November 15th.
Consider joining the email list to receive Event invitations. All information will be digital in 2019: https://tinyurl.com/APEFInformation-Events
Mr. Brown interviewed by French Television Network
Jeff Brown was interviewed by Grégory Galiffi of the French C8 television network program DirectAuto during the July 14th Bastille Day French Car Rally in New York City. Most of the interview was filmed inside Jeff’s 1986 Citroën ambulance as he and the TV host drove through Manhattan.
How to help your child succeed at school
APHS Food Pantry looking for Support
The Averill Park High School Food Pantry Program (aka Warrior Cafe) is in it's second year of helping students. Backpacks with food are sent home each week to a number of families. Snacks are also provided in the counseling center every day to students. If you would like to help out the efforts of our program, we are always looking for donations. We accept monetary donations or non-perishable food items. All donations can be dropped off or mailed to the Counseling Center. All questions can be directed to either Kelly Stone (stonek@apcsd.org) or Kim Favro (favrok@apcsd.org). Thank you for your support!
Students Visit NYS Museum
Students in S.A.G.E.S are studying US History this year. We took a trip to the New York State Museum to attend a Native American presentation. Students learned about how the Ice Age affected people and animals, how long houses were made and how native Americans lives were very different from our own. We were also able to explore the museum and see the 9/11 exhibit.
AP Going Pink to support the American Cancer Society
Junior Class Fundraiser
This year, the APHS Junior Class has partnered with Yankee Candle Fundraising to help achieve our goal. They are the world's #1 candle brand and they offer a wide range of premium candles, fragrances, and decor items at a very wide range of prices and a percentage of every sale goes to the Junior Class.
To help support us, click on the link below and order items online. Your purchases ship directly to your home. This promotion is good through January 8, 2020.
https://www.yankeecandlefundraising.com/store.htm
Enter our Group Number 99743945 in the "Start Shopping" box.
Thank you for supporting the Junior Class.
Yearbook Information
Yearbooks are for sale! Cost is $65. If you purchase your yearbook before October 25 and have it personalized, you receive 4 free icons. Yearbook order forms are in the Main Office and in Room 205. In January the cost of the yearbook increases to $75.
Absentee / Re-take day for school pictures is October 29th. Make sure to have your picture taken for the yearbook!
-Seniors: Hand in your Senior quote sheet - in Main Office / Room 205; Due November 1
-VIP Voting will take place soon. Senior baby pictures will be collected in mid-November.
-Questions regarding yearbook? baileya@apcsd.org / blosteinm@apcsd.org
New Horizons Club Shoe Box Drive
The New Horizons club will begin our second annual shoe box drive to provide gift boxes for students at our sister school in the Dominican Republic. We will begin collecting boxes for each student attending our sister school and fill them with toiletries, toothpaste, brushes and floss, toys, puzzles, games, school supplies & stuffed animals. Classes, clubs, community members are welcome to adopt a student and fill a box for them. We hope to be able to ship the boxes early enough that they will arrive by Christmas. Financial donations to assist with shipping are also greatly appreciated. Donations can be made to The New Horizons club at APHS. Thank you for your support!
National Honor Society
The Averill Park Chapter of the National Honor Society will be inducting qualified seniors at a ceremony planned for Thursday October 24 at 6:30 in the auditorium. This year we had 66 seniors apply and we await the selection committee final decisions by October 11.
The National Honor Society is a select group of seniors who demonstrate good character, high academic achievement (90 or above for 3 years), leadership and community in service. Students can apply in the beginning of their senior year.
Library Happenings!
The year is off to a great start in our High School Library. Student can be seen studying, doing homework, reading, working collaboratively with classmates, peer-tutoring, and researching!
New Apps Suite @ APHS
Walk through any mall and you'll see several stores boasting walk-up services to help customers solve technology problems. In recent years, as schools address "future ready skills" to prepare students to join the work force, student run help desks are making their way into school buildings.
In September, a new elective opened for students at APHS. The APPS Suite Help Desk is a credit bearing course where students support their peers, faculty, and staff using technology to create projects, signing out Chromebooks and iPads, creating explainer videos and infographs, making classroom calls, learning and teaching new apps, signing out and delivering carts of devices, troubleshooting issues in classrooms and even repairing and resetting devices.
As a nontraditional course, our Help Desk staff are provided the opportunity to hone their future work skills by answering and making phone calls, making appointments with adults, supporting adults and peers with projects, getting feedback and making improvements on work, choosing long term projects and following through, providing customer service, advocating for themselves and clearly conveying ideas.
2018-19 Advanced Placement Art Students Earn Top Scores
A testament to the team work and passion embraced by the K-12 Averill Park Art Program, Advanced Placement Studio Art Scores surpass much of the country for the 2018-19 school year. The College Board, considers a score of 5 a perfect score.
For the first time, Averill Park had a student submit two different portfolios to the College Board for assessment at the same time. Lauren Harland submitted under 2-D and Drawing for a total of over 48 works of art! We are please to share that she earned a perfect scores for both courses!
Drawing Portfolio Scores:
For 2019 Averill Park is in the 91.1% globally and 91.7% in New York State
2 Dimensional Design Scores:
For 2019 Averill Park is in the 86.4 globally and 87% in New York State
A Brief Summary of the AP Studio Course:
There are three AP Studio Courses available to students at Averill Park High School; Drawing, 2-D, and 3-D.
For each of these, Students submit 12 works under "Breadth" which demonstrate a range of techniques and approaches.
Twelve works are also submitted under concentration, demonstrating experimentation, evolution and growth through a deep conceptual investigation.
The final category that is assessed is called "quality". These are five works that the student selects from either of the first two sections (breadth/concentration). They may also be specifically created for this category. Quality is supposed to demonstrate the students strongest works based on concept, (deep investigation of a central concern) composition, (how the work is arranged/organized in space) and execution (skill and competence with media). These selected works are then matted/mounted/covered and shipped for the physical assessment that takes place in a warehouse in Salt Lake City Utah and the rest are sent digitally. Over 80,000 portfolios are assessed from all over the world.
Construction Practicum class at work
The 12th grade Construction Practicum class began demolition on an existing deck in Sand Lake on Tuesday. Students will now be responsible for all aspects of replacing the deck. Those responsibilities will include creating working drawings, providing the client with a cost estimate, creating and tracking a project schedule, analysis of residential building codes, material procurement as well as the actual construction of the deck.
News from the Counseling Center
Counselors have been meeting with the senior class to discuss plans after high school graduation and help guide them in the planning process for applying to colleges, financial aid and scholarships.
Also students are asked to log on to their Naviance accounts often to see what scholarships are being offered and what colleges are visiting the high school to meet with students who may have interest or questions about their campus. Students are asked to have a signed permission slip from a parent to miss class to meet with visiting college representatives.
October 16th: All Juniors will be sitting for the PSAT
October 29th: Hudson Valley Community College will be here offering Instant Admission sessions. Students need to pick up an Instant admission application to complete online and bring required forms to the Counseling Center to receive an appointment to meet with the HVCC advisors. The application can be picked up in the Counseling Center.
November 6th: SAGE colleges will be here offering Instant Admission sessions. Students must sign up to have an appointment to meet with the SAGE advisor.
SUNY is hosting a Financial Aid Month at various locations to assist families with the financial aid process. There will be one held at University at Albany November 9, 2019 at 9:00 am and one at Hudson Valley Community college on November 16, 2019 at 9:00 am.
To Register or view other locations go to suny.edu/studentevents or call 1-800-342-3811.
Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont is offering a free Bus trip for Juniors and Seniors to view their campus. https://www.champlain.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/visits-and-events/bus-trip-2019
SAT I & II
October 5, 2019 Test - Registration Deadline is September 6, 2019
November 2, 2019 Test- Registration Deadline is October 3, 2019
December 7, 2019 Test -Registration Deadline November 8, 2019
March 14, 2020 -SAT I Test only -Registration Deadline is February 14, 2020
May 2, 2020 Test - Registration Deadline is April 3, 2020
June 6, 2020 Test - Registration Deadline is May 8, 2020
ACT
October 26, 2019 Test - Registration Deadline is September 20, 2019
December 14, 2019 Test - Registration Deadline is November 8, 2019
February 8, 2020 Test - Registration Deadline is January 10, 2020
April 4, 2020 Test - Registration Deadline is February 28, 2020
June 13, 2020 Test - Registration Deadline is May 8, 2020
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.
Upcoming Events
October 9 - No School - Superintendent Conference Day
October 14 - No School - Columbus Day
Oct 15-19 - Spirit/Homecoming Week
October 16 - PSAT
October 16 - Powder Puff Game, Time TBD
October 18 - Homecoming Game
October 19 - Homecoming Dance, 7pm
October 24 - NHS Induction Ceremony, 6:30pm
October 29 - Picture Re-Take Day
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