The Phoenix

Hours: 7:30 AM - 4 PM

Address: 7125 Hambright Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078

Phone: (980) 399-7554

Website: https://aspiretradehs.org/

Email: info@aspiretradehs.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aspiretradehighschool?igsh=ejlwbHJ5dmFtaWVh&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AspireTradeHighSchool/

• October 21: International Fall Festival
• October 21: Q1 (40 Days) Ends
• October 27 & 28: Senior Portrait ( Off Campus)
• October 29: Senior Meeting (More Info coming soon)
• October 30 - 31: Teacher Workdays
• November 4: Picture Day ( All Students and Staff)

Introducing the FIRST EVER Phoenix Wars!

Homecoming at ATHS looks a little different since we don't have a football team—so we're creating our own exciting tradition: Phoenix Wars! Get ready for a day filled with competition, school spirit, and celebration.

Phoenix Wars - Thursday, November 7th

This all-school event will take place during the school day and promises to be unforgettable!

What's Happening:

• Mr. Whitley and his auto students will be grilling up lunch for EVERY student and staff member—we're talking a full-on cookout!
• 10 teams will compete in Phoenix Wars, representing different trade classrooms
• Teams are sign-up based, so grab your friends and get ready to compete
• Students will battle it out in various competitive games throughout the day

Prizes:

• Bronze Medal - 3rd Place Team
• Silver Medal - 2nd Place Team
• Gold Medal - 1st Place Team
• Each winning team member receives a medal, and their trade classroom gets a trophy to display with pride!

Our goal? To create a tradition that trades can be proud of year after year—bragging rights included!

Homecoming Court

Nominations: October 27th - November 4th
Voting: November 5th (during school)
Court Announcement: November 6th (nominees will be notified)
Homecoming Court Presentation: November 7th during Phoenix Wars
King & Queen Reveal: At the dance!

We'll also be voting on superlatives—winners will be announced at the dance!

Homecoming Dance: Roll Out the Red Carpet

Date: Thursday, November 7th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: School Atrium
Theme: Roll Out the Red Carpet

Come dressed to impress for a night of dancing, food, and fun with a DJ!

Dance Tickets: $10
Purchase tickets in the cafeteria

Bringing a Guest?
Students are welcome to bring a guest from another school! Pick up a guest form in the cafeteria.

Why This Matters

Phoenix Wars is more than just games and competition—it's about building school spirit, celebrating our unique trade programs, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. This is OUR homecoming, designed specifically for what makes ATHS special!

Testing News

Students who participated in the WIDA ACCESS Screener have now received their scores. We are pleased to share that English Learner (EL) services are already underway under the leadership of Ms. Sanders, Director of Exceptional Children (EC).

Our next scheduled assessment is the PreACT, which will be administered to all 10th-grade students on Monday, November 10th.

Please note that this date is a Teacher Workday; therefore, students in grades 9, 11, and 12 will not attend school.

This is not a remote learning day, as the date was previously designated for teacher planning. A make-up testing day is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12th.

Report Cards

The first quarter is coming to a close! The grading period will end on October 21st, and report cards will be distributed no later than October 28th. Please encourage your student to stay on top of any missing assignments as we wrap up the quarter.

Stay warm while you master your craft with our cozy trade school sweatshirts and full zip jackets—now available for purchase!

Pricing:

• Sweatshirts: $17.00
• Full Zip Jackets: $25.00

When & Where:
Stop by the atrium every morning from 7:40 AM - 8:00 AM to grab yours.

⚠️ Supply is extremely limited—don't miss out! ⚠️

Get yours today and rep your school with pride!

We are excited to announce our new 6th Block Elective courses beginning Oct. 21st (the start of 2nd Quarter).

In an effort to add another layer of wellness for our students, we will begin hosting 2 days of Wellness activities (Tue. & Thurs.) and 3 days of fun elective courses chosen by our staff and students (M., W., F.).

These classes will take place during our new board approved, 6th Block Schedule. Each class will be adjusted to 60 minute classes instead of 75 minute classes. This change has allowed time to build in an additional block to offer the elective classes.

Students are excited about this new opportunity and were allowed to choose classes of interest for 2nd quarter. Some of the offerings are: art, jewelry making, fitness, CSI, woodworking, dance, chess, aquatic life, historical mysteries, wilderness training, study hall, photography and our very own version of JROTC; ATC (Aspire Training Corp).

The best part is that these are quarterly courses which allow students to rotate classes each quarter. By the end of the school year students should be able to participate in 3 different electives. In addition, these are pass/fail courses that do not hold a number grade so there is zero pressure, just the expectation for students to show up and enjoy this time of creativity and exploration. All school rules will still apply including the student code of conduct.

Lastly, this new schedule change allows students to have 30 minute lunches instead of 20 minutes, giving them more time to eat and socialize. Rest assured that students will continue to receive top tier training in their core content and trade classes. Our instructors have worked hard to adjust their curriculum so that instructional time is used thoroughly and with intentionality. The overall school day will remain the same with classes beginning at 8am and ending at 2:39pm daily.

Attached is the new schedule for your reference. We are excited to see our students shine in their respective talents and interests.

Getting your driver's license is an exciting milestone! While Aspire doesn't offer driver's education on campus, we want to make sure you know about the affordable options available to our students.

Aspire students can take driver's education through their "home" high school - that's the school you would attend based on your address if you were going to a traditional public school. Through Jordan Driving School, the official partner for public school driver's ed, the cost is just $65, which is significantly less expensive than private driving schools.

Flexible Options That Work for You

We know our students have busy schedules, so Jordan Driving School offers several options for the classroom portion of driver's education. In addition to regular school-day classes, they provide Saturday sessions, summer classes, and virtual options. This flexibility means you can complete your driver's education without worrying about schedule conflicts.

The program includes both classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel driving lessons, giving you everything you need to become a safe, confident driver.

To get started, visit their website at: https://www.jordandrivingschoolcharlotte.com/index.html

Driver Certificate Of Eligibility

If your student is requesting a Certificate of Eligibility, please allow two weeks for the processing to be completed. You can request a Student Certificate of Eligibility by contacting Rob Racquer at r.racquer@aspiretradehs.org.

Please note that Same-day Certificate will not be provided.

Special Education Updates

IEP progress monitoring is underway, and October check-ins are in progress. Please communicate any academic, behavioral, or social-emotional concerns to the EC team as early as possible so we can provide timely support and adjustments.

🌎 International Fall Festival – October 21 | 6:00–8:00 PM 🌎

Come celebrate and share your family’s heritage through music, dance, your favorite dessert, or by wearing traditional clothing. It’s a wonderful way to learn about and appreciate the many cultures that make up our school community.

For questions please contact I.Williams@aspiretradehs.org.

📖School Supply Donations – Now through October 28 📖

We’re still collecting school supplies to support our classrooms. Every donation helps our students and teachers succeed! Donations can be turned in directly to the front office.

🎁 Gift Card Collection – Until November 5 🎁

We’re also preparing for the school’s Donor Fundraiser Night on November 15th. The PTA will be contributing a basket for the silent auction, and our theme is “All Around the Town.” We’d love to include gift cards from local favorites — restaurants, movie theaters, stores, gas stations, car washes, and events such as the Renaissance Festival, Speedway Christmas Lights, Carowinds, and more.

If you or someone you know would like to donate a gift card (any amount is appreciated), please send it in with your child to the front office by November 5th.

🏠Homecoming – November 7 🏠

Mark your calendars!! Join us in celebrating school spirit and pride at our Homecoming event on Thursday, November 7. More details are being sent via email.

📧 Stay Connected 📧

We have many more exciting updates and events coming soon — please check your emails regularly for the latest PTA news and opportunities to get involved.

For any questions please email aspiretradepta@gmail.com.

Parents and students,

Please remember that all lunch orders are due by Thursday at 11:45 PM each week.

Orders placed on Friday will not be included for the lunch for the up coming week.

All orders must be completed by Thursday.

Our lunch orders for the following week are placed with our lunch providers on Friday morning, so it's important to get your orders in on time to ensure your student receives their meals. Lunch may be conveniently ordered online at foodese.com. If you miss the Thursday 11:45 PM deadline, your student will need to bring lunch from home or purchase from our vending machine.

Thank you for helping us maintain our lunch service schedule!

Attached is the official board approved school calendar that contains all important dates for the academic year. Please review and save for reference.

Need Infinite Campus? Email Mrs. Davi Racquer at d.racquer@aspiretradehs.org

If you have any questions regarding Infinite Campus Parent Portal, please email her directly.

Want to check your student's grades or attendance? Click the button below to log into Infinite Campus Parent Portal:

Jennifer Nichols - Executive Director : j.nichols@aspiretradehs.org

LaFrieeda Busby - Executive Administrator : l.busby@aspiretradehs.org

Davi Racquer - Director of Curriculum & Compliance : d.racquer@aspiretradehs.org

Suzanne Evans - Director of HR & Finance : s.evans@aspiretradehs.org

Martha Sanders - Director of EC : m.sanders@aspiretradehs.org

Rob Racquer - Director of CTE and Facilities : r.racquer@aspiretradehs.org

Iesha Williams - Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor : i.williams@aspiretradehs.org

Saige Lyall - Enrollment and Academic Advisor : s.lyall@aspiretradehs.org

Madeline Mobley - Front Desk : m.mobley@aspiretradehs.org

Márlon Canel - Facilities and Transportation Management : m.canel@aspiretradehs.org