Aspen High School

April 15th

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Dear students and families,

Well, it looks like winter is back, which is not great timing, but we are happy for the moisture! We are excited for our Summer Jobs Fair this Friday, as well as our myriad athletic events. Next week we have our Spring Choir Concert and our state mandated PSAT/SAT tests on Wednesday. Please make sure your student arrives at school on time well rested. Then we kick off our IB Exams, which really signals that the end of the school year is near.

IB DP Exam Session

IB Exam information-required meeting, April 16th in the blackbox during SET.

IB Exams will begin with a required IB luncheon on 4/23 in the skier dome. Students are required to attend all IB exams. There are no make ups for IB exams. Student testing schedule.

When an exam ends mid-day, students must return to their required classes for the rest of the day. Students with an afternoon IB exam are still required to be at school at 8:00 AM. Students must check in with Fernanda at 8:00 and tell her where you will be studying. You will only be excused from morning classes if you check in with Fernanda at the beginning of the day. Students will be “activity” excused for the class periods during their exam. Beginning May 4th seniors can be done with SET due to IB exams however students need to attend graduation SET meetings and check in with Fernanda if missing morning classes.

IB Spotlight

The IB Art Show was a huge success. Great job to all of our IB Visual Arts Seniors and Julie Trahon for creating and curating the exhibition. Come visit the show before it’s taken down on Friday.

Skier Spotlight

While many Aspen High School seniors pursue athletics on the slopes or fields, Ella White has her sights set on the racetrack. This spring, Ella made her debut in the Ligier Junior Formula Championship at NOLA Motorsports Park, competing in open-wheel racing. Inspired by a passion she discovered during the COVID-19 lockdown, Ella is determined to carve her own path in motorsports and challenge stereotypes in the sport. She hopes to inspire the next generation of young women to see that racing is a place where they belong.

Please click here for Ella's recognition in the Aspen Daily News.

Siena Garaffa was surprised during a recent visit to Denver! Under the guise of follow up appointments at Craig Hospital, she was met by the DREAM on 3 team to experience her dream sport experience with the Colorado Avalanche.

A party limo picked up Siena and her family and the DREAM started with a shopping spree at Rally House for AVALANCHE Logo wear. The whole family was treated with hats, shirts, and sweatshirts. After the spree – we raced go karts at K1 Speed! From there we were checked into the Hyatt Regency, and got ready for steak dinner at Capitol Grille in LoDo.

The next morning Siena had the amazing opportunity to watch a pre-game Avalanche practice, meet all of the players and be an “Av for a day”. The athletes were so nice and engaging! They were all super invested in Siena’s story of recovery from her car accident, her own hockey past and future, and plans to attend Colorado Mesa University. They provided so much encouragement for Siena to continue to pursue her dreams. Makar, Nelson, Landeskog, McKinnon, Wedgewood, Colton, Necas, Kelly, Manson, Malinski, and Burns – to name a few! Meeting Joe Sakic (former Avs/Nordiques and current President of Colorado Avalanche) was another highlight. Rocco got the Sakic Nordiques jersey that he was wearing signed on the spot! Siena received a signed Cale Makar stick – her favorite defender!

After meeting with the players, Siena got a tour of the locker room. In the Avalanche locker room Siena was surprised to find her own locker with GARAFFA labeled right next to McKinnon. In the locker was an Avalanche Jersey signed by every player!

After this, we had lunch and played put-put golf, and Beat the Bomb (like an escape room – but more physical - with an ending of getting slimed).

Finally, the family had “attack twice” seats at the Avalanche / Flames game. Avs won! 3-1.

Here is a link to Dream on 3 for more info: https://dreamon3.org/

Athletics

We had a terrific first week back from Spring Break! Every Team won coming back off Break. Baseball is sitting at 7-1 and Ranked 4th. We split games with last year's State Champion Coal Ridge which gave us our only loss so far this season. Boy LAX Beat Battle Mountain which keeps us at the top of the league. Track keeps dominating our own records! We have a busy week with multiple teams playing every day. Let’s cheer our kids on to keep this train rolling!

The attendance policy for late night returns is as follows: If the bus gets back after midnight then they are excused from school until 8:45 am. This will be put in attendance once I know what time the bus has arrived back.

We are working hard to ensure all students have the proper equipment and team gear for their respective sports seasons. This is made possible through the $200 participation fee. Fees for all fall and winter sports have been loaded into PowerSchool, and we ask that families log in and submit payment as soon as possible. Paying fees now helps prevent supplemental charges at the end of the year. We cannot run a successful athletic program without these funds, and the participation fee plays an essential role in supporting our teams. Thank you for taking the time to submit your payment and for your continued support of AHS Athletics.

If you have any questions, please contact AD Brett Beville or his assistant, Bryce Sandoval. bbeville@aspenk12.net and bsandoval@aspenk12.net

PSAT and SAT School Day Test- April 22nd

We are entering assessment season for students. Please ensure that students are well rested and present on assessment days. 9th, 10th, 11th Graders will be taking the PSAT or SAT on April 22.
If your student will be absent on April 22 the make up day will be April 24.
Please click here to be prepared for our Schoolday Test.

Lost and Found

We have TONS of water bottles, hoodies, and jackets in our lost and found. Please come claim your items. Unclaimed items will be donated to the Thrift Store at the end of the year!

Spring Choir Concert

Please consider joining us next Wednesday, April 22nd at 6:00 p.m. in the District Theater for our Spring Choir Concert. We would love to see you all there for some Celebration and Hope as we gear up for the final push of the school year!

AHS Summer Jobs Fair This Friday!

Parents! If you are looking to hire students this summer, register as an employer Here!

Calling All High School Students and Staff- Beth Wille Retirement

Ms. Beth Wille, our beloved kindergarten teacher, is retiring this year. We are making a book for her with notes from former students, colleagues and friends. If you'd like to write a note to Ms. Beth, please stop by the front office and grab a shape to write a special note to her. Due Date: Friday, April 24.

Student Volunteers Needed for Aspen Pitkin County Airport's Triennial Emergency Exercise

Looking for a unique way to get involved in your community and earn 5 service hours? Volunteer for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport’s Triennial Emergency Exercise on June 13, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This FAA-required full-scale training simulates an aircraft incident and brings together local partners like Aspen Fire, Roaring Fork Fire Rescue, and Aspen Ambulance District to practice real-life emergency response.

Volunteers play a key role by acting as “victims,” complete with mock injuries and rescue scenarios, making it a hands-on, behind-the-scenes experience you won’t get anywhere else. It’s a fun, immersive way to support first responders, learn how emergency operations work, and see the airport in action. Plus, lunch is provided! Minors (under 18 years of age) must provide contact information for a parent or other legal guardian for event check-in. Volunteer here.

The link to the Google Form is above or here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiZ7QOAdX-lfISbqFw2M3D1b5u1W9V5SaxWOGNTs7xMWVDFw/formResponse

**Any students who participate, please contact Luke Roy at luker13481@aspenk12.net for more information on what to expect and to confirm service hours.**

Student Volunteer Opportunity- Aspen Parkrun

Starting and finishing at Heron Park, Aspen parkrun is a free community 5k event that runs every Saturday at 9am, from April 25th, through early November. Parkrun is made possible by community members who volunteer their time for an hour each week. We are looking for volunteers to help - most roles can be combined with running or biking the course. Volunteering is easy, and training takes just a few minutes. This is a great way to get your service hours while meeting visitors and longtime community members! Please text Jeff at 970-379-7548 to be added to our volunteer Whatsapp or email Shelley at aspen@parkrun.com. More details can be found at https://www.parkrun.us/aspen/volunteer/

Parent Volunteers Needed for Senior Event "The Game of Life"

Looking for Volunteers: On April 22, from approximately 8:45 a.m. to noon (details to follow), the entire senior class is participating in 'The Game of Life.' This is an educational and fun opportunity for students to begin to understand the realities of life after high school, including finances and real-world responsibilities. We hope to get more adults involved to support the different booths students will visit during this event. Please reach out to Steve Sand (ssand@aspenk12.net) if you can help. Thank you!

Student Fee Reminder

As we approach the end of the school year, we kindly remind families to review and pay any outstanding student fees.

Seniors:
All outstanding senior fees must be paid by (or on) Senior Check-Out Day, May 18, in order for students to receive their cap and gown and participate in the graduation ceremony.

Underclassmen:
All outstanding student fees must be paid on or before the last day of school, Friday, May 22, 2026. As part of our effort to minimize fees and help families avoid accumulating large balances over time, all student fees are expected to be paid in full by the end of each school year.

*Please note that participation in school athletics is a privilege. Students with outstanding athletic fees from previous school years will be ineligible to participate in athletics until those fees are resolved.

Payment Options:

Online: Efunds
In Person: Check, cash, or credit card with Jill in the front office
By Mail:
Aspen High School
c/o Jill Stephens
0235 High School Rd.
Aspen, CO 81611
Payment Plans: We understand that circumstances vary, and payment plans are available. If you would like to discuss a payment arrangement, please email Jill Stephens at jstephens@aspenk12.net as soon as possible.

Athletic Fee Questions:
Please contact Athletic Director Brett Beville at bbeville@aspenk12.net or his Assistant, Bryce Sandoval at bsandoval@aspenk12.net.

Chromebook Three Strike Policy

AEF generously supports the purchase of a Chromebook for all AHS students. This initiative allows all students to have consistent and equitable access to all of our platforms and programs; it also allows us to support students with any tech issues that may arise; lastly, we can better ensure that students’ data is secure and that they are not accessing/using unsafe applications or sites at school.

We have a newly instituted 3 Strike policy. If a student intentionally breaks or mistreats their Chromebooks 3 times, they are required to pay $250 to cover the cost of the repairs. They will not be issued another device until that fee is paid. Please treat the Chromebooks with care and respect!

Final Exams

Please mark your calendars for our May Examination week schedule for all 9th-11th graders. Reminder, we will not allow students to take their exams early, so please plan accordingly for your summer travel plans.

Eligibility Reminder

Please remember that Eligibility has changed this year; eligibility applies to ALL school activities, not just athletics, and it includes attendance.
We run eligibility on Tuesdays mid-morning, which means that eligibility is effective Wednesday through the following Tuesday.
Please click HERE to understand Eligibility.

Cell Phone and Airpod Reminder

NO MACBOOKS ALLOWED. We are 1:1 school issued Chromebooks. Macbooks will be confiscated the same as cellphones and airpods.

Cellphones & airpods must be put away BEFORE students enter the building. We are 100% cellphone/airpod free until after 3:20pm when classes end. Students need to remember to put their phones away and remove their airpods before they enter or their phones & airpods will be turned into the main office for parents to retrieve.