Welcome 9th Graders - Grizz Academy

Website: http://ashland.k12.or.us
Location: 201 South Mountain Avenue, Ashland, OR 97520, USA
Phone: 541 482 8771
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AHS.Ashland.OR/

We are incredibly excited to welcome you to the AHS family, you are officially a Grizzly now! We look forward to getting to know each one of you and supporting your successful transition to high school. Below are some key pieces of information and important dates.

Best,

The AHS Administrative Team

Benjamin Bell - Principal

Francisco Lopez Atanes - Assistant Principal

Becca Laroi - Assistant Principal

Patrick Grady - Athletic Director

Hi All,

We are excited to announce the return of Grizz Academy classes for incoming 9th graders in the 2022-23 school year. Grizz Academy is a graded, two-credit, yearlong class designed to provide personal, academic, and social supports to every student in their first year of high school. Your Grizz Academy teaching crew will be Isaiah Creel, Adrienne Fox (Hillman), Barbie Hobein, Maryetta Jacques, and Jesse Stonewood (coordinator).

Some things that Grizz Academy will offer students include:

1. Structured academic support time to get homework and class projects done within the school day
2. Activities to build connections and community, as well as access to peer mentors and tutors
3. Organizational supports to plan for tests, big projects, and finals throughout the year
4. School-related habits (ex. planner use, communication with teachers, and binder organization)
5. Life skills (ex. phone/email etiquette, financial literacy, and resume building)

Each Grizz Academy teacher serves another person on “Team Student” who will help keep an eye on grades, network with families, and provide motivational nudges, cajoling, support, and pleading wherever it might be needed. Please feel free to reach out to your student’s Grizz Academy teacher with any comments, questions, concerns, or ideas that you have.

Thanks,

The Grizz Academy Crew (Isaiah Creel, Adrienne Fox, Barbie Hobein, Maryetta Jacques, and Jesse Stonewood)

Fresh Start returns this August! Please check your emails regularly for updates and information this Summer. Fresh Start is an AHS tradition for incoming 9th Graders. It is an overnight experience that will take place at Camp DeBoer at Lake of the Woods this year. It's an opportunity for students to get to know staff members, to have fun together, to bond and to get to ask the high school questions they have been wondering about. 9th grade families will receive a letter in the mail this week with your student's assigned Fresh Start session. Please refer to your letter with more information regarding our unique orientation. If you have any questions, please contact Freshstart@ashland.k12.or.us.

Aug. 14-15

Aug. 17-18

Aug. 20-21

Recently the school board voted for a modification to the upcoming school year calendar which you can see here. That makes Wednesday August 31st the first day of school now. At AHS the first day of school is always a half day and is always just for our new 9th graders. In early August we will share with you the bell schedule for that day. This day is an opportunity to visit all of your classes, meet each teacher and then there will be a fun assembly to meet other key staff members and learn more about the opportunities you will have here at AHS.

Aug 31

Start Time: 8:30 am

End Time: 12:00 pm

Hello Parents,

AHS is looking for a motivated and dedicated parent to be our Parent Volunteer Coordinator. This is a voluntary position and is a wonderful way to become deeply involved in campus events and have an opportunity to contribute positively to our school culture. This is a valued role that has traditionally been an important link between our campus and our parents/families. For the past two years we have not had this position because of COVID. Now we are excited to bring it back.

Responsibilities of the Parent Volunteer Coordinator include:

• Developing a pool of parent volunteers interested in supporting a number of school events.
• Coordinating Career Day in the Winter
• Coordinating events to celebrate our teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week
• Opportunity to serve on School Site Council

If you are interested please reach out to Emily.Pew@ashland.k12.or.us. We will reach out to anyone interested in early August to answer any questions and talk about the position. We look forward to hearing from you!