The APHS Look AHEAD- 21-22
Dear APHS Students and Families,
The first month of school is behind us! While it's hard to believe, we are already headed into October!
Our 21-22 opening at APHS has gone extremely well. Of course, the best part has been having all of our students back in the building, all together, and at one time. We know that learning happens best when we are in-person. We also know that this is good for our social-emotional well-being. Our first months together have provided us with opportunities to celebrate and rebuild community. From our recent grade-level field days and Class of 2022 Prom, to the Spirit Week and Homecoming Activities we have planned next week, we are making strides at rebuilding the spirit that defines who we are at APHS.
On the academic front, one primary focus this year will be working to close the learning gaps which occurred over the course of the pandemic. At the end of last year, 78% of our students at APHS passed all of their classes. We aim to increase this by at least 5% this year. Our teacher teams will be collaborating every five weeks to examine student performance outcomes, identify students who are in need of help, and then provide appropriate intervention and support. Please don't hesitate to reach out to our teachers or counselors if you feel your child needs help. It's going to take all of our attention to make sure that we are supporting every student in achieving success.
Finally, as the days get darker, it can be easy to begin to wear down. It helps to set goals. Making goals achievable, and ensuring that you have a few short term, as well as longer term, goals helps us feel we're making progress. It doesn't matter if your goal for the day is something small. The important thing is to give yourself the opportunity to feel like you've achieved something, and to celebrate that!
Here is a calendar of small daily goals for an Optimistic October:
https://www.actionforhappiness.org/media/1049950/oct_2021.jpg
As always, I wish you all a safe and healthy October. Please contact us at the high school if there is anything that you need!
Serving every student every day,
The APHS Building Leadership Team
-Mr. Heath Quiles, High School Principal (quilesh@apcsd.org)
-Mrs. Christina Mein, Assistant Principal, Grades 9 and 11 (meinc@apcsd.org)
-Mrs. Rebecca Leach, Assistant Principal, Grades 10 and 12 (leachr@apcsd.org)
#AP_EveryStudentEveryDay
"Creating passionate learners who contribute positively to their community and the world."
APHS Students - Get Ready for Spirit Week!
Get ready to show off your enthusiastic school spirit during spirit week Monday, October 4 through Friday, October 8.
Dress up themes for the week include:
Monday - Pajama Day
Tuesday - Tacky Tourist Day (kind of like Hawaiian/vacation day)
Wednesday - Jersey Day
Thursday - Class Unity Day (Seniors wear Black, Juniors wear White, Sophomores Wear Blue, and 9th Graders wear Yellow/Gold)
Friday - School Spirit Day- WEAR BLUE AND GOLD!
Dress up and have fun!
On Wednesday night, October 6th, come cheer on the girls at the annual Junior vs Senior Powder Puff Football game! Kickoff is at 6:30 pm.
During last block on Friday, October 8, we will hold a school-wide pep rally outside on the football field announcing and cheering on athletic teams.
Then on Friday, October 8 we have our Homecoming Football game against Niskayuna which kicks off at 7:00 pm.
All week we have sporting events so come support our athletes. Remember masks are required for indoor events.
GO WARRIORS!
APHS Class of 2022 "Make Up" Prom
On Saturday, September 25th, the APHS Class of 2022 celebrated the make-up of their Junior Prom, which they missed in the Spring, due to COVID. This outdoor event, hosted at the Marriott in Albany, was enjoyed by everyone who attended!
Freestyle Open House
On Thursday, September 23rd, APHS has it's first ever FREESTYLE Open House! Parents were able to stop by this informal outdoor event, meet with teachers, get to know folks, AND enjoy some great ice cream served up by our amazing student volunteers!
Field Days Kick- Off APHS Spirit Week
This week each grade level class participated in a field day with their entire class. The students really enjoyed this special day of "high school recess" to re-connect, get in some exercise, play some games and enjoy ice cream supplied by the HS class advisors and administration. Welcome back students!
Class of 2022 Prom - A great success!
The Class of 2022 held its makeup Prom on Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Albany Marriott. The theme was An Evening in an Enchanted Garden. Even though it was held in the parking lot of the Marriott due to COVID restrictions, the botanical decorations made students feel as if they were indeed, in an enchanted garden. Prom-goers dined by candlelight and danced under the stars and the occasional commercial airplane, to the tunes spun by DJ Ketchup. A fabulous time was had by all, and we feel fortunate that we got to have this momentous night.
Parent Drop off/Pick up Information
We have been assessing and making adjustments to the parent drop off and pick up area since school has begun.
In order to maximize the drop off/pick up area, we have added cones to the drop off/pick up area. We ask that families pull all the way up to the furthest cone. Once your vehicle is in the cone area, please have your child(ten) get out/in the vehicle at that cone's spot.
By using this larger drop off/pick up area we can reduce the number of vehicles on Gettle Road and Route 43 and increase the number of students being dropped off/picked up at a time. Thank you for your cooperation with this!
Halloween Costume Contest at APHS - October 29
The Journalism Club will be sponsoring the High School Halloween Costume Contest on Friday, October 29.
Prizes (courtesy of ShopRite) will be awarded for the Funniest, Most Original, Scariest, Best Couple and Best Staff Costumes.
All costumes must adhere to the school dress code.
News from the Counseling Center
Counselors are starting to meet with the senior class to discuss plans after high school graduation as well as 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 interested students. Students are asked to have a signed permission slip from a parent in order to miss class to meet with visiting college representatives.
APHS will be hosting the PSAT/NMSQT on Wednesday, October 13th this year. Enough tests are available for all interested Juniors. An email will be sent to sophomores soon to assess interest. A number of tests will be available for interested sophomores. Please be watching your email for more details. All COVID-19 safety guidelines will be followed to provide a safe testing environment for our students.
ATTENTION SENIORS!
Hudson Valley Community College will be here on October 28th for an Instant Admission day. If you are interested in applying to HVCC for Fall 2022, stop in the Counseling Center for an Instant admissions application and to reserve a spot to meet with representatives from the College. All applications must be turned back into the Counseling Center no later than October 21st, to receive an appointment time.
SUNY College fairs begin October 5th. Students can join virtually on the following days:
Oct 5th at 6 pm
Oct 7th at 5 pm
Oct 17th at 1 pm
Please visit Suny.edu/attend/events/virtual-college- fair for more information.
College Entrance Exams:
Please check the college board website for any updates and cancellations concerning upcoming exams.
COLLEGE ENTRANCE TESTS:
ACT TEST DATES REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
October 23, 2021 September 17, 2021
December 11, 2021 November 5, 2021
February 12, 2022 January 7, 2022
April 2, 2022 February 25, 2022
June 11, 2022 May 6, 2022
ACT ASSESSMENT and ACT ASSESSMENT PLUS WRITING:
(Choose either of two test options — the ACT Assessment or the ACT Assessment Plus Writing, which includes a 30-minute Writing Test. Not all colleges and universities require a Writing Test. Check with the colleges you are considering — or go to www.actstudent.org for a list of institutions that require or recommend the Writing Test.)
SAT I & II
TEST DATES REGISTRATION DEADLINE
October 2, 2021 September 3, 2021
November 6, 2021 October 8, 2021
December 4, 2021 November 4, 2021
March 12, 2022 February 11, 2022
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.
Please use this link for information about accommodations:
https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/how-accommodations-work
PSAT:
APHS will be hosting the PSAT/NMSQT on Wednesday, October 13th this year. Enough tests are available for all interested Juniors. An email will be sent to all Juniors soon to assess interest. Tests not being used by the Junior class will be made available to interested Sophomores. An email will go out to the Sophomore class once we know how many Juniors will take the test. Please be watching your email for more details. All COVID-19 safety guidelines will be followed to provide a safe testing environment for our students.
IMPORTANT LINKS TO CALENDARS AND SCHEDULES FOR 21-22
The APCSD District Calendar for 21-22:
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/images/District/2021-2022SCHOOLCALENDAR.pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sJNKmfAEuqWuYyhVWt5eNgLhR9GC1lVm/view
This is a fixed schedule, and will not change based on snow days.
Marking Periods/Grade Reporting at the HS for the 21-22 School Year:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MLP4E1wY-7zeKL6GuG_DQtsAJLhFYhL5-DNjtAtivlA
Our Daily Bell Schedule for 21-22:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vxwV7mATanOY6bX72_i-14QNHud7FduiWzrr41Dr4uY/edit#gid=0
Please note that this includes schedules for one- and two-hour delays.
The HS Lunch Schedule for 21-22
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MpANeVyIwf2eg8euaMAPCQjt3pOYDVaiVz5e6oM2dLo/edit#gid=0
Updates on General Operations at APHS for 21-22 in Consideration of COVID
As we open the 21-22 school year, we are aiming to create the greatest sense of normalcy within our school environment which is possible. Of course, we must at the same time follow the guidelines which have been set forth by the Governor's Office, as well as the NYS Department of Education and Department of Health.
Operations at the HS will look essentially like they did as we opened the pre-pandemic, 2019 school year, with a few exceptions based on relevant guidance:
Masks will be worn by all students and staff, vaccinated or not, at all times while indoors.
Masks will be optional when students and staff are outdoors.
We will maintain a social distance of 3-feet throughout our time in the building, including in the cafeteria and LGI for lunches. Outdoor options will be available for students as they eat.
Student transitions will be short in duration, at 4 minutes, and students will move stay to the right as they move.
Morning health screenings and temperature checks will NO LONGER occur.
Student bathrooms will continue to be monitored directly by staff. Students will continue to sign-in and sign out of these spaces.
We will continue to maintain fixed seating charts for all classes, study halls, and the cafeteria.
Students must sign-in and sign-out of all spaces. One student may leave a given classroom or space at a time.
Hallway transitions will be used for students to go from one class to the next. Masks will be worn at all times, and students will stay to the right in their travels. Bathrooms will not be available during transitions.
Here is a link to the recent district-level communication regarding our re-opening: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iA_8ZkX-7a4Ux1U1yK2-hSpZ_3SdWpP5DzoL9jB7hTw/edit?usp=sharing
We will continue to monitor conditions in the weeks and months to come, and will stay in touch should we need to make adjustments to our operations.
Breakfast and Lunch - No Charge to Students this Year! FREE!! FREE!!
The Averill Park Central School District Food Services Department will be operating under a waiver from the USDA during the 2021-2022 school year. This waiver will allow all students to be served breakfast and lunch at no charge during the 2021-2022 school year.
Families are encouraged to complete a 2021-2022 Application for Free & Reduced Price Meals, as there are many additional benefits associated with an approved application for students and families including Pandemic EBT.
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/services/food-services
Our Food Services Director, Colleen Wise can be reached at 518-674-7004 with any questions you may have.
Student and Parent Access to Instructional Resources and Information:
While we will open the 21-22 school year as a 100% In-Person Instructional Program, we will continue to be a Google Classroom School. All HS faculty will be using Google Classroom as the consistent platform for sharing instructional materials with students, and their parents/guardians.
We will continue to maintain a singular digital location for students and parents to access these Google Classrooms, as well as a syllabus for each course.
A link to our Instructional Resources Site on the HS Webpage is here:
https://sites.google.com/apcsd.org/aphsfamilyresources20-21/instructional-resources
Reporting Absences Related to COVID- Maintaining Instructional Continuity.
Anytime that your child is absent from school, it is important that you report this absence to the HS Attendance Office at 518-674-7024. Conversely, you may report absences via our dedicated attendance email address, at aphsattendance@apcsd.org
FOR ABSENCES RELATED TO A LONGER-TERM QUARANTINE, OR A RECOVERY FROM COVID:
- Please be sure to report the absence to our Attendance Office AND School Nurse. This will initiate a specific protocol to provide your child with ongoing access to instruction for COVID-related reasons.
- Your child's Guidance Counselor will work with you and your child's teachers to make sure that s/he has access to work while absent. This will include ongoing access to Google Classroom. Teachers may provide students with access to virtual support while they are out.
- All students who are absent for a longer-term, COVID-related reason, will receive at least one period of live virtual support per day with Mrs. Wood, the High School In-School Support Teacher.
If you have any questions, please contact your child's counselor, or the HS Attendance Office.
APHS Building-Wide Norms 21-22
With our day-to-day school life looking a bit different than it did last year, we have developed guiding norms for all students at APHS. Please take a few minutes to take a look, as these are the basis of our collective expectations for students at the high school.
Hallway Norms:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BR-6YovqShBt26q1ca62NF5bAoxUg9cAB5dpxc1WJtc/edit?usp=sharing
Bathroom Norms:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xs2Ei584GEnz_WOYDD_qCm1BEScEf_t4qQIsPNqtrbE/edit?usp=sharing
Classroom Norms:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pcCZb1h1rJGE0T-3ehV0bJDRoVX7eYRBOhz-Ij35Ayc/edit?usp=sharing
Cafeteria/Lunch Norms:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TWTuEnTURKUXW1oL257AQGkphuN69UIDy4wMU1WZmQE/edit?usp=sharing
Norms for Digital Citizenship:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tTm8O35Cu-Bv7zwbB_pO1-X4UhPraUS-owdIBH6m4nE/edit?usp=sharing
Our Assistant Principals, Mrs. Mein and Mrs. Leach, will review these norms with all students at their scheduled class meetings on Friday, September 10th.
News from the Health Office
What to do if my child is sick:
Any symptoms that resemble or cross over with COVID and other illnesses a child will need a clearance note from their doctor or a negative test in order to return to school. Please submit to the nurse's office before having your child return to school.
Continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay home when sick to help decrease the spread of illness.
Please see the information about what to do if your child is sick: https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/news-archive-2021-2022/5211-what-to-do-if-my-child-is-sick
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