October Scoop

All juniors and sophomores will take the PSAT on October 7.

For juniors, this is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The PSAT is also a good indicator of how you may perform on the SAT, so do your best!

Seniors will participate in a separate event during the PSAT testing period.

All seniors must complete the FAFSA or opt out in Skyward to meet a graduation requirement.

Seniors planning to attend college next year should complete the FAFSA. It opens October 1 and must be completed each year you are in college. Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA to determine eligibility for financial aid, including grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.

Click the FAFSA image to visit the Financial Aid website.

Parents can set up alerts in Skyward Family Access to receive notifications about grades and missing assignments. These alerts can help you stay informed and support your student in staying on track.

Setting Up Grade and Progress Alert

1. Log in to your Skyward Family Access account.
2. Click My Account in the top-right corner of the home page.
3. Scroll down to the Email Notifications or Grading section.
4. Select the boxes to receive alerts for low grades and missing assignments.
5. Choose how often you would like to receive progress reports (daily or weekly).
6. Click Save to update your notification preferences.

October 9 is the end of the first nine weeks. If a student fails a class at the end of the nine weeks, they have an opportunity to participate in Quarter Recovery.

Quarter Recovery is available at the end of the 1st and 3rd nine weeks. There is no Quarter Recovery at the end of the 2nd and 4th nine weeks because those grading periods mark the end of the Fall and Spring semesters.

Students who fail a class at the end of the first nine weeks should work with their teacher to complete the Quarter Recovery assignment. Completing the assignment provides an opportunity to raise the nine-week grade to a passing grade.

Counselors are currently meeting with Sophomores and will meet with Juniors in November to discuss their Career Plan. The Career Plan tab in Skyward is where students plan their courses for the upcoming school year and beyond.

Important resources are attached:

• Career Plan Timeline
• Academic Planning Guide
• Course Reference Sheet
• Application Courses Website

Important! Students should begin thinking about next year’s courses now and discuss their choices with their parents and teachers. The final opportunity to request schedule changes is during Step 3 of the timeline—the individual counselor meeting in February.

May is only for counselor-identified corrections, such as scheduling conflicts, failed courses that need to be repeated, or missing prerequisites. Students may not request schedule changes in May or at the beginning of the school year.

Also, please be aware that AHS will no longer utilize Arena Scheduling to create future schedules. Schedules for all grade levels will be auto scheduled in April. Counselors will complete schedule clean up to correct conflicts prior to students seeing their final schedule in May.

What if I still need to complete these requirements?

1. CPR Training: Watch the video found in Xello under the "To-do List," then contact your house office to complete the hands-on demonstration.
2. Peace Officer Training: Watch the video found in Xello under the "To-do List," answer the quiz questions, type the date you completed the lesson and hit the blue submit button.
3. Financial Aid: Choose One Option

1. Upon completing the 2027-2028 FAFSA or TASFA, take a screenshot of the confirmation email you receive and upload that screenshot to Xello under "Plans" - "College Planning" - "FAFSA and state aid applications." OR
2. Opt-out of completing the FAFSA or TASFA in Skyward under "Online Forms."

1. My Texas Future Direct Admissions Program: Choose One Option

1. In Xello, under the "To-do List," find the task titled "Graduation Requirement: MyTexasFuture – Direct Admissions." Follow the steps and upload a screenshot once you are done. OR
2. Opt-out of the My Texas Future Direct Admissions Program in Skyward under "Online Forms."

If you still need to get senior photos done, book an appointment through the link below.

• The deadline is December 7th for AHS Senior pictures.

  
  

  • No outside photographers or vendors will be accepted. Only Cady Studios will be used, as Cady provides AHS with the official photo for the Graduation Ceremony.

  • Schedule Senior Portrait With Cady:

• Book your appointment through Cady Photography: Book Your Senior Portraits

Information Prior To Your Photo Session:

• Know the studio location. This is in your session confirmation email.

• Get plenty of sleep the night before so you look well-rested.

• Make sure your outfits are wrinkle-free (iron or steamed) .

• Pack your outfits, jewelry, and other accessories .

• Pack a makeup bag and hair supplies for touch-ups.

• (Girls) Pack a spaghetti strap or strapless tank top to wear under the drape. Senior girls wear a drape across their shoulders for their photos.

• (Boys) Pack a white undershirt . Senior boys wear a tuxedo for their photos.

  
  

Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled session time. If you need to reschedule, please do so at least 48 hours in advance.

Students have a Fall Break from October 12th-16th. Enjoy your time off! The second 9 weeks will begin following Fall Break.

1896 K Avenue #200

Plano, TX 75074

972-633-9777

https://www.godspantryplano.com

❤️💙 Exciting News from Our Counselors! 💙❤️

Keep an eye on the AHS Counseling tab for information from the counselors and upcoming dates and events!

Stay updated on all the exciting things that the AHS counselors are doing this year —

Come see how our counselors make a difference every day!