Saturday, February 29, 2020

February 29, 2020

Happy Leap Day-

As a reminder....
The iParent approval window for parents is currently open. Parents should approve teacher and student recommendations for the 2020-2021 year before the end the day on Friday, March 6. If your student did not choose electives please help them choose up to 6. You can enter them for your student. All of this can be done in the iParent portal as the iStudent portal is closed. 


AHS 2020-2021 Program of Studies

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

March 18- Parent/teacher conferences
Our teachers are in the process of reaching out to parents they would like to meet with during our Spring Parent/Teacher Conference Night scheduled for Thursday, March 18. It is an opportunity for teachers to discuss curriculum needs for students as they plan for next year. We hope you will take advantage of the opportunity if a teacher reaches out.
Teachers will be available from 5-7pm and are scheduling 10 minute appointments. On Monday, March 9 parents who were not invited for a parent/teacher conference but would like to schedule a meeting on that evening will be welcome to call or email to schedule an appointment.
Please remember that parents can schedule a time to meet with a teacher at any time during the school year. 


Vaping concerns:
Recently we have had an uptick in vaping activity in the school.This has been disappointing as the year started with a decrease following the media coverage of the health issues vaping causes. 
I encourage you to review the attached Tip Sheet on ECigarettes from Decisions At Every Turn and have a conversation with your child. If your student needs assistance with nicotine cessation we can help. Some students have expressed concerns with being able to use the restroom. Adults are checking them regularly but we also remind students that we have single stall bathrooms on the first and second floors in the academic hallway as well as in the nurse's office. Students who do not want to be exposed to vaping are encouraged to use those restrooms. We would also like to remind students they can always anonymously report vaping to the office, many students do and we appreciate their commitment to keeping a healthy school environment. Thanks for your collaboration in helping to keep the building free from substances that are harmful to students. 



News from Student Council:
Financial Reality Fair
The AHS Student Council is working to put together our second annual "Financial Reality Fair" for the graduating seniors.  This event will be held on Monday, June 1st at the high school.  Each senior will receive a paycheck and credit score and will need to navigate various booths where they will have to make financial decisions (renting an apartment, getting a car, getting insurance, etc.)  Last year's event was a huge success -- 92% of the students who participated in the event and completed the post-event survey said that they found the fair very informative and that they learned something that will use in their lives.  To see a video from last year's event, check out https://youtu.be/1qqdjfLnfyc and to see photos from last year's event, check out https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPGPo1tsuYgO6WY0_tTT99JD1iTuWcYYjZxrGIPrGDbZwApjjrzikUiAoDGQvifWg?key=MWdQcmVxeWg3QWdzTDJRVDhTVHk5eUQxRXFGOUZn

To run this event successfully we need help from the community.  We are looking for professionals who can work with the students who help them making financial decisions and help guide them along the way.  Specifically, we are looking for anyone with a background in housing (realtors), furniture, food, insurance (renter's insurance and auto insurance), clothing, transportation, charity/community service, education (paying for college), luxuries (vacation, entertainment, pets), utilities (internet / phone / cable / gas / electricity), personal savings, retirement savings, or budgeting.  In addition, we are also looking for anyone who is willing to help out as a "general volunteer."  These "general volunteers" will be trained by the professionals at their booth and will then be able to engage in financial conversations with students, helping them make decisions.

For more information and to sign-up to volunteer, visit our website at: https://sites.google.com/site/stucoashland/reality-fair

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ben Pepper at PepperBen@ashland.k12.ma.us (Student Council President) or Josh Wiczer at jwiczer@ashland.k12.ma.us (Student Council Advisor).


Ashland High School will once again host a Red Cross blood drive on Monday, March 9 from 12:00-5:00pm. The early spots are designated for students but we encourage the community to sign up from 2:45-5:00pm. Go to the website linked here and search for AHS or March 9.

Dear Parents and Students,

Ashland High School is pleased to announce a heart screening program being offered during the school day on Wednesday, March 11th. The program will be provided by Mass Heartbeat, a local organization that specializes in ECG heart screening. Mass Heartbeat brings their state-of-the-art ECG technology directly to the school to provide an optional, non-invasive, and COST-FREE screening that can help detect underlying issues in the heart. The ECG tracings are interpreted by an experienced cardiologist and the results will be returned within 5 business days.
Sign up as soon as possible to secure your student's spot! 

Please choose a 5-minute time slot on and register your student today: 

Friday, February 14, 2020

February 14, 2020

Happy February vacation!

The student window for course recommendations will remain open through the vacation. If your student has not approved their teacher recommendations and made elective choices please remind them to do so ASAP. The iParent approval window will open on Monday, February 24. Parents should approve teacher and student recommendations for the 2020-2021 year at that time.


AHS 2020-2021 Program of Studies


Ashland High School will once again host a Red Cross blood drive on Monday, March 9 from 12:00-5:00pm. The early spots are designated for students but we encourage the community to sign up from 2:45-5:00pm. Go to the website linked here and search for AHS or March 9.

Mass Heartbeat program coming to AHS!
What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than taking care of someone's heart? See below for information on the Mass Heartbeat program coming to AHS on March 11. Sign your student(s) up for a free heart screening today!

Dear Parents and Students,

Ashland High School is pleased to announce a heart screening program being offered during the school day on Wednesday, March 11th. The program will be provided by Mass Heartbeat, a local organization that specializes in ECG heart screening. Mass Heartbeat brings its state-of-the-art ECG technology directly to the school to provide an optional, non-invasive, and COST-FREE screening that can help detect underlying issues in the heart. The ECG tracings are interpreted by an experienced cardiologist and the results will be returned within 5 business days.
Sign up as soon as possible to secure your student's spot! 

Please choose a 5-minute time slot on and register your student today: 
https://www.familyid.com/mass-heartbeat/ashland-high-school-2020


News from AHSTS:Tickets are now on sale for the AHSTS production of 13. The production runs Friday, February 28 at 7 PM, Saturday, February 29th at 7 PM and Sunday, March 1st at 2 PM. Avoid the long line at the Box Office! AHSTS offers online sales up to two hours before show time. AHSTS discounts tickets purchased online.Visit http://ahsts.seatyourself.biz to purchase tickets. For more information, visit www.ahsts.com.

Upcoming Events:
March
1 Winter Musical 2:00 - 4:30 pm
5 NHS Talent Show 6:30 – 7:30 pm
9 Red Cross Blood Drive 12:00 - 5:00 pm
12 Mass Heartbeart Screenings all day
Vocal Solo Night 7:00 – 9:00 pm
16-18 Signs of Suicide (SOS) screenings (all 10th grade students)
19 Interdisciplinary Concert 7:00 – 9:00 pm
24 MCAS ELA Session 1 (all 10th grade students)
25 MCAS ELA Session 2 (all 10th grade students)
26 Band Night Concert-MICCA Preview 7:00 – 9:00 pm

27 Early Release 12:35 pm

A few things from the community!

Consider hosting an exchange student from China next year!
Exchange student Host recruitment
Host Recruitment FAQ's

Ashland Raises Happy and Healthy Kids- Part I

Ashland Raises Happy and Healthy Kids- Part II

Potee - Save the date

Congresswoman Clark Art Competition

In the five-day Great Jewish Books Summer Program, students study with college professors, meet contemporary Jewish authors, get a taste of college life, and make friends with other bright, enthusiastic teens from across North America and beyond. Program dates are July 26–31. Click here for a program flyer.
This is a tuition-free for accepted participants, and room and board are covered. It is a transformative experience that leads to deep knowledge, creative thinking, and lasting friendships. 
Applications are due March 9. If you have any questions, please contact Education Program Assistant Margaret Frothingham at greatjewishbooks@yiddishbookcenter.org or 413.256.4900 ext. 152.

Girls Lacrosse after-school program

Friday, February 7, 2020

February 7, 2020

Good evening-

As a reminder this is our last week of classes before February break.

Students are currently approving courses and choosing their electives. Their window will be open until February 14. It is very important that all students rate their elective preferences using the comment box.




Please see the attached letter from Asst. Supt. Vieira regarding the APS report card:
Ashland Public Schools 2019 Report Card letter


Information for student drivers:
We have received several calls and emails from concerned parents about the traffic in the parking lot during dismissal. Some teachers have volunteered their time to help out for the time being and we hope to help students better understand the expectations. We also ask that you as parents model allowing traffic to merge during this busy time.
Parking is a privilege and many students have not paid for the parking pass. The Deans and SRO check for passes regularly, and despite reminders and encouragement, many students still have not purchased their pass. Please remind your AHS driver to hang their pass from the mirror so it can be seen. Students who do not have a pass and continue to park will lose the privilege to have a car on campus and could face other disciplinary measures. Juniors and seniors without a parking pass will lose their privileges until they obtain a parking pass. Please let us know if you have any questions.


SPRING SPORTS REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Ashland is offering the following sports this spring:

High School: Baseball, Softball, Tennis (B/G), Track, Lacrosse (B/G)
*Deadline 3/6 at noon

Middle School: Baseball (7-8) , Softball (7-8) , Track (6-8)
*Deadline 3/16 and noon

To register, please visit:
https://www.familyid.com/organizations/ashland-high-school-athletic-department


Decisions at Every turn is looking to conduct youth focus groups. Students can participate during study halls and community service will be awarded for participation. See the flyer for more information.
DAET Youth Focus group flyer


Community Ed SAT Prep course