Friday, August 31, 2018

First Days of School!

Happy Labor Day weekend!

It was so great to have the students back in the building for the past two days.  So many people commented on how positive and engaged they were, despite the heat.  Many of our teachers spent their time getting to know their students and build relationships. We welcomed students back with our #WelcomeWednesday signs and look forward to another year of positive messages.


A few reminders...
The first bell rings at 8:10am and this is when students can enter the main part of the building from the cafeteria/lobby.  Students can gather in the cafeteria and main lobby if arriving before 8:10am.  Breakfast is served starting at 7:30am.

Morning drop-off and buses have gone very smoothly.  Thank you!
Student drop-off is in the back of the building.  Parents are asked to stay to the left of the road and students should use caution when exiting the car.  Student drivers should stay to the right of the road and park in the student lot on the far side of the building.  Students will have until Friday, September 14 to obtain a parking pass and must park in the student lot (the lot with the solar panels). The parking pass application can be picked up in the main office.

Class meetings will be held for each class on Wednesday.  The seniors will meet with Josten's to fill out their graduation cap & gown cards. All classes will hear about school expectations and class leaders will provide information on upcoming events.

Next Friday is the All-school PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports) Activity and Convocation. It is a fun day where we come together as a school community to learn our core values and expectations. Seniors receive the key to the school at Convocation.

Upcoming events:
September 12- Picture Day
September 24-28- Start With Hello Week
September 27- Parent Night 6-8pm

iStudent accounts were changed for ALL student accounts earlier n August.

To access your account moving forward (and this includes all grade 9 and new students) please use the following information
Log-in: StudentIDlastname    (example- Kelley St Coeur/student id 1234 would log-in with 1234stcoeur)
Password: Ashland1
Your student id is the same number you key in for lunch and when you check in to the office.  You will be prompted to immediately change your password to something personal.
This does not impact iParent accounts.
Please let me know if you have any questions.


Welcome back and be sure to check out the Parent Flyers  




Friday, August 24, 2018

Welcome back!

Good evening-

It was a great week and I was thrilled to have students back in the building.  On Monday we had over 70 of our 120 Peer Leaders in school for training.  Wednesday night they welcomed our new students with a fun scavenger hunt and cookout.  Thursday about 40 student leaders came together from all clubs, classes, and teams to talk about how to continue to build a positive culture at AHS. We were also excited to welcome several of our Chinese exchange students who will be here for the year.



Students report for the 2018-2019 school year on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.  
Hours are (8:10am)8:20am-2:45pm. First bell rings at 8:10am and this is when students can enter the building from the cafeteria/lobby.

Students can gather in the cafeteria and main lobby if arriving before 8:10am.

Student drop-off is in the back of the building.  Parents are asked to stay to the left of the road and students should use caution when exiting the car.  Student drivers should stay to the right of the road and park in the student lot on the far side of the building.  Students will have until Friday, September 14 to obtain a parking pass. Information to purchase a parking pass will be made available on Wednesday,

All students will report to homeroom at the first bell to receive the most up to date copy of their schedule.

Bus Routes

Bus routes are still in the process of being developed and should be ready no later than Friday, August 24.  Please check here for updated routes. http://www.ashland.k12.ma.us/bus-information


Welcome back and be sure to check out the Parent Flyers  

Parent Flyers 2018-2019

6/17/19:
OWL News- May & June
     Spanish edition
     Portuguese edition

APL Summer Reading program

6/1/19:
Consider hosting an exchange student next year!
Cambridge Network Host Family recruiting flyer

5/24/19:
2019 Summer Concert Schedule

APL Finals study sessions

APL- Birds

5/17/19:
Make A Wish Ashland Alehouse fundraiser

Exchange student Host Family flyer

5/10/19:
ASHPAC Turning 3 Essentials

PTO Night at Murhpy's

Showcase India

APL- Great Decisions

APL- Make Your Own Board Game

5/3/19:
USPS Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

APL May 4th events

4/12/19:
OWL News- March & April
    Spanish edition
    Portuguese edition

ASHPAC Financial Planning Workshop

DAET Spring newsletter

APL-AHS Choral program

APL Science Magic

APL Harry Potter book night

APL Rubber Duck Hunt

4/5/19:
PJ Ferrier Toy/Game Drive

Ben Speaks

3/29/19:
Volunteer event 

High School Karate

3/22/19:
iGen Community Book Read

3/15/19:
APS bus registration

Framingham State Ashley B presentation

3/8/19:
ASHPAC Anxiety Workshop

APL March 16

APL Big Box Build

APL Great Decisions

APL Video Game Party

APL Be the Change

3/1/19:
OWL News- February
   Spanish edition
   Portuguese edition

Metrowest College & Career Fair

Community Book Read- iGen

APL Book Sale

APL- Discount Passes

APL Be the Change

APL Grey Wolves Art & Ecology

APL Hands on Nature- Big Predators

YMCA Spring flyer

2/15/19:
ARC girl's boxing

ARC snow-tubing

ARC home-alone safety

ARC BLAST

ARC summer 2019

APL school vacation week activities

APL Be the Change

APL movie night

APL Atlantic Salmon Art & Ecology


2/8/19:
ELL Parent English class

AEFI Ticket Sales

Boston area Brain Bee

2/1/19:
Make-A-Wish Jump for Joy

Cradles to Crayons PJ Drive

APL- Won't You Be My Neighbor screening

Community book read- iGen

1/25/19:
OWL News- January
        Spanish edition
        Portuguese edition

Clocker Club pancake breakfast

AEFI Thank-you Card Contest

Ashland Is United Breaking Bread


1/18/19:
Worcester Railers - February 10

APL Mid-term's Study sessions

1/11/19:
no flyers this week!

1/4/19:
APL BYO Book Club

1/2/19:
OWL News- December
               Spanish edition
               Portuguese edition

12/7/18:
AHS Band Holiday Bookfair


11/30/18:
Just Talk About It!

Make A Wish Winterfest

OWL News- November 
              Spanish edition
              Portuguese edition

Town of Ashland- Fun All Month Long!

APL- DIY Holiday Cards

APL- Mr. Magic

11/21/18:
MetroWest Youth Teaming Together Coffee House

APL- Illuminate Ashland

APL- Manatees

11/16/18:
Mass HeartBeat ECG screenings

AHS Blood Drive

APL Anime Viewing 

APL Vinny's shadow puppets

11/9/18:
ASHPAC Basic Rights in Special Education

Festival of Lights- Diwali

11/2/18:
OWL News
        Spanish edition
        Portuguese edition

AEFI Neighborhood Campaign

APL - Enchanted Sunday

APL - Diwali Festival

Boy Scouts

10/26/18:
National School Bus Safety Week

Local Conversation on Vaping

10/19/18:
AHS Football Recycling Fundraiser

Finding Your Voice

10/12/18:
ASHPAC College Night

POWER Series- Finding Your Voice

APL Self-publishing panel

APL Book chat

APL Early Release Day events

APL Indian Festival


10/5/18:
ARC Nashoba

ARC Wachusett

ARC Wicked Cool for Kids

Metrowest Student FilmFest

9/28/18:
PBIS Ashland Alehouse fundraiser

OWL News
   Spanish edition
   Portuguese edition

ASHPAC Meet the Administration

DAET Fall newsletter

9/6/18:
ARC Fall Offerings

8/31/18:
Fall College Essay Writing Class

2018-2019 Driver's Education

APL- Summer Reading Wrap-up & Awards

APL- Youth Basketball Registration

APL- Indian Program

8/24/18:
Special Education Department OWL News- Summer edition
     Spanish edition
     Portuguese edition

Classical Music Performance at APL

Friday, August 3, 2018

Schedules and more! Here comes 2018-2019

August 8, 2018

Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians:

I hope you are having a wonderful summer but I have to say I am excited to welcome you all back! The building is so quiet and I miss the student energy.  I hope your summer has brought plenty of time to relax and enjoy quality time with family and friends.

We are very excited to welcome the following new staff:
Javier Arango, Spanish
John Noel, Special Education
James Phillips, School Psychologist
Erika Thomson, Math

Internally, Jess Curran, School Psychologist, has transitioned from her previous role of half-time at the middle school and half-time with us to our full-time psychologist.

Schedules for 2018-2019 for all new students were sent today, August 8, 2018.  If you do not
receive a schedule please call the AHS main office to request one.  
All students, grades 10-12, can now view their schedules through iStudent.  
Any current AHS student who does not recall how to access iStudent can email Linda Chaney
to have their account reset. (Members of the Class of 2022 will receive their iStudent log-in information at New Student Orientation but can see their schedules through iParent if it is set up.) 
It is important to note that the schedules are not 100% finalized and there will be some changes as
we try to balance out class sizes and meet the needs of all students.  The guidance staff and administration have been working tirelessly this summer to produce the best schedule for the
greatest amount of students.  Any blank space in the schedule indicates a study hall.  Study hall
room assignments will be reflected on schedules by the first day of school. 
If you have not already done so, please visit our website https://ipass.imgsoftware.com/school/ashland/pamregister.html and sign-up for iParent.


Our guidance staff will return to the office on August 21.  If you would like to set up a meeting 
with your counselor regarding schedule changes, we will be offering 15 minute appointments 
from 8:30 – 11:45, and 12:30-1:30 on August 21, 23, and 24.  On August 22 counselors will be available from 11:30-3:00 and will then be present at the New Student Orientation from 4-6pm.  
You may call the high school main office at 508-881-0177 to arrange an appointment.

If you would like to email the main office please use the following address: ahsmainoffice@ashland.k12.ma.us

All summer work is posted at http://sites.ashland.k12.ma.us/ahs-guidance-department/summer-reading-assignments

Follow us on Twitter @KStCoeur, @ClockerDean, @MrsELachapelle and @ClockerAD

Ashland High School does not have a school supply list.  Teachers will share with students what is needed for individual classes over the course of the first couple of days.  Students should plan to start the year with a notebook and writing utensils (pens & pencils).  Students are allowed to carry backpacks at AHS and all students are assigned a locker.  Students can rent a lock for their locker through the front office for $5 or bring their own lock and provide the office with the combination or copy of the key.

Key Dates:

Freshman and New Student Orientation- Wednesday, August 22 from 4-6pm. 
We will have a barbecue and fun activities so please plan to attend to get to know the school community.  This event is for students only but there will be a brief orientation and Q&A for
any parents that are interested at 4:15pm once students are sent to their homerooms.

The Student Leadership Summit will be on Thursday, August 23 from 10am-2pm. 
This annual event is a chance for all students interested in helping to build a positive school 
culture and set goals and expectations for a great school year.  
Are you a club leader, a sport's team captain, class officer, etc.?  Are you someone who is interested in making an impact on our school? ALL students interested in having a voice at AHS are encouraged to attend this fun, interactive morning! -  (bring a sack lunch-drinks and snacks will be provided) . 
All captains and students in club and activity leadership positions are expected to attend. 
Please sign up here!

As a reminder the Peer Leader application was emailed to all juniors and seniors and is posted on the AHS website. We welcome all students to apply to be a part of this program and help our new students transition to AHS.  
Peer Leader training is August 20 from 9am-12pm in the AHS auditorium. (note the date change!)

First day of classes will be Wednesday, August 29, 2018.  Our start time is 8:20am.
The first bell will ring at 8:10am.  Students are expected to remain in the back lobby/cafeteria
until that time.  The building will be open and the cafeteria will begin serving breakfast at 7:50am.

There are no classes on Friday, August 31 and Monday, September 3, 2018 in honor of Labor Day.

Enjoy the last couple of weeks of summer and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Kelley St. Coeur
Principal




Friday, June 22, 2018

End of the Year News!

Good afternoon and Happy Summer!!!

Grades are now available in iParent/iStudent.  Please reach out to your guidance counselor or Dean if you feel there is an inaccuracy.

The main office will be open throughout the summer with the exception of occasional vacation days.  Please call or email before coming in to make sure someone is there. I will be out of the office for most of July on vacation and attending a couple of conferences but can be reached by email.

Please follow the link below for all summer assignments:
Summer Assignments

Peer Leader applications will be available to all members of the classes of 2019 and 2020 starting early next week.  Students will receive an email with the application and should return it to me prior to August 15.  We welcome all students to apply to be a part of this program and help our new students transition to AHS.

Schedules for the 2018-2019 school year will be available on or around August 6.  Stay tuned!  Guidance and our Deans are working diligently to make sure we have a schedule that meets the needs of the most students.  It's not an easy job.

Here are some tentative dates for Start of the School Year activities/times are to be determined:
Peer Leader training- August 21
Student Leadership training (ALL students interested in having a voice at AHS are encouraged to attend!)- August 23
New Student Orientation- August 22, 2018 4-6pm


Enjoy the summer and be sure to check out the Parent Flyers  for fun around town this summer.

Friday, June 8, 2018

June 8, 2018

Good afternoon-

The year is quickly coming to a close.  Four more days of the regular school year to go!  Thursday, June 14 is the last full day of classes.  Students only need to attend during final exams when their class has an exam.  Buses run on the regular schedule and students are welcome to stay in the building for extra help and to study. Sandwiches and salads will be available for lunch.  

June 15-21: Final exams for grades 9-11


The Fall Sports meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday 6/13 at 6:30 in the high school auditorium.  Any student, along with their parent/guardian, who is interested in playing a fall sport at the high school or middle school level should attend the meeting.  Please note that incoming 6th graders are able to participate in middle school cross country only.  Information on registration, athletic fees, and tryout dates will be made available that evening.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mr. Grimes at mgrimes@ashland.k12.ma.us



Ashland High School will be hosting exchange students from China next year. The students need a home for the year.  If you are interested in hosting a student check out the attached flyer. 




Your Lego Donations Help AHS Robotics Team Succeed

The 2018 New England Regional Botball competition has come and gone, but not before the AHS Robotics Team placed second in the competition. This year marks the 16th year this team has been able to compete, and a big part of the success is due to fundraising and donations from the community. The team is now looking forward to the 2018-19 school year and fundraiser opportunities, including the sale of used Legos at Ashland Day!
Can you help? Somewhere in your garage, basement, or attic, there may be a box, bin, or tub of Legos collecting dust. Through your donations, the Lego team will turn used Legos into awesome sets that will then be sold at Ashland Day in efforts to raise funds for the 2019 competition. If you are interested and able to donate, please drop Legos to the main office at AHS when the building is open (about 9-2 daily during the summer). Simply tape “Robotics Club Donation, A219” to the top of your bin, and the Robotics Club will do the rest. Questions? Contact Chad McGowan, adviser, cmcgowan@ashland.k12.ma.us.
As to the clubs success this year? Led by seven seniors (Sabrina Liu, Nathan Savard, Conrad Tulig, Josef Komissar, Arthur Wang, Hunter Steele, Ethan Prybala, and Matt Levine) the club came in second to perennial winner, Winchester HS. With AHS’s two robots, Frank and Stein, the team made their way through the double elimination finals, where they eventually faced their second defeat of the day.
Thanks to the leadership of seniors as well as an upstart group of sophomores, the team cruised through early rounds as they prepared for an eventual head to head competition with Winchester. In a stunning move in the semifinals, AHS reprogrammed one of their bots on the fly and shocked Pembroke high by removing the oft coveted ‘Botguy’ from their robot’s reach. Unfortunately, the consistency of the Winchester team caught up with Ashland in the finals as they fell to defeat. At the end of the day, Ashland returned home with two trophies, Second Place Overall, and the KISS award for engineering and design. Congratulations AHS Robotics and Good luck next year!


 



Enjoy the weekend and be sure to check out the Parent Flyers .



Ways to Nurture a Child’s Mental Health

There are many things you can do to cultivate your child’s mental health. Children need adults to be present in their lives, treat them with respect, and model healthy behaviors and ways to handle emotions.

  • Actively listen before offering your advice.
  • Surround them with healthy adults.
  • Teach them how to be safe.
  • Use open ended questions.
  • Model forgiveness.
  • Be present.
  • Have scheduled family time.
  • Be patient.
  • Share your feelings and validate theirs.
  • Limit electronic time for everyone.
  • Respond calmly when their emotions are elevated.
  • Make play and exercise a requirement.
  • Tell the truth.
  • Be consistent and follow through with what you promise.
  • Practice relaxation exercises together.
  • Recognize positive choices.
  • Set and respect boundaries.

Saturday, June 2, 2018

June 2, 2018

Happy Graduation weekend to all members of the Class of 2018 and their family!

We had a great senior week and are looking forward to celebrating the graduates tomorrow.  As a reminder, the doors to AHS open at 11am and graduation starts at 1pm. The ceremony will be live-streamed by WACA for anyone that wants to tune in at home.
https://livestream.com/WACA-TVAshland/events/8227233
Here are some pictures of the week:


News from the Athletic Department:
Fall Cheer tryouts will take place on Friday 6/8, Monday 6/11, and Tuesday 6/12 from 6:30-8:30 in the High School Cafeteria.  Tryouts for the Fall Cheer Team are open to any current 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grader. All perspective cheerleaders must bring an up to date physical with them to the tryouts in order to participate. If you have any questions please reach out to Mr. Grimes at mgrimes@ashland.k12.ma.us or Coach Burke at mariekatherineb@gmail.com.  


Ashland Raises Healthy & Happy Kids:
The Benefits of Exercise for Teen Mental Health
One of the best things parents can do for their children is help them build an exercise habit. Summer break is a great time to start and instill this habit in children of all ages. Exercise might mean dance, yoga, swimming, hiking or organized sports. It should be something your children really enjoy so they're inspired to keep doing it.

Studies show that exercise has the following benefits for teen mental health:

  • Positively impacts levels of serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate mental health.
  • Releases endorphins, the body's natural "happy chemicals."
  • Lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
  • Stimulates the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which improves mood.
  • Increases self-esteem and body positivity.
  • Helps teens sleep better.
  • Exercise prevents substance use disorder.