AG Middle and High School

Home of the Bluejays!

November 2023 Newsletter

Important Information Regarding the New Middle School

We are truly excited about the January opening of our new Middle School. Below find some important information for Middle and High School families.

In order to provide time to middle school teachers to move classrooms and set up their new classrooms, we've modified the school calendar for middle school students:

Wednesday, December 20th and Thursday, December 21:

No School for Middle School Students. High School students WILL have school these days.

Wednesday January 3rd:

Open house at the new Middle School from 5:30-7:00 PM. Students will receive a new copy of their schedule, get to visit classrooms, and receive their new lockers and locker combinations.

Thursday, January 4th:

Second semester begins with a full day of school. All students in grades 6-8 report to the new Middle School building.

Monday, January 15th:

AG will host the Trailblazer Conference Honor Band in the new Performing Arts Center. 6:30 PM concert!

zoom_out_map

Commons & Cafeteria

zoom_out_map

Collaboration Space

zoom_out_map

Performing Arts Center

Middle and High School Students Participate In Conference Honor Choir

As part of the Trailblazer conference, students from the AG middle and high school choirs attended the conference honor choir on November 7th. A limited number of students per voice part from each school were nominated by their directors to participate. Students had rehearsals throughout the day alongside the rest of the conference singers in order to prepare for a concert for the public in the evening. This year's conference honor choir clinicians were two collegiate directors: Dr. Brett Epperson from Hastings College worked with the middle school and Joel Johnston from Midland University worked with the high school.

zoom_out_map

AG Honor Choir Participants

zoom_out_map

HS Conference Honor Choir

zoom_out_map

MS Conference Honor Choir

zoom_out_map

Middle School Sock Drive

After Thanksgiving break, the middle school will be having a sock drive. These socks will be donated to the Open Door Mission in Omaha. As a middle school our goal is to deliver at least 1,500 pairs of socks. The grade level that donates the most socks will get a party prior to Christmas break.

From the Desk of Ms. Washburn, School Counselor

You may think it’s pretty early for your middle schooler to be thinking about plans after graduation, but there is actually a scholarship opportunity open to the middle grades. The EducationQuest Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making higher education accessible to all students, gives several scholarships throughout the year to middle school students. Follow this link to learn more.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to post-secondary planning, now is a good time to begin (or continue) those conversations with your son or daughter about his or her plans for the future. Exploring careers through job shadowing, attending summer exploration camps, using interest inventories to match careers with student interests, and talking with a variety of people about their careers are a few of the ways in which middle school students can begin to develop their future goals.

The eighth-grade students will be visiting two Southeast Community College campuses at Milford and Lincoln in February. The purpose of this visit is to give students an idea of what a community college may offer them. Ashland-Greenwood High School students have earned many credits at SCC while still in high school through dual credit classes, and a handful of students have even earned a certificate in welding before graduating from high school. Many more students have taken those credits and moved on to a four-year college, using the credits from SCC to fulfill many of their required classes, whether as an elective or as a fulfillment of a required course in their degree.

Another resource can be found at this link which takes you to the Nebraska Department of Education. They have created several videos for parents about career readiness.

We know there are many different pathways to success following graduation, and we do not believe that college is right for everyone. However, we do believe that planning for the future is important. Now is a great time to start!

If you would like to reach the middle school counselor, email vicki.washburn@agps.org or call 402.944.2114 and ask for Vicki Washburn.